Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle (PART 2)

P-R-E-T-T-Y  W-I-L-D!!!

Let Christmas break begin!

Unicorn Evening of Theater (PART 1)

We went to Logan for The Unicorn Evening of Theater.

 When we got there we helped Giselle pick up the programs and the desserts from so many restaurants who donated them. 

Her students did an excellent job!

It was great to see a large audience and a great support to her program. What a wonderful evening!

Then we went to Richie and Chrislynn’s house and gave the grandchildren their Christmas gifts.
This year I chose a gift for Josie and Grace. 
Dick was very insistent on getting Sophie and Richie’s present.

I can't believe how much they've grown!

Next morning before we left, Dad Call fixed us breakfast.

He is so cute!

 I love it when he fixes us his special breakfast.

 He shared his Royal Riviera Pears with us. 

On our way to the car we noticed 5 deer in his backyard.

They are so beautiful!

On our way back to Idaho, I was thinking that Christmas is only 2 days away and I'm not even close to being ready!

Our tree is up but with no ornaments yet!

First immune therapy infusion and Brooklyn's birthday

"Immunotherapy is really a new revolution."

 -Dr. Goetz Kloecker

Today Dick signed his consent and received his first infusion of this immune therapy.

"Cancer cells hide from the immune system and put a cloak over them so the body can't detect them. The new systems take this invisible cloak away so the cells become evident and the immune system now knows how to fight it."

Immune therapy is a treatment that helps boost your body's immune system to fight cancer, unlike chemotherapy and radiation which try to kill the disease. It's also said to have fewer harsh side effects.

These past three weeks have been an emotional roller coaster. First we found out that his tumors are not only growing but the cancer is spreading. The chemo is no longer working. Then they tell us about this immune therapy but since it's not approved by the FDA, our insurance will not pay. Dick's medical team contacted the company that makes the drug to see if they would give him financial assistance and allow him to get on this new treatment. 

They told us we should hear from the company in a week but it ended up being two weeks before we heard anything.

 The answer was yes.

There were many happy tears. He has been through so much and has always remained positive and so full of faith. I hope and pray that this will be the answer to our prayers.

 We feel so blessed! Merry Christmas!!!

Today was also Brooklyn's birthday!

Happy Birthday beautiful!

 I hope you have a fabulous day. When our son married you, I knew I'd never have to worry about him again because he found you. You are always so positive, so kind, so generous, and so happy. You bring out the best in those around you because of your precious spirit. I love you!

Home again...

We are gone so much!

Always on the road!

It's so good to be home!

Brianna took this photo of Deacon and I. 

I love it!

Sophia, Grace, Josie and their Christmas program and Gibbons Farm

We had the opportunity to go to a wonderful Christmas program where all three of my granddaughters performed in Utah. It was a very enjoyable concert. Sophia, our oldest granddaughter had the honor to MC the night for the whole school. She did a professional job! Sophie played her violin. Her and Grace also received awards for The Reflections Arts Program. Great job girls!

Next day Giselle took us to the farm for brunch.

I love that place!

11/25/17 CT Scan Results... Radiation to follow and a new regimen.

We were hoping that the tumors had shrunk and that Dick could take a break from chemo, but the tumors have grown a lot. They have been measuring 3 tumors. The largest tumor by the liver has really never responded to chemotherapy. It first appeared in April 2017 and has consistently gotten larger and larger. The second one in his lower abdomen grew quite a bit from his last scan 3 weeks prior. The third one by the pancreas stayed the same. BUT they discovered a new tumor by the liver that is pretty large and so many others scattered all over his abdomen that weren't there before.

At his appointment on November 27th, they gave him a few options. One of them was an oral chemotherapy that quite honestly, I don't have very much faith in. They also told us that they could give him a new chemotherapy but I think Dick desperately needs a break from chemo. And when they tell you that the chemo might not even help his type of cancer, you can't get too excited, just scared. The third option was Keytruda which is not chemotherapy or radiation therapy. It is an immounotherapy and it works with your immune system to help fight cancer.

Of course we decided on the immune therapy. The problem was that it's not approved by the FDA so it's not covered by our insurance. The medical staff put in a request to the drug company to see if it was possible for Dick to get financial assistance to get the drug from them. Two days ago the drug company that makes Keytruda called us and told us that Dick qualified for financial assistance and that we would be hearing from his medical team in a day or two. Today we got the great news from his nurse that he starts treatment next week. We feel so blessed! Dick is ready! With the thought of his cancer progressing so quickly, 

he wants to start right away!

As far as the largest tumors by his liver and his lower abdomen, 

he will start radiation for those on January 3rd. 

His cancer responds to radiation so we are feeling so hopeful. 

We wish they could start radiation sooner!

 Since they are giving him 15 treatments and the treatments are given Monday through Friday, the radiation oncologist thought it would be best to wait so that the holidays wouldn't get in the way of his treatment days.

 She also thought that since they will be radiating his abdominal area, there's a great possibility it will make him sick so it will be best to start after Christmas.

This is the largest tumor by the liver in

 April, June, and November.

April Scan

A: 23.2mm B: 23.2mm

June Scan

A: 102.2mm B: 96.2mm

November Scan

A: 120.1mm B: 107.5mm

Cataract surgery for Dick

Dick's cataracts are bad.

 He's had a lot of vision loss.

His cataracts are caused by the steroids given to him before the chemo. They are very fast growing.

His cataract surgeries were scheduled today.

 Right eye in January after radiation treatments. 

Left eye in February.

Winter wonderland

We've had a flocked winter wonderland city for about a week.

It's like this from here to Logan and SLC, Utah.

Brianna's third eye hemorrhage

Last Friday (December 8th) we went to Deacon's basketball game. After the game we went to get dinner with Brianna, Travis, and Deacon. I noticed something was bothering Brianna. She's good at holding things in. I asked her, "What's wrong Bree? I know something is going on." She started crying and said, "Mom, I'm having another hemorrhage in my other eye. I noticed it when I got to Deacon's game." If that was happening to me, I would have been freaking out! 

It was late Friday so she had decided to wait until Monday to be seen. That worried me so much thinking she'd have permanent vision loss.

 Since April, she's had 2 laser treatments to her right eye. Over 700 zaps in each time. Then she had laser to her left eye, over 700 zaps in that eye too. After her 3rd laser surgery, she had a hemorrhage in her right eye. Her vision was distorted so she went to her optometrist here in town. After the doctor examined her, the doctor visited with the ophthalmologist in Twin Falls. He said it was on the bottom part of the eye. He said the blood should dissolve on it's own and her vision would get better. While waiting for it to get better, she had a huge hemorrhage to that same eye. She couldn't see anything in that eye. Just darkness. The doctor couldn't even see in it. He waited for the blood to dissolve a little so that he could give her an injection that breaks up the blood. 

The goal of the injection is to prevent further loss of vision. Although some patients regain vision, the medication may not restore vision that was already lost. Avastin may not ultimately prevent further loss of vision from the eye disease.

I asked her to promise me she'd go to a retina specialist if anything else happened. She has been seeing Dr. Welch in Twin Falls. While she's been waiting to get her vision restored in this eye, she got another hemorrhage in her left eye. 

What's so terrible is that her vision is still bad in her other eye. And yes, she's been working like this.

Monday she waited most of the day for her eye doctor to call her. In the meantime, Dick asked me to call his retina specialist in Ogden that did his laser surgery. They didn't have an opening but she highly recommend a retina specialist from SLC that works once a week in Logan.  Apparently she's the best of the best. We called Logan and she just so happened to be there on Mondays! They wanted her to be there in 2 1/2 hours. Dad and Anson went to her work and told her we were taking her. 

Within 2 1/2 hours we were gone. 

We loved the doctor. She seemed very knowledgeable. Brianna got an injection in that eye and will be seen in 4 weeks.

Logan is always so beautiful!

We went to the Bluebird after her appointment and then rushed back home.

The Bluebird... I didn't take these pictures. 

We were so blessed that the retina specialist was in Logan on Mondays and that they had an opening.

Chess

 These kids take Chess very serious!

Anson and Brooklyn were here this weekend. 

Her brother's farewell was Sunday.

Nate will be serving a Spanish speaking mission in Florida.

Aubrey and the granddaughters home, basketball, radiation, and Barber School

Friday

Aubrey really wanted to come home after some crazy days.

 Richie and Chrislynn's girls came with her for the weekend.

When they got here we went to Deacon's game.

Travis coached Deacon's team and he's and amazing coach.

I love how Deacon looks at him. He's so proud of his dad.

Even grandpa got involved with the coaching. ;)

Yep, that's Deacon with the ball!

...and that's Deacon making the basket.

Grace and Josie after story time.

Sophia reading before going to sleep.

Sunday Richie, Chrislynn, and Richie III came to Burley to pick up a dishwasher that they bought from Brianna's friend. 

They took the children back with them.

Aubrey stayed one more day.

 Next day they called from radiation oncology and wanted to see Dick the following day regarding radiation. We followed Aubrey to Logan. Brooklyn and Anson were in Logan so we had a late dinner with them, Giselle, Phillip, Aubrey, and grandpa Vosco. 

Tuesday

We stayed with grandpa and in the morning we drove to The Huntsman in Farmington. We visited with the doctor about radiating two of Dick's largest tumors.

He will start the process on January 3, 2018.

After Dick's appointment we went to Anson's Barber School in Murray. When we got there, Anson was in class. Brooklyn showed us her office and gave us a tour.
We had lunch and then we dropped them off and headed home.

Anson is still smiling BIG!

THEY ARE SUPER CUTE!!!