The Calm Before the Storm

Morning Friends and Family...

Now that I've again figured out how to post on this blog, I'll give you all an update and then get the blog address out to everyone. We are breathing in the cool fall mountain air up here in Pinetop at our summer home. It's so healing and its the place we go to get back to nature and to calm our stressed out bodies and souls. It's an amazing place.

So let me get to the latest update...things are starting to fall into place...now if we could only get the damn cancer to fall OUT of Brenda's head!!! We went to see Brenda's new oncologist in downtown Phoenix at the University of Arizona Cancer Center that has partnered with Dignity Health/St. Joseph's Hospital and Barrows. His name is Dr. Saavitas and he's the head of the head and neck section of the hospital so once again my girl and her proclivity for creating rare things has awarded us the top doc! He said that the treatment would probably be the same as last time...chemo and radiation but maybe not as extensive...GOD! We can only hope! There are still lots of things they need to review and put together before the final treatment plan is in place but this is what she's facing right now. She needed blood work, a chest CT, a hearing test (the chemo can destroy part of your hearing,) an appointment with the radiation oncologist, and they are also going to do a biopsy of the area they found the cancer in to determine the margins. There's probably more but that's enough for now! We see the radiation guy (Dr. Yousef) on the 19th and she has the biopsy on Nov. 10th. This is going to be done by her ENT and Neuro-surgeon. Great guys! It will be a surgery with an overnight stay in the hospital. Please pump out those prayers and positive thoughts that this damn thing is small!

Those of you that know us know that we don't do things half-ass. So in true Brenda and Dee fashion, as all this medical stuff is going on, we are also doing a MAJOR remodel of our house in Mesa! Now don't yell...we started the planning for this months ago before we had any idea the C-Beast would rear it's ugly head once again. Brenda didn't see any reason to postpone this. It''ll probably be finished by the time treatment starts. When in Mesa we are living out of my sister and brother-in-laws vacation home. Thank you Barb and Tim. Our house will be beautiful when it's done but we can't live there right now...it's a holy mess!! Word to any that think about remodeling...get a great company and don't be there while they are working. AMEN!

So we are so very thankful that we have been able to build our dream home in the mountains and can come up here to be at peace. Thank you God, and Kevin and Josh Funk...our fabulous builders.

I'll post more as things happen and, as before, we look forward to your comments and efforts to make us laugh. It really helped the last time. Hopefully Marshall Vic and the gang will come out of retirement and Brenda and I can laugh our way out of the C-beast nightmare.

Sending love to you all...
Nurse Dee