New Addition

2-22-09

We are looking forward to spring-like weather again this coming week! The lawn is finally snow-free, and the lacrosse team is grateful to be practicing in 40* weather!

The family continues to remain busy….Ron with school and high school activities; Savanna with student teaching, coaching lacrosse, and working at the MTC on Saturday; and Marie with school, lacrosse, and friends! My week was busy too with radiation and school every day! Yes, it was great having renewed energy and being able to work each day!

We had a new addition to our family this weekend….Junior! Marie has had the opportunity to be a single-mom this weekend for her adult roles class at high school. She was assigned a “mechanical baby boy” that imitates the demands of a real baby! He cries when he is hungry, fussy, needs to be changed, or when he needs a burp! Marie is proving to be a great mom and has taken the challenge of not leaving Jr. . Jr. has had a fun weekend attending a Bingham Basketball game where he was quite fussy (maybe it was too noisy?) . He also joined Marie for lacrosse practice (luckily he slept the entire time). He also went with Marie to workout on Saturday morning and then to the school play last night. We heard him cry a few times last night and then early this morning. We are hoping that he will be a “good baby” during church! I’m sure that this will be an eye-opening experience for Marie!

I have enjoyed renewed energy this week. I met with Dr. Avizonis on Friday after my radiation treatment. I asked her about my “raspy” throat. She explained that she made the choice to radiate closer to my “voice box” than to my saliva glands. So the result is that I have lost my voice. I really have to strain to talk, so I just whisper. This may be an blessing to my family and the kids at school! She explained that my “voice box” will heal faster than my saliva glands. Dr. Avizonis also told me that the lumps in my neck feel like they are breaking up…she can now fill two or three lumps instead of one big one! Yippy!!!

I am grateful that the side effects of my cancer remain minimal. My hair is becoming thinner so I may be losing it in the next few days…I’m sure that this will be emotional, but I am getting tired of all the grey! My next “double dose” of chemo and radiation could be harder on my body so I am not looking forward to that! So I will enjoy next week and then plan on being down for the next two weeks while I deal with chemo again! I have to keep reminding myself that each treatment is helping me get the cancer under control.

We again want to express our thanks to friends and family that continue to support us through this trial!