Good news

 I hope most of you heard by now that Laura scans were very good yesterday. September 24, wereceive good news. There's no evidence of disease in her torso.  Only three or four very spots of cancer in her brain. Much better than 18 cancer mets last May.

I feel like I can breathe again. This road as a caretaker or cancer spouse is crazy. The ups and downs are oh so big.  I feel like we are definately on the upswing.  Hopefully Laura can tweet her medication to feel a little better.  

Tim had a cross country meet today. He got a personal best!  1844 in the 5 k or 3.1 mile race !  So proud of him.  Ani is thriving at occidental.  She loves her writing class!

Just 100 meters from the finish Tim is running well!

Pictures

Tim ran a great 5 k race at the ultimook race on Saturday. His time was 20:29 which is over a minute faster than he ran it last year!

Mud pit!

Mia was sick for a few days but is feeling much better now

Picture of Laura for her upcoming publicity.  

And finally, Tim's new van!!

Back to work for me and back to school for Tim.  Laura is stuck at home doing her 10:30 yoga class every day, walking the dogs and having a hot dinner waiting for her boys!  Can’t believe summer is over and the school year is upon us.  Ani loves her classes and most of her professors so that is great.  I am not up to speed yet with the new school year but I will get there.  Tim has been working so much at Texaco recently that he might actually like the break that school give him.

Laura just finished her week off of chemo.  Unfortunately, she never felt well during her week off.  Stupid chemo drugs are just wearing her down.  She has little bleeding cracks on some of her fingers and sores on her lips.  We go into Portland on or around Sept. 24 to get the results of her latest scans so we will know then if the whole brain radiation and chemo and such is shrinking the brain tumors or not.  Her long distance eye sight is also being effected but that might be a side effect of some of her drugs. 

The big news for us is that Tim bought a 1988 chevy van that he plans on making into a campervan and take off to explore Canada after he graduates in June.  It is too cool and he just loves it! 

I will add some photos to my next post in a couple minutes! 

Written July 25...

For some reason they did not get published...   This was written almost a month ago.

While this has been Laura's week off of taking daily chemo pills the effects have continued. She continues to do yoga daily and then rest on our couch and sit with whoever comes by.  Everyday she plans and does one chore or some writing.  We walk the dogs most days too.  Both kids are working a lot but the dogs take their care taking job very seriously!

Earlier this week Tim and I did a 850 mile two night camping trip to look at 4 Oregon colleges.  His fav was Oregon institute of technology in southern or about 50 miles from the California boarder.  We camped on the umpqua River and on creates lake both in the cascade mountains.  The second night was next to the pacific crest trail where the book I'm currently listening to, Wild, takes place. 

Nothing too much to report but just wanted to give a quick update.  

Dog days of August

Here we are going out to our last dinner as a whole family before Ani leaves on Sunday.  We had dinner at the glowingly popular buoy beer company in Astoria!  Ani hadn't had their gf deep fried cheese curds yet this summer and that is an Astoria must!

This afternoon Laura said well I know my pills are working.  I felt nauseous and sick this morning!  She was actually relieved.  You see our insurances changed the mail order chemo pills to a different pharmacy and she was not sure if they were the right pills since she has felt pretty good since taking them on Monday.  

It is kinda cruel the way she has to take her pills:  she has to take one pill every morning on an empty stomach and then her three chemo pills with breakfast.  Since the early morning pill is expensive she tries really hard not to throw it up but she feels the worst with an empty stomach...  At least she had some good days at the end of her week off from chemo and the beginning of this set of treatments.  She continues to do yoga five or six times a week and is even starting to run our three mile loop some days!  

I have been as busy as I always seem to be.  The kids and I went to conn. And Maine for a week without Laura.  It was hard leaving her but we had a good trip seeing friends and family. Our friend Lars and his daughter Annalee have been in port for a bit and we had some wonderful albacore tuna dinners from his fishing boat!  Driest night Laura and I are going to Portland to see the Broadway play Wicked. We have both wanted to see it for a long time!

Then both Laura and I are flying back to la with Ani!!  Laura just decided to come since she wants to see ani's dorm and meet her roommate.  I am really glad she is coming down to make sure we get her situated well!  Here are a few pics from my travels and our life:

My new hobby salmon fishing from my kayak.  

King salmon caught on my friends boat...

Laura with bills and dogs.

The mighty blueberry mountain in Maine

I've always loved this hick of quarts on sabatus (sp?) mt in Maine

Weather is closing in on the baldfaces in nh or me...

Louis tossing a lick in ani's direction as she tries to hide from the camera.  I don't think she reads my blog so hopefully it's ok I posted this!!!  Peace friends!!

Happy Saturday

Hi friends and family.  The ugly side of chemo has emerged...  Laura feels nauseous a lot and pukes occasionally.  At least she feels better with food in her belly so she mostly just snacks all day and doesn't eat real meals.  Maybe 8 to 10 little snacks eat day.  Hobbits are proud of her!  It's tricky since she is supposed to take her first pills in the morning before breakfast.  Every day it is a fight to keep those wicked expensive pills down.

Today will be the sixth day in a row that Laura and I go to yoga together.  In an effort to be as close as possible with her I have started yoga for the first time in my life and it's absolutely amazing!!  

Last night the kids (dogs included) and I went to watch the sunset on the beach.  Pretty sweet!  

Note Louis feet Resting on Laura.  The dogs take turns cuddling Laura in the couch in the late afternoon.

Week one of new chemo

Well we are still here.  Week one of the new chemo pills is done.  I think Laura is still having more reactions from the radiation then the chemotherapy.  She says her head is very funny feeling meaning she's a little dizzy and a little spacey. Mostly she's doing just fine.  Very tired but doing yoga almost every day.  The above picture is Laura and Rachel with four small dogs on the couch.  Not too much to report just wanted to give a quick update.