Girl's Weekend in New Mexico

 A few years ago, Sandy introduced me to this wonderful group of ladies.  They are all close friends, each having their own challenges in life.  All inspiring in how they live their lives.   It was a thrill for me when I was invited to spend another weekend with them in Albuquerque.

We spent a full day in Santa Fe.  Susan was our guide and we visited many museums, a few cathedrals, art gallery, shopping and eating.

                                        Caroline in a native wedding dress.

Saturday, the sisters and I spent the day in old town.  We had a delcious Mexican meal with a very fiesty waiter.  We had a great time. 

Anna    Sandy      Cathy

Another Miracle...I Have the Best Friends

Last Wednesday my friend Sandy took me to Huntsman for a blood test.  As we waited the Physician's Assistant came and talk to us.  I explained to her that the pool had been a great benefit to me this summer.  It had helped take the pressure off my back and lessened the pain and helped me sleep at night.  It has also helped with movement in my arm.  We asked about the possibility of getting a hot tub through insurance.  We found out that insurance most likely would not authorize something like that.

 Sandy shared this information with another friend Teresa.  Friday night we were at a ward party and Teresa and I spoke about my pain and arm.  I also mention the idea of a hot tub to her.

Saturday night Teresa got the distinct impression that she needed to get me a hot tub.  She felt that God was telling her to find me a hot tub.  She got on KSL and found a free hot tub, however it was already taken.  Then the person posted it on KSL again because the first offer did not come to pick it up.  Teresa called on it and the person told her that another person had already said they would come get it.

 Again the taker did not show up to claim the hot tub.  The person called Teresa and told her she could have it.

She called another friend, Joe and recruited help to pick up this monster.  it was quite an adventure getting the hot tub out from under a deck, loaded up on the trailer and through a small alley.  Teresa was able to call friends near American Fork to help her and Joe's boys to get this loaded.

 They hauled the hot tub all the way from American Fork without a incident.


I received a call Sunday night.  Teresa's voice of excitement came though loud and clear...I have a hot tub for you and it is in Sandy's driveway.  We want to deliver it Monday or Tuesday night.

I was in shock.  I could not think of much to say than thanks over and over again.

 Teresa called again on Monday and said everything was arrange to deliver the hot tub at 7 pm, Tuesday evening.  She recruited lots of help as you can see from the pictures.


Shane prepared a place next to the deck for the tub.

 We have the best friends and support.  They will help us get the electrical done and another friend is a plumber that will work his magic on getting it running.

 I look forward to some relaxing time in this huge tub!

Thank you friends!

Chemo Treatments will not stop me from having a good time

My day started at 4:30 am with a quick shower and getting ready to catch a ride to Huntsman with a dear friend that works there.

We arrived around 6 am and I got out the laptop and checked email and facebook.  At 7;30 am I checked in early for my appointment, which paid off in big ways.  They got me right in and started on the long list of procedures.
Weight and vitals, port access, blood draws, Warfarin pill, more blood draws, pre-meds, blood draw and chemo med, Belinostat. After the drug was given I had more blood draws. I had a two hour break and was able to get some lunch at the Point Restaurant.  My last blood draw was at 4:30 pm.

For the last month I have look forward to seeing the Nashville Tribute Band play in Ogden.  I had given up that hope when I knew I had a long day at the hospital.  I was pleasantly surprised when the day went so quickly.  So Britney and kids picked me up at the hospital and took me home.  We played with kids and Shane agreed to take me to the concert.  Derek and Jessica went along as well.

We had a beautiful time, it was perfect weather, the atmosphere was wonderful and the music was soul stirring. 

Chemo will not stop me from having a good time.

Me and Shane, Jessica and Derek

Kaylyn, Laney and me

Another Clinical Trial

Another day at Huntsman.  I left home at 8 AM and got to Huntsman by 9 AM.  Today I am to have labs drawn, take a pill, then have a series of labs drawn over the course of eight hours.  All in a  days work.  The pill is Warfarin (Coumadin).  The first week I will come back to Huntsman each day for a blood draw.  Documentation will be made to see how the blood reacts to the Warfarin.

In two weeks I will start on the drug Belinostat.  I will have just as many blood draws to watch and see how the blood reacts or changes.  As long as my body can handle this drug I can stay on the study for six weeks.  I can use the drug longer if it is beneficial.

I am praying for some great results.  As I looked over my last CT Scan I found that the tumors continue to grow.  I need and want them to stop.

Good things about being at the hospital for nine hours:
I got to read more of the book "Animal Vegetable Miracle".
I caught up in my email and facebook.  I looked at all of Britney's new post on her blog!
I played a couple of games of Sudoku.
I had a wonderful free lunch.  A beautiful salad with salmon.
I am writing on my blog!!

Now the long day is over and I have the drives back and forth to Huntsman for a blood draws each day for the next week,

A New Trial to Look at

Today I went to see Dr Gouw and talk to him about a new trial drug.  I had blood work done and an EKG.  We talked to the Dr. about the new drug and some new developements in fighting cancer.  If I can stay alive long enough to take advantage of all the smart things they are doing for cancer, I would be happy.

I had a CT scan done as a baseline for this trial.
I am thankful for smart people that work hard to cure cancer.
Everything looks good to start the trial next week.

Family Reunion Star Valley Wyoming

Thursday August 11th.
I woke up knowing that the car should have an oil change before we left for the valley.  I was lucky to have gotten right in to Jiffy Lube, a crowd of people came behind me.  As I finished there the kind worker let me know I had a nail in my tire.  They also let me know I needed a new air filter. 
I decided to go to Sam's Club to get fruit that we needed for the meals at the reunion.  I then went into Walmart to pick up a filter.  As I walked into the store my foot turned in my sandal and it broke.  I had to pick up a pair of flip flops because I did not have another pair of black sandals.
On the way home I stopped to have the nail removed from the tire and fixed.

All that by 10 am.  We finished packing and were on the road by 11AM.  We decided to go through Logan and Bear Lake.  This was the way that we took to get to Star Valley when we got married in Logan.  Logan is always a fun place for us.  We HAD to stop at K Mart to see if they had any fabulous sales.  We got some more fruit at Smith's. 

Bear Lake was beautiful!  We stopped to get something to eat and a RASPBERRY Shake.  Then on our way again.   We arrived in Star Valley around 5:30 PM.  We stopped in Smoot to find our group but they were not to be found.  We went into Afton and checked into our hotel.
We met up with everyone back in Smoot for dinner.  It was fun to visit with the families of Brad, Lee, Delmer, Trena, Bart, Starla, Troy, Ryan and Layne.  We missed Kevin's and Amy's family.  After dinner Shane and I went to Dad and Hazel's motor home and played "Blokus" and watched fireworks that Troy's family lit off.
Friday we ate breakfast with Doyle and Hazel.  We went on a scavenger hunt throughout the valley.  Each sibling wrote about their favorite place and we guessed what it was and went to that area.  We went to the Cemetary where many family members are, we drove past the houses where shane's family has lived.  We saw the new high school and where the old high used to stand. Many memories in the valley.

We stopped at the Cheese Factory in Thayne.  We walked into some great friends from Roy! It was fun to visit them and hear what they were doing in the area.  We made our way up the Grey's river to Murphey lake.  This is a favorite childhood memory  for Shane and our children.  We had lots of food. chairs for visiting and resting, a canoe, paddle boat and raft for taking out on the lake.  Fishing gear could be found everywhere.  Bart took a remote control boat and attached hook and bait to it.  We all had fun watching him try to catch fish from it.  It was a beautiful day with the family.

I took Alden's photos and videos to show the family.

We left the lake around seven to get out of the forest by the time it got dark.

We ate dinner in town and got back to hotel.  During the night I got sick.  I am not sure if it was from radiation or a bug I got.  I had a fever the next morning and still did not feel well.  After eating breakfast with the family we were on our way back home.  It was a fast trip, we did not stop and went through Evanston.  We were home in three hours.  I slept the whole way and came home and slept the rest of the day. 
I was a great time despite not feeling well in the end.

Radiation Treatments for Spine Metastasis

With the advise from my doctor I am going to be doing radiation to my spine to shrink a tumor in the T3. 
I did the planning for it on Wednesday and Started on Thursday.  I only takes about 15 for each appointment.   This will not destroy the tumor but should shrink it, helping to relieve some of the pain I have had in my back.  I will have 10 treatments.  Then start the new trial drug.

I now have five new tatoos.  Three down my neck and chest and one on each side of my body.  They will be used to line me up to the right coodinates each day.