Vacation

Well our journey this month, July, is somewhat different from the regular journey Bob takes each month dealing with cancer------oh, of course I am along for the trip as well!!!   This month we took a vacation.  We left the city and went on a road trip.  What made this journey so very special  was the travelling companions that came along.  Our three AB grandkids came with us:  Colton, Ashton and Emily chose to "hang" with us and go along with the plans that we made---no complaints that we were made aware of either!!!!  


Choosing a cheap hotel, online, in a small town, can be well------cheap!!!  In the end the continental breakfast with only the two chairs and the mouldy bread moved us out to a restaurant that proved to have a great breakfast.           
Fortunately, we could all chuckle and make jokes as we drove away from what had once been a great hotel.


The drive through the mountains that have the valleys and meadows among them always remind me of the story of Heidi.  I always really liked the story and can imagine grandpa an Heidi heading up the slope with the goats. Does anyone's kids still read Heidi?  I suppose today kids read more "modern" stories but I love to get lost in the stories that I read and Heidi did that for me as a child.


Having been raised in a different time and a different economic situation than what we see looking at all these recreational properties makes Bob and I wonder.  My goodness such amazing beautiful places but so far from any major centers.  How do folks use these homes?  I am sure you can't come out just for weekends!!!    So high up in the mountains.  Much different from Clear Lake and Oak Lake where our friends had cottages. 


Loved coming into the Osoyoos area and seeing the acres and acres of fruit trees.  Yum fresh peaches right from the tree-----we followed the tractor that brought them to the fruit stand.  I haven't bought a peach back here at home yet, they just seem so hard and have lost the "blush".  So exciting to see all the fresh fruit and veggies and oh my so "cheap"!!!!  An amazing place to do weight watchers.  ;-}.  The rain really came down in Osoyoos and the rivers and streams were really high.  This is where the area had flooded earlier in spring.   We also saw signs that said gleaners were welcome.  We thought that was very neat.  Made me think of the book of Ruth in the Bible.  One never knows what may happen when we are generous like these farmers.


Also lots of history!!!!  The kids didn't groan so you can't either.  Greenwood BC is where a large number of Japanese-Canadians were moved to when Canada went to war with Japan in 1941.  Surprised to see a Sihk temple in Oliver BC--such a small community, but as we travelled north we realized that the signs on many of the farms had changed and I am sure reflect why the temple in Oliver. 


 Onward to our next hotel in Kelowna--also one of the more affordable places.  What will it be like?  Will it have wi fi? Will the breakfast be good?       Wait for the next installment.

Harbinger

This word, harbinger, has played around in my head for the last little while.  It is a neat word and rolls off of the tongue rather smartly.  I had heard it said that the robin is the harbinger of spring.  When you think about it there are lots of harbingers in our lives.  The other day I saw one and it made me laugh out loud.  From the kitchen sink I am able to see Bob come out of the garage when he gets home.  On this particular day, he was carrying an orange gallon container.  This container had been placed in a majorly translucent bag so the container is very obvious.  That is when the word harbinger popped into my head.  This orange container is the harbinger of all the upcoming lab tests that Bob needs to have done....again.  I am so thankful that the doc keeps him on such a close cancer watch even tho the numbers are low and point to really---no active cancer---those tests come around with such regularity.  This is the last week of chemo for this cycle, next week---is test week-- which is the harbinger of the visit to Tom Baker for the test results.

Check up

Today Bob was back at Tom Baker Cancer Center.  This was his monthly check up--mostly so he is able to get the chemo drugs for another three weeks.  We are so thankful that all the lab work that is done before these appointments--keeps the docs up on what the cancer is doing.  Glad to have that watched so closely.  All this means that he is almost done the week of being chemo free.  We don't miss some of the side affects but the drugs do keep some of the aches and pains in check.  This very wet, cold weather could also be the reason that extra pains are showing up.  Either way today was positive, some of the markers have dropped a wee bit---so much better than going up!!!!!!  He has the appointment for the next PET scan which will be Aug.2.   Looks like it could be a calm summer for Bob health wise.


Ta Da---the numbers  HGB--145
                                    Monoclonal #1--1.7
                                    Kappa/Lambda Free Ratio--1.14

Student Bob

One of the definitions of student, in my old dictionary, is "an attentive and systematic observer".  Bob spent last week studying and observing at Mount Royal University.  These were full days--8:30-5:00 which is a real stretch to sit for that long each day (stretch-sit??? he he).  By Thursday Bob was tired and sore but persevered and finished the course.  Bob was in school with nine other people who came from various employment backgrounds.  Engineers, a city planner from Ft. St. John who had a dairy farm in western MB???, a couple of building managers, builder reps, and Bob's designation-- operations manager.  The course that these folks took  was called LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). " The course presents green building concepts and strategies and introduces the ideas and practices that serve as the foundation for more detailed study of green building, particularly as it relates to the green building rating systems of the LEED program and to individual market segments, such as homes, commercial new construction, and neighborhood developments."


Now Bob is studying in order to take a two hour exam that will attest to his knowledge of good environmental practice and skill and reflects his understanding and support of green design, construction, and operations.  Passing this exam would give Bob the designation LEED Green Associate.  Firstly, this is to help Bob with his job as the buildings, that he is involved with, are slated to undergo testing and research as to how they can become more sustainable.  Secondly--it is good for Bob's grey matter.  Thirdly--he loves this kind of learning.
Looks like win , win.


Those snickers that I hear from Bob's "old" friends---well I can only say: "Times Change."


Plus Bob was able to get in all of his lab work---works well going to school closer to the hospital!!!!

Mercy

Bob is doing well.  He takes the chemo and carries on in a really positive way.  We found out this weekend--when he forgot to take the dex----that it works better taking it before bed!!!!One of those hit yourself on the forehead days.  This way he got to sleep most of Fri. night and then by Sat. night---he could get most of that night cutting the zzzzzzz.  Bob will try that again this coming weekend and see how it works out again.  The INR is still a bit of a problem.  To thin a blood right now and the bruises are showing on his hands and arms.  Guess I will need to be more careful where I hit him!!!  Now that was a poor attempt at humor.


This Sunday, in church, my Bob was really choked up and very teary.  Our son Michael was sitting right next to him--singing and Mike's wife Cori was next--singing and worshiping.  This is a huge answer to prayer and for this day we will rejoice and be glad.  We continue to ask God to carry on the work that He has begun in Mike and Cori until the day of completion.  


 Our Pastor preached on the Good Samaritan this Sunday.  He used this story that Jesus had told in a new way (to us ).  That when we see a need we are to meet it-now  and not qualify what we should do, not waiting to discuss it over and over, not fogging the situation up.  The concept is simple--if you want to honor God--do it,  Jesus did not get caught in the whole who is my neighbor thing.   In vs.37 the expert says that the one who had mercy on the samaritan was the neighbor and Jesus says go and do the same.  I suppose that each of us look at this sermon in the lens of where our life is at that particular time.  For me and for Bob we put all those young couples who organized the party for Tim and Barbie into the group of those who choose to act on a need, honor God and supply love and mercy to another.  Those who attended and donated are also part of that group.  Our kids are not destitute, but they are in need of love in tangible ways, friends who are not afraid to come along side of them to be an encouragement, to be that friend who will help carry the load and make it lighter.  This past weekend was a huge emotional boost to Tim and Barbie and their kids.  When the end of the tunnel comes they will have something very special to plan, look forward to and enjoy as a family.  That has thrilled our hearts as parents and has encouraged us in so many ways.


We had both of our kids together this weekend and are so grateful for that time together.  It does indeed give us full hearts and teary eyes.

Forward Ho

Not sure if it is just me or is everyone feeling a little uptight today.  I wonder if we are all waiting for this HUGE spring storm that is being forecast for over the Easter weekend. 


 I had an awesome time at school this week celebrating the Easter story with our preschoolers.  It was so special that they seemed to truly understand that Easter is more than chocolate bunnies.  We have an amazing God who truly is alive, He didn't stay dead..  That is a huge truth to be able to grab hold of especially if you are 4 or 5 years old.


We are truly thankful  to our Lord today as Bob has spent the day doing all the medical things that keep us keep on keeping on.  At 7:00 am he was at Tom Baker receiving the aredia by intravenous.  After lunch he was  at the lab for the INR blood sample.  Then back across the city to Tom Baker Cancer Centre to meet with Dr. Bahlis.   Whooohooo no Dr. Bahlis--Bob met with the resident doctor---always a good sign.
All continues to be well for Bob.  It was decided that the next PET scan will now be put back 4 months--good sign.


For those who get the numbers:  HGB--146,  Platelets--113, Kappa/Lambda Free Ratio--1.08, Monoclonal#1--1.8, INR----1.3.


Once again we are so thankful that the myeloma is staying contained and responding to the chemo.  God is good.


We are also so thankful for the overwhelming love that is being shown to Tim and Barbie and their family through the social.  They truly need the love and encouragement from people who care for them.  We trust that very soon this last long, hard season will be over for them.  We continue to pray that God will be their source of guidance and love and grace as they travel this very tough road as a family each and every day.

Contact

Yee Haw.......Dr. G. just contacted Bob at work and Bob's INR is back to normal......thankyou God.  I guess that means that Bob can play contact sports again...........hmmmm, can't wait till he gets home.  I am also thinking that it is now back to regular doses of cumadin (warfarin) only cumadin is the nice, doctorly way to say it!!!!!
This thought just past through my head ----why didn't the doc call me with the info???  I wonder if it is because I gave him Barbie's cell number rather than Bob's last week?????? Our daughter then tells Dr. G.  "mom is loosing it"  Sheesh both numbers are one after the other in the B section.  I mean................really.
Everything is now set for Wed. and Bob's day at the Tom Baker Cancer Center.