Hello Bloggers,
Life has been extremely busy and full of living. I have to put up one more wedding picture because it was such a beautiful day in South Lake Tahoe. I just got my CT results from last week back today, and all is well. The report states that there is no evidence of metastatic disease or local recurrence in the abdomen or pelvis, and the lungs and liver are as before with no change and clear, so everything is fine and I'm good for another 3 months!!! I even went back to work full time !!! God has been so good to me. He has been answering so many prayers. Thank you to all who have prayed for me, encouraged me and helped me through this past year. Yes, it's been one year. Tomorrow is my 1 year anniversary of diagnose, and Monday the 27th, is the day when God gave me the peace to handle my path and said He would be there for me and take care of my family and me. That is the day and moment that stands most clearly in my mind. I still feel His presence and His peace. I know I should not worry about tomorrow or all the other CTs that I will have because my life is in His hands. I have learned and gained so much this past year. More blessing than I could count! I also now take one baby aspirin a day which is supposed to help ward off recurrence of colorectal cancer. Plus there are studies that indicate that red meat raises the risk of colorectal cancer. So no more red meat for me, or at least very little. But, I can have margaritas!!! Yesterday, I took Kyle and Brigitte to Chico. It was a sad day saying goodbye to the kids, but fun in meeting Brigittes' roommate and setting up her door room. Kyle was easy to set up since he's been moving in all summer long in his apartment. Brigitte was harder since she was upset when it came time to say goodbye. I am now and empty nester except for Sean who I see once or twice a week. He's still looking for an apartment but it's really expensive and hard to find. I am looking forward to having a quiet and peaceful fall season. It's been way too busy these past few months. Next week I get to meet the doctor who will do my next colonoscopy in September. Yep! It's that time again. Even though I just had a CT, I still have to have the colonscopy every year. If any of you out there are holding off for your test, please make the call and get scoped. It's not that bad, and it is WAY worth it. Remember, colon cancer is 90% preventable. Just get the test, and a sigmoidoscopy doesn't count. You have to have the full scope.
God bless you all and I'll keep you posted as things happen....which seems to happen more often than not!
Psalm 29:4 The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace. He sure did bless my family and me with his peace, and he will bless you if you ask.

Hi Bloggers,
I'm finally back from Bonnie's wedding and my father-in-laws funeral. The wedding went really well, and I have to thank my sisters and friends for pitching in to decorate the tables and set the beautiful flowers at the last minute. My sister Lorette and my niece Rachel, did all the flowers as well as the bouquets and table decorations, and they looked amazing. We couldn't get in to decorate the room until one hour before the wedding so it was a scramble. I was with Bonnie getting her ready at my uncles house in the Keys, so I couldn't help out. They did a great job and with the weather so nice it was beautiful! The early evening wedding was on the beach at Zepher Cove so we got to watch the sun set while dining and dancing. Bonnie made a beautiful bride and they both looked so happy. They are currently on their honeymoon in Costa Rica and will return This Saturday. We stayed up in Tahoe until Wednesday with my family then we went home to unpack, and repack for the trip to LA on Thursday morning. Friday was the funeral and Saturday was the internment. It was a warm and loving time and the whole family came together to celebrate Fred's life. Casey and the kids left on Sunday and I stayed with my mother-in-law until Thursday. Please keep her in your prayers because it will take some time for her to adjust to her new life. She was married to Fred for 62 years.
As for me, I'm doing better all the time. I was worried about how I would do at the wedding, but with all the help from everyone, I was fine and danced up a storm! I didn't walk for two weeks and I think that really helped me heal better. I believe I was over doing it with walking because I always felt swollen and had a lot of pressure. But after taking a two week break from walking, the swelling and pressure has gone way down. I'm back to walking again but not everyday. One day on and one day off so far. Monday I have my post op with my surgeon and he will determine if I'm ready for work starting on Tuesday the 14th. On the 16th I have a Ct at UCSF. It's been 3 months already since my last one. Time sure does go by fast. Please keep me in your prayers that all goes well. I know I'm in Gods hands and He is directing my path, and I also know he listens to our prayers. So please pray that I continue to be cancer free and that He gives me the strength and peace to handle what comes my way. My sister sent me this verse and it really helps me to know He watches over me and He loves me as His child.
"The Lord your God is with your, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." Zep 3:17

HI friends and family,
Just a quick note to let you know that Casey's father went home to the Lord yesterday morning. The service will be next Friday after Bonnie's wedding weekend. Casey spent Monday night with his dad in the hospital until Duffy came in around 5am on Tuesday so Casey could go to his mom's home to sleep. Fred passed peacefully with Kathy and Duffy, (Casey's sister and brother) by his side. It's been a very long and hard past two weeks for the family but they are all doing as well as can be expected. The family has been with Grandma the entire time. The pics are of Fred and Peggy dancing at Duffy's wedding last September and the of Fred with Bonnie and Brigitte playing around. He was a wonderful grandfather and we all loved him very much.
Lorette and I are headed up to Tahoe today to finish last minute plans for the wedding. Thank you for keeping us in your prayers. It seems we are in constant need of prayers lately. As for me, I am doing a little better each day. I think it will be a long process to get my body working up to speed, but I know I'll get there.
John 14:2-4 In my Father's house are many rooms, if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself that where I am there you may be also. So God came and took Fred to his new Heavenly home.

Good evening Bloggers! I have good news and not such good news, not about me. The sad news is Casey's father Fred, is in the hospital fighting pneumonia at age 97. He's been in since last week and is still fighting. Please keep the family in your prayers as it is a very hard thing to watch your father struggle.

The good news is God showed us a true miracle last week. My girlfriend (gf) was diagnosed with lung cancer last June with two metastasis to the bone. She has been fighting it and doing very well after each treatment. Every 6-9 weeks she has a CT scan to watch it. Well, in March she and I went to my church and asked the elders to pray on us as stated in James 5:13. Two days later she had another CT. The doctor said all was fine. Six weeks later another CT and again, the doctor said all is fine. Six more weeks and another Ct but this time my gf asked about the metastasis to the bone. The doctor seemed perplexed and asked what she was talking about. They looked back on the past CT and the metastasis did show on the past 3 CT's; the ones taken after the healing. So the doctor ordered a full bone scan. The results came back that there is no metastasis at all anywhere. What a true miracle He provided, and a blessing for all of us who know the Lord. He does listen to our prayers and He will take care of us in His time and way. We just have to continue to trust Him and keep the faith.

The picture is of my dog park friends. I joined the group 5 years ago with Kiwi. We are saying good bye to a park buddy.

Have a good week and stay happy, healthy and faithful to our Lord.

James 5:13 Is anyone of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is anyone of you sick He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

Hello blogger buddies! It has been just over two weeks since I had my "take down" surgery and the port removed, and I think I am doing just fine. The first week after the surgery was pretty rough. I wasn't far from the bathroom, and I needed vicodin to help me along. But the second week was much better. No need for vicodin and things are better each day. By last Monday, I was able to walk 3 miles, and I've been walking almost everyday since. Yesterday I spent the day in the delta at my sisters marina on Ryer Island in Rio vista, called SnugHarbor. We had a nice and quiet day moving furniture and having Kyle and his friend Joe hang pictures in a new home on the island. Kiwi, my yellow lab, loved playing in the water and swimming for sticks. By evening, my body seemed to be working over time so I left knowing I needed to be by my bathroom for the night. I know it will take months for me to be more normal so I just have to be patient. This last year has truly shown me the importance of patience. So now I am done with all my treatment, I just have to be checked every 3 months with a CT scan, and I have my yearly colonoscopy coming up in September. My next Ct will be in August at UCSF but the scope will be in San Ramon. I'm not looking forward to the scope but I better get used to it. I think I have to have one every year for the next 5 years or so. Again, I will need to be patient with each scan and scope and not worry about the results. I know God already knows my path; I just have to continue to follow Him. He has been there every step of the way for me and I have no reason to doubt He will continue to be with me. A cousin sent me this verse and it is so perfect for this time of my life. God bless you all and have a wonderful July. I'll write when I get back from Bonnie's wedding unless there is other news.
Psalms 27:14 Wait on the Lord, Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord.

I'm back! Last Wednesday I went in for the take down of my iliostomy and removal of the port. All went well. The surgery lasted about 2 1/2 hours but I wasn't in a room for another 4 hours because they didn't have a bed for me. They were busy that day. The first day after surgery was fine, but the next day was rough with my body trying to get started again. I came home on Saturday instead of Friday because my doctor was gone and his partner didn't come in to check me out on Friday. That was fine with me because I didn't want to go home after the night I had on Thursday. My sister Nicky took me home Saturday afternoon, because my family was all up in Tahoe for my nephews wedding. Last night we were all back together in the house and that was nice. My body began working, and working, and working again, and again and again.... so I was up all night. Today I took some pain meds and that helped considerably. I was told it will take a few months for my body to really be back to some what normal. I hope sooner because I have to be in shape for Bonnie's wedding in 5 weeks. I'm back on the BRAT diet (banana, rice, apple sauce and toast) and a few other foods. I have to have a low residue diet just like I did when I was in radiation. Then as I heal, I can add more foods a little at a time. In August I will go in for my quarterly CT at UCSF. I will let you all know when I go in and the results.
Thank you to everyone who has kept me in their prayers. I know the Lord heard because the surgery was a success and I am on the road to a full recovery and on the last leg of this journey. This past year has been such a growth and informative time for me. I continue to be amazed and blessed by so many loving, warm and generous people who reach out to me. I hope that I will be able to reciprocate back to all of you when and if you ever need a friend.
Psalms 40:11 Thou O Lord, wilt not withhold Thy compassion from me; Thy loving kindness and Thy truth will continually preserver me.
God bless you all and have a happy and safe July 4th.

Hi to all my wonderful friends and family. These past few weeks have been great with no chemo, or doctor appointments. I just had fun with Bonnie's bridal shower two weeks ago, and getting ready for Brigitte's graduation. The picture is of Brigitte and Alyssia, her girl friend, whom I gave a diploma to. The tradition at our school is that a staff member can give a diploma if asked. It is really an honor and one I very much hold dear to my heart. She graduated on Friday the 17th and Sunday (Father's Day) we had a big party to celebrate her graduation and my soon to be "empty nest"! I'm looking forward to having my house stay clean when I get back from work, no shoes left by the front door for me to trip on, the sink will stay empty of dishes, and milk should last longer that a few hours. However, I will miss the commotion and chatter that is always abound when they are near. Brigitte will be attending Chico for teaching. Kyle will be there for Construction management and Bonnie and Ricky will be there in January for Construction Management as well. Who knows if Sean will soon follow. He's used to having them around to hang out with.
Tomorrow is the last surgery for me as far as I'm concerned! I will have the take down (remove the ilistomy) and have the port removed. The surgery will be at John Muir Concord campus starting at about 7:30 am and should take about 2 hours. I will have the morphine drip instead of the epideral block that I had last time for pain. I'd rather have the block because you don't get woozy or crazy from it like you do with morphine but it's not up to me. The plus side is it makes you sleep a lot! I should be out of the hospital on Friday if my body behaves and remembers how to work. I am not worried about it too much because I know God is looking after me and he hears all the prayers. Thank you to everyone for your prayers and support. The last nine months have been an interesting and growing time for me and my family. God has continued to bless us in so many ways, and I have felt so lucky to be blessed by all you bloggers buddies. My words can not express my deep gratitude and appreciation to each and everyone of you. I will try to have my sister update while I am in the hospital. God bless you all and please keep me and my family in your prayers tomorrow.
Psalm 9: 1-2 I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart; I will tell of all Thy wonders, I will be glad and exult in Thee; I will sing praise to Thy name, O Most High.

Happy Memorial Weekend! All is good in the Brierley household. My CT scan came out fine. I did have a small area where the colon inverted, but so small the UCSF doctor wasn't concerned. He also mentioned a very small (size of a dot from a pen) in my lung but said it could be anything. Most radiologist wouldn't even see it but UCSF goes through it with a fine tooth comb. He said it's very unlikely anything would grow while I was in treatment so not to worry. They'll just keep an eye on me. Ct every 3 months with more meds since I broke out again from the contrast. Also, I have the barium pelvic Xray and all is clear and no leakage or blockage. So I'm good to go for surgery to remove my bag and my port! June 20th 7:30am is the magic time!! Yes, I'm looking forward to it, however, after the barium Xray, I decided that having a bag wasn't so bad after all! My bone density test came out fine. I have nice strong bones so far. I will eat my calcium. Also, my Oncologist at UCSF said that there have been studies that suggest taking a baby aspirin (50 and older) not only helps with blood, but it helps to ward off breast and colon cancer. So I will be taking my baby aspirin as soon as I'm done with my surgery and healed. If any of you have friends or family that are going through cancer there is a good blog site http://www.cancercompass.com/ Click on message board to pick the cancer you want to discuss. It's been helpful and interesting to me.
This past week we have had my nephew Ryan and his friend Brian build our new deck so it's been pretty busy and dirty around here. We've had Sean, Kyle and Casey pitch in as well. A real family affair!
I hope everyone has a nice and restful Memorial Weekend and please remember to keep our young men and women who are serving in your prayers. They all need our support and prayers. God bless all of you and thank you so much for the prayers and concern that continue to uplift me and keep me strong. God does listen to prayers. He is there if you ever need Him.
Ephesians 1:18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.

Good morning to all my friends and family,
I am feeling really good these days. It will be three weeks this Thursday since the end of my last chemo treatment. The side effects are slowly going away and I'm looking forward to having a margarita to celebrate! Last week on Tuesday I went in for a CT at UCSF and once again I broke out from the contrast they put in me. I even took prednizone and benidrill to help with the reaction but it didn't help. I don't know what they'll do next. Then Thursday I got a call from UCSF that they saw something of concern. The nurse said it wasn't cancer but if I had any severe abdominal cramps to go to the emergence right away. That's all she said. I asked if someone put a time bomb in my stomach! On Friday, I saw my regular oncologist in Concord and he clarified what they saw. They think my colon may have inverted in itself. That is why it would give so much pain. My oncologist doesn't think that is the case. He thinks it just spasmed while I was having the Ct and it looked strange. I'll know for sure on Wednesday when I have a pelvic barium Xray. Tomorrow I'll have a bone density test for a base line. I hope all goes well. Please pray that it does and all is clear. They also had a few concerns of some spots in the lung, but they think it's non-calcified nodules so they want to watch and see. They don't seem to worried about those, mostly the colon and if it started to invert. They can fix it if it did. I am still scheduled for Surgery June 20th. I'm looking forward to it just so I can get back to my old self again. I am also looking forward to getting my energy back up to par since I have such a busy summer coming up. Tonight is Brigitte's Lacrosse banquet that I am in charge of. Tomorrow is Bonnie's 26th B-day and then June 2nd is Bonnie's bridal shower and Brigitte's Senior Ball. Graduation on the 15th and party on the 17th and finally surgery on the 20th. Through all this God has been so good to me. I was able to walk through all my chemo and I continue to feel better and better. Plus, He has put me in touch with so many wonderful and loving people. I do feel I am blessed in so many ways. Thank you again for your needed prayers and all you encouragement. Your love and encouragement give me strength. Thank you.
Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. That you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. I know God has a plan for me and I am not going through all this just for the fun of it. His plan is always perfect even though we many not always understand it. He sees the big picture where we only see here and now. Trusting Gods plan is the best thing I can do for myself.

Good morning! I had my last treatment of chemo last Thursday, yea!!! I am feeling good and am looking forward to having surgery in June. Next week I have my CT and then the following my pelvic x-ray and bone density test. I am really looking forward to getting all my strength, energy and life back this summer. God has been so great and I have had so many blessing through this entire experience. I truly hope and pray that if anyone finds themself in a dire situation, to please call on the Lord. I promise He won't let you down and He will be there every step with you.
The picture attached is of Brigitte and me last night at her last home game of her high school career. And for me it was the last home game with my own child after 13 consecutive years of high school sports. Time sure travels fast!
Isaiah 30:19 He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears it, He will answer you.
I like this verse because I know He has heard me many times and He always answers, in His time; I just have to listen. God bless you all and thank you for all your prayers through this journey. You have given me such encouragement, strength, and hope. Thank you

Good morning bloggers! I hope everyone had a nice Easter and had the opportunity to visit with friends and family, and reflect on the gift that Christ gave us through his death. Eternal life with Him. I am very grateful and bless for that. I hope you are too. After Easter Sunday, we went to LA to visit family and enjoy the beach. We celebrated Brigitte's 18th B-day, went prom dress shopping, and just enjoyed looking at the beautiful ocean waves. Then last week I had my 7th chemo cycle. I have one more to go!!! Everything went OK. My blood counts are still holding up, so I feel very fortunate. I did manage to get a cold when I got back, but I seem to be fighting it so far. After my last cycle next week, I will have a Ct scan with non-ionic contrast with meds at UCSF on May 16th. Non-ionic because I am allergic to the regular contrast. The meds are benedrill, Zantack and cortisone to help with reaction. The scan is to check the liver and make sure it's OK and to get a baseline for future scans. Then the following week I will have a pelvic X-ray with contrast to make sure all is healed inside before surgery. Then June 20Th I am scheduled for the "take down" which means I will have my iliostomy and port removed....YEA! The surgery should take about 1-2 hours and the average stay is 2 days. Hopefully I'll be good to go by Bonnie's wedding in July. Thank goodness I have great sisters and friends to help with the last minute details.
Last week was very special. I had the elders of my church lay their hands on my and pray for healing. What a wonderful and loving experience. I truly felt the Lords peace and comfort surround me. I have been so blessed through my cancer experience. I can't imaging going through this without Him.
James 5:14 Is an one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.

Good morning! I hope everyone had a wonderful, loving and happy Easter. I know our family did. We celebrated by going to church in the morning and then having friends over for a nice Easter dinner in the evening. Today Casey and I, with Brigitte and her friend Morgan, are going to LA for the week to visit Casey's parents. We plan to spend a little time on the beach inbetween shopping for prom dresses for the girls and celebrating Brigitte's 18th B-day.
As for me, I am doing well with the treatments. I have two more cycles left. YEA! I usually don't feel so well a few days after treatment but do manage to continue to walk most days. It seems like some cycles are easier than others on my body. I have been very fortunate that my white cells, red cells and platlets are holding up so I don't have to be delayed in treatment, which is common. I try to drink Odwalla Blueberry juice most days and on some days carrot juice (yuck!) as well. I do feel that eating healthy, drinking lots of juices, taking a Flinstone multi vitamin every day and exercise has helped. My nutritionist said Flinstone vitamins are very good since it has everything in the right amount. The neuropathy in the hands continue to be uncomfortable but manageable. I just try to keep extra warm and wear gloves when reaching in the freezer. The picture is of my new hobby I started while I'm having treatment. I was inspired by the beautiful prayer shawl my sister-in-law, Leslie, made for me. I want to learn to knit or crochet so I bought a learning loom that makes it very easy to make scarves. It takes a long time to make a scarf so I can't imagine how many hours went into my shawl!
I have my appointment with UCSF for my first CT scan after treatment for a baseline. I'm in the process of scheduling my "take down" surgery, (close the iliostomy) for sometime in the early summer I hope. It will be hard to schedule inbetween the weddings, family reunions, bridal showers and graduations all this summer. How blessed we are to have so many happy occasions to get together with friends and family. God has been so good to me and to our family. He continues to give us peace and encouragement through all our trials. We are never alone. This Easter I hope and pray that everyone one of you get to know Him deeper, and accept His beautiful gift of eternal life with him through his son Jesus.
John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved through Him.
Thank you for all your prayers and encouragement. I feel so blessed by all of you who continue to pray and encourage me. Thank you for sharing your love with me and my family.

Hello Blogger Buddies. This is what Brigitte has been doing lately. She can't get enough of Lacrosse, she loves it. I just finished my 5th cycle and I'm so glad. I usually feel tired and a little nausea for a few days after treatment, but nothing compared to what others had to go through in the past. I still manage to walk at least 3 miles every day so I can't complain. The mole that was removed from my stomace came out clear and the polyp was fine as well. Thank God!! And thank you for your prayers. Speaking of prayers, last week at church I spoke with a friend about how I feel blanket by prayers. Then two days later I received from my sister-in-law a beautiful shawl that she crocheted for me. She said that as she was working on the the shawl, she was prayer for me. When I use the shawl, I feel the love and prayers that went into it. It seems like God is showing me in a very physical way that I am covered in prayers. He is with me every step of the journey. He is amazing and I hope that if any of you ever find that you are facing a cul-de-sack in life, please let Him guide you. He won't let you down and you won't go through the valleys alone.
Did you get scoped yet (a sigmoidoscopy doesn't count)!??? Did you know that when you go for you colonoscopy, you don't have to drink a gallon of the fluid any more?? They now have pills instead, or you can opt for the 4oz bottle and drink lots of water. It really isn't as bad as you think, so please make your appointment! Also, remember to get a copy of the pathology report and if you do have a polyp, please ask as to what kind. Some turn to cancer and some do not. Important to know what you have and keep records. God bless you all and thank you for all your encouraging words, prayers, thoughts and love that continue to come my way.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; who comforts us in all our afflication so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any afflication with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

March is Colorectal awareness month. If you haven't had the pleasure of having a colonoscopy yet, (not just sigmoid) and you are 50 or more, or have had some type of symptoms like IBS or other issues, please go for the easy test. It is not as bad as you think.
I just finished my 4th cycle of chemo and am doing OK. Today I felt a little tired and had a little nausea but pills are wonderful! I still plan on walking my 3 miles tonight. Yesterday I had a sonogram to check my ovaries and uterus. The doctor wants to see what damage if any was caused by radiation and the fact that I went from not even close to menopause to post menopause in 5 months. No wonder I have trouble sleeping! Too many "personal summer days and nights!" There was also a polyp in the cervix which will have to be removed. I went to my dermatologist last week since I hadn't been in 3 years. She didn't like a mole on my stomach, which I though was a freckle, so two more stitches in my belly. I will have the results in about a week. Thank God for all the prayers that continue to lift me up. I know I'll be fine because I am not going through all this alone. I have God hearing all your prayers and He does listen. He continues to give my family and me peace each day. I hope and pray that if or when you find yourself in need of Gods grace, you too will feel His presence and know He is with you. Thank you for you continual uplifting notes, cards, e-mails, prayers and love. God bless you all
Psalms 34:4 I sought the Lord, and He answered me, And delivered me from all my fears.

Hi blogger buddies! All is well in Pleasanton. Brigitte is at her soccer game, Kyle is working at Snug Harbor (my sisters marina), Sean is at work, Bonnie and Ricky are on their way up to visit and Casey is in LA with his parents. so it's a nice quiet day to do some blogging. The pic was taken in Tahoe last weekend when we were looking for Bonnie and Ricky's wedding venue. I had my third cycle of Folfox 6 last Wednesday. All went well. I now feel the neuropathy in my hands most of the time, but it should only last about a week and then subside until the next treatment in two weeks. My energy is still pretty good. I try to walk most days at least 3 miles. I do skip it when it's raining though. Yesterday I took a 3 hour nap in the middle of the day! That is unheard of for me. I have never taken a 3 hour nap in my life so I guess I must be getting tired once in a while. Today I feel back up to speed. As for my weight, I actually gained 3 lbs last week. I was challanged because the nurse told me I wouldn't gain wait with the chemo and the bag. I do like my food and challanges!!! I'm sure I'll lose it this week so I'm not worried. Next week I have an appointment with a dermatologist, OBGYN, and my Oncologist. I do feel like I have been living at the doctor's office lately. Thank you to all who continue to keep me in their prayers. Everyday I feel the Lords blessing in my family and in my life. He does listen to prayers and He continues to bring comfort, peace and hope each and every day.
Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need.

Good morning bloggers. I am doing really well today. I had my first folfox 6 treatment on Tuesday and all went well except my red and white blood counts are pretty low. I now get a weekly shot of Procrit which helps stimulate the body to produce more red blood cells. It has to be watched carefully due to high risk of blood clots. Yikes! Also my white cell count is 1.8 which is low; 4-10 is average. If it gets below 1 then I'll probably have to have another type of shot or hold off on the next round of chemo. So everyone who comes in the house has to wash their hands. I do feel fine though. Still walking daily, unless it's raining, and my appitite is good. I'm not losing any more weight. I can eat anything I want and I still don't gain weight. It's amazing!! What a way to diet!!!
The picture is of Brigitte and her friend Scott, (who is the pilot) about ready to go in the glider. What fun!! She flew over the delta out of Livermore.
Well, thank you again to all who continue to encourage, strengthen, and pray for me and my family. It is truly amazing how prayers work. God listens and he continues to give my family so much peace. We are so blessed!!!
Psalm 37:4-7 Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your hearts desire. Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, and He will do it. And He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your judgement as the noonday

It's another beautiful moring in blogger land! The picture of my very happy dog Kiwi shows how I am feeling as I blog, because I went to UCSF for my second opinion yesterday. I had many questions answered about my chemo regimine and am very happy about the new change. It is recommended that I switch from using Folfox 4 for 6 months to Folfox 6 for 4 months. That means that I only have 7 more cycles of treatment to go, and I'll be done with it by May if all goes well! The difference from Folfox 4 to folfox 6 is that I only have to go to treatment every other week for two days instead of three, I get less 5-FU each cycle but a little more Oxaliplatin, and since it's for 8 cycles instead of the 12, it gives less toxicity to the body overall. The data shows no difference in outcome, so less is better. Also, it is recommended I do not take Avastin because of all the unknown and unanswered questions that Avastin carries for stage III cancer. Finally, the doctor also recommended that once I am through with treatement, I get a CT scan every 3 months for the next 3 years due to the 25% risk factor of it re-occuring. I will have my scans done at UCSF. It's amazing to me how each time I have been to UCSF, my course of treatment has changed. I can't stress to you how important it is to get a second opinion and even a third if need be. When you are talking about a life, it is well worth the time and effort. It's pretty scary not knowing what to do when each decision is so important and life threating, but knowing that God is with me, guiding me and showing me each step or path to take is what keeps me at peace. I know God is in control and He will continue to watch over my family and me each and every day.

John 16:33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage, I have overcome the world.

Good morning blogger buddies. Well, I'm into my first of 12 chemo series treatments. Yesterday I was there from 9:30-3:45 and today it should be only about 3 hours. Tomorrow will be about 1/2 hr to remove the buddy pack until the next series in two weeks. Yesterday took a little longer than expected because my port in my chest would not work right. It took just under 2 hours to get it working. It would allow drugs into the body but not allow for removal of blood. It's a two-way port and only one way was working. Apparently, sometimes the body produces a film inside that blocks the exit of fluid from the port. The nurse gave me a med that disolved it enough to allow full usage of the port...for the day. It will probaby happen again, but at least I was able to start the series. I didn't have too much trouble after that. Of the three types of chemo I received, I had a slight reaction to the Oxaliplatin. It sped up my heart rate from 60 to about 80 within the first hour. So next time I get it I will be given more bennidrill (I had 12.5mg instead of the usual 25mg) Today I will have Leuccvorin and 5FU bolus or booster like yesterday but without the Oxaliplatin. I am carring around my buddy pack again for 3 days each series. I Think over all I did pretty well, except my dear husband Casey gave me a bad head cold that came out the day before treatment. I had to take Sudafed during treatment to breath. They weren't concerned about me being sick at the start because it's not an infection...yet. I hope it doesn't go to my chest. As for nausea, I haven't experienced that yet and hopefully I won't. They gave me an anti-nausea drip, steriod drip, (are you jealous Barry?) and a few othet drips to help boost up the body. I did not start the Avastin drug yet because I was not 4 weeks out from surgery, whick is a must. I will start that on the next series in two weeks. In the meantime, I will see a doctor at UCSF for a second opinon on the drug regimine. I thought it was interesting that of the 6 patients in the room, 4 to 5 of us were dealing with colorectal cancer. You can tell by the buddy packs around the room, and the nurse mentioned a few. I hope you all are getting your colonoscopy !! Thank you all for your continual prayers and encouragement. Sometimes I get comments about being so positive and srtong, and that comes from not only knowing that God is with me every step of the way, but also from all of you who are praying for me, and encouraging me in so many ways. As I said before, I am truly blessed by each one of you in my life. Thank you
Mark 11:23,24
Truly I say to you, whoever says to the mountain, Be taken up and cast into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it shall be granted him. Therefore, I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall be granted to you.

HI everyone and happy January. I am doing really well these days. I have been out walking almost every day up to 5 miles (in two outings). I have my energy back and am now ready for chemo. Monday I talked with my Oncologist and he wants me to take Folfox 4 with Avastin for the next 6 months every two weeks. It will be administered over 3 days, the first day for 5 hours, the next day for 3, and the third day just for about an hour or so to remove the bed buddy pack. Yes, I will have my bed buddy back for two nights every two weeks. I can't say I've missed her but we'll get reaquainted. The folfox treatment is a mixture of 3 different drugs. 5-FU (what I previously had in the pack), leucovorin (folinic acid)and oxaliplatin. This is standard treatment for stage III cancer. Avastin is a drug that is currently used and approved for stage IV cancer but not stage III. Which means, my insurance will not cover it and we will have to pay for it. It is quite expensice but my doctor feels it may have good results. It's used by cutting of the blood supply to the tumor. Since I no longer have a tumor, we are not sure if it will help or not, but I have talk to a few different doctors and they agree with the use. It's been a hard decision but we are going to go for it. The doctors hope is it will give better odds that the cancer will not return at a future date. So Monday I go in for a "teach" class about the drugs. Tuesday I will start my first treatment. Please keep me in your prayers that all goes well.
Hebrews 10:23,24
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful: and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds.

Happy New year!! I am feeling really good after a week of recuperation. I'm up to walking again and feeling my energy increase each day thanks to all the wonderful people who have been bringing in great dinners!!! My appetite is back in full force!! The picture is of my very special "healing Hands" blanket from my Foothill Family. It keeps me warm and loved every minute!
The first few days home were a little rough for me having to get used to a new addition to my body...an ileostomy. It's an "off ramp", as Casey calls it, between my small and large intestines. I will have it through chemo and until my colon heals completely. I was supposed to have a home health nurse come three days a week starting right away to help me out, but as I was leaving the hospital, the nurse informed me that they couldn't find anyone to come to my home. To say the least, I was upset, scared, and had a million questions on how to care for this new thing. But once again, God provided. My neighbor came over and offered her help. She is a retired nurse who used to work with patients and ostomys. She even drove me up to John Muir the next day for a visit with the ostomy nurse. I am feeling much more at ease now and am learning to adjust. As for the next round of treatment, I should be starting chemo in about 3 more weeks. I do have a second opinion appointment at UCSF for chemo on the 29th of January. Since there were so many lymph nodes involved, they want to go heavy on the drugs and wipe any hidden cells. I say go for it!. I have always said that God gives you only what you can handle. Now I realize that when there is more than you can handle, He comes along and helps carry part of the load. He also helps you find your way. A dear friend told me that when He brings you to your knees it's only because He wants you to see His path more clearly. I know that as I go through this next phase of treatment, God will be right there with me. I won't be carrying it alone. I pray if one of you go through trials or tribulations, you remember that God is with you and He will help you each and every step if you let Him.
Jeremiah 29:11-12
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.