SPRING HAS SPRUNG!

Spring has finally arrived with all her splendor! The farmers are out discing their fields, preparing their machinery, and getting their seeds ready for planting season which normally begins April 1. My friend, Rollo, is a commercial farmer. I have known him for 5 years and he is a great friend and supporter. We talk on the phone every day, but, unfortunately, I will not see him for about 6 weeks after planting season starts. He farms about 3,000 acres and does custom farming for other customers so he is busy. He and his two sons do all of that work themselves. I used to help during harvest season, driving the big JD tractors which hauled the grain carts over to the grain bins where they were unloaded and sent up to the dryers. I love it and hope I can again help him this fall. He also raises beef cattle - Angus mainly. I love to look at the cows when I go there. Rollo provides us with all our hay and manual labor occasionally. Rollo has a masters degree and is a wizard in water engineering.

If you read Sandie's blog, you already know the results of my tumor marker. I complained of a great deal of pain where my gall bladder used to be which radiates across the front of my abdomen. They sent me for a cat scan to look at my tummy area and a blood test to see what my pancreas is up to. They have greatly improved the chalky stuff you have to drink. I chose the flavor apple. At least is isn't chalky anymore, just thick and of not much taste. So, again we wait. I am fully prepared to endure chemo again if necessary.

Our filly, Minka, is a yearling now and is growing like a weed, looking more like her daddy everyday. Her mama, Bambi, is expecting her baby in April, but it looks like she may foal early from the signs we see. I am very excited about that.

I hope you all are well and happy!

February already.

Hi Everyone! Well, it's February already! We are sitting here with our house torn up due to the water main break back in October. They are putting in new floors, vinyl and carpet. It has been a horribly wet fall/winter. Sandie and I and the dogs are confined to our office. The coffee pot is in my bathroom (oh joy) and everything is packed, stacked or stuffed in my bedroom and hers. Finally it got to freezing here so at least the ground is solid. Barn was flooded, but is drying out now.
I go in for another cancer test the end of this month and will know the results the first week in March. I am currently suffering from severe bursitus in my hips (but the joints are fine). Walking any distance for me is extremely painful so there goes the excercise. I asked the Ortho doctor what causes it, what can I do to help it and he told me it was "just my bad luck". So I got a cortesone shot in each hip (I'd rather give birth again), which didn't help at all, so I am taking prescription strength Motrin for the pain. I am also going to physical therapy twice a week for carpal tunnel syndrome and the neoropathy in my hand. Feet are a lost cause. I am still having pain in my abdomen but don't know if it is scar tissue or cancer returning. I will find out next month.
I'm going to be a grandma (nana) again! Angie is pregnant with a baby boy and is due in July. Angie and Tim Unger were married in January in Michigan. Sandie's daughter, Melissa, is also due in July so it is exciting! Angie and her husband, Tim, have been trying for 7 years to get pregnant, from in-vitro fertilization to artificial insemination. She only has one ovary and it frequently develops large cysts. So I am very proud of her and happy for them.
Little Julie is doing great although she has a cold now. She is the light of our life. Ashleigh and Joey are wonderful parents and have much more patience than I ever did. Ashleigh is a certified Massage Therapist and works part time with a chiropractor in Metropolis. She loves it, and of course, we just adore Joey.
A friend of ours just butchered a 350 lb hog for us so we have lots of pork now.
Well, that's about it. Love to you all.

December is Here!

Time flies so fast! It's December already and we have had so much rain! Barn is flooded and wet and the ground is saturated. Luckily for us, that huge snowstorm that hit Missouri, central and upper Illinois and upper Michigan and Wisconsin turned north and just missed us. We did get the cold weather that goes with it though. Been in the 20's steadily. Sunny in the morning, but cloudy in the afternoons.

Well, tomorrow I go to my oncologist and find out how the cancer is progressing or not progressing. I am prepared for the worst and am prepared also for another round of chemo - for as long as I can stand it. Wish me luck!

I love you all!

Almost November!

It's already almost November! The trees have changed colors and are losing their leaves now. We have marvelous colors but the wind and rain are knocking most of the leaves off the trees now. It is cooler out during the day and cold at night - yay! Great sleeping!

I am doing better. I use a cane most of the time now when we go out somewhere because I never know when my equilibrium will go haywire. I am finally getting my sugar numbers more normal. I inject 60 units twice per day and that seems to be the magic number. I don't give myself good shots though...I bruise where I stick myself. My vision has changed though, I will need another eye exam in January. I have noticed a lump in my arm has changed and gotten much larger so I will talk to Doc about that.

We had a major water main break in the kitchen which left 4 inches of water on the floor. The insurance co. had us bring in Serv-Pro to dry it out. They had to replace the insulation under the house as it was soaked. We are waiting for the final report on the damages. The kitchen vinyl flooring is torn up half way, the carpet needs to have something done with it. So, we wait...

I hope everyone has a happy Halloween!

Thursday, Sept. 28, 2006

Fall is finally here! I am feeling much better, although my strength is not returning, nor is my balance. My knee's look like an 8 year old, scabby... But my hair is coming back, all salt and pepper, more salt than pepper.

I am trying to get my sugar under control more now with help from my dr. I am on insulin, 35 units x 2 daily. Thank God for little needles. I don't give myself good shots because I am all bruised in the area's I inject. I use the pen so that helps alot. Jab and press. Ick!

Neoropathy is getting worse in my feet and hands. I won't be able to work because I have almost no strength in my left hand and I can't hold or pick up little thing easily.

I will have my next CA125 test end of November. Results in Dec. Which creates a problem... I will be losing my long term benefits from my employer due to Social Security Disability kicking in. That also includes my health coverage. SS won't give you a health card for 24 months. So I am screwed there for 2 years. SS benefits are less monthly than my benefits were so...less money monthly too. What fun.

The weather is getting cooler, much less humidity now. We have had tons of rain in the last 2 weeks. Barn is very soggy. But we can turn off the air and leave the windows open most of the time now.

That's it for now. Love to you all.

Tuesday 8/24/06

I am feeling better each day! I still have a lot of strength to regain, but I'm sure that will come. My hair is growing in but it's coming in WHITE!
I am going to my family dr. today. Neoropathy is worse in my hands and feet. Need to get the sugar under control better too. Tomorrow I get my blood drawn for the CA-125 test. The following week I will get results - see where the cancer stands.

Sunday

I went to the Oncologist on Friday to have my blood drawn and darn it, the red cell count was low...so another shot in the stomack of Procrit. Ugh!

But the good news is... I'm feeling better every day! YAY!

I go back to the Dr. every Friday to get my blood tested. I have appointments set up til October 1st.

Next week I get blood drawn for a CA125 test. This is called a tumor marker test and it should tell us if the cancer has gone away or not. It will take another week to find out. I have my fingers crossed...