Lots can happen in 9 days!

Since I last blogged:

We had holy week-

Todd executed a huge surprise for our 35th anniversary (more to come)

Easter happened! He is Risen!

We were gone for 5 days! ( I thought it was going to be 1 night!)

Laetril vacation for 5 days (trying to feel better)

Off most supplements for 5 days - trying to control gastric distress and pain :(

Now -
Back to reality - blood draw, IV infusion yesterday, cold laser therapy yesterday

Back on supplements yesterday

Start xeloda yesterday

Recovering from being gone for 5 days 

I have bragged about Todd before, but the level of detail he went to working with the boys to make this surprise happen for me is unbelievable!  I had not a clue what was happening!  He told me we would be gone Fri morning to Sat night and to expect colder temperatures and walking.  I dutifully packed,  but thought it odd he wanted me to put my tennis shoes in my suitcase because I thought it was a road trip - and usually we just throw them in the trunk for easy access.  Then he called Uber!

We ended up on a plane for Phoenix!  (I'm cutting out details because we'll be here forever!)  As we exited the skytrain in Phoenix- across the hall were our kids!!!! There was for me this time/space warp that I have struggled with since my first round of chemo -- where am I? what city are we in? wait a minute! why are they here? where are we? where is here? what day is it? Oh my GOSH!! 

They had great fun laughing at me and such - you can imagine!  I was too distracted with our granddaughter to really care about details - except to ask if we had to say goodbye to them the next day - to which Todd said no.  I did not ask more questions, thinking Phoenix was our final destination, and they kept the surprise going!  

We ate lunch at a Christine friendly restaurant - Todd does research to find places like this for me <3 (also grocery stores that have my food!)

and we piled back into the car.  By the way, I felt icky and our granddaughter has a STRONG aversion to her car seat and some roads were a little too curvy for those with motion sickness in the car.....It was a memorable trip including a vociferous, piercing 2 1/2

year old's request to be released from her prison of a car seat, a barf bag and a roadside change of clothes!  The things memories are made of - lol.   

Our destination was a large, lovely home in the mountains outside of Flagstaff.  Over dinner, they let me in on the God story....

This home was an auction item that had been donated to OLu.  We had bid on it for awhile,  but had backed out.  Well---some dear friends won the home, and presented Todd with the certificate as a gift!!! (still can't think about it without crying!)  What a huge, loving gift!  

I believe the owners of the home, finding out it was a surprise for me, gave us an extra day as well!!  How kind and generous of them both!  

Back home now, it is hard to believe it all happened this way!  

Most things in my journey are a mix of happy and sad blessings.  One of the things that was really hard was to realize how low my stamina has sunk and how much my life revolves around pain management.  I took a lot more pain killers than usual, but as Todd says - "I'd rather wear out than rust out!"  Unfortunately, they worked marginally.  There were several times where I was so exhausted that I just cried - as much from exhaustion as from discomfort.  It was borne in upon me that our granddaughter and I have lots in common.  We both needed naps - regular meals, designed to suit our palate's whim at the moment - exercise, but not too much- got frustrated when things didn't go the way we thought they should go - and cried when life got to be too much.  

There was one bittersweet window when we were in the car driving during nap time and I was resting (too uncomfortable to sleep) and my face must have reflected that discomfort because one of our sons was very upset to see how uncomfortable I was -- We cried together and I reminded him that no matter how miserable I felt - It was still Easter, God was still on the throne and His plan was still the best.... I got extra hugs and he helped me count down the time on the trip and encouraged me, holding my hand and just being a loving presence. 

Sometimes, it is most helpful just to have someone sit with you in your misery and hold your hand and share kleenexes - kinda like Job... Tho not my most favorite memory, it is a tender, loving memory for which I am thankful.  

Several very sweet windows which we replayed several times were "hiding" in the closets at the house with our grand daughter and letting her fertile imagination have full reign! She also bids fair to be a great tour director because we "visited" the beach, the aquarium, the children's museum, the zoo, the library and swam! It is surely a demonstration of God's goodness to allow me to enjoy this sweet play time!  

Its used to be that scenery reminded me so much of how awesome our God is.  Visiting Grand Canyon certainly speaks to that.  Yet having my family around one table (well one of us didn't sit much - lol) but we were all together and the knowledge that they had worked so hard to pull this off for me was such a gift of love-- Made me think of the verse....If you, though you are evil,  know how to give good gifts to your children,  how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! (Matt 7:11)  I am so blessed - despite my difficulties!  Looking at their faces - I am so humbled and thankful!  How can you look at the wonder in a child's eyes and doubt the existence of God???

I am so thankful to all who contributed to this grand scheme- especially my sweet husband who orchestrated it! and am desperately praying that the tumors shrink so that I can have many more of these grand adventures and anniversaries....

Meanwhile, back to my reality of fighting this beast....Todd pointed out that though I have avoided the IV chemo "for life" it seems that it may be xeloda "for life."  Makes me cry.... I really thought I would feel better....Starting the xeloda again has hit me hard -- totally exhausted and queasy.  Trying to teach myself to belch to relieve the gastric distress is pretty funny in the middle of all this!  Hey - ya gotta laugh when you can!  

It will be interesting to see what the blood draw says and also in a few weeks what the PET says....

Thanks for checkin' in -- Thankful for all of your prayers and concern!