News...

Hello Friends & Family,
It's been a little while since I've posted but we've had a bit of bad news so I've not been in the mood to write much. My cancer has returned & I'm not happy about it!! I was at the Women of Faith conference the weekend of Oct 21-22 & had what I thought was indigestion. After a couple days of vomiting & unbelievable pain; I was admitted to Maple Grove Hospital to find out I have 5 gallstones. They were trying to decide if the gallbladder needed to come out. The surgeon suggested that I see my oncologist (Dr Levi Downs) so I did a couple days later. Thinking I was only going down there to talk about my gall bladder, Ed didn't go with me. Didn't think I needed him to. Well...they told me there is a tumor about 8x12cm & probably wasn't the gallbladder at all. So...I've begun treatment again. A little different this time. I'll have an infusion of Avastin once every 3 weeks & a chemo pill (Cytoxan) every day.

This has been a real kick in the gut because I've been feeling great & had no idea this was going on. Please keep us all in your prayers as we continue to battle this "nasty little troll"!!

In the meantime, Ed & I got to spend today with Oliver at his Grandparent's Day at preschool. We had so much fun!! So fortunate to be able to do these kind of things with our family. So we do have many blessings that are being showered on our family. We have all become even closer to each other I think & we have definitely become closer to God. So in many ways, this has been a blessing; if that can be possible.

Thank you for your continued prayers for our family.

October Update

Hello friends & family!
What a whirlwind of things over the end of the summer! We had Regan's wedding at the end of August; chemo finished the first part of August; cleared as cancer free the end of August; school started & the boys are all doing great. Football is going well, Myer is healing great & Oliver is going to full-day preschool. Life is good.

I did have a 'not so fun' weekend though. I went to the Women of Faith conference on Friday & had a gall baldder attack Friday night. Spent most of Saturday & Sunday in the Maple Grove hospital getting checked out & given pain & nausea meds after lots of violent vomiting...gross, huh?! My gall bladder needs to be removed but the surgeon needs to speak with my oncologist first...so in the meantime...I WAIT!! Some pain, fear of another attack & impatience of waiting are the way I spend my days now. Oh well...it's always something & getting older is not for sissies!!!

Thought I'd share some pictures of our late summer activities with you. Thanks for checking in & keep us in your prayers!

Blessings...

The bride with Mom & Dad

Dad & his girls

Mark & Regan on the bike

Myer the Rebel football player

Is Owen a teenager yet?!

Oliver & his beautiful eyelashes...what a sweet boy!

Always gotta have a silly family picture!

Kelly's sweet family

Auntie & her boys

The gorgeous bride & groom

Tyler & Mark

Doing Great!!! God is SO good!!!!

Hey everyone!
Thought I'd update again & just let you all know that your prayers have worked. I'm cancer free & feeling really good. I tell people, if I had hair I'd feel almost normal...I'm not sure I was ever "normal" but I'm feeling more like myself. The hair is coming...I look like a peach right now; very light, soft & fuzzy!!

I've been thoroughly enjoying my newfound health & trying to keep up with my grandsons & their football careers. The oldest one is loving his first year in football & has gained unbelievable confidence. This was a very good decision on his part. He's very good at the game & is loving it! The middle one is the known athlete. He's played baseball & football before, loves it & is very good at it. In the first scrimmage of the year at the Football Jamboree, he was playing starting quarterback & on the 4th play of the game he broke his left femur! Poor little guy is only 9 years old but has handled it all like a real trooper. He had surgery & now has 2 rods up thru the bone which will be removed in a few weeks. He's getting around very well on crutches & in his wheel chair. He was visited at school yesterday by Champlin Park Varsity football players & will be a guest at the game tonite. He's become a celebrity of sorts in Champlin...everyone knows or has heard about his injury. He started physical therapy this week so he'll be back to his old self in no time. The youngest one started a new preschool this year & we were very nervous about it. He can be very stubborn & if he decides not to do something, there's no talking him into it. He did great the first day & now is wanting to stay all day. My how they grow up!!

I hope to start doing some traveling with Ed & on my own. I'm hoping to get to return to Amsterdam for a visit & replace my bad memories of the place with good ones. I get to fly to Ohio in a couple weeks to visit with my family there. They've all been so supportive with prayers & cards & I want them to see how good I'm doing now. Can't wait to see them all!

Thanks for checking in on me & again...thank you SO much for your prayers, warm thoughts, good vibes or whatever else you did for me during this journey. It's not over so keep 'em coming. I will have a CT scan in November & every 3 months for 2 years so we're in this for the long haul!! Stay with us!

Love,
Rhonda

Great News!!!!!!!

Hey Y'all!!!
I AM CANCER FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Got the good news this morning from the most amazing doctor & team in the world. I don't have to have any more chemo & life is good! I do have 2 small soft tissue masses that need to be biopsied & that will happen on Tuesday. Dr Downs says he's certain they are not cancer & he has several reasons why it isn't but we do need to find out what it is. Could be blood clots that are being reabsorbed by my body; could be just soft tissue. But we'll find out next week. I'll get the biopsy results on Friday when I will have the IP Port removed. That will be a great day...I feel like this port is an alien trying to get out of my body!!

So you're all not off the hook in the praying department. I'm asking for prayers next week for the biopsy results. I'm not worried at all & I'm thrilled to be free from "the troll"!!!

Thanks for all your prayers, good thoughts, positive energies, etc that you sent my way over the past several months. They have meant more to me than you know!!

CT Results tomorrow!

Hey friends!
I'm asking for prayers; especially tomorrow. I will get the results of my CT Scan that I had on Monday. this will determine what the treatments I've had have accomplished. I've been feeling great & we have every confidence that I'm going to be declared clean. But...all the prayers I can get surely can't hurt!!!





We thoroughly enjoyed our daughter's wedding & are thrilled to have a new son-in-law. They have returned from their honeymoon in Jamaica (right before the Hurricane Irene came through) & are ready to, as Regan said, begin their happily ever after!!

Our middle grandson just came home from the hospital. He broke his femur in his left leg on Saturday playing quarterback for his football team. He had surgery on Sunday afternoon & is doing pretty good. He could use prayers for pain management now that he's home. Prayers for the whole family as they care for him too.

Well, I think I've requested enough prayers for tonite. I hope to get some sleep...I'm very excited to get the news tomorrow...whatever it is. My goal is to want what God wants for me & accept it. Can't wait to get on here tomorrow & tell you it is all good news!!!

Oh! one other really good thing that has happened along in our lives. Ed & I got a new Harley last week! It's a Cadillac of Harleys & so much more comfortable than any I've ever riden before. I hope to ride much more now that I have a super comfortable "queen seat". We are enjoying it already!!



Wedding Week

Well, it's finally here..our baby girl is getting married this week! She's searched & found the one to make her happy...her best friend. We are so happy for her & love her fiance already. He will be a good addition to our family.

We are looking forward to family coming to town to celebrate with us. It will be an awesome week!

Also...football started this week for our two older grandsons. Quite an exciting time for them. They both played baseball this year & the middle one played football last year. This is the first year for the oldest one & he's discovering he's a really good athlete too. We can't wait to sit out at the ballfield watching them play.

Finished!!!!!!!

Yep, my chemotherapy treatments are finished!!! I had my last treatment on Monday, August 8th & it went well. I was given extra nausea meds for this week because we suspected that my side effects may be worse. The decadron I was given has really done the trick. Regan's bachelorette part is this Friday night (the 12th) so I really wanted to feel as good as I can for that...wedding is the 19th!!! Family will be coming in next Wed-Thurs & we're very excited!

One more prayer request if you don't mind...I'll have a CT scan on August 29th & meet with Dr Downs on the 31st for the results. Pray for a clear CT scan. Whatever the outcome, I'm ready to deal with it. But of course, a clear scan is what we're praying for.

It feels so good to know that I'm just going to keep feeling better & better. Knowing that the nausea will keep getting less & less...who knows; hair may even start coming back in a few weeks!! The hair is the least of my concerns actually. Not having to worry about hair, humidity, curl, friz, straightening has really been very freeing. Strange feeling I know, but an honest one. I can be ready to go in 15-20 minutes; showered & makeup on & out the door! Amazing!!

Thank you ALL so much for all your prayers, thoughts & well-wishes as we've been on this journey; it's not over by any means so keep 'em coming!!!

Guess what season is coming up!!! Yay! Football!!!

Can't wait to see Owen & Myer play...Oliver wishes he was playing!!