Lots Going On

Sorry I haven't posted in quite some time. I think I needed a little break after the holidays to get back in the groove. Everything is fine here.

Lauren and Gio left for sunny Mexico on Sunday. It didn't start out well for them. Gio could not find his passport on Saturday while packing and everyone was freaking out to put it mildly. I told them I would come over to his house and we would go room by room and leave no place unsearched. I was half way over and I got a call that he found it in his gym bag. This was after they had been searching for at least 3 hours. I made him give me his passport and the tickets to hold until Lauren packed her purse. Kids!! Gio went out with a bunch of guys after packing and Lauren came home and I helped her pack. We went to bed about 1:30. At about 2:30, Ryan came and woke me up to tell me Lauren needed me. She had a bad stomach ache and back pain. Then at about 3:00 she threw up and the other end started. This lasted the rest of the night and they had to be at the airport by 5:30. I wasn't sure she was going to make it. We got to the airport and she said she felt sick. I saw a sign for the restroom, but she couldn't make it and threw up in a trash can. I felt so bad for her and was so worried. She said she was better so they got their boarding passes and headed for the security check-in. They got through that and we waved good bye and left. She called a little later and said she felt better. I had called a few days ahead to the airline and asked that Lauren be provided a wheelchair at Atlanta Airport because I knew it was really big. Lauren said their was someone waiting at the airport in Atlanta and Cancun and they wheeled her through the airport right to where she needed to be. I am so glad Lisa told me to do this. Thanks, Lisa. I am happy to say that Lauren and Gio are having a marvelous time and Lauren did not get sick anymore after the airport incident. I can't believe she had been sick from nervousness. She wasn't even nervous. I think it was a touch of a bug or something. God sure listened to our prayers for her to get better.

Lauren and I went to Michigan last Monday for an MRI on Tuesday. They had a hard time accessing her port and stuck her 4 times, had to get another nurse, made her sit up, lay down, sit up, push all around her port. They finally got it but that is the last time this is going to happen. From now on, we are going to the cancer center to have her port accessed. Nobody in the regular hospital seems to know what they are doing when a port is involved. You may ask why she doesn't just get an iv in her arm. When a person has chemo for as long as Lauren has, their veins are shot and are very hard to put an iv in. Her doctor doesn't like her using her port for anything but chemo, but he doesn't have to be the one getting poked a bunch of times!! I think she was more nervous than I have ever seen her for this scan. She had a terrible time the last time she had an MRI. She took 4 Ativans before this one and was still nervous. She requested the large MRI machine because the small ones totally freak her out. They told her the large one was not available, so she said she would try a smaller one. The one she had was different and it didn't bother her so much, plus someone had mentioned to put a towel over her eyes and it might help. It did and she got through it fairly well. I have never seen her so happy when she was done. Kristen called us and told us that the MRI showed shrinkage of all tumors except one and we are very pleased.

We will be heading back to Michigan next Monday thru Wednesday. Monday she has to have a physical for a study she is going to take part in. Tuesday she is having the dreaded liver biopsy. Wednesday is labs, appointment with Dr. Zalupski, and chemo. Wow!! What a busy few days. Hopefully, we will hear good news from everything.

We had lunch last Thurs. with our friend, Lisa. It was Lauren's engagement celebration and Lisa treated us. Wo loves Lisa so much that she asked her to be a bridesmaid in the wedding. Lisa is so excited, but said she thought of the Murphy Brown episode where Murphy was in a wedding and had to carry a parasol. Haha. I don't think Lauren will make her wear a hoop skirt or carry a parasol.

I can't think of much else to write about so I will post some pictures as promised from my last post. Thank you all for your continued support. We sure do appreciate it. Please say a prayer for some of our CC friends that are having a hard time, especially Cindy and Joe. Also, Lisa and Kirk who are going through radiation. Thank you.

I can't get the pics to load, so I will try in a bit. Love to all, -Pam


Here we go. Pictures from my Mom and Dad's house in Port Clinton over Christmas weekend.

Look at all that food!! Grandma Tommie looks surprised. Haha.

Mark, Wo, Gio, and Sis getting a snack.

Getting ready to open presents.

The giant tree and Ryan. Papa Ron in the background.

Linda and Wayne's dog, Ernie, opening a present.

The Big Man aka Mark.

Wayne and Stephanie.

Sis and Brucie

Sis, Stinky, Bruce, and Buzz.

Katie, Papa Ron, and Matt. Papa Ron was banished to the corner because he had a cold.