Dear family and friends,
Gabrielle here. Well, today hasn't been too bad! A little weary, a little nauseous, but not nearly as bad as the first time I had the two drugs. I do recall that the Sunday was the worst day that time, so extra prayers for tomorrow would be most appreciated!
I awoke to one of my favorite breakfasts from Steve--his homemade multi-grain pancakes topped with fresh blueberries and maple syrup and chicken apple sausages. I could only eat one pancake and one sausage but boy were they delicious. Around 11:45 we took off for a few errands. We dropped off a prescription for a new anti-nausea drug that might not give me headaches like my current one and picked up my new wig! Wig #2 is the one. It is a good color and style and we bought it! It's nice to know it's here when I need it. More and more hair is falling out on pillows and in the shower and when I comb it. But I'm not bald yet!
After those errands, we ate a picnic lunch in the car on the way to a movie. We saw a matinee of a very sad movie called "Amour." It was a beautiful film, wonderfully acted, about a very sad subject of the health decline of a spouse after a long marriage. But the great part about the movie is that it showed what it means to love one's spouse unconditionally, in sickness and in health. It reminded me of friends of mine who have loved in this way their spouses with Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease, and who modeled this love for me. I am thankful for a spouse who loves me this way...and children who do too!
Last night we were blessed with a fabulous dinner from our friend, Justin! Great breads, cheeses, salads, and homemade gingerbread cake that was PERFECTLY baked and hit the spot. Thank you, Justin! And thanks to everyone who sent cards yesterday and today. Just in case they are birthday cards, I am saving them to open on Monday!
I have some very good news to share. One of my oncologists called this morning to report that the fluid they drew from the abdominal port is NOT infected! Thus, they will let it rest until three weeks from yesterday and then they plan to use it for the start of round three. Hooray and thank you Jesus!
Let me close with a verse that was in my devotional, Jesus Calling, today.
"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."
Cancer has put me in a position to be still and know that He is God. To be weak and completely out of control, so that I can receive His strenght and be reminded that the God who loves me and created me is in control. I am learning to keep my eyes on Jesus and to trust Him with my every breath. This is just one of the many blessings in the midst of this difficult journey. God is with me (us) every step of the way.
God bless you all with rest and good health and something fun to do on this long holiday weekend!
Love,
Gabrielle
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Friday, February 15, 2013
2/15/13 Exciting News!
Dear friends and family,
Gabrielle here. Today Daniel and I got the best news as we left chemo number four. Backtracking, I'll just say that chemo number four went fine...about 5.5 hours total. Our nurse today, Leah, is the nicest person ever. We watched a rom-com movie--The Holiday. And I made many trips to the rest room since my blood pressure was too low and they kept pumping me full of extra fluids. We just got home and I'm feeling pretty good so far with all the strong i/v anti-nausea drugs in me. Tomorrow may be a different story.
Now for the encouraging news. At the start of our chemo visits they run all my blood count numbers and they come back pretty quick from the lab. The one count that doesn't come until the end, because it takes longer, is the CA125. This is the cancer tumor marker count in my blood. When I began this journey back in January, my CA125 was 142 (the top of the normal range is 35). Today, after three chemo treatments, before chemo number four, my CA125 was 32!!! Completely in the normal range! My nurse, Leah, couldn't stop smiling and was so happy to see that. So were Daniel and I! Later, after three to four of the chemo cycles are done, they will do body scans to look for any remaining cancer, but this is an incredibly encouraging sign this early in the game. Thanks be to God, our Great Physician, for this sign that the medicine is doing its job. And thanks to all of you prayer warriors out there for keeping my name and health ever before the throne of God.
To top off my happiness today, when we left chemo it was sunny and gorgeous outside, so in a few minutes, we will leave for a walk at Richmond Beach. Can't wait.
Steve mentioned a few kindnesses but let me reiterate them and add a couple. Thanks so much, Aunt Peggy, for the amazing box of Rocky Mountain chocolates! And thanks, Lisl, for the very sweet note with a bag of Dove dark chocolates! Yummo to both those chocolate gifts and to the dessert our neighbor Kevin made and shared with us last night. He's a 20-something that can truly bake Julia Child worthy desserts and we enjoyed the visit with his mom and dad, our friends Laura and Jerry, as they brought the dessert to us last night. Special thanks as well to my friend Dee who gave us a box full of pasta, Bolognese (sp?) sauce, her unbelievable homemade bread, pears, and big, delicious ginger cookies! Thanks to cousins Robbie and Becky for cute matching nike hats for Steve and me when we are both bald, and to Steve's nurse, Lynn, who sent me homemade Valentine cookies yesterday. Thanks to Shannon, who works at Steve's office, and delivers me things that people drop off there so Steve won't have to carry them home on his bike. And thanks to everyone who has sent me a note or card this week. These have come from as far north as Stanwood, to as far south as California, to an old friend in Boston whom I worked with to put on an event at the White House for major donors to children's hospitals. If I have forgotten to mention your kindness, please forgive me. They call it chemo brain and sometimes I am a little foggy. It will go away when chemo is over. But I am so, so grateful for every prayer and act of kindness!
Let me close with Psalm 118:24: "This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it." My heart is overflowing with gladness for the CA125 count, the sunshine, all of you on my "rope crew," and to God who is answering our prayers, giving me strength and hope to endure this, and meeting all our needs. God bless you all on this long holiday weekend!
Love,
Gabrielle
Gabrielle here. Today Daniel and I got the best news as we left chemo number four. Backtracking, I'll just say that chemo number four went fine...about 5.5 hours total. Our nurse today, Leah, is the nicest person ever. We watched a rom-com movie--The Holiday. And I made many trips to the rest room since my blood pressure was too low and they kept pumping me full of extra fluids. We just got home and I'm feeling pretty good so far with all the strong i/v anti-nausea drugs in me. Tomorrow may be a different story.
Now for the encouraging news. At the start of our chemo visits they run all my blood count numbers and they come back pretty quick from the lab. The one count that doesn't come until the end, because it takes longer, is the CA125. This is the cancer tumor marker count in my blood. When I began this journey back in January, my CA125 was 142 (the top of the normal range is 35). Today, after three chemo treatments, before chemo number four, my CA125 was 32!!! Completely in the normal range! My nurse, Leah, couldn't stop smiling and was so happy to see that. So were Daniel and I! Later, after three to four of the chemo cycles are done, they will do body scans to look for any remaining cancer, but this is an incredibly encouraging sign this early in the game. Thanks be to God, our Great Physician, for this sign that the medicine is doing its job. And thanks to all of you prayer warriors out there for keeping my name and health ever before the throne of God.
To top off my happiness today, when we left chemo it was sunny and gorgeous outside, so in a few minutes, we will leave for a walk at Richmond Beach. Can't wait.
Steve mentioned a few kindnesses but let me reiterate them and add a couple. Thanks so much, Aunt Peggy, for the amazing box of Rocky Mountain chocolates! And thanks, Lisl, for the very sweet note with a bag of Dove dark chocolates! Yummo to both those chocolate gifts and to the dessert our neighbor Kevin made and shared with us last night. He's a 20-something that can truly bake Julia Child worthy desserts and we enjoyed the visit with his mom and dad, our friends Laura and Jerry, as they brought the dessert to us last night. Special thanks as well to my friend Dee who gave us a box full of pasta, Bolognese (sp?) sauce, her unbelievable homemade bread, pears, and big, delicious ginger cookies! Thanks to cousins Robbie and Becky for cute matching nike hats for Steve and me when we are both bald, and to Steve's nurse, Lynn, who sent me homemade Valentine cookies yesterday. Thanks to Shannon, who works at Steve's office, and delivers me things that people drop off there so Steve won't have to carry them home on his bike. And thanks to everyone who has sent me a note or card this week. These have come from as far north as Stanwood, to as far south as California, to an old friend in Boston whom I worked with to put on an event at the White House for major donors to children's hospitals. If I have forgotten to mention your kindness, please forgive me. They call it chemo brain and sometimes I am a little foggy. It will go away when chemo is over. But I am so, so grateful for every prayer and act of kindness!
Let me close with Psalm 118:24: "This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it." My heart is overflowing with gladness for the CA125 count, the sunshine, all of you on my "rope crew," and to God who is answering our prayers, giving me strength and hope to endure this, and meeting all our needs. God bless you all on this long holiday weekend!
Love,
Gabrielle
2/15/13 Another dual chemo day!
Steve
Well, today’s another one of the biggies: a two drug chemo day, which we have all been
facing with a little trepidation. On the
plus side, it means Gabrielle has successfully completed one of the six cycles
and this is the beginning of Cycle 2 (yesterday being Day Zero again). Last go round with two drugs was complicated
by some leakage from her abdominal incision which won’t happen for two
reasons. The first is that her incision
is all healed up, and the second is that both drugs will be administered
through the portacath near her collarbone.
This is because the abdominal one is still being a bit persnickety. Two days ago, she went in for another
ultrasound of the abdominal port which also included an attempt to aspirate fluid
from the area around it. It was a long
day, what with ultrasound, talking to the radiologist, then Dr. M. and the
aspiration. You might say that her
aspirations were that she wouldn’t have to stay so long, and that when she was
all done, she was exaspirated (just giving punster Daniel a run for his money).
But she’s most likely in good spirits, as far as I
can tell. Am not sure exactly as I haven’t
seen hide nor hair of her yet this morning.
There is a strange sound akin either to the sawing of logs or a lyre bird
calling from the bedroom (see Daniel’s amazing entry on birds and watch the
video on the lyre bird…just not when your boss is watching if you check this at
work). A quick update on Valentine’s
Day. It went OK. I know she said that she just didn’t feel up
to going out to Canlis, but the truth of the matter is that she knows that her
husband is a bit of a cheapskate and she said she wanted to stay home just to
help me save face and a few bucks (though we did miss being waited on by
Kyle). We had a great dinner of baked
potatos (is that how Dan Quayle spells it?) with all the trimmings and the most
amazing steak from Omaha Steak Company…a birthday gift from my mom that had
been just itching for the right occasion.
Dessert was courtesy of our next door neighbor, Kevin. I don’t know what it was, but it was
chocolaty and gooey and really really good.
So good, in fact, that I was only able to eat one of the three pounds of
Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Candy flown in courtesy of Aunt Peggy (oh, was
it supposed to be for Gabrielle? My
bad!).
Now for a little aside. I personally am feeling a little left out by
all this talk of chemo for Gabrielle.
What most of you don’t know (and probably would rather not know…especially
if you’re one of my patients) is that I have just completed a round of “chemo”
myself. As we used to do in junior high,
I will compare and contrast our chemo treatments for you, so you will be fully
up to speed on the goings on at the Dudley household. Here, in table form is all the skinny:
Gabrielle’s chemo
|
Steve’s chemo
|
|
What it’s for
|
Stage 3 ovarian cancer
|
Toenail fungus
|
Regimen
|
Once a week, 18 weeks…126 days overall
|
120 days of pills...a horribly long time for this non pill person
|
Means of administration
|
By kindly nurses accompanied by
snacks, warm blankies, a devoted son, in a comfy chair
|
A pill hastily thrown back with nary a
swig of water
|
Side effects
|
Nausea, weight loss, hair loss
|
Nasty taste in my mouth if I don’t
swallow the pill fast enough. Weight
gain (how else can I explain gaining 5 pounds this past month?).
|
Purpose
|
To kill those nasty cancer cells
|
To give my toenails that “fresh from
the pedicure look”
|
Other benefits
|
Tell the folks at Canlis you are on
cancer drugs and you get a reservation, no questions asked.
|
Tell the folks at Luisa’s Mexican
Restaurant you’ve got toenail fungus and they put you at a table by the
dumpster and make you jump on the trash when it gets too full.
|
Cost
|
This where the Visa commercial would
say “priceless”!
|
Ten buck co-pay
|
Current spokesperson for specific
disease
|
National Ovarian Cancer Coalition: Nani
E. Vinken, German TV celebrity
|
Nail fungus: a cartoon blob that makes
that green slime on the Mucinex commercial look downright stunningly
attractive
|
Chance of being spokesperson for said
disease
|
Very high. Gabrielle has the “it” factor: charisma,
charm, wit, grace, beauty.
|
What would happen if Slim Whitman
married the Flying Nun: Slim and Nun
|
What happens when people find out you
are on chemo
|
Amazing outpouring of warmth and love
that is hard to fathom
|
The neighbors pull their cats indoors
so they won’t get infected with claw fungus.
|
Well that’s it, folks! We’ll let you know how round two of dual
drugs goes later on. Thanks for all your
prayers, support, goodies, Oregon Dux caps (you know who youse is), candy,
dinners, and so much more. Blessings to
all.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
2/13/13 Birds
Hello! Daniel
here!
I haven't
posted in a while- as our days have been very busy... doling out medications,
going on walks around the neighborhood, watching Downton Abbey, visiting our
friendly medical team at NW Hospital, and shopping for wigs! So much to do
every day of this cancer journey- my mom and I are beginning to wonder how we
ever had time for jobs before all this began!
Well I had a
thought a couple days ago that has continued to weigh on my brain and heart, so
I decided to share it with all of you. Birds! Aren't these magnificent
creatures? I just love them. I like to
look at birds in whatever region of the world I'm in, and I'm astounded by their
beauty, their ingenuity, their sounds, and their movements.
As a biology
major, here are just a few fun facts I'd like to share about birds:
Scientific
classification:
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Some birds are
very smart! In 1970, a psychologist named Gordon Gallup Jr. developed the
"mirror test", in which an animal is placed in front of a mirror and
observed. If the animal is capable of recognizing itself in the mirror, it demonstrates
a higher level of cognitive functioning. For most animals, they see just
another animal that looks like them, which they may be scared of, or more amusingly,
become infatuated with (parakeets love to do this, as did my former pet
cockatiel Simon). Animals that can recognize themself in the mirror are few and
far between. Some primates (e.g. chimpanzees and orangutans), bottle-nosed
dolphins, humans (by 24 months of age usually), and elephants are consistently shown
to pass the mirror test. This research article discusses the findings in 2008
of the first non-mammalian animal to pass the mirror test, the magpie: Research article
Go magpies!
Another thing
that has always amazed me about birds is their migration patterns. Many birds
travel around the world, summering in nice places (the Pacific Northwest for
example), and then returning to the warmer, lower latitudes. While some people
I know in the Northwest "snowbird" by traveling to warmer locations
in the fall and winter, and returning to Seattle in the spring and summer, I
wonder if they would keep up this tradition if it meant walking for weeks or
months to get to their winter location. Sooty Shearwaters migrate almost 40,000
miles from New Zealand to the north each year, powered by their own wings, and
animal instincts. Wow! National Geographic Article
My freshman year
in college my animal biology professor Dr. Long played this clip about the
incredible lyrebird. It has stuck with me as one of the coolest specimens of
the animal kingdom. This bird from Australia has an incredible ability to
mimick sounds of other birds. The sounds that came out of this bird seem as if
someone is hitting play on a recording of various birds, and mechanical sounds.
I am astounded by the variation in sounds among birds around the world. While
we sometimes hate them early in the morning when we would like to stay asleep,
I can't help but be pleased and delighted when walking through the wilderness
and hearing a symphony of avian tones. Lyrebird
But
my favorite thing about birds, and what has been on my mind these past few
weeks, is their lack of worries. I have been hearing this verse since I was a
small child, but never has it meant so much to me as it does now.
Matthew
6:26 "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away
in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more
valuable than they?"
We
have these bird feeders outside our house and little birds come by all the
time, especially in the winter, to feast on seeds and suet. They get enough to
eat, and they find places to nest and burrow, all without worries. I am prone
to worry, as I think a lot of people are. In school I worry about grades and
tests, at home I worry about doing the laundry and cooking and DVR-ing the
correct shows (a big deal in my family). At work I used to worry about
finishing everything in a timely manner, returning emails promptly, and keeping
my bosses and clients happy. Worry worry worry, I was riddled with it. When
this cancer thing started my worry went off the charts for a few days. I delved
into prayer and scripture and accepted the love and support of family and
friends. God reminded me that He gives me strength each day, and we are not
called to be worriers. The birds don't worry and they get taken care of, and I
know God values his children far more than the birds. Each day I look at the
blessing of a new day, I thank God for this time I get with my family, and I
ask for strength to get through the next 24 hours. Tomorrow will have new
problems, so I will deal with them then.
Matthew 6:33-34 "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
One
last note about my mom: She is the strongest, kindest, most loving person I
know (tied with my dad and sister of course!). Each day she greets me with
smile and cheer. She wants to keep everyone around her happy and encouraged,
dismissing her own needs and interests as less important than everyone elses. I
don't know how she does it. Her humor lifts my spirits, and her generosity and
selfessness is unending. She is tough and she is a fighter. She has climbed Mt.
Rainer, she has birthed two children without epidurals, she has been the top
fundraiser at Seattle Children's hospital for many years, she is the most-loved
person I know. She is going to beat the s%@# out of cancer! I love my mom so
much!!
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
2/12/13 Hair Loss--Phase One
Dear family and friends,
Gabrielle here. Well, today was the day. Hair on the pillow. Hair in the shower. Hair on the comb. Hair on my clothes. It has begun! So Daniel and I went straight to the cheapest hair salon and had the stylist cut it SHORT! Now as it falls out, there will be less of a mess. It was a little sad watching her take off so much hair, but I keep telling myself it is a small price to pay for healing medicine.
Sadly, Steve and I decided to cancel our Canlis reservation for Valentine's Day. I just can't eat that much in the evenings and am pretty tired out by then too. Fear not, however, dinner at home with my sweetheart will be just fine...and perhaps I'll make him suffer through a romantic comedy.
I am pleased to report that Renee and Daniel made it safely to and from Spokane Sunday/Monday for Daniel's U.W. medical school interview. He was interviewed by three doctors and he feels like it went well. He loved seeing the new facilities in Spokane--just built in 2010. If he gets into U.W. and is assigned to Spokane for his first year, he will do just fine. He raved about the awesome anatomy lab with cool spaces for four students per cadaver. Gross! Thank you for your prayers that God's plans for Daniel and med school will unfold in just the right way and time.
So many kindnesses that I fear I will forget to mention some since I don't blog every day. But off the top of my mind I am thankful for good visits yesterday with my friends Doris and Loretta, and on the phone with Maribeth. And thanks, Doris, for the yummy lunch and cookbook! We enjoyed a dinner-time visit with my sister-in-law, Tania, last night and she is doing our taxes for us (she's a brilliant CPA/MBA)! Dee, a cancer survivor and new friend I haven't even met yet (we were introduced via e-mail through another friend) has sent me a great devotional book and two books to help me eat well through cancer. Evy has sent me a beautiful hand-knitted blue hat. Colleen and Mike brought over homemade yogurt and granola today. I will eat some at my mid-afternoon snack time! (Daniel's phone barks like a dog when it's time for my meals and snacks, and I, like Pavlov's dogs, dutifully make my way to the kitchen!) Our friend Helen brought us the most yummy dinner--chili, cornbread, salad, strawberries, and chocolate cake! And to the card senders--you know who you are--what a joy to get mail. Thank you all!
Lastly, I opened a card today from my mother-in-law, Abby, and it was actually a birthday gift! Had I known it was that, I would have saved it to open next Monday, when I turn 53. My family is frantically asking me what I want to do for my birthday. Three days after the two-drug chemo, I have NO idea! So we'll play it by ear and no matter what we do or don't do on that day, I will be thanking God for the gift of another day of life and the start of a new year. And I will be thanking Him for all of you on my "rope crew," helping me climb this mountain one step at a time.
Love,
Gabrielle
Gabrielle here. Well, today was the day. Hair on the pillow. Hair in the shower. Hair on the comb. Hair on my clothes. It has begun! So Daniel and I went straight to the cheapest hair salon and had the stylist cut it SHORT! Now as it falls out, there will be less of a mess. It was a little sad watching her take off so much hair, but I keep telling myself it is a small price to pay for healing medicine.
Sadly, Steve and I decided to cancel our Canlis reservation for Valentine's Day. I just can't eat that much in the evenings and am pretty tired out by then too. Fear not, however, dinner at home with my sweetheart will be just fine...and perhaps I'll make him suffer through a romantic comedy.
I am pleased to report that Renee and Daniel made it safely to and from Spokane Sunday/Monday for Daniel's U.W. medical school interview. He was interviewed by three doctors and he feels like it went well. He loved seeing the new facilities in Spokane--just built in 2010. If he gets into U.W. and is assigned to Spokane for his first year, he will do just fine. He raved about the awesome anatomy lab with cool spaces for four students per cadaver. Gross! Thank you for your prayers that God's plans for Daniel and med school will unfold in just the right way and time.
So many kindnesses that I fear I will forget to mention some since I don't blog every day. But off the top of my mind I am thankful for good visits yesterday with my friends Doris and Loretta, and on the phone with Maribeth. And thanks, Doris, for the yummy lunch and cookbook! We enjoyed a dinner-time visit with my sister-in-law, Tania, last night and she is doing our taxes for us (she's a brilliant CPA/MBA)! Dee, a cancer survivor and new friend I haven't even met yet (we were introduced via e-mail through another friend) has sent me a great devotional book and two books to help me eat well through cancer. Evy has sent me a beautiful hand-knitted blue hat. Colleen and Mike brought over homemade yogurt and granola today. I will eat some at my mid-afternoon snack time! (Daniel's phone barks like a dog when it's time for my meals and snacks, and I, like Pavlov's dogs, dutifully make my way to the kitchen!) Our friend Helen brought us the most yummy dinner--chili, cornbread, salad, strawberries, and chocolate cake! And to the card senders--you know who you are--what a joy to get mail. Thank you all!
Lastly, I opened a card today from my mother-in-law, Abby, and it was actually a birthday gift! Had I known it was that, I would have saved it to open next Monday, when I turn 53. My family is frantically asking me what I want to do for my birthday. Three days after the two-drug chemo, I have NO idea! So we'll play it by ear and no matter what we do or don't do on that day, I will be thanking God for the gift of another day of life and the start of a new year. And I will be thanking Him for all of you on my "rope crew," helping me climb this mountain one step at a time.
Love,
Gabrielle
Sunday, February 10, 2013
2/10/13 Sunny Sunday
Dear family and friends,
Gabrielle here. I am happy to report that my Saturday after chemo was pretty good! Just a little nausea here and there. In the morning, while Steve and our friend, Dean, swam at Golden Gardens, I walked up all those stairs from Golden Gardens up to 85th street. It was the first exercise in a month where my heart pounded and I breathed hard and though I was slow, I made it!
After exercise, Steve and I did some errands. We bought him new swim goggles (that hopefully won't leak) and then we went to a bead store where he picked out some wooden and black beads that he is putting into a macrame string to represent each chemo treatment. It was the cutest thing ever to see my husband as the only man in a bead store full of women picking out supplies to do his "craft!" :-)
Then we went to the wig shop. Unfortunately, the wig I ordered in the first go around didn't look great in the color it came in. So I ordered another one in a bit darker color and it will be in next Friday. I hope my own hair holds out until then. This morning, it is still all here!
I can't tell you how precious it is to do these simple things in my Saturday. Spending time with my husband, talking, being out and about. I am reminded to be grateful for each new day of life and even for the ability to do the simple tasks of daily living!
Some kindnesses in my Saturday included a beautiful hand-stitched needlepoint card from a friend at church, a visit from my good friend Sue with the most wonderful dinner that Sue and her husband Steve made for us. Chicken crepes, roasted vegetables, salad, and apple crisp with vanilla ice cream. It was divine!! And in the evening, Renee's friends Kayla and Dani came to visit. Kayla had made me a box of all her favorite ways to treat nausea!! It had lots of ginger drinks and tea, great crackers, peppermint gum, and for when I'm NOT nauseous, cookies made by Kayla and Dani. So thoughtful and practical!
One more kindness from this weekend involved sewing. Some of you know I'm not very crafty. In junior high sewing class, I got a "D" on my very first project--the Mother's Day apron. I gave up on sewing very quickly after that. Well, one of my favorite, softest pillowcases had a bad tear in it and my good friend Anna sewed it for me and gave it to Dean to give to me yesterday. In addition to mending the tear, she embroidered my name on it and a Scripture reference for Psalm 27:13 which says: "I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." Thank you, Anna!!
Today it is a beautiful sunny day in Seattle! Steve and I will walk along the water at Edmonds and then enjoy visits from Frank, Heather, Marti, Merle, Anthony, and Kaylah. Then there will be time to rest (I get weary around 4 p.m.) and in the evening, Dean will join us for dinner and Downton Abbey. Today I am indeed seeing the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living and I couldn't be more grateful.
Love,
Gabrielle
P.S. Steve is going to try to input a photo here of me sitting amongst some of the cards I've received! As I have mentioned before, I love getting cards as they are so uplifting and encouraging. We are all deeply touched by your warmth. In the background to my left, there is a little brown bag with supplies from Fweedom (see prior post "Magic Man") along with a basket of tasty items for when I get the munchies. Steve hopes I get the munchies soon so I can put on a few pounds. Never been in the "must gain weight" mode before, but I'm trying. Really I am. Now, time for my walk.
Gabrielle here. I am happy to report that my Saturday after chemo was pretty good! Just a little nausea here and there. In the morning, while Steve and our friend, Dean, swam at Golden Gardens, I walked up all those stairs from Golden Gardens up to 85th street. It was the first exercise in a month where my heart pounded and I breathed hard and though I was slow, I made it!
After exercise, Steve and I did some errands. We bought him new swim goggles (that hopefully won't leak) and then we went to a bead store where he picked out some wooden and black beads that he is putting into a macrame string to represent each chemo treatment. It was the cutest thing ever to see my husband as the only man in a bead store full of women picking out supplies to do his "craft!" :-)
Then we went to the wig shop. Unfortunately, the wig I ordered in the first go around didn't look great in the color it came in. So I ordered another one in a bit darker color and it will be in next Friday. I hope my own hair holds out until then. This morning, it is still all here!
I can't tell you how precious it is to do these simple things in my Saturday. Spending time with my husband, talking, being out and about. I am reminded to be grateful for each new day of life and even for the ability to do the simple tasks of daily living!
Some kindnesses in my Saturday included a beautiful hand-stitched needlepoint card from a friend at church, a visit from my good friend Sue with the most wonderful dinner that Sue and her husband Steve made for us. Chicken crepes, roasted vegetables, salad, and apple crisp with vanilla ice cream. It was divine!! And in the evening, Renee's friends Kayla and Dani came to visit. Kayla had made me a box of all her favorite ways to treat nausea!! It had lots of ginger drinks and tea, great crackers, peppermint gum, and for when I'm NOT nauseous, cookies made by Kayla and Dani. So thoughtful and practical!
One more kindness from this weekend involved sewing. Some of you know I'm not very crafty. In junior high sewing class, I got a "D" on my very first project--the Mother's Day apron. I gave up on sewing very quickly after that. Well, one of my favorite, softest pillowcases had a bad tear in it and my good friend Anna sewed it for me and gave it to Dean to give to me yesterday. In addition to mending the tear, she embroidered my name on it and a Scripture reference for Psalm 27:13 which says: "I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." Thank you, Anna!!
Today it is a beautiful sunny day in Seattle! Steve and I will walk along the water at Edmonds and then enjoy visits from Frank, Heather, Marti, Merle, Anthony, and Kaylah. Then there will be time to rest (I get weary around 4 p.m.) and in the evening, Dean will join us for dinner and Downton Abbey. Today I am indeed seeing the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living and I couldn't be more grateful.
Love,
Gabrielle
P.S. Steve is going to try to input a photo here of me sitting amongst some of the cards I've received! As I have mentioned before, I love getting cards as they are so uplifting and encouraging. We are all deeply touched by your warmth. In the background to my left, there is a little brown bag with supplies from Fweedom (see prior post "Magic Man") along with a basket of tasty items for when I get the munchies. Steve hopes I get the munchies soon so I can put on a few pounds. Never been in the "must gain weight" mode before, but I'm trying. Really I am. Now, time for my walk.
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