Again.....Sorry

Dear Family and Friends,
Hello. Im ashamed that it has almost been a month since my last post. Each day is a new and unexpected adventure. Yesterday was an example. I left early for work and Marty was sleeping so soundly I did not even wake him up to kiss him goodbye. I was very frightened when Deidra called me to say she had brought him to the ER in a great deal of pain. (10 on the 1-10 scale). Dr. Campbell and Brandie took very good care of him and it appears he is in the process of passing a kidney stone. Something brand new. It is probably related to his being dehydrated over a long period of time now and the changes in his intake and diet since all this started. Anyway, he was grateful for the pain shot that brought the pain to about half of what it had been. He has not felt well since coming home. He has also not captured the cultpit stone in the strainer he was sent home with. That will be the proof that it is a kidney stone and we can have it analyzed to know how to prevent another occurance. Now, he knows what labor feels like! He is still trying to be good and trying to keep up with all the problems as they pop up. His next scheduled appointment is with a nuerologist about the problem of not being able to lift his left arm up and pain in the shoulder and arm. Dr. Sharma feels it may be a result of the radiation treatments, but it puzzles me that it took 6 months to present itself. We will explore that avenue and then hopefully get him back into some sort of Physical therapy for strengthening. He remains persistant and I am very proud of all he has done to try to get used to life as it is now with all his new limits and restrictions and challenges. He is resourceful, as always. His new answer to "How are you doing"? is usually "Well, I'm still on the right side of the grass!"
To all, have a nice Memorial Day. Thank you for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers. Love, Marty and LaRee

Sorry.........

Dear Family and Friends,
I have been reminded several times now that the blog is NOT being updated often enough. I just get too busy with all that is going on. Life continues to be an ever changing series of unpredictable and challenging events. YES, I continue to be ever so grateful that Marty is still here with us and is trying to get his life back. We both know that things will never be the same as before the big "C", but life changes us ALL in little and huge ways.... everyday.
I am so proud of all he has endured because of his determined personality and that he continues to try each day to feel productive. And..... I might add, though there are many moments of misery in his day, when he gets rested up, dressed up in a suit and out to a funeral or family event, he looks pretty great and people comment on how good he looks. He still has a few hurdles to jump before he can even get fitted for new dentures that will fit his new titanium jaw!! He has regained some of the weight he lost during the grueling ordeal of radiation, but is still down 40 pounds from where he started out. He's happy with that. He is up to 12 minutes on the treadmill and trying to work with 4 pound weights to regain strength in his arms. It still shocks me each time I open a jar or pill bottle for him....it was always the other way around! We often get into some awful situation because of the aftermath of this surgery and radiation. When I am tempted to whine about how hard his life is......I try remind myself how close he came to NOT having to deal with any of this!!!! Dr. Sharma reminded us again at Marty's last check up that this particular cancer is usually found on autopsy. WOW!
We see so many around us dealing with cancer and other illnessess, losses of many kinds, financial and emotional problems and much more. We will forever be grateful for the love and support of all who helped hold us up when things looked too hard and too unbelievable. Thank you , again, for each kind and helpful contribution you made on Marty's behalf and keeping him in your thoughts and prayers.
I am grateful for my job and oh, so grateful for the health insurance I had on Marty, as I am certain NO ONE will be willing to insure him now. We are grateful that through this, he did not max out his lifetime benefit---I really feared he would. So, even though my hopes of early retirement (only because I have worked since I was 13 years old) will probably not be an option, I feel so lucky to LOVE the job I have. Knowing as a youngster that I wanted to be a nurse and then reaching that dream has been one of the many blessings in my life. I may have hard days at work, as anyone may. But always know I LOVE my work and even if I end up working my entire life, I will never regret my decision to be a nurse.
Well, duty calls. I will try to write more faithfully.
Love, LaRee and of course, Marty

Our Family

When you almost loose a parent it is impacting to look back through all of the memories and try to imagine them not there for future memories. I am so grateful that my dad is still here today. He is doing okay and tring his best to adjust to his body the way it now is. Most days are a struggle for him but he trys to get through them. My mom has been so wonderful through all of this. I continue to admire the unconditional love that she has for him. I think dad does realize how lucky he is to have my mom, and I hope that he is letting her know how much he appreciates her! I know that I don't let her know enough how much I appreciate all that she continues to do for dad, her dad, me, my siblings, and to still be so dedicated to her job. I love you both so much and I love the time that we get to spend together. Life continues to change, Grandpa moved out of the Manor Saturday and in with Aunt Kristi. I look back and think WOW I never thought life would turn out the way that it has. I just feel blessed to have the parents that I do, and the Husband that I do. My little 2 year old boy, who I love so much,what would I do with out him? Thank you to all of you who continue to send love and support to my parents. Love Deidra



Our Family last August before dad's surgery.
Missing are : Chris, Misti, Dakot, Chris Jr, Jentz and JosLynn


This is the start of the home that Dad built us!



Angie, Brandon, Curtis and Deidra


ABCD














Our little Family minus Chris who was living with his mom is California.


Chris, Misit, Dakota and Chris Jr





Family Reuinion Bear Lake 2003 (Some were missing)
Esther couldn't make it she was due to have Christophy (Christopher) the next month.
Chris, Misit, Chris Jr. and Dakota couldn't make it.
Sabrina IS Pregnant with Brody. Additions to our family since then have been
Christophy, Brody, Drew, Shailey and Jentz and JosLynn.

President's Day

Dear Friends and Family,
I know for many today is a holiday, but not for this Dialysis Nurse. Some of the kids and grandkids are having a snowday up in the canyon. That sounds very fun and I'm sure they will have alot of it. We had visits from SunDee,Randy and Michelle and Kent, Angie, Aly , Baylee and Carter---as it was a long weekend. Although we did get some family time in, we never got the whole family together at the same time with work schedules and a little thing called the "the flu bug".
Another negative was our own personal problem of having septic tank problems at our house. Well, I guess now that I'm telling it on the blog, it's not too personal now. Huge drifts of snow, bitter temperatures and septic tank problems are NOT a good mix. Hopefully before the day is out, thanks to lots of help from our friends and family, all will be well.
Marty is home alone today while I'm at work, but he says he is doing ok when I called home to check on him. Thank you for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers.
Love,
Marty and LaRee

Happy Valentine's Day 2008

Dear Blog friends and family,
Happy Valentine's Day to all. I hope you all had a great day----romantic, sweet or at least FUN. On a positive note, Marty & I got to spend the ENTIRE day together. I was supposed to get some work in, but became very ill. The flu bug has been going around and it bit me. I am so scared Marty will be next. He does NOT need any additional problems. I spent the last part of the day Wednesday at the dentist and Marty saw Dr. Thakur and got on yet MORE meds for a fungal infection , again, in his throat. He is so tired of all the medication he is having to take!!!
Our winter snow is getting deeper and deeper. I love it and think it is beautiful, but then, I am NOT the one who has to push and stack it. That has always been Marty's job and so it is ironic that we are having more than we have had for years in Bear Lake ...and it has been a challenge.
He continues to have trouble maintaining a comfortable temperature. He is either freezing or roasting.
Thank you for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers.
Love, LaRee and Marty

February 6th 2008

Hello to all,
I'll just forgo the apology speech about why it has taken me so long to get an update posted. We are still having freezing, really freezing cold weather here, but it is fun to see the snow piled so high....kind of like the good old days!!
Marty is trying hard to exercise each day and has cut way back on most of his medications. I'm sure that is going to help in the long run, but is hard for him right now. We went out of town Monday for appointments and that really wore him out.
He is trying to help around the house as he can, but he knows there is nothing more important to me than him feeling good and resting when he can. He does hate being the one home while I am at work. We love you all and thank you again for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers. Love, LaRee , and of course, Marty

January 28.2008 Monday

Dear Family & Friends,
Wow, it is so hard to describe how things are going here at home. Marty is still on quite the roller coaster ride with how he feels. He can feel pretty good and actually enjoy a movie or venture out into the cold to deal with snow.....and then not be able to relax, get warm enough, then cool off enough. We do believe his internal thermastat has been fried in all this--and he is very fragile that way.
It seems hard to realize how long he has been sick now and how long ago he was working and maintaining his life as it was. So many changes impact his today and all his tomorrows. Thank you one and all who are continuing to remember in your thoughts and prayers. He really still needs them.
I am very proud of the persistance with which he is trying to keep up on all the meds and cares and nutrition---even when it seems too hard.
Except for a few hours of education hours, I hope to be home most of tomorrow to catch up on the nightmare paperwork that is taking over our home. So much of it just needs tending to and some just needs to be filed in file 13, if you know what I mean. We are very aware of so many around us having great struggles of their own at this time and keep each in our prayers.
We had such severe weather in Bear Lake today, that school was called off and we were holding our breath until all our patients arrived safely. Then there was the issue of them getting home safely. Some stayed in Montpelier at a motel and some braved it home. It was a windy, snowy dozie of a storm. But, we got a lot of inches out of it. Marty, left to himself all day, went out to push snow with his Bronco and blade. That involved him getting stuck and requesting Brandon to be his recue ranger. I could not believe the snow atop my Durango when I went to come home from work tonight. Fun.....mostly once I'm home and can just look out at it.
Please know we aprecaite each kind and thoughtful act of service on Marty's behalf. It means so much to him. Love, LaRee and , of course, Marty