December GOOD News

Dear Family and Friends,
Well, after another day at the Huntman Cancer Hospital, we have the good news that Marty has passed another check up with no new cancer. We still need to schedule some further tests at U of U hospital for hearing and fitting for hearing aides and then the scheduled MRI and Chest X-ray with his next visit to Dr. Sharma. Dr. Hitchcock was not at all concerned with the new black lesion on his neck and said she felt it had "nothing to do with the surgery or radiation". Oh, my.
We are so grateful for how things are in 2008 compared to this time last year. Our prayer is that things stay this good or get even better as Marty figures out how to get around and through the many physical obstacles he faces every day. He is amazing and strong and courageous------oh, and SIXTY !!
This is a fun time to be in Salt Lake City. Everything is all lit up and beautiful for Christmas. We will stay tonight at the new Hampton Inn in South Jordon. It is only 6 months old and I have to say, it is one of the nicest Hampton Inn's we have ever seen.......and that's alot of Hampton Inn's!!!
Last night we attended a wonderful Christmas program and dinner with many of our Baker relatives at the Desert Star Theater and that was really fun. Tonight we will go to a belated Birthday Party for him with the Baker side at Doug and Carolyn's. We will show the DVD that was made for the party at home.....and have dinner and cake. I think he feels sufficiently "Birthday'd" for this milestone 60th birthday.
We are starting to get the Christmas Spirit now and hope to have the time and energy to follow through with getting ready before the big day arrives. I have to work Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas, but will have Christmas Day off. We will have a dinner and get together at our house on Christmas Eve with all the kids and grandkids that can come and hopefully get out and do some visiting / and have some visitors-----on Christmas Day. It is time to get my Christmas Cards with a yearly newsletter in the mail. I haven't even composed it yet. I may compose it on this blog and see how that goes-- but, later. For now, my mind is too tired to sum up the year and spell words correctly. Marty is back in the room taking a rest so he can enjoy tonight.
Love and Happy Holidays to all of you,
LaRee and, of course, Marty

November 28th, 2008

Dear Family and Friends,
Well, I can safely tell you now what we have been up to here in Bear Lake. If I had successfully posted the "wonderful" update I wrote and somehow lost, you would not get the following information......because I did not know all the facts on that date.
Now, the s u r p r i s e party for Marty's 60th birthday is over, Thanksgiving is over and now we know that Esther had to have emergency surgery for appendicitis and adhesions.....and she missed both big events.
Marty really was surprised. On his actual birthday, he thought we were preparing for Thanksgiving at our house and then in the eary evening, I was taking him out to dinner. As we left for dinner, Deidra called with a "fake" emergency at the Oregon Trail Museum. He was SURPRISEd! It is a miracle he was, though, because I said several things that may have tipped him off---his deafness came in handy this time. The kids(minus Esther, Chris and Misti) the grandkids (minus Dakota and Christopher), Grandpa Jack , Kristi & Karl, Steve & Charlotte and Elaine were the group waiting to surprise him. Because he does not listen to me, he took one route and I took another. Anyway, there was a quiet little "surprise" from Andrew, who spotted him first coming from the different direction. Anyway, there were 26 guests who ate dinner in the wagons and then enjoyed singing Kareoke in the Theatre. Probably the biggest hit of the day was the slide show of pictures that was shown to music and it was wonderful. He got presents, had a HUGE cake and it was alot of fun. Keep us in your prayers for Marty's next appointment with Dr. Hitchcock at the Huntsman Center. Love to all, Marty and LaRee

Greatful Hearts in Bennington

We are quickly running out of October!

Dear Family and Friends,
Sorry about the big gap in updates. The thing we keep running out of is TIME.
Marty's appointment with Dr Sharma went well--no new cancer. That's always the right answer. When anyone asks him how he is doing, he keeps giving the answer of: "Well, I'm still on the right side of the grass." He continues to try to adapt to the way his new body can or cannot do things. I am very proud of him for his courage, determination and adaptability.
Yesterday, while I was at work, he spent the better part of the day making a message board for the kitchen. He did a really nice job and it will hopefully help organize me. (he is already organized). He also went to visit my brother, Steve, who is recuperating from back surgery. I always have to say my brother or his brother---as we both have a brother Steve. Back surgery is hard and we are sad that Steve is having to go through this.
All through the month---even on hard days, we remind each other how grateful we are that it is October 2008 and not October 2007---------part of the grueling radiation therapy story. That certainly was one of Marty's biggest trials out of all he has had to endure.
He went with me to my early morning dentist appointment this morning. It feels good to him to get out of the house and visit with people. Wherever we go, he finds a friend to visit with. And, I constantly hear people telling him how good he looks. I wish he felt as good and strong as he looks. Pain and swallowing are still two big challenges, but he continues to try to find ways to handle the activities of daily life successfully.
We are ever grateful for our many blessings. We are really trying to re-establish a tradition of having Sunday dinner with the kids and grandkids living right here in Bennington. We know we need to take time to enjoy our blessings and spend time with the people we love. Not being able to even get together for a family dinner has made that more precious now that we can. We are mindful that so many are fighting hard physical, emotional and financial struggles all around us. We will be forever grateful to all of you who kept us in your prayers and thoughts and did large and small acts of kindness and service for us. We hope to be able to repay in some measure what others have done for us and be able to take our turn to be the ones to help others in need.
We have had some very radical weather--even for Bear Lake and one of the side effects of some really wild winds and a very heavy, heavy wet snowfall has been major damage to the trees all around the house. It is like Mother Nature is punishing them for tangeling up and ruining the leach lines of our sewer system. Yes, that has been a very upsetting development. Between the weather and having Don Burdick dig a big trench through the back yard, it sort of looks like we've had an earthquake here.
Love to all and have a wonderful Halloween. Marty and I will probably make it very easy and just dress up as "Grandma and Grandpa". This year the primary is having a party at the church at 7pm with a light meal and then having the kids trick or treat from room to room. I feel that sounds way better than dragging kids around in the cold night air from house to house. I think it is a pretty neat idea.
Love to all,
Marty & LaRee

Happy July 4th---Wherever you may be.....

Dear Family and Friends,
GREAT NEWS !!!! BOTH ONCOLOGISTS GAVE MARTY THE "NO NEW CANCER" THUMBS UP.
Yes, Marty and I made it thru the medical marathon of tests, doctor visits and all that goes with that. It was 2 FULL days of hurrying and waiting in one after the other offices and being sent here and there for tests and procedures. In all, he saw four Doctors, had an MRI, a shoulder x-ray, an EMG, a KUB x-ray, a stent removal and got more prescriptions to fill. When we arrived home Thursday evening, we were both bone tired and glad to be home. We made NO follow up appointments. As we left each office, it was just too overwhelming to predict what day we could make and then keep an appointment, so we just walked out the door of each office----knowing we will have to sit down with a calendar and give it careful consideration. We have FIVE follow up visits to schedule. The heat, our exhaustion and just the long days made it seem to be an impossible task. Of course, today, being a holiday and all and me having to work all day, we have not even thought or acted on any of it YET. He says he wants to do nothing, but that will probably not be the solution.
As he continues to find out, being a patient is a full time job!!! And, not an easy one !!
We made a few phone calls, planted some plants, did some laundry and put away our baggage from the trip, had a few visitors and calls and before we knew it, it was bedtime.
Thank you for checking in on us. We love and appreciate you all. Love,
LaRee , and of course, Marty

Happy July 2008

Dear Family and Friends,
WOW! One month since I updated our blog. June has been a full and busy month. I'm sure it has been for all of you, too. I have worked longer days in Dialysis and also
some hours in the Skilled Nursing Facility and at the Manor. I enjoy all areas and am grateful for my job. Being a patient has been such a full time job for Marty for so many months now. It has been wonderful to see him trying to be outside as much as the weather has allowed and puttering in the garage and around the yard.
His biggest problems this month continue to be the kidney stone issue and the impaired range of motion of his left arm and shoulder. Even with his two emergency room visits and 2 surgeries at Logan Regional. he still has not got rid of the kidney stones. A stent was placed during the last surgery and he is anxious to get that removed.
We have set up THREE doctor appointments for July 2nd. We will probably be nuts by the end of the day, but with the price of gas and shortage of time, it seemed like a great idea when we did it. We'll know better afterwards how it all worked out.
We enjoyed the Jack and Jennie Crane reunion this year. Deidra and Jenny were the two grandchildren in charge this year. I am very thrilled with the job they did. All who made the effort to attend had a great time. There was a lot of fun, good food and some visiting. The weather cooperated beautifully and several were able to attend the blessings of Spencer and Yulia's twin baby girls in Logan that Sunday. Randy, SunDee, Bradley, Marty and I all attended from Bear Lake. They had a wonderful lunch after at the Armory.
Please know that we love you all and appreciate the calls, visits and prayers in our behalf. We can usually be located on our cell phones if we are not at home.
Love,
LaRee, and of course, Marty

Happy July 2008