60 : Dad’s Birthday

Happy Birthday to the most incredible dad.

I am so proud to be your daughter.

I love you!

around here

Oh this month has been such a whirlwind.  There were some really hard days, but we have some happier days ahead so it makes it just a little bit better.  This week I’ve been suffering from pink eye so things have been pretty slow here.  I pretty much go to work and then come home and lie on the sofa and watch movies all evening.  Clearly my body is telling me to slow down a little.  So that is the plan….until next week.  

Oh, and I'm excited to celebrate my dad's birthday next week!  Yay!

Currently

Wondering where all the time in the day goes.
Feeling like I’m always playing catch up.
Needing to find a routine that works (not sure how to even begin).
Finishing up some projects and
Thinking about new ones.
Watching How I Met Your Mother (and watched the entire first season in 1 day.)
Listening to more Ed Sheeran music, I’m still obsessed!
Welcoming the change in seasons.
Wearing scarves and boots.
Anticipating the holidays.
Smiling because Christmas is coming soon
Questioning if it’s too early to bring out the Christmas music.
Changing out my closet to warmer clothes.
Wanting to minimize what is in my closet.
Wishing our washing machine would work again.  I’m seriously running out of clean clothes.
Loving unexpected snuggles with Rory.
Thankful for this new furry addition.
Laughing at Abby’s goofiness.
Knowing winter is coming because she is
Sleeping in the sun beams that cover our living room floor in the late morning.
Thrilled that baking season is back.
Enjoying lots of cups of hot chocolate (even though I drink it in the summer too).
Savoring all that is fall.

Options

Week Forty Two

October 19, 2013

This week I struggled.  The pieces of my heart that have spent the last three in a half years healing, are slowing ripping apart again.   Dad is sick.  We have options, but they don’t hold the same amount of hope as before; they all lead to the same outcome.  (Granted, the options we had three and a half years ago led to the same outcome, but it was much further down the road.)

Option #1:  Drugs.  He can take a concoction of drugs called RVD, which is made up of the drugs he has already taken, each one, one at a time.  The cancer has already overcome these drugs, but there is a slight chance that the drugs working together could work.  Slight chance.  He can try two other drugs (can’t remember names) that he has not taken and that could work for about 1-2 years.  There are two-three more drugs that are on the horizon, but have not yet passed drug regulation.  The question is do we used up these drug options now or save them for later, should he choose a third transplant and his body does not reject the new cells.

Option #2:  Research Trials.  Going to Mayo Clinic to get more information about the current trials going on.  Having access to drugs that could work but are not open to the public yet.

Option #3: Transplant #3. This time from a donor.  The outcome is not as high as if he used his own cells.  If his body rejects the donor’s cells it is the end.  As in no more options.  As in he will have days left to live.

So.  Here we are, stuck between a rock and a hard place.  He could decide the transplant and have his body reject the cells and could be gone in roughly 3-4 months from today.  Or his body could accept the cells and we have no idea on what kind of time frame we are looking at.  He could participate in a trial or take the drug options and have roughly 2 years left, assuming all goes well.

We have not made any decisions yet.  I’m pretty sure you know which direction I’m leaning toward.  But dad is seriously considering all of them.  We are going to Mayo Clinic sometime in the next few weeks to get more information about the different trials going on.  From there, we will weigh the options and make a decision.


UPDATE :: Everything changed on Monday.  But I left this original post because it shows what I was dealing with while I took this photo.  

On Monday, October 21st, dad had a meeting with a myeloma specialist at KU Med.  She said that the transplant is what you do when you have NO more options left.  (WHEW!!!)  She had a trial at KU, but said dad is too healthy for it.  She wasn't sure why he was referred to Mayo Clinic, but we may go just to see what they say.  So now it sounds like drugs will be the option we go.  We still have some things to discuss, but it is looking a little better.  

Project Life 2013 | Week Thirty Seven, Thirty Eight, and Thirty Nine

Welcome to weeks Thirty Seven, Thirty Eight, and Thirty Nine (September 8-28).   I took a very different approach to these weeks.

Week Thirty Seven (September 8-14) was Week in the Life.  I decided to only choose one photo from each day to put in project life.  I chose the ‘from where I stand’ photos that I used for my titles pages in my book.  I loved the consistency of this, something I didn’t do the year before.  I plan on doing this again next year, but maybe with something else, not my feet.  Because I documented this week that way, I only used up have of a spread.

This week was also my 12of12 week so I added that to show my 12th day of the month, like I’ve done all year (and the last 2.5 years.)

For my first insert, I added large photo for my 52 Week project.  The second insert is for the next week, week thirty eight, I didn’t have many photos. (September 15-21).  (I think I took a total of 4…maybe.) So instead I decided to include news that has been happening in the US lately.  I found an article that summarized the Colorado flooding and the Navy Yard Shooting.  Both very sad events. Both significant to this week.

 The right side is all about week thirty nine (September 22-28).  This week had some fun and happy things happen in it, but this week was HEAVY.  The fun was mom’s crazy outfit she wore one day for school spirit week.  I think she should have won if there were awards given.  The fun was our Junior League’s second annual Pony Express Run.  The happy was that Dakota and I got a kitten and named him Rory.  He is the sweetest little cat too!  The heavy is what is going on in life with dad.  And the awesome email I got from someone I’ve connected with on Instagram because we share a common denominator, Multiple Myeloma.  It is crazy how social media can do that, link 2 complete strangers that are now supporting each other.  (I included her email in a fold card hidden under the quote card I printed from pinterest.)

Links:
Core Kit : Seafoam
Plastics : Big Pack of Design A
Plastics : 5x7
Printer: Picture Mate
Week in the Life

D&M

Week Forty One

October 12, 2013

Pumpkins

Week Forty

October 3, 2013

Ever since I started this project, week 40 has unintentionally been the pumpkin patch week.  (Well, this year I made sure we kept up the tradition.)  It is also fun to see how our lives have changed through out the years.

In 2011 it was the first year doing my 52 week project and the first year we went to the pumpkin patch.  Ok, not the first time ever, but the first time in a really long time.  I remember laughing as dad claimed he found the best looking pumpkin; the one that looked like it had exploded.  The weather was perfect and felt like fall had arrived.   We had so much fun goofing around that we decided we would do this each year.

In 2012 things were a little different.  Dad was recovering from his second bone morrow transplant and couldn’t go.  It was just me and mom.  We had fun, but we wished dad could go with us to because we know he secretly liked going last year.  It was a little bittersweet.  This time the weather was chilly and coats were definitely needed.

Now 2013.  The cancer is coming back but things are still ‘normal’.  This year is was hot and humid.  We had a large storm come through in the morning and it left the farm a little muddy, but it didn’t stop us from picking pumpkins.  Just like last year dad found the best looking pumpkin.  This one looked like it had exploded, been turned inside out and baked in an over.  Dakota came with us and he found the three largest pumpkins on the farm.

For whatever reason, the 45 minutes on the farm seems to bring peace and healing, if just for a little while.  It is something I look forward to every year.  Something I’m grateful for.

**Note: Yes, I was tempted to wear a white tank top and change into jeans to match the previous years, but I resisted the urge.  And it was way too hot to wear a scarf and boots.

12of12 | October 2013

01. Everyone off to get our flu shots.
02. Beautiful day.
03. Abby is excited we are home!
04. Pieces of fall.
05. She climbed into the car so we took her for a little ride.
06. Nachos for lunch.
07. I was feeling some side effects of the flu shot and Abby snuggled with me.
08. Finally made it to the shower.
09. Jeff's Birthday party.
10. Balloons.
11. My guy.
12. Mr. Rory.

Rory

Week Thirty Nine

September 28, 2013

Meet the new fur-baby, Rory.

My neighbor found him on the street and took him in for a few weeks.  She checked the animal shelters and the newspaper to see if anyone was missing their kitten, but nothing surfaced.  She already had numerous cats and didn’t want to take in another so she began to look for a new home for him.

She called mom to see if we wanted a cat.  Dad is not a cat person and we knew he wouldn’t let us take him in, but Dakota wanted one (as long as we found one that I wasn’t allergic to).  So I went over to meet the kitten and fell in love with him immediately.  I told Dakota about the cat and he agreed to meet him.  I don’t think it took him long to fall in love with the kitten either because about ten minutes after meeting the kitten, Dakota said he would take him.

The kitten has adjusted to his new home really well.  He seems to be quite the cuddler at night and has had some frisky moments.  He has discovered the shower curtain liner and has poked a few holes in it.  (We will be getting him declawed soon.)  He is pretty precious!

Plan C

I’ll give you one guess on what his post is about and if you are surprised, then join the club.  Because that is what cancer does.  It shows up again when you aren’t looking and bites you on the rear.

The majority of this year has been great.  Dad has been in complete remission for 7 months.  We got to do some traveling and made memories, and the best part, we had laughter.  We had a few months of normal again.

The only thing we’ve really been dealing with is fixing his teeth because the cancer and treatment have done a number on them.  And for the most part, things have gone pretty well.  No shattered jaw bone.  No major complications.  Then in August dad started to have his one year check up post transplant.  They found precancerous cells in his esophagus and for the past month and a half he has gone to different doctors to have it looked at and how to proceed.  Also in August, they saw movement in his blood work.  Nothing major, but definitely something to keep an eye on.  But the blood work from this month’s check up confirmed it.

The cancer is coming back.

This means he is no longer in remission.  This means the chemo is on is no longer working.  This means we start all over again.

And so onto Plan C we go.  He will be having surgery this week to have the cells in his esophagus removed.  Nothing too major, just preventing them from becoming a major problem in the future.  After this surgery we will proceed on what to do with the cancer.  There are still many more drugs and drug combinations dad can try.  He may be able to participate in a study for a new drug that isn’t on the market yet; one that is more fine-tuned and that the doctors think would really benefit dad’s case.  There is also a possibility of a third transplant, but this one would be from a donor, which could have just as many complications.

Into the waiting game we go.  We still have options, but this news is always hard to digest.   Thankfully dad is still acting normal and this news hasn’t stopped our world again.  It is just a big bump in the road and we are trying to figure the best way to cross.

As always, thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for keeping my dad in your prayers.

Prevention

Week Thirty Eight

September 20, 2013

After ten days, I finally got my stitches out.  It didn't hurt except for the ones in my lip.  They put this protective glue like substance over the stitches and had to cut it off to be able to remove the stitches.  Not the most pleasant feeling.

As for the moles, I had them removed because of their size.  They were still biopsied and the results came back fine.  I do not have cancer or pre-cancerous cells, which was what we were expecting.  However, the cells in 4 of the 5 moles showed movement when they were under the microscope, so it was a really good thing that they were removed.

I have a feeling mole removal will be happening again in my future and I'm not looking forward to it.  But take it from someone who has seen cancer up close and personal in my dad, it will definitely be worth it.  If you have some moles that are a little suspicious, go have them looked at.  The poking, the numbing, and the stitches were incredibly painful, but it won't nearly be as painful as cancer treatment, should they turn cancerous in the future.

Project Life 2013 | Week Thirty Six

Welcome to week thirty six (September 1-7)  I absolutely love this week’s pages!  I only used the Studio Calico kit and the Freckled Fawn kit (with the exception of the date card paper.)  I signed up for these kits and seem to not use them, or only use a small portion of them.  I bought these kits, I need to use them!  (Planning on setting the habit this month!)  I think I love this spread because I forced myself to use the embellishments I’ve been collecting and tried to get a little more crafty.

I had this entire week off from work so it was extra fun!  The left side is Labor Day celebrations, with grilling!  And I nice little fiasco with D’s basement flooding.  We had some nice dates with poo water and the help with my mom and D’s brother in law.

(You can't really tell in this photo, but the left side of this photo is an insert about our float trip.) 

I added an insert for the float trip we took with D’s siblings.  It was so much fun and I love that they try to do this every year.

The right side is the rest of the week (before the float trip).  Miss Abby does not like it when she is up and I am not.  She cried at my door for about ten minutes before I let her in.  She happily found a spot on my bed.

On Thursday, dad went to the grocery store with me to get food for the trip.  We found a few other things as well (ahem, donuts).

Also this week, cuddles with the pup, yoga, baking, and a short little rain shower.

Week 36, you were awesome!

Items Used:

Core Kit : Seafoam

Plastics : Big Pack of Design A

Plastics : Design H (Half of A)

Double Scoop : September 2013

Printer: Picture Mate

Project Life