Please go this site for a free giveaway, wonderful items, wonderful give away.
http://paisleymonogram.com/index.html
A lot has gone on in the last month, hopefully will be able to post soon.

What a year 2009 was. I cannot begin to express the hard year my family has faced. My Dad had disease progression of his cancer in the spring and although surgery was an option it was not felt he would likely survive the surgery to remove the recurrence of the adrenal bed metastasis that had previously been removed in Sept of 2008. So we packed up and opted to have radiation and low dose chemotherapy in Lexington, Ky for 6 weeks. Thankfully my brother lives in Lexington and made his home like a bed and bath resort providing every comfort for us while Dad endured the treatments. In Sept of this year Dad continued to have significant pain and began getting injections into his shoulders for the pain. He also developed atrial fibrillation and was admitted to the hospital. A CT scan done as an outpatient showed a new lesion in the left lower lung. My Dad continued to fight and went a bought a new truck the day after he was told this news. Dad's pain continued to increase and he was admitted to the hospital after he was unable to lay on the table for a bone scan. After being medicated the limited bone scan showed no cancer in his bones. Dad opted to try another chemotherapy. After the first dose he became very weak and he was started on very strong medication for his continued pain. After the 2nd chemotherapy dose a MRI of his brain showed no cancer in his brain. He developed very severe diarrhea and on Nov 7th was admitted to the hospital. Dad came home the Monday night before Thanksgiving and was readmitted to the hospital on the Wed before Thanksgiving. He was moved to the rehab floor of the hospital to try to help him get stronger to come home and came home in my car on Christmas Day. Dad is now in a hospital bed in his living room and is a total care. We have home health coming in to help manage his care, but the majority of his care is done by myself, Austin, Mom, Corey, and my brother. Thankfully my brother's friend Kyle who is a nurse came home with my brother this weekend and is taking the night shift. This enables Gary to rest and me to come home for a few days. We are cherishing the small glimpse we see of Dad although fewer and farther between.
It seems like we missed the holidays, on the Saturday after Christmas I fixed a small dinner to take to my parent's house and Austin said Mom this really feels more like Thanksgiving. Christmas eve was spent in the hospital with my Dad, my friend's son David came by and visited and a dear friend Pam, who lost her Dad last year and is now getting chemotherapy came by and brought my brother a great snack as Gary did the night shift. My dear friend Tammy brought her signature sugar cookies by on Christmas Eve and Dad ate one and asked for a second one.
I know I am rambling, but one's head gets full and I have not released a lot of my feelings and thoughts in a long time. I cry when alone and sometimes with friends, I find it hard to talk about others that have lost loved ones and are going through the same kind of hurt and loss that my family is facing. My Dad has always been a big, strong Teddy Bear that bounced back from any obstacle. He has just fought so hard for 3 long years and his body is losing the battle, although I know his spirit is still in there and strong.
My Mom is exhausted and has lost significant weight in the last 3 months. No wonder this has been a non stop ride for her also.
Austin is doing well, he has been so good to help with the care of Dad and Mom. The wind storm before the snow storm wiped out the electricity at my parents. Austin took charge of the situation and was so strong.
Corey has also stepped up to the plate and been so wonderful to help, also keeping my house live able. Did I mention that Corey is seeing a new girl that is a christian and comes from a good family......yeah!
What can I say about my Randy, he never complains when I am not home for days and days and continues to work so hard to provide for his family.
I want to say that my family and friends praying is what has sustained me through the end of 2009 and will get me through what I will face in the days to ahead.
I have started reading a lot of blogs and the battles that others have faced also helps give me strength to face sometimes the next second....next my sweet Britney at daveandbritplusone.com has no idea what joy I and my Mom have reading about the sweet, sweet, happy, Miss Kennedy. We also shared the pictures with my Dad when he was still able to see the computer screen...thank you Brit for sharing Kennedy and your life with us.
Love to all....on to 2010.

What a couple of day! My husband has something wrong with his knee, his good knee that has not been operated on and is flat of his back. My son (oldest has been a little mischeivous), my Dad is getting weaker and just lost his billfold yesterday during his trip to the clinic for chemotherapy with something like 1,500 cash.....which makes me think about a time when you could carry a billfold with cash and know that when it was found it would be returned to you with the cash. It just seems important to men my Dad's age (75) to be able to carry their billfold with money. He had absolutely no place that he would spend that money yesterday and has been told over and over, Dad you don't need to carry that much money...but yet we have lost a billfold with a lot of cash. I am praying that some good person will turn the billfold in or that Dad might have lost it at home or in the car...although they have searched and searched for it. It was only money!
Later and hugs, P

Give Away

I love the fact that bloggers have given aways. My sweet neighbor girl Britney over at DaveandBritplusone are giving away a cute sign from My Flip Flopz. Check out Brit's blog and her cute baby girl, Miss K (Kennedy) and sweet hubby Dave. They are the sweetest, best family this girl knows.

Thanking God for Praying Friends

My Dad was admitted to the hospital yesterday to control pain of his progressing cancer. Gee I never thought I would be faced with a parent with cancer and it has been 3 years my Dad has fought lung cancer. My Dad, the big guy who always bounced back from anything was unable to lay on a table for a test due to extreme pain. I posted on my facebook last night the status and to please pray for us....within minutes I had a host of friends and family sending up prayers. Dad was tried on a new pain medication at 9 pm and he slept so good last night and is still snoozing at 7:30 this morning. Thank you God for giving Dad a good night's rest and for praying friends and family.
Love to all, P

Great Giveaway!

Pink Julep is giving away a Macy's 30 gift card for her 300th post. Go to her blog, comment, and become a follower to try to win.

Fall Weather making me Blue

I usually love this time of year, but it has gotten so cold that it seems we have just skipped fall and went straight to winter. I hate to sleep with socks, but cannot get my feet warm and hate turning on the heat so early. One good think about wearing socks to bed is when you lotion your feet it makes them feel so good the next day.
I also have gotten so very bad news about my Father who has been battling lung cancer for 3 years. He has a progression with his metastasis now in the left lung and the mets have gotten bigger in the adrenal bed. Please pray that they can give him something to help slow the progression. I had a breakdown and let myself cry after getting home from spending time with the radiologist reviewing the CT scan. I know that death will eventually happen to all of us and that I have to lose my parents, but that does not make what we are facing any easier.
I do smile at some postings of one of my favorite girls, now married with a baby girl at
daveandbritplusone. Baby K is growing and has the sweetest smile a baby girl could ever have.
Love, P