Friday, April 27, 2012

Relay for Life 2012

My mother-in-law is a hero.  
When I married Shawn, I knew that 
1. I had big shoes to fill.
2.  I was one lucky girl to marry into such a wonderful family. 
3. I had the best mother-in-law anyone could ask for. 
4. I would probably never be as good of a cook! :)

I could keep going and going... because, seriously Dixie really is that wonderful.  She is selfless, kind, patient, optimistic, encouraging, complimentary (she even tells me things like I am a good cook and have a beautiful voice & she always makes me feel like I look good and am doing a good job), and she is a survivor and a woman full of faith.
It amazes me that she is always thinking of others and concerned for what is going on around her (even at the Relay for Life she was commenting that she hoped there was something for Wyatt to eat & even when she doesn't feel well herself). 
I often find myself thinking about how Dixie would have handled certain situations as a mother, and seek her wisdom, in hopes of raising my children to become as great as her are! 
It was so touching to be able to walk with her during the survivor walk at Relay for Life.  As they played the Disney Hercules song, "I Will Go the Distance," it all hits me (well again), of just how lucky I am and how much I love this lady.   


Thank you, Dixie, for your light and example.   
Your testimony and faith are such an inspiration for all of us.
Not only are you a survivor, but more importantly, you are true example of someone who really does "Go the distance." We love you.  -Darcy

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Wow have I been busy.  We got through Glenna and Ioua's wedding and it all turned out great.  Many people helped with it all and that is what made everything so wonderful.  Chemo was yesterday.  This new drug requires a lot of steroids to start so needless to say I didn't get to sleep last night until about 3:00 a.m.  Today I go for the shot that gives you a few aches and pains but it helps with other things so that is OK.  I did have a little reaction last time to the new drug.  I broke out in a rash up and down my arms so I took a lot of benedryl and used a lot of cortisone cream.  This all happened right before the wedding.  So the doctor thinks it was the new drug and I wonder if it wasn't a little bit of wedding also so we will see if it happens agin this time.  But if that is all that happens then I certainly can't complain.  I'm looking forward to the newlyweds coming today and the Open House on Sat.  I am a very blessed person and I thank my heavenly Father everyday for all of my blessings which include all of you!

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Yesterday was a bit of a struggle. I ended up throwing up in the afternoon and had to lay down for a while. Then I seemed much better. This new chemo drug causes neuropathy. So my feet and legs feel like I've been at Disneyland until midnight. So we will see how that goes. I want to get up and go and my feet and legs are objecting to that. I'm working hard on my cancer quilt and making lists for wedding preparations. We leave for Ca. Wed. morning. We are very excited about this wedding. We love Ioua and Glenna and know that they will have a wonderful life together. So many people are doing so much to help with this wedding and it is much appreciated.

Friday, April 13, 2012

News

Callie seemed quite devastated by the news, but we are otherwise very excited :)



Love you Mom/Grandma!!

Pride (the good kind) :)

So Mom, this morning I took the kids to run at the track before school.  It was a nice sunny morning, 55 degrees, so we took advantage.  I sat down on a bench to nurse Jane and I noticed a husband and wife, probably in their mid-sixties, walking the track together.  I noticed she was walking pretty slowly, but steadily.  Then I noticed her wig when she came closer.  She was obviously struggling but pushing through and they made it around the track 3 or 4 times.  I wondered if she had just had a treatment, and I felt really proud of her, and proud of you.

So that got me thinking of all the things I'm proud of you for.  There are so many.  Probably because I was hungry, the one I kept thinking about was that I've always been proud of you for being such a great cook.  I was proud when people bid up to $50 a dozen for your cinnamon rolls at the scout auction.  Every time someone came to dinner I was proud of the delicious food you served.  So much so that when they complimented you I felt like they were complimenting me, too. :)

I remember one time you were in charge of the dinner for homemaking. It was probably the March meeting so you wanted it to be special.  You decided to make french crepes.  Usually you went for recipes that were more practical, plentiful and delicious (as a true mother of 6 hungry children plus extras).  I was pretty thrilled not only that you were going to do something so fancy, but that you asked me, Jenny, Melina and Tiare to help you.  I felt like you trusted me to be able to do nice fancy things.  We worked long and hard trying to make those crepes, this was before crepes were really ever eaten in the U.S. and they were pretty new for everyone.  The dinner ones had a savory lemon cheese filling with a lemon sauce.  

After the dinner I remember you were wondering out loud to yourself if it had been the best choice of entrees and whether or not people liked it or had had enough to eat.  At the same time one of the elderly sisters in the ward came into the kitchen.  I can't remember who it was, but she was one of the ladies I admired for her careful appearance and painted nails and perfectly curled white fluffy hair.  Some of the elderly ladies in the ward back then seemed so elegant to me! Anyway, she came in and sincerely complimented you on the delicious dinner, saying that it was light and delicate and delicious and just perfect for the occasion.  I remember I was SOOOO proud of you at that moment.  To me, you were the best cook in the world.

Anyway, just one fun memory from the thousands I have of being proud of you.  I love you, Mom!

Thursday, April 12, 2012

I had a great night last night. I went to bed at 10 and woke up at 6. I feel good today. This is usually a good day. I have a "Pampering the Pink" luncheon that I am going to today. Then I go get my shot that I get after every Chemo treatment. I hope to spend some time today with Jenny and the kids. Yesterday they went to Zion and got rained out. The shuttles were running so the kids at least got to do that as the rain fell. They were able to see some deer and wild turkeys and then last night they had another family dinner with the other city employees from Eagle Mt.
The wedding is coming so fast. It's time to make more lists and check them carefully so we don't forget anything. I love you all and thanks so much for your prayers, your cards, and all your kind words to me.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

So I found out that those 10 pills I had to take last night and this morning were steroids which explains why I woke up at three in the morning with a racing mind that would not shut down. My blood count was down a little today but still not considered too low. So far I'm doing Ok and feeling pretty good. I have high hopes for a good night sleep to night. So now I'm 5 Chemo's down. YEAH!!!!
Today is the day for treatment number five. I had five little pills I had to take last night and five more of the same this morning. The reason I am taking them is because I start a new drug today. Apparently some people can have an allergic reaction to this one and that is what the pills are for. They have a really nasty taste to them. This drug also goes in slower so it will take about 4 hours. So if you add the blood test and doctor visit to that I am looking at about 5 hours today. I have some new DVD's to watch over the next few days that are going to help me get through it. A very kind friend sent me some Doris Day movies and Cinderella with Julie Andrews in it. So my plan is to watch those and work on my cancer quilt. It appear it is also going to be pretty cloudy the next few days so I should be able to do some walking. One of the side effects of all of this has been that my eyes are avery sensitive to sunlight for a few days. I got about five hours of sleep last night because I know I was worried about today. Interestingly enough that wasn't what I thought about as I lay awake. My mind just would not shut down. I did get up and read my Sunday School lesson for this week. So one thing was accomplished. I tried all the relaxation techniques they have shown us but the world just kept creeping back in.
The las t couple of days I have felt really good and I have been trying to tie up loose for Glenna's wedding. I still have more of that to do. Mostly trying to make a list of what I'm forgetting is what is left. The Pili family is here this week having fun because Ifo has two conference here in St. George. Yesterday I went and did some sightseeing with them and then I met them at their hotel to swim. Grandkids are a lot of fun. I got to see all their tricks in the pool.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Pili Kids

The pili kids want to say hi and they love you!

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Inspiring

Mom you are so inspiring, with all you have to deal with in your life you always find time to see things as Christ would. I always hear you in my head when my life gets tough telling me it's all right and then telling me to get up and get to work. I am so inspired by you and your life. That you could be dealing with so much and still be trying everyday to accomplish something and be strong is so amazing. I always think to myself if my mom can do it, I can do it ... which then gives me no breathing room because you can do anything! haha It is so good for me to have such an inspiration as a mother. I can't think of a time when you haven't done your best to always do what Heavenly Father would do.

I remember when you were relief society president in the Banning ward. You taught me so many things. Like never judging anyone because of their circumstances ... like when you took me with you all of those times to the bishops store house to get food for people who couldn't afford it. I was so ashamed to even be in the building and I wasn't polite to the woman who was there donating her time to help us and others. After word you talked to me about how wrong that was. That Christ would never treat anyone like that and that he would never be ashamed to serve others.

I also have another memory of you as a relief society president that touched my heart so dearly. One of the times Sister Reynolds was so sick and in the hospital you took me with you and you visited her and did everything you could to show your love. You then started moving her legs and arms for her to get the blood circulating and massaged her legs. Seeing your example of Christ like love for her has never left my mind. You are always there being the Lord's hands on this earth. When we moved to St George we went to visit her in her nursing home and she just cried. I always thought It was because she knew she was going to die soon and probably wouldn't see you again. I think that was so hard for her because she knew you truly loved her and she truly loved you, just like we all do.

So when you have bad days just know that you have touched all of our lives and there is not a second that goes by on any day when you are not in our thoughts and we are always praying for you.

Love you with my whole heart, Glenna

Monday, April 2, 2012

I decided that today is the the day I am going to feel better. I've had enough of the bad days now. So I got up this morning and went to the gym. I did 30 min. on the elliptical,it was a little bit of a struggle but not too bad. I came home and ate a nutricious breakfast and then went in the front yard to weed. It felt so good and I weeded for about an hour. After that I got ready to go to the hospital for a group meeting with other cancer patients that has been really nice to go to and talk with others. Today we made a collage and I was all over that. We do things like that at school with the kids but when do we have time to do it ourselves. So I spent an hour cutting and pasting. After we cut out all our pictures and words we wanted to use she asked us if we wanted to put them all in a box together and shuffle them around and then we could all go to the box and choose what we wanted to use for our collage. Some were willing to and some were not. At first I was willing to but then later I went back and got mine because I had spent a long time choosing them. When we were done she talked about how we make plans on how our life will go and what we will do and then "stuff" happens and all our plans don't work anymore or do not apply to us anymore. So it was a great meeting as far as I am concerned because just like today I am trying to feel better and it just isn't working. I did too much too start with and now I am so tired and I don't feel good. It makes me mad because I had plans to feel better today. Actually I do feel a little better today than yesterday so I shouldn't be complaining. What we all need to remember here is that each day is a gift and we need to do our best each day even though things are happening in our lives that we don't like. We need to adapt and just do the best we can that day. So for the rest of this day I am going to do the best I can to be grateful for all that I have right now because I am truly a very blessed person.
Family is a wonderful thing. I am so blessed. How could I make it through this without all of their support? Jenny was here with Ifo and Hoku this last weekend. She brings such a calmness with her that helps me know I can do this. It's such a sacrifice for her to come and be with me. I learn a lot from my kids each time I around them. I got to spend time visiting with Donetta also this weekend. She was working on a quilt on my quilting machine. It was so much fun to just have that time to catch up on each others lives. Christine (Campbell) is also here now and she is always such an inspiration to me. Ashley, Randy James, and Callie are here now because she was having a weekend with her sister and Mom here in St. George. Now I get them for a couple of days. My grandchildren are a lot of fun and I am so blessed to have each one of them. I feel a little panic at times trying to get ready for Glenna's wedding but then everyone comes and helps and calms me right down.
I got up at three o'clock because I couldn't sleep again. These nights certainly give me lots of time to think. I'm so grateful for conference this weekend. I fell asleep through too much of it but what I did hear was so wonderful. I lead a very blessed life to know that my Savior loves me and that he is there for me through all of this. I don't know how I could possibly cope with out knowing that.
Randy continues to be the kind and helpful husband that he is. Always trying to figure out how he can help me.
I receive so many cards each week in the mail and that really lift me up on bad days.
Friends pop by with meals and good wishes.
Thank you to all!!!