And spring returns.....

And spring has sprung. 

I took these around our neighborhood after the snow melted. It is really starting to look like spring....now if we could just get the temperatures to warm up.

Do something

I have been trying to figure out something I could "do" regarding Dad's cancer diagnosis. I have also been trying to figure out how to "do" something to motivate myself to get healthy and reduce my own risk factors. Last week, I got an email from PanCan.org. It was about the Hospital Hill run. The run is a way to raise money for your cause. I have decided to do the 10K run to raise money for Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and to raise awareness of the disease and the need for money to do research  and to treat those who already have it.  This 10K also gives me a goal and a reason to get up and go to the gym every morning. The occassional "you go girl", emails,  prayers, and good thoughts would really be appreciated to keep me motivated.

 If you are interested in how the fundraising is coming along or want to make your own donation, check out.....http://www.firstgiving.com/daddygirls

If you want to know more about the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network go to www.pancan.org

What happened to Spring?

When Nic and I left for the gym this morning it was raining. By the time we were done and heading home we were greeted with snow. Big, heavy, wet snow flakes. 

What happened to SPRING?

Crash, Bang, BOOM

Crash, bang, rattle, boom , crash, rattle, rattle....these were the sounds that were coming form my dining room. The first thought I had, as I ran from the other side of the house, was that someone had fallen and taken the dining room table with them. Instead I was greeted by the sight of our dog, Sumner, having lost his mind and trying to climb thru the picture window. 

This little creature was the cause of all the commotion as he scampered around the tree in the front yard.

Nic and Katie all dressed up.

Nic and Katie were all dressed up for a dance last weekend but stopped long enough to apprease the pavarotzi.

Super Mom

Quiz results

I took the "Which type of woman are you?" quiz on Facebook today.

The  result is: Lovely Lady

You are lovely and caring. You help others and spread out a lot of sympathy. Your life aim maybe is to serve the people. But your weakness is that you forget about yourself, your own needs. All your time is hold back for your friends and family. You are always there for people in trouble. Ready for any emergency. You make a lot of sacrifices just to be a good human. But every woman has her needs, her longings and a destiny. Don't loose yourself in work or curing other people's souls. You will have your own problems in your life. Another problem is that you don't say your opinion when it's right and important to say it. People trample onto your soul if you are always so kind and lovely and helpful. They will play on you. Though you should try to relax more and enjoy your life, you should not loose the gift that was given to you to help others . Not everyone is created this way... You are uniqe and rare!

It is a little scarey how acurate it is.

In loving memory...

Sarah Louise Peyton passed away this morning after a brave battle with pancreatic cancer.  The quote below says everything about Aunt Sarah. 

"Love does not measure; it just gives." -Mother Teresa

She is loved and will be missed. 

The Wall

Here is a recap of the last two weeks or so....

G'pa went to the hospital for shortness of breath. he was hospitalized for a week. He was released to rehab for physical therapy. He was there for 1 1/2 days and was sent back to the hospital with a fever of 102. He had an infection called C-diff. It is nasty stuff but very treatable. So back to rehab he went after a couple of days.  About every two days I get the angry phone call asking me why I havent come to get him yet. Yesterday I went to pick up his laundry and visit for a bit and spent most of the time argueing with him about why he wasn't coming home with me right then. I explained that he needed to get stronger and be able to use his walker, which at the moment he is not. He is also starting to have more and more episodes of confusion and dementia. 

Intertwined with this, my dad went in for a "routine" endoscopy. He ended up vomiting while he was still under and spent a week in the hospital for suspected aspiration pneumonia. He got home, had his chemo. He has also had a headache for two months so they did and MRI this week. We don't know the results yet. He has a CT and PET scan scheduled for next week to check on the tumor status. Then last night he was admitted to ICU for monitoring due to a fever and another  infection (possibly related to the aspiration pneumonia). 

My husband has been fighting open wounds on his legs and finally went to the wound clinic. They cleaned, medicated and wrapped him up. After three visits they are finally healing. This is after 5 months of constant problems and 2 ER visits. He still has to have them wrapped daily but at least they are healing. They did more blood work today so we will see what it has to say next week.

My "mother-in-law" (this is the aunt who raised Sean after his mother passed) She has been fighting pancreatic cancer. She was a nurse and so, opted for chemo and a trial therapy. The thought the tumor had shrunk with the chemo and she was stable enough for surgery but when they got in there, they discovered the cancer had metastisised to her liver and they werent able to do anything. She was sent home with hospice last Friday. We spent most of the weekend down at her house. Their were relatives there that Sean hadn't seen in years and I had never met. It was a little intimidating.  I took the camera and insisted on taking everyone's pictures. I want to be able to show them to Rosie and Ian so they know their family. Two nights ago we got a call that they had started 6 hour watches on Sarah because her breathing was becoming more labored. All I can do in pray she has peace and knows how loved she is.

My g'ma has finally recovered from the UTI she had and is getting more fiesty.Then Tuesday, I got a call from her MD office telling me they want a bone scan done. Apparently there was some value on her last blood work that indicated concern. She is in late stage Alzheimer's, I don't know how they think she is going to cooperate with a scan. I don't think she should be sedated because of the risks and if they do find something, what then? She isn't a candidate for surgery. We are still working on whether or not to go forward with it.

Ian tells me last night that we need to plan some "alone time". This is right after a screaming fit because he wasn't getting his way about something.  I know this is his way of getting my attention because I haven't been giving him enough. I am trying to figure out how to give him more. I know he is feeling left out. Without Tim around he doesn't get much one on one attention. (Tim is still in Washington). 

Rosie is being more crabby too. And I am sure it is due to lack of attention on my part. She also misses Nic. He is home most weekends but then we have been gone alot. 

As for me, I have been on the back burner. I have been so busy taking care of everyone else that I don't have any energy left over for me. I can't leave the house unless someone can watch g'ma or I take her with me.  It is taking it's toll.  I also miss having my boys around. I hit my wall yesterday. 

This morning, I feel like I spent the night crashing into it....... repeatedly.