Happy Halloween!

This picture says it all....Halloween is just made for fun with kids! Parker and Finley loved visiting the pumpkin patch and we had a blast helping them with their first participatory jack-o-lantern carving. Just love the looks on kids faces when they first discover the gook inside the pumpkin.

Hope your Halloween is filled with some child-like fun!

I Think I've Just Received a Huge Gift!

Oh my gosh...I know it's premature, but I just had to write you all about this. I'm not a whiner by nature. I tend to suck it up and push down how my body feels and just go about my day. My mind always seems to be able to overcome the minor normal aches and pains of life and I find that as my day moves on...I don't even notice or remember how hard it was to get out of bed.

So what has changed for me since entering this whole breast cancer and treatment thing, is that those tactics haven't worked very well lately. I hurt all over ALL day from my feet to my shoulders and everywhere in between and on top of that, I manage to have 3-4 hot flashes per hour, so you run the quality of life calculations. This equates to lowered energy for all I love to do and that is so frustrating to me.

But yesterday, I think we found a solution. I went in for all my normal check-ups with my oncology doc's and they felt it was time to do something more to help me out. So they prescribed a nightly dose of Neurontin..that can be up'd to a 2nd and 3rd dose if needed to control my hot flashes. Needless to say, Ted RAN to the drug store to get this filled last night in the hopes that he might not have to spend the night freezing under the covers as I run a constant fan over my body and make him turn the heat down to freezing temps.

Guess what happened next? I woke up at 7AM feeling bright and bushy-tailed! I felt more rested than I have in a year! Next, I put my poor plantar-fascitiis feet to the floor, to begin my pain-filled hobble to the bathroom. And lo and behold, NO PAIN...absolutely none! It's a God-given miracle! This drug is also prescribed for nerve pain due to shingles, fibromyalgia, etc., but little did I know I would get this affect on my feet! We're both still a bit cautious about this result as I also had my Zometa treatment yesterday and they give me 2 anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce the flu-like side effects but I don't remember getting any relief for my feet in the prior treatments, so I'm hopeful the Neurontin is helping.

It's now 1:30p and I haven't yet had a hot flash today. My feet still don't hurt. I actually have energy! I'm pumped! This would enable me to walk/get exercise again which will help me get this stinkin' weight off. I know we beat up the drug companies for profit-mongering, but I tell ya...thank God for their work...it just changed my life!

Speaking of Goals!

So if you look to the left, you'll see 7 of the most goal-driven people I know...this is from Joel & Jo's engagement party in San Fran about 10 days ago (left to right Jo's parents David & Chia-Chia, Ted & me, Jo & Joel, Jeff & Shiao who is Jo's sister/bro-in-law). I'm hoping to be inspired by these folks!

If you look to the right under the item called Recovery Goals, you will see that I made huge progress in the first few months post-treatment, but now it's S-L-O-W going! In terms of the last few goals which basically cover losing weight, starting to exercise more regularly, my right arm healing and Teddy feeling like "I'm back", well...I'm just not "back" enough to get those done!

It seems that what I can still manage is to get my teaching work done, to keep up with all the wonderful fun events happening in our lives and to rest enough in between to get to the next week! I know that exercising regularly would help me a ton, but I just don't have the energy to even think about it, other than my weekly weight training, which I've been doing faithfully.

So whether I just need more patience or someone to kick my big behind into gear is somewhat of a toss-up at the moment!

Life's Celebrations!

It's true what they say...after intense storms come beautiful streams of sunshine. And so it is for the Meek family right now. After an intense winter, we seem to be overflowing with blessings...

--The twins growing and so healthy

--Brooke's pregnancy going well and Harrison looking so healthy in utero

--Joel and Jo getting engaged

--Brian loving his residency

--Kyle doing cool shows and increasing the length of his productions

--Teddy retiring

--Me loving my job

--Many, many, many happy celebrations shared with neighbors, friends and family over the summer

--No shortage of more fun and celebrations this fall

So I just feel so blessed. I'm trying to enjoy and savor every minute of it. I hate those 'life-happens', wise old woman thoughts of knowing that there will be another time of challenge ahead, at some point...but for now, joy!

Thanks again to the folks on 2North

Ted and I were trying to visit our dear friend Chet yesterday at University Hospital. When it turned out that we didn't happen to find him in bed (which is a good thing), we decided to do something we've wanted to do for a long time...we went back to say Hi to the nursing staff on 2North as we had promised we would back in April. These folks were the crew who cared for me when my white blood cell count dropped so low and I had pneumonia after my final chemo round. So they saw me at probably the low point in terms of my response to treatment. Even though I was only there for 4 days, we really had a great time together. Since I was in reverse isolation, they were my primary source of conversation and fun during the days and nights and we talked about all kinds of stuff.

So you can imagine their joy when I showed up...glowing with health, lots of hair, good energy and back to my life. They shared that it really helps them KNOW that they do good, that they really make a difference in people's lives, that all their schooling and hard work really does pay off.

So once again, I salute all caregivers....nurses, doc's, nursing assistants, and all those who provide the food, do the laundry, clean the floors, order the supplies and manage all of that. Never forget the importance of your healing role in the lives of so many people!

I tried to find Dr. Phyllis Schmidt last Friday, who was the person who diagnosed my cancer, but she was gone for the day...so that's still a to-do on my list!

Teddy's New Chapter Begins Today!

Today is Ted's last day of work...after 37 years! I wanted to share my thoughts publicly for this wonderful man and his amazing work ethic! So here's to you Teddy!

You got up anyway and went to work…
In the rain,
In the dark,
In the snow and ice,
In pain,
Because you knew that so many were counting on you,
Your customers,
Your employees,
Your Dad and your brothers,
Your brothers’ families,
Your sons, and most of all,
Me.
Probably more than anyone else…I know how hard that was for you!
So on this day, we stand together and applaud your 37 accomplished years of providing for so many,
And we thank you from the bottom of our hearts…
For getting up anyway.

An Angel in the Post Office

Being the 'dog person' that I am, I just had to post this story.

This is one of the kindest things you may ever see. It is not known who replied, but there is a beautiful soul working in the dead letter office of the US postal service.

Our 14 year old dog, Abbey, died last month. The day after she died, my 4 year old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey.. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her. I told her that I thought we could so she dictated these words:

"Dear God,Will you please take care of my dog? She died yesterday and is with you in heaven. I miss her very much. I am happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick.I hope you will play with her. She likes to play with balls and to swim. I am sending a picture of her so when you see her You will know that she is my dog. I really miss her. Love, Meredith"

We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey and Meredith and addressed it to God/Heaven. We put our return address on it. Then Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to heaven. That afternoon she dropped it into the letter box at the post office. A few days later, she asked if God had gotten the letter yet. I told her that I thought He had.

Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch addressed, ' To Meredith ' in an unfamiliar hand. Meredith opened it. Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called, ' When a Pet Dies.. ' Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God in its opened envelope. On the opposite page was the picture of Abbey &Meredith and this note:

"Dear Meredith: Abbey arrived safely in heaven. Having the picture was a big help. I recognized Abbey right away. Abbey isn't sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me just like it stays in your heart. Abbey loved being your dog. Since we don't need our bodies in heaven, I don't have any pockets to keep your picture in, so I am sending it back to you in this little book for you to keep and have something to remember Abbey by. Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank your mother for helping you write it and sending it to me. What a wonderful mother you have. I picked her especially for you. I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much. By the way, I'm easy to find. I am wherever there is love.
Love,God"