I'm back!!!!! It's New years Eve and am sitting down stairs after a wonderful dinner. Thank you to all who have been bringing us dinners. It is such a help to all of us and we love the food. Thank you. I am doing ok. I'm taking Darvocet and that seems to help. The pathology results came back. They took out 15 lymph nodes and 11 were positive. I was pretty disappointed and a little shocked. We thought only one may have been involved, but 11?? I was disappointed for a while but then I try to remember to trust God. He knew already the results and He knows how I'll be in the future. I just have to trust Him. The surgery was very sucessful according to the doctor. Very clean margins, and he got everything. He wants me to start chemo in 4 weeks instead of the usual 6 weeks so he can blast any remaining cells that may be present. I'll be making a lot of calls on Tuesday to set up appointments and try to get a second opinion for chemo at UCSF before I start.
Thank you so much for all your continued prayers and support. My family and I appreciate each and everyone one. No words can express the gratitude and love I have for all of you. Here is a poem my friend passed on to me that I want to share. Happy New Year to all and God bless you in 2007

New year's Prayer by Helen Steiner Rice
You are ushering in another year,
untouched and freshly new,
So here I am to ask you, God, if
you'll renew me, too.
but, Father, I am well aware
I can't make it on my own,
So take my hand and hold it tight,
for I can't walk alone.

Jill is home now and resting. She needs to slowly recuperate. She is feeling pain now that the epidural has worn off. Keep her in your prayers and thank you for the continued support. When Jill gets a chance she will give a more detailed update.

Hello everyone in Bloggerland. Jill is doing great. I am sorry it took so long for me to get to an internet connection and let you all get an update. She feels great for someone having had a major operation as she has had. This morning she was up by 5 am, and at 6:00 the nurses took out most of her IV lines. Then she took a walk of 6 rounds on her floor -- all before 7 am. You just can't keep this girl down!! But as her big sister, and I guess I have always known this. Back in Burbank growing up, she was the one jumping on the beds in the morning. Wake up... Wake up!
Anyway, the doctor said she is looking so good, but he wants her to REST! Doctor says she is healing very quickly. It looks like if all is well tomorrow, she could be home at some point on Saturday. Thanks for checking in and sending up so many prayers for her. She sends her love and happy cheer to everyone! Jill will be back to updating this blogger site hopefully by Sunday.
Have Blessed New Year!
Updates have been by Big Sis- Lorette

Good Morning Everyone! Jill is feeling so much better. Its really amazing. That epidural drip is great. She really doesn't feel any pain. As a result she is alert and talking, and just her regular self. She had breakfast with Casey -- liquid style-- and today it stayed down. That's a good sign. She was waiting for lunch at 12:30 when I left and actually feeling hungry. She will take a nap this afternoon. Jill said to let people know that its okay to call her cell phone or the hospital. I would suggest between 8 am and 8 pm. Know that she will probably be taking naps after lunch though. Thank you for the ecards that have come in already. She recieved twelve this morning!! from everywhere!!
Here is a picture from yesterday to share. I want to tell you the story behind the picture. Jill calls it a "God thing", a real blessing in so many ways. Yesterday morning Casey and Jill left for the hospital at 5:00 am or so. The night before she had said good night to the kids, all but Sean. He wasnt' there--working or something like that. She missed him but thought" oh well???" Anyway, all the kids showed up at the hospital to wait with Casey during the operation. (Except Sean who was working) Nicki, Linda were here also, and I showed up later after my drive up from SB. The family was waiting in the Lobby in the afternoon by then. Then in walks Sean in his AMT uniform. He sees Bonnie first and then the rest of the family. The "what-are-you-doing-here" begin. It turns out Sean, who works for Alameda county AMT had to deliver an emergency patient to Contra Costa County -- right to John Muir Concord. Then his ambulance breaks down as they are pulling in. He has to wait for a towtruck. Sooooo while waiting, he goes inside to get something to eat. And there is his family!! He was shocked because he thought his Mom was over in John Muir Walnut Creek. Anyway, Jill was coming out of recovery and being sent up to her room 6213-1. The picture is the family together Greeting Jill, Sean included.

OOPS!! For those of you paying attention! I got the wrong room number below. Jill is in room 6213-1 at the John Muir Medical in Concord. You can send her a ecard at this link -- https://www.johnmuirhealth.com/index.php/greeting.html?src=homepage
It would be better not to call, as she is resting a lot right now. But Cards are great!!!

Hello everyone out there who has been waiting for an update on Jill. Jill is out of surgery. She went in around 7:30 and came out sometime around 1:30. She was then in recovery for 2 hours. Casey and the kids, Nicki and myself ( Lorette) were able to finally see her around 3:30. Jill looks great and is feeling pretty good. She has an epidural (sp?) drip that is very comfortable for her at least right now. The doctor wants her to rest and take it easy. Casey will be staying with her tonight. The doctors update as I understand it-- a lymph node and other tissue was also removed in the area of the tumor. He thought it looked good but until the results of the biopsy, we don't know for sure the actual stage. Jill is in good spirits, as always, and Casey keeps her laughing. Keep them in your prayers. Jill sends her love to everyone. She is soooooo lifted up by everyone's concern and love and FUNNY cards!!!. She is at the John Muir Hospital ??? in Concord and you can send ecards through their hospital site. I will keep you posted as best as I can. You can call the Brierley household and leave your number. One of us will try to get back to you. Her room is 6013 if you want to send her an ecard. She gave you the address in the blog below. Please don't call the room because she will be resting A LOT!!

Merry Christmas! Are you ready?? One more day to shop! These last few weeks have been great. My strength and appetite have all come back and I feel almost as good as new. I'm very grateful that I have this time to get ready for Christmas. This week I went for my pre-op with the doctor and the hospital, and had all the blood work, chest x-rays and EKG done. I am almost ready for surgery on Wednesday. I still have to drink the wonderful gallon of mixture on the 26th. The surgery should last about 4 hours and I should be in the hospital for about 4-5 days. If interested, John Muir Hospital, Concord campus, has a website where people can send e-cards and volunteers will print out and bring to the patient. https://www.johnmuirhealth.com/index.php/greeting.html?src=homepage
I will have one of my sisters update my blogger site for me so all my friends and family will know how the surgery went. Please keep me and my family in your prayers on the 26th at 7:30am.
Words can not express how grateful and appreciative my family and I are for all the love, support, prayers and concerns that have been raining down on us since I was first diagnosed. To everyone, Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Please have a very Merry Christmas and remember to invite Jesus to your celebration! God bless you all and have a safe and loving 2007

And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord".
Luke 2:10-11

Happy Christmas Season! I hope this new post finds you enjoying the Christmas season and trying not to stress too much. As for me, I am enjoying the time for walks, listening to music, slowly putting up decorations, and just feeling good. Yesterday I had the endo-rectal ultrasound. All went pretty well. The radiation treatments did shrink the tumor enough so the doctor will be able to get clean margins at surgery, so that is good news. I am feeling really well and will be able to enjoy my Christmas dinner before I have to fast for the surgery on the 27th. Here is a poem that was sent to me in a book that I thought was true.
What Cancer Cannot do
Cancer is so limited-
It cannot cripple love,
It cannot shatter hope,
It cannnot corrode faith,
It cannot destroy peace,
It cannot kill friendship,
It cannot suppress memories,
It cannot silence courage,
It cannot invade the soul,
It cannot steal eternal life,
It cannot conquer the Spirit.
I have found that not only is the above listed true, but
It can make you closer to God,
It can make you stop and appreciate each day,
It can bring families closer together,
It can make love grow,
It can friendships into your lives,
And it can save other lives by reaching out to others.
God bless you all and have a wonderful, happy, healthy, and loving Christmas season
Psalm 9:10
And those who know Thy name will put their trust in thee: For Thou, O Lord, hast not forsaken those who seek Thee.

HI Everyone,

Today is a beautiful day to go for a hike, and that's just what I did today! I am feeling really well, and full of energy now that my intestines have settled down since the end of all the treatments. I have even started to gain back some weight...yikes! Next week we are going to set up our Christmas tree and start getting ready for Christmas and the celebration of the birth of our Lord. It usually takes a few days to set up, but on Thursday I will have to take a break because I am scheduled for an endorectal ultrasound to look at the size of the tumor, or what is left of it. As far as I am concerned, it's as good as gone! I am feeling very positive and uplifted because of all of the love and prayers that has been coming my way everyday. There is so much power in prayer. I do hope and pray that each one of you finds the love, peace, and hope that God gives to those who ask. He is an amazing God!
Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.