July Update

Hi All,

It's all I can do to make some posts on this blog these days. Summer is supposed to be a time of rest, relaxation, sun tans and swimming pools and movie stars....whoa, I just channeled the Beverly Hillbilies there for a sec.

There isn't really any news on Janis, so to speak...no news is good news. She has had her 3 month after chemo ended check up and she is cancer free....let's all say that again...She is cancer free. Dr. Osborne says she is cancer free and he is treating her preventatively to it doesn't come back and also scrubbing through the tests looking for any recurrence. Janis continues to take Vitamin D and every three weeks herceptin bigger check ups every three months. She is feeling well and the hair is growing in really well. Its not coming is as fast as she would like and evern though I have taken several pictures of her she hasn't approved of any for me to post...at least any that are hatless.....I am posting this one as I think she is looking great in this one.

We made it through the trip to Alaska in June. We had a mixed bag of weather with some amazing sunny days (seemed to keep the bugs away) and some welcome home weather with gray and rainy skies. The scenery was amazing. We got to see a baseball game played at midnight, Mt McKinley (think of Mt Rainier if only it was a mile taller and there was a mountain right next to it the same size at Rainier). We saw lots of wildlife (kids) and there were plenty of animlas to see too. We had a full agenda, but it was really planned out well (thanks again to Mike and Katie Moeller for handling the planning this past year...they did and awesome job) and our family had a great time. Janis and I celebrated our 16th anniversary in Fairbanks. We had a family dinner at a BBQ joint that was really good and then spent the evening with a walk around Alaskaland. Will post up some pictures soon.

We got back from our trip just in time for July and Bryce's birthday. We now have a 9 year old. Boy they grow up quickly.

After the 4th, we hooked up with some families to make up a baseball team of 9 and 10 year olds. We wanted to give the kids a chance to actually play some baseball in some decent weather. We practiced for a week and had our first tournament this past weekend. Remember, this is a 9 and 10 year old team and we played in a 10 and 11 year old tourney. My kids were in all the games but one....there is a bit of a difference in 10 and 11 year olds...mostly its on the hitting side. We ended up 5th..woohoo (sarcastic woohoo)... The kids got a really good start to the baseball tourney thing. We have a tourney next week in Lynden and will have one more in Yakima in a few weeks.

June Update

Hi All,

I haven't posted anything in a while as things have been humming along as expected with a good dose of baseball mixed in there.

From the no news is good news category, Janis continues with the herceptin treatment every 3 weeks and nothing really to report there. It really makes her sleepy for that evening after the treatment, but that's the only side effect from the treatment-the benadryl they give with it sure does the trick.

Baseball just wrapped up. I am kind of sad to see it end. We had a really good team of kids and it was just a fun team. Hayden and Bryce were on the same team and both had good years. Honestly, this was the worst weather for a baseball season I have ever seen. On the last game of the year, we were battling rain, wind and cold just to get this game in...it was unbelievable.

School is about to wrap up the end of this week...so the monkeys will be on the loose.

The last week of June, we have the big Alaska vacation with Janis' brother Mike and his family. Can't wait for this to get her....we have been planning this (trip was in jeopardy due to the cancer) for a long time...and we are just now on the doorstep of it happening.

April Fool's -no fooling

Here's a little April Fools humor....sort of...

My youngest really put his foot in his mouth last night.....totally, completely, innocently, on accident...but here's the scenario. My folks had the kids for the afternoon, we were all driving in the car after dinner and had picked them up on our way to one of many errands...we were doing dumb little April fools stuff....like there's a spot on your shirt, etc....and varying degrees of that when all of a sudden Bryce goes....mom, I see some hair growing on the back of your head......

(pause)

....{cringe}

.......

(pause) April Fools!!!

It was the funniest, saddest moment I can remember recently.....the best part was his older...and apparently much wiser brother....and his reaction to it

Ugh!!....Bryce, no....that's not nice!

I almost drove off the rode

Keep in mind, this is a kid that totally loves him mom....no malice intended....but man, good stuff.

6 down...0 to go!

We made it to this point. The 6th Chemo treatment wrapped up today around 3:30pm. Its an exciting time, knowing this is the last treatment, but also, knowing that there is another week to grind through makes it tough.

Looking ahead, Janis will be going in every three weeks for the rest of the year to get a herceptin treatment. Herceptin is typically used to treat HER-2 positive cancer patients...while Janis didn't fall into that class, herceptin was part of her treatment. Studies also are showing help with continued herceptin treatment. By help, I mean lowering the chances of recurrence...and that's the bottom line. Dr. Osborn talked about a study saying 9 more weeks of herceptin helped a lot. He cited another study indicating a year time frame is worthwhile as well....another study looking at 2 years. He isn't convinced 2 years is needed, but is that more herceptin is needed. The good thing about this treatment is that there are no side affects so once this chemo runs its course the hair should start coming back and each treatment will just be a treatment...not weeks or days of additional recovery.

In addition to the 3 week herceptin cycle, Janis will have a 3 month followups for the rest of the year, checking blood and all....

Thanks again for the continued prayers and support-you all have really helped us make it this far.

Praise you in this storm!

Ever come across a song, a painting, a sunset...anything that just stops you in your tracks? Strangest thing, this morning, after dropping the kids off at school, I had one of those moments. The Casting Crowns song "Praise you in this storm" comes on the radio...actually, I don't even remember recognizing that the song was on until I was tearing up. I then realized the song and just couldn't hardly hold it together. I pulled over, just sat and listened to the song, prayed and just soaked it in. Wow, what an experience!

"...You are who You are, no matter where I am..." Could anything better summarize where we are right now?

5 down -1 to go!!!

We (Janis) switched the days of the chemo treatment up a bit this time and instead of what would have been the normal day (last Friday), she scheduled it for today (Tuesday). It was close, some of her blood levels were getting close. We, like many other families have been bombarded with a particularly pesky bug this past weekend. It has come on pretty quickly (I could feel it coming on Sunday) and it hit sunday night-kids were out of school Monday and Janis was wiped out. Fortunately, it seems the bug is moving pretty quickly and kids were back in school today, I was feeling much better and Janis was cleared to take another treatment. We are on fever watch...so if her temperature rises we will be calling the Dr. for some sort of voodoo or magic potion to help her get thru it. Pray for an uneventful week.

Thanks again to all who are continuing to bring dinners and pray for us....it really is a huge help to have the support.

Chemo -Treatment 4

4 treatments down, 2 more to go. Janis won't really allow us to count this one as 'down' yet until she makes it thru the first week after the chemo. I don't blame her, this is a rough week and all indications are that it will be 'typical'....

Continued Thank you's for all still praying for us and helping out!


Joh 3:16 "This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.
Joh 3:17 God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again.
Joh 3:18 Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.