Nice Hair!

Sunday Dec 20th

well we have had 3 full days away from the hospital and will return for more checks on Monday I continue to feel as well as money can make me, as I have said before I can,t stand to look at the billing from the insurance billing if it wasn't for Sharens insurance which has covered almost everything.  God continues to watch over us and just before Obama health care which will eliminate al ot of old people and hay when I look at my face in the mirror I realize I'm an older guy. 

 

When I was in the service just after basic training we went to the tech schools we were assigned I went to Keesler AFB which was in Biloxi Mississippi.  My training was Electronic Counter Measures airborne equipment repair.  Before you started training you had to do 2 weeks of KP in the kitchen you clean everything in the kitchen until mealtime and then help serve the meals.  My job was to work behind the line and change the pans as they emptied it was a nice job and I maid sure I did a good job.  About after about 3 days we were all tired and out of the kitchen came this short very rotund  red head that was really mad and started yelling at me about leaving to much food in the pans when I sent them back and I realized he was washing the pans He stomped back in the kitchen and from then on I made sure there was food in the pans when I sent them in my mind I felt I could take him if it came to that.  for the rest of the time he glowed at me and I felt smug.   After our KP we were assigned rooms for tech school.  When I opened the door there He sat on one of the bunks so he was to be my room mate.  It was very cold in there for alot of weeks then short conversations and then normal talk the anger forgotten.  He was a very good guy and we became friends He introduced me to his friends off base whose wife could cook and had a good time.  One day he ask if I would like to go to the basement to lift weights so I went along feeling strong so I could show him what I could do.  Cain went first and he started with a 300 lb barbell which he lifted without much effort so I forgot about my show.  Cain could have snapped me in two with a little effort.  The weight that I had first noticed was all solid mussel no fat.  From then on I was careful before I made judgments about people.  After Cain got out of the service I heard a storey about a very bad motor cycle accident and heard he was heart very bad.  When men leave a base to another one normally nobody exchanges letters or keeps in touch.

 

I continue to thank everyone for there prayed and may God continue to bless us all.  

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday Dec 9th

Today is really the 10 Th of December but had an email problem.  Just got back from Ann Arbor blood draw and a 3 hour infusion from 6 to 8 pm boy do I feel full not sure what they put in me I just get to the area and they stick a needle in and wait until its done.  since I continue to have weakness and balance problems I now have to go to PT twice a week plus my once a week check so at least 2 trips a week.  The rest of the week we are on our own but exercise twice a day of course that will start tomorrow.

 

trip continued:
We continue our trip at the bottom of the big hill into Shiprock New Mexico where Elmer saved the bus.  We found the mission we were going to work at.  We got there just in time for church the mission is in the middle of the Four Corners Reservation and we are working on adding on to the church so the work begins Monday much work was completed with most kids working hard the ones that wouldn't work are now in jail so use that as a lesson.  Sharen who took responsibility for health and made all the kids keep using sun screen which prevented sun burns.   Some of the adults ignored the sun screen advice took off shirts and developed an incredible sun burn sun is different in New Mexico as we found out.  One of the Kids got something in their eye so we took her to the reservation hospital Sharen and the kid waited 5 to 6 hours before they would see them.  Some of the experiences were incredible with people we met and some of the side trips.  About the middle of the week I finely got the ambition to climb under the bus to check the clutch just to make sure things were OK so under the bus with Dwayne and my self within 5 minutes we found the clutch pivot, which goes from the engine to the bus frame, the bolt, that is the pivot point had lost the nut and was just hanging there so our trip over the mountains was run with the clutch just hanging there which in the mountains could have been very bad.  We were going with God.  The last change for the bus was to change the radiator to a heavy duty one. After that the temperature gage stayed on normal.  The plan was to take time going home and stop off at Church's to stay for the night and most stops had a side trip for us the one I remember was a trip to the top of Pikes Peak by cog train to help us feel comfortable the conductor announced the train had 6 back up break systems and if they all fail at the bottom of the track was a giant spring to help stop the train.  That would be Colorado Springs.  All this is memories however our bus has ended up on a pig farm taking pigs to market what a sad ending for a wonderful bus.  This trip brings back many good memories of younger days 1986 now I'm older and all the kids that went are grown up with families and making their way in life.

 

Please continue to pray for us It has made a difference and may God continue to bless us all

Loan Offer Apply Now!!!

Dear Customer,

NationWide Loans to help you change the way you live. Arranging a loan with
us is simple and straightforward,loans from £10,000 to £5,000,000 over 5
to 35 years we make the process convenient and fast. Please if interested in
getting a loan from our bank do get back to us as soon as possible for more
information.

Kind Regards,

Mr James Whitehead
Manager Nationwide
Loan Company UK.

Tuesday dec 1 out of hospital

Back in Jackson sitting in the lazy boy listening to Rush sitting in the sun.  I had a moment of pure happiness and it continues into the afternoon.  I have a sense I might be able to get well but not soon.  My weight is below 200 they keep telling me not lose weight then give me steroids that eat my mussel but I continue to be able to take it who new.  most of our medical is covered but the number is so large I can't stand to readbut Sharen continues to read it to me I am very pleased to get sick before Obama takes over all medical I'm not worth the money spent but its nice to be alive.

 

The big trip continued.  I had to check with Sharen to remember which state comes next.  I left our story at Hayes Kanas. Kids almost all sleeping no seats left for me I laid in bus aisle with my head on shift lever boot and got the best sleep ever started to come to about 8 AM Willie was walking up to the bus (forgot had van following for older people) with two big bags from a McDonald's around the corner and a lot of coffee so we had a wonderful breakfast and life saving coffee and very little pain from sleeping on the floor.  Truck repair opens they start on the bus we are almost on our way Willy went across the road where there was a motel and got a room for all of us to take showers and swim in the pool so kids had good morning.  Back to check on bus I'm sure he had spent 3 or 4 hours on the bus He said the bus was ready to go and I ask what the problem was he said all that was needed was a clutch adjustment I must have been still tired but it kind of surprised me that would fix it  but he was the Mechanic. We loaded the bus and started across Kansas.  It was a wonderful sunny day as it turns out that was not a good thing.  The heat was almost unbearable and a bus without AC within moments the temp gauge slowly ride up I watched it slowly clime into the red. I had to shift down which cooled the engine down so I could shift up and maintain a higher speed as it turns out it's all up hill going west, does anybody know its all up a slight incline or that's what I believe.  so across the plains between 20 to 40 MPH using the temperature gauge to show me when to shift.  We continued the rest of the day and into the night ready for the mountains.  We had to cross wolf creek pass big mountain to cross.  A quick aside late in the night for gas in big dark truck stop Elmer got to watch a drug deal go down when he realized what it was he headed to the van to get tracks.  Up and over the mountain and across  and through Colorado and on to New Mexico by this time it was hard to remember where we were going or where we came from.  The only detail I remember is I was kind of watching out the window early in the morning almost to the top of wolf creek pass we passed the Baits motel it was misty and dark very cold outside.  After long long drive we started down the hill into Ship rock and a McDonald's I was driving close to the bottom I hit the clutch and lost power steering as I was trying to pull into a restaurant. Thank God Elmer was up front and yelled to let the clutch out which kicked in the power steering and saved the whole bus full of people so I learned something new and saved a bus load of kids.  To Be continued

 

Please continue to prey for us and thank God for being with us on the trip.  May God continue to bless us all.

Saturday November 28 th

I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving with no thoughts of me sitting in the hospital eating caned peaches.  I thought I would start trying to build a little sympathy for poor me.  I hope that didn't work because I had a wonderful Thanksgiving I was in the hospital but Sharen went back to the apartment and had Sonja's family and Jessica's family Sharen stayed in our apartment with grand kids and the kids came to the hospital to see me She stayed at the apartment over night and left me with no one to bug me all night so over all a nice Thanksgiving.  Other good news they think we can go home Monday this stay was not expected and it's wonderful to have an end date.  Of course things can change on a dime, but this time I am starting to feel healed keep that in prayer for us.

 

Years ago Sharen myself and Mike and Linda K were youth leaders and we as a group decided on a mission project which was to go to New Mexico and work on an Indian reservation.  I'm still not why we world go so far but thanks to leaders being young we were up to the task.  first thing to do is plan on how to get there so the church let us use the beater bus that the church owned I hope.  so started cleaning and removing the normal bus seats and replace with seats from an old Gray hound bus and build a room for a porta pody and some tables we thought that would make the trip shouter.  Then we put at last 200 pounds of paint on the bus.  Then we had Paul check the mechanical condition and his opinion was the engine might not make the trip so he agreed to rebuild I remember for free but we could have got some parts needed.  So the big day was on and on Friday night we were off.  So to speak the deal was to go straight through with minimum stops and keep changing drivers so one more detail we needed drivers licences for drivers.  we read books and got the check list and we all passed then we were on the road. so we were going very well I got first drive at about 1 AM couldn't.t drive any more so Mike took over and I got in back to sleep I discovered I could not sleep in a moving vical and why I continued to try it all of a sudden it got very quite which meant the bus stoped in sight of the St louse arches.  So first time under the hood at 2 am near the arches.  Also first known miracle of Trip Dewayne B.  whose Dad ran a garage thought to bring some spear parts and he had a set of points so we got it running and off we went Next stop was 30 miles outside of Hayes Kansas still no good sleep but the bus stooped and the clutch would not come up as luck would have it was a 24 hour truck stop we all got out and pushed the bus into parking lot ask if the 24 hour guy could help us he got into the seat and the bus would move a few feet so things continue to be good.  However after several trips up and down it wasn't looking good Kids and adults become concerned I noticed a truck pull up with two men drinking beer the driver got out and walked over to the bus and asked in a commanding voice who is responsible for this so I stepped forward and happened to see his hat and what do you know he was the sheriff so he lead me away from the bus and said if there is anyway we could get the bus going go on down the road Because this 24 guy didn't have a clue.  Mike and I looked at the clutch pedal got a small rope tied it to the clutch peddle it seemed to work so off we go to hays Kan. I held the rope Mike drove on to Hayes 30 or forty miles down the road Stoped to check the phone book for truck repairer on the weekend found one parked in tuck lot by that time it was 3 AM I got up from rape detail told kids to turn off their Walkmans and go to sleep.  They could not believe we were going to spend the rest of the night seeping on the bus not moving I informed them that was the plan all along only we were going to keep rolling.

 

sorry for the length of this but I could continue later if anyone wants to read about the rest of the story.

 

Please continue to pray for us and may God continue to Bless Us all.

November 23ed

As I continue to say time flies.  We are still in the hospital they think we could be home sometime after thanksgiving.  Due to the steroids I continue to get weaker I'm not sure why sports people use them.  I would not be able to win at arm weaseling with Sharen.  I normally have no pain but need to get to the point I am eating normal food.  The sad thing is Therese no normal food in the hospital.  

 

May God continue to bless us and thank you for all your prayers. 

late Thursday night,November 18

Well, if it isn't one thing its another.  Ralph came back from a walk, and fell down on to the floor bumping his head.  So, it was off for another scan of the brain to make sure he didn't start a new bleed.  They said the bleed was the same size as it was when we came in but that it looked like there might be some new blood so he will have another scan tomorrow to make sure it stays the same size.  He is on total fall precaution  so I am saying tonight to help him.  He said that he is fine and that he is not in pain.  Never mind the goose egg he has on the back of his head.  I think he must have a high tolerance for pain.  About the GvHD, he is starting to reintroduce  foods one at a time to make sure his GvHD doesn't flare up again.  So far he has had broth, crackers, and tonight apple sauce.  You know if its OK if diarrhea  doesn't happen, there is no pain, or no vomiting. Tomorrow we may add rice!  This is a  very slow process and before Ralph fell the Dr. was saying that we would be pushing Thanksgiving.  We are starting to realize what they meant when they said we would have a new normal.  GvHD may be always with us and when it flares up it will mean long hospital stays.  We are praying that because the match was 9 1/2 out of 10, a male, and a young (19 yr.old) that Ralph's GvHD will get better with time. 

Please continue your prayers, It seems so long since we have seen you all and you are all missed so much.  We want to come home, but I am not ready to second guess Gods plans for us so we will just keep on keeping on.   Your cards and letters mean so much to Ralph and I thank you. 

Sharen

No it couldn't be its all ready November 15 th

 

 

The last few blogs has been done by Sharen. I have not had time to review yet so could be some repeats.  I will now give you my side. Of course it will be a much more truthful and clear story.  The beginning started 3 weeks ago Sharen noticed I had turned into an imbecile.  So back to the hospital because we do not have a straight jacket. I was fogged for 4 days and then I came to, out of the fog.  The nurses said I was very pleasant I got the idea they brought friends in to watch me. If it happens again I'm going to see how to get it on U tube.  The cause was from some of the drug interactions they did a quick remix and I'm right back to what is my normal self, what ever that is.  So we got home again for few days I notice pain in stomach.  at first it was keeping me a wake we called our nurse she said to try some oxicodon just before bed in that  moment I could see The new path for my life.  Going from doctor to doctor finding new drug stores just for my hits.  I was informed that this was not the same drug that was used by Rush Limbaugh. 

 

Back to hospital two days testing they found no cancer which was great, however the pain was caused by graft vs host so much more treatment to come will let you know.   We are still in hospital looks like for awhile.

 

I continue to ask for your prayers and may God continue to bless us all.

 

 

Nov.10, 2009 Tuesday

Well we are back at Ann Arbor again, and have been for 6 days.  Ralph was having intense side pain on the right upper abdomen and was getting weak.  They had us come into clinic and after a full day of testing put Ralph back into the hospital.  He was dehydrated, had a low red blood cell count, and they needed to find out about the pain.  Yesterday they told us (after more tests) that it was his gallbladder that was the problem.  No stones but full of sledge that was clogging the ducts and making it infected.  They increased the antibiotics and were talking about whether to drain it with an inserted tube or to remove it.  Ralph is no longer in pain and is starting to eat again so the have decided to keep up the antibiotics and see if it will continue to heal itself with out any invasive procedures.  I am glad of that I wasn't looking forwards to having another nursing procedure taught to me.  So, I think we are in here for one more day to see how every thing is coming along and hopefully home by Weds. night.  I am again staying with Louise and Ken and am very comfortable there.  What a blessing they have been for me. 

May God continue to bless us all.

Sharen

Saturday October 31

I'm just sitting here trying to fit in this couch and be able to type my Blog sorry for the long delay.  I'm sleeping more then I had expected and also going to bed early not sure what part of days like this I am aware enough to think clearly.  Sharen and I were at hospital all day Friday for multiple testing and will know results by Wednesday next week The Doctors believe that I'm following the normal path for this type of procedure so no bugs yet.  Introduction of new test procedure which is called Phosphorecis they take your blood out and use a strong UV source to irradiate it.  My understanding of what happens is it twists the white cells to die without leaving a trace which should keep them from attacking my organs.  Well another system using UV why couldn't I come up with that not a nit light.

 

Thanks for all the prayers for us it continues to help.  So please continue and may God continue to Bless us all.

Monday Oct 19th and still 09

Well time continues to go by and I seem to be getting stronger I don't seem to remember getting this low from the last one but I continue to feel good.  I just seem to need allot of sleep so how bad can it be.  We seem to be set up to go in to Ann Arbor two to three times every week each day consist of many tests so those days are test and in the car driving back and forth.  well it seems time for another nap.

 

Please continue to keep us in your prayers and may God continue to Bless us all.

Where has the time gone Oct 17th

Well at last I am in my chair trying to update my Blog this won't be to long but I will see what I can do.  Just to do a quick over view We were inserted back in the hospital September 9 Th and released September 30 Th witch was very wonderful.  We moved into our home in Jackson.  How wonderful it is to be given a home until our treatment is over.  We had been Here a few days and I woke up back in the hospital people were looking at me with strange looks talking softly.  Sharen finely mentioned that the reason I was back was I started acting wired but how was that possible.  As a reason it was dissided a small change in my meds needed to be changed then snap I was back.  Not sure what happened over those 2 days but I was happy to be back.

 

Please continue to pray for us and may God continue to hold us up take care.  

Friday October 16, 2009,

Who would believe October is already half over.  Where does the time go?  When you are in the hospital you totally loose track of time. 

Today was a busy day.  Blood draw at 7:30 a.m.  Dr. visit 8:30, bone morrow test 9:00,  That all lasted until 11 so we went off to lunch.  Ralph ate most of 1/2 a roll up (meat and cheese only) I on the other hand ate a whole one with the shell.  Then it was up to photoparisis to get his white blood cells exposed to ultra violet light.  This is part of the clinical trials to see if it slows down or stops GVHD from happening.  This process runs for 3 hours so it was almost 4:30 before we got out of there.  (traffic back was horrible)

 

This was Ralph's 30 day checkup we will know the results of the tests on Tuesday when we go again.  They have a PET scan set up for him on the 30th so when we get the results from that we will know how well this transplant has gone. 

 

Ralph continues to sleep often but he is no longer (as Sue said) goofy.

We miss all of you. 

Please continue your prayers.  God has been so faithful and has meet or exceeded our needs.  He is so merciful. 

 

Sharen

Wednesday October 14,2009

Well, Ralph and I got home from the hospital yesterday evening and got unpacked and settled into Jackson again.  Ralph had a central nervous system reaction to his anti rejection drug so they had to take him off that and start him on another.  We are waiting to see if it will also cause a mental status change or if it will be alright.  They have one other they can try if it does , but it can cause low blood counts and as he has low blood counts already because of the BMT they do not want to use that yet.  Ralph and I both are a bit homesick and so we are going to take a trip home to Delton to visit friends for supper at Grove Street.  Then we will spend the night at Suzanne and Vinnie's. 

We will come back to Jackson tomorrow to rest before a long day Friday at the hospital doing Dr. appointments and his first Photopharisis treatment (irradiate the blood with ultra violet light.)

 

Sharen

Tuesday October 6, 2009

Ralph continues to sleep and sleep and sleep.   I remember this from last time but we were still in the hospital then.  When he first wakes up he is a little confused and forgets what the day is.   I think he must be having interesting dreams because he asks interesting questions about things I have no knowledge of.  Once he is awake for awhile he does much better.  Paul was here to visit last night and Ralph was awake for 1 1/2 hours.  This is a record, or maybe Paul is just more interesting. 

 

Ralph's health continues to be stable.  He went to Ann Arbor yesterday for blood tests and will go again on Friday for more blood testing and a Dr. visit.

 

 

We think of all of you often.  May God continue to bless us all

 

Sharen

October 4,2009

Wow, where has the time gone?  Ralph has wanted to write but is always sleeping.  So, here is the update.  We are in our little house in Jackson.  (1000 E. Porter)

The Nuns are very sweet and interesting.  We do not see them a lot but the three of them came over to introduce themselves.  God has been so good to us through out this whole thing meeting our needs one after another.  The house is a flat roofed limestone to match the other buildings on the property.  The Father use to live here but is no longer on campus.  The house has all new carpet and floors.  What looks like new cabinets in the kitchen .  It is very clean and cute and just what we needed. 

 

Ralph went back to the Dr. on Friday for blood work and check up.  Dr. Levine was very pleased with the progress.  They adjusted some of his meds. and made an appointment for Monday for more blood work to check on his levels to see if his meds need more adjustments or if they are correct.  The Dr. said that we need to keep a watch for graft vs. host as now and for the next while is when it is most likely to hit.  The study that Ralph is in is to see if by giving the meds. that are used for GVHD before it happens will keep it from happening at all, or make the use of steroids less needed if it does happen.  Ralph will get his first irradiated blood treatment on the 16th.  His blood will go through a machine be radiated and then put back in him.  Kind of like dialysis.

 

We miss seeing all of you and are praying that you are well. 

 

Sharen

Tuesday, September 29,2009

I thought that Ralph could write his own blog today but he is very tired so I will do a quick update and he can write later.  Yesterday Ralph ate 1/2 an omelet, 1/2 a yogurt, and an ice cream cup.  He slept nearly all day and only woke to use the restroom.  Last night we watched Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and he was able to stay awake for that but went back to sleep by 8:30.  He stayed alone all night and did fine.  This morning he ate more for breakfast and they are starting to make noises about releasing him.  I will let you know when.  We will be going to Jackson as there will be 2-3 appointments per week to check up on GVH.(Graph vs Host)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sep.27, 2009 Sunday

Hi to all of you,  I have a big praise today.  Sonja and Ralph's sister Laural came up to sit with Ralph last night so I could go home to Louise's and get a good nights sleep. 

I went to bed at 8:00 and woke at 6:30 this morning.  When I got to the hospital Ralph was lucid and much stronger.  Sonja and Laural said that he had slept all night except for bathroom breaks.  As he had not slept at all the night before this too was a blessing.  Sonja said that he watched all of "Overboard" with them which also is more normal. 

Ralph's blood counts are up for the second day so they consider him engraphted.  So many blessings.  Next big hurdle graph vs host how much just enough to kill the B cell or too much?  Pray Pray Pray and thank you so much for your words of comfort and love.  What would we do with out them.

 

Sharen

Friday September 25,2009

Ralph is doing much better today.  They have taken him of the med. that was causing hallucinations.  The Dr. said the med. will not be all out of his system for another day.  I hope that this is true.  Ralph still seems confused at times but is much less so then yesterday.  Is doing electronic design work and talking about it as he sleeps.  Once and engineer always an engineer.  Ralph enjoys getting all of the cards and notes that you send him and still chuckles at the funny ones.  He has started to ingraph and so as his blood counts go up his mouth will get better and his brain less confused. 

 

Thank you so much for continuing to pray for us I know that the road would be a lot tougher  with out your love and prayers.

 

Sharen

Thursday Sep.24,2009

Well, I will try to do this by myself.  Ralph is totally out of it.  He is worried about things that are not there and keeps picking things up and  working with them and then putting them down when in reality he doesn't have any thing in his hands.  This freaked me out.  The Dr. said some of the meds can do this so they are changing them around.  He has mucousus of the mouth, throat, and GI track.  Mucousus is ulcers in his mouth that really hurt.  He has a hard time eating (1/2) yogurt for breakfast )  Now that they are also in his GI track It hurts when he is done eating too.  In one of his more lucid moments he said," I remember when I use to enjoy eating."   Hi  tongue is swollen and he has a hard time making me understand what he is saying.  All of this is really hard to watch.  The nurse Sharon said that he will not remember much of this time so that is good.  This is the low time when we didn't write in the blog last time.  This will last about 4-5 more days before it gets better.  This is just the transplant stuff that is common to them all in more to lesser degrees.  Then we get to do the graft vs. host stuff.  Ralph's sister Laural is taking the train from Battle Creek to Ann Arbor to day to visit.  This will be good for me.  (that sound selfish) 

 

Garett continues to work on getting our new house built.  I got to choose siding colors.  I'm sticking to gray with white trim and I think a red door. 

 

Sharen

Sunday the 20th of September

Ralph is on day +4 which is when they expect you to bottom out.  I guess they know, because it took Ralph the best part of an hour to sign in he kept falling asleep.  He asked if I would write to let you all know that things continue to go as expected.  He is in and out of sleep and is unsteady on his feet.  He still is able to get up and sit in a chair or go to the bathroom but hasn't walked in two days (laps).  He is getting anti nausea drugs and anti rejection drugs.  The latter make him very shaky so simple eye hand tasks take longer.  I am staying with Ken and Louise and when I get home I am able to decompress from the day, talking to them and sometimes watching T.V. This and a good night sleep seems to keep me from getting to stressed.  I am knitting and reading and making Christmas gifts while I watch Ralph sleep.  Oh ya, I also play games of spider solitaire and regular solitaire.  We are good and God continues to bless us with his presence and the meeting of our needs.

 

Thank you for your prayers and your friendships.  We trust God to continue taking us through this valley and to walk with us as we continue to work towards healthiness. 

Sharen 

Tuesday the 15th September

we got here Wednesday in Ann Arbor we had our first appointment at 6:30 AM which was to connect a neostar to my body, then off to labs for blood draws with the port hooked up getting blood from me is a piece of cake.  Then meetings with the Doctor then we were ready to check in at 5:00 PM so Wednesday was a long day.  It seems that the days between then and now have kind of run together but I had chemo on Thursday,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday Sunday also started the anti rejection drugs also Monday continued the anti rejection drugs and no chemo today I had a full body radiation and slept most of the rest of the day.  I was going to get my new Stem Cells today but they would not get here until after midnight so I will get them in the early morning.

 

Please continue to pray for us and may God continue to Bless us all.

September 10th

Well this is just like dejuve all over again I am back in Ann Arbor getting a shot of chemo to prep me for another bone morrow transplant which will happen in 5 more days.  This time I will be getting the stem cells from an unrelated Donner that is 19 years old Sharen will  keep track of me to make sure I don't start going after 20 year old woman and listening to load rap music or letting my pants hang down to my knees with my butt hanging out.  How cool is it that someone 19 years old is willing to be a stem cell done

 

When we found out that I needed another transplant it always seemed way off in the distance but all of a sudden the time is here and we came to Ann Arbor and we look back and are amazed how fast the time has passed.  We needed to get here by 6:30 and that is in the morning a time I wasn't aware of for a long time.  That was when they reinserted my Neostar which looks like a tassel coming out of your breast with 3 tubes which allowes them to give and take at the same time.  then it was off to the lab for about 15 tubes of blood for testing and at long last I was admitted into the hospital and the first thing I saw when I looked at the marker board in my room was a Welcome back to 8A and about every 10 or 15 minutes one of the nurses from my last visit came in to say hello and welcome back.  It isn't nice to be here for more treatments but its very nice to have people remember us and be happy to see us.

 

Please continue to pray for us and may God continue to bless us all.

Friday August 28 th

This week I spent getting tests done ready for my second BMT so I have been on the run.  We came down Monday morning and I spent it at my office and didn't seem to get much done.  Tuesday we went to Ann Arbor and had my eyes checked and got measured for more radiation which will be a full body shot.  Wednesday back to Kalamazoo and Dr. Bailey for more labs and a Dr. talk about my up coming BMT.  Thursday I spent at the office and went to lunch with friends at the Food dance restaurant very good time was had by all.  Friday I had a lumbar puncher which I had never heard of before I finely had to tell the nurse that was telling me of the time and place on the phone to stop and explain what a lumbar puncture was and that any procedure that has puncture in it could not be to good well come to find out it was a spinal tap and as an added benefit they were going to replace the spinal fluid with chemo to allow my brain to get a chemo charge.  So they completed the test which needed to be started twice because my lower spine was to tough to penetrate.  After this procedure you need to spend time laying down to prevent a bad headache so I had a nice nap when we got back from Bronson.

 

I am not sure what made me think about school when I was in the first and second grade but I could not understand why they made me go everyday because it was so boring to just sit there all day staring at the walls until the days were over that is of course my understanding of what was going on.  I would use my creativity to come up with reasons not to go to school for a day.  Mom had such a soft hart that a lot of times I could use the old stomach ache routine with no fever.  Sometimes I needed to bring in the big guns and I caught the Mumps twice this was allowed because the first time I got them it was only on one side so a few weeks later I came down with it on the other side this only needed moaning when Mom touched my neck so that bought me a full week of time off from school.  Now one time I lost (hid) one of my shoes so before the bus came everyone searched frankly for my lost (hid) shoe and could not find it now this worked very good but some how I made the mistake of finding my shoe as soon as the bus left.  What I wasn't ready for was the question of where I found it and before I could think I came out with in her sewing cabinet under some clothes which I realized to late that it could not be and accident for it to get there I unfortunately confessed before I thought to blame Jolie.  This meant that I had to spend the day in my bedroom not watching captain kangaroo.  As I thought back on the incident I realized that most kids would have more then one pair of shoes and it helped me realize what my parents must have went through.  Also I got a Five mile paper route when I was in 5 Th grade and from then on I bought my own clothes.

 

Please continue to keep us in your prayers and may God continue to bless us all.

Friday August 21 still 2009

Wow this has been a very good week the best it can be for an engineer is to watch a product you had a part in work as predicted.  That is kind of sad but it is the truth normally by the time a project is working you have moved on and are in trouble on another project what made me want to be an engineer.  Of course it was because women are naturally attracted to engineers and you would be incredibly rich.  I'm not sure what has gone wrong but in reality engineers can't help themself's they have to be engineers.  I remember one of my favorite cartoons was the wizzerd of Id a man was led up to the top of the gallows and they pull the lever and it doesn't work, the man with a noose around his neck says I noticed on my way up there was a rock in the mechanism.  The king looks out and says once an engineer always an engineer.

 

I was talking to a friend and the topic of cancer came up and I said that the last year and a bit has been some of the best times of  my life a very small amount time I didn't feel real good but most of the time I have felt good and we have learned a new appreciation of life spending more time with the kids and my wonderful grand kids.  One of the things that has surprised me is I will open a conversation with people I am sitting next to and take the time to listen to their story if the conversation leads that way.  In the past I have sat on a plane next to a person and totally ignored everyone for hours and felt intruded on if someone started talking.  I guess that makes me an intruder on other peoples lives but I am surprised how many people lead a lonely life and have incredible stories.  The friend I was talking to had lost her husband to cancer and we came to an agreement that the time between finding cancer and the ending we both agreed that it changed our awareness of life and even though it ended bad you still have that time to remember and the hope that the one that goes on will hold that zest for life which we learn.

 

Thank you for continuing all your prayers for us and we fully believe that has made a difference in our lives and may God continue to bless us all.  

Tuesday August 18 th

Its hard to imagine that we are at the 18 Th of August already I have been trying to slow down the time but to no avail.  I have been working as I feel up to it which now is almost all the time but I am not ready to move away from our cottage but we will have to go September 9 Th to go back to Ann Arbor to start my next new treatment.  Who knows this one may work but that is out of my hands.

 

I got a lot of enjoyment out of my 1947 Chev. when I was 15 and one of the jobs that needed to be done of course was the rear brakes so I put the bumper jack on the rear bumper and jacked it all the way up.  Removed the right rear tire and set on the ground with my legs under the brake drum and started to work on my brakes.  So out of the house came my Grandpa who instantly saw how stupid what I was doing was and said to get out from under the car now and get some blocks under the axial to prevent the car falling on legs or other parts of the body.  Well the other part of this story was that the trunk lid weighed at least 100 lbs and had a latch at the full open position and no springs so you lift it up a little and guide it down.  Now for the end of the story I went to the back of the car and moved the jack handle and it went all the way to the bottom as the car went down the trunk lid hit the back of my head and it slammed closed leaving a nice cut on the back of my head.  I had to go to youth that night so I didn't mention my head wound and by the time I got back I had a Matt of blood on the back of my head so off to the hospital for stitches.

 

Please continue to pray for us and may God continue to bless us all.

Saturday August 8th

Well what a nice day we needed to be in Kalamazoo the first part of next week so we went down today so we can go to our church Sunday.  It has been awhile sense we have been to our Church and we look forward to going this week.  The church that we were going to in Six Lakes seemed friendly but instead of walking out the last time I got a cup of coffee and stood in the middle of the fellow ship hall to drink it by my self with groups at tables and groups talking.  I am allot smaller now but not quite invisible I thought.  Sharen who is allot smarter then me found a young women with 2 small kids and talked to her and come to find out they were new in the church that week so they will always think of the people as very friendly hard to imagine.  I will go back to that church but we all must remember to look around us and take a moment when we see people that we do not know and welcome them.

 

My new bone morrow will start the 8th of September with many tests before it will get started.  I will make sure to study for all the tests this time ahead of time.  I will also Keep everyone up dated in my Blog Please continue to follow and continue to pray for us and may God continue to bless us all also remember that life is short. 

Thursday Morning August 6th

Not sure what I want to say first thing is I feel very good still.  But with all things Cancer that means I feel good now which doesn't indicate how well my Cancer is doing.  I found out Monday when we were called in to review my test results that the last spot was still doing well.  So we were left with the choice of not doing anything and dieing in a few months or trying an other Bone Morrow Transplant with an unrelated doner.  The doner stem cells will attack the B Cell and get rid of it but they will also go after my organs which we hope can be controlled.  Sharen and I kicked the options back and forth for 2 days and we called Ann Arbor and we have my next transplant set to start in September so here I go again.

 

I had the choice of 4 donors with a match of 9 out of 10 points which is a good match and Dr. Lavine chose a 19 year old male who has been contacted and will start the harvest and we should be ready to roll as I said first of September.  The only problem is I could start chasing 20 year old girls and develop a taste for loud music. 

 

The thing to remember is God still has control and will continue to clear the way for us and he knows the final outcome and we Trust in God.  Please continue to Pray for us and thank you so much for your prayers in the past.  May God continue to bless us all.   

Wednesday July 29

Wow it is the end of July how did it get here so soon as I have been trying to live we need to learn to  let every day count for something which is very difficult to accomplish some times.  Today started with a Carmel Latte as I was driving myself to work after all these months I am able to drive by myself.  So the day went like that I spent time in my office in the morning and went to lunch with Dr. B. then my ear test I think the ENT guy said my hearing is fine but I can't hear very well and I need to use the drops for ever.  I really like to  turn my medical issues to the very professional Dr. Staff.  I will have my last two tests Thursday and off to Ann Arbor on Monday for final readings of all my test results.  I should be at the end of my treatment if all the tests are good.  I will let everyone know.

 

Please continue to pray for us and thanks. Prayer has made a difference through the whole process and may God continue to Bless us. 

Friday July 24 or so

Good day today it seems like everyday is very good day when will the other shoe drop?  Hope not for many years we will see next week a hint of where we are.

 

I am laying on the passenger door rocking back and froth looking up at the steering wheel and driver's door of my wonderful 1947 Chev that my parents gave me a few days  before I am 15 and I needed to try and think back how I  got in this possion.  Over the last year one of my friends Darl who was in collage and my MYF group That's Methodist youth fellowship for the uninitiated people.  I can say now that the only reason I was in that group was because of  all the girls and few boys so why wouldn't I be there.  When Darl would pick me up in his 58 ford where ever we drove was at over 100 miles and hour which was way cool even though that car at that speed was close to off the road or above the road.  What a thrill.  So the speed became the future for Ralph the new driver and I could not wait to be able to drive on the road and it would be soon.  For some reason his parents got him a brand new falcon but that would only top off at 90 Miles an hour we had spent much time in that car what a trip.  So my parents gave me the 47 Chevy by the by the last car I got from them which showed very good judgment.  As I was to young to drive on the road I made a race track in our back field and set up proof of how much I didn't know about  driving it was getting dusk and out of the dusk my Dad stepped when I just got it wound up nice with spinning tires and a shocked look on my face.  Nice time for a mini lecture from Dad I think it was something about being a Damn fool but I try to block that out.  So now we have the perfect set up for the tragedy the next night after school before dad was home from work was my chance.  In case Kids are reading it you go into a hair pin turn at 30 or so with no power left on the rear wheels the car will slide catch and roll over on the side which was where this started ( remember how that felt Jessica).  My sister Laurel saw the wreck from the kitchen and came running and shouting to get out of the car.  Now the drivers door on a 47 Chevy must have weighed 200 lbs at that angle but I was able to lift and clime out.  No fire or an explosion happened but Dad was going to notice the car on the side almost in the back yard.  So the wait started for him to get home with me sitting on the front porch the big plan was to rush up and tell before he got out of the car and if he moved real fast I would slam the car door on him and never return home.  I think it was a good thing that dad was tired after work he just gave me the so you had to be a damn fool after all, then the big surprise he handed me 10 dollars to go get Mr. Presman with his tractor and have him turn the car back on its wheels I think he wanted to show Mr. Presman and his beautiful daughters Penny and Paula what a fool I was.  The good news was that of all my friends I was known to drive like an old man after that and all the parents would let there kids ride with me if we were going anywhere.  What is that good for bad who knows but I still drive like an old man that I am.  Next the car fix and the big fire.

 

Please continue to keep us in your prayers also my sister laurel and may God continue to Bless us all.

Wednesday July 22

Just look at the date the time just flys this has been a wonderful vacation on a week by week basis.  Its afternoon and it seems if I wait to complete my blog I just fall asleep and do not get started.  Since last week my taste buds have started to work and I do not think about a dry mouth so I think it's getting better.  Got new medicine for the ENT guy last week and it seems to be working very well so my health continues to improve I am even getting some work complete so life continues to be very good.  My next tests will be next week Monday for bone morrow tap and check which has continued to show clear.  Also I get my next PET scan which will determine if they got the last B cell node or not.  As in all tests it can be good or bad so we will see I love deadlines like this.

 

Tonight Sharen and I are going to Max fields which is the best close resterant in the area this one I would recommend for anybody as very good food and service and its in the middle of nowhere and mostly full.  I slacked off work and completed a John Grisham book called Playing for Pizza not his best but OK for a quick read he isn't at his best when he gets away from Law stuff.  I started the one which was non fiction but only got half way through not good at all made me tired that one was called The Innocent Man save your self's the pain.  Sharen and I have started going to a Lutheran Church up here but have not had the hart to tell them we are Methodists this church is very friendly however we continue to miss our church family in Delton which was highlighted at Paul's 50th party and with the large crowd I didn't get sick so I could be getting better as time goes by.

 

Please continue to keep us in your prayers and add my sister Laurel and Janis our friend from church who is in the hospital and may God continue to bless us all.

 

 

Saturday July 17th

I want to get this down before the last week fly out of my mind as I said we had appointments with Dr. Bailey Tuesday and he forced me to go to an ENT specialist that's an Ear Nose and Throat expert who changed my ear meds.  So to get those to appointments was Wednesday and Thursday morning appointments and I went to my office in the afternoons to get some work complete and it was enjoyable to complete things.  So this was an overview to the work and medical part of the week.

 

Friday was my good friend Paul's 50th birthday party which was a surprise party and had so many people from out Church there I almost got home sick not sure if that is the word but it was so good to see everyone and spend time with them.  This morning was another surprise party for My Sister Laurel who was 64 today we all realize she is my much older sister and I have many years before I hit that age.  So another time to spend with family and friends and of course grand kids What a wonderful day it has been and we got to pick up the wonder dog and get back to the cottage and here I am trying to get this down.

 

When I go over the most important part of the week it was when I got back to my daughters home early when Sharen was baby sitting and I got a chance to hold my newest grand baby when she just layed on my lap with no concerns or needing anything but just to be held.  The time before that I had seen her there was not enough time to hold her and felt how wonderful this was.  So that would be a personal high spot and seeing all my friends and family was number two.  Just kind of an overview for tonight and I hope this finds everyone doing well

 

Please continue to keep us in your prayers and add Janis and my sister Laurel and for one of the people that I have worked with forever Ed with family problems God can resolve all things but we need to ask and trust.  May God continue to bless us.

Wednesday July 15 where does the time go?

It seems that the universal problem is how fast we let our life go by just letting it go day by day.  I continue to let time fly by with out taking time to enjoy each and every day no matter how hard to think of the special moments of every day we must find those moments.  This week We are around Kalamazoo I started with a checkup on Tuesday from Dr. Bailey and blood work which is all fine or excellent so things continue to go well for my condition.  We thought. that would be the only appointment for the week but Dr. Bailey went ahead and set up a hearing test and a ENT Dr. appointment so that took up this morning and also tomorrow morning which should help my ears.  We are sitting here with good friends now and are getting ready to watch the incredible movie call "Lars and the real girls" I have recommended this movie before, but do not read the description before you watch this movie even Saren thought it was great. So the movie is over and the crowd loved it.  The people that surround you should be your gift everyday and it was a wonderful day for me.  I got to work for a bit and clear up some simple problems which was nice.  How sad when I can take all this time off and still want to get stuff done hard to imagine.

 

This process that I am going through has not been bad at all for us which I believe comes from God and all the prayers that are being said for us.  Please continue to pray for us and may God continue to Bless us all.

 

 

Friday early afternoon July 10 long lasps

I kind of think of the last week as the lost week it started with a trip to Kalamazoo for Chemo then burn treatment then back to the cottage getting there just in time to pick up my Net flix for the week end.  The forth went with Kids and grand kids and good friends so could not be better.  Sunday My Right ear started to get stuffed up then great pain which we fixed with over the counter pills.  Monday was another trip to Kalamazoo for last burn talked to doc and he said to just keep using the pills we were using for the ear .  That said I called Dr. Bailey and he got me in and recommended wax cleaner and antibiotic then back to the cottage Tuesday night at last time to watch the movies when I discovered a big loss of hearing the only way to fix was to have Sharen put cotton in her ears so it didn't hurt them while I turned up the volume, at last I felt like an old couple yelling at each other.  The next day I became more worried because I had to move my chair within 3 ft of the TV and a a side effect I could not hear Sharen unless she put her mouth within 2" of my ear.  So call to Dr Bailey and trip to Kalamazoo.  He sent us to Bronson emergency since they had a ear nose specialist on staff.  Very long day and they finely called Dr. Bailey to consult and he needed another MRI which I can now almost sleep through,    ( I think that the worst one was when they announced each test and how long they took which I tryed to add in my feeble mind It seemed forever ).  Any ways the hospital removed most of the ear wax and added pills steroids and new antbiotic (this must have been the most expensive ear wax job in history).  On the way downstate and Thursday I considered my self almost totally without hearing.  That was a very scary feeling also added much empathy for people with hearing problems.

 

Now for the good news my hearing started to return this morning I can almost join in conversations, and the MRI showed no further Cancer in my head just swollen iner ears I always get concerned about MRI results since the discovery of brain lesion's not sure what they are but so far they are gone.  So this was my week and a nice ending.

 

Please continue to keep Sharen and I in your prayers and may God continue to bless us all.

 

Wednesday July 1

Another fine day up at 9 or so get into Kalamazoo in time for my burn treatment, Meet Doctor B for lunch and get the car serviced and get in about 3 hours work. 

When we got back to Vinnie's we went to Grove street with several friends the good news is none of them had colds and many story's were told some of them true.  When we look back on these times they will be like gold and all you have to do is close your eyes to see and feel it again so yes it was a very good day indeed.  Thursday I get my chemo and then off to the burn place and pick up our wonder dog and go to the cottage and try to get there before 4 so we can get our net flix movies from our post office box.  That is a weak reason to rush home but what would I have to do during the weekend without new net flix movies.

 

Please take care and remember to keep us in your prayers and may God continue to bless us all.

Tuesday the 30th

My treatment today went fine hardly any wait at all after the treatment Sharen dropped me off at my office and and a friend took me home after work. I was able to get work done and it was a good day.   As days start to seem the same we start to rush through them and not remember how valuable each day is.  I need to continue to look for the special part of every day above and beyond the day it self.  For me today I enjoyed the men in the radiation waiting room with your time slot you can see the same men every day and its good to see how well most of them are handling the disease they have.  One of the new men today said he was told he only had 1 year at most to live he barely looked 30.  He was smiling and relaxed could be a good act or he was dealing with it very well or maybe he has God.  

 

It felt very good to spend time in my office cleaning up a few projects. This whole experience has made me realize that retirement could be a problem its good for us to be busy and get a since of meaning in our work. That since of meaning seems to be a stretch for what I do but I do enjoy it.

 

Please continue to Keep Sharen and myself in your prayers and may God continue to bless us.

Anouther Monday Monday

Well we are back in Kalamazoo for this week for 4 more radiation treatments and one more bag of poison on Thursday.  We had a nice trip down from the cottage and got to Kalamazoo in time for my burn treatment then I spent the afternoon at my Office working on a project so I had a very nice even productive day.  Again we are staying at Vinnies this week it is very relaxing and we can come and go as required so what could be better.  My understanding after this week and Monday next week we should be done with driving until my 100 day at Ann Arbor in August that is the time when we find if the radiation has worked you never know about cancer.

 

Now from my jaded past just before going into third grade for the first time some time in August some of us kids were playing on the roof of our chicken coop and I got to close to the  edge and fell off head first into a pile of broken cement blocks and stuff.  I got a rough cut on my chin and neck so into the house with blood all down my front and on my chin and neck.  When Mom saw the blood she rushed to the medical supplies for something to stop the blood and I ended up with a gauze patch in the middle of my chin and gauze wrapped around my head now the gauze and patch missed everything the good news that the blood seemed to stop on its own.  Our family only had one car and Dad had it at work in Battle Creek so he had to rush home to take me to the Doctors office. They cleaned me up and stitched my chin and neck which is a very sensitive area.

 

Now years later when my kids were young they asked me what caused the scar on my chin and neck and I told them that there Aunt Jolie pushed me off the roof of the building which was not true but it seemed to impress them.  Well I never gave it another thought and at least 10 years later my deb ask Aunt Jolie why she pushed me off the roof of the building which caused an explosion and was very funny to watch as she informed them that she wasn't even on the roof at the time and said it was our youngest sister who was up there and it must have been her.  But no it was just me not paying attention,  I could not have planed the results any better the good news is we are still all talking.

 

Please keep us in your prayers and may God bless us all. 

Thursday the 25th

Well with a  quick glance in the mirror I notice that I was still bald but very handsome indeed.  Today was a radiation treatment which I timed for the first time they put me on a table and check the alignment to my tat's put a leg mold on my leg's then hit me from the top for 8 seconds then rotate to the bottom and another 8 seconds then I am done with my treatment.  Not to intimidating and you get to know the people working with you.  Today was my day to see my radiation Dr. which is fine as she is a very nice person who takes time with you and tries to get too know you that action alone makes you feel you have a good Doctor.  Friday I have chemo in the morning and one more radiation treatment then we pick up our poor dog Rylie then back to the cottage for a nice weekend in the sun or whatever.

 

When we are down for the treatments we are staying with some very good friends and they like us to treat there house like our own which continues to Show God meeting our needs as they come up.  Please continue to pray for us and may God continue to bless us all. 

 

 

Monday Monday June 22

Well we are in Kalamazoo this week getting my radiation treatment which if everything is  working well only takes 30 minutes today they had a machine break down and the wait was much longer but still a nice wait.  When I go  there I see many people that are much worse then me which kind of makes me feel a little guilty but most people continue to have positive attitude's so in the long run the experience is over all up lifting.  Also my treatments do not have an effect on me in the short run and I hope that they have a correct effect on that last node which is active. 

 

When you have a family cottage and small kids no matter how rough it is it can get a lot of use and its a good family time for the kids to remember.  from my last few cottage entries most of you realize that the cottage was very rough but we had water and a functional bathroom and many bugs and mice which we tyred to not pay attention to.  The problems start when the kids get older and your time is tied up running the kids from activity to activity so then the cottage gets less attention with very little upkeep.  So we get to point where our kids have small kids and we show up at the cottage after not going there for a few years and you discover a roof that a tree was growing over and had worked a hole through the roof and around the side walls which were continually under water in the spring and fall had rotted away about 6 to 8 inches so an attack was needed and Garett and I spent two weekends rebuilding the lower part of the walls on 2 sides and a rough roof patch with out the electric frying pan (see below for electric frying pan story) which seemed like hard work but it held for the winter.  In the spring I mentioned a week end at the cottage and I was informed that Sharen would not spend another moment in the cottage with small animals  running through the walls.  So we had to decide what to do with the cottage and I found a sleazy contractor and he put poles around the existing cottage and added a roof over the outside of the poles ,.which I called repairing the roof of course the new roof was over 6 feet over the old roof.  The plan was to fix the siding the next year by placing walls on the outside of the polls.  To be continued maybe.   

 

To help understand my work ethic when I was younger when the family went to the cottage we always had a project lined up to accomplish for the week end.  So every one was up by nine or ten then Mom would start making breakfast which was Bacon sandwiches and any kind of egg and we would be about ready to start the project of the weekend by 10:30 or so and we would get a fair start on the project but at 12:00 Mom would pull out the old electric frying pan and have to start lunch.  I am not sure why this would cause a halt to the work but that act meant we would stop working until lunch was complete with a nap afterwords and back to work by 3:30 or so and the work seemed to have a low stress level also not much would get done during the weekend.

 

Please continue to keep us in your prayers and may God continue to Bless us all. 

Thursday June 18th

Well here it is Thursday morning and we are off to Kalamazoo for first radiation treatment and a bag of poison on Friday and then back to the cottage for the week end.  The radiation treatments will continue for the next 2 weeks but not during the weekends.  As I have said this treatment does not cause an effect for me which might be why it doesn't seem to effect the cancer so we will see.  I continue to enjoy my semi retirement with books read and some work done not sure if I could stand it forever but for the summer it is great.

 

Thank you all for your prayers and may God continue to bless us all. 

Monday June 14th

Say that was a good weekend with Kids and grand kids both Sonja and Deborah with their kids good time was had by all.  By the By I just become a Grandpa for the 5th time as my Jessica has a new baby Leyna it is really beautiful and one more on the way next November not sure if life could get any better.  So I picked up a book Sunday after all the kids were gone and that filled in the rest of Sunday and most of today I will finish in the morning this book is recommended as a very good read and I need to thank John for lending it to me the book is called Avenger by Frederick Forsyth it will steal your time away in a good way. 

 

Well we continue to try to spend our time at the cottage the next trip out will be next Thursday afternoon for appointments at the cancer center and Doctor Baileys for my once a week bag of poison and radiation it may sound bad but doesn't seem to bother me so I continue to be blessed. 

 

Its hard to imagine how overwhelming it feels to have so many people care and continue to pray for us Thank you so much and may God continue to bless us all. 

Saturday June 13th

It is now 2:30 PM I was ready to start this when I woke up which was early for an old guy 8:00 AM so I got all set up and Brie and Sonja came in from their camper and shortly followed buy Garrett and Calvin and so the day had got away from me and it was wonderful having the grand kids banging around so you could not hear your self think.  Not sure where that phrase came from but it is very descriptive.

 

We had to go home Thursday for an early appointment at the Cancer center to prep for my radiation treatment which will start next Friday.  I have the same Doctor That I had before which is great She is Doctor Watson and very enjoyable.  From the Cancer center it was off to Doctor Bailey's office for a blood test check up and then a 4 hour infusion of my favorite drug retuxin made from mouse urine I will get a treatment every week for the next three weeks the real sad thing is I enjoyed seeing all the people at the center and at Dr. Baileys its funny how you develop a relationship with all these people and very nice.  After this treatment I will not get a PET scan until my 100th day after my Bone Marrow Transplant so we need to wait that long to find out if it was successful seems to always need to wait to find out results.  I continue to feel very good and am getting stronger so we will hang on to those results for now.

 

Please Keep us in your prayers and may God continue to bless us all.

Tuesday but really Wednesday morning

Well it is really early Wednesday morning which means 9:00 am life is tough when you are almost retired I continue to feel well and seem to be getting more strength as time goes by.  Well one of the tests that had to be done at Ann Arbor was a bone morrow tap where they go into your hip bone and draw off stuff in your bone then take a small core sample.  I have had this test done at Dr. Bailey's 4 times before and it takes about 4 or 5 minutes and hurts a lot but for just for a few minutes.  Well Ann Arbor had scheduled this test to be done there and I was not to concerned since I was familiar with the test.  Well we started the test and they got the fluid without to much effort but when they tried to get the core they had to change tools many times and each time you touch the connective tissue around the bone it is unbelievable pain.  Finely she called in an expert who had stronger hands not sure what that meant but he tryed a few times and I heard that it kept slipping off the edge of the bone also felt the effects.  So he proposed that he go to the other hip that would be my left hip which worked and seemed similar to Dr. Bailey's technique.  We had went into the procedure at 2:00 PM and out at 3:30 PM they must work by the hour.  Sorry for the blow by blow account but I wanted to document it for Dr. Bailey as it looks like he is missing out on a lot of money. 

 

I just completed a very good book by Harlan Coben the title is The Innocent took a bit to get into but when you are there it won't let go so a high recommendation.

 

Thank you for all your prayers they have made a big difference God continues to meet our needs almost before we know its a need.  Please continue to keep us in prayers and may God continue to bless us all. 

Monday Monday June 8th

Well I have been a real slacker and not updated in 3 days what a slug I have become Friday we went to Ann Arbor for more testing and blood work as I said a lot of travel required.  All the testing and blood work showed that the results are continuing to be very good however the PET scan that was run in Kalamazoo showed that I still had one active node in my left groin it was much smaller but still active.  Dr. Levine listed some options to resolve but he will work with Dr. Bailey to to develop a plan.  Not sure how bad this news is but will talk to Dr. Bailey and let you know.  Some how the day we were in Ann Arbor seemed to have a lot of kids getting treatment from small baby's to maybe 7 or 8 years old.  That sort of thing helps put your life in perspective.

 

Saturday My Debbie came by with her little David so it was a very nice day and Sunday we went to a local church a lot of standing and sitting but a good pastor.  Life continues to be very good and I continue to feel better day by day.

 

Please continue to pray for us and may God bless us.

Tuesday June 2

Well the last 2 days were event full my computer stopped working so I was isolated from the world the good news is that my son in law Garett got me going and it seems to continue to work.  I'm not sure what day I did my last Blog but I started with a comment about the day not being memorable and I just wanted to highlight it.  I seemed to have fallen in the trap we seem to when things are going well and one day follows the next with out a thought so they just run together.  We must remember that every moment is a gift from God and we have no promise of tomorrow or even the next breath.  So every day must be searched for what made it special to us and how we have used it to make someone else remember the day.

 

To day was special because I got my computer going and Sharen and I went on two short trips and we continue to like each other after all these years.  Another thing is the joy I give people that get to watch me get in and out of the car and walk not quite normal with my cane.  Things could not be better as far as my health goes the Doctors say everything is in very good order Friday we go to Ann Arbor for blood work, meet with Dr. Levine, and get a bone morrow tap to check for any B cell.

 

Please continue to pray for Sharen and I and may God bless us all. 

Friday the 29th

Now I'm sitting here trying to highlight this day to separate it out from all the other days, trip to post office, trip to hardware store it is a real hardware store with people that answer questions and will help with projects as required, when we got back from our trips I took a nap when I woke up I started to work on one of my work projects.  I seemed to have the stamina for a few good hours on the project that kind of marks the day I guess.  Also hearing from people is good also and I enjoy doing my email everyday so that is my day I'm sure that reading about it is harder then living it.

 

Now just a continuation of the cottage story.  When Mom died I was left the cottage which I had been keeping up for several years.  When the kids were young they enjoyed going to the cottage just because they had nothing to compair it to.  Well Sharen and I maintained as best we could we went through the big flood after which we had to strip the wall covering and insulation get rid of all the overstuffed furniture and paint the inside bare walls with a yellow paint this seemed nice for awile and years went by with I think a roof job or so.  Finely about 5 years ago we went up and found the roof had finely opened and was that way all winter.  So we decided to fix the roof for good.  We found John the almost honest contractor and had him put poles around the outside of the old cottage and build a roof above the old roof by about 6 or 7 feet.  The next project was to reside the cottage by using the poles as the outside and when it got almost covered tear the old cottage out, since John had a person from the city consul working with him we think they approved him tearing the old cottage down I didn't press very hard about how approved it really was.  John called one day and said he was able to get a permit for the cottage and I said I didn't think we were going to get one and he mentioned that he was there at another building and noticed ours.  So we raised the floor and started the siding project with an actual permit I had never done anything like that before.

 

Please keep us in your prayers and may God continue to bless us all. 

Wednesday the 27th

finely back to our cottage after a busy 2 days on the road.  So far all testing is looking very good and we will know more Friday the 5th which is our next trip to Ann Arbor again I need to say that a Bone Morrow Transplant requires many road miles back and forth for testing.  Tuesday night we stayed with Vinnie and Sue which gave us a chance to go to our Tuesday night bible study with many friends at least friends of Sharen.  The other day I got my printer working and it printed very well.  So today the first page printed indicated I needed a new ink cartage so back on the road to find one here not sure where but I will track it down.  We got our first mail in our box at Six Lakes and was surprised at all the get well cards.  Our address is Ralph Robertson, box 48, Six Lakes Michigan 48886.

 

Please continue to pray for us and may God continue to bless us all.

Sunday May 24th

Today was a nice day it seems like it has been months since I have been able to go to church I need a church that isn't to crowed so I do not have to ware a mask and scare the little kids.  Sharen went to a good fitting church so next week I will go with her.  Had a time to read and dose while she was gone and a nice lunch when she returned.  I at last got my printer up and running which sad to say took over two hours I continue to hate Windows but my printer works fine.  After lunch Sharen wanted me to take a nap how nice is that then she added after words I can take my walk it is hard living with someone this mean.  We had a nice walk and went to the neighbor baby christening.  Now when I am done with this We will watch a movie not sure which one but will let you know if it is  good.

 

Please continue to pray for us and may God continue to bless us all.

Friday the 22ed

We left Vinnie and Sue's Thursday afternoon and went to Ann Arbor got there at 6:00 and we were ready for the tests this morning.  I had a blood test and met with the Dr. and the best everyone knows everything is working as it should.  Then home to our cottage and I will explain the difference between the old cottage and our cottage in the future.  Vinnie and Sue have effectively opened there house to us when we come thru Delton, The house we used to have in Delton has been turned over to our daughter for the summer.  So Sharen and I could be considered homeless half way.  We are very comfortable at the cottage and our son in laws added the last connivance which was a wall heater so things continue to be good and I am getting more strength weekly and trying to walk more but I have found it  is more fun to ride in a car.

 

Please continue to Pray for us and may God continue to bless us all.

Thursday already??

Well we had to be at Borgess for a pulmonary test at 11:00 Wednesday so we rush around and make it in time now we need to be in Ann Arbor Friday early so instead of going back we met with friends at Grove street and spent the night with friends.  By the time we got there I fell asleep so no blog.  This post BMT puts miles on your car we will go to Ann Arbor tonight then after the tests head back to the cottage Friday afternoon.  I am becoming more stable on my feet and walking is less difficult not sure if my memory is improving its hard to judge for your self and I didn't want Sharens opinion on the subject.  

 

When we last left the cottage project we had a 6' by 20' building and a 20' by 26' cement slab connected waiting for the rest of the building.  Before we start this part its important to know an additional bit of information Dad is a free style carpenter which means if you have 10 2 by 4's and a wall is to be between 12 to 20 feet you just adjust the spacing and you will always have enough 2 by 4's.  If you need an 8 foot 2 by 4 and you only have short ones they can always be spliced together to make the length you need.  Some how Dad met a person that had lumber from a fort Custer barracks in his back yard that he wanted it gone so my memory is weak on this but I think we made three trips to disassemble fill our Dodge station wagon to the bottom of the springs then up to the cottage with just room for Dad and I.  So that was the walls and with some 4 by 4 screens and a few windows from who knows where.  The roof for this part had new 2 by 4's over to much span and spacing started at 16" and by the end was 22".  The roof was covered by new plywood I had not heard of 3/8's plywood but it worked well if you could step on the 2 by 4's and not between seemed to have allot of bounce.  As an additional point if the plywood didn't hit the rafters instead of cutting to mate and wasting new lumber. He put boards under the overlap and started the next run.  The good news is somehow I don't remember working on this part but showed up at the end to admire the final product.

 

Thank you for your prayers and please continue God continues to bless us.  May God continue to bless us all and I continue to marvel at the blessing.    

Monday the 18th

The kids were here Sunday Sonja Garett and kids so we had a very nice day.  In the beginning or back when Sharen and I got married I had no idea what a wonderful treat kids and grand kids are and  I continue to marvel at the richness they have added to my life.  If my memory serves me it seems I slept all day Saturday and started to come to Sunday and I was all ready to start my long rest but we had to go to Kalamazoo for my blood test to keep track of my counts which so far have been very good.  Today I find out we need to go back to Kalamazoo on Wednesday for additional testing and then on Friday we will be in Ann Arbor I think a  BMT could wear out a car at the rate we are going.  After Friday I should have  a few weeks until our next check up but we shell see and I will keep tabs for you.

 

I want to thank everyone for all there prayers and may God continue to bless us all.

Sunday at cottage

We got to the cottage Friday afternoon from Ann Arbor, Friday and Saturday I only remember sleeping but this morning I feel rested and fairly alert as much as possible.  I seem to be improving my balance and getting more exercise so I am on the mend.  At last food is starting to taste better so life continues to be good.  We will be on the road over the next week as I will need a blood test at Dr. Baileys and Sharen needs to pick up stuff which will be a continued process for the next 3 months and Friday we go back to Ann Arbor for additional testing not sure what.  The rule is if Ann Arbor wants me to stand on my head for a week I will comply as I am a compliant patient.

 

More later and please continue to keep us in your prayers and may God continue to bless us all.  

Tuesday day 2 out of tunnel

Today was the second day out of tunnel and I feel very good it looks like I will be discharged Wednesday and on to the cottage.  Spent most of today getting my eyes checked and setting up one more MRI to  check brain stuff.  So I am starting my semi seclusion part of the trip which will be for 3 months with hopes of good cure, time will tell and it continues to be in Gods hands.  Some good friends came in for a visit and we had a good time but we are ready to get to the next phase to start soon.  I kind of forgot to tell people that our cottage is built on the outline of the old one solid and fresh the full history will be forth coming as I while away the summer.  

 

I thank every one for the prayers they offer and please continue and may God continue to bless us all. 

Monday I know I am overdo will try to improve.

Well today is Monday the 11th with many surprises in the last few days looking back over the last few days it was like I went into a fog then I was either sleeping or in a sleep wake mode. I woke up Sunday more alert and got started to read an old Travis Mc Gee 60s trash book which was the first time I felt like reading and my mind was less clouded or as Sharen says out in la la land. Today I feel very good and I think my mind is clear or at least as clear as normal. When I look back I kind of went into a tunnel and now feel like coming back out I am alert and feel well but decided I would complete my blog before I pick up my book. Saturday started as a normal day when out of the blue I slipped coming out of the bathroom and took a header. Our body's normally run at a fairly low resolution as far as input goes but when an exciting change starts you go into a high resolution mode so walking out of the bathroom pulling the IV pole with my left hand then with my right hand reach for door handle and start out the door as the door swings out right foot slips on the small metal ramp which is under the door so we have a system out of control and gravity has full control, you get to watch with few control options only eye inputs. So when the right foot slips and solid grip on door that is swinging out you are over balance and the trip starts first you see is your top body going to land on floor no obstructsons, glance to right and lags seemed wrong and twisted as the fall ended not sure how left lag got that way but thought it could be broken so untwisted and lag seemed good but looked at foot and noticed my this little piggy ran home toe was at a 90 degree angle to my foot so I pushed back in position I thought. Then Sharen noticed blood under my foot and I looked at my foot and I only had three toes she looked and last two toes were piled up and with out a moments thought she moved them back in line and they seemed to hold and work. Sharen she was going to call the nurse but I was blocking the door and I wanted to asses the damage so she helped me up into a chair got me away from door and hit the call button witch started a flurry of activity with nurses checking blood issue and checking toe issue and one going to page the Dr. who came with in moments and ordered IV bag for occasion, PA to stitch cut on foot bottom and set up for xrays. Well I am back to the room resting in just over and hour and an hour later we got the results that no bones were broken which was unbelievable but in reality my toes seemed fine so that counts as a input from God. Other things to remember when adding the second bag of blood which was interrupted by the fall my main port stopped working do to blood clot after working for over a year. So to keep things going they added an IV under my right arm which was used to complete blood transfusion. When the port issue started a drug was added to the main port to clear the clot it was like carb cleaner for blood but it worked and I got full function of the port back and we continue the journey.

Please continue to pray for us and may God continue to bless us all.

Friday time to catch up

Today is Friday and I had  to check when was the last entry which to my surprise  was Monday.  So I need to catch up I continue to improve with less pain and am almost able to think normally, if there is a way to tell.  well yesterday was my birthday and I getting ready to go out of the bathroom and there was a strong Knock on the door and they said police since the police were here  in the morning. when I walked out there were at least 15 nurses with a birthday cake.  and they sang the birthday song.  now that was a good birthday.  Now as far as Tuesday to Thursday I would put ow, ow, ow, and a lot of sleep with bouts of wakefulness.  The Police were here to tell Sharen someone had hit our car and broke a small piece out of the tail light which was already done at some point before so it seemed like it could have been the police.  I will be more descriptive in the future as my mind comes back.

 

You can't believe how important your prayers are please continue them and may God bless us all.

Monday day 5

On day 6 I will get started getting neupogen  shots. I didn't do my blog Sunday ad I seemed to sleep all day and most of the night,  So I ran out of steam and did not move but to sleep.  The stuff that I have been given causes mouth sours and that is what is causing most of the pain.

 

Please continue to pray for us and may God continue to bless us all.

The end of the day Friday day 3

It is the end of the day Friday and today I felt fine and have not had a nap all day food does not look good to me but it could be the hospital food but I will continue to eat as I have to to get out of here.  I slept most of yesterday and didn't feel this good so we will take any positive input that comes our way so we will see what Saturday brings.  We got a visit from a good friend our pastor and that was very nice.  Sharen and myself are starting to think that this could be successful. To keep an even temperament we keep all possibilities open but we now have a glimmer of hope which continues to get stronger.  But time will tell.  I was able to go 10 laps today and yesterday I only went 3. 

 

Now onto more important stuff which is the cottage saga and we were at a cottage that was 6ft X 20ft and a form set for 4 inches of cement that is 26 by 20 ft. the scary part is the night before dad and I were arguing about how much cement we needed and we came to an agreement of 5 yards.  The best I can remember I was 12 or 13.  now dad knew that when you did a slab you needed to secrete the cement off with a board that would even the cement with the form now we were ready for the cement not sure when it got there but it was hot and sunny.  So then the sequential vortex started.  The cement guy pulled into the wrong driveway.  The cement truck went in up to the axles my memory was around 200 ft from the target so normally the contractor would refuse the load since dad wasn't a contractor the driver was able to add water and dad and him went for a wheel barrow.  The next part of the vortex was dad had just had a back surgery so I was elected as driver of the wheel barrow so the day started.  I was taking the cement to the form and mom and dad were to smooth the cement as I unloaded it.  Now the next part of the saga was we had a slab that was 26 ft by 20 ft now you can't get a normal board that is that long but that would not stop dad he had a bunch of 2 X 6's that were short so he was ready he built a 29 foot secrete by bolting a double 2 X 6 together.  It was heavy enough to distort the forms.  Cement sets very fast when the sun is on it and that day was no different before I got the cement half unloaded it started to set up and since the secrete must have been 250 lbs the people on that task were getting very weak.  The good news is the wood used for the secrete was some of the best support members of the final cottage and the bad news is it wasn't a workable secrete and no time to fix the problem so we drove ourselves to get through it and the final slab which looked rough and left a history of the day and lasted for 20 years and we never went bare foot for all those years.  The 20 year fix was because the slab and cottage started to sink in to the marsh.

 

Please continue to keep us in your prayers and may God continue to bless us all.

Thursday day 2 of 100

Well I received my stem cells Tuesday which is considered day 0 so this is day day 2 and I continue to feel good and we will see what the future holds.  My memory of today was mostly naps so I would guess that my stamina is down which is normal when your hemoglobin is low.  I got a transfusion this morning of platelets to keep from bleeding to death if I get a cut or other ailments.  I will know the results of the transplant in 7 to 10 days but should expect early results by day 6 which should see and increase of white blood cells.  It is now 10:00 PM and I should have started this much earlier but I will continue on and when I am complete I will take another walk.  Which is pathetic because at best I make about two laps and I start limping from an old back injuries other wise I would need to do 17 laps how would I find the time with nothing else to do.

 

Tonight we will start on the big room which was to be 20  ft by 20 ft with a 6 by 20 porch now if you have been keeping track the 6 ft from the 2 room we will call the first cottage will now become 26 ft so were on the move.  Dad and I went up with the forms and they were set up with out much memory of that task we had the task complete and finely one of the naebores came over and was determined to show Dad how to square a set of forms we were only 10 inches out of  square and it was more then he could stand and that was how I learned that the diagonal measurement needs to be the same in both directions this was a handy thing to know.  even though most of the rest of the  cottage was not square we started with a square form.  We built the forms using lumber which Dad got from Eaton's when they closed the blade division also factory stools which is all that is left of the first cottage build project.  When I say we built the forms I mean we set 2X6's two inches into the ground and leveled the dirt in side so we would have a 4" floor.  and no we did not dig down for what allot of people call footings.  Well that's all and look forward to the cement phase.

 

Please keep us in your prayers and may God continue to bless us all. 

Wednesday day 1

It is now Wednesday morning and I want to get my blog done while I am awake.  I got my stem cells Tuesday which gave me an unusual feeling of almost ready to pass out or a dizzy feeling which was caused by a brain freeze because the stem cell are very cold when they are put in.  My flavor is creamed corn the good news is I can't taste it or smell it.  When you get your stem cells back your body gives off an Oder which can be creamed corn, garlic, tomatoes, and fish so things are working well and my blood work continues to be where it needs to be.  I seemed be tired all day yesterday so I slept through the day and most of the night but overall I do not feel bad just kind of disconnected. 

 

Please continue to keep us in your prayers and may God continue to bless us all.

Monday at long last

Today I got the last chemo I should need and it is the strongest you can get I think I believe them because it came in a glass bottle it must be to powerful it would eat through plastic but your body must be as strong as glass.  I still feel fine but was told today the worst effects will come in 2 days that was not from a nurse but a person that had a Bone Morrow Transplant so I think the staff was trying to hide that fact but I have chewed ice all day until my teeth wont stand it any more which is to help prevent mouth sours which happens allot with this part of the treatment.  It looks like everything is in order and I will get my stem cells in the morning even though my blood has not went down that much.  It has started and will continue to drop for a bit.  Tonight Sharen and I had Becky, Paul, Bill and Helen here for a visit and that was nice a night and I continue to feel good we will see in the morning.

 

I want to thank everyone for there prayers and please continue to help bring me through this.  May God continue to bless us all. 

Saturday with 1 more day of easy chemo

Well today is Saturday and as the title says I have one more day of easy chemo then they will hit me with the  hard stuff.  My fever continues to be around 101 degrees  so I am getting allot more tests to make sure it isn't an infection some where in my body.  I got to listen to one of my Travus McGee novels and it was a good thing that I was very familiar with that book because I fell asleep twice while I was listening to it and had to rewind to a known place.  I know how exciting this must be but as I said I am trying to just record the process.  So Sunday I will get the last two easy chemo's and Minda they will hit me with the worst of the worst chemo.  But we will see the effects Monday and Tuesday I will get my stem cells back and this could work. 

 

The next phase was to build a small front porch which is around 6 by 10 and put right next to the bathroom so we got the other side of the roof and 3 big screens 2 on the front and one on the side and Dad completed the siding so if you stood in the  front now it looks like a normal house that is only 6 feet deep but again when you stood in the front and looked it was a nice looking cottage so now we have a 2 room cottage that is 6 ft by 20 ft also neighbors seemed distant for some reason I think they haven't seen a Robertson building project before.

 

Please continue to keep us in your prayers and Tom, Sue, Hank and Dave my old fry buddies. May God continue to bless us/ 

Friday but really Sat.

I am going to mark this day even though I am late doing my Blog so I will do 2 blogs in one day to get caught up.  Sharen got here at 7:00 am and this was the first day that I had a small fever around 100 which causes a head ache but not like a hangover.  I got to watch a little Fox news and some of the today show to help me remember how wonderful my life is I stopped on one of my channel rounds on Jerry Springer and Sharen Jumped over the bed and took control of the remote control that move kind of reminded me of one of the movies with Cathey Bates so II am learning to be much more humble just to keep alive.through the procedure.

 

Now back to the cottage project If you remember we had set the forms up in our living room during the winter and we moved the form up to the lot toward the end of summer lay ed the form where the bathroom was going to be and filled the form with cement which was hand mixed and as it turns out could have been the best floor in the cottage.  I was not sure weather the next phase started that summer or the next year but it is my story so lets say it was the next summer first thing and this is my story.  So the bathroom was completed the first of the next summer which means we built a room that was 6 X10 with a slanted roof and Asbestos siding so it kind of looked like the cornor of a normal building but  not very convincing.  Before this project is  complete you will understand what a free style Carpenter is which is what my Day was.  I think that at that time most of our neabors were reading there contracts and were very concerned with the final out come.

 

I continue to thank you for all your prayers and may God continue to bless us all.

Thursday and new drugs

Today we got a new mix of drugs which runs 2 hours in the morning at 10:00AM and 2 hours at 10:00 PM  I am in the middle of the last treatment for today.  I understand I will have 3 more days of this treatment the effects will be cumulative and can catch up at the end so we will see and I will spill my guts if there is any effects.  Sharen has gone for the day and we continue to be thank full for the MC Masters for the loan of there house for her to stay at night.  Other parts of the day seem to run together as the same but I am getting some work caught up that I was unable to get done before I left.

 

And now the continued cottage story and just remember that I would never exaggerate anything in this journal.  Not that I had to tell you that but I wanted to be clear.  I left the story at how the lots were formed and how we ended up owning it.  Now the first year the lot set and during the winter Dad started planing the first stage of the cottage and that phase was the bathroom so we built the forms and set them up in the living room and the bathroom was to be 6 ft by 10 ft and in the spring we went up in the 55 dodge station wagon with the first step to drive a well so I am not sure why we would go to the lot without water for drinking.  Or with a sledge hammer to drive the well which broke the cap off the first pipe that we tryed to drive.  Now it was off to the hardware store to try to find another solution to the driving problem and they turned us over to the person with the well driver and they with out a second thought loaned it to us, and they continue to be nice people.  We got ready to go back to the lot and our car would not start but the same person jumped our car and we were off or on our way back to the lot.  So the well driving started in Ernest and with in 4 or 5 hours the well was complete at 22 ft and continues to work to this day but I still will not drink the water.  The next segment will cover the bathroom part of the cottage.

 

Please continue to Keep Sharen, Me, Sue, Tom, Dave and Hank in your prayers and may God continue to Bless us.

Wednesday day 3

Well today was the second day of treatment and I was promised I would feel like I had a hangover I am still waiting so it looks like that was a rumor.  The next 4 treatments they say should not have any side effects so should have a few more good days.  Paul and Becky showed up and what a nice visit was had. Not sure what else is to be said about this hospital the main thing is they take very good care of you and I continue to meet interesting and caring people and most of them will take a few minutes just to talk and find out who you are which is nice or maybe I have got to the point where I just keep talking and assume they are lessening I will have to ask Sharen what she thinks.  

 

I think it's is time to tell the story of our cottage and how it became the cottage.  When you mention a cottage the first thing people imagine is this wonderful log lodge on the shore of a lake well that isn't at all like our cottage we had as kids.  The first hint of us having a cottage was when Mom and Dad were trying to decide between a pool or a cottage as a place to go for vacations etc. but some how Dad found an ad for lake lots up around Six Lakes,  In the fifty's a so called land developer purchased a large hill next to a marsh or precious wet land.  The next step was to carefully push the hill into the precious wet land and mark them off in even lots and then the Robertson family drove up and looked at the nice lake and nice dry lots and agreed to pay $400 I am not sure about the price that part is a weak memory this will  be continued in the future.

 

Please keep us in your prayers and may God continue to bless us all.