Another Enjoyable Day

We went to my parents' for a cook out today. Aubrey got to swim again. We visited with my aunts and uncles and some cousins and stayed for supper with my parents. Aubrey also got to ride the gator with her cousins and PaPaw, she had a great day! Ryan got to take a nap and he has an easy day riding to and from Columbus tomorrow, he starts back to work on Wednesday for 9 extended days that he has to finished by the end of the month.

-A

Enjoying the Weekend

Yesterday Ryan worked outside quite a bit. Waid Lyons came and helped put 28% on the corn, so Ryan was in and out checking on him and helping him fill the tank. We had a graduation party to go to for one of Ryan's students yesterday afternoon and then we went to Sidney for supper and a stop at Wal-Mart.

This morning we headed to church and then went to my parents' house. Aubrey wanted to swim, but took a 2 1/2 hour nap first. After swimming, everyone was hungry, so we tried to go to Buffalo Jack's in Covington. Turns out that they closed at 2:00 today for Memorial Day and so we end up at Friendly's in Troy. It was good food and Aubrey had ice cream. She loved that! She was quite funny when she took a bite because it was cold.

Tomorrow is a cookout at my parents' and if it doesn't rain, more swimming - Aubrey will be in heaven :)

-A

Eating Mexican

We get together with Ryan's Uncle Don and Aunt Charlotte every once in a while to eat Mexican. After we came home from Columbus I told Ryan I was ready to eat Mexican when he felt like he could handle it. We went to eat Mexican tonight. It was very good and the company was good too, Aubrey didn't really want to sit still, so we ended up going outside for a while, but it worked out.

Ryan had to go to the dentist today and then he ran some errands, I don't really know what all he did today. When I got home with Aubrey, he rode the gator with her and pushed her in her swing while I raked up some old grass in the yard and started weeding my flower beds. The preen is working great, not too many weeds at all. After supper, I finished up outside.

Please pray for Aubrey, she has been coughing so hard the last couple of nights that it is making her sick. She is back on the breathing machine and taking an antihistamine and cough medicine. I hate drugging her up, but she can't quit coughing to get to sleep.

-A

Too Busy

I'm sorry I forget to blog at night. We we gone until about 8:00, then we were outside for about half an hour. After we put Aubrey to bed, I had to find her a baby-sitter for today and get everything ready, I was tired at 11:00 and went to bed! Ryan kept Aubrey for part of the day yesterday and then he ran down a part for the baler and then we picked up a lawn mower (his brother is fixing). That's about it for the day :)

Today he is supposed to get wood laid out for the Aubrey's swing set and then who knows what else he'll get into!

-A

Good Report

We had a quick trip to Columbus today. We saw a nurse practitioner and Dr. Devine, blood counts all look good, pretty much the same as Thursday. Ryan isn't showing any side effects and they are happy that he isn't showing much fatigue at this point. The doctor is going to release Ryan to finish his extended days for this school year on June 1st. Ryan is looking forward to that.

Pray for Aubrey, she's having a tough time with allergies and she just isn't herself.

-A

Things Don't Go As Planned

Today I get a reminder that I'm not in control. When I picked Aubrey up from Sandy's house, I learned that one of the kids that is normally there didn't come today because of a fever and another one went home from Sandy's with a fever. When we got home, Aubrey wanted to swing, so Ryan stayed outside with her a little while while I got a few things ready in the house. When she came in, I thought she felt hot - she had a low grade fever. We were supposed to meet a college friend of mine for supper in St. Mary's, but instead we took Aubrey to the doctor's and then had maid-rites. Aubrey is fine, doctor says just a cold. She acts like she might be cutting teeth - maybe that's causing the fever. I guess I overreacted a little.

After we ate, Ryan wanted to stop and look for a wedding band to replace his lost one. We stopped at Wal-Mart (we're not spending much in case he loses it again :), we didn't find a ring, but found enough other stuff so that we didn't get out of there for much less than $100 - I think you have to spend that much every time you go into Wal-Mart.

We head to Columbus tomorrow, but his appointment isn't until 12:30, so we don't have to leave too early.

-A

Ryan's Cooking

Ryan "cooked" our meals all weekend long. We had a graduation party Friday, one Saturday afternoon, 2 graduation and 1 birthday parties today. Ryan said he was in charge of meals this weekend - worked out well for him :)

Ryan has all this time on his hands and he has informed me that I have made some typing errors - a couple posts ago I said we got lumber for Aubrey's playset - I spelled it lumbar instead of lumber. I also said that Ryan is showing now signs of graft vs. host disease. That was supposed to read no signs.

Ryan is doing very well. His next doctor's appointment is Tuesday. It should be another short appointment, just a check-up as far as we know.

-A

More Work to Do

Ryan had some money to spend for work and so he went back there this morning to find more tools to order for his class. While he was doing that, I finished mulching around my flower beds - I got it all done! Thanks to Taylor and Ryan's dad for coming over and putting loads of mulch in my gator. After that I had some errands to run, Ryan was home so he went along with me.

We got everything done and home just in time to get Aubrey picked up from the Broering's. She went a played with our neighbor Gretta today. Gretta is just about 3 weeks older than Aubrey and they had a blast. We have a graduation party tonight, one tomorrow, 3 on Sunday, and a birthday party on Sunday. I think it might be a busy weekend!

-A

Praise the Lord

We had a short visit at the James today. We were there just about 1 hour, so our drive time of 4 hours was a little long for that visit, but I'd rather be home than living in Columbus. Ryan is showing now signs of graft vs. host disease. The worst things he is battling right now are a stuffy nose and dry skin around his head and ears. The nurse practitioner we saw today said that he was doing wonderful and that his counts looked perfect. His lumbar puncture was negative for any leukemia, so all the tests are now back and negative. We were very happy when we left there today.

Ryan and I were able to eat lunch out today, we enjoyed soup and salad at the Olive Garden. I then dropped him off down at CTC and he worked a while before going to graduation. I came home and finished planting flowers and my mom came and finished putting the edgers in around the porch. I think it looks great. I plan to finish the mulching tomorrow, unless I get rained out.

It was a wonderful day and we thank God for our blessings - especially the little one who got her own shovel tonight and "dug" the mulch out of the flower beds for mommy :)

-A

Not Much to Report

Not much is going on the last few days. It has been a week since our last trip to Columbus and they still haven't called to tell us so we're thinking they might just be waiting to tell us on Thursday. Ryan ran a couple of errands today and is working on trying to find some reinforcers so we can turn our old wooden doors into more modern doors that have nice handles and locks. I'm planning on doing some work in the flower beds tonight and letting Aubrey play outside, if it doesn't rain! I think we've had enough rain lately!

Please pray that when we do get the test results that everything is normal and that we will have the peace that Ryan is healing. I believe that all will come back negative and we'll keep going forward one day at a time.

-A

A Long Day

Ryan had a long day today. He got up before me and left around 6:30 because his program at school was being visited today for NATEF certification and he felt it was important that he be there. The process took all day long, so I was home from work before he made it home. I was planning on working in my flower beds today, but that didn't happen because of all the rain.

Some of our neighbors stopped down tonight for a visit and Aubrey played with their kids for a while, it was nice to have visitors.

We don't have results from the lumbar puncture yet, Ryan said he might call tomorrow since they haven't called yet and we don't go until Thursday for his appointment this week.

-A

Flower Beds

Last night we got edgers put around 2/3 of my flower bed around the front porch. My mom actually did most of it while I mulched in the back flower beds and my dad and Ryan put up the porch swing and drove Aubrey around on the gator.

Today we went to church and then to my parents' house for lunch with the family. Aubrey napped after lunch and when we got home I work outside in the flowerbeds again for about 45 minutes. Aubrey and Ryan played inside with her tractors and her tent.

I'm thinking that I might actually get to sit down and watch some TV tonight because I have a few more things to clean off my desk and then I'm done for the evening!

One of the passages we read this morning at church included Matthew 6:33-34: "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Ryan having cancer has actually brought many of the passages in the Bible that I've always known to be so much more true to me. God has provided everything that we have needed over the past year. We are so blessed by him and his servants that our friends and family have been.


Aubrey enjoyed ice cream at lunch today!

-A

Working Outside

Today is a work day around here. Last night we went to Sam's Club and to Smokey Bones for supper (it was good). On the way home, we stopped at Lowe's to pick up some doors and the lumbar for Aubrey's new swing set. We weren't fast enough and it was time for them to close before we were done, so we have to return this morning.

After that, I am going to be mowing and then I plan on getting a good start on my flower beds. I am putting edger blocks around my front beds and my mom is coming to help with that. I hope to get mulch put down in my back beds and have time to trim off all the dead things from last year and get my flowers growing again for this year.

Busy as always :)

-A

Fancy Dinner

Last year after Ryan received the scholarship from Wright State to finish up his coursework, they asked if he would be willing to be filmed for part of a video for the donors on who the money is given to and how it is used. The video was being shown to the public for the first time tonight at the Heritage Donor's Banquet at Wright State. We were invited to attend. It was a very fancy dinner with people who have donated over $10,000 to Wright State. We enjoyed ourselves, but didn't get home until 10:00. Another late night!

-A

Not Much to Report

Not much happening around here today. It was sort of a normal day. I went to work, Aubrey went to Sandy's, Ryan stayed home and slept in. We had to take my van to Celina again tonight after we picked Aubrey up from the baby-sitter's, so we also went to the grocery. Aubrey has decided she likes to push the cart instead of ride inside it, so everything now takes just a little longer. She did help pick up things and put them in the cart though. We had a good time.

-A

Rainy Drive

We left home this morning just after 7:00. It was pouring down rain. By the time I loaded the van and then unloaded Aubrey at Sandy's, I was soaked. We drove in pouring down rain all the way to Columbus . . . YUCK.

We arrived at Ryan's first appointment, in Dublin, for CT scans just a couple of minutes late - there were about 4 different entrances and we tried 2 before we found the right one! He had to drink two glasses of contrast before he could get the CT scan done. Then we were off to the James to get labs, see the nurse practitioner, Dr. Devine, and get a lumbar puncture. Things actually went really well. I thought Ryan would have to lay for 2 hours after the procedure, but they only made us stay for 1 hour. That was a blessing. That meant we got home at 5:30 instead of 6:30.

The nurse practitioner had called by the time we got home to say that Ryan's CT scan results were back and everything was clean - there was no evidence whatsoever of any lymph nodes being swollen or looking anything but normal - Praise the Lord! We are now just waiting for the results from the lumbar puncture which could be Friday or Monday again. We also don't have to return to Columbus until next Thursday - they are stretching next week's visit a little longer for some reason. Dr. Devine seemed very happy with how Ryan was doing.

-A

Great News

I'm sorry that I haven't blogged for a few days. Friday night we went to a birthday party for some of Ryan's friends, and although we planned to leave around 9:30, it was 11 before we got out of there and after midnight before I had things put away and was ready for bed.

On Saturday, Ryan took 2 trips to Celina in my van to try to get the tire pressure sensor fixed. They thought they had it fixed and he was almost home and the light came back on again. So, he returned the van and brought home a loaner so they could keep it until they got it fixed. They think they have it fixed as of this afternoon, but who knows when we'll have time to drive up there to pick it up!

Sunday we had a busy day - we went to church and then to my parents' to celebrate mother's day with my family. Ryan got me a bookshelf, already put together and lined up with the other shelves in my office. He also got me a wheelbarrow and knee pad for working in the flower beds. I have been using his grandmother's old wheelbarrow which is working fine, but is beginning to get holes rusting through the bottom, so the weeds fall out when I put them in. Sunday evening we went to Ryan's sister's house to celebrate mother's day with his family. It was another late evening by the time I got everything put away last night.

Today I went to work and then we had a mother-daughter banquet at church, so Aubrey and I got home late again. She just went to bed about 20 minutes ago.

So, what's that good news? Ryan called the doctor's office checking on the results of his bone marrow from last Tuesday - everything looks very good and there is no sign of leukemia. Tomorrow will be a long day as we have to be in Dublin at 9:00 for 2 CT scans and then onto the James for a lumbar puncture and visit with the doctor. We pray that all goes smoothly and timely so we aren't too late getting home and picking up Aubrey tomorrow. Also pray that the lumbar puncture doesn't make Ryan too sick.

-A

Shopping

Ryan went shopping today. He has something up his sleeve for mother's day and told me that he needed 3 hours of shopping time today. I think he was gone about that long. Ryan is feeling well and we went to his FFA banquet at CTC tonight, he enjoys seeing his students and talking to parents.

Aubrey is the big story of today. She woke up at 2:00 this morning and she had gotten sick. Before 3:30, she got sick 2 more times - that's 3 sheet changes and also means that I ran out of mattress pads, the final sheet had to go by itself until I got some laundry done. At 3:30, she had been asleep for about 20 minutes while I rocked her in the chair and so I laid her down. She slept until 7:30 and then got up bright and chipper. I thought she had better go to the doctor and since I was already staying home with her, I figured I might as well take her. Good thing I did. The doctor said the stomach virus is going around and that she'd probably get diarrhea, she did. She's also been coughing quite a bit lately and the doctor said she has bronchitis. She now has to use a breathing machine and take 2 other medicines for a week or so. She seems to be feeling ok though.

I'm tired so its time to head to bed!

-A

Healing

Ryan was still a little sore from his bone marrow biopsy yesterday so he took it easy today. I know that he drove over to the bank, picked up all the tractors he bought for Aubrey the other day, and swept the porch - otherwise, I don't know if he did anything else today. Until Aubrey and I got home, that is. I wanted to finished weeding my back flower beds and put preen down before the rain came tonight. I got all that done and we actually ate supper at a decent hour and so I decided to get the flowers planted in the beds as well. Ryan was pushing Aubrey in her swing and taking her for gator rides while I was doing all of this. She got to bed a little later than normal, but I got all the flowers planted in my back beds - they were the weediest, the front ones are bigger, but won't take so much time to get ready.

We continue to pray that we get good news from the biopsy and that next week's events go well.

-A

Good News, Long Day

The good news for today was that Ryan's magnesium level was 1.6, he didn't have to sit 2 hours to get some IV magnesium. More good news, all his counts looked really good - his white cell count was at 9.4 (normal is 4.5-11); his hemoglobin was 11.6 today and his platelets were 127 (this number was up from last week). Although we had to wait over and hour before they were able to start his bone marrow biopsy (they have to wait for the blood counts, then give meds, then begin the biopsy), it went well. Ryan had to lay flat for 20 minutes following and in that time, we saw the nurse practitioner and the doctor. They confirmed that everything was looking good and that they should have results on Friday from this bone marrow. They also told us that next Tuesday he has to get 2 CT scans and then a lumbar puncture. They are only going to be pulling out fluid to check it, not putting any chemo in. Ryan is hoping that he won't get sick after that.

We were ready to leave around 1:30, but Ryan looked quite pale and I asked if he was ok, then he appeared to look as if he was going to throw up. We returned into the clinic where he did get sick and so they wanted him to return to his room and lay down. They decided to give him some fluids and more nausea medicine, so we didn't leave until around 3. Ryan pushed Aubrey on the swing, helped with supper, and then gave Aubrey and bath, but he slept all the way home, and he's been sleeping on the couch since 8:00. I think he'll feel better again tomorrow.

Pray that he bounces back and doesn't experience any pain from this biopsy. Also pray that the result come back normal - with no evidence of leukemia in the marrow.

-A

A Normal Day

I would say that today is probably about as normal as they get. Ryan seems to be feeling great and so we expect to get good results from the bone marrow biopsy on Tuesday. We went to church this morning and then to my parents for lunch. When we got back home, Aubrey and Ryan went visiting while I worked on paying bills and trying to make the mounting pile of laundry disappear - I'm still working on that. Aubrey and Ryan are playing hide and seek with her tent and tunnel from Easter.

We continue to pray that Ryan's strength and healing goes as planned.


-A

FFA State Convention

Sorry no blog post last night. After I got home from work, we took Aubrey to my mom and dad's house and then Ryan and I went to Columbus (we just love the town so much!). Ryan had a student getting his State Degree for FFA and so he wanted to be there this morning to watch him receive that honor. We drove over last night and ate at Red Lobster and then stayed overnight and slept in this morning (I was glad for that chance). We then went to the FFA convention and took some pictures and then headed back home.

I have to go to Columbus 3 days this week - 2 for work and 1 to take Ryan to the doctor, I can do this drive in my sleep, I think, but I probably won't try it ;)

Ryan must be getting his appetite back - he's on the couch eating popcorn after having a pork chop, ribs, salad, and other sides for supper tonight. He asked if I wanted popcorn after I told him today that I need to stop snacking so that I can lose some weight. I think he was being mean.

We plan to go church again tomorrow and Ryan seems to be doing great. Appointment in Columbus on Tuesday again - bone marrow biopsy this week.

-A