WE'VE ARRIVED IN THE LAND OF CHEESE ...

Hi Friends!

It's late but I just wanted to do a quick blog. We have arrived safely in Milwaukee, WI. We had two safe flights with an easy connection in Phoenix, AZ. Our flight got into Milwaukee at midnight WI time. So, we elected to spend the night at a nice Hampton Inn nearby the airport. Tomorrow morning (after a good night's sleep), we will go back to the airport and pick up our rental car. Then we'll drive to Bill's parent's house in Valders. We should make it there by early afternoon. And my Grandpa's visitation at the funeral home is from 4-7 p.m. Friday evening. We're looking forward to seeing my family there.

Much Love,
Michele

MY GRANDPA DIED!

Hi Friends!

I'm sorry I didn't blog yesterday. I've been busy. I was told yesterday that my Grandpa Twohig (my Dad's father) passed away Tuesday morning. He was 98 years old, and he lived a long, full life. So, I am happy for him because I know that he is in a better place. But as a child, some of my fondest memories happened at my Grandma and Grandpa's house -- as well as at their medical office. They were the town doctor and nurse and ran their own clinic. So, I really wanted to go to Wisconsin and say goodbye to my last grandparent. My other grandparents have been dead for many years.

We have great friends who are going to watch the kids while we're gone. Bill and I decided that just the two of us will go as last-minute ticket prices were pricey. But this is the kind of thing you can't put a pricetag on. We also aren't staying very long -- we'll leave tomorrow afternoon and get in at about midnight. The visitation is Friday from 4-7 p.m. and the funeral mass is at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday. We are staying with Bill's parents. We will come home Monday morning, and we will be back here in Simi by Monday afternoon.

So, plans are set up. This afternoon Annie and I are going dress shopping as I need something to wear for the funeral. I'll blog more later (I'd like to do some of my memories of Grandpa!), but for right now -- I need to do a few things around the house before my fashion advisor shows up.
Molly is going along with us as well. She never turns down an opportunity to shop even if it's for someone else!

Much Love,
Michele

I FEEL BLESSED!!!

Hi Friends!

I was thinking if there was one word to describe how I feel today -- it would be blessed. I'm having a good day! First of all -- a shout out to my parents, Richard and Luann Twohig who have been married 41 years today. Without them, there would be no me. So, I thank them for being my parents! Happy Anniversary!

Today I got up around 10:30 a.m., and I was the first person up at our house. Gotta love summer!!! (Except Bill, of course -- who had already left for work. Poor Guy!) Isaac and I watched a bit of TV in my bed as he showed up shortly after I woke up. It was nice to snuggle with him. Then we went downstairs and made chocolate-chip pancakes (one of the kids' favorites) for brunch! We called Annie and forced her to join us, because the kids were anxious to give her the birthday presents we had put together for her. So, she stopped by for a while. And she seemed to enjoy her presents -- we had put together an assorted gift bag for her showing how well we know her and her personality!

After eating pancakes, Molly and I went for a walk. I would really like to try and get some exercise in each day. It's a challenge, though -- because I have a tendency to overdo and then I can't walk at all the next day. So, hopefully we did the right amount today. We walked to the top of Sequoia and then back! After returning home, I drove to 7-11 to get Annie and I our daily Big Gulps. But I'm trying to be better and only drink the soda after I've had my 8 glasses of water for the day. Isaac came along to 7-11 as the Tooth Fairy had come last night, and he had $5 burning a hole in his pocket.

I also had to call the cleaners today and work out a problem with them. Their cleaning has not been meeting my standards, and after I talked with the owner today -- she admitted there was a problem. So, she refunded 1/2 of the money from my last sub-standard cleaning, assigned me a new (and hopefully, better) team, and next time she will have a quality-control inspector stop by to check their work. We're paying them a lot of money, and I don't want to clean up after them!

By the time, I did all that stuff and did a bit of housework, including laundry -- it was around 4 p.m. Judi came over and all the kids went swimming. Temperatures were almost 100 degrees today, so it was very hot! We had left-over stew for dinner. And then tonight at 7 p.m, we had our Chronic Illness small group. It was our last chapter, which was on Depression. We had quite a good discussion, and I have learned so much from leading this group. It's been very valuable for me to get to know other people in similar situations and to learn from their experiences.

It is quite late, so I am going to head upstairs for bed. I'll blog more tomorrow...

Much Love,
Michele

A-SHOPPING WE WILL GO !!!

Hi Friends!

Today I had one goal -- just one thing that needed to be accomplished. We desperately needed groceries. And although Bill went out last night on an emergency milk run, we were pretty much running out of everything! So, today I was determined to hit the 99 cents store and Smart and Final. It didn't seem like a lot, but somehow it consumed my entire day.

I managed to drag myself out of bed by about 10:30 a.m. -- not bad for me! I have been watching cooking shows on the Food Network for the past 2 weeks while being sick and in bed. So, I really wanted to make something nice for dinner. I decided on a beef stew and spent the the next hour or so prepping ingredients and getting them set up for the slow-cooker. I had woken up with a nasty headache, which required some Vicodin to get down to a tolerable level. Then since I don't drive for a while after taking the Vicodin, I did some housework, and made a menu plan/grocery list for the next two weeks. There was a time that I used to always do that before shopping, but it's been quite a few months since I've been that organized. Lately, I've adopted the wandering up and down all the aisles-style of grocery shopping. Not the best for your budget, and I also tend to forget things. So, score one for me, as I'm on Vicodin and still organized!!!

So, I took a bath and then I bribed Cam, Molly, and Nate to go shopping with me as I needed support and muscle. We left around 1:30 p.m. (Isaac was over at the Malone's as usual playing with his best buddy, Will!) As a result of my bribed help, our first stop was EB Games where Nate wanted to spend his allowance money on a Simpson's game. While he did that, I took Molly to Jamba Juice next door. Then afterwards we needed to stop at 7-11 to get Cameron junkier food. He didn't like the smoothies the rest of us got at Jamba Juice! OK -- bribery complete! Onto the missions at hand. I decided to go and buy Annie's belated birthday gift at an undisclosed location while the kids were there to help. I can't tell more about that since I know that Annie will be reading this. But I was too sick to do much other than a birthday cake on her actual birthday several days ago. And I felt bad as she is like a member of our family!!!

After that, onto the 99 cents store. We were attempting to buy any items on our grocery list we could get there -- as the price is right. We spent quite a bit of time there. We managed to buy about half of the items on our grocery list, and then -- of course, a bunch of other really cool deals we found there. Our best finds were inner tubes for the pool and spray-on sunblock. I bought 10 of the sunblocks -- it was SPF 45 and great for the kids to use while swimming!

We didn't make it home from all of that until about 5:30. Bill helped us unload the groceries and he promised to put away the refrigerated/freezer items, as we needed to leave for Smart and Final, which closes at 7 p.m. on Sunday nights. We left Nate at home, because he really wanted to play his new Simpson's game on the PS2. And Cam, Molly, and I were off to Smart and Final. We thought we only needed a few things there -- but again seemed to buy a lot. At least, I shouldn't have to grocery-shop again for 2 weeks. Except for milk and fruit which we go through very fast here!

We got home around 7 p.m. Bill had made the rice for the beef stew, so we had that for dinner along with rolls and then, cupcakes for dessert. It turned out really well, although the stew was a little garlicky for the kids. More of an adult dish! After dinner, I unpacked and put away groceries until about 9 p.m. Nate and Isaac went swimming and had a water balloon fight with Bill. Molly took a bubble bath with her new Hannah Montana bubble bath we found at the store. And Cameron was obsessed with watching shows on parasites on Animal Planet. Unfortunately, he wanted to tell me all about them, which was pretty gross -- but I tried to be polite and feign listening while "going to my happy place." The kids also put the finishing touches on Annie's present -- so Annie, we're hoping you show up tomorrow for the big surprise!

Bill is doing some last minute work on the computer, which is due tomorrow. And I am going to go lay down in bed. My legs and feet were better this morning, but after the shopping they are swollen again. And my hands have been giving me a lot of trouble. But that's the typical arthritic-type pain. It's worse in the morning, and gets better with movement during the day. I wish my headache and energy-level were better. But I am thankful that the Vicodin completely gets rid of the headache -- just wish I didn't have to take it daily. And as far as the energy- level -- I am lucky to have a supportive and helpful family!

Tomorrow, we are meeting again for our Chronic Illness small group. We've had two weeks off due to my pneumonia and then chemo. So, it will be nice to get together again. And tomorrow (well, I guess today -- at this point) is my parent's 41st wedding anniversary! I'll blog more after some sleep ....

Much Love,
Michele

FAMILY FUN AT HURRICANE HARBOR :-)

Dear Friends!

We had a lot of fun at Hurricane Harbor yesterday. We left a little later than planned as we had trouble getting up and Shirlene (with Brandon and Nate) also got caught in traffic on her way into Simi. But once we left, we made really good time, and we were to Hurricane Harbor by 10:15. (It opened at 10.) We ate donuts and drank juice boxes in the truck on our way to Valencia for our breakfast, and that worked out well.

When we got there, the kids headed right for the wave pool. We spent a lot of time there! I actually went on one majorly large slide with Brandon, Molly, and Isaac. It was more intense than I planned for -- the water pressure inside the enclosed tube was really harsh and ended up hurting me quite a bit. Plus we were in a line for quite a while, and we had to climb up LOTS of steps to get to the top. So, I decided after that -- one water slide was enough for me! But at least doing one made me feel like a semi-normal person! The kids, of course, loved it and went on many more. But, I largely sat in my wheelchair or on a lounge chair (which was better for me and my feet as they were up!) and watched all of the kids have fun. I did get on an innertube and float in the lazy river for a while, too -- and that was fun, but I had to watch my sun exposure. I did have a huge umbrella (provided by Shirlene) that I used over the wheelchair or lounge chair -- and that helped quite a bit.

The kids had a great time, and we stayed until closing time. All the kids loved the slides except Will, but he finally found one he liked on the kiddie playground -- and that made him very proud of himself. As far as favorites --Isaac and Will really liked the wave pool and two kids' playgrounds, Cameron loved the lazy river, Nate and Molly and Bill liked a slide called the Tornado, and Brandon liked the slide that caused me pain ( I can't remember its name!) I really liked the lazy river, and I just enjoyed watching the kids have fun!!!

At about 2 p.m. we went out to the truck and had lunch. We were all filled up and enjoyed our roast beef sandwiches, chips, brownies, and jello. We also had soda to hype us up. After that we were re-energized to go back into the park until it closed at 7 p.m. Since I have a handicapped parking placard, we were able to park fairly close to the park -- so that was nice.

By the time we left Hurricane Harbor, it was around 8 p.m. We, of course, had to stop and buy some souveneir pictures that they had taken of us. Then, on the way home, we stopped at Burger King for dinner. All those boys were very hungry! We bought everyone a meal, and then we went back for more because the kids were still hungry! It was pretty funny!

We were home by 9:30 p.m., and Will and Brandon both spent the night at our house. Of course, Bill and I were both more tired than the kids, so we headed off to bed and told the kids not to stay up too late.

I woke up today after noon, and everyone was just doing their own thing. Brandon went home early at around 1 p.m. since it was his actual birthday today. And, this afternoon Judi called and had Isaac and Will come over there. She said she wanted to see Will since we had him for the past 48 hours or so. Isaac just came back home around 9 p.m. after having dinner at their house. He was invited to spend the night, but since I've been doing chemo again, he prefers to spend nights at home. He seems a bit overly attached to me again. But, I think it will pass as I make it through these rounds of chemo and return to a more healthy state. Only 4 more left!!!

Bill took the other kids to church with him at 5:30 tonight. I elected not to go as I'm paying the price for the fun we had yesterday. I'm not surprised as it was to be expected! I'm not able to put any weight on my feet today without excruciating pain. Vicodin is helping a bit! So, I've either been laying in bed or using the wheelchair to get around downstairs. I'm also a bit sick to my stomach at times -- I just had to remind myself that it's only been 5 days since chemo, and it usually takes 7 days for the nausea, vomiting, diarrhea to go away. Sorry, was that TMI?

I'll sign off on that note -- no matter how I feel today, the family fun we had yesterday was worth it. I really love all my kids (including the adopted family friends) and my husband, and it's nice to have a whole day just to spend together!

Much Love,

Michele

LOOKING FORWARD TO FAMILY FUN TODAY!!!

Hi Friends!

Today seemed to fly by. I woke up this morning to lots of kids -- Brandon, Will, and Heather were all over most of the day in addition to my own kids. They're all good kids, though, and after Bill left for work (about 8 a.m.) -- they left me to sleep in until about 11 a.m. At that point I decided to get up, because I really wanted to do some laundry. The cleaners were coming today, and I really wanted to wash up all the bathroom rugs, towels, etc. Don't ask me why (Bill thought it was silly!), but it seemed very important to me. And if I do all the bed sheets, then the cleaners put them all back on the beds for me, which makes my life so much easier! So, I spent the afternoon working on that until the cleaners arrived at about 3 p.m. Mission accomplished! Yeah for me!!!

The boys were on a mission as well today. They found a flyer in our neighborhood for a little lost chihuahua, and they really wanted to find it for the family. So, they did lots of biking around the neighborhood on a "search and rescue mission," but unfortunately they had no luck finding the dog. I thought it was very sweet, though.

All in all, I felt very good today. When I woke up, I was feeling no effects at all from my chemo. I had a bit of a problem after I took my Boniva this morning, though. It's a once-monthly osteoporosis drug, which I take due to bone loss caused by all the steroids I was on. Well, it usually doesn't make me sick to my stomach, but today it really did. So, I made note to never take it again on a chemo week, because I think it was a bad combination. I felt especially sick while making 3 boxes of mac and cheese for all the kids for lunch, but since I'm the Mom I just had to "suck it up!" The big kids had already made breakfast for everyone, so I didn't want to ask them to make lunch, too.

When the cleaners came this afternoon, Judi came over and supervised the kids while they swam in our pool. (She is doing really well, and she even drove for the first time today!) Shirlene came and got Brandon and Nate during swimming time. Nate again spent the night there in Palmdale. Annie, Cameron, and I went to do a few errands. First we went to Target as we "needed" some electronics according to Cameron -- styluses for gameboys, memory cards for the PS2, and new headphones for MP3's and cell phones. Cameron seemed to know what everyone needed, so I was basically just there to provide payment. And we also picked up a few prescriptions for Bill while we were there at Target.

Then we moved on to Albertson's. I wanted to pick up breakfast and lunch for our trip tomorrow. We got donuts and juice to have in the truck on the way for breakfast. And we're going to go out to the car for a picnic lunch mid-day rather than buying lunch at Hurricane Harbor. So, we picked up some roast beef sandwiches from the deli, chips, jello, string cheese, and lots of drinks. Last time we went to Hurricane Harbor we ate lunch there, and it was over $50 for the 6 of us and it wasn't even good. So, since we're taking 8 of us this time (our family + Will and Brandon), I thought this would be a better way to go. Definitely much more cost-effective as well as better food! We'll stop for dinner on the way home.

By the time we got the groceries put away, it was time to feed everyone dinner. Sylvia Romanelli from church brought us a great salad and chicken cacciatore. I'm going to be sad next week when I have to start cooking again! Then at 7 p.m. we had our Heaven Bible Study.

So, after that (around 9:30), the kids and I packed up everything for Hurricane Harbor -- you know, towels, swimsuits, goggles, sunscreen, the food, etc. We all know I'm not a morning person these days, and we're planning to get up at 8 a.m. So, I figured we'd better pre-stage as much as possible.

And the kids have finally all fallen asleep. They were very excited -- especially Isaac and Will! Will has never been to a waterpark before, so he just keeps thanking me over and over for taking him. I think it's funny because we haven't even gone yet! And last time we went, Isaac was too short for all the cool water slides. You have to be 48 inches tall and he wasn't before, but he is now 49 inches. So, he really thinks he's hot stuff!

Brandon and Nate will be dropped off at about 8:30 a.m. tomorrow on Shirlene's way to work,so we'll leave as soon as they get here. Hurricane Harbor is in Valencia, which is about 1 1/2 hours away -- depends on traffic, though. The waterpark is open from 10a.m.-8 p.m. If all goes well, we'll stay the whole day.

I am taking my wheelchair as my energy level is still low, and I'm not sure I could handle all the walking. I also have a huge hat, SPF 85 sunscreen, and several very large umbrellas. Bill is still worried. So, I've been teasing him that he'll have me looking like Michael Jackson -- in a wheelchair, all covered-up, and with kids holding umbrellas all around me. I think I'll be fine. I may have a rough day or two afterward due to sun exposure, but it will be worth it for the family fun!

Brandon will spend the night with us on Friday as we'll be getting back late, and Shirlene will pick him up after work on Saturday. Saturday, by the way, is his birthday -- he's turning 17! I feel so old, because I've known him since Cameron and him were classmates in 2nd grade!

I'm going to sign off now and go to bed. I just had a bubble bath, and I am in my PJ's. Everyone else is in bed, and so I'm now getting the sleepies, too. I'll take lots of pictures tomorrow. And hopefully, I can post them on Saturday.

Much Love,
Michele

MUSICAL KIDS!

Hi Friends!

Tonight it's kind of like musical chairs only with kids. Nate just went to spend the night at Brandon's house, Isaac is spending the night at Will's house, and we have Heather over here spending the night here tonight. But everyone is happy, and it is very quiet here. Cam is watching TV, Annie is snuggling with Itty Bitty Kitty, and Heather and Molly are swimming. Bill is currently on his way home from the airport.

I spent a lot of time sleeping today, but I am starting to bounce back from the chemo -- I think. My stomach is still queasy, but at least I'm not puking. I think I should be up and about in time for Hurricane Harbor on Friday. Brandon is going to come along with us as well. His birthday is on Saturday, so we're going to take him along as his birthday treat. And I'm sure he'll be a big help to us as well. So, now our SUV is offically full for the trip with Bill and I and the kids + Will and Brandon. We're all looking forward to it!

The Haney's from church are bringing us dinner tonight. So, I think that should be coming soon. After that I will probably lay down in bed and watch TV. I'll write more tomorrow...

Much Love,
Michele

DAY AFTER CHEMO!

Hi!
I don't have much to blog about as I slept pretty much all day. My stomach is upset and I'm very tired. Annie and Judi have largely been supervising the kids today.
I'll blog more tomorrow...
Much Love,
Michele

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED :-)

Hi Friends!

Mission accomplished! My bloodwork came back OK today, and I was able to do Round #8 of chemo today. ONLY 4 MORE LEFT !!!

Will and Heather spent the night last night, and all of the kids were up super-late! So, when I got up for chemo, they were all still asleep. I really didn't want to get up, but Bill sweetly woke me up, said a prayer for me while we lay in bed, and then when I still didn't get up -- he offered to pick out my clothes for me. I guess he knew that would get me moving, because who knows what he would have had me wearing?! Anyway, Annie came over, and we left for chemo by 9:40 a.m. We had time to stop at Jamba Juice for oatmeal and smoothies on the way, and we arrived to chemo on time (or close to it) for my 10:15 appointment.

Dr. Menco (my oncologist) checked me over and cleared me to do my chemo. It was a fairly uneventful chemo, which is good for me. That means we didn't have any blown veins or drama of that sort! The nurse nicely used a hot pack to coax one of my stubborn veins to the surface. By the time we finished chemo and got back to Simi -- it was late afternoon. I needed to stop at the pharmacy for my anti-nausea meds, and then we went to Del Taco for a late lunch. I usually like to get one good meal in while the IV anti-nausea meds from chemo are still on board.

We got home around 3:30 and Judi was bringing all the kids back to our house for swimming. They all hung out here, and I lay around for most of the afternoon. Some friends from church brought us dinner, and Cameron was thrilled to discover it was KFC. Right now Heather, Molly, and Cam are playing on the computer and/or watching TV. Justin took Will, Nate, and Isaac out on a bike ride. Then Nate and Isaac are going to spend the night at the Malone's house.

I have heard from Bill, and he has made it safely to Texas. He has meetings Tuesday and Wednesday, and then he will be coming back on Wednesday night. It will go fast, but I do miss him as do the kids. They're hoping he brings them cowboy hats back from Texas.

More tomorrow...

Much Love,
Michele

HAPPY 7th BIRTHDAY, ISAAC JOHN!!!

Hi Friends!

Today was Isaac's 7th Birthday, so we had a joint celebration for him and Bill (whose birthday was last Sunday on the 12th). We didn't do anything big -- just had Little Caesar's pizza and a Baskin Robbin's ice cream cake. Will and Heather (the kids' friends from next door) came over and everyone went swimming. Temperatures were in the 100s today, so the pool felt great! With the solar heater going, it's like a giant hot tub today.

The pictures show Isaac and the kids swimming. He also went to Target to spend some of his birthday money today. He bought that snazzy new bike, and I got him the helmet. You know how Moms are -- always thinking about safety! Currently he, Will, and Nate are outside riding bikes. The Scooby Doo towel was a gift from Molly (bought generously for Isaac with her own allowance), so she wanted a photo of that on my blog, too.

Besides partying with the kids, I spent a large part of the day out running errands. First, we went to Target to let Isaac spend some of his birthday money. Then, after bringing him home, Molly, Cam, and I went to Ross and then Wal-Mart on a search for a swimsuit for me. I need one before Friday as we're planning a trip to Hurricane Harbor. You'd think that it would be easy to find a swimming suit in July in California, but it was harder than you'd expect. I finally found something at Wal-Mart that I was happy with. We also picked up some new beach towels for everyone. And then we went to Baskin-Robbins and Little Caesar's for birthday food.

Heather and Will are spending the night tonight. Then tomorrow morning, they will all head over to Judi's while I do chemo. I am looking forward to finally getting this round done and over with! Bill is leaving for Texas tomorrow afternoon.

I'll try and blog tomorrow, or maybe Annie or Molly can send out an update!

Much Love,

Michele

T.G.I.F. AND T.G.I.S.

Hi Friends!

Well, yesterday it was "Thank God it's Friday!" Bill had the day off and I was going stir-crazy. I had been largely stuck at home and sick for a week! So, we got up in the morning, and we went out to eat as a family at Denny's for breakfast. After that we spent several hours bowling at Brunswick. It was a bit tiring for me, but all in all it was nice to get out as a family. In the afternoon, the kids hung around the house and played with the neighbor kids. It's been 100 degrees outside, so they've been swimming most days! I actually managed to do the laundry, balance my checkbook, and go grocery shopping. So, it was a productive day!

We went to bed late last night, and then slept in. Today it was "Thank God it's Saturday!" At noon, Bill woke me up and told me he was taking Nate, Isaac, and Molly to the beach on base. He needed to stop by work and pick up his lap-top computer, and it worked out well because the kids have been begging to go back to that beach. It's not really like I can take them as I'm supposed to stay out of the sun! So, it was nice that Bill took them today. Again temperatures were hovering near 100 degrees, so it was a great BEACH DAY!!! Cameron didn't want to go, so he and I hung out at home.

I decided to take our recycling in as we had two HUGE bags full! So, it was really hot and time-consuming to do that, but I did make over $15, which I'm planning to use for Isaac/Bill's pizza birthday dinner tomorrow. I also stopped by the bank to cash checks that had been sent for the same birthdays. And I took money out of the ATM for Isaac's birthday money. Since, I've been so sick this year -- we've been giving cold, hard cash to the kids for their birthdays and Christmas. They get a $100 to spend any way they choose, and it seems to make them as happy as presents would!

So, after running my errands I came home, and Cameron wanted to watch TV with me. He said I looked bad, and he made me drink some water. My kids have become very nurturing to me. Well, that was at about 1:30. Apparently, I fell asleep on the sofa almost immediately with Itty Bitty Kitty as my snugglebunny! I woke up around 5:30 when the Beach Bunnies came home. They had a great time at the beach! They all had showers to wash off their sandy bodies, and then we did chores and had dinner. Now, Cam, Molly, and I are relaxing. And Bill and the boys are outside cutting down tree branches in the backyard. We have a huge forest back there, so it's a never-ending job. But the boys really enjoy working with Bill, especially because they're allowed to use small saws to cut up the branches that he cuts down with the chain saw! Here's hoping nobody loses a finger.

Tomorrow, we'll go to church. And then we're planning a swimming/pizza birthday party for Bill and Isaac's birthdays. We are going to Hurricane Harbor (a water park) on Friday to have a real celebration. Isaac is bringing his best friend, Will, along. So, everyone is excited about that!

I am doing chemo on Monday. Bill is going to take me, so that we can spend some "quality time" together before he leaves on a business trip to Texas. He's leaving Monday evening, and he will be coming back Wednesday night. Don't worry -- I still have Annie, Judi, and Shirlene + the kids to take care of me. In fact, they're worried about him taking me to chemo. Shirlene was already telling him that he needs to promise to take good care of me, re: bring tic tacs, hold my hand, take me out for lunch, etc. Too Funny!

I'll try and post some pictures tomorrow of the birthday celebration. Bill is now 41, and my youngest child, Isaac, turns 7 tomorrow! Time really flies!

Much Love,
Michele

THURSDAY

Hi Friends!

I just came back from the doctor, and good news -- my chest xray was clear! So, I'm on for chemo unless my blood count comes back funky on Monday. I am breathing easier, but I still don't feel well! So, who knows what's going on? I'm going to lay down for a bit!

Much Love,
Michele

TUESDAY

Hi Friends!

I went to see Dr. Cohen this morning, and he was on the fence about whether or not to hospitalize me for IV antibiotics. I talked him into letting me stay home by promising to go home and get lots of rest. On Thursday, I am due for another chest x-ray and then he'll decide what to do based on what my chest looks like. He definitely wasn't thinking chemo would be happening next week, though. In fact, he warned me that it may take 4-6 weeks to recover from the pneumonia and get a clear x-ray. Fun, fun! But I got some heavier duty drugs until then. So, I came home and took some cough medicine with codeine along with some vicodin. I had a nice nap! Now I will do another breathing treatment and then NOTHING! Being sick and tired is getting OLD!

Love,
Shel

MONDAY, MONDAY...

Hi Friends!

Still not feeling well, but hanging in there. I just woke up and came down to take all my meds. The kids are all happily do their own things. I am off to do my 1st breathing treatment of the day. I am interested to hear what Dr. Cohen will say about my status tomorrow.

Love,
Michele

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BILL!

Hi Friends!

Today is Bill's 41st birthday. I am still feeling pretty rotten. But it's nice to have him and Cameron back. We are going to celebrate his and Isaac's birthdays together on the 19th. We had planned to go to Hurricane Harbor (a waterpark) as a family on the 24th. We still will, but I am not sure if we'll need to reschedule -- depends on when/if chemo happens. It's tentatively scheduled for July 20th.

I've spent all day in bed. I only managed to get out to take a bath and put on fresh pajamas. Bill bought new shelving and a flat-screen TV for our room. It's nice since I seem to spend so much time in there. So, he's been entertaining me with his redecorating today.

The kids are watching a movie, and I think I'll head back off to bed. Please keep up the prayers as they mean a lot :-)

Much Love,
Michele

I'M ALIVE ...

Hi Friends!

It's been a rough week, but I think I'm starting to get a bit better. It started out with a sinus infection, which was being treated with Levaquin -- my usual antibiotic of choice. At first, I seemed to get better -- at least in the sinus department. But by the end of the week and my course of antibiotics -- I couldn't breathe and it felt like someone was sitting on my chest. Of course, Bill kept telling me to go to the doctor, and I kept saying -- "I'm fine -- I'm already on antibiotics..."

So, by Thursday morning -- I was bad enough that I decided to go to Urgent Care. When I got there, Dr. Hasan (our family doctor) really freaked out. She immediately x-rayed me and it turned out, I had pneumonia and bronchitis. She said that for most people, the Levaquin would have worked -- but at this point, I've probably built up resistance to it as I've used it so many times in the past few years for UTI's and sinus infections. So, looks like it's -- R.I.P. Levaquin. I now have a long list of antibiotics I'm resistant to.

So, they gave me 3 shots in the bootie -- lots of steroids and antibiotics. I also got a breathing treatment at Urgent Care, as well as a nebulizer and breathing treatments to do at home. So, I am currently doing the nebulizer 3 times daily, as well as taking a more powerful antibiotic (can you say, diarrhea!) and steroids (cue, the hyperness!). Annie came to Urgent Care. Her Dad dropped her off and she was able to drive me to the pharmacy and then home, because after all of that -- I wasn't feeling any better. They have to make you worse before you get better -- it sometimes seems.

I was told to call Dr. Cohen, my rheumatologist to see if Dr. Hasan's treatment plan was OK. He immediately freaked out as well, and told me that I'm "severely immune compromised!" So, if I get any worse, he wants me to go to Los Robles ER where they can treat me with IV antibiotics. He wasn't sure the shots and oral meds would be powerful enough. I had to laugh because when I told him that I wasn't even running a temperature, he said, "Of course you're not... we've completely shut down your immune system!" I hadn't even considered that! Anyway, I seem to have made it through the worst of it. So, I think I'll be OK until I have an appointment with him on Tuesday!

Bill had to go back to Boy Scout camp on Thursday, so Annie came over to stay with me. Basically, she was on ER watch. And she needed to protect me from myself, because they again have me so hyped up on steroids! Shirlene took the boys on Thursday and Friday night, so that I could have some peace and quiet with just Molly and Annie. We did a lot of girl's movies. And Brandon's been here each day this week, so he keeps the boys pretty busy.

Bill and Cameron are due back anytime now. I let Annie take a few hours off to go out for lunch and a movie with a friend. I felt bad that I sucked her into my sickness vortex for the past 48 hours. But she is such a good friend!

So, the plan for this week is to rest and recover. Obviously, they had to cancel my chemo (which was supposed to happen on Friday) due to the illnesses. If my chest X-ray comes back clear after 7-10 day, I will do chemo on July 20th. Meantime, our church family will be doing meals for us for the next week. And I need to stay in my bubble until Dr. Cohen checks my blood count on Tuesday. Then we'll see what's next!

I hope this makes sense. I'll try to keep you updated. Please pray that I get better, not worse. I don't want to keep cancelling chemo -- it's just delaying the inevitable!

Much Love,
Michele

A MESSAGE FROM MOLLY!

Hi! This is Molly. I'm doing my Mom's blog today because my Mom has pneumonia and bronchitis. My Mom went to the family doctor today and she was diagnosed with Pneumonia and Bronchitis. She has been sleeping most of the day. She also watched Dr. Phil. Right now though Mom and Annie are talking. When my Mom came home from the doctor she brought a breathing machine to help her to breathe. My mom also got three shots in you know where! She isn't really feeling well.

My Big brother Cameron and Dad are at boy scout camp. Cameron is having a blast at summer camp! Cameron --oh Cameron-- he is sometimes funny. When Cameron was at home he scared me and I didn't like it. Shirlene took Nathaniel and Isaac to spend the night tonight, and Annie is staying at our house. Annie and I are taking care of Mom while Dad is at camp. He comes back on Saturday. Well, that means it's a girls' night at home. Well, not really with mom sick! Sometimes my Mom is up for it. It takes her mind off of not feeling well.

Well I hope you enjoy me writing this. It took all I've got. Believe this or not, but I still call my mom "mommy".

Always,
Molly

20 GREAT REASONS TO HOMESCHOOL ...

Hi Friends!

Rather than writing about my same old, same old life. You know the drill -- The kids are well and I'm still sick. Cameron is at Boy Scout camp. Isaac fed the little kitty a lego ... we hope it comes out uneventfully! Yada, Yada!

I thought I'd post this ... Cameron gave it to me a while back ...

20 Great Reasons You Homeschool ...

-- The only "gang" your kid will be joining is your family.
--The teacher-pupil ratio is great.
--You don't need security guards or metal detectors.
--Your kids enjoy socializing with people of all ages.
--You don't have to run to catch the school bus.
--You can sleep in on rainy days.
--School prayer is encouraged.
--You don't have to buy back-to-school clothes.
--You don't have to develop a taste for cafeteria food.
--You can celebrate your birthday with a school holiday.
--Vacations can be called "extended field trips."
--You get to read more books than you ever realized existed.
--The latest fads usually never make it to your house.
--You don't have to worry about what your kids learned in school today.
--You don't have to raise your hand to go to the bathroom.
--You can wear pajamas to class and not be kicked out.
--Chores may be called "home ec projects."
--There's always time to bake cookies.
--Learning becomes contagious.
--Your family is right where they ought to be ... home!


HAPPY 2 B HOMESCHOOLING :-)

Much Love,
Michele

SUNDAY!!!

Hi Friends!

Bill and Cameron were up bright and early with the Boy Scouts, leaving at 7:30 a.m. The rest of us slept in until noonish! Gotta love summer!

After doing our household chores for the day, we took a drive over to Target. Bill actually allowed me to pick up some prescriptions this week. And the kids were anxious to come along as they had allowance money burning holes in their pockets. Molly bought some Disney character Barbies, and Isaac bought a lego kit. Nate was more interested in a PS2 game, so we dropped Molly and Isaac off at home and then continued on to GameStop. He picked out a car racing game and was happy with his choice.

The kids largely spent the afternoon playing with their new things. I puttered around the house. Then this afternoon we took a bike ride/walk to Sycamore Park. The kids played and I walked some more in the park. I hope it was a good thing to do! The doctors encourage me to exercise, but its hard because I am in so much pain usually. Yesterday, I could hardly walk due to the pain in my right leg. But today I felt better, so I decided to go for it. The problem with that is that sometimes you pay for it the next day.

We came home from the park and had dinner -- chimichangas and churros. Frozen, so it was quick and easy. Soon we'll be off to bed.

Sadly, we had to give away Puss 'n Boots AKA Fluffy. She just wasn't getting along with Bo Bo. So, we found her a nice new home without any other pets. And Bo Bo and Itty Bitty are the best of friends.

I'll blog more tomorrow. Starting to get into the pre-chemo nesting stage!

Much Love,
Michele

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!

Hi Friends!

I haven't blogged for while, but I wanted to sign on and wish everyone a Happy Independence Day! I've been keeping busy with the kids, the pets, and the house. I have not been feeling the best, and so I have just been getting by day by day. Fake it until you make it! That kind of thing.

Today, we are going to 5:30 church. Then after church we are going to have a nice and private 4th of July celebration. I bought brats, hamburgers, and potatoes to make on the grill tonight. And Shirlene brought us some small fireworks -- sparklers, snakes, etc. That way we can have a private celebration while doing some swimming. The pool is very warm due to its solar heat and the warm days we've been having.

Also, today Cam and Bill need to pack up for Summer Camp for Boy Scouts. They are leaving tomorrow morning for the week. Although Bill needs to come back midweek for some work business! So, hopefully the packing up will be accomplished without too much dysfunction!

I hope everyone is having a great day :-)

Much Love,
Michele

WEDNESDAY!!!

Hi Friends!

Yesterday, I slept in and then in the afternoon, we had the cleaners come. It's always nice to have a clean house! While the cleaners were busy with our messy house, I took the kids to Shirlene's barber shop for haircuts. Then, late in the afternoon, the kids convinced me to take them to Wienerschnitzel's for a "snack." I did some cleaning up in the garage, and the kids took a late-night swim. The pool (with solar heat and 100 degree temperatures!) is so warm. I even sat with my feet in the water, and it was very relaxing! Cameron had Boy Scouts last night, and Bill worked very late as he had a cardiology appointment in the morning. He was a bit depressed by the appointment as they went over the kidney testing results. He is in Stage 2 kidney failure due to his high blood pressure. So, the goal is to keep it at stage 2, rather than letting it progress. They will do this through meds and lifestyle changes.

Today, I got up early for me at 8:30 a.m. The movie theater in Simi Valley shows free movies weekly during the summer. Today they were showing "Kit Kittredge, American Girl." Obviously, the boys didn't want to go -- but I took Molly and Heather. Brandon was coming over today, so that left him and Cameron to watch Nate and Isaac. The morning went well for everyone, and we arrived home by noon.

This afternoon, we had lunch and did chores. Then, I decided to take a nap from about
1:30-3 p.m. That was nice, especially with Itty Bitty Kitty sleeping on my shoulder. I only was awakened once by the kids, so I got some much-needed rest. After I woke up, we had all the neighborhood kids over to swim in the pool with my kids. They just now all went home, and I'm planning to heat up some left-overs for dinner. We also need to take Puss 'n Boots to Theresa's Pet Store tonight. They are having a cat shot clinic from 7:30-9p.m. I hope she handles it well!

Much Love,
Michele