Sat, 2 Jun 01

I had a great time at Hershey Park with Jai on Monday. We went on every wild ride and roller coaster there. It was a blast. And the N'Sync concert was great. They really put on a great show. We got home a little after 2 a.m. Then I had to get up at 5:50 a.m. to go to work. Needless to day, I was kinda tired all day.

Still holding the same on my weight. I know it is because I don't drink enough water. I haven't gotten back to the Y yet, but have been walking in the evenings when it hasn't been pouring rain, which is has been doing quite a lot of lately. We went from being behind on rainfall for the year to being ahead.

Not much to report, really. Dad is holding his own and even ventured out today now that he has O2 in bottles small enough that he can manage them by himself. That alone makes him feel better. Take care and keep the faith :)

Sat, 9 Jun 01

Well, another week has gone by before I update again. Where does the time go? I only have a few minutes before I gotta get out of here. We are going to a graduation party for a friend's son and then have one tomorrow for our niece.

I have had a pretty trying week. Went to the doctor Monday and was put on two different inhalers for asthma. We tooks kids from the school to a therapeutic riding school two weeks in a row and I had a terrible time. The woman I work with harrassed me until I called the doctor and saw him. We went again yesterday and it was a world of difference. I could walk all up and down the hills without any trouble. I am also on prednisone right now for poison. As a result, my ankles and pretty swollen. Oh well, only two more days of that after today and then things will be pretty well back to normal.

My dad goes back to the surgeon Monday. He has three more spots of cancer on his shoulder and also has a lump in the front of his throat the size of an egg. All this in just three weeks since last seeing the surgeon. He is supposed to start chemo, but I'm not sure exactly when. I can't even go to the surgeon with him this time because with it being so close to the end of the school year, I can't get off work. Hopefully my sister or brother can go with him. I'll weight in as soon as the prednisone wears off and give everyone a report. I weighed 236 at the doctor on Monday. Keep the faith ;)

Thurs, 14 Jun 01

Happy Flag Day!! Well, school is finally out. Yesterday was my last day until summer school starts in July. I will be working preschool during summer school. I just love working with the little ones.

My dad starts chemo next Wednesday. I won't be here because I am leaving Monday night for Vegas. A bunch of us women from school are going out. We will return on Friday. I can hardly wait as this is the first time I have done anything like this. The flying kinda freaks me a little, but I guess I'll survive.

My daughter is taking culinary arts at the technical school. She is in the kitchen as we speak making funnel cakes. Woe is me, I hope she doesn't plan on making those dang things all summer. I will have to stay away from them as I just love them.

I weighed myself Monday when I went back to the doctor for an asthma check. I was down one pound. I was pretty happy with that as I was retaining fluid from the prednisone I was on for poison. Keep the faith ;)

Sun, 17 Jun 01

We are all heading over my dad's for a Father's Day cookout. Us kids are bringing everything. I am having a hard time dealing with this as I realize this may be the last Father's Day dad will be around.

I had to drive him to his doctor's appointment yesterday morning. He hates having to ask us kids to help him as he has always been an independent sort. He is now on home oxygen and his right arm is so swollen he can't use it properly. He also has three new tumors sprouting up on his arm, and this is after radiation in that area. He starts chemo Wednesday and we can only hope that does something to help as the doctor has classified his cancer as inoperable.

I go to the doctor for an asthma check in July and I am going to ask for a referrel to a dermatologist. I worry about this because of family history, my light complexion and the fact that I have had many severe sunburns as a child. Back in the day we used to use iodine and baby oil. Can you believe? Oh well, just a short update today. Keep the faith ;)

Sat, 23 Jun 01

Well, I made it to Vegas and back in one piece. I must say, I do believe I had the best time I have ever had. I didn't do much gambling, only lost 5 dollars. I spent most of my time sight seeing and seeing shows. I must have walked for miles. I don't know how much you know about Vegas, but we stayed at Harrah's on the strip. We walked from there up to the MGM Grand on Wednesday and had lunch in the Coyote Cafe. Four of the group had half-yard marguerites. I shared one with my friend, a strawberry one. I had the hives to prove it. We got kinda loaded and then walked back to the hotel. Got there just in time to shower and hit the town for that nights show. It was in Treasure Island. Then we came back to the hotel and got a limo and went to the Hard Rock Cafe for supper. Got back to the hotel at 12:00 and called the principal of the school where we work. Got the assistant principal's number from Jace and then called Mike. I had told him I was a casino virgin, so had to call and tell him that I wasn't any more. Mike didn't make it to the phone in time, but when we called him at work the next morning, he said he was sorry he had missed us. We had the best time and five of us bonded by getting toe rings together. Every where we went, we drew a crowd and has such fun.

My sister and I are taking dad down to Fraklin Square on Monday to had a catheter put in for his chemo. I'm still not sure exactly when it will start and how often it will be. We are all just hoping it will help. Keep the faith ;)

Tues, 26 Jun 01
Judith Ann, my sister, and I took dad to Franklin Square Hospital to have his porta-cath put in for his chemo. That turned into an all day affair. He was scheduled for his surgery at 2:30 and had to be as the hospital at 11:00. The room was ready at 1:50, but when they called the doctor to ask if he could move it up, he told them he would be 30 - 45 minutes late. He had scheduled a 30 minute procedure at another hospital at 2:00 and then it would take him an additional 30 minutes to get to the hospital dad was at. The 30 minute procedure turned into a 45 minute procedure. He finally came breezing in at 3:30 (an hour late) as if nothing was wrong and couldn't understand why dad was kinda upset with him. I just can't understand why he scheduled those procedures like that when he knew there was no way on God's green earth he could even make it in time for dad's even if everything had gone right. I feel he had a total disrespect for my dad. To top matters off, he yelled at me for not taking care of the area under my dad's arm properly. I was supposed to be washing it out and packing it with something called Iodoform every day. I have had my dad down to his office twice and he never once told me that I was supposed to be doing that. So this morning we had to drive down to his office in Baltimore so he could show us how to do this stuff to dad's arm. I kinda let him know how I felt and told him I though he owed dad an apology. He never did apologize; just said he was doing dad a favor because he was supposed to be on vacation. If that's a favor, he can keep them to himself. There are plenty of other surgeons and I don't appreciate one who thinks he is God and can just come and go as he pleases and treat his patients like they aren't important for anything but another check from the insurance company. My dad is dying and he knows it and I'm sure he is scared, but all this doctor can do is call him a stubborn old man where any one who cares to listen can hear it. Keep the faith