Everyday Life

Hi Everyone! This post might be shorter than usual because I really don't have much news. Once I get writing, I think of things so we will see. It is crazy to me the people that read this blog. One person all the way in Estonia reads it. I had to google Estonia to see where it was!!Way on the other side of the world. Technology is amazing. Hey, if it gets the word out about Cholangiocarcinoma, which is one of the reasons I write this blog, I am all for it.

Lauren has been feeling amazingly well lately. She just started having a bit of foot pain on Sunday. The soles of her feet are red and sore from her Xeloda. I rubbed some cream on them last night before she went to bed. Hopefully this morning they will feel better. She has had more than a few bouts of nausea, but just sits real still and chews spearmint gum and it usually passes. Her mood has been better too since speaking with the social worker when we were in Michigan.

Wo has been on a shopping kick lately. She went one day with her good friend, Jill and one day with her brother, Ryan. Now before you get all judgmental and wonder how she can afford to shop, let me tell you that she only buys things from discount stores and on sale. She mostly window shops and just looks. She goes with others that need things and she helps them find them. She could be gone for four or five hours and come home with one tiny bag. She loves to get out and stay busy when she feels good. She is a girl that used to live to shop. She used to buy a purse and shoes every time she went. Sadly, she cannot afford to do that anymore. But she still has fun with friends and her brother who also seems to have the shopping gene. Must've gotten that from their Dad, because I would rather go to the dentist than go shopping. It's all those years of working in retail that ruined it for me.

Last Wednesday, Lauren and Mark went on a Daddy/Daughter date to the movies and saw Hotel Transylvania. They both said they had a great time and the movie was really cute. Mark absolutely loves spending one on one time with his kids and has always been such a great Dad.

I went on a crazy soup kick last weekend and made three different kinds of homemade soup. Chicken with rice, broccoli cheese, and vegetable beef. I froze a lot so we can have them later when we are too busy or I just don't feel like cooking!!

Mark and I cut down all the flowers and trimmed the bushes this past weekend. My flowers were nothing this past year compared to previous years because I just didn't feel like taking care of them. They didn't matter to me this year. That is what depression does to a person, I guess. I feel a lot better now and hopefully next year my flowers will be beautiful and mean something to me again.

We met one of our favorite people, Miss Lisa, yesterday for lunch at D'Agnese's in Fairlawn. It is a great Italian restaurant that has delicious food. Lisa brings such joy to us every time we see her. She relates to what Lauren is going through and is such a wonderful person. We always have such a fun time when we are together.

We will be heading back to Michigan next Wednesday. Wow. three weeks sure do fly by. Please remember to say a prayer for all of our friends with Cholangiocarcinoma. Some are not doing very well lately. Also, please pray for Marta who is having a difficult time battling stomach cancer. May they all find some comfort.

I am posting some pictures of Lisa, Lauren, and I at lunch this week. Also, a blast from the past. Judging by how little Ryan is, I would guess this pic to be about 16 years old. Haha. I'm sure my kids will love this. How about my groovy striped pant suit. Mark looks quite handsome! One more thing, Our Cleveland Browns finally won a game!! Go Browns! Take care. Love, -Pam