Feeling Better Today

I wrote yesterday's update while I was feeling pretty down. I think I'm tired, frustrated and sad. After dinner last night, I got to go out on my own. I have been needing that a lot more lately. Thankfully, Michael has been very understanding. Indulging in a caramel frappacino from Starbucks is so refreshing for me. I bought myself a new journal and settled down for some reflection. I just do so much better when I get my feelings out on paper. Feeling myself drifting about on a wild sea of emotions was overwhelming me, but taking the time to read my bible and pray is just like a floatation device! So, I am still floating...but now I have a comfortable floaty around my waist! Okay, so I'm being a little silly now, but oh well. Anyways, we really are hanging in here. Next Thursday we'll get the scans in the morning and then meet with a doctor later that afternoon. Hopefully he'll have some kind of results by then. Kelby is feeling much better today, but the sores are still there. Laying in bed and watching movies seems to be the most she feels up to doing still. My parents get to come this weekend, so that will be a great distraction for us! We need to have a wonderful weekend to pass the time before the scans. Thanks for continuing to pray.

Scans Next Thursday

Kelby slept almost the whole day today. When she was awake she was pretty happy though. She seems to be heading towards feeling better. I just can't believe how this virus has wiped her out. She is eating a healthy diet of milkshakes today, but at least its something. She is looking a bit dehydrated, so it doesn't matter what she drinks as long as she drinks something.

Our Oncology nurse called today to tell me that Kelby can't get her jaw scanned until next Thursday, Sept. 5th. Bummer! I was hoping to find something out by this Friday, but no such luck. I guess we all have to wait a little longer. This is the hardest part for me. I would love to celebrate a clear scan, or move on and deal with a relapse...I just want to know.

Still Waiting...

As I am sure you are all wondering, I thought I'd drop you all a quick note. We still don't know what is going on. I thought for sure we'd know by Friday, but no such luck. They looked at the neck down and everything seems to be okay there. The only thing they haven't given us the results of is the jaw area...the only part that we're worried about!

Then to top it all off, as I was getting ready to go out on the town with my husband for our anniversary, I noticed that Kelby wasn't feeling too hot. She was just miserable, so I had to call off our evening in Seattle. We got her down to sleep for the night and them Gramma Debbie came over to watch her for a couple hours so we could go to a movie...which we really did enjoy. Gramma checked on her once so Kelby new she had been there. The first thing she said in the morning was, "Where's Gramma. She's a really nice lady." Our weekend ended up being pretty miserable because Kelby was so sick. She has two huge blisters on her tongue. If she is awake at all, she is crying. My girl friend's little girl had the same thing earlier last week, so I know it is just a virus. I don't think that she was as miserable as Kelby, so I don't know if Kelby has it worse, or if she is just a worse whiner. I think that the sores are starting to get better today, but she is still miserable. Please pray for her to get better quick.

Hopefully we find out something more today about Kelby's jaw. It is so hard to wait. Thank you to those that write in the guestbook. Just know that it makes a big difference to know that so many people out there care about us and are praying! Keep up the good work and know that the praying makes a big difference. The week before last I was feeling gloomy and full of the sense of impending doom. Last week, even in the the anxious anticipation of the scans and the slow process of waiting for the results, I felt much more peaceful. It can only be explained by saying that I know a lot of people were praying for us last week. God used you all to give me more peace in this difficult time. Thank you all and God bless!

 

Additional Update: Monday, August 26, 2002
We Have to get Another Scan

Well, it turns out that they missed the jaw on the new scans. We have to go back down and get another scan done, hopefully by Friday. At least they finally told me something. It was a mix up in the orders for the scan. Major bummer. Needless to say, I am very disappointed. I was hoping to hear good news so we could all relax again for a while. It still could be good news...we just have to wait longer for it.

I took Kelby in to her primary care doc today about the sores on her tongue. He thinks that it is a herpes virus. He prescribed Tylenol with Codine, so maybe that will be strong enough to help her. It looks like it might be 7 more days of this.

Please keep praying. Thank you so much!

Waiting...

We went in for the scans this morning, but we don't have any more information yet. I am anxiously waiting and I thought I'd use the time to put a short update and some pictures online. We had a wonderful weekend. On Saturday, we went out to visit Great Gramma and Grampa Lohman. They are getting moved, so it was our last chance to visit their home and the beach over there. Kelby just loved it. She got to ride the ferry and go to the beach on the same day. We really relaxed there and had a great time. Then we got to go out to dinner with them before we headed back home that evening. I recorded Kelby telling all about it, so click below to hear her. It might take a few minutes for it to download.

On Sunday, we went upriver to go fishing. Aunty Heather, Uncle Derek, Emma and Naomi came too. It was a relaxing afternoon as well. We enjoyed the shade and some rock throwing at the river. It was a perfect afternoon.

Michael got Kelby her own cheap digital camera. Below there is a link so you can see the world from Kelby's point of view. I'll update as soon as I know the results of Kelby's scans. Until then, let these pictures keep you cheery. God bless!

Kelby’s Pics

Kelby's Audio Update

Again?

These days have been great. We kept busy this weekend enjoying our friends and the beautiful weather. We try not to complain of the heat for all of you that are in the 100 degree temperatures...but we don't have air conditioning here. Last week wasn't too memorable. I know I got some things done, but I couldn't tell you what. I haven't updated in a while because all our computers were down. We are once again up and running...in fact, Kelby now has her own computer in her room so she can play her Dr. Seuss game. She's a little bit spoiled I think.

Here is the bad news. I think I might feel something in Kelby's jaw again. I called the nurse at Group Health and they already have some scans scheduled for next Wednesday. Today we had a little check-up with Kelby's primary care physican here in Burlington. It was required to have done before she has any anesthesia. He barely felt the bump I feel, but was concerned with some nodes in her neck. I guess we'll see what they say next week. Until then, if you would just keep Kelby in your prayers, we would be very thankful. She doesn't seem to be having any other problems except she's not very hungry.

While I was at the doctor's office I found a pamphlet called "When Someone You Love is Teminally Ill." It reminded me that this is a marathon and not a sprint. My mind frequently takes me to the "how's" and "when's", but I shouldn't go there because dwelling on all the hard times in the future will just mean I'll go through it twice. It is really hard to keep myself from doing that though. I know I need to take it one day at a time. We are doing great right now and that is all that matters.

Speaking of right now, this weekend was wonderful. We went to the Skagit County Fair on Saturday. It is a tiny fair, but it suited our family just perfectly. We made it through everything before the girls were tired. On Saturday night we went to our friends birthday for their one year old Nolan. It was on a farm...and Kelby even got to ride a horse. She really loved it. I was surprised that she wasn't scared. We had some friends over for dinner on Sunday. We kept busy and it was great. I've started deep cleaning the house this week. Yesterday we went to the park in the afternoon and the beach in the evening.

We've started a new hobby called Letterboxing. It is so cool...a combination of treasure hunting, hiking, and stamping! What could be more fun. You find clues (on the internet) that give you directions to find a hidden box out in the woods. It gives us a good reason to go out and about. You'll have to look up more information at letterboxing.org. Maybe we can get everyone interested in it. That is what took us out to the beach last night.

We'll keep busy this week and let you all know what we find out after the scans on the 21st. Please keep praying for Kelby. By the way, we have our next Disneyland trip scheduled for September 19th through the 22nd. Kelby is very excited about it. We will be going on that trip no matter what happens in the coming weeks.

The Sickies

Well, it has been another week. I finally have some pictures for you. I don't take pictures with my real camera anymore...just digital...which means I have a ton of them! I can take as many as I want and it doesn't matter. The only thing is that there are a ton to go through. I can never decide which to put on the website.

We are doing well. Kelby got over her stings just fine...well, she may be a little psychologically affected by it. She seems to talk about bee stings all the time now. I caught her talking to her "Woody" doll, telling him he had bees on him and "Don't worry, you're okay."

This week there was a day camp for kids at the church. It was every day from 9 to noon. Kelby liked it accept they had a bug theme...which didn't go over too great after all those stings the weekend before. They gave her a t-shirt...and of course it had a bee right on it. Actually, I don't think the bug theme bothered her that much. She did have bad dreams on Monday night and she mentioned a scary stick. They had learned about Stick Bugs that day, so we think that is what frightened her. Of course she was in the midst of a fever too. She got sick in the middle of the week, so she had to miss a day of camp. Even when she got to go back to the camp, she got too tired to stay through the whole thing. She had fun while she wasn't tired though. Her throat got really really sore. I'm not sure what she had, but it must have been a virus because she gave it to her cousins (sorry!) that were also attending the camp...and who knows how many of the poor other kids got it. (Sorry!) But the week paid off on Friday night. All the little camp kids gave a production for the parents at the church. They sang songs with little hand movements. Kelby didn't sing, but she was right up front where we could see her trying to follow along with the hands. At first we weren't sure she would even go up there, but she did...and once up there she was looking for her friend Michaela...and while all the rest of the kids were quietly listening to the teacher, Kelby shouted, "Where's Michaela, Where's Michaela, Where's Michaela?!" It was just the cutest thing I ever saw. The singing and dancing brought a tear to Michael and my eyes. After the production, there was a hotdog feast to be had. That night, we took the girls to our friends house and left all our kids with a babysitter there so we could all go out to a movie and appetizers. We saw Austin Powers 3 which was really a hoot if you like that sort of movie. I laughed so hard my side hurt.

We had toyed with the idea of going camping on Saturday, but never really got motivated to pack everything up. Instead we planned a short day trip/picnic. We found a little creek for Michael to fish, but we couldn't stay long because we were getting eaten alive. Also, Kelby really freaked out while we were out there. She was terrified of the logs and wouldn't even walk on the trail by herself...she had to be carried. It has to have something to do with the wasp stings. Although the day after the stings, she played all day in the woods with no problem. I hope the fear passes.