M
MARIPOSA
Guest
4-14-09
Well, it’s been almost a month now since I had that really rotten response to my experimental chemo medication that landed me in the hospital for 4 days almost unresponsive. What a roller coaster ride I have been on since then. When I shared with my family my latest metastasis findings, that the cancer is very wide spread and is now in several parts of my brain, ALL of my brother and sisters made immediate plans to come visit me, a few at a time. But first my oldest friend Stephanie drove here from Idaho and spent a week with us and we had such a great visit. Deana has been so very faithful to come see me once a month for several months now. Wish I had more energy so we could get more accomplished each visit, but simply enjoying her company is so uplifting to my spirits. While I was still in the hospital Sue flew up from San Diego for a pre-arranged visit. Too bad 3 of those days it was only for hospital visits!!! What rotten timing huh? But it sure cheered me up to see her pretty face each day. We did have one great day together here at home. It took me several days to get back on my feet, literally. I ended up using a walker for almost a week and eventually had to get myself a back brace due to the lower back pain and weakness that I was experiencing.
Next Andy came for a week, just to work on Christy’s dollhouse with me. That actually turned out to be a bear to work on and I’m sure I could not have assembled that house by myself at all. Some of the manufacturers parts were cut at the wrong angles so Andy used his extensive woodworking knowledge to make the necessary adjustments. I never would have been able to figure it all out by myself. We didn’t accomplish nearly half of what we had hoped, but at least got the most important part assembled.
On Friday Jim, his wife Julie and 4 year old Sophie flew in from Ohio and Jon and his daughter Kamryn drove up from San Diego for the weekend. Andy got to visit with them for a little while before he headed back to the LA area. On Saturday Deana flew in just to see both our brothers together. We took the little girls to see some giant tortoises and had a great day visiting. I think it’s been about 25 years since Jim and Jon have seen each other, and Deana hasn’t seen Jim for almost that long. I did get to visit with Jim a couple years ago when I flew to Ohio to visit Christy. Jon BBQd for us all and the little girls hit it off instantly. It was such fun to see them laughing and playing in the back yard. Jon shared with us all the contents of a trunk that he had recently obtained that had some very important Navy keepsakes that belonged to our Dad. None of us had seen these items before. What a wonderful experience that was. My next very special visitor will be my dtr Becky when she flies up for a week in May. It’s too bad that Christy just started a new job and all vacations are nonexistent for her company right now.
It was so blessed to be able to see all of my family like I did. Ever hear of a living wake? Well, that’s almost what I experienced over the past month. Just to be able to hug each and every one of them and share some sweet memories of our childhood was the best medicine in the world. Of course, I’ve taken very long naps every day since they all left, and I’m still tired. LOL
Now I have 2 dollhouses to resume work on. But most daunting for me is the fact that my oncologist wants me to continue my new, once a month, infusion chemo drug tomorrow. Thankfully this will be only a 15 mintue procedure. I don’t think this one is what triggered my last episode, but I’m holding my breath anyway. I have to trust him on this one because the day I decide to forgo any more chemo my time on earth will be considerably shortened ~ and I’m definitely not ready for that. Even though I’m ready to go be with my Lord for a long, long rest, I still have way too much that I want to accomplish. I have those houses to finish, a trip to San Diego to see what Sue has done to Mom’s house, a wedding to attend in Washington for my niece Jennifer, and a trip to Ohio to deliver those dollhouses and hug my dtr Christy and hopefully I can squeeze in a short trip to Vegas to visit Aunt Joanne. So keep those prayers coming.
Hugs, Mariposa/Ronda
Well, it’s been almost a month now since I had that really rotten response to my experimental chemo medication that landed me in the hospital for 4 days almost unresponsive. What a roller coaster ride I have been on since then. When I shared with my family my latest metastasis findings, that the cancer is very wide spread and is now in several parts of my brain, ALL of my brother and sisters made immediate plans to come visit me, a few at a time. But first my oldest friend Stephanie drove here from Idaho and spent a week with us and we had such a great visit. Deana has been so very faithful to come see me once a month for several months now. Wish I had more energy so we could get more accomplished each visit, but simply enjoying her company is so uplifting to my spirits. While I was still in the hospital Sue flew up from San Diego for a pre-arranged visit. Too bad 3 of those days it was only for hospital visits!!! What rotten timing huh? But it sure cheered me up to see her pretty face each day. We did have one great day together here at home. It took me several days to get back on my feet, literally. I ended up using a walker for almost a week and eventually had to get myself a back brace due to the lower back pain and weakness that I was experiencing.
Next Andy came for a week, just to work on Christy’s dollhouse with me. That actually turned out to be a bear to work on and I’m sure I could not have assembled that house by myself at all. Some of the manufacturers parts were cut at the wrong angles so Andy used his extensive woodworking knowledge to make the necessary adjustments. I never would have been able to figure it all out by myself. We didn’t accomplish nearly half of what we had hoped, but at least got the most important part assembled.
On Friday Jim, his wife Julie and 4 year old Sophie flew in from Ohio and Jon and his daughter Kamryn drove up from San Diego for the weekend. Andy got to visit with them for a little while before he headed back to the LA area. On Saturday Deana flew in just to see both our brothers together. We took the little girls to see some giant tortoises and had a great day visiting. I think it’s been about 25 years since Jim and Jon have seen each other, and Deana hasn’t seen Jim for almost that long. I did get to visit with Jim a couple years ago when I flew to Ohio to visit Christy. Jon BBQd for us all and the little girls hit it off instantly. It was such fun to see them laughing and playing in the back yard. Jon shared with us all the contents of a trunk that he had recently obtained that had some very important Navy keepsakes that belonged to our Dad. None of us had seen these items before. What a wonderful experience that was. My next very special visitor will be my dtr Becky when she flies up for a week in May. It’s too bad that Christy just started a new job and all vacations are nonexistent for her company right now.
It was so blessed to be able to see all of my family like I did. Ever hear of a living wake? Well, that’s almost what I experienced over the past month. Just to be able to hug each and every one of them and share some sweet memories of our childhood was the best medicine in the world. Of course, I’ve taken very long naps every day since they all left, and I’m still tired. LOL
Now I have 2 dollhouses to resume work on. But most daunting for me is the fact that my oncologist wants me to continue my new, once a month, infusion chemo drug tomorrow. Thankfully this will be only a 15 mintue procedure. I don’t think this one is what triggered my last episode, but I’m holding my breath anyway. I have to trust him on this one because the day I decide to forgo any more chemo my time on earth will be considerably shortened ~ and I’m definitely not ready for that. Even though I’m ready to go be with my Lord for a long, long rest, I still have way too much that I want to accomplish. I have those houses to finish, a trip to San Diego to see what Sue has done to Mom’s house, a wedding to attend in Washington for my niece Jennifer, and a trip to Ohio to deliver those dollhouses and hug my dtr Christy and hopefully I can squeeze in a short trip to Vegas to visit Aunt Joanne. So keep those prayers coming.
Hugs, Mariposa/Ronda
