Dan’s Victory

Saturday -Sunday, August 29-30, 2009

Saturday - A very good night sleep. Don’t remember waking up at all and shoulders felt pretty good. Worked on bills and banking stuff like the checkbook. Always fun — not! Lunch - okay - lost card. She had no mercy on me! Early afternoon we drove to a get-together of Jane’s staff - socialized, ate outside around an outdoor fire (20 wood acres out in the mountains east and south of here), had devotions, and prayed for some of the staff kids who are going into high school, and prayed for the school. Got there at 4 p.m. - got home at 9 p.m. So that was pretty much our day. Found out a lot more people read this than I knew about - since most don’t leave any comments. And that is okay - I’m not complaining!

Sunday - A good night sleep although I woke up with a sore right shoulder - during the night I found myself sleeping on my side - the right shoulder. But after a hot shower it loosened up some. Great church service about love today - serving others and even more those who have hurt you (“your enemies”) as Jesus washed the feet of Judas, knowing that he was in the process of betraying Him. And Jesus did command that we love each other and even our enemies. Anyway it was a great sermon.

Goofed up a little after service - I’m telling on myself. Jane wanted to return an item to a store and I waited in the car. Well, actually I quickly drove the car around the corner of that part of the mall to see if her way or my way was the shortest. I did take her way to get there. They were about the same. Well, the entrance was really a neat one - however, another entrance was just like it. When I came back I had forgotten about that and parked in front of the wrong entrance. And I fell asleep. Jane knocked on the car door some 25 minutes later and seemed upset. She had been looking for the car for 20 minutes and couldn’t find it until she prayed and went around the corner to the other entrance and there I was. I had parked in front of the wrong entrance. I, obviously, had to tell her I was sorry. She was not only upset but worried about me - what could have happened to me? So I asked her to forgive me - which she did. That would have been a good time to have had cell phones. She had left hers at home and I don’t have one! I need to have paid better attention! (Needed to tell you that story.)
The remainder of the day I ate pretty good. Things tasting a little better, I think. Napping for 1 hour. Doing a little work outside. Jane’s mom and dad came over and so we visited with them for a while. Dinner - cards - I won. Talked to my sister, Rocky, as she had called, and then I-Chatted with our youngest son and wife, Ryan and Kristen, and two of their three kids. Then got to work on this and bills. Jane starts school, teaching, tomorrow, so we will be in bed earlier, and get up earlier.
Don’t forget, God has His ways - which are best - even though sometimes we may not think so! I’m glad He sees the big picture.

DAN

God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called.

God grades on the cross, not the curve.

God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage.

If God is your Co-pilot, swap seats!

Friday, August 28, 2009

A great night sleep! Up for Coco and back to bed for 2 hours - up at 8 a.m.!
Shoulders seems to be slowly getting better. Back a little sore, but not worth complaining about - what good does that do anyway? Food still a bit off - not eating as much as I probably should.

After a very late breakfast, Jane did some shopping and I weed wacked the whole yard. Didn’t know if I could do it, but I have a strap I can hook it up so that is over the shoulder and around the waist. That worked well. Didn’t get very tired from it and shoulder seemed to handle it well. I went slow, of course, and had on a mask and gloves! Then I dug up a few natural black raspberry plants to where I have others. Some call them Black Caps. Planted them in pots with liquid fertilizer until I’m sure I can plant them in the ground. Then it was nap time - about 45 minutes. Jane got home = lunch! While she was preparing I got a little more nap time. Don’t remember what I did after that - but I felt pretty good today. We had an invitation to meet for dinner at a casual pizza place on the Tacoma water front. We went. No one was there? We ate and went home to find out what had happened. Of course, it was my doing - I misread the email. It was Thursday not Friday. Missed it! Went home and had an enjoyable evening.

So it was a good day. Got some exercise, some rest, some time with the Lord. Keep me on track, good Lord!

DAN

F A M I L Y

I ran into a stranger as he passed by,
“Oh excuse me please” was my reply.
He said, “Please excuse me too; I wasn’t watching for you.” We were very polite, this stranger and I. We went on our way and we said goodbye.
But at home a different story is told, how we treat our loved ones, young and old. Later that day, cooking the evening meal,  My son stood beside me very still. When I turned, I nearly knocked him down.  “Move out of the way,” I said with a frown.. He walked away, his little heart broken.
I didn’t realize how harshly I’d spoken.  While I lay awake in bed, God’s still small voice came to me and said,  “While dealing with a stranger, common courtesy you use, but the family you love, you seem to abuse.  Go and look on the kitchen floor, You’ll find some flowers there by the door.  Those are the flowers he brought for you.  He picked them himself: pink, yellow and blue.  He stood very quietly not to spoil the surprise,  you never saw the tears that filled his little eyes.”
By this time, I felt very small,  and now my tears began to fall.  I quietly went and knelt by his bed; “Wake up, little one, wake up,” I said. “Are these the flowers you picked for me?”
He smiled, “I found ‘em, out by the tree.
I picked ‘em because they’re pretty like you.  I knew you’d like ‘em, especially the blue..”
I said, “Son, I’m very sorry for the way I acted today; I shouldn’t have yelled at you that way.”

He said, “Oh, Mom, that’s okay.  I love you anyway.”
I said, “Son, I love you too,  and I do like the flowers, especially the blue..”
FAMILY

Are you aware that if we died tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in  a matter of days.  But the family we left behind will feel the loss  for the rest of their lives.

And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more into work than into our own family, an unwise investment indeed,  don’t you think?  So what is behind the story? Do you know what the word FAMILY means?  FAMILY = (F)ATHER (A)ND (M)OTHER (I) (L)OVE (Y)OU

Wednesday-Thursday, August 26-27, 2009

A good couple days. Busy, busy, busy but not at the doctor’s office!

Wednesday - up at about 6:30 a.m. - shoulders about the same - but good night sleep. Spent some of the morning collating the remainder of Jane’s classroom 1st grade books. Picked the remaining blueberries - worked much of the day and evening on finance book keeping. Have gotten a bit behind and still didn’t catch up all the way, although I spent a bunch of hours working on all of it. Still have to write my second appeal letter to my insurance to cover the last 40 days staying in Seattle. Did get in a good long nap - 2 hours! A previous pastor I had in California called and we talked a pretty good length of time. Please pray for a full recovery for him. Pastor Phil Gehlher. He had a stroke in January and is still recovering from that. He wanted songs to help people in the church he attends (He is retired from parish pastoring.) memorize some parts of the Psalms. So I spend a good amount of time finding cassette tapes from the past that have some on it and mailed them off to him. Also I spent time looking up books that will help married people understand each other and themselves, to send to a person I coached in wrestling in Michigan about 40+ years ago - Facebook of course.
If you have an interest at the end I have included that list.

Thursday - up at 6 a.m. - shoulders a bit better - the usual get ready of the day - eat (cereal that was too sweet), 1/4 bagel, - during the day wash, dry, and fold clothes - “dust” floors - vacuum rugs and carpet - steam clean and rinse the family room carpet and most walked areas in living and family room (we have a Hoover Steam Cleaner) - a little shopping - a short nap. The vacuuming and carpet cleaning kind of wore me out! In all of that my right shoulder loosened up more yet. The garage door opener overhead in the car I usually can’t reach, but today I could! Does vacuuming and cleaning the carpet count for walking? Now that Jane is in meetings etc. all day, it’s Coco and me! Good to have a sweet dog! Stays right by me most of the day. God supplies your needs in interesting ways. Red Box video for the evening. Jane did all necessary work at school today, so we’ll see how much she is at home tomorrow! Food didn’t taste so good today, but ate pretty good anyway, I think. (Jane didn’t think so!) Hot day - good to stay inside. Keep on praying - God will have His will in my life.

Three Quotations to Help Us in Our Christian Life

1. The effectiveness of our prayers is not in the length or volume of your praying, but the God to  whom we pray.

2. It is wonderful to have the peace of God, but it is even more wonderful to have peace with God.

3. Conflict Resolution - 6 difficult words: I’m wrong, I’m sorry, Forgive me.
Books Helpful to Married People.

You can just enter the name of the book in Google and it will show you where you can buy them and how much, or a good website is chrisitanbook.com; or go to your nearest Christian bookstore and find them there.

The Five Languages of Love by Gary Chapman
Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man’s Soul by John Eldredge
Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman’s Soul by John and Stasi Eldredge
His Needs Her Needs by Willard F. Harley, Jr.
Boundaries in Marriage by Drs. Cloud & Townsend
Fathered by God: Discover What Your Dad Could Never Teach You by John Eldredge
Men Are Like Waffles, Women Are Like Spaghetti: Understanding & Delighting in Your Differences by Bill & Pan Farrel
The Purpose Drive Life by Rick Warren

DAN

Tuesday, August 25, 2009
A nice day outside today, but didn’t spend much time outside. Woke at 4 a.m. and didn’t get back to sleep until 5:30 a.m. Then Coco woke me at 6 a.m. - let her out and in, and gave her breakfast. Went back to bed at about 6:20 a.m. and then woke with Jane at 7 a.m. So it was an interesting early morning! All kinds of things go through your head during those hours once you wake up!
Took Coco to get groomed and left her there most of the day. Went to Safeway for milk (and an apple fritter!). Sure is easy to shop at 7:15 a.m. - no one is there!
After Jane went to school, I did some book work for Jane - pulling out pages and putting all the page 1-2 together, the 3-4 together etc. Got tired and laid down on the couch to nap at 10 a.m. I was pretty tired. Woke when my wrist watch alarm went off to take my noon pills. So I had slept 2 hours! That sure felt good. Taste has been pretty good today - smell almost good. Back got kind of sore and fatigued today, and I wasn’t really doing anything that I would think would cause it. Shoulders felt a bit better today too, Still don’t have much flexibility in my right shoulder, but I continue to be careful with it, and it seems to be doing a little better. It is sure a lot easier to get in my truck than in our car. Step up to the truck, drop down to the car - so have to use my arm to support myself to get into the driver’s seat and sit down in the car. So actually I’m doing pretty good —- on the outside anyway, God and the doctors know about the inside - T-cells, multiple myeloma etc. The next verses say very clearly how I feel about that:

Ps 55:22 Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall. 23 But as for me, I trust in you.
Ps 56:3 When I am afraid, I will trust in you. 4 In God, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I will not be afraid

DAN

CHEROKEE INDIAN YOUTH’S RITE OF PASSAGE TO BE A MAN

Do you know the legend of the Cherokee Indian youth’s rite of passage???His dad takes him into the forest blindfolded and leaves him alone. He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not take off the blindfold until the ray of sun shines through it.??He is all by himself.??He cannot cry out for help to anyone. Once he survives the night, he is a MAN.??He cannot tell the other boys of this experience. Each lad must come into his own manhood.??The boy in our story was, naturally, terrified. He could hear all kinds of noise. Beasts were all around him. Maybe even a human would hurt him. The wind blew the grass and earth and it shook his stump. But he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold.??It would be the only way he could be a man.??Finally, after a horrific night the sun appeared and he removed his blindfold. It was then that he saw his father sitting on the stump next to him - at watch the entire night.??”I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”?- God (Hebrews 13:5)

Monday, August 24, 2009

Another good night of sleep. Thank you, Lord!
Got to Dr. McCroskey’s office early - 8:15 a.m. - as the nurse needed the check with me on what blood draw samples she needed. I helped some. When I saw the doctor, he checked me out and said that my levels from last week look good. Then we went through some of the things that SCCA wanted - dates etc. He thanked me for my help and is going to call  one of the doctors at SCCA also. I felt Dr. McCroskey was feeling it was all a lot - I told him that I had told the doctors at SCCA that Dr. McCroskey is a very busy doctor. They had said they would help whenever he needed it.
For those of you who thought I was crazy working on the roof - it really is not steep at all and is cement tile and nothing bad happened! Don’t be concerned anymore - I’m done!
Did some other outdoor work - a nice sunny day - but I was covered the whole time as desired.
I did get a good nap. Longer than I expected 1 hour, 40 minutes! Felt good, as I was pretty tired before I took the nap. Food did pretty good today - I did eat really slow, but it tasted pretty good. Lost a close cribbage game.
Hardest thing today was folding clothes. Sounds funny or weird, but the places I use are really affecting my back - hurts. I’ll try the kitchen counter next time.
So Coco and I had a pretty good day today. Need to work in a daily walk with her.
So the Lord continues to be at my side, in front, behind, over and under me and the best, His Spirit is in me!

DAN

GOD’S OATH TO YOU…

When you are sad
I will dry your tears.

When you are scared
I will comfort your fears.

When you are worried
I will give you hope.

When you are confused
I will help you cope.

And when you are lost and can’t see the light,
I shall be your beacon. Shining ever so bright.

This is my oath:
I pledge till the end.

Why you may ask?
Because you’re my friend.

Signed: GOD

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Another pretty good night sleep! A morning shower seems to always take much of soreness out of my shoulders. I still have a limited range of motion, however; right worse than the left. Had an outdoor service and picnic at church today; a good time of visiting with others. Picked up Coco from our good church friends who willingly take her when we go places over night. What wonderful, giving friends! Got home for a necessary nap. Ribs have been hurting some - I think it is still the zometa, as my ribs hadn’t been feeling this way for some time. Yet I have been feeling pretty good. And some other good news: today food has tasted good! Smelled fine and tasted fine and ate everything at every meal. Three pancakes for breakfast rather than the two I have been having for some time now, when I have pancakes! Went out for dinner with Jane’s brother and wife, and Jane’s dad and mom. Was good to be with them. Obviously things are going pretty well right now. Don’t know about the fight of my brother’s T-cells. I should be finding out something about that tomorrow from Dr. McCroskey.

I do know that all of this will make me a better person than I was before. God can be trusted and will help me keep growing in Him.

DAN

SOMEONE BETTER THAN BEFORE from Moments of Peace in the Presence of God
The caterpillar doesn’t argue that it would rather be a butterfly. It simply submits to the plan that God crested for it and curls up inside the cocoon when the time comes for the miracle to the time comes for the miracle to take place. . . .  When the transformation is complete, a different creature — different in form and different in ability — emerges from the cocoon and flies away to begin its new life with wings.

In His mercy, God transforms you as well — if you let Him. He exchanges your impatience for grace and your anger for compassion. After His work is complete in you, you emerge as someone better than you were before. With God’s love and grace inside you, you, like Him, become slow to anger and quick to love.

Thursday - Saturday, August 20 - 22, 2009

I won’t remember too many details about the last few days as Jane and I went to Ocean Shores on Thursday and came back today. No computer, no school work for Jane - we relaxed and enjoyed the rest and ocean. It was my birthday and our anniversary on the 20th. Thursday, my twin brother, Dave, and his wife, Phyllis joined us at Ocean Shores and we were able to spend the afternoon together on the beach, had dinner together, and spent the evening playing cards together. It was a wonderful birthday and anniversary. I had taken a nausea pill before dinner - and dinner tasted okay! The exercise of picking up pretty and white rocks on the beach was helpful.
Friday, Jane and I slept in at the motel - 3rd floor - great ocean view. Good night sleep. Shoulders a bit sore, but not as bad as it was earlier in the week. I’m being pretty careful with them. Walking up the stairs was a bit hard. Had to do it slow and rest after not many steps! Jane and I spent much of the day - mostly sunny with light clouds - at the beach, walking the beach, her reading and me looking for more rocks! I have plans for them all. Meals didn’t taste quite right, did take another nausea pill before dinner, but I did eat pretty good even though the taste was off. Walked through a number of stores and did more reading and cards in the motel in the evening. Was pretty tired - fell asleep as Jane was reading out night-time devotions - OOPS! Jane told me in the morning how quickly I had fallen asleep.
Saturday - Slept in a little bit and had a good night sleep again. After breakfast (from the breakfast the day before that we saved) we again did some shopping and looking through the quaint shops. We had already packed up our stuff and put most of it in the car. After lunch time at the beach again - Jane reading, me picking up a bunch of small beautiful rock. I was really feeling pretty good. Was careful with my shoulders, and slow walking, and careful getting up on the big rocks where Jane was to relax. When we were getting off the huge rocks any guess what happened? No I didn’t fall —- but —- the plastic bag of rocks I had, broke and fell down between the boulders to where I couldn’t get them. The bag handles broke - both at the same time. I was able to save a very few, but disappointed to have lost an hour’s worth of picking them up and avoiding the rising tide waves! Wasn’t particularly tired today. But the drive home is usually 2 hours, took us 3 because of the terrible I 5 traffic. Took another route just past Olympia and that didn’t work out much better.
So we are back home. Had a good birthday and anniversary and I felt pretty good the whole time we were there. I’ll find out in a couple weeks if the first 2-3 days after the chemo is hard like it was this week, or if this will happen once a month when I will again be getting both chemo and zometa. Is so, at least I can be ready for it next time. It always helps me to have a good idea of what is ahead - easier to tolerate.

Have a great weekend! Jesus loves you!

DAN

Ps 62:1 My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. 2 He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken. 5 Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him. 6 He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken. 7 My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge. 8 Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge. 11 One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that you, O God, are strong, 12 and that you, O Lord, are loving.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Had a pretty good night of sleep, but Coco likes to get up at 6 a.m., go outside, get fed and then I can get back to sleep on the couch. I did sleep for another 1 1/2 hours though. It was interesting that although I had a good night sleep, I was tired - not sleepy tired, but physically tired. Didn’t feel much like eating at breakfast but did eat most of it. After my morning stuff I finished the work on the roof. That pooped me out even more. Wanted to get it done before the heat came (over 90% today). Ate a late lunch and it tasted okay, but I didn’t eat very much. Jane got home and we went to a few stores to find a new pet pillow for our dog. That wore me out more, so Jane drove home. When home I took another nap. Was still tired when I woke from the nap. So I guess the chemo and zometa are affecting me. Looks like I have to start taking a nausea pill again before dinner because I couldn’t eat much of my dinner - although I am sure it was must have been a good dinner. (Jane is a wonderful cook.) Another result of taking the chemo. Tried doing some more work after dinner. Not sure if that helped or not. Looks like I better take some Tylenol before going to bed! Please, pray that tastes and smells will come back to normal. They aren’t right now! I have to eat better than I did today! Kind of a hard day, but I know God will use all of this for His glory.

DAN

Cliff Climbing & Contact Lens

Brenda was almost halfway to the top of the tremendous granite cliff. She was standing on a ledge where she was taking a breather during this, her first rock climb. As she rested there, the safety rope snapped against her eye and knocked out her contact lens. “Great”, she thought. “Here I am on a rock ledge, hundreds of feet from the bottom and hundreds of feet to the top of this cliff, and now my sight is blurry.” She looked and looked, hoping that somehow it had landed on the ledge. But it just wasn’t there. She felt the panic rising in her, so she began praying. She prayed for calm, and she prayed that she may find her contact lens. When she got to the top, a friend examined her eye and her clothing for the lens, but it was not to be found. Although she was calm now that she was at the top, she was saddened because she could not clearly see across the range of mountains. She thought of the bible verse “The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth.” ??She thought, “Lord, You can see all these mountains. You know every stone and leaf, and You know exactly where my contact lens is. Please help me.” Later, when they had hiked down the trail to the bottom of the cliff they met another party of climbers just starting up the face of the cliff. One of them shouted out, “Hey, you guys! Anybody lose a contact lens?”  Well, that would be startling enough, but you know why the climber saw it? An ant was moving slowly across a twig on the face of the rock, carrying it! The story doesn’t end there. Brenda’s father is a cartoonist. When she told him the incredible story of the ant, the prayer, and the contact lens, he drew a cartoon of an ant lugging that contact lens with the caption, “Lord, I don’t know why You want me to carry this thing. I can’t eat it, and it’s awfully heavy. But if this is what You want me to do, I’ll carry it for You.”

I think it would do all of us some good to say, “God, I don’t know why You want me to carry this load. I can see no good in it and it’s awfully heavy. But, if You want me to carry it, I will.”

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Not so good of a night sleep. Didn’t get to bed until 11 p.m. and had to get up at 5:30 a.m. to go to Seattle to see the Renal doctor (kidney).  But I woke at 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. and then off and on concerned about getting up when I should. Stupid - I had my loud alarm set! But I did then get up at 5:15 a.m. and left by 6:15 a.m. Didn’t want to have to pay the price of parking at University of Washington Medical Center so went to Seattle Cancer Care Alliance and parked ($4.00) and then at 7:55 a.m. got on the shuttle from there to UWMC. When I saw the doctor I couldn’t give him all the information he wanted. He can get to my records at SCCA about medications and amounts but not to Dr. McCroskey in Puyallup. He did remind me to get some information from my doctor to send to him, but especially warned me that zometa can, over time, negatively affect the kidneys. Don’t know if I will be going back to him again, although he is a good kidney doctor. It is a long drive there and back and my doctor, and he may have a difficult time with keeping up on what each wants done!
After I got home I helped with a little bit of the work Jane needs done before school starts. Then she got home and we had lunch. I then took a nap. Then I went back on the roof to work on cleaning it up more - but quit after 1 1/2 hours. Still have more to do - something for me to do tomorrow. I really got tired soon after that and my bones in my back and ribs started aching. Those are generally the effects of the chemo and zometa! Not much I can do about that except to know it will pass in a couple days. So after dinner I have been resting as I do this, and later will watch a little TV.
Not getting as much done as I would like to, but I know I have to be careful and not do too much. I think I am kind of figuring that out! Maybe! God is healing me, just doesn’t particularly feel like it all the time. Does “No pain, to gain” apply?
You have a wonderful, and blessed day and night!

DAN

If God Exists Why the Pain and Suffering?

A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed.

As the barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation.

They talked about so many things and various subjects.

When they eventually touched on the subject of God, the barber said:

‘I don’t believe that God exists.’

‘Why do you say that?’  asked the customer.
‘Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn’t exist.

Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people?

Would there be abandoned children?

If God existed, there would be neither suffering or pain.

I can’t imagine a loving God who would allow all of these things.’

The customer thought for a moment, but didn’t respond because he didn’t want to start an argument.

The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop..

Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard.

He looked dirty and unkempt.  The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again and he said to the barber:
‘You know what? Barbers do not exist.’

‘How can you say that?’ asked the surprised barber. ‘I am here, and I am a barber.  And I just worked on you!’

‘No!’ the customer exclaimed. ‘Barbers don’t exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside.’

‘Ah, but barbers DO exist!  That’s what happens when people do not come to me.’

‘Exactly!’  affirmed the customer.  ‘That’s the point! God, too, DOES exist!

That’s what happens when people do not go to Him and don’t look to Him for help.

That’s why there’s so much pain and suffering in the world.’

Saturday - Monday, August 15-17, 2009

Saturday - Basically a good day. Still have shoulders that are having trouble. Food still smelling and tasting not quite right. Okay night sleep. Tired so took a morning nap. Jane and I drove down to Vancouver to visit with our daughter, Dawn, son-in-law, Michael, and grandgirls, Danica and Hannah. A good evening with them and I did watch much of the Seahawk game. Yes, we won!
Sunday -Night sleep pretty good until about 4 a.m. as shoulders hurt and woke me. Also needed more fluid - a drink of water. Awake - asleep - awake - asleep the remainder of the morning. Planned on going to church, but Dawn and Michael’s church had a big outdoor thing for all their people to come to - too many people, so we didn’t go. Nice day but did need another nap. Good to spend some good time with our kids and grandkids. Drove home and got home about 9 p.m.
Monday - Better night of sleep. Shoulders a bit better but had to be careful. Doctor appointment at 7:45 a.m.. but I had to wait an hour before I saw Dr. McCroskey. I was suppose to have a blood draw before that, but it didn’t happen, so they had to take blood while I waited in the room waiting for the doctor. He stepped in pretty much on time, but they still had to take the blood draw. Missed the first poke - moved it around and I suggested she try another vein. She apologized and did a good job on the next one. Then saw Dr. McCroskey and we made sure all the stuff SCCA wanted done was going to get done and what Dr McCroskey wanted as well. SCCA wanted blood for a check on my kynerism - to see how Dick’s T-cells are doing, and also to have the chemo as soon as I had been done seeing him (Dr. McCroskey). So I will have the kynerism check done once a week, the chemo (Velcade) once every other week, and Dr. McCroskey started me on zometa once a month. (That is for strengthening my bones.) And I have to check again on the CMV blood check, but I believe that was done today. (They took 4 viles of blood.) I also had to get more of two of the pills I have to take at the pharmacist.

Got home at almost noon. Had lunch and then needed a nap. After the nap I covered my arms and legs, and head and face so I could get on the roof and try to finish blowing off the fir needles etc. Wanted to finish but got too tired and figured I could finish it another day. Dinner and Phase 10 - I won. I had lost the last 3 games or so. Have rested the remainder of the evening. Usually the chemo will make me tired for a few days or more, and the zometa will give me bone pain for about 3 days or so. So pray, please! Oh, also today I received a letter from my insurance and I now have to write a second appeal for them to pay for the last 40 days of medical housing in Seattle. Pray for that as well, please, that the second appeal will be accepted and they will pay.

Our neighbors - Ed and B.B and their two girls wanted an indoor cat who is house trained so they have now taken Jose’. Thank you Ed and B.B. Now we can visit family away from here and not be concerned about Jose’

The  task ahead of us is never as ?great as the Power behind us. (That would be God!)

DAN