Mike thoroughly enjoyed the golf outing yesterday. He said it was the perfect day to spend with Andy and Andy's friends. He took a nap through about 5 holes and then was ready to play again.
Tyler, Will and Maggie came to visit yesterday afternoon. We had such a great time watching the kids play. Mike and Will started out on the bed in the guest room. They were watching Toy Story until Will decided he wanted to play with toys. Mike told him to go get whatever he wanted. Unable to get the closet door opened (where the toys are stored,) Will returned to Poppy and said: "Door locked, Poppy, door locked." Poppy helped with the door and the toys were brought out. I took a picture when Mike had drifted off but the playing was still going on!
Mike and I went to church at one of the branches of our church in Winchester today. It is always so nice to see our friends there. It was a great service and we feel better for having gone. Mike spoke for a few minutes and everyone was greatly touched.
Mike was instructed on Friday that he really needs to start trying to avoid large crowds of people and also "warm greetings", i.e. hugs and handshakes. You all know that Mike is a hugger and has a good strong handshake. Hopefully you will all be okay for the time being with a fist bump, (that is surely "Obamaesque") an elbow bump, or probably just a warm smile. Mike is still able to give us all that great ear to ear smile!
The chemo starts tomorrow. Mike will take a pill before he goes to bed. He will take an anti nausea medication (with a mild sedative) one half hour before the chemo. The oncology nurse said if there are side effects such as nausea, Mike will probably be able to sleep through them. How great is that? It feels good to finally be getting the treatments started. It makes us feel a little more in control again.
Mike is maintaining his weight quite nicely. He did find out that I have been putting yogurt in his milk shakes and agreed that he couldn't even taste it. He thinks it might be the yogurt that makes the shakes smooth... What a difference a month makes! Mike wouldn't have touched yogurt with a ten foot pole. I have hit on two bread recipes that are really good. And yes, Anita, all good Mormon women have a Bosch! I don't have a wheat grinder on mine, but I mix the bread with it nonetheless. I can make 3 loaves at a time... I hope Mike doesn't come out of this process looking like a bald dough boy!!
I seem to be very, very slow getting thank you notes to everyone. Please know just how special each of you are to us and how much we appreciate your goodness and service. Hannah created some note cards for me and I hope to get some written today. You will be impressed with them. (The card design, not necessarily the message, though I will try hard with that too. :)
In our old Ward in COlorado a friend of ours had to go through treatments for breast cancer. I remember seeing his truck parked in the lots of differetn stores while he napped (he owned a stucco company and felt like he needed to always be near). He and his wife didn't have the unity and strength and possitive outlook you guys have, you are refreshing!
ReplyDeletePlease let Mike know that I have been thinking about him and will be happy to share my personal diet with him if he has any trouble maintaining his weight.
ReplyDeleteOur daughter, Lyndsey, faced some similar challenges a few years ago and I know alot more about your journey as a result of that experience.
I'm not at all surprised to hear that Mike continues to tend to his many organizational commitments, but remind him that it's ok to do a little less for awhile and get the extra rest that's required to recharge.
Your blog is a great tool for keeping all of us who care about Mike informed without bugging him needlessly.
Hopefully, the scariest part will be letting others run the office temporarily. I know most everyone there, and they will do fine with the work side of things. Health-related issues also have a way of bringing back into focus what things are genuinely important.
-Mark Adams
The fist bump may be "Obamesque" but I would bet that the politics still remain several degrees right of center:).
ReplyDeleteThis Sabbath day was refreshing and restful. After our visit to Winchester, Nancy made a great lunch while I "power napped". She did a marianade of free range chicken strips cooked on the grill, steamed garden veggies, that special rice with almond slivers, and an excellent organic adaptation of a 3 berry cobbler.
ReplyDeleteI spent the afternoon on the back patio with a cool breeze, a blond lab, a good book and 2 or 3 more naps. Topped off by an evening walk with our dog around the neighborhood and a bite of dinner. We also got some thank you notes written.
This has been an ideal day to prepare for tomorrow and the week. We have been spiritually fed with testimonies of faith in Winchester, blessed by great weather/cool breeze, several naps, and healthy and nutritious food.
How great to read of naps, golf, church, walks with the dog, visits from grandkids, good food - a tiny bit of normalcy to balance out all the other worries and concerns. Good luck with the chemo - we are still praying for you both. xoxoxoxox jill
ReplyDeleteI love that the picture of the kids shows Will as a total blur! How nice that the kids could come visit!
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking of you today as you have your first chemo treatment. I'm glad the weekend was wonderful. Here's a little news from our part of the "vineyard." The Zionsville ward was split yesterday and Randy was re-called as bishop of what is now called the Carmel Ward. The former Carmel ward is now called the Westfiled ward. The other half of the former Zionsville ward is now the Zionsville Branch. Randy said, "To quote the great philosopher Yogi Bera, 'It's daja ju all over again." :-) Love, Sandra
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