Enjoying our house guests :)

We've had lots of fun the last couple of days with our house guests. Dave and Val are so easy to live with...I think we'll keep them.

I got an e-mail from a friend today who is also battling lung cancer. She told me that I shouldn't think of it as doing "nothing" with my cancer right now because I'm actually doing more than I think. I'm giving it a rest. I'm playing hard. I'm feeling good. My spirits are high. All of those things are great healing tools. My dear friend Diana, thank you for making me look at this in a whole different light.

Last night after a great halibut dinner, (and before dessert) I surprised Amy and Angie at their friend Allison Reid's house. Allison's kids, her sister, Erin and her mom were also at the house. When I got there, they were all playing Rock Band (the Wii version). It didn't take much persuasion and before you knew it, I too was a part of the band. I didn't stay long, but I sure had fun while I was there.

It's bedtime for the old folks so I'd better crawl under the covers.

Keep dreaming big,
Doreen

Exciting Weekend

Yesterday we spent the day at our friends Tom and Jana Shaughnessy's river cabin. It was absolutely beautiful. The grounds looked like a golf course and it sits right on the Skagit River. The girls all camped there on Friday and Saturday night. They spent a great deal of their time in the river with wading boots on trying to catch fish. Amy caught her first fish this morning (a 4 pound humpie). She was very excited to say the least. It was a team effort getting her little fish in. Angie stood on the rivers edge coaching her, Shannon netted it and the whole Shaughnessy gang cheered her on. Thanks Tom and Jana for sharing your little piece of Heaven with the Schmitt's. I hope we behaved ourselves and you'll let us come back.

Today Amy helped me cross one of the items off my newest bucket list. We are not gun people but I've been wanting to shoot a pistol. So, today Amy took me to the shooting range in Bellingham and she let me shoot a whole box of bullets. It was exhilarating...my adrenaline was pumping after I hit the target on my first 3 attempts. After those first three shots however, my aim was a little low and to the left. If I was trying to shoot a robber, I would have hit his liver. I still don't have any desire to own a gun, but I would go back to the range and shoot again (after my arm stops throbbing and my lower back quits hurting - apparently my stance was a little tight)

Our friends, Dave and Val will be staying with us while they finish their house in Eastern Washington. They'll be working on the house 4 days a week, then spending the other 3 with us. There is never a dull moment when we're together...I'm really looking forward to spending time with them. Bring on the laughter :)

Rick has been a little worn out this week from the chemo. I'm hoping this next week gives him a break before it's time to have the next chemo embolization. I realized today how much better I feel when I'm not getting chemo. Maybe I really did need a break after all.

Love you more than all the salmon waiting to be caught this week,
Dor

Here's what's happening with the Schmitt's

The movie was a blast. If you ever get the chance to participate in an outdoor movie night, jump at the opportunity. Bring your blankets, chairs, cooler filled with goodies and most importantly, good friends (thanks Janeen) . I don't think it even matters what movie is playing...it's the atmosphere that counts.

Wednesday afternoon, I met my buddy Shelly and my daughter Angie out by Kayak point and they picked me up via dingy and we went out fishing in Shelly's 34 foot boat. What a blast we had. Angie even caught her first fish...a salmon. She was so excited. But like all fishermen, she was mostly disappointed by the BIG fish that got away. She had it all the way up to the boat and before we could net it...it broke loose.

This morning Angie and I helped our family friends Dave and Val prepare for the final move out of their house. They have until tomorrow morning to get everything loaded. Dave and Val will be our guests for 3 days a week until their house in Plain, Washington is finished. They'll be sleeping in their trailer on our property...but I'll have them in the house visiting everyday :)

Nothing new in the health department. Just waiting for Rick's next procedure and for my hair to grow back. Surprisingly, I have about a 1/2 inch grow-out (and most of it is gray).

I'm trying my best to enjoy the next couple of months off from cancer treatment, so with that I'm also finding that I've been a little lazy in the blog category.

We're hoping to join our friends the Shaughnessy's up at their property on the Skagit River tomorrow. The girls have all gone up to the river tonight. Amy and Mel are going to set up the tent. Angie and Shannon are going to show them how to fish. I wish I was a mouse in the corner of the tent. Oh wait, there might already be a mouse in the corner of the tent...ick.

On Thursday, Megan finished (and passed) her last day in class at the University of Washington. For the next year she'll be working on her internship at various physical therapy locations. One private location, a nursing home, then a hospital. We're very proud of our little Dr. Megan.

Jake has been working in his classroom to get it ready for his next group of students. This year he'll teach 7th and 8th grade science, and 7th grade math. He starts coaching high school tennis on Monday. Let the fun begin. :)

This afternoon, my dear friend Pam became a grandma for the 3rd time. Her daughter and son in law, Erin and Cody had their first little son, Levi. He was 8lbs, 8oz and 20 inches long. Congratulations to all of you.

Ok, I think I've mentioned everything I could think of for the moment. In case I haven't said it lately, "the trouble with trouble is that it usually starts out as fun". Have a safe and happy weekend.

Dreaming Big,
Doreen

Sorry about the blog malfunction :(

I wrote a blog before I left Desert Aire yesterday. I just noticed it never posted. Oops sorry. We were gone all day, today for Rick's chemo. Nothing exciting happened (which is a good thing when you want it to go smooth). We learned however, that Rick's next chemo embolization of his liver will be on September 1st now, not the 25th of August. Just gives Rick a little extra time to feel better.

During the summer, Jake works for a company (Epic Entertainment) that does outdoor movies on 40 foot screens. Tomorrow night, a whole group of us are going to Marymoor Park in Seattle and watching the "Goonies". I can't wait. It was a favorite at our house many years ago. I just learned from Jake that it's Pirate Night...Argh...

The house is still pretty warm after the daily heat wave. So, I think I'll call it a night. Get some lightweight jammies on and head off to bed. It was a long weekend, and an early morning. I could use the rest.

Dreaming Big,
Dor

Beautiful Desert Aire

The temperature is perfect over here at D.A. but the wind is a little wild. Not much action over here this weekend, but Bob and Dy will be joining us tomorrow and the fun will begin.

Tonight we're visiting with Uncle Mel and Aunt Jessie. They got a new puppy named Molly. A miniature Boston Terrier. What a great dog. They rescued it from a puppy mill.

Rick and I are both doing great. When my dad stopped by this morning to help us get ready to leave, I discovered that it was a little easier to get ready for the trip before cancer joined our lives. By the time we're all ready to go, we're exhausted and need a nap. Oh well, we're here now and that's all that matters.

Keep Dreaming Big,
Love you more ~ Dor

Good Morning

I haven't had much to say these past few days. Now that I can forget about my cancer for a while, I've been busy doing other things. I went to Taco Tuesday with Pam, Janeen and Jacob. Yesterday I worked on a flyer for our Desert Aire house. All the while I'm doing dishes, cooking, cleaning. It feels like a normal life :)

I didn't write a blog yesterday, but I want to make sure that my "other" daughter Morgan had a fabulous 21st birthday. I've loved little Morgan since I first met her at a little cheer camp 15 years ago. Hope you had a great day.

Today is my buddy Janeen's birthday. She is not 21 and I am not allowed to publish her age :) I'm taking her to a movie today to celebrate. Happy Birthday, Neener.

Rick has chemo again on Tuesday so we've decided to head over to DA this weekend for a little rest and relaxation. We'll be meeting up with Bob and Dy (who we haven't seen in long time). I'm really looking forward to seeing them. We haven't seen our friend and neighbor Pat at DA since she turned 50 so we'll probably be doing a little celebrating with her while we're there too!

Dream Big,
Doreen

Great Scan Results

Cancer is a funny thing. It takes hold of you when you least expect it. Then, like today...it sits idle. Stable. No changes. So, the plan we're on is called "watchful waiting". I'm thrilled to be having a break from all the poisons and drugs BUT...doing nothing seems like a very scary way to do business with and evil client like cancer.

Dr. Eaton and I talked at length about what our upcoming plan will be. He told me of some options at Swedish Hospital in a clinical trial, and a new drug combination (that I haven't tried) Avastin and Alimta. We discussed how I feel about doing nothing, and he explained that as long as the cancer isn't actively growing it's good for my body to take a break. I keep in close contact with my team of doctors, so if anything changes before my next scan (in 2 months) then we'll change our direction sooner.

The scan shows that all the cancer is still in my lungs and lymph nodes and it still lights up on a PET scan. Since June 22nd, there seems to be no changes. Apparently it's just waiting for a day to come out and play. So until then, I'm going to just keep living and laughing.

My sister and law, Vickie and her grandson Jeffrey went to my appointment with me today. While we were waiting in the lobby, Jeffrey found origami cranes in a container. He brought one to each of us for good luck. I'm going to keep it with me for all my appointments. It seems to work :)

Dreaming Stable and Big,
Doreen

Weekend Update

We're having a relaxing weekend. No where to go. Nothing to do. We slept in this morning. Had french toast. Watched some baseball. Janeen and I went to a movie and had a great time. That's about it.

I get my scan results on Monday morning. I'm not expecting any changes but I'll let you know once I get home from my appointment.

For your information, we have a new e-mail address: rickanddor@verizon.net

Until later, keep dreaming big,
Dor

I'm Back

The Internet is up and running, we have 700 TV channels (whatever happened to just ABC, NBC and CBS?...it was so much easier but not near as much fun). The phone works (I think) and now I'm just waiting on my TIVO cable. Enough about this technology....

Our Dream Big Bed was delivered while I was gone. So when it arrived on Friday, Shelley, Pam, Angie and Grandpa Bob were all there to help get it set up. We now have an incredible bed to sleep on. Thanks for all your help and love. Rick had the pleasure of sleeping on it a few days before I got home, but let me tell you....now that I'm home, it's hard to get up in the morning. With my knees up and my head up, I sleep like a baby. I wake up in the morning exactly as I started the night before. I don't think I move a muscle (or cough for that matter). It was just what the doctor ordered...

I have so many stories and photos to share of our trip. Honestly, it was one of the greatest times I've ever spent "on the road". These girls had me laughing (and coughing) the entire time. I think I may have done my share of making them laugh as well. We didn't get to spend near enough time with Bonnie and the gang, but the Gala is coming up in November so I'll be seeing them soon. Kim Mains was the best tour guide we could have asked for. Thanks again Kimmy!

Rick had chemo on Tuesday and while at his appointment, he learned that his CEA count has dropped from over 40 to 18.5. That is terrific news since normal is between 0 and 2. That's the first time it's dropped in months thanks to the hepatic artery embolization (to his liver). We met with Dr. Kooy yesterday (the physician who performed this procedure) and he is planning to do it again to the other lobe of Rick's liver within the next month. He said it will be much easier on Rick the second time around.

I had a PET/CT scan yesterday and I'll find out the results on Monday. I don't like the wait and watch game (which is what I feel like we're doing right now) so after I hear some results on Monday, we might be starting up a new program. I'll keep you posted.

I've missed you all since I've been gone. Sorry the blogs were sporadic but I was having so much fun that I knew you'd understand.

Thank goodness the weather calmed down while we were gone.

I'm attaching a photo of my bi-monthly flowers that were delivered today. They are just beautiful. Thanks Salal Floral :)

Happy to be home,
Dor

Made It Home Safely

Mom made it back safe and sound last night, but she won't be blogging for a couple of days. Directv and Verizon came to their house yesterday to install internet and tv. After 9 hours with the Directv guy mom's Tivo doesn't work and we have no internet. They forgot to send the correct equipment. So........either Friday or Saturday she should be getting the correct setup for internet and she will be back in the swing of things.

Dad's appointment went well yesterday. Thank you again Grandpa Bob for taking him down there! Mom has a pet scan this morning, and I will keep you updated on the details of that.

Keep Dreaming Big,
Jake

I refused to pay $14.95 a night for internet

We just stopped at a hotel in Roseburg, Oregon on our way home from the best girls road trip EVER. It is a 13 or 14 hour drive (or so mapquest says) and honestly, the time has flown by when we're together.

Our 2 days in San Francisco were so memorable. We did our best to get in every possible thing on our wish list. When we first arrived, we met Bonnie and her daughters for lunch at the World Lung Conference. After lunch, we put other peoples name tags on and toured the lung conference. Amazing things are going on when it come to keeping those of us with lung cancer alive. Thanks to all of the research scientists and doctors who are working together to make great things happen. We spent all afternoon and evening at the waterfront and got back to the room at 10:30 that night. The next day we spent walking all around Union Square until it was time to head over to Golden Gate Park for the walk.

The 1st Annual Bonnie J. Addario 5K Golden Gait Walk for Lung Cancer was a huge success. In it's first year they raised nearly 130 thousand dollars. Janeen, Cathy and Donna got to meet my San Francisco extended family and friends. The all had a wonderful time.

Kim Mains, our old family friend (who lives near San Francisco) met us and did the walk with me (by the way I finished 8 minutes before Janeen, Cathy and Donna...but who's counting?). When we were done with the walk, Kim took us over the golden gate bridge, down Lombard's crooked street and gave us lots of opportunities for photos. We were going to meet up with Bonnie when we finished, but we never connected. She had a busy day and still needed to get some sleep for the Lung Conference today.

This morning we headed out of the city around 11:00am and made a few really important stops, the Jelly Belly Factory and the Olive Pit. The car is filled with souvenirs, jelly beans and jars of olives. We need to get home since we can't fit another item in the SUV.

As much fun as we've all had, I know we're all ready to get home to our families. We miss you and love you :)

I need to go now so I can get some shut eye.

Dreaming and Laughing Big,
Doreen

1st Stop ~ Lake Oswego, Oregon

After 4 1/2 hours of driving, stopping at Dick's for dinner, snacks in Cougar, Washington, we finally made it to a hotel in Lake Oswego (just outside of Portland). I could have driven for a couple more hours because the time flew by with these ladies in my car.

We brought along our travel mascot "Bare Lee" who will be joining in our photographs on this journey.

I'll write more tomorrow.

Until then,

Dream Big

Doreen and the girls

Plans have changed

My road trip buddies have all agreed to leave tonight instead of tomorrow morning. Yahoo! If for no other reason we'll have air conditioning tonight when we stop at a hotel. We figured as long as we're ready to go why not leave a little early so we can spend more time in San Francisco?

We're packing up the SUV right now so I should probably go help.

I'll do my best to write a quick blog (with photos) each night if we have wireless at our hotels.

Keep Dreaming Big and Stay Cool,
Love you more ~ Dor

I'm Melting....

No one told me the real down side to being bald. When the weather is 105 degrees with high humidity and you're sweating profusely, the sweat goes directly down your face and neck. It has nothing to "cling" on to, like HAIR. It is not a pretty sight and it's way too hot to wear something on my head. So, I guess I'm just going to have to deal with it for a few more days.

We checked the weather forecast for California and it will be a cool 75 degrees on Saturday when we arrive in San Francisco. Hallelujah!

For those of you reading this blog who live in Stanwood or the surrounding area, you know that our weather has been record breaking and ridiculous. For those of you who live elsewhere I'm sorry if this is your usual summer weather. I wish I could stop talking about it, but it's 10:30pm and our house is still 90 plus degrees. We don't have air conditioning because we get about 10 really warm days a year (if we're lucky). We do have good heating however because the other 355 days are usually cold.

I'm not sure if chemotherapy does something to our internal thermostat but I'm starting to go a little crazy from the heat. I'll try to write more tomorrow unless I'm delirious....

Dream Big and Stay Cool,
Doreen

Happy Birthday Ricky

Today my honey is celebrating his 53rd birthday. Who would have known that only a few years ago we acted like birthdays carried the plague, now we can't wait to have another one? We celebrated like we do most birthdays in the Schmitt house....Jimmy's Pizza. Why change a great arrangement?

This afternoon my friend Kim came for a visit and lunch. We had a very nice visit and talked for hours about life and our kids and how lucky we are. I was feeling pretty good while she was here, but right before it was time to go out for dinner the heat really got to me. By the time we made it to the restaurant, I had nausea and sweat running down my face.

Now that we're home, I'm going to get into really cool clothes and head downstairs where the temperature is about 15 degrees cooler than it is upstairs. Ugh! We have a guest bedroom downstairs and I told Rick that tonight we need to be guests in our own house. Perhaps we'll sleep better than we have the past few days.

I'm really getting excited about the trip to California. 3 friends (Janeen, Cathy and Donna) will be joining me for a very special road trip. We are planning on spending 2 full days in San Francisco (including Bonnie's Golden Gait 5K Walk) and the other days will be scheduled for traveling. We plan on stopping (whenever we feel like it) to enjoy the sights along the way. I hope to bring my lap top and share the journey with all of you.

I still have the link attached to the right of my blog for Bonnie's Walk. If you're interested in donating or joining our team, you still have a few days to participate by clicking the link. I'll be bringing back t-shirts for those who signed up but didn't make it to San Francisco.

As much as I would like to write and tell you more about Rick turning 53 and the rest of my day, I really need to get out of the heat before I get sick again.

Stay hydrated. Wear sunscreen. Find a cool spot.

Dreaming Very Warm, But Big,
Doreen

Jake and Megan in a magazine

Jake and Megan's wedding was chosen as a "local wedding of note" in the Seattle Bride magazine. If you're in line at the grocery store, turn to page 124...it has a nice photo and an article about how they met and got engaged. They're the cutest couple in the article, but I might be a little biased.

Yesterday I went with Pam and bought new sheets for "the bed". The estimated date of arrival is Tuesday and I can't wait. Did I say thank you enough? If not...thank you, thank you, thank you!

Nothing much planned for today. Rick has to go to work for a couple of hours, I need to do a little housework, and the sun is going to be a scorcher again today (so I'll be working on staying cool). I hope the rest of your weekend finds you warm and happy.

Love you more,
Dor

Surprise!

This afternoon we headed out to our friend Shelley's house for her 50th birthday party. Last year on her 49th, we threw her a 50th so this year she said she was going to throw her own party. She did throw a party, but it wasn't for her...it was for Rick and I. Many of you were in on the surprise, but for those of you who weren't, Shelley instrumented a party where people had to pay to attend and the money was going towards an adjustable bed for Rick and I. All of this started from a little broken bed incident that Shelley and I would like to forget, but can't help laugh when we think about it.

What is so amazing about this gesture is that I know I will sleep better with my head elevated. Rick will be able to adjust his side to fit his needs and I will be able to do the same to my side. I do most of my coughing at night because my head isn't elevated enough. Now that won't be a problem.

Besides the surprise of the new mattress, we were greeted by many friends who had donated towards the purchase, my parents, and the kids (minus Jake who was working). The food was incredible, the friendship was immeasurable and the night was unforgettable. Shelley painted rocks and wood from the beach with the words "Dream Big". We can't help but Dream Big on our new mattress.

Thank you everyone for the incredible gift.

Dreaming Bigger than ever!
Doreen & Rick

Rick is feeling better

I think Rick is finally coming around. He's still pretty fatigued and has lost weight this week but over all, he seems more like his usual self. When he feels better, so do I. It's a love thing :)

These past couple of weeks have felt like a lifetime of uncertainty. I can't imagine how the kids, our friends, and family cope with the day to day struggles we put them through. Thank you all so much for your unconditional love and support.

Yesterday afternoon, I was pleasantly surprised with a beautiful gigantic bouquet of lillys and tulips from a friend and blog reader, Jeff. I had to use 3 different vases to get all the flowers in water. They are absolutely gorgeous. Thanks Jeff. They were just what we needed to cheer up our household.

I'm hoping to take a road trip with a few girls to San Francisco for Bonnie's Walk. We'll be leaving next Friday and will be gone for a few days. I don't think the drive to San Fran is that long (maybe 14 hours or so) and with a car full of women gabbing and laughing, the time will fly by. Let's pray my fever stays down so we can make this happen.

I guess I'd better get off the computer and think about making dinner. Mom and Dad gave us some fresh cracked dungeness crab so I think we'll have Crab Louies for dinner. MMMMmmmm Good!

Dreaming Big,
Dor

Uncertain Future

This morning, Janeen picked me up for my chemo appointment, then we stopped and got Pam (because she and Janeen were having mammograms during my appointment). Well that was what we had originally planned. Today it was a very long wait for my chemo drugs because they've moved the pharmacy and are working on all the glitches. In the end Pam and Janeen were both finished (with good reports) before I even got my drip. They didn't seem too upset about it, but I hate to put people out.

I guess while I was gone today, our cows got out and my sick husband, son and daughter along with some fabulous neighbors, got them back into the field after a couple of hours of hard work. Thanks to all of you who helped Rick out today when he needed it most.

Today's appointment was a little bittersweet for me. Dr. Eaton said that today was my last treatment of this kind. Then I'll have a PET SCAN, and determining how that reads, I will go on a break. I can tell you that my body needs a break, but breaks mean NO TREATMENT, and NO TREATMENT causes growth (or so it has so far). I asked how long the break would be and he said indefinitely (until they see more growth). All of this sounds good but very scary for me.
Now, I suppose if they find that Doxataxel (the drug I'm on now) has been working according the the Pet Scan, they'll probably let me continue with it. Past Pet Scans weren't very promising so I think that's why the break will come instead. The next drug combo I'll try will be Alimta and Avastin. This is the last drug combination they have for me at this time. I could look at other hospitals for more clinical trials, but SCCA doesn't have any right now that fit my criteria.

Rick has chemo tomorrow morning (if his body can tolerate it). I know he just wants to get it over with, but he still isn't feeling well from the Artery Embolization. I'm sure he'll really be worn down after the cow fiasco today.

I'm feeling groggy after my chemo treatment today so I'd better call it a night.

Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers.

Big Dreamer, Dor

Happy Sunny Monday

Angie sent me a quote this morning that I thought was very fitting for the blog:
Don't regret growing older. It is a privilege denied by many. (anonymous)

This has been a very trying weekend at the Schmitt house. Rick has spent much of his time in bed. He's very fatigued, in pain, and just not himself. The doctor explained that once the chemo was shot into the liver, it eventually works it's way out to other organs or tissue in the body. He has pain near his shoulder (which they say is radiating pain) and the pain medicine just makes him confused so he doesn't like to take it. He says he's feeling better today but he isn't out of bed yet so we'll see how he's feeling once he's up and moving around.

Thankfully, the antibiotic my doctor prescribed on Wednesday hit the spot. I haven't had a fever since I started taking the prescription and I feel well (except for my heavy heart when I'm dealing with Rick).

The kids and my dad have been awesome. Stopping by to check on us, doing odd jobs while they're here. My dad stops by twice a day to feed the steers grain. I told him I could do it, but he says he likes helping out.

This morning my sister in law and nieces stopped by with some homemade cherry crisp (Dawn knows how much I love cherry desserts). It was good for my soul to see them. My little nieces, who refer to me as "Auntie" were freely handing out hugs and kisses. Dawn is careful not to bring the girls around when anyone has the sniffles or isn't feeling well.

My son is here now to visit so I'll have to say my good-byes. I have chemo tomorrow and Rick has it on Wednesday. I'll try to write something again tomorrow or if anything changes.

Keep Dreaming Big,
Dor

Chemo treatment : CANCELED

My parents stayed in Seattle last night in order to save themselves from driving down there early this morning. Apparently the drive was not necessary either way. Dad is suffering from what was described to us as "typical" side effects from his surgical procedure that took place on Tuesday. He is having pain in his chest, shoulder, back and stomach. In addition, he is lethargic and literally needs assistance keeping his balance while he is walking around. Hopefully these are signs that the chemo drug is killing those tumors. I'm putting all of my positive energy into believing that is the case anyway...

I was waiting at my parents house when they arrived home from Seattle late this morning so that I would assist them in any way possible. Mom and I got Dad tucked into bed and then spent a couple of hours visiting over lunch. She keeps apologizing for what has been happening with their health lately. She feels bad that we are the ones having to help them out. I just continued to re-assure her that we WANT to be there through the good and bad that we will be facing in the future months.

On a positive note, Mom is feeling better today and is working hard to schedule a family trip for all of us later in the year. She is thinking a 4 day cruise sounds good. I would have to agree! I like the idea of planning something big to look forward to. It takes our attention off of being sick and puts it on trip planning!

I would like to once again thank everyone for the supportive cards, emails and phone calls that show us that you care. They are greatly appreciated! Thank you friends....

Dreaming Big,

Angie

Doreen is BACK

Hi everyone. It's me again....feeling much better than yesterday. Gosh, I don't know what's going on with me. One day I'm fine, the next day I'm lethargic with a fever. I felt terrible yesterday that Angie and Jake had to take care of Rick while I laid around feeling sick.

After all the sleep Rick has had over the past few days, he was up early today and thought he should go to work to do a little catch up. He was gone by 8:00am and got home around 3:30. I know he's a little wiped out right now, but he would never admit it. He feels good that he got his work done. Early day again tomorrow. Rick has chemo (does it ever end) and we hope it treats him well since he got a blast of it on Tuesday directly into the liver. Amazing what they can do now to keep people alive and thriving.

I have some clothes to fold out of the dryer and I need to think about making dinner. Until tomorrow, Stay cool and Dream Big.

Love you more,
Dor

Happy to be Home!

Today I have several things to report. First, the good news. Dad's CT scan showed no signs of liver failure after his surgical procedure yesterday and his blood pressure is back down to a near-normal range. He is scheduled to go back to see this doctor again the first week in August. In the mean time, he will continue with his scheduled chemo treatments.

Our un-expected hurdle appeared first thing this morning when Mom woke up. She was shaking, coughing quite a bit and didn't look like she felt good. By the time we arrived at the hospital Mom grabbed my arm and said, "I am going to throw up! Where is a bathroom?" We made it to the bathroom but that was just the beginning of our day. When we arrived in Dad's hospital room I asked his nurse to check Mom's temperature. It was over 101 degrees. It was at that time that Dad was about to get released from the hospital. Jake ended up coming down to Seattle with Megan and drove Dad back in my parents car while I stayed with Mom to get checked out. By 11:00 AM she felt nausea, had a fever and was being transported around the hospital by wheelchair. They took blood, got a urine sample, did a chest x-ray and eventually released her from the hospital just after 3:00 PM this afternoon. The doctor said that her counts are elevated, which they should be because of her bone marrow building medicine, but they might also be elevated because her body has an infection. They put her on a strong antibiotic and told her to come back if things get worse and they will admit her into the hospital.

What a long day! Jake is planning to stay the night with them tonight so that I can go home and sleep in my own bed tonight. If you call the house you will find that I left a new phone message thanking everyone for calling to check on them but that I disconnected the phone in their bedroom so that they can sleep.

Thanks for all of the prayers and well wishes. We can't get enough of those!!

Dreaming Big,

Angie

Rick Update from the UW

Today was a long day at the University of Washington Medical Center. My parents arrived for Dad’s procedure at 6:30 AM and all of us kids arrived shortly after. Mom and I just left the hospital at 10:00 PM and are staying a mile away at a hotel so that she can try to get a much needed night of rest. Apparently she did not sleep for a single minute last night because she was worried for Dad’s surgery. She said that her steroids were making her feel “funny” and were also doing their part to keep her awake all night. The good news is that I ran her a bath and got her tucked into her bed nice and cozy when we got back here to the hotel. I am praying that I hear her snoring any time now…

According to Dad’s doctor, his surgery went well. The chemotherapy drug was successfully administered into his right lobe of his liver and that was the goal. He did mention that there was a minor complication during surgery that ended up working out just fine. Apparently my dad’s Hepatic vessel closed itself off sometime during his battle with cancer so it created a new challenge for the doctor who planned to travel his instrument through there today. He had to find a new vessel that was also leading to that lobe of his liver. Lucky for us he found the vessel and the rest is history.

Upon returning to his hospital room we quickly noticed that Dad was showing high blood pressure readings. Even with his sickness he tends to be like clockwork when it comes to blood pressure…120/80. After surgery it elevated from 160/100 to eventually 181/108. By that point I was getting scared and so was the nurse. They gave dad a shot of medicine to lower his blood pressure and we waited. The worst side effect of today’s surgery for Dad was that he had severe back/stomach pains and he literally could not move his right leg or sit up in his bed for 6 straight hours. He was in pain and going stir crazy because he could not move around to get more comfortable. After allowing his medication to kick in and finally being able to urinate we immediately saw a dramatic drop in his blood pressure. When we left tonight it was 144/95.
I tried to post this blog late last night (Tuesday) but the internet at the hotel was down. It is now 7:20 AM and I am trying this again before we head back to the hospital. As for an update on Mom, she seems to have slept pretty well last night. Her breathing was labored and she woke up several times coughing but I jumped right up and got her water, more medicine or just crawled in bed with her and rubbed her back for a few minutes. Each time she fell back to sleep within minutes. Her poor little body really needed some rest.

One of us will write a quick note when we get more details about Dad’s progress later this morning.

Dreaming Big and praying for a Starbucks coffee,

Angie

Chemo? What Chemo?

I got a call from Mom this morning to inform me that she WOULD NOT be getting chemo this morning after all. Apparently they had her scheduled for the wrong chemo drug and therefore they gave her the day off. She will have chemo next Tuesday instead. Since Mom was already in Seattle with Pam and Janeen they decided to go shopping instead. I think this scheduling error may end up working out just fine. Instead of being exhausted tomorrow from her treatment today, she will be alert and ready to take good care of my Dad as he recovers from his surgical procedure and the UW Hospital. Mom mentioned that they are taking her off of the clinical trial that she is currently on (but not necessarily taking her off of the chemo drug that she is taking) because she was unable to follow the exact protocol of the experiment. She will be able to give you more details in her next blog. She was so busy shopping with the girls that she did not exactly load me up with a lot of details. When her "retail therapy" is over I am sure she will give me a call to help me understand this information a little bit better. Until next time...

Dreaming Big,
Angie

Weekend Update with Dor

These past few days have been filled with lots of business. Rick and I met with his company president in Bellevue on Friday morning, which turned into a full day of being gone. The meeting was great and we feel good about where we're going in the future.

Saturday a busy day of doing things around the house, then heading to Janeen's to celebrate her son Will's college graduation. Go Cougs.

Today has been another productive day tied in with a little Rest and Relaxation :) You can never have too much of that. I need to start packing for a couple of days in Seattle for my chemo and Rick's surgery. Sometimes it makes more sense to just stay down there rather than making the trek back and forth.

I'm a little anxious/nervous for Rick's procedure on Tuesday. I know the outcome should be fantastic, but until they get started, I'll just keep biting my nails. :(

I have chemo in the morning, and I believe it is still just Taxotere without the fever making Gemzar. I'm not sure if I'll be getting a blood transfusion, but if that's on the menu....I'll order it. Dr. Eaton won't be at my appointment tomorrow but his associate Dr. Martins will be there. I need to make sure they are going to give me a little time off so I can go to Bonnie's "Golden Gait" the first part of August. I'm hoping a little break is in the forecast and I'll get a week off for good behavior. I could use a few days without nausea or headaches...

The kids have all been really busy this weekend, so I've hardly seen hide nor hair of them. I hope to see them all on Tuesday during Rick's surgery. I always need their moral support.

I'll try to write a quick little blog before I doze off tomorrow night after chemo, but if not...One of the kids or I promise to write something on Tuesday after Rick's procedure is complete.

Keep Dreaming Huge,
Doreen

Blog #920

Blog number 920? Somebody shut me up :) I still don't have a solution to what I'm going to do when I run out of blog space, but in the end, it'll work out.

It's 6:00am and I finally just got out of bed instead of tossing and turning like I'd been doing for most of the night. My hip, pelvic and thigh bones are working overtime producing bone marrow and apparently they wanted me to stay awake and keep them company. Between the coughing and the aching you can imagine what a good night sleep I had. Maybe I should just go stay at a Holiday Inn (or whatever hotel it is where they promise a good night's rest).

Rick and I are heading to Bellevue this morning. He has a meeting and I get to tag along and take notes. (I'm hoping this will also include a nice lunch with my honey)

I met up with Janeen for lunch yesterday. She was in town doing some errands and she had her grand baby with her. What an adorable little girl with the biggest dimples you've ever seen. I had a great time, then did a few errands of my own.

Jake woke me yesterday morning with a kiss to my cheek. He worked at Sylvan yesterday afternoon, so he came up early to mow our lawns and do some odd jobs around the house that just didn't seem to get done. He is such a great help! After all his hard work was complete, he and his papa went to lunch.

I'd better end this blog. If I'm going to Bellevue soon, I should start getting ready.

Have a fabulous day and keep dreaming big,
Dor

Rick's Dr. Visit

This morning we met up with Angie to make the trek to Seattle to visit with Dr. Kooy who will be doing Rick's "newest procedure". Surgery is scheduled for next Tuesday and after the appointment today we all feel much better about it. They will be doing a procedure much like an angiogram only they will stop at his liver and shoot 3 different types of chemotherapy directly into the right lobe. The following morning they will take a CT scan to make sure the chemo grabbed on to the tumors and are doing their job. It all sounds intense, but it makes a lot of sense to go directly to the root of the problem. :)

Have I mentioned lately what wonderful kids we have? Tonight, they all met at the house so we could discuss everything we'd learned today at the doctor's office. Amy brought dinner (though Angie and Jake passed on it since they already had dinner plans). We had an amazing family meeting where they asked the important questions to Rick and I like, what do you need from us? How can we help you? Don't be afraid of counseling...we're all doing it and it makes the process much easier to deal with. How did they get so smart? I'm serious, sometimes I look at them and think they must belong to someone else.

We had to change my chemo routine for next week so I would be available for Rick on Tuesday. As of now, I have chemo Monday, Rick has surgery Tuesday, then a CT scan on Wednesday.....Sounds like next week is nearly full.

My Neulesta is working again. I can feel my pelvis and hips throbbing as I sit her writing the blog. I know this is a good thing. It means my body is producing bone marrow. Yahooie! I don't know yet if I'll be getting a blood transfusion on Monday, but the nurses told me it's like having an oil change. I'll feel great, refreshed, almost new afterwards. I'm holding them to it.

I'm heading to bed now. It was a long day with lots of information crammed into my brains. Thanks to all of you who've been joining our Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation team. We're currently in the lead....and we have 23 members. I'm so proud!

Dreaming Big,
Doreen

Weekend Update

What a great weekend this turned out to be. When we arrived at Desert Aire on Thursday night, I wasn't feeling well, so I went to be early to try to sleep off the crummies...I woke up Friday morning with a fever (so apparently the extra sleep wasn't what I needed). I stayed in my jammies and in bed until around 1:00pm when the fever finally broke and I felt good the rest of the weekend. Yahoo!

The temperature outside was up in the low hundreds for a couple of days so we did our best to be outside when we could tolerate it, and stayed inside with the air conditioning playing games when we couldn't take the heat.

The food was great (everyone did their part...either with a dinner, or snacks, or clean-up). We were like a well oiled gang. Never did we miss a meal or go without something cold to drink.

I'm attaching a few photos from the weekend...golf cart parade, PVC pole game (That Angie and Shannon brought...don't ask me how I did...it wasn't a pretty site) and other misc. shots.

We got home last night around 11:30pm thanks to the great driving of Ricky. I was sound asleep for the majority of the trip home. (what else is new?) Because we got home so late, we did a good job of sleeping in. Once I was awake, I took a nice warm bath, then surprised Janeen and Pam at a movie. We has a nice time and got caught up on how each of our weekends turned out. Sounds like we all had a great time. After dinner tonight, I stopped at the McCune's to wish Ann a happy birthday. She's leaving for Europe with 12 kids tomorrow morning and she's be celebrating with them in Paris on Wednesday. What a fabulous time I'm sure they will all have. I told her it would have been dangerous for me to go with...I would have kept all the kids wound up and we would all probably get in trouble.

I guess I'd better head to bed. It's getting late and I've been fighting queasiness all day. Queasiness and tears... Some lady in Bartell's saw me with a scarf on and my bald edges hanging out and nicely touched my arm and said "cancer"? I lost it. I was standing in the store bawling like it was the first time I'd heard the news. I felt so bad for her. I'm not sure what set me off. Perhaps it's because visually I now look sick. :( Whatever the reason for my outburst, I'm feeling better tonight but I still think a little extra shut eye can't help.

Until tomorrow...keep dreaming big,

Love you more, Dor

Have a fun and safe 4th of July

Every year I try to give you all my best advice when it comes to fireworks, matches and alcohol.  I know many of you follow all of the rules (and I thank you in advance for being good students).  Others however, need a gentle reminder that bottle rockets don't stand in for swizzle sticks, or straws.  Please use caution when lighting anything during the driest season especially when you have no idea where the item is going to eventually land.  Don't make pipe bombs out of old materials you found at your grandpa's house (I was having my appendix out 30 years ago and the girl laying next to me in the hospital lost her voice box to a "pipe bomb" that someone had just wiped up).  The trouble with trouble, my friends...is that it usually starts out as fun.

Today was the golf cart parade.  Our decoration committee did a fabulous job.  I can't post a photo tonight, but I promise to when I get back home.   The weather was a comfortable 104 degrees, ugh!  We had cold water, ice cubes to cool us down and candy to throw at the kids to keep them under control.  Vickie and I were the chosen ones to represent our gang for the parade.  We had a great time.

Everyone is upstairs playing games, doing dishes, getting ready for the fireworks show in the park.  We'll all be snuggled up on the deck watching other people shoot off their prized purchases from the local fireworks dealers.

We spent a great part of the day down at the water.  We hauled floaties, umbrellas,  chairs, coolers, bug spray (just in case), sunscreen and so much more to our cool little haven.  If you got too hot, just jump in the freezing cold water and you're good to go for another couple of hours.

Megan is training for the Avon 3 day walk that's coming up in August.  This morning, while we were all still sleeping, she got up and walked 13 miles.  We were all awake when she returned, so we cheered her over the finish line.  I can't imagine doing her training routine.

Ok, time for me to head upstairs and join the rest of my party.  It really is one of the nicest times we've had over here.  ALL the kids, Vickie and Tom and Rick and I have filled both houses with lots of love and laughter.

Love you more than all the bottle rockets shot off before it even gets dark tonight....

Dreaming Big and Sparkly,

Dor

Gearing up for the 4th

Well it's time for another Independence Day at Desert Aire. Golf cart parade, Fireworks display, good food, fruity drinks, laughter, more food, water balloon fights...oh the list goes on :)

It's always nice when we go away for a long weekend to have great house sitters. This weekend is no exception. Besides taking care of the house...I'm sure the flowers will appreciate getting watered and the cows will appreciate being grain fed. Thanks for always being here for us when we're gone.

Today is Melana's birthday, so we plan on doing a little celebrating tonight with strawberry shortcake. All the kids will be joining us as well as Vickie and Tom (not to mention the whole Cherry Lane neighborhood).

I didn't feel well yesterday, but I woke up today feeling much better.  

I wrote the first part of this blog early this morning.  Things changed a little as the day went on.  I fell asleep by 9:00pm and forgot to finish writing to you.  I'm exhausted now and I promise to write something meaningful tomorrow. 

Good night for now.

Dreaming Big,

Dor

My dose of Reality

Doreen here. With a dose of reality. In case you hadn't noticed, I prefer to make margaritas out of limes (instead of lemonade out of lemons) but that's just a technicality.

This past week has been a little overwhelming for me, us. I know I've said it so many times before but we really have been LUCKY in the face of CANCER. Our battles have been fought with laughter, love and some toxins we can't seem to get away from. But lately, the battle gear has been a little more intense. I'm still trying to fight cancer with love and laughter, but I need something a little stronger than that. I need your prayers and some heavy artillery (chemotherapy).

Jake took Rick and I to our appointments today and was a trooper. We really enjoyed our time alone with you. Today's doctors visit left me again with a heavy heart. We've decided to cancel yet another drug that isn't doing it's job. (or to put it better, it's really do a job on me...not the cancer cells). I'm due for a blood transfusion soon, my port acted like it had a leak it in, so my chemo was given through my veins today instead (it took a couple tries to get a good vein...so I'm a little bruised up). I got another shot of Neulesta to stimulate my bone marrow (and cause excruciating pain in my pelvis and hips). They did a dye study of my port to make sure it was in working order and we're still debating what to do with it. When I got home I looked in the mirror to find my eyelashes have decided to make their departure (it's hard to have pretty eyes without mascara...and it's hard to put mascara on my eyelids). None of these things by themselves would cause anyone grief, but when I put them all together, I guess it is reason for some tears.

I prefer to share happy moments with all of you because I think it spreads hope that we can all beat this thing. I've been winning for over 3 years so I have so much to be thankful for. My glass is half full (of that margarita I was talking about earlier) and I plan on keeping it that way.

I must say that on Sunday when Amy was at the house and I was going through my morning ritual of gagging, coughing, sweating, coughing some more, etc., I didn't think much of it. I do it every day. Rick hears it and has adjusted, every once in a while he knocks on the bathroom door and says "hey, are you ok in there?". I forget that if you're not a part of it every day, it can sound scary and I'm sorry about that. Once, I finally get some of the fluid up from the bottom of my lungs, I actually feel better. Then, I take meds to keep the cough under control the remainder of the day and start over the next morning. This is my new normal.

Rick had another uneventful chemo day. He had lots of work to do once we got home so he went back to the office until after 7:00pm. He was bushed when he got home. He had a little dinner (thanks to Lindsay Smith) then went straight to bed. I hope he gets a good nights rest. He really needs it. I know he has a lot of pressure on him to stay as healthy as possible. He's still the breadwinner, the man who brings home the health insurance, and still tries to keep up with things that need to be done at home.

That is as much "real" as I can dish out in one day. I'm attaching a photo that my friend Cindy took (she came to visit me during chemo since she knew I'd be in town...I met here while she was a patient there and we became instant friends). The photo is how Rick and I were set up today during our infusion. He was in room 27 and I was in 28. Jake sat between us and kept us company.

I got this from a friend today and it's suppose to be about Sisters. I believe it's for all the people I love so I wanted to share it with you:

Life is too short to wake up with regrets.
So love the people who treat you right.
Love the ones who don't just because you can.
Believe everything happens for a reason.
If you get a second chance,
Grab it with both hands.
If it changes your life, let it.
Kiss slowly.
Forgive quickly.
God never said life would be easy.
He just promised it would be worth it.

Dreaming Big,
The "Real" Doreen

Being Real

Most of the time Dor is very upbeat and positive when she is writing her blog entries. I guess to be fair, she is upbeat and positive about life in general. That is one of the many reasons why you guys love her. She has truly tried her best to make lemonade out of the lemons she has been handed the past few years. Lately though, mom and I have had the important discussion about writing for the purpose of being positive versus writing for the purpose of really showing what lung cancer looks like. I often ask her what the intent of the blog is... in her opinion. She is not "real" nearly as often as she could be. She paints a pretty picture most of the time so I often wonder if you are reading between the lines. I will stop by the house and see that she is shivering and wrapped in blankets, or sweaty and borderline delirious with a temperature of 103 (and has been most of the day), yet the blog entry the following morning will be about how she planted new flowers in the yard and had coffee with her friends. I appreciate her upbeat attitude but I try to remind her that it's ok to be "real". She tells me that she doesn't want pity from anyone. I try to remind her that she invited all of you on this journey with her and that it's ok to be honest when the flight has a little turbulence.

So here is the real story about how things have been lately. I was at my parents house on Sunday morning as we all got ready to attend a BBQ at their neighbors house. The steam from taking a shower has been hard on my mom for quite a while but I had no idea how quickly it has gotten worse. I will tell you, it's one thing to SEE her cute bald head or SEE her fatigued and say "it's sad to see the cancer affecting her", it's totally different to stand outside of the bathroom door and HEAR what lung cancer sounds like. The picture is not nearly as pretty as mom tends to paint. It is 45 minutes of coughing, gaging, sweating, more coughing, leaning over the sink with her mouth open hoping the fluid that is drowning her will fall into the sink and provide some relief. Watching someone struggle and knowing there is nothing you can do to help is one of the worst feelings in the world.

She called me a little while ago to tell me how things are going down in Seattle today. I was in a meeting and couldn't talk long but none of the news sounded overly positive. Nothing was horrible, but there was talk of her likely having a transfusion soon, and how they are only giving her one of the two chemos today because her body seems to be having a hard time with one of them. They can't figure out why she keeps having problems with a high temperature, and it sounds like her counts are starting to fall again. As of my last phone call with her, they were still waiting for news about my dad but they did know that his CEA counts have continued to climb and have now hit 35. For those of you who don't speak "cancer talk", we want moms counts to go UP and Dad's counts to go DOWN but today it was just the opposite.

We know how lucky we have been as a family over the past few years. We have been given far more time together than the doctors ever thought we would. We have had lots of good times and a few not-so-good times. I have no doubt that their positive attitudes have kept them alive so I anticipate they will continue to find the positive in everything that happens. It's the hard times that bring a family together so we will continue to embrace this time.

Fasten your seat belts, we are experiencing a little turbulence-

Amy

Chemo Eve

My mom and dad are going to drive Rick and I to Lynnwood in the morning to meet up with Jake who will be our chemo boy all day tomorrow. He has a softball game in Mt. Vernon tomorrow night so we figured after the appointment he could just drop us off at our house before heading north. Now that he has the summer off from school, we hope that he can share in some of the "fun". I know the reality of treatments are something he would like to avoid, but I think it's good for him sometimes to meet with our amazing nurses and docs. They help him feel better about what's going on in our lives.

I'm pretty fatigued today so I think I'll finish this blog and call it a night.

Talk to you all tomorrow if I can stay awake long enough after I get home from Seattle.

Dreaming Big,
Dor

Too tired to sleep...

You know how sometimes you're just so tired, it's hard to fall asleep? That's where I am right now. My eyes are struggling to stay open, but my insides are screaming "no not yet". So here it is, 5 am, jammies on, took my meds, Rick is in bed with the sheets all warmed up and my body is saying, "no, let's have another glass of water or a snack. Maybe we could a crossword puzzle then we can go to bed"? I said "forget it". Now it's time to wake up. I'll just have to take a nap sometime today instead.

Today we are going to our neighbors, Jeff and Ericka's house. Ericka's grandparents grew up next to my in laws and they will be in town for the weekend. We're all going down to their house to catch up on old times. Hopefully, both families will be able to make it for the visit. They used to have great times together. I'm sure many of the old stories will come out. I'm just not sure "which version" we'll get to hear. :)

I'm still feeling much better than yesterday. Let's hope it stays that way. Rick and I both have chemo again on Tuesday so I'd like to start the week on a good note. Jake will be our chauffeur to and from our appointments now that school is out.


Ok, I'm going to crawl back under the covers and o my best to fall asleep.

Wide awake but always dreaming,
Dor

Bad Day, Ugh!

Yesterday would not be considered one of my better days in life. As a matter of fact, it might be near the top of the bad ones. I started the morning with a low grade fever (nothing out of the ordinary...this has been happening since I started on chemo), but by noon it had shot up to 103 degrees. Oops! A little too high. I spent the rest of the day at the doctor's office having blood work done, a new chest x-ray and a urinalysis. They needed to find out what was generating this fever. It appeared I was heading for the hospital, until my fever broke while we were waiting for some results (and I was packed in ice). I wasn't very happy about going to the hospital (that is where sick people go and I wasn't ready to give in yet!). Once I got home, I slept the remainder of the day.

Today has been wonderful. No fever over 99.6. I feel good. I've been taking it easy all day only doing odd jobs around the house. Tonight Rick went to play cards with some old high school buddies so, Reid picked him up and dropped Cathy off at the house to play with me. Actually, we've made cookies, watched a movie, talked, laughed, talked some more. All in all, it's been a great day.

While I was laying in bed yesterday, our dear friends Ann and Michael came up and worked in our yard for an hour. It looks great. Thanks guys!

Gotta go check on my cookies (and my guest).
Dreaming Big,
Dor

Clam Digging?

I was feeling pretty good this morning, rested, not queasy.... So I thought I would go clam digging with my Dad and Angie (Mom stayed in the car). My original thought was that I could dig some clams, perhaps be helpful, bring the clams back to the van, (just do whatever was needed of me). I have told you lately how much lung cancer sucks? I was winded before I ever got to the beach, I helped Angie get about 30 clams, walked them back up the hill (while sucking breath), then sat in mom and dad's van for the next 30 minutes trying to catch my breath. Clam digging was nothing like I remember.

Something great happened due to the clam digging... When we got back, we cleaned and ground the clams for chowder. Once I got back to the house, I made a huge stockpot filled with chowder (some for Angie to take home) and I must say...it was delicious. Fresh clam chowder on a blustery day. Now that's what I call a joyous afternoon.

I'm attaching some photos. It's a dirty job, but somebody's gotta do it.

Love you more than all the clams we saw spitting at the beach today.

Dreaming Big,
Dor

Pet Scan Results

I heard from Dr. Eaton this morning about my PET/CT scan and this is what he had to say: The tumors are all stable in size according to the CT scan. 2 areas of concern are my lower left and lower right lung. Though they have remained the same size, the activity of the cancer is higher than it was a couple of weeks ago. Because the activity didn't change dramatically, I will remain on this program for 2 more cycles. That should put me at the end of July.

I felt pretty good most of the day. I got some odd jobs done, napped for a good portion of the afternoon, had dinner made for Rick when he got home in case I was napping (which I was) and didn't have to rely on anti-nausea medicine to get me through the day. I hope tomorrow will be as successful.

Rick is feeling good today, as well. When he feels good, it helps me feel better. No news yet from the specialist who is going to do his liver procedure in Seattle, but we just heard about it yesterday. I guess I need to be a little more patient. :)

Amy added a link on my blog site for anyone interested in joining our team for the Bonnie J. Addario "Golden Gait 5K" - 5K Walk/Run. The girls in California have assured me that they'll send our shirts whether we go the event or not. Just know that your $25 entry fee will sign you up and start adding towards our goal. So far, I think we have about 10 team members and have raised $550 dollars. Bonnie says "Walk. Run. Sit. Sprint. Sprawl. Crawl. Dance. Prance. Stroll. Cajole. Saunter. Meander. Hop. Skip or Jump" Whatever your choice ~ Break your stride for Lung Cancer. I love that Bonnie Girl....I wish you all had the opportunity to meet her. You would understand why I have such a passion for eradicating lung cancer.

Until tomorrow...
I'm just dreaming big,
Dor

Tuesday Updates

Hi everyone! I'm going to make this quick and head back to bed...but here's what we learned today. My PET scan results did not make it back to my doc so we don't know anything new about me. (they are read by someone other than the regular person because it's a research trial and that guy is gone right now so hopefully I'll learn something tomorrow. It doesn't matter however because I was going to get the chemo anyway) . I told Dr. Eaton that I've had a rough couple of weeks and he offered me the opportunity to stop...I said no thank you. I'll adjust to the inconveniences.

Rick's CT scan showed that most of his tumors were stable or a little smaller except for the ones in his liver. So, the new game plan is to inject chemo directly into his liver as a condensed version of the drug. We're hoping that this is just what his body needs. We'll learn more about it in the next couple of weeks.

For those of you who read this blog earlier and were worried that I'd had a stroke (all the jibberish) I want to assure you that I'm fine. The computer starting typing it's own letters and I couldn't shut the computer off. Sorry if I scared you.

I slept for about 5 hours this afternoon so I think I'll be up most of the night. It's ok though because I'm feeling pretty good and I have lots of things TIVO'd.

Dreaming (with my eyes wide open) Big,
Dor

Here's What's Happening...

I've been worried for the past few days that I wasn't going to have a really good day before it was time to have chemo again. Yahoo, I woke up today feeling GREAT. Today, Rick's sister Vickie took Rick and I to our appointments. We both had scans so we won't know anything until tomorrow.

Now for some news:

I got a wig (cranial prosthesis) today. (I'm attaching a photo of me with my sister in law...I'm the blonde one on the left)

On Wednesday night, June 24 during the Oakland A's and San Francisco Giants game it will be the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation night. Bonnie (and a little girl, Emma who won an essay contest about lung cancer) will be throwing in the first pitch. Bonnie also told me that a little tease of the lungblog (with Jake and I in it) will be on the big screen. So, if you get satellite TV you might be able to watch it. She said there will be a big group of people with green shirts and lung cancer signs all over the stadium. Hopefully the cameras will zoom in on them. I am so excited that her foundation has brought so much awareness to this disease. Keep up the great work Bonnie. You're the best.

Amy and Melana ran a 5K in the Lance Armstrong Livestrong event that was held in Seattle on Sunday. I'm so proud of them for participating. Amy brought home a shirt for Rick and I that says, Game on, Cancer. I love them.

I forgot to mention this last week. Jake got a job back with the Stanwood Camano School District for next year. He's so excited to know what his future looks like. Megan just has a year left at the University of Washington, then she'll be done.

Angie is taking Rick and I to our appointments tomorrow. It's always so nice to have someone else at our appointments with us. They are great at taking notes and being moral support. I have chemo (as long as my counts are good) and Rick has a follow-up appointment to see if his chemo cocktail is working. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

I'm attaching a few photos from father's day as well. I hope you enjoy them.

Dreaming Big,
Doreen

Happy Father's Day

Father's Day is a very special day for me because most you you know...I have the greatest DAD in the World. Not just because that what his card says, but because he displays all the qualities needed for that honor. He loves us ALL unconditionally, would do anything for ANYONE, he is EVERYBODY'S GRANDPA BOB, still loves my mother after all these years, forgets that he's 76 years old and wants to do everything he can, to help Rick and I. He doesn't take no for an answer, he's honorable, loving and the kindest man you'd want to know. He's my Hero! Thank you Dad for being who you are, all you've done, and all you'll continue to be.

To all the other Dads in my life....thank you, too. Thank you for being coaches, mentors and shoulders to cry on. Thank you for taking a firm stand (when you know it's for own good), giving hugs when we need it most, believing in us when we know we can do something, and forgiving us when we apparently couldn't. Thank you for your love. Thank you for your time. But, most of all...thanks for being you!

Let's take the time to Celebrate Dads ~

I've attached a photo of my dad and I right after my diagnosis. Isn't he cute?

Love you more,
Dor

Thursday night insomnia

It's been a few days since my last post but I haven't been in much of a mood to share. Since Tuesday, I've been housebound (working hard at getting my blood counts up) all the while....keeping my spirits up! With all the pain I've been having in my lower back, hips, pelvis I think that the bone marrow shot they gave me last week is doing it's job. I finally got out of bed 10 minutes ago because the pain is so intense I keep waking myself up from the trembling.

This evening, Amy had a few people over to the house to have a "little spa treatment" She purchased the spa basket at a Relay for Life Auction. We had a great time and bought a few items to keep us all looking and feeling our best. Thanks Amy for letting us be a part of your spa adventure. My feet feel fabulous and one side of my face looks amazing....now I need to do the other side so I don't look like I've had a stroke. Hopefully, my products will arrive soon :)

We don't have many things planned for the weekend. Maybe a little work around the house, a movie, dinner reservations?, trip to Costco, then we're wrapping up Sunday with a BBQ for both of our dads.

Monday is a busy day. I have a PET scan and CT scan at 8:45am at the University of Washington, then at noon Rick has a CT scan over at Seattle Cancer Care. At 1:00 that day I have an appointment to be fitted for my "cranial prosthesis - wig". I'm not sure if you'll see me wearing it much, but you never know. Stranger things have happened. On Tuesday, we both get results then I'll get chemo. (Rick has this week off from chemo treatments). As usual, we are anxious for the results. I just need to hear the word STABLE so I can continue the treatment plan I'm on. We would like to hear the word SHRINKAGE from Rick's oncologist. His counts have continued to raise slowly, but we're hoping the tumors are shrinking in size. Again, we'll know more on Tuesday afternoon. When we know something...so will you.

It's now almost 1:30 and I think the Tylenol (arthritis strength) is kicking in. I'm going to try the sleep thing again. If it doesn't work, you might be hearing from me again tonight.

Sleep well, and if you're lucky enough to still have your daddy...don't forget to let him know how much you love him.

Dreaming Big,
Dor

Early Morning Update

Thanks for the blog update, Amy. It's 3:00am and my "wishbones" woke me up so I thought I'd stay up long enough to drop you all a little note. To all of you blog readers, thanks for keeping Rick and I in your thoughts and prayers...we can feel the love surrounding us.

This chemo is quite different than anything I've had before. Not that it's so terrible, it's just very different. The first week is a quick dose of a drug that I barely even know I've gotten. By week 2 however, the dose is longer, stronger and they've added 2 additional drugs. At the beginning of week 2 I don't feel much different than fatigued, but by this time in the treatment, I've really got to watch the low grade fevers, ACHY hips, pelvis, knees, thighs (they gave me a shot so my body would over produce bone marrow to keep me healthy...I think it's working), nausea, loss of appetite (finally a new diet plan) and just an overall feeling of not feeling like my self. I've done a lot more resting than usual and it seems to be helping.

I've gotten used to the bald head (though I still have follicletis - an inflammation of my hair follicles) so my scalp has a little rash on it. I'm getting more and more accustomed. Now I don't scream when I see my reflection in a mirror or window or a glass of water :)

Today (technically yesterday since it's now 3:15am on Tuesday), I got an incredible gift of kindness. As you all know, I am so grateful for the outpouring of love and support I get from so many of you. From dear old friends, to some I only know through the blog, to some of you I've never met. Here's what happened: About a month ago I received the most incredible flower arrangement I had ever seen from a dear friend of Amy and Angie's, named Sabrina. It was sent to me from the Tulalip Casino's new flower shop, Salal Floral (I didn't even know they had one there). When Sabrina ordered the flowers she shared the "story of our family" to the shop owner and shared how much she loved our family over the years and what great people she thought we were. Long story short, they decided to "adopt" us and I got an e-mail from the flower shop saying they would like to send me a fresh bouquet twice a month as a kind gesture in hopes that it would keep our spirits high. Oh, my goodness. Me and fresh flowers? Are you kidding? I'm going to be elated. They will bring them every other Thursday...Am I blessed or what?

We were hoping Dave and Val would be moving in this week but it looks like there is a little glitch in the 3rd parties money. Too much feet dragging. I believe it's all going to work out, they just need our good thoughts to help push everything in the right direction. I guess it will be a little longer before the "partying starts"...Just kidding, our partying needs to be during the daylight. Otherwise, we've all fallen asleep in our chairs or on the couch. Don't worry about stopping by and interrupting our parties...you might just be waking us up :)

Well, now that's it's 3:30 and my tylenol has kicked in a little, I think I'll wrap my hips back up with a heating pad and try the sleeping "thing" again.

We're hoping this week Jake learns something about his job. They re posted a bunch of them and I think he applied for all the was qualified for. School is officially out on Wednesday, so let's hope they learn something soon. Megan has the rest of this week off then it's back to school again for her. I think the kids are going to spend a few days over at Desert Aire for relaxation and sun before Megan has to go back for her last set of classes. Once summer quarter is over, it all just hands on stuff for her. 3 months at 3 different sites. Then...she's done :) It's been a long journey, but well worth it.

Angie is officially out tomorrow so she'll join me at my next "result" appointment next Tuesday. It's nice when summer vacation comes around. The kids have more opportunities to join us at appointments and ask questions. It's also nice just to spend quality snuggling time with them. They can crawl right into the hospital bed during the infusion and no one cares.

Sorry to say this, but Amy doesn't just "get time off". She's got a great job and they will let her take time off and make it up as she needs to, but like the other 2 kids....she doesn't have an assigned "summer off". She does however join me at lots of appointments and I'm happy they give her the freedom to do that when needed.

Vickie is taking me on Monday for my PET scan then we're going to a "get beautiful" class that the University of Washington puts on for cancer patients who've lost their hair. We should have a great time. And you never know. I might come home with a cute blonde wig?

Ok, enough blabbering...time to head to bed. Someone (ME) needs their beauty sleep desperately. I should have been in be by 7:30 tonight :)

Dreaming with achy hip bones...which are connected to my pelvis bone, connected to my thigh bones, connected to my knee bone, connected...well you get the picture :)

Love, Dor