Zealous -- Word for the Day -- Thursday, November 6, 2008

Zealous

DEFINITION: (adjective) filled with eagerness, fervor, or passion.

Please pray for a family in Southhampton, PA who lost their 15 year old daughter to a hit and run accident this week. She was walking with her friend when a 24 yr old hit them both and drove off. The paper said he thought he hit something, but didn't know what it was. Her name -- Chelsea Lynn Lancieri. Her dad works for the same company as ChemoSabe.

We got overly zealous last weekend. My older brother was in town to spend some time with mom and suggested we get away for the weekend. He didn't have to suggest it twice. We called Rainman and Stretch and headed north to Eureka Springs on the bikes. A perfect time for the changing of the leaves.

ChemoSabe was scheduled for his next round of chemo tomorrow. We have made numerous attempts to convince the doctors he is not covered under insurance until January. Hasn't been since early September. Well, we finally made the decision to insist the treatment is postponed until January. The last reports indicate he is cancer free except for the lesions that remain. Two doctors have advised us that one month for the "Consolidation" therapy will make no difference. From here he will be on a 'maintenance' schedule. Continuing on medications between each chemo process. The focus will be to reduce the lesions and to keep the cancer from coming back.

My mom seems to be doing better now that she is in a nursing home and getting settled. She is moving around more as they do not let her lie in bed all day. Far from the hospice service and actually far from her home activities. Her appetite is improving, but not enough for what they expect. She has been overly zealous herself the last few days. She is beginning to get cocky with some of the nurses and she is complaining to me about some of them. (Back to her ole self. ha)

She still does not know my older brother. She can ask me if I have talked to him lately and claims he hasn't been to see her, just as he has walked out the door to go smoke. Some of the things she says and does are quite humorous. My only fear right now is she is coming around very good and she is beginning to insist of going home.

ChemoSabe continues to travel at least three to four days a week. His legs are still bothering him, but since he has the meds for the nerve endings he is more cautious about his walking and stumbling. The medication seems to be working. We continue on with the stomach shots for blood thinner (150 mg). They want us to do this daily, but he has cut himself back to every other day. I still give him a whopping bruise ever so often, but we can't figure out what causes them.

My days continue to be long with visiting mom twice a day (before work and after) and keeping up with our daily routine. Seems like this would make a big difference on my weight, BUTTTTTTT....is getting wider. At least I am not hanging over the edges of my bike seat.

We finally heard from Billy (Alabama) that had the stroke. He is doing much better and is getting physical therapy 2-3 times a week.

The church where I work assists in housing cancer patients from out of town going to UAMS. We had a MM patient that has stayed a couple of times. His name -- Steve Ryan. He passed away yesterday morning. Another, Mike Clark, is now in the hospital at UAMS and is doing very badly. Please pray for Mike and for Steve's family during these times. It has been very difficult for their spouses. One of them had to go back home to her nursing job only to discover she had been terminated. She then started and new job and now her husband has passed.

My sister-in-law is still having PT and is having a port inserted tomorrow for her chemo/radiation. They have found more spots in her liver and her lymph nodes. She still has numbness and problems in her left leg.

Our friend, Shooter's mom had colon surgery on Wednesday. She had a major portion her lower colon removed. They have found more spots in other areas of her body also, and have taken biopsies.

I can't tell you how much I appreciate your calls and emails. I can't tell you how much I appreciate you that let me vent, complain and fume. It keeps me sane and zealous.

Good afternoon and Love -- Pepper