Working on Going Home...

Tomorrow, my mom will have one more Doctor's Appt. at 1pm, before leaving to come home... (YAY!) and she can't wait to see all of you... speaking of that... My dad's 60th and Selah's 1st birthday will be this Saturday, so the family would like to have an open house party this weekend so that we can all CELEBRATE LIFE together. (We will keep you posted on the event...)

Brightened Spirits

Thank you, Craig Family! For your gift of love... it truly brightened my mom's spirits! Reviewing my mom's journey through her blog pictures was amazing to see... WOW!!! How wonderful it is to have such a support team! Much love and peace!

Going Home?

My mom would like to go home... sooo... Dawn has been working on arrangements for my mom's care at home... If all goes according to plan... My mom and dad will be on their way home Wednesday morning.

Good Friends, good food, good memories...

Last night my mom's GOOD friends from grade school came over to visit, laugh, and share good times...

Doctor Donna and Nurse Dawn are taking good care of my mom... I hope... Hang in there mom!

"If an apple a day could..."

Too cute! Cindy Sanders' class sent my mom an orchard full of apple trees in the hopes of helping my mom feel better... ("If an apple a day could keep the doctor away then we'll send you an orchard full of apples trees to help you feel better!) How sweet! The trees are now over looking her in her room. Much thanks and love!

Continuing the Fight

Today, my mom woke-up with great hopes that this "new" chemo combo (Ixempra and Xeloda) will help with her fight against this stubborn cancer... (They say attitude is half the battle! Sooo let's think positive!)

She had her first infusion of this chemo, today, and then went to the hospital to have her left lung drained again...(1 liter of fluids) sooo hopefully she can return home soon...

The Mail is the Big Event for the Day

Thank you everyone who has sent my mom cards. My mom has enjoyed getting them sooo much that her "Big" thing for the day is waiting for the mail person to come. In fact, today, she came earlier than usual, which made my mom's day! I wish you could see the excitement she has while reading every one of them... Much love and thanks!


(Check-out baby Marleen...; Thanks, Marney!)

Dealing with the Pain

Today, my mom went to a pain management appointment, again... to see what other options she could do to reduce her pain. The doctor said he could insert a pain pulp but then she would have to carry around another bag...which didn't sound to pleasant to my mom...sooo he just upped her meds. instead... (Smart man!)

Queen!

After a long wait... my mom finally got in to see a Dr. about her lung fluid. Once in, my mom continued to think she was queen for the day and ordered a blanket for her comfort as she waited for the Dr., while sitting on what looked like a chair for a queen.

Slept while Others Took Advantage...

Yesterday, my mom had her left arm bandaged to help drain the fluids in her arm, due to lymphedema. I guess, usually this can be a painful thing... However, as you can see my mom thought she was Queen and slept right though it... (You would have thought she went in for a pedicure!)

Out with the Girls and Their Husbands...

For the first time, in a long time... my mom and dad went out to dinner with their friends and no kids... (not even, Dawn went :)

Cousin Annette

My mom had a nice visit with her cousin Annette, today.

Thank you, Watte Family for the special card, thoughts, and prayers. My mom especially got a good laugh out of Cousin Greg's note to her.

Much Love!

Another LONG Day at the Hospital

Today, my mom went to the hospital for another chest x-ray, which conformed that fluid was building-up in her lung again... sooo after having a day of tests... she had her lung drained again... (Can you believe that she had 2 liters of fluid the first time it happened and 1 liter of fluid since?... I guess, she is getting better at knowing when to go in for the procedure.) On Monday, she has an appointment to see a Pulmonary doctor who will hopefully be able to help with this situation. But for now she has been collecting what looks like beer on her lungs... (Yes!!! She had all of that... on her lung...)

Brightened Her Day!

After having a "crappy" day... my mom's spirits were brightened with letter's of support from family, friends, and her class. Oooh how she misses all of you... Much love and thanks! Every card has made her days brighter... and she looks forward to the mail man these days...

Feeling Crappy...

Today, my mom is feeling pretty crappy... she just keeps hoping the pain will go away...
See did see a therapist today for lymphedema who will hopefully help in taking care of the pain and swolleness in her left arm, hand, and fingers...
Also, Dawn scheduled a chest x-ray for tomorrow, so that her lung can be drained again if need be...

Finally... A Day of Rest

Today, my mom slept in... and enjoyed a day of rest... (There was no need to go to the hospital and/or see a Dr.) Instead, family and friends just hung-out to celebrate another birthday. Happy Birthday, Aunt Kathy!

Lymphedema

Today, Dawn called to make an appointment with a Lymphedema specialist, since my mom's left arm and hand are swollen and really painful for her. In fact, much of her finger function is gone... causing her to have poor fine motor skills, which is driving her crazy...

Enjoying Her Cards

My mom would like me to, again, mention how much she has been enjoying hearing from all of you... and Marney she loved hearing that you named one of your turtles after her. Much love and thanks to you all...

A Little Break...

Yesterday, my dad took Dawn and I out for pedicures, where my dad enjoyed his first one. The girls commented on his great legs and my dad loved it.

After the much needed break, Dawn and Aunt Debbie rearranged and pushed the bed's together in my mom's room at my grandma's house so my mom and dad could sleep next to each other. My mom and I supervised to insure the work was done right.

Mary Beth and Family

Mary Beth and her family traveled from the Reno area to visit my mom this weekend. It was something to see how all of us "kids" have growen-up... from the preschool years at Lindsay CO-Op to now.

"Can See Clearly Now..."

Yay!!! My mom can see clearly now... Christie was able to get her contact-lenses in finally after my mom went two months without changing them...

A GOOD Day...

Today, my mom had a much better day... Her spirits were much higher and she enjoyed getting some more cards.

Happy Birthday, Grandma Marincovich!

THANK YOU, Everyone!

This morning, the first thing my mom wanted to make sure got done was a big THANK YOU to everyone who has written comments and/or cards to her. She TRULY loves and misses all of you!

A LONG Day... of pain...

Today was not only a long day...but another very painful day for my mom... Yet, she pulled through... in fact, she went to 3 different hospital sites for help and answers in one days worth...
Long Beach Memorial where she had treatment and x rays done... Huntington's Pain Management Center... and BreastLinks in Orange. Wow! What a trooper!!! We love you, MOM!!! Your a true fighter!!! 

Feeling Crappy

Today, my mom is feeling pretty crappy... she just wants to feel "normal" again... At this point, she feels as though she doesn't remember what it is like to feel good anymore...
Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers! She misses all of you greatly!

Would love to hear...

My mom would love to hear from everyone... Currently, she is staying at her parents home:

4200 Virginia Vista Ct.
Long Beach, Ca 90807

Auntie Marleen

The Torre Family came by today to visit Auntie Marleen and have a dose of ice cream, since "suger helps the medicine go down".

Dog Therapy

Today, Christie brought over her new addition to her family, finally a little girl... to visit with my mom for dog therapy...

Cousin John

Cousin John came by today to visit...

A Mother's Love...

These pictures speak for themselves...

Piggy

Thank God for good nurses... my mom's nurse at the hospital yesterday saw my mom's pig covered with the hospital sheets and know right away who it belonged to and how important Piggy is to my mom... so she made sure to get Piggy back to my mom before they forgot her in the hospital bed... Oh my! My mom would have been really upset if she lost Piggy... My dad said he felt sooo bad it was as if he had forgot one of his kids behind... Poor Piggy! Good thing my mom's nurse saved the day...

"Celebrate Everyday"

On September 11, my Grandma will be celebrating another birthday, as the US is reminded of how important it is to celebrate everyday...

So let's remember to take some time to "smell the roses"...

Much Love to ALL!!!




















Little Matt celebrated his birthday at Disneyland this year, since he will be 7 years old on September 10th.

Back at Her Parents Home

Yesterday, my mom was released from the hospital, back to her parents home, with the help of home health care. Again,...thank you everyone for your continuous support, love, and prayers!

What a stubborn, lady!!! This cancer better start realizing that my mom is not going to let it get the best of her without putting up a fight!

The Hospital Hotel

Dear Family and Friends,

My dad and Dawn took my mom to the ER on Wednesday, evening, where they found fluid on my mom's lung/chest cavitary... so... they admitted her into the hospital to drain the fluid and watch after her. As always, she wants no one to worry and says to tell all of you that "she is fine".

Yesterday, her sons Matt and Andrew arrived with their families to visit... while Dawn watched her grandkids at her parents home. Today, my mom's friend Jane is going to help Dawn and Matt's family go to Disney to entertain the kids while family and friends visit with her and my family returns from my work conference, which was in Washington D.C.

Good Food, Laughter, and Prayer

For good healing, it is always good to have GOOD food, laughter, and prayer... so that is what my mom did yesterday with family and long time friends...

A Good Nights Sleep

Last night my mom FINALLY got a good nights sleep! Of course, she says her "best medicine" showed-up (my dad).

Family and Friends

What would any one do without family and friends? ... In the last couple of days, my mom has been busy spending her time with her family and friends... Susan came down for a girls sleep over... My dad surprised my mom last night... and Mary Ann and family are coming today...