Another Big Day

Everyone in my family agrees this has been the most exhausting spring break of our life. Yesterday was another big day for all of us, but much more positive and with a lot less breath holding than the past week. The day started out with Mom having some stitches removed from her biopsy and finding out the medical schedule of events for the next week. She will have her chemo port put in on Thursday. Next, while we were packing up the crib and jogger stroller to take to Jeremiah and Nan in Portland in preparation for Baby Sam's arrival sometime around May 12, the realtor called to let us know that our offer was accepted on the house on Buchanan St. where the Evanses and Herbs will now be cohabitating in the near future. This call took all of us down to the real estate office to sign more papers before taking off to Portland. We then spent a great day in Portland with Jeremiah and Nan. We ate good food, helped them set up the crib and cradle for Sam's arrival, and experienced a wide range of weather while walking to the park. Lastly, when Mom and Dad arrived home they found more good medical news on the answering machine. I am not going to be able to explain this very well, but another test showed that as they narrow down to what specific strain of cancer is causing her Invasive Inflammatory Cancer, that hers is one that they are more successfully able to treat than others. The one that she has responds better to the chemo, mastectomy, radiation regime that Mom will be undergoing. She has an even better fighting chance!

I am now going to branch out to using this blog for the other reason I originally set it up. I thought as well as a blog being a great way for me to keep you all informed, it would also be a great way for me to ask for help. What we need the most help with right now is getting two houses ready to move. Mom and Dad have lived in their house for the past 17 years and thus theirs will be the biggest challenge. Help could come in several different ways:

Spreading the word that there are two great houses to buy if you know anyone who might be interested in living on Dixon St. or Division Pl. Priced to sell!

Picking up fruit boxes from the grocery stores and leaving them on my porch.

Collecting your newspapers for a week and dropping them off on my porch.

Letting me know if you would feel comfortable helping us pack.

Helping us move when the time comes (approx. May 15)

Thanks again for your good thoughts and prayers.

See you soon,

Emily

Good News!

Dear Everyone,

Good News! There is no evidence that the cancer has spread! Next week Mom will have the port put in to enable chemotherapy. Chemotherapy will start the week after that and continue for four months. We are all enormously relieved that Mom has a good fighting chance.

More good news is that Mom, Dad, Steve, and I have made an offer on a large house that we would like to live in together. We have not yet heard back from the seller, but we have great hopes for this life adventure as well.

Keep thinking those good thoughts everyone.

Love, Emily

Draw the Circle Wide

I woke up this morning at 6:00 am and decided to change the name of the blog. I named it last night "All Together Now" while Steve, the kids, and I were watching The Great Muppet Caper. I knew there was a better name out there, but I did not have the focus I needed to pluck it out of my brain. For people outside the Corvallis First Christian Church community, "Draw the Circle Wide" is one of the favorite songs we sing in the 8:45 am service at church. The line that came to me this morning was:

"Draw the circle wide, draw it wider still, let this be our song, no one stands alone, standing side by side, draw the circle wide."

In the past I always thought about drawing the circle wide as a message of extreme inclusiveness. Today I am thinking about it also as a message of support; "no one stands alone standing side by side."

I will work on this blog as a way to put the information out there so that we can all stand side by side through this process.

I will draw the circle wide with this blog to include everyone who wants to share this process with us. Feel free to share this blog address with whoever you think might be interested.

Love, Emily

We'll Try This

Dearest Everyone,

As you all know my Mom was diagnosed with invasive inflammitory breast cancer last week. It was suggested to me that using a blog during her treatment might be a great way to communicate new information and family needs to the larger community in a very efficient and first hand way. I am willing to give it a try. Please feel free to post messages back to us in this space or email me directly.

Here is what is happening to us this week. This week my Mom and Dad are touring around to various Corvallis medical establishments so that Mom can undergo a variety of tests. These tests will determine if the cancer has spread to other parts of her body. We will know the test results late this week.

We did get one good piece of news on Sunday afternoon. The doctor called to let Mom know that her blood work had come back all clear. The cancer is not in her blood.

It is after 7:00 pm and for me that means it is almost time to put the kids to bed and go to bed myself. It is a bit odd to be broadcasting information like this. I think I will have to warm up to it and see how much I feel safe letting out.

It would be cool if it worked.

Love, Emily