Fantastic Weekend

Vickie and I laughed a ton this weekend about everything and nothing.. I'm so glad to be able to spend quality time with her. We always have fun.

Rick's headstone arrived this weekend while I was gone.  What a surprise to see it standing yesterday when we arrived home.  I have attached two photos.

It still looks like everything is going well for the sale of Desert Aire house #1.  The few little items that needed to be fixed were completed by our cousin (and contractor) Kelly.  He had been working on Angie's house remodel, but she let me steal him away for a couple of days so I could stay on top of the sale.  The new owners-to-be would like ownership on or before the19th of September.  I would love for them to have it earlier....September is one of my favorite times over there. I'm sure they will love it too!

I'm going to the Seattle Storm game tomorrow night....first playoff game for the undefeated (at home) Storm Women.  Janeen and I are going along with Angie.  Shannon is doing a great job working for the Seattle Storm as yesterday she was promoted  to Vice President of Marketing...Her marketing strategies are amazing. I am so proud of her!

 Look for us on TV....

Keep Dreaming Big,

Dor

Lovin' Life

Greetings from Desert Aire!

I am spending a nice weekend with my sister-in-law Vickie, over here at the Desert Aire house.  I need to get over here more often.  It really does bring a smile to my face when I'm here.

I plan to enjoy the warm weather and visit with the neighbors for the next few days.  I won't be on the computer so please know that all is well in our world and I will check in with everyone when I get home.

Enjoy your weekend-
Dor

No Excuses

I was going to tell you it's too hot to write a blog (but that would be a lie...my computer room is one of the coolest rooms in the house), I was going to tell you I haven't been feeling well (and that would have worried all of you...and it too would have been a lie).  TRUTH if you want to hear it, I've been having fun.  Maybe a little too much.  Dave and Val were here all last week so we were on the go nearly every day.  I spent the night at Angie and Shannon's house (it's looking really cute) on Friday night, then Amy and Melana spent the night with me on Saturday.  I went to breakfast with the girls on Sunday morning, then to my great uncles 95th birthday party yesterday afternoon.  My Mom, Dad and Aunt drug Val, Dave and I to the casino one day last week.  Thank goodness it wasn't very smokey and I didn't lose a lot of money.  It was kind of fun, but I'll bet it's a lot more fun when you win something. :)

I really have been feeling physically great lately.  My heart still hurts when I have Ricky on my mind, only now I allow myself to laugh at some of the fun memories we shared. 

I'm hoping and praying that the Desert Aire house sells.  We have new buyers and I would love to have them be our neighbors.  They are relatives of some friends of ours.  Could be just what we needed.

I'm starting to have a hot flash or heat wave so I'd better call it a day.  Sorry to disappoint you when I don't write, but please know that it's probably because I'm out having fun. :)

Love you more than all the little blue plastic pools I saw in people's yard this afternoon....maybe I should invest in one of those?

Dream Big,
Doreen

GREAT NEWS....

The results of my scans came back (I'm almost perfect...ok, not really but...) the cancer in my lungs is stable and the tumors in my brain have continued to shrink or stay the same.  With this news comes another break from chemo and I am pleased.  I'm feeling so good right now....if I was any better there would be 2 of me :)

The only bad news I heard today was, the buyers of Desert Aire pulled out of the sale...I have a back up plan however so maybe it won't be as bad as I thought.  If you read this Len, give me a call :)

Dream Big,
Doreen

Happy Sunday

I haven't been sleeping well lately (night time is the worst for me...too much time to think about missing Rick) but last night I slept like a baby.  I feel rested and ready for a relaxed, healthy, happy day.

This entire week I've been on the go.  This is the life I was intended to live.  Not the one where I lay in bed all day feeling goofy or in pain.  Thanks to all of you who are helping me start to feel normal again.  I had a fabulous time on the boat celebrating Rick's birthday, a great evening at Shelley's house on Friday night celebrating her birthday, and a fun day yesterday with my parents and my Aunt Carol grocery shopping and out for lunch. 

Tomorrow is a big day at SCCA.  A brain MRI and a CT scan of my chest and abdomen.  If everything stays stable, I'm hoping for another month of "no chemotherapy".  It's amazing how good your body feels when you aren't being fed poison and the pain medication you are taking actually does the job. 

I've got a handful of books that I've been reading lately on how to handle grief.  It's all great advice, I just wish I could follow it.  I find myself picking up the phone to call Rick to share something with him, or roll over in bed looking for him only to find an empty spot.  This morning, I woke up and it felt like someone had been sleeping on my arm all night.  I'd like to believe it was Rick stopping by to let me know everything will be okay.

We're hoping to close the Desert Aire house sale by the 18th of August.  I'll be elated if it all goes as planned.  I need all your good wishes to make this deal happen so please keep thinking good thoughts.

I guess it's time to do a little laundry, tidy up the living room and make my bed.  That sounds like enough work for one day.... :)

Dreaming Big,
Dor

Happy Birthday Dad!

Yesterday would have been my dad's 54th birthday. To celebrate his memories we spent the afternoon on our friend Shelley's boat. Pam Erickson also joined the Schmitt family for this birthday celebration at sea. It is so comforting to have friends who want to see smiles on our faces again. They cooked us a great dinner, played music and topped the night off with a fabulous berry pie! Thank you. We also want to thank Shannon for delivering the birthday balloons to the boat...good thinking.  The weather was beautiful, the fishing was terrible and the stories about dad were ... PRICELESS!

Remembering him with a smile,

Angie

Now that chemo has been removed from my daily diet, I really do feel better.  Since I woke up this morning, I've been fighting a headache.  I would like that to go away because I've got other things to do. :)

Good news....I have a potential buyer for the Desert Aire house (I say potential because I don't want to jinx it)  We're just waiting for the inspection.  The people want it ASAP and I couldn't be happier to hand it over. 

I'm going to go take some tylenol to see if I can get rid of this headache.  I'll try to write more later.

Dream Big,
Dor

Life really is GOOD

I know it's been a while since you've heard from me, but now that I'm feeling so good I can't wait to share my life again.

I've decided that "pain" is not my friend.  Now that it's under control, I realized just how terrible I was feeling.  I told Dr. Eaton on Monday that I was feeling better that I have in a year so can I stop taking the pain medicine?  He reminded me that I was feeling so good because I was taking a combination of pain medicine that was finally working.  Oh, I get it.  Don't change anything if what you're doing is working.

Since I've been feeling so good, I've been doing my best to get out of the house and do fun things.  Tomorrow I'm going to spend the day with my neighbor Lynell then tomorrow night I'll get to see Amy (she's in Iowa with the Air Force).  Yesterday I went to Angie and Shannon's house in Edmonds.  It has so much potential and a back yard that looks like a park.  It's going to be beautiful.  Jake and Megan are all moved into their house and it's darling.  Every time I've stopped by, it gets cuter and cuter.

I can hardly believe that it's been 2 1/2 months since Rick died. Just when I think I'm doing better another "first" happens.  His birthday is coming up the end of July and it makes me sad just thinking about him.  I miss him and his witty attitude, but I feel his presence all the time.

 I'd better go now and start thinking about dinner.  A friend dropped fresh salmon off so that's on tonight's menu along with green beans.  Yum.....

I'll continue to DREAM BIG,
Doreen

Time for a Break...

I know that many people have been waiting to hear the results of Mom's appointment with Dr. Eaton today. According to Jake, they said, "You haven't looked this good in a long time!" They agreed that her quality of life is good right now and that she should "take a break" from chemotherapy and enjoy every minute of July. The plan is to go back for a Brain MRI and CT Scan in early August and re-assess at that time. If the symptoms change or her pain increases then she is supposed to contact their office. Those are the facts. Check the blog later for Mom's vision of where she will go from here.....

Dreaming...
Angie

Happy 4th of July!

I am so glad to be home from the hospital, and I'm ready to see everything I've been missing out on.  My new pain medicine still makes me tired and gives me the feeling of being "drunk" for a few hours after taking it... but overall I feel much better.  It seems to be working for the most part but I know that I'm not always patient with this whole process because I want things to be back to the way it was a few weeks ago.  I think I am heading in that direction though, so that is promising.  

After my 2pm nap on Sunday, Amy and Melana took me out for a coffee and some fresh air.  I requested a quick detour to my favorite little store on Camano Island called "The Spare Room".  Although we had no intention of driving around we decided to keep driving around the island because it's always nice to see the view.

We stopped at Tom & Jana Shaughnessy's house because we knew they were having a little 4th of July party.  I was feeling pretty good so we stayed for a while.  I always have such a nice time with all of those guys.  It's easy to forget that you're sick when they keep you laughing.  I've added a photo of Jana and I just after a plate of fresh cooked crab.  Yummy :)

Hope you had a safe and happy 4th.  I'm glad to be back home in the swing of things.

Dreaming Big,

Doreen 

Oh, Dor... not the Benadryl...

Mom's status has continued to improve while remaining at the University of Washington Medical Center.  Her pain has decreased from a "9 out of 10" to a "3 out of 10".  That is a pretty big change from the Dor who checked into the hospital on Wednesday. 

Mom stopped taking pain meds via her port this evening, which meant she was able to get the bandage removed from her chest.  The only thing she has consistently complained about has been the bandage and how itchy it is.  The bandage has to remain 100% sterile so the same bandage has been on her chest since she checked into SCCA on Tuesday.  She is allergic to a few things... one of which is the cleaning solution they use on her chest prior to accessing the port.  She learned that a while back when she broke out in hives, and had a red, irritated chest.  She is wearing a wristband that lists her allergies. 

Tonight, after they removed the bandage mom took a shower.  When she came back into her hospital room her chest was red, inflamed, and clearly irritated.  A nurse asked mom what she had come into contact with.  They had talked about using hydrocortizone on her chest but there were mixed messages in her records about whether she was allergic to it.  When the nurse asked if she was allergic to it she said, "No, they tested me for it last year.  It came back that I wasn't allergic to hydrocortizone, just Benadryl".  HELLO... she has been complaining for three days about an itchy chest bandage and they have been giving her BENADRYL to relieve it.  None of us knew about the benadryl, and clearly she had forgotten about it until tonight.  SCCA was called and her records have been updated to reflect the allergy.  Between the heavy dosage of pain meds this week... and the multiple shots of Benadryl... she has been a little "coo-coo for coco puffs" (if you know what I mean).

It was nice to see the old Dor back today.  She was still tired but much more alert, feeding herself, and going for walks.  As of now, the plan is to take her home on Saturday if all goes well.  I think she is looking forward to sleeping in her own bed.  There really is, No Place Like Home...

Thanks again for all of your well wishes.

Amy

Newest Plan of Action

We have now been visited by multiple doctors and the plan has been established for the next 36 hours or so. The doctors are happy with her pain management so far. Mom's pain is significantly better than it was on the pain patch last week so we all agree that we are on to something good here. This early evening they are going to discontinue the IV medication that she is currently on and switch her over to a similar acting pain cocktail that comes in liquid form. If she can tolerate the medication and her pain is managed then that will be the medication that she continues at home. If not, they will be sending her home with the IV medication that she is currently on (since they know it works) and it will come in a fanny pack. Although it works well right now, mom wants to avoid that option because she said, "Nothing says 'Check Me Out' like an oxygen tank and a fanny pack."

The idea of doing the rib pain block has been put on hold for now because the doctor does not think that the risk (minor as it is) would be worth it right now if the new pain medications are significantly helping. He has gone ahead and reserved a spot for the procedure tomorrow at 3:00 PM just in case the plan changes. He explained that the pain block procedure is something that can be done as out patient surgery so it could be planned in the future if the pain is hard to manage again.

One thing that we failed to talk about in the blog yesterday is that Dr. Eaton , mom's Oncologist, has halted chemotherapy treatments at this time. Although her scan results came back "stable" with very minimal change, if any, he is concerned that she is too sick to undergo any other treatments at this time. His one and only goal at this time is to manage the pain. If things begin to improve and her strength and energy increase then we may discuss the idea of returning to chemotherapy in the future.

Thanks again for your care and concern for mom. I will continue to post updates to the blog as things change.

Angie

Changing of the Guards

I arrived at the hospital at 8:00 AM this morning to relieve Amy of her over-night stay with mom. When Shannon and I left the hospital last night mom was sleepy and sort of goofy from the Benadryl that they gave her to control her itchy skin (caused by her new pain medication.) It was nice to see her doing better this morning. She was sitting up and more coherent. Apparently, mom slept all night except for when the nurses woke her to receive pills or to nebulize with an inhaler. The new pain control plan seems to be more tolerable than the previous pain patch that they tried. She controls her pain by pushing a button and the pain specialists track her needed dosage. This should better help them establish a plan once she returns home.

Yesterday we were informed of a pain block procedure that is a possibility for her. The doctors all believe that this pain is caused from the pleura of her lungs being inflamed and irritated but they also realize that her pain feels fairly isolated to a spot near her ribs on the left side of her body. This proposed procedure would consist of basically numbing that rib and the rib above and below it. There is no guarantee that this will decrease the pain at all but it is the only option other than controlling the pain strictly by medication. We had no choice but to think of this in basketball terms... if this is an option and we chose not to do it because it might not work, it is like losing a close game with an un-used timeout. We just can't wrap our heads around it. So, we will take them up on this procedure if it is still a possibility when they return today.

At this time mom has finished breakfast and is sleeping soundly in bed. I am waiting patiently for the doctors to make their rounds and will be asking many questions when they come in. I plan to get mom up and out of bed as soon as I am given the green light to do so. I will update the blog later today when I know more.

Thanks for loving us from afar....

Angie

Quiet Time...

Here's the deal.... Dor is in lockdown, of sorts.

She came to Seattle today to get her CT scan results and she ended up being admitted to UW Medical Center to get her pain under control.  She has been assigned a "pain specialist" who will monitor her, and adjust her meds as needed.

Before you grab the phone or your car keys, please know that she is not allowed any visitors or phone calls at this time.  Amy & I will be updating the blog and checking her email account on a regular basis to keep everyone in the loop.  When she is awake we promise to share your well wishes with her.  If you need to contact our family please call one of our cell phones.  We have helpers staying at the house, running errands, and keeping up with the daily chores... but be assured that we will contact people if we need help.

She may be here for a number of days in order to establish a plan but we are fine with that.  We want to ensure that her quality of life increases when she gets home.

Please continue to send happy thoughts our way.

Dream Big-
Angie

Things are looking up...

Today was a better day for mom.  For the most part, she was awake.  She had some visitors and took some naps but overall she was alert and interacting with people.  When I arrived around 5:00pm she asked for Mac-N-Cheese and Diet 7-Up.  She ate all of her food and rarely asked for her lolipop of meds.  She no longer looked over-medicated.  Now she just looks comfortable, and that has been the goal all along.

Hopefully her body is getting used to the new pain patch.  I am taking the night shift tonight so hopefully it goes a little better than the shift Angie had last night. 

Hoping for peaceful rest and happy dreams-

Amy

P.S. We would like to send our thoughts to the family of Jill Costello... the 22 year old college student in California who passed away from LUNG CANCER yesterday.  I had the opportunity to meet Jill at Bonnie's event in San Francisco last November.  She was an inspirational young woman with a bright future.  Rest in peace as we continue to fight your fight.

Guessing Game

I woke up this morning hearing mom in pain trying to roll over in bed. I was worried because the pain patch was supposed to be in full effect by 8:00 am and it was around 8:20 by that point. After a little problem-solving we figured out that the patch had been knocked loose in the middle of the night when her arm was romping around. No pain patch = No pain relief. After a bath and a new patch being applied (this time on her chest with tape around it to assure it would stay on firmly) we waited the 12 hours for the meds to kick in. I know that the doctors are participating in a "guessing game" to figure out exactly how strong her pain patch should be, so for the first few days we are keeping a close eye on her every move. I am a little bit worried because she seems really medicated but still complains of pain. She spent nearly every moment of the day in bed and that is the opposite of what we are hoping this new pain plan will do for her. We want her out in the world making memories, going to Taco Tuesdays, shopping at her favorite stores and going for beautiful drives. If tomorrow brings another day of laying in bed all drugged up on these new meds then I will be having a talk with her Oncologist about making a change. I had to call the Cancer Care Alliance just before midnight tonight because mom was showing multiple signs of the side effects that were labled "potentially fatal" and I was not going to take any chances with her shallowed breathing during the night. Here it is nearly 1:00 AM and I feel like I just want to sit here by her and "stand guard." I know that the beast I am prepared to fight is cancer but I will be damned if I am going to go down without a fight!

Sweet Dreams Friends...

Angie

Pain, Pain... Go AWAY!

I got a call from Mom this morning telling me that the pain in her side was, "The worst pain I have ever had!" By the time she called me she had already contacted her Oncologist in Seattle by email and was waiting for a response about whether or not to come down for a visit. I called the Cancer Care Alliance too and  they told me to pack Mom an over-night bag and get her to Seattle. Our favorite caregiver (Kelly) got to Mom's house and had her bags packed and ready to go in minutes. The entire trip to Seattle Mom was a "10 out of 10" on the pain scale. I felt like I couldn't drive fast enough. After a wheelchair ride and a few doctors trying to get to the bottom of why her pain was so extreme Mom was introduced to her new friend the "pain killing lollipop". Within minutes she told us she was a "6 out of 10" and showed us how she could do side-bends without pain. It was crazy how fast her pain was eased. The final conclusion for the day was that she has not taken enough pain meds on a regular basis to stay on top of her pain. Therefore, she has had a poor quality of life lately and has gradually felt her pain increase. Her  new treatment plan for pain is a pain patch that distributes the medication for three straight days. This, along with her lollipop pain killers are supposed to keep her more comfortable. She will be having bloodwork and a CT scan next Tuesday afternoon (with results coming on Wednesday morning) to check on the cancer progression or lack there of. Unfortunatly we were reminded of the news that we are "At the bottom of the barrel for treatment options" so if the scan shows cancer progression then we will be talking about the possibility of starting with Hospice. As much as we loved and appreciated Dad's Hospice caregivers we don't eagerly await their return. As of now, let's pray that these new pain meds will do their job and get Mom's quality of life back. Then we can start the prayers for good scan results next week! Thank you for the numerous phone calls, cards and emails from friends and family. We greatly appreciate your support, even if we don't get back to you right away.

Dreaming of Painless nights (and days for that matter)-
Angie

Nancy's Birthday Wish

Our buddy Nancy had the opportunity to do a public service announcement for the American Cancer Society and she jumped on the opportunity (along with a few friends from her show).  She sent us a nice message telling us to watch for it because she did it in honor of Rick and Dor.  I googled the PSA and attached it above.

Thanks Nancy... we love you.

XO-
Amy

Good Morning... or is it night time?

On Monday my mom had chemo in Seattle. Vickie took her to the visit and returned her home to  get some rest about 3:00 pm or so. After I got out of school I went up to the house to check on her. She was sound asleep on the couch. I woke her and made her get into bed so she would be more comfortable. I stayed with her for a while, answered phone calls and eventually headed home. She was so exhausted that I was not sure that she would have remembered my visit so I left her a message telling her to call me later is she wanted. Later that evening around 8:30 pm she called. She started our conversation by saying, "I am such a dork." Apparently she was sleeping so peacefully that when she woke up she thought that she had slept all through the night and it was 8:30 AM on Tuesday. Because of that, she called my office at work and left her daily message saying, "Good morning Honey, I hope you have a good day at work. Call me at lunch time or whenever you get a break." She figured that her day-time caregiver would be arriving soon and that it was time to think about getting herself some breakfast. Then she realized that it was 8:30, but not in the morning. It was still Monday night and she was calling to tell me good morning. She had no way to erase the message so she called and warned me that it would be there when I got to school the next day. She apparently called Amy and did the same thing. She actually spoke to her on the phone and began their conversation by saying , "Good Morning Sweetie." The entire thing was really, really funny. The sweetest part of the entire thing is that even in times of extreme exhaustion or fatigue she still remembers to call and tell her children to have a good day or to let them know that she is thinking about them. That is love...real, unconditional LOVE.

The last two days she has been feeling a bit tired but is doing ok. My grandparents continue to stock the 'fridge with her favorite cherry yogurts because that is all that she ever craves to eat these days. They are great parents for her and I know she appreciates them so much. In case we don't tell you enough, thanks Grandpa Bob and Grandma Myrna for your support and errand running.

Living Strong-
Angie

Graduation Day

We've had a busy couple of weeks around the Schmitt household.  Jake and Megan, Angie and Shannon all bought houses.   Amy started her new full time job with the Air Force Counter Drug task force. ( She'll keep her job with the gambling commission...it's a great opportunity). 

This week I taste tested cupcakes for Morgan's wedding, attended Megan's final symposium for her doctorate (wow...she's smart), went to a retirement party (until I ran out of oxygen...I need to pay closer attention to details), then it's UW graduation today to watch Megan become a Dr. of Physical Therapy.  This afternoon and tomorrow I have 3 graduation parties to attend.  Monday is chemo.  Sounds odd that I need to have chemo just to slow down :)

I'd better get in the shower and start working on my beauty before we leave for Meg's graduation.

I've been feeling pretty good lately. A little more coughing than usual but I'm blaming that on all the action I've had lately.

Keep dreaming big,
Doreen

Doreen? Doreen Who?

Sometimes in life, there are just no excuses.  Like now, for instance.  I have no legitimate reason for not writing a blog in the past 10 days....but I am sorry if I made any of you worry.

We spent memorial day (and the days around it) at Desert Aire.  Visited with friends and family.  I gave away a scholarship in Rick's name on Tuesday to a deserving young man who lives in our community (Joe Eidsness)  We've been friends with his family for many years, Rick went to school with his dad you could tell it was an honor for their son to receive it.

I celebrated my 52nd birthday on Sunday.  Who would have know the importance of having a birthday every year?  I sure love them.  When I got home on Sunday, Megan took me to a movie then out for lunch. We had a very nice time.

Jake and Megan have been house hunting lately...along with Angie and Shannon.  They're both looking in different directions, but it's always exciting to put your feelers out for that dream home you've been waiting for.

Amy started her new job with the Air Force on Tuesday.  She has has a lot of responsibility with this new endeavor, but she's very excited to get started on it.

I'm not sure what's been going on with me the this last round of chemo, but I've never been so fatigued in my life.  I could sleep all the time (and it seems that I do).  I've have a low grade fever for the past 5 days and I'm just sick of feeling cruddy all the time.  I'm not sure what's going on with me, but I'm sure in the next couple of weeks I'll feel like my old self again.

The next couple of weeks are busy ones for our family.  We have 5 graduation parties to attend, Megan gets her doctorate, she has to give a symposium in front of a big crowd at the UW on Thursday, Jake gets his Master's degree (he says it's not nearly important as Megan's...but I still think it took hard work and dedication and should mean something).  After graduation, Meg, Jake and her family are all taking a trip to Maui for 11 days...REALLY....I'M NOT JEALOUS.  Envious maybe :)

Summer is just around the corner.  Enjoy every minute of it.

Dream Big,
Doreen

Stable is the word of the day

Just as I had planned, my CT scan showed that my lung cancer has remained stable.  I never doubted it.  I've been having a lot of pain on my left side so I asked them to look closely for a broken rib or something that could be causing this pain.  It appears that the lining to my lung (the pleura) is being irritated by my lung cancer and there isn't much we can do about it.  I'm ok with that.  It's always the unknown that I don't like.

Chemo went well, I got a vitamin B-12 shot for more energy (I get one every 9 weeks with this type of chemo) and I'm just a little extra tired tonight but that's nothing unusual. 

3 more weeks until I need to go back to the doctor's office (unless the fever comes back).  I'm feeling positive about this kind of chemo.  Very few side effects and it's keeping everything stable, and making my brain tumors better.  Sounds like a winning combination to me.

Love you more,
Big Dreamer Dor

I'm Back

I know many of you liked the fact that I was on vacation because you saw a blog nearly every night.  Now that I'm back home, I'm trying to face reality head on.  We returned home on Thursday night around 11:00pm (just in time to get enough sleep for Relay for Life the next day).  Amy dropped me off at the house on Friday morning and I was wiped out.  Luckily, I regained my energy and was ready to participate in Relay once again. 

I walked a few laps then settled under our canopy and visited with friends and family the rest of the night.  I had a hard time being at the event without Rick.  We've been a team for so many years (not just at relay, but in life).  Although  he wasn't there in person, we all felt his presence.  It was another successful Relay and we were all glad to be a part of it.  Thanks again to all my teammates who raised money and awareness to this horrible disease. 

Let me tell you about the rest of our trip.  On Wednesday, we toured the city again with Amy' friend Jessi (they played college soccer together), shopped at Quincy Market and Fanuiel Hall,  then met up with Lauren Amundson for a wonderful lobster dinner at the oldest restaurant in America.  We had a blast.

Our flights were smooth, we met up with old friends and laughed a lot.  I'm so happy that Amy asked me to go along on this journey with her.  It's a trip we'll never forget.

Tomorrow I start back on my daily grind.  I have a CT scan of my lungs (and hopefully we'll find out what is hurting on my left side in my rib area).  Then on Tuesday, it's chemo again.  I look forward to feeling good this week so we can enjoy Memorial Weekend. 

After my appointment on Tuesday, I'll let you all know how my appointment went.  I believe that the cancer in my lungs is "stable" and you know how much I like that word :).

Stay healthy & happy and don't forget to DREAM BIG,
Dor

A Couple of Busy Days....

Yesterday morning started out early.  We rented a car and began our three and a half hour drive into New York City.  We enjoyed the scenery throughout Connecticut.  What a beautiful state.  When we arrived in New York we drove all over the place.  We knew that we would never find a place to park... and even if we did, I wouldn't be able to walk around very long with my limited lung capacity.  Amy drove like a New York taxi driver.  I was shocked to see her holding her own on the streets.  If you don't drive like a crazy person in New York City you will never make it anywhere.  She took us to Times Square, Ground Zero, Central Park,and many other fascinating places.  We made it to Yankee Stadium early and watched a great game. 

After a long day in New York yesterday, with my daughter Amy "the taxi driver", we didn't return to the hotel in Boston until 2:00 this morning.  For all of the fun we had yesterday, we sure have paid for it today.  We slept in and then got on the Beantown trolley this afternoon for a two hour tour of the city.  It is a two day pass so we are looking forward to actually getting off of the trolley tomorrow now that we know all about the city.  Amy's good friend Jessi flies into town from Virginia tomorrow morning.  She will spend the day with us and then fly out on Thursday morning.  We are both excited to see her.

We decided to call it an early night and lounge around the room to root for the Celtics.  We have another long day ahead of us tomorrow.  Goodnight...


P.S.  I am getting a lot of questions from friends and family about my lack of oxygen in most of the pictures.  I promise that I am wearing my oxygen all of the time... except for the few photos I am in.  Please don't worry about me.  I am being good.   :)
Dream Big-
Dor 

Crazy 8's...

Today was a blast. After sleeping a lot yesterday I woke up early and was showered and dressed before the alarm went off at 7:45. I think Amy was shocked when she sat up and saw me fully dressed (shoes and all) and ready to start our day.


Lauren picked us up around 9:30 outside of the hotel. After a quick stop at Starbucks we were on our way north for the day. We took the scenic route thru New Hampshire and then up into Maine. Our first stop was a little beach town we stumbled upon called Old Orchard Beach. The little boardwalk looked cute so we stopped to shop and walk on the beach. While walking around we found an arcade. The girls looked at me funny when I said we needed to go inside and play, but they followed me in anyway.

We played a few games but on our way out we saw the "Deal or No Deal" game. I wanted us to play together. The game showed all of the numbers on the screen and then it flipped them around and started to scramble them all over the screen at an uncontrollable pace. The goal was to follow the number that said "1000 tickets" on it. When the scrambling stopped Amy said "It's #8". Lauren and I both laughed because it seemed impossible to follow but we figured what the heck. We picked suitcase number 8 and then started to play. We were doing pretty well and it got down to 2 suitcases. We turned down the 510 arcade tickets that the banker was offering and took our chances with #8. We won. 1000 tickets started shooting out of the machine. We were high-fiving and laughing. It was so much fun.

We took our 1044 tickets over to the prize station and bought a whole baggy of "amusement quality" toys and games. We left with 9 rubber (livestrong like) bands that said DREAM on them (go figure)... a whoopee cushion.... some twizzlers... and three lollipops. We were like little kids. Our final stop on the way out of the arcade was the photo booth. We crammed into the booth, suckers in mouth and laughter on our faces.

When we left Old Orchard Beach we headed further north to Portland Maine. I wasn't that hungry but we stopped for lunch on a restaurant boat. It was the best clam chowder I have ever had. We decided to save the lobster for dinner some night when we were hungrier.

We headed back to Boston, taking a detour through the Cambridge area. After a few hour nap (and rooting for the Celtics on TV) we headed out for dinner at a great place called Finale.  It was wonderful and we are already talking about going back again.

It's time to crawl in bed and get some rest.  We have a big day in New York tomorrow rooting for the Red Sox... at Yankee Stadium.  Wish us luck.  :)

Sleep tight,

Dor

Cheers for Boston

Greetings from Boston.  After a few minor delays on our trip here, we finally arrived at our hotel around 1:00pm today.  Amy encouraged (required) me to take a nap since we didn't get much sleep on the flight here.  I slept for a few hours and then we went for a walk around the downtown area.  We didn't want to over-do it so we just walked thru Boston Common, which is beautiful, and then had an early dinner at the original "Cheers".  Although it wipes me out to walk around alot, we are taking things slow and pacing oursleves.  I must say, I'm not concerned about walking too much, but I AM worried that Amy won't want to get on the plane to go home.  I think she has officially fallen in love with Boston.

We called it a night by 7pm.  We are back in the room and I'm stuggling to stay awake.  We probably slept 5 hours last night (off and on) so I need to get some rest before a big day of traveling again tomorrow.  The plan is to head north along the coast, into Maine for a day of sight-seeing and lots of seafood.  I hear the lobster calling my name.  Our friend (Lauren Amundson) lives here in Boston and she has re-arranged her work schedule so that she can be our driver tomorrow.  We are both really excited to see her. 

Well, it's time for me to wrap this up so I can get some rest.

Goodnight my friends-

Dor & Amy

Off we go...

We are at the airport waiting for our flight. We got here way earlier than we needed to.... just in case. We didn't know how the oxygen issue would play out. So far, so good. It was pretty funny when we began to check in though because the lady said "I see here in the system that you have oxygen and a service animal". She caught us both off guard. We both chuckled until we realized that the computer really said that. We didn't want to end up in the strip search line so we politely corrected the lady and tried to bring as little attention to us as possible. Maybe I am considered mom's service animal.... hmm?

After we finally made it thru the gate, we had a nice dinner at Anthony's and then did a little shopping at the "Life is Good" store. I will attach a few photos soon.

Hopefully we sleep well on the flight and arrive in Boston refreshed and ready to go.

Enjoy your weekend and stay tuned for a daily blog update.

-Amy-

Lots of stuff happening around my house these days.  On Tuesday, I finally called the doctor about the pain in my side and the extreme coughing and he said..."get down here.  I need to see you"  After a chest x-ray and blood work, it was confirmed that I have pneumonia (again) and the probability of a few cracked ribs.  Whoop dee doo!  Just how I wanted to start my vacation with Amy.   But, after a few days of antibiotics I'm feeling much better.  I've been resting (doctor's orders) and packing (Amy's orders) to get ready for our amazing trip to Boston.


We are so excited to see some friends while back there.  After the plans were made, people starting writing to us to say they were living there now, or they would be there for work....It looks like we picked a great time to go.


Colonel Kelly has been keeping me in line to make sure I'm following doctor's orders.  I do everything she tells me to or else I get into trouble.  She had a field trip to go on with her son today, so Mom and Dad filled in for her.  Mom is helping me get ready for my journey.


I haven't been sleeping well lately....lots of dreams or nightmares about Rick.  Once I wake up,  it's hard to get back to sleep.  I  know this is a phase I need to go through to heal, but I'm just so lonely without him.     The kids do their best to keep my spirits up.  Mom always tells me to call her when I'm having a bad night but why wake her and have two crybabies up all night?


I'd better get going.  I have a nap to take and bags to pack.  Thank goodness Jake and Megan will be here to hold down the fort while I'm gone.


We promise to take lots of photos and tell you all about the adventures we went on.


Dreaming Big,
Dor

What a nice mother's day I had.  The kids and my parents came by around 2:00 and we had a yummy brunch.  My body didn't feel very well though so they all left fairly early so I could get some sleep.  I'm feeling much better today.

Yesterday, Morgan (my "other" daughter) got engaged.  Her ring is beautiful.  Congratulations Morgan and Corey.

I'm really getting excited for our journey to Boston.  We don't have very many things etched in stone but we are for sure going to a Yankee/Red Sox game as well as a Lobster meal in Maine.  There are so many sights to see back east that I'm sure we won't run out of things to do.

Amy promises we'll take the computer with us so we can keep up on blogging.  We'll try and send some photos too~

I'd better get going.  I need my beauty sleep as well so I might as well get started on that too!

Dreaming Big,
Doreen

Post Chemo Day

Yesterday was an uneventful chemo day, however today I'm a little more nauseous than usual.  I'm going to really lay low the next couple of weeks so I'm feeling well for my Boston getaway. 

Happy Anniversary today to my brother in law and sister in law, Jeff and Dawn....

I also want to wish you all a happy Cinco De Mayo.  Have an enchilada and margarita for me.  I don't think it would agree with me today so I'll take your word for it.

Mother's day is coming on Sunday so if you're lucky enough to still have your momma, don't forget to give her all the love you can muster up.  My mom is going to be covered with hugs and kisses.

Time to take a little nap and get rid of my nauseous stomach.  I just took another dose of anti nausea meds so hopefully they'll kick in soon.

Keep Dreaming Big,
Doreen

Time flies by....

I can hardly believe that it's been a month since Rick has been gone.  I swear it was just a day or 2 ago that we were in shock making arrangements wondering how we would be able to handle life without him.  We're still working on that, but we have each other and great friends and family surrounding us so we're managing as best we know how.

I've been extra emotional this week.  No particular reason, just a lot more tears have fallen down my cheeks than I'd like to admit. 

This weekend is going to be laid back since I've been doing lots of running around lately.  Next week is chemo so I want to be well rested for this round.  I've got an exciting trip coming up soon and I want to be feeling at the top of my game.

Don't forget...the Seattle Storm Women's Basketball team is getting ready for it's opening season.  Our little Shannon has been working hard to make this their most successful year yet. Shannon's job is in marketing and game management.  It's going to be a fun year for us watching her in action. 

I think I'm about ready for a little afternoon nap.

Keep dreaming big,
Doreen

Better Late than NEVER

First, let me apologize for being a slacker in the blog department.  I know you all understand that I've had other things on my mind, but I still should have written a few lines to let you know we're all doing ok.

Last Wednesday I packed up my belongings and a bunch of chubbies (full of oxygen) and rode with Dave and Val to their new home in Plain, WA (right near the Wenatchee River and Leavenworth - beautiful country).  Val and I had a wonderful couple of days exploring the area and shopping.  I came home on Sunday with the Schemenauer's who were at their cabin on the same river.  I'm already looking forward to my next visit with them.  I sure wish Rick was here to see their finished product...he would have loved it.

Out of the blue yesterday, Amy told me that going to Boston was on her bucket list and wondered if I'd like to join her on a quick little trip before she starts a new job with the Air Force.  Much to her surprise, I said "sure, why not"?  So, we've already booked our flight, hotel, found the closest place to get oxygen for me while I'm there, and bought tickets for the Yankees vs. Red Sox game at the new Yankee stadium.  I'm sure between now and the 15th of May (I know it's very soon) she'll plan many more outings for us.  Don't worry, we'll be back just in time for Relay for Life.  Don't tell her, but I'm tired already just thinking about it.


During my time off from writing a blog, I had a little visit at the emergency room with a fever.  It appeared I had a sinus infection.  Once I started the antibiotic and kept taking tylenol, I felt new again. I've been feeling much better from the chemo this week just in time to get it again on Tuesday.  It's sad for me to go to Seattle Cancer Care anymore because Rick and I usually went together.  It's another new normal I'm going to have to adjust to but for now...I don't like it.

Part of my reason for not writing lately is I had to "get real" about some of facts of losing my spouse..This week I picked out a headstone for Rick (and I).  It's beautiful and he would have liked it too.  I had to notify social security, insurance companies, and banks about his death.  It could have been a lot worse for me, but Rick did a good job of having all the important stuff filed in their appropriate spots.  I think I've got most of it covered except for some additional thank you's that have come in from Hospice.  Thanks to all of you who have made donations to your favorite charity in his name.


I promise to write soon.


XOXO,
Dor

4 beautiful years....

Today was my 4th year cancerversary.  I can not believe that 4 years ago today I was diagnosed with this dreaded disease and I'm still here to complain about it.  I want to be Dr. Eaton's longest living survivor so expect to hear about this again next year.

The past few days I've been fighting a fever.  Last night, Angie and Shannon took me to the emergency (doctor's orders) to have my blood checked for signs of infection or if my temperature was only on the rise because of the chemo on Tuesday.  It seems that I have some kind of infection (maybe sinus) so I was put on an antiobiotic for the next 5 days.  I'm hoping they will do the trick and I can try to get back to normal.

Actually, I'm not sure what my new normal is these days.  I miss Rick more than I can explain, nighttime is always the worst part of my day.  We always used to crawl into bed and touch our feet together as a sign of endearment.  Now, I get into bed alone (except when one of the kids comes over) and I have no feet to touch.  Sounds like a silly thing, but it happened every night.  It was as natural as brushing your teeth.

Today was also my dear friend Cathy's birthday.  Happy Birthday my older but loveable friend :)

If I'm feeling good when Dave and Val leave this week, I'm going to ride over to their cabin in Plain, WA and stay for a couple of days.  I have other friends (the Schemenauer's who will be over there this weekend and agreed to take me back to Stanwood).  It will be nice for Jake and Megan to have some alone time in the house without me. 

On Wednesday, my baby boy will be 25 years old.  I know he's not a baby anymore and these past 2 weeks he'd really proven what an amazing young man his is.  He has been a rock for our family.  His dad would have been so proud of his work around the property this past weekend.  He mowed, weed whacked, sprayed all the weeds with round-up and planted some trees we received from friends in honor of Rick.  It was beautiful weather and he worked from dawn to dusk.  The yard looks great!   I think I'll keep him.

Today when some friends were over we talked about how much Amy looks like her dad.  From her hands, to the way she crosses her legs.   Apparently, we don't always notice things like that until we lose someone.  I think the kids all love it when people notice things they do or say that remind them of their dad.  Forever I didn't get credit for being their mom because they all looked just like their dad.  Over the past few years however, I'm starting to get a little credit (I think people say that just out of pity:)

I've been wearing Rick's wedding ring on my thumb and it's amazing how much peace I get out of feeling it on my hand.  He just feels nearer and dearer to my heart.

I'd better get to bed now.  It's one o'clock and I need my rest so I can take a little trip across the pass with my friends later this week.

Dreaming Big,
Doreen

Great Scan News.

On Monday I was scheduled to have a new brain MRI and a new Chest CT scan. My sister in law, Vickie and Kelly took me to Seattle for the appointments.   On Tuesday, I learned that the chest tumors are stable but the tumors in my brain have shrunk 30 to 40 percent.  It was the best news I've heard in a long time.   After my doctors appointment, I went in for chemo.  I've got achy joints this morning and a little nausea, but other that I'm not feeling too bad. 

My heart is a little extra heavy today because today would have been our 30th wedding anniversary.  I know Rick is celebrating with me from Heaven (he spoiled me every year).  If I'm feeling better this evening, the kids want to take me out to dinner (they say dad would have wanted that).  These children of ours are the most amazing people I know.  Angie spent the night with me last night just in case the chemo kicked my behind.

It's time for me to head back to the sofa and get a little rest.  The more I rest the first few days after chemo, the better I seem to feel. 

Thank you all again for all the love, cards, caring words and wisdom you've given me over the past couple of weeks.  I can't help but heal faster from my loss with all of your support. 

Dream Big,
Doreen

My thoughts

I've been wanting to write a blog for the past couple of days but my emotions were a little too raw to share how life was going at the Schmitt house. 

What no one tells you, is that planning a memorial (celebration of life) service is a lot like planning a wedding... only you get about 2 days to do all the work.  In the end, I could not have asked for anything more beautiful or respectful for my one true love.   The church was set up for just under 500 people and the pastor told us they did a head count and the number was more like 740 people.  The church was filled with family, friends, co-workers, business acquaintances, friends and loved ones of both mine and the kids.  Rick would have been honored to see so many people pay tribute to what a great guy he was.

Most of the time I'm doing just fine (when you have a lot of work to do it takes your mind off the sadness).  What I've found recently is my tears are tears from happy memories, or a smell, or just remembering how much love we shared and I feel a huge hole in my heart.  I know it will get easier as time goes on, but for now I need to enjoy the memories as they come (even if they're followed by tears).

After the celebration of life ceremony on Wednesday, we went to the cemetery for the burial.  My dear friend Nancy had 100 red and black balloons delivered for us to release when the service was over.  The wind was blowing just right, so when Pastor Mich was finished we let off 100 balloons and we watched them sail over the town, his work, the high school where he watched hundreds of high school ball games.  It was another beautiful tribute.  Thank you Nancy for thinking of us.

As a family, we want to thank all of you who attended the service, sent flowers, made donations, sent cards, gave hugs, kept us in your prayers, worked behind the scene to make the reception run well, and the video turn out fabulous and all the other pieces I'm forgetting.  I have never felt so blessed to live in a community filled with kindness, generosity and more love than I thought possible..

You have all made this journey as bearable as possible and that was no easy task.

Love you MOST,
Doreen

Closure

The past week has been a whirlwind.  We knew that dad was getting worse but as strange as it may sound, I don't think anyone really believed that he was going to die.  Both of our parents had been defying the odds of survival for so long it just seemed as though some type of clinical trial would come along that would buy him some time.  It just went so fast.

Some of the things that people might not know are that my dad officially retired from Wolfkill on Friday March 26.  When he walked in the door that afternoon and sat in his chair, he never left the house again.  He had a few good moments the following few days but then began to slip away on Monday.

Another thing you might not know is that Angie had left for Tahiti and Bora Bora on Saturday March 27th. She had the trip planned for a long time and she was looking forward to spending spring break relaxing and re-charging her batteries, like everyone kept telling her to do.  When she left, my dad was fine.  We were giving Angie updates each day and then finally called and encouraged her to come home on Wednesday when things began to look a lot worse.  Angie traveled nearly 22 hours straight to say goodbye to my dad, but after all of the traveling, she arrived 30 minutes after his passing.

The day after dad passed away my immediate family was at the funeral home making arrangements for the funeral when Angie got a text message that her next door neighbor and good friend was one of the people killed in the oil refinery explosion in Anacortes, WA.  She had lost her father and friend within 10 hours.  We all knew Matt as well so it was another blow to our family that was already struggling with the normal emotions of losing a loved one.

Mom has had numerous visitors the past few days and we are grateful for the time you have spent with her.  She is doing pretty well for the most part but we all have our moments when we forget he is gone and we break down.  I know that I have been so busy with funeral preparations the past few days that I haven't left my parents house since last Wednesday.  Last night, I packed my bag and decided to go home.  As I kissed my mom goodbye I turned toward my dad's chair to kiss him.  Everyone saw me do it and it was difficult for everyone else as well as they saw that I had forgotten.  I had a bit of a breakdown.  I have seen 1000 pictures of him the past few days so it is as if he is still here.  Last night... I remembered.

If you are in the Stanwood area and would like to attend the viewing it is from 9am-5pm today at Gilbertson's funeral home.  We saw him last night and he looks absolutely fabulous.  He is more at peace today than I have seen him in months.  We hope this week brings all of us closure on the loss of a quiet hero.

Missing my dad-
Amy

Let Easter fill your heart with joy :)

As you can all imagine, in the past few days many tears have been shed, stories told, plans made, and love shared.  In my wildest dreams I  couldn't imagine doing any or all of this on my own.  Lucky for me, I had a wonderful husband who taught his children to work hard and love and respect their mother.  He would not be disappointed in the wonders of his work.  The kids have been Angels and I am blessed.

Rick would be so thankful too, to our friends Bob and Dy and Dave and Val.  They have helped the house run like a well oiled machine.  He would have done the same if the circumstances were any other way.  How fortunate we are to have such wonderful friends. 

This morning, we are going to Church then spending the afternoon together with friends and family for Easter.  I wish you all a joyful day with your families as well. 

I already miss my Ricky but I know he is in a better place and free of pain.  Thank you all for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers,  

Dreaming Big with a heavy heart,
Dor

Rick Schmitt: July 28, 1956 - April 1, 2010

Today, April 1st, my dad passed away peacefully in his bed surrounded by people who love him.  Everything happened so fast the past few days.  We are still processing everything so we will write more at a later time.  For the time being we want to thank everyone for the kind words and happy thoughts that have been sent our way over the past three or four years.  We couldn't have made it this far without the support that we've received.

There will be a funeral service and celebration of his life on Wednesday April 7th beginning at 11:00 AM at the Camano Chapel.  Please continue to keep my family in your thoughts as we transition into this stage of our processing.  We simply ask for strength for my mom as she continues to fight her own battle with this disease while mourning the loss of her best friend.

With a heavy heart-
Amy

A Little Help?

My dad is still experiencing some side effects from his new drugs.  One of the biggest problems we are having is that he gets up and walks away sometimes and he is not stable enough to do that on his own.  He will be sleeping for hours in a chair and the moment someone leaves the room, he gets up and wanders into another room without his walker and without a helper.  Last night/ Early morning dad got up and walked into the kitchen.  Megan found him and called for Jake.  My dad had no idea what he was doing yet he told Jake he was making toast.  The water was running, he had spilled milk on the floor and he had turned all of the lights on.  He is having a difficult time adjusting to the heavy doses of medicine, but at this point, our biggest concern is his safety.

Tonight, he was asleep in the living room so mom got up to do something in the kitchen.  She heard a loud noise and thought it was Jake.  By the time she left the kitchen Jake & Megan were already on their way to see what had happened.  Dad had wandered into the bedroom and fell into the nightstand.  Megan helped him stand up and they all checked his body to see if he was injured.  It appears that he had hit his back but he told them nothing hurt.  They called hospice and reported the incident.  It is difficult to keep an eye on him every second so the hospice nurse has recommended we get a few baby monitors so we can hear when he is up and walking around.  We are going to leave one in Jake & Megan's room downstairs and possibly a few additional ones in the spare bedrooms in case someone else is sleeping over.  If you have any baby monitors that you aren't using anymore, please let us know because we might want to borrow them for a while.

This transition has been extremely difficult for everyone.  Visitors have continued to stop by each day and that is great, please just make sure you call ahead of time to make sure the timing is ok for everyone. Thank you for all of your well wishes.

Thanks-

Amy

Not Quite Ready for This

It is fair to say that my dad has struggled the past few days.  He has started taking new medication and it has caused him to sleep a lot.  He is confused at times and doesn't participate in most conversations.  It is difficult for all of us to see him this way.

His best buddies came into town to see him this weekend.  Bob and Dy flew in from Spokane and Dave and Val drove into town as well.  Having his friends around seemed to be good for him.  Throughout the past few days he has had other visitors as well.  Although he probably won't remember most of the visitors because of his medication, my mom is very much appreciative of your kind words and warm wishes.

Each day has been something different with my dad so it's hard to tell what to expect from day to day.  If you would like to stop by for a quick visit please call ahead and let us know you are coming.  If the timing is bad we will be sure to tell you.  

Thank you for sending good thoughts our way during this difficult time.

Goodnight-
Amy

Changes Can Be Difficult

Yesterday, mom had chemo.  Also, while at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, my dad saw his oncologist for a quick visit.  His oncologist didn't like the way he looked or the things he said.  They did a scan to see if there was a blockage in his liver.  If so, that would mean a surgery to create an opening for the fluid to drain out.  Unfortunately, there wasn't a blockage.  Dad's discomfort and poor liver function test were due to his cancer progressing.  So, no surgery.  Instead, dad will begin to manage his pain better with more medicine and lots of hugs.  In addition, SCCA has set my dad up with a hospice nurse.

Hopefully a nurse will be able to track his symptoms and determine when he needs more medical attention.  Overall, people who utilize a hospice nurse tend to have a better quality of life so that is what we are hoping for as well.  Today, dad didn't get out of bed.  He was tired and was experiencing some discomfort in his stomach.  Mom was wiped out because it was the day after chemo so she spent the majority of the day resting as well.  She did have a few visitors though, and they seemed to cheer her up.  Who knows what tomorrow will bring?

Each new day will bring us new obstacles, but we are up for the challenge.

Tired but hopeful-

Amy

Wonderful Weekend

Yesterday we had a little poker tournament at our house with some of Rick's old friends and he had a great time.  Mom, Megan and I made some snacks for the gamblers so they wouldn't go hungry.  Jake and Shannon made it to the final table but didn't win anything, Rick took third place, Tinker took 2nd, and Zip took 1st.  Congratulations guys...now what about a cut for the hostess?

Rick and I are both exhausted today so we're just laying low watching college basketball.  Oh wait, we've been watching college basketball non stop for about a week :)  Congrats to all you Husky Fans and anyone who's ever heard of N. Iowa.

Amy and Mel spent the weekend at Desert Aire having a great time with family and neighbors.  Angie and Shannon are getting ready for their trip to Bora Bora (oh, I'm so jealous).  Yesterday they went house shopping...Shannon needs to live closer to her new job in Seattle.  Jake and Megan are in Seattle today visiting Ken and Debbie (Meg's parents), Dave and Val moved back to their real house yesterday, so it's just Rick and I hanging out by ourselves.  It's so quiet :)

I guess I'd better go make some lunch.  Rick just keeps losing weight so I need to feed him as often as he'll eat something.

Dream Big,
Dor

Great News!

Angie's test results came back.  Everything was benign.  Cancer Free at 33!

All is fine in Schmittville

I know many of you worry when you don't hear from me in a while.  I'm sorry about that.  Sometimes I just don't have much to say or it feels like a repeat. 

Rick is working on his retirement plans and is looking forward to some quality time off.  I'm right there with him looking forward to some time at Desert Aire and having a little fun.

Tuesday is chemo day for me and a doctor's appointment for Rick.  He still hasn't been feeling well (we were hoping that he would get back to feeling "normal" once he was chemo free for a while) so we're hoping the doctor has some plans to get him back on his feet.  He's extremely fatigued and doesn't have much of an appetite.  I know those are normal habits for cancer patients, but being chemo free we thought those symptoms might go away.

I've been feeling really good.  I wake up each morning coughing terribly, but after I use my nebulizer...I'm back to breathing as good as I get.  Each afternoon I take a nap then wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the rest of the night.  I've been trying to get out a couple of times a week and have a little fun, grocery shopping, or just taking care of business that needs my attention.

The weather has been awesome so I'm going to venture out again today.  Please remember, if you don't see anything on the blog...call me.  The phone line is always open and if I'm sleeping, someone else will answer and have you call back later.  Thank you all for being such great supporters we are lucky to have you ;)

Dreaming Big,
Doreen

Being Proactive will Save your Life

It has been a well known fact that my siblings and I have bad genes.  Our Grandma had Lymphoma in her early 50's, followed by our Grandpa with colorectal cancer in his late 70's- early 80's.  Grandpa was followed two months later by mom's lung cancer in her 40's and then 8 months later by our dad's colon cancer at the age of 50.  It goes without saying that we need to be proactive with our body.  We need to find a balance between being a hypocondriac and being naive. 

In November of 2008, 4 months before her 32nd birthday, Angie had her first colonoscopy.  She said some of the doctors were asking her why she got checked so young.  She referred them to her family history on the piece of paper in front of them.  Angie had no polyps and nothing that concerned the doctors.  She encouraged me to get checked as well.  It took me a while, but this past September I made my appointment after I kept experiencing digestive issues.  My results were fine, showing only three little ulcer-like spots caused most likely by stress.  I passed my test.

Last week Angie called me out of the blue and asked if I could be her driver for her colonoscopy on March 12th.  I said yes, of course, but I wondered why she was going back in for a scan when she had just completed one 15 months before and there were no signs of problems.  She told me that she listens.  Not only to her own body, but also to the doctors when she takes my dad in for his check-ups.  They ask if he has experienced a change in bowel movements, change in frequency, or blood in his stool.  They ask the same three questions every time.  Angie informed me that she had asked herself the same three questions the past few weeks and contines to answer yes to two of the three. 

So, yesterday, I took Angie to the hospital assuming they would check her out and tell her that she is all clear and just experiencing a large amount of stress.  Unfortunately, it wasn't that easy.  After she came into the recovery room they came and got me.  She was clearly experiencing discomfort and she was very comical in her medicated state.  They had to give her more narcotics than normal because they were having a hard time getting around parts of her colon.  They found a polyp that they kept discribing as "alarmingly large" considering she had just been checked 15 months before.  They removed it and sent it to the lab.  He said it looked normal as far as he could tell, but lab results will come back next week.

He continued to express concern about how quickly it grew.  Most people start their colonoscopies at the age of 50 and come back every 10 years, but Angie began them at 31 and will now get them every 24 months or so.  He told us there was no doubt this would have been cancer had she waited to get checked.  Those are difficult words to hear.  As if this news wasn't discouraging enough, I took her home and then she started to bleed when she went to the bathroom.  I had to take her back to the hospital so the surgeon could decide if they needed to go back in and look at the spot they had biopsied.  After a few hour at the hospital the second time, Angie was released and told to rest and watch for anything unusual. 

Needless to say, Yesterday was a long day.  I spent the night at Angie's house and she looked fine the rest of the evening.  She wasn't in any pain and she hasn't experienced any more bleeding.  Physically, everyone is back to normal, but mentally, knowing how things could have been is a tough pill to swallow.  I'm really proud of Angie for being so proactive with her health and it is a reminder to me that I need to be just as proactive.  I know that I probably would have just assumed it was stress and blown it off since I had just been checked.  If you're one of those people with a less than favorable genetic makeup, you need to make sure you are getting your annual physical and bloodwork.  Don't assume you are invincible, regardless of your age or how recently you were checked.

Hoping for good results-
-Amy-

Lots of changes

Over the past couple of weeks we've have lots to think about.  Rick is no longer receiving chemo because it's not working,  my chemo is finally working (which hits me with survivors guilt) and now Rick is going to be retiring after 30 years at Wolfkill.  It's time for us to start enjoying what life we have left.  Hopefully, it will be another 20 years, but if not....we will have had a great time along the way.

It's odd how I thought he would put up a fight leaving the job that he felt so safe at.  But, instead, I think he's looking forward to some special time together, maybe spending a little more time at Desert Aire, visiting Dave and Val at their new home in Leavenworth.  Whatever makes him happy, I want to be right there as an active participant.

Shannon got an amazing job with Seattle Storm (the WNBA professional women's basketball team) so I'm sure we'll have to support her endeavors too.  Rick has never been to Angie's school and watched her teach (it's one of my favorite things to do) so I'm going to bring him to Marysville to witness what a fabulous teacher his daughter is...then I might take him to lunch. :) We've been able to watch Jake coach his boys and girls basketball teams and that's been fun too.  I'm not sure we can follow Amy to her undercover jobs as a special agent for the gambling commission so we might have to limit our time with her at home or out for dinner.  We've got great kids.  They'll make sure we're not bored.   Hopefully we'll be busy a lot of the time.  It will keep our minds from wandering to places it shouldn't go.

I knew I would have a sad little moment today when I got up because our house guests are gone.  Dave and Val have moved into their beautiful home (but they'll be back in 9 days...Dave's got so other job to do...yahoo for me)  It surprised all of us how well we got along these past 6 months sharing the TV, bathrooms, kitchen, and just general space.  I think we could have lived in a commune :)  Think of the money we would have saved.  Our remodeled bathroom is complete and absolutely gorgeous.  It was a gift from Dave and Val for the time they spent with us.  I'll never be able to thank them enough for this beautiful gesture.

This past round of chemo has given me a stomach ache that I can't seem to shake.  Just about the time I think it's gone, it hits me again.  I am feeling a little better about it today so perhaps I'm on the mend.  I've had a low grade fever the whole week too.  Nothing that tylenol won't cut, but I've got to stay on the safe side and keep checking it.

Ok, I think I've rambled enough.  Keep us in your thought and prayers as we go through all these new changes.  We'll be just fine, but it's always nice to know you've got someone at your side during the journey.

Dreaming Big,
Dor

Great news...Shrinkage :)

In almost 4 years ( April 19th) I learned to accept the word stable as a great report. Today however, for the first time I  heard the word "shrinkage"!  Val and Kelly came to my appointment and we were all thrilled. Dr. Eaton took us to the computer and showed us pictures of my scans and how much change this poison does for me.

I also have to contribute "shrinkage" to the alkaline water Shelly makes me and personally delivers weekly.  You know me, I'll try anything once! The plus side to the good news was a burger and a shake at Dicks!

Now that we know this toxic cocktail is working, I'll continue Chemo every three weeks.  It's a beautiful day in my neighborhood and I'm so glad to be home...... :)

Now that I've had good news,  I'm going to wake up everyday hoping Rick will say he feels great. I know he wishes he could wake up and say those words too. Patients Doreen patients.

Dreaming BIGGER than ever -
Dor