38 YEARS!

Happy Anniversary to us!  

Thirty-eight years ago today we drove to the Springfield courthouse and said "I do."  It was the second marriage for both of us so nothing fancy was planned (back then, people just didn't do that),  but we had a fun celebration afterwards with some of our good friends.

Just look at those baby faces!  I was 27 and he was 31.

It seems like yesterday - time flies.  I was so in love with him on that day - more than I ever thought possible, and yet today I love him even more.  He truly is the other half of my heart.  Choosing to spend my life with this man is the best decision I ever made.  

LIFE LATELY according to my iPhone

Some "Good Things"

I can't believe its been almost a month since I last posted here.    We have a lot going on these days - things that I never dreamed we would have to deal with at some point.  Its easy to lose track of time.   But not everything is hard - there are many "good things" that we enjoy and are thankful for - I'd like to share a few of those "good things".

I HAD MY FIVE BEST FRIENDS FROM HIGH SCHOOL OVER FOR OUR ANNUAL SLUMBER PARTY.  This is always the highlight of the year for me.  I love spending time with these ladies who have now been my friends for over 50 years.  And we all still look so cute - don't you think?

DENNY HAD HIS 3RD CHEMO TREATMENT, and there were no unexpected visits to the ER, and only mild fatigue and loss of appetite.  Basically, an uneventful couple of weeks, and we'll take it!

THE STIFLING HEAT OF SUMMER HAS FINALLY BROKEN.  The leaves are turning and the air is cool - maybe still a little warmer than normal, but its wonderful to be able to open the windows and let some fresh air into the house!   Fall has always been my favorite season.

I AM RECONNECTING WITH MY CREATIVE SIDE.    I still enjoy coloring in my coloring books, but have also rediscovered how much fun it is to play with stamps, dies, paints, and even paper dolls. My most recent creation was a canvas for Kate who had a birthday last month.

TRAVIS VISITED, AND HE AND DENNY WENT TO THE TITANS/OAKLAND RAIDERS GAME.   Titans lost.  But it was nice to have Travis here for a couple of days.

I FINALLY SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT FOR AN EYE EXAM.   Its been probably a little over 2 years since I had the prescription for my eye glasses updated,  and I've been saying for what seems like forever that I can't see squat.  Well, now I know why.  I have a macular hole in the retina of my left eye (making me legally blind in that eye).  See!!!  I told you I couldn't see anything!   I know this doesn't sound like something that should be included in a list of "good things", but . . .

1.  It WAS good to find out about it.  As busy as we've been, I could easily have continued to postpone scheduling the eye exam, and that might have made surgery less effective.  

2.  After meeting with the first surgeon, I sought a second opinion.  And THAT also qualifies for the "good things" list.  The first surgeon said I would have to be face down for seven (7!!!!) days after surgery - 55 out of every 60 minutes for seven days - face down!     The second surgeon (who I really liked!) said I would only have to be face down for 3 days.  I really liked this doctor (not just because of 4 days less of what I imagine to be a really uncomfortable few days post surgery, but because he seems to really care about his patients.  Plus, he looks like Ross, on Friends).  It was hard finding a date for surgery that would work between everything we have going on with Denny, but we came up with a date in December that we think will work.  I'm not sure how long the hole has been there, but that does effect the outcome/success rate of the surgery.   I'm hopeful to get a good percentage of my sight back.  

Again, I know this doesn't sound like such a "good thing", but the fact that I feel very comfortable with the surgeon and knowing that I won't have to be face down for seven frigging days helped me make my decision to do the surgery.  I was initially leaning in the other direction - seven days is a long time.

DENNY WAS ABLE TO TAKE AN OVERNIGHT GOLF TRIP that he had committed to a year ago.  This was something he really wanted to do, and thanks to a longer than normal space between chemo treatments, he was able to go.  He was exhausted when he got back, but it was one of those good kinds of tired.  Another good thing about it is that it gave me some time to myself. . . and that is always a good thing.

WE FINALLY GOT A HANDRAIL INSTALLED AT THE ENTRANCE TO OUR FRONT DOOR.  Geeez Louise!  The guy who did our landscaping was suppose to install it but since its been almost a year now since the yard was completed, we got tired of waiting and found someone else to take care of it for us.  They did it very quickly and we're very happy with it.  It makes it a lot easier for me to navigate up and down the stairs, and I can quit worrying about my aunts falling when they come to visit.  :)

So, that should kinda catch you up on what's been going on with us lately.  Denny has a stent replacement scheduled for next week and his fourth round of chemo is scheduled for the week after that.  His chemo rounds are suppose to be 21 days apart but that hasn't happened yet - they've always had to be pushed back for one reason or another (mostly the stent thing - the procedure can't be done during the first two weeks of the 21 day cycle).  I think they plan to do another scan after this upcoming fourth round to check on progress.  

A Day In Our Life

We're learning a lot this year - mostly, that "normal" does not exist anymore.  Cancer doesn't just focus on pain and fatigue; it also controls how you spend your time.  Plans made for tomorrow are no longer a sure thing.

A Day In Our Life:  8/30/16

We went to bed on Monday night with plans to go to Skyline the next morning for Denny's third Chemo treatment.  We were glad we'd made an early appointment because we both were tired, and we were glad we'd be able to come home afterwards and use the afternoon to relax, recover and maybe take a nap.  We both needed some down time.

As we got ready the next morning, I glanced at Denny as he came out of the shower, and stopped in my tracks as I realized that he was yellow.  It was mostly just his chest and torso, but by the time we arrived for the 9:15 appointment, it had spread over his entire body including his eyes.  Dr. Barnes suspected that the stent in his bile duct had become clogged and cancelled the chemo session.  The stent had to be replaced immediately.  He contacted our gastroenterologist and they scheduled Denny for an emergency stent replacement - now we had to be at Centennial at 1:30 for a 3pm procedure.  The doctor was running late so the procedure didn't actually begin until about 4:15.  Dr. Barne's suspicion was correct - the stent was completely blocked.  (Which was kinda a good thing because if it had not been, it would've meant  something else was causing the jaundice.)  We finally got back home around 7:30pm.  (Very tired.)

There is no normal life, there's just life.  You just live it.    - V.Kilmer

That day was nothing at all like we planned - Cancer was in control.  Sometimes the circumstances are such that we just have to go along and give in.  Other times though, (especially if golf is involved) Denny refuses to give in.  At this point, we're learning to make whatever adjustments are needed, go with the flow,  and try to not let it rule our lives.

P.S. - Denny's not yellow anymore :-)