Thank You!

We continue to receive letters, cards, flowers, plants, and other goodies at our home away from home. It is no exaggeration when I say that each of these gestures have been the main highlights of Ran's time here at the Lodge. Please keep in mind that we will be leaving this wonderful establishment on Wednesday December 21st. We'll be back and forth to IA for check-ups but the remainder of our healing will take place at the Hobo House. Please feel free to continue sending your notes of encouragement, laughs, and love to our home address (included at the left). You have all done so much for us - we'll never quite be able to express it or thank you enough.

December 17th, 2011

Hello Ye Faithful Blog Followers! So sorry I have slacked on the updates. I'll blame it on Finals week - it's what we teachers blame everything on!

I'd be lying if I said the last two weeks have been easy ones. They haven't been. They could have been better but we also know that they could have been MUCH worse. Nothing has come as a very big surprise thanks to other blogs that we have read along the way. We seem to be right on schedule. The second Chemo really knocked Ran on his butt - well actually his back. Lots of sleeping! He has been exhausted and his steam runs out quickly. Little bouts of nausea that come and go - on a pretty steady does of medicine to help. This past Monday, as if ordered, his throat began to hurt. He has to keep his talking to a minimum. His biggest chore is to swallow, to keep his throat muscles in working order. Pretty much all he can do at this time is sip ice water or coke - and I do mean sip. There have been a handful of attempts to eat "real" food but the majority of them have been unsuccessful. Before, it was simply the taste of everything that made it unbearable - now that nasty sore throat is playing its part. The remarkable piece of this story is that in the last three weigh-ins he has not lost ANY weight. He holds at a solid 168. This means he has only lost about 12 pounds since we started. This is awesome! No matter how he feels he hooks up to Peggy Two and she takes care of him! A few Cans of Power 3-4 times a day, a half bag of H2O and we are doing better than the average bear!

Side Stories:

• There has been this one little ugly requirement hanging over Randy's head - keeping him from graduating from Nursing School. . . two Psychology credits. . . yes, two credits!  Now, if you look at Ran's transcript one would think he has enough Psychology classes to have minored in the subject (which he cares little for - everyone knows he's the scientist and this is much more my department)! We tried every way we could think of to get around this block but Excelsior just wouldn't budge. I finally got online and ordered him the CLEP book; Human Growth and Development. Since he arrived in IA he has been studying in small increments and taking the practice tests. He scheduled the test at the University for December 7th, crammed the last week, and PASSED! He is officially done. Just yesterday he received confirmation from New York that his transcript has been updated and a congratulations notice for having completed all the requirements for nursing school. One small step left. . . the NCLEX. With an entire Crowder Nursing Department and my mother behind him we know he'll clear that last hurdle with ease!
• Ran was in the community kitchen a couple weeks ago attempting a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerio goodness. Kim, one of the wonderful ladies who works at the HL full-time walked through with a package. She stopped and commented to Ran that no matter what she can always eat Cheerios, if she doesn't know what she wants that is her go-to food. Ran and Kim proceeded to have a 15 minute conversation about the magically fulfilling cereal. As Kim got up to leave she remembered that the package she had brought back had actually arrived for Ran. She handed it over to him to open and the unbelievable happened. He cut open the box and found an entire case of individual serving size Cheerios! They could hardly believe it - what timing!!! A big shout out to Dave, Corrine and the Boys for the tasty love.
• The HL hosted a wonderful speaker the other evening. Justin, a young man who is a former guest of HL and a survivor of brain cancer. He, 14 other survivors, their 15 caretakers, and Dr. Leming completed a three week trip to the Mt. Everest base camp (completely funded by and/or funds raised by Dr. Leming himself). Justin and Dr. Leming told of and shared pictures from their experience, their struggle, their emotions, and the highest ever American Cancer Society Relay for Life walk. After stringing 350 flags made by loved ones for loved ones each lap was successfully walked and celebrated. It was brutally honest, moving and motivating and exactly what Randy and I needed at this point in our Journey. The timing could not have been better. We needed a final push and a push is what we got! I would like to encourage each of you to check out the American Cancer Society homepage. Please consider making a donation in honor of or in remembrance of a loved one this Holiday. What an amazing gift. The research that has been done and is being done is beyond amazing. Unfortunately, there is much more to do.

I'd like to say there are more stories to share but I'd be making them up! We've entered the part of treatment that revolves around rest and nutrition and not much else. Although that may sound a bit boring in writing it quickly fills our days! Oh, and I chopped my hair off yesterday.