On the road

Well bet you will never guess where we are? Yep, back in the DC area. Fred had Dr appointments and tests for the next couple of days. His numbers were coming back down last time we checked just before Thanksgiving. Pray that continues to be the trend.

About the Family photos of the Thanksgiving week. Here is a little slide show and there is a different slide show on Carrie's blog

A week ago today we headed out of Boise to El Dorado, Kansas. The first night we stopped in our old home town of Idaho Falls and parked the camper in the driveway of our friends on the edge of town. We had a nice visit with some of our dear friends that we have know for more than 30 years. Did I really say 30 years? My how the years have flown. The next morning we had breakfast with Reid, our next door neighbor for 13 years when we lived in Ammon. It was so good so spend a little time reconnecting with those people and places.

After breakfast we started driving through the area were we spent so many weekends camping and white water rafting in the 80's. We have such great memories of our times there. It was fun to hear Carrie's take on memories of our family history. We pulled into Cora, WY about 1pm and spent the afternoon with Wade and cousin Ty. We watched them work on a remodel project and after supper we played games and had some good laughs.

Friday morning Ty made us breakfast and we headed out hoping to get as far down the road as possible. We had been watching a winter storm headed our way and were trying to stay ahead of it. It was a good travel day and we made it to Sidney, NE. Carrie had seen a sign for Cabela's campground on the highway and thought that might be a good spot for us. It was a great place to stay. We got long hot showers and a good nights rest.

Saturday, our goal was to get to El Dorado for the night. I forgot how far it is across Nebraska and Kansas. We were still watching the storm closely. My sister and her family were headed to our folks in SD, into the storm. We missed crossing paths by a couple of hours. I told her at least we were heading away from it. The last 4 hours when we headed south, we were driving into high winds. It was terrible.

About 9:30pm we landed, okay, we arrived at Fred's sister's farm and parked the camper. We were surprised what a warm wind it was. We parked next to a barn to break the wind and plugged in. We had made it. When we woke up the next morning the sun was shining, it was a beautiful morning. I thought maybe we were going to miss this storm. Then about 8:20am, it was like someone turned out the lights. The sky turned dark with heavy clouds and the temperature dropped about 40 degrees.

More than once in the past week I have been glad that I took a couple of afternoons in Boise and added some insulation to the camper. We have been keeping snug and warm in our little home.

Before we knew it we were on the airplane headed back to the DC area. There were a few weather issues yesterday but we arrived here just 2 hours late. It is pretty warm here compared to where we have been in the past week. If all goes according to plans, we will be heading back to Kansas on Friday.

We plan to spend a couple weeks in Kansas with family and then our next move will probably depend on the weather. South is looking better all the time.

Fred update. He is getting stronger every day. His appetite is improving and nausea is much less of a problem. I gave him his second haircut this week and there is a lot more dark hair coming in. So much for white hair. He has also started growing back his beard this week.

Once again we praise God for His tender loving care of us as we go forward.

Thanksgiving Together

So much has happened in past couple of weeks...let's see. Two weeks ago I left Fred here and flew out to Seattle to spend some time with Shane and family. Kristi and the girls left the day after I got there to drive to her folks in Twin Falls. Shane, Daniel and I spent 5 days together shopping, visiting his work and school, plus driving back to Boise.

On Tuesday the 25th of November all of our kids and their families started to gather in Idaho City to spend 4 days together at the Knotty Pine Lodge. What a bunch we were. We had 4- two year olds, 1 - three year old, 1 - four year old and 2 - five year olds. With all our kids and spouses plus grand kids and Fred's Mother, Joy, there were 18 of us. This Thanksgiving week all together was truly a gift from God.

Our days were filled with cooking, eating, keeping track of kids, visiting, and playing games with lots of laughter. Joy, Kristi and Carrie even got in a drive one afternoon. We had lots of cameras going off so will add some photos soon. We were so blessed with good weather and plenty of room for all of us to be together in the lodge. Fred and I took our camper up so we had our own space too.

Yesterday the last of family flew out of Boise. I guess that makes about 10 days of fun. Now we are making plans for the next phase of our Quality of Life Tour.

The night I few into Seattle I tripped and fell in the parking lot of the train station where Shane parks his car. It was amazing that I did not get hurt too badly. I did jam 3 fingers on my left hand but no other broozes. Someday I will be able to put my wedding ring back on. It was pretty humbling, but I survived.

Fred has come up with an infection in his right armpit. They think he probably picked up in one of his hospital visits. The Dr had to lance it several times and keep it packed for the past couple of weeks. He just has a few more days of medication.

Fred is gaining more strength every day. He was able to win his share of games and keep up with all the grandkids this week. He is off lifting restrictions but being pretty careful about it. He is laughing more and even had an argument with me the other day. I thought it was a good sign.

We plan to hit the road next week.

Thanks again for all your thoughts and prayers. Happy Thanksgiving.

Idaho rabbit food....

Fred finished his radiation treatments a week ago today at National Navel Medical Center. He had an MRI at 8pm that night and we flew out the next morning at 8am. We were so ready to move on. We have been in the DC area about 30 days and so much has changed. Fred came to DC in a wheel chair and in terrible pain. He left pushing the wheel chair with his luggage in it, with no back pain and weaned off all his narcotics. God is good.

Our first focus when we arrived here in Boise was to get our Suburban and camper out of storage at Mountain Home AFB. The girls had tried to get it a couple of weeks ago, but could not get it started. Wade drove over to see us on Friday night from WY. Saturday morning Misty got a babysitter and we took 2 vehicles down hoping to bring the camper and truck home one way or another.

First we tried jumping it, not luck. Then Wade went to check the spark plug wires and one fell off in his hand. He took off the air filter and there were pieces of wire everywhere. He said, "We've had a varmint of some kind in here." Misty and I headed to town 8 miles away and left Wade and Fred there to figure out what parts we needed. The more they looked the more chewed wires they found. We were at the parts store telling the guy behind the counter about our problem and he just smiled and said, "That is rabbits, we have it happen all the time." We had never heard of such a thing. When we got back we told the guys it was rabbits and Wade said that he knew it had white fur. It makes us laugh a lot.....rabbits in the desert must be hungry.

Wade and Misty spent the next hour or so putting in new spark plug wires and replacing or patching other wires. Before you know it we had it running and going down the road to Boise; Misty driving our patched up Sub, Wade in his truck towing the camper with Fred, and me driving Misty's vehicle. It started to sprinkle as we drove and I was thankful for God's timing once again.

The next morning they worked on it some more and it seems to be running pretty well. We will probably have it checked out before we head out in the next couple of weeks.

We have been unpacking and trying to find places to put everything in the camper so that we can find it again when we need it. Now that I am unpacking the suitcases I packed six weeks ago, I wonder why I brought the things I did and why not others. Oh well, there is always the thrift stores.

The first night here I woke up and it was so quiet and couldn't figure out where I was. We do not miss the noise of the big city.

Just a few more days...

Yes, just a few more days here and we will be heading back to Idaho. We have 3 different Doc appointments tomorrow. The next couple of days should not be so full. Fred and I are both really ready to get back to Idaho and move into our camper.

Wade is driving up to Boise to see us next weekend. The girls didn't get our Suburban started last week, so his first project will be to help us get it started. Then get it and the camper moved out of storage. We are ready to move into our own space. We have been gypsies for 5 weeks now.

Today Fred and I went to the Chapel here in the hospital. It was my second Sunday in a row. We really enjoyed it. We met a people from a lot of different places and circumstances.

This afternoon we took the Metro to downtown Bethesda and had a late lunch at a nice restaurant. Fred did real well. We took the wheel chair but he did not use it very much.

We have been enjoying the sunny fall weather the past 3 days. Hope it stays this way until we leave. Alaska has been below zero lately.

One week to go

Our weather here is starting to remind us of what the weather was like in Alaska when we left, the end of Sept. Cool, cloudy and windy.

Monday, Fred started physical therapy. He has some exercises to strengthen his back muscles because of the surgery and leg exercises for the weakness from the nerve being compressed.

One week from tomorrow Fred will finish the radiation treatments. His biggest struggle with the treatments is being at the hospital at 8:30 am. When he finishes we usually stop at the coffee shop. I have a cup of coffee and we read the paper for awhile before we walk back to our room.

In the afternoon I usually get out of our room, take a walk or go window shopping. Today Fred went with me. We took the wheelchair because he was worn out from the morning walk. We stopped at the BX and got him a light fleece to wear under his rain jacket. He has lost so much weight that he gets cold quickly.

You will be thrilled to know that I got out my art supplies and have been using them the last couple of days. Hummm........I can tell it has been while since I have picked up a paint brush. Today I worked on a bright red maple leaf with yellow veins.

I think that a few more days and Fred will feel better. Being weaned off narcotics has been a slow hard process . I am proud of how well he has handled it.

Once again we want to thank all of you for your prayers and support. We are very blessed by you.

Pain Free...things are looking up

Yesterday morning Fred and I were at the hospital waiting room early and Dr M came walking through. He asked Fred how his pain level was. Fred said, "I have no pain just a little stiffness at the surgery spot." To say that Dr M was smiling was an understatement. He said, "Fred, you looked rough when I first saw you a couple of weeks ago and you look so much better today. I am so glad that we could help you." It is great to have another Dr in our corner as we travel down this cancer trail.

Fred is having 10 days of radiation treatments on his back. This should stop the tumor from coming back again. We will have him weaned off his pain meds this week. The next challenge is to build up his strength.

We have moved back into Navy housing, where we have spent a lot of time in the past year. We enjoyed staying with Skip and Sandra but it is nice to be so close to the hospital. They have Doc appointments here this week, so we will see them. They are still in the middle of their own cancer challenges.

November 7 - the date of our plane tickets back to Boise. It is also Shane's 36th birthday. Every year I am amazed at how the years have flown by since the day he was born. We look forward to driving out and spending some time parked in his front yard soon. It has been too long since we have been able to spend some time with him and his growing family.

The leaves are starting to turn here and the temperature has dropped into the 50's and 60's. There is construction going on all over the place, so the base has lost some of it's park like atmosphere. The Army Walter Reed Hospital is being merged here with National Naval Medical Center in the next few years. There will be a lot of changes around here.

I keep busy taking care of all the details of travel, lodging, food, treatment, and medications. I did bring some art supplies along but so far I have not touched them. I am glad we are staying in the same place for 12 days now. We have not been in one place that long since we left Alaska. When was that? Let me look that up....4 weeks ago!

Just 4 weeks since we left Alaska and Fred is pain free.... things are looking up.

Post Surgery -- Ten Days

Fred and I have been staying at Skip & Sandra's for a week today. Fred has been continuing to improve as the days go by. Our latest challenge is to wean him off the pain meds. Today I can see an end to this hard phase.

We have a room reserved at Navy Housing across the parking lot from the hospital starting on Wednesday for the next 2 weeks. They are remodeling in our building so that should be interesting. Fred will be having 2 weeks of radiation on the area were he had surgery last week.

I have been doing a couple hours of yard work everyday to keep myself out of trouble. Sandra goes to work everyday, so I have been doing the cooking and cleaning for her. Skip has been out of town this week but will be back this weekend. Skip has chemo 5 days next week at the Navy hospital.

The weather here has been sunny and warm... it is cold and snowing at home.