Night Sledding!

I went sledding in my own back yard tonight! We have so much snow here, might as well enjoy it!
I haven't had a sled around since the kids grew up. I might have to remedy that. We used the little pool and it worked very well...similar to an inner tube. It rolls over the big bumps quite well and was a blast!











Jason, Tammy, Jaxon and I had a great time. I'm sure we will do it again very soon. Maybe tomorrow!

An Iowa Blizzard!

Usually in Iowa, the forecasters try to warn us too far ahead that there is a winter storm on it's way. They make it sound as if it is worse than it is by using terminology like "Winter Storm Watch". To me, that sounds pretty bad...a storm coming! Everyone runs off to the grocery store and buys up provisions for a long winter, a few parties, and some extra snacks, just in case.

There was something about the latest storm that was different. The first forcasts began saying 6 to 8 inches. Every day it got to be a little more.



When it finally started snowing, they began to add even more inches. When the snowfall accumulation was already at a foot and more snow coming, they just admitted there might be "pockets" of areas with 20 inches. Once the wind started, it was a real blizzard. We were warm, dry, well fed and had a few unexpected days off of work, so for us it was not too bad. We think we got somewhere around 15 inches in our yard. Hard to tell with the wind, though.





I did get stuck on the way home from work and had to be pushed out...but that is for another post!


This is Jason and Jaxon, out in the storm. It was Jaxon's first time in a snowstorm and he wanted to go for a walk! He tried to run down the sidewalk, but Daddy scooped him up and brought him in. Maybe next time...





I spent my days off with my kids and grandson, baking, sewing, watching movies and generally goofing off. That's what having a snow day is all about, right?

University of Iowa Hawkeye Football

We had a great time cheering for the Hawks!

Go Hawkeyes!

Just when we thought it was not going to happen, Justin's friend came through with tickets to an Iowa game! Not just tickets, but four really nice tickets in the Outdoor Club! We went in November for a great day of Hawkeye football, food and fun. All of us had a fantastic time! Even though Tammy and Jason are Iowa State fans, they couldn't pass up the chance to be Hawkeyes, just for the day. Iowa fans know how to do football, and the Hawkeyes won the game, which made it more special.

The MRI

The night before the MRI, it is very hard to sleep. There are so many things running through my mind. I want to--and do--trust God to be there for us. But at the same time, my memory keeps bringing up things in the past and my anxious mind plays through "what MIGHT happen". I know much of it is while my body is exhausted and trying to sleep, so it seems worse than it really is.

As soon as Justin finishes his MRI, we walk over to the cancer center, where they are waiting to see us with the results. There are three main options; the doctor will flip out and say, "IT'S GONE! There's no sign of the cancer!" Or, he might say, "there is no change." Or, he might say, "I'm sorry to inform you, but it is getting worse."
The first two I can live with! But the third one is frightening. Might there be a recurrence of the seizures? That would mean no more driving and probably no more job. I can live with that because Justin is my son and I will take good care of him. But I hurt for him when he can't do the things he would like to do. To take away a man's ability to drive is very difficult for him. It is hard to be dependent on others to get to where you need to be, and impossible to get out because you just plain want to. No more hopping in the car and going for a drive because you feel like it. And no more errands on your own schedule. It is very hard.

So the night before his MRI, I tried to sleep and did not have much success. Initially I slept a few hours, then woke and couldn't get back to sleep. Then I felt pressured because I have to drive 120 miles each way and didn't want to drive tired. My mind churned over and over with all sorts of unknown situations. I finally fell asleep, only to have my alarm go off an hour or so later. Ugh.

Justin's MRI went well, although the wait was much longer than usual. They got the IV in on the first try, which is a blessing! We walked to the radiation oncology center and they called us right back. The doctor came in and shook our hands, and made some small talk. Then he got right to it. "Well, I don't see any changes. Everything looks good. How long has it been since your last MRI?" So we discussed how long to wait until the next one, and I told him about the thyroid appointments. He said he'd like to see us in three months again.

Wow. Good news again. And are we thankful! Up until that time, we are wound up really tight. As soon as we digest the news, all the pressure is released and we feel tremendous relief. Then I could sleep for 24 hours!...but have that drive back home.

This time I had a dentist appointment to recheck my January root canal. Thank goodness everything was fine.

My Monthly Update

I'm getting pretty bad at blogging. I had a blog years ago and gave it up because I got tired of thinking of something new to write about. But because of the content of the beginning of this blog, I want to see it through.

A week in Atlanta was just what I needed. It was great to be there and see my southern family. If it were a little closer or a little cheaper, I would love to go more often. This is Josh dropping me off at the airport, on his way back to work. It was wonderful to see him and Hannah again.

Now it is October, and we are gearing up for fall and winter. When the house went up for sale, we had two families look at the house right away. And since then, not one person has shown any interest. It will be interesting to see what happens. I hate moving in the winter, but then I hate moving any time. I am not looking forward to that, but I try not to think about it much.

Justin had his appointment to find out about his thyroid. There has been very little change in 18 months, which is good. However, the hospital here wants him to see the surgeon and the endocrinologist, to get their approval to let him have any surgery or treatment in Iowa City. Funny thing, though. He can't get in to see the endocrinologist until mid-January. Guess they are not in that big of a hurry, or else their doctor is swamped with work. At least we are reminded it is not an emergency.

This Wednesday is the MRI we have been waiting for. If the MRI shows the cancer is stable, they will let him go longer before the next one. Part of me is excited that they are confident of the slow growth of the cancer, but the mommy in me would rather go more often, just to be on the safe side. And this time, his appointment isn't first thing in the morning, so we don't have to leave home at the crack of dawn. Yea!

While we are in Iowa City, I get to return to the dental college to have a recheck on my root canal. I can still "feel" my tooth, which is weird since the root canal is supposed to kill the nerves. So I am not sure what the outcome will be. If I do have to get it done again, I will just bite the bullet and have it done near home...I don't want them to mess up my crowns again. I would trust them to do great work on any of my other teeth, but they don't have the tools to work on ceramic crowns. I'm still paying off my bill from their mistake.

We've had an inch of snow already, so the weather bug in me is gearing up for the winter...I know I'm not normal, but I love snow, snowstorms and the renewal that happens when the winter is over. It's part of the normal process of seasons, and I try to enjoy each one.

Vacation!

I needed a vacation! I really didn't know how much until I was away from my normal day-to-day. I like what I do, but there is a "rut" that is good to get away from now and then.

The doctor I work for took a week of vacation, and I would have had very little to do during that time. It happened to coincide with Josh's birthday, so I quickly made plans to take a trip to see him.

On the flight down, we had some rough weather. We had to fly through a thunderstorm in order to land. I have had some bumpy flights, but never experienced "drops" before. Several times during the decent, the whole plane dropped. I was sitting above the wing, so I could see the wing bouncing! Everyone in the plane squealed like school girls, then laughed once we were flying smoothly again. I was listening to classical music on Sirius, and the selection was very animated, almost circus-like--very fitting to the flapping and bouncing the plane was doing. Call me weird, but I enjoyed it! (I had Dramamine in me, so it didn't make me airsick.)
The train ride was fast and interesting, with the exception of a "homeless" man that solicited funds from the passengers. I just acted like everyone else and ignored him.

I have had a great time so far. I love spending time with Josh and Hannah, but it is also nice to have some days with very little to do. I will post some pictures once I am home.

Happy Birthday, Josh!

It was a surprise, so I didn't share it with very many people. My oldest, Josh, was having his 30th birthday and I didn't want to miss it. So I got on the Internet and found a great deal on plane fare. The morning of his surprise birthday party, I got in the car, drove 3 hours, parked, and flew south. The plane trip actually took a lot less time than the drive. I arrived in the big city and took the train to the station near their house, where Hannah picked me up. Jason called from home and said Josh was at the mall next door to the train station, where he was getting a hair cut! We had to get out of there! Josh called Hannah while I was in the car and they talked for a few minutes while I sat, grinning. He had no idea I was in town!

Hannah and I had a great time walking around the square and doing a little shopping before the party. We got to the restaurant about a half hour before he did. We knew the surprise party wasn't really a surprise anymore--it is hard to pull a fast one on Josh! But he had NO idea I was there. When he saw me, he said, "Now THAT'S a surprise!" It was great to see him, his wife, in-laws and friends.

Afterward, we went to Pete & Hollie's for cake and ice cream. We had a wonderful time.

While your children are little, you wonder if they will grow up to be decent, normal people! It is such a blessing to see Josh and Hannah all grown up and living their lives far away from their childhood homes, prospering and blessing those around them. They are doing great!

Moving Again.

Even though we signed a lease on the house we live in, the landlord decided to sell. So this week a Realtor came by, looked the place over and put up a sign in the front yard. So it is official. Our opinion is that the house is overpriced for this area, but who knows--someone might want exactly what we have.

This picture is of the bike trail and lake near our house. It is a beautiful trail that gets a lot of use by us and many others. We will miss it!

The sign went up on Thursday. On Friday, a strange man walked right in the house without knocking! He asked Jason the price and how many bedrooms. Jason was pretty mad and told the guy, "you NEVER just walk in someone's house! Go call the number on the sign!" Oh, brother. We knew we would have to have the house ready to show at any time, but never thought someone would come right in!

The results of Justin's CT scan are in. He has an appointment for September 8 to talk to the doctor at the local hospital. We got a (comical) letter in the mail from that hospital. "The results of the CT scan of your thyroid are back. It appears the thyroid may be abnormal." Well, duh. Ya think?

Justin's next MRI will be October 14. Please pray that there are no changes. Thanks so much!

State Fair Time

Today I am going to the Iowa State Fair. It is a tradition of mine. I have no specific reason to go, nothing in particular that I have to see. I don't buy concert tickets or enter my photography, sewing or cooking for a prize. I don't go for the food, which is the reason most people say they go. I don't have to see the cow made of butter or the largest bull in the state. And I am not interested in looking at farm implements or buying a new vacuum cleaner. I won't buy a bucket of hot chocolate chip cookies, funnel cake, turkey leg, or any of the dozens of things on a stick. I won't step foot on the midway or go near the beer tents. I probably won't spend more than $10, although I sure would if I could. There is a sewing machine there I love...

There is something about the Fair. It is just fun to be there with all the people, the animals, the sounds, the smells, the busyness, the music, and the free entertainment everywhere you look. It is the same feeling when you are in New York City for the day, or at Niagara Falls or on a cruise ship. It is the camaraderie of thousands of people all sharing in the same experience at the same time. Everyone is there for fun. No one is in a rush, on a schedule or wishing they were somewhere else.




I will grab a shaken lemonade, sit in the shade and just watch. In just a few minutes, there will be thousands of different people walking by, a clown in a little car, a cop on horseback, golf carts loaded with ice, a hundred strollers full of cute babies and miscellaneous purchases, a juggler, a school field trip with all the little kids hanging onto a single rope, and teenagers in many different fashion statements from cute to totally weird. It is much better than TV. I will walk to the top of the hill to the house, sit on the porch in a rocker and let the breeze cool me off. I'll walk through many of the buildings to see all the displays, talents, wares, samples, and ideas. I will ride the sky ride, just because I can. I will eat something good for me for supper so that I am not tempted to buy all the junk...but I will also have something junky just for fun. I'll sit in on a free concert or two, watch a demonstration of a new kitchen gadget, look at the "most ugly cake" winners, and go through the horse barn to see the beauties there.

And when I leave, I know I will not have seen half of what I could have, so I will have to go back next year!

CT Scan

Justin has a CT scan scheduled for tomorrow (Monday). Pray that all goes well. It is to check the size of his thyroid. I'll post the results of this and his blood work, but it may be a month before we find out!

We had a great thunderstorm late this afternoon. There were beautiful cloud banks, fabulous lightning displays, and rain coming down so hard it looked like a blizzard. I love storms.

Another Doctor

Justin's Oncologist in Iowa City wants Justin to establish a relationship with a family practice doctor here in town, to handle the small things that come along. He also told us to have that doctor refer Justin to an endocrinologist for his thyroid. (This is because of Justin's insurance--it has to be started in our county and referred out). I chose a doctor that we met in the ER during the months that Justin was having seizures. She showed interest in Justin, which we liked. She is not taking new patients, but made an exception when we asked her--she was excited to have him.

Yesterday I went with Justin to his appointment. They did a comprehensive medical history, a mini physical, and set up a CT scan for next week. A nurse came in to take blood, and she got it on the first try! I was happy and told her she was amazing! Justin doesn't seem to mind much, but it drives me crazy when they have to poke him with needles over and over. I hate seeing my kid have to go through that, even if it is harder on me than him...

We will go back for results in a month. Evidently after that appointment, his doctor will send the results to an endocrinologist. Then we will set up an appointment to see him. She hinted that he would probably want to do surgery to take the thyroid out. But since Justin has cancer and that AVM in his brain, they may refer him back to Iowa City for the surgery. Round and round we go.

I have a feeling this is how it will be for all of us if we get national health care, and it is scary. We spend hours and hours chasing ourselves in circles. There is so much waste this way, double doctors, double time, double opinions, etc. It would be SO much easier if Justin's doc just referred him the the doctor of his choosing based on Justin's situation. Duh.

And that is my rant for the day. I feel better.

August Already!

It is amazing that August is here already. Life seems to go faster as I get older. I remember that just a few short years ago I was a single mom raising three kids, working two jobs, teaching two classes and having a great life. Now I can't seem to figure out how to do one job and nothing else.

My challenge to me is to get busier. I have decided that although I was too busy back then, I got a tremendous amount of work and play done. Now I am not busy at all and can't seem to accomplish anything. So I am going to begin a careful adjustment into some more activity.

Since Justin got sick, my life has been a whirlwind of other people's activities. I had to put my life on the shelf for more than a year. And I do not regret it at all. But now I am not needed as much and I feel a little lost. That is unusual for me.

I am looking at this big, wide world and I am not sure how to get back into life.

Driving Again!

Justin is driving again! After 18 months of not driving due to seizure activity, he is once again on the road. He has had NO seizure activity since February 1st, and he feels great! He took me out for ice cream tonight to celebrate. What a blessing and a relief to have him mobile again. Thank You, Lord.

Cheesecake FATory

So all of us July birthday people got a wonderful and huge gift from Josh and Hannah, a gift card to go out to eat together at the Cheesecake Factory. It is a yummy place to go and we were all excited to get to go not once, but twice. Sunday night was perfect, as we were actually all home at the same time.

The menu is a bound (spiral) book. It takes about an hour to read it, so you really want to have some idea of what you are hungry for before opening it. I decided before we got there that it was a chicken sort of night. Not sure why, just felt like eating chicken. Josh gave us a list of his favorites, but chicken was not on his list. The good thing was, only one page of chicken dishes. So I had an easy time selecting my dinner. I got Crusted Romano Chicken, which was deeeelicious. The chicken had been pounded flat, so it took up the whole plate. Did I say plate? I mean platter. It was served on a PLATTER. And topped with pasta, enough to feed our whole family and take leftovers home. The guys got the double barbeque bacon cheeseburger, and Tams got the Chipotle chicken fingers. Once again, on PLATTERS, with enough french fries to keep McDonalds going for an hour or so. It was an incredible amount of food.

Of course we tried to make a dent in our dinner, but it was just too much. It didn't even look like I had started on the pasta, and everyone had lots of leftovers. Some things go home well and some don't, so we ended up leaving quite a bit behind. We were too full to even imagine dessert, much less order it. Right there with the best cheesecake, and no desire for it...

So that got me thinking. Who gets to choose what a "portion" is going to be? Who decides that a plate isn't good enough but a platter will work better? And why aren't there menu selections for those of us who don't want to go home feeling like we just ate a cinder block? I didn't see a lighter menu, a senior menu, a diet menu or even a children's menu. You got a feast, whether you wanted it or not. Hmmm. I would like to know.

I was thrilled that we got to go out, and LOVED the food. But in a few weeks when we go again, I am going to look at the menu for something small! I think it will be a challenge.

A Great Sunday

Sundays are very special to me. I love to begin each week with a Sunday--it just seem to put my life back on track again.

First, I had to take Justin to work, but for the last time. He gets to drive again on Saturday, so he can get himself wherever he needs to go. What a blessing that it has been 6 months since he had any seizure activity! That is the BEST news!

I got to church just as it started. I love being there, singing, learning and fellowshipping with my friends.

After church, I always pick up something for lunch and go to the lake that is halfway between church and my home. I always drive across the dam, watch the boats for a while, then drive around below the dam to see what is going on in the park. Then back across the dam and down the river a little to a park along the water. There are huge trees there that are beautiful to see, hear, and sit in their shade. As long as it is not raining, I will sit along the river for a few hours and just watch. (I even go in the winter, though I stay in the car!) I watch for birds, animals, fish jumping, boats, jet skis, fishermen, picnics, motorcycles, and anything else that I can see. I don't say a word all that time...just sit and think, and watch, and listen. It is a beautiful time each week to just be me. I miss it if I cannot be there.

The most important part of being along the water is contemplation. This world is so fast, furious, and noisy! It is so great to spend some quiet hours every week, thinking about life, praying, reading, watching, listening. I enter the new week calm and relaxed, and at peace.

Birthday Month

In our family, we have 8 birthdays in July. Since there are so many, we have a tendency to put them all together and just celebrate once. And so we did, on July 4th when the whole family was here anyway. We had parade candy by the bowlful, all the food you would care to eat, snacks and beverages all day long, and even red, white and blue bomb pops to have during our fabulous front yard, front row seats to terrific fireworks. After the fireworks ended, we came in to allow the traffic to thin. We sang and had birthday cake. A rather special cake.

It was a milestone birthday for me this time, and I really didn't feel like making a big deal out of it. My kids kept asking me what I wanted to do, so I finally just said I would make a birthday cake to have for the 4th...and maybe we could eat out later or something.

I had a craving for German Chocolate cake. I haven't had one for a long time and decided to try it. Right after my decision, I was watching TV and Bobby Flay had a "throw down" with the best German chocolate baker on the east coast. I watched as they each baked their best, then put them to the test with the judges. Bobby's won--no surprise there--but one of the judges had taken a bite out of the "loser" cake and declared, "this is my mother's cake!" She was impressed. I went on Bobby's website and printed off the recipe for the winner.

I made a list of what I would need to make the winning cake. I could not believe the ingredient list! There were 2 kinds of sugar--a brand name I have never heard of. The recipe included goat's milk, coconut milk, a vanilla bean that you must scrape out the seeds to use, a coconut liquor of some type, special flour, special leavening, special butter, special chocolates, special pecans, special everything. It would have cost me $100 to make!

So I decided to make the "loser" cake instead. Imagine my delight when the recipe called for flour, sugar, eggs, butter, German chocolate, and other things I had already!

When I was a young bride, I thought I was a decent cook. I tried to make a layer cake out of a boxed mix. It was a disaster I never forgot. I could not get it right. It broke apart, crumbled, and generally didn't do what a cake should do. It didn't even look like a pretty good try. It looked like someone had dropped it and picked it up in pieces. And that was my best work! I did not try another layer cake again from sincere humiliation....until now....
Ta Da! My birthday cake was fun to make, beautiful to look at, and very, very delicious. I'm glad I decided to give myself a birthday present of a second chance! So happy birthday Justin, Dad, Dave, Erik, Jason, Mia, and Jaxon...and me!

Another MRI

On Wednesday last week, we went to Iowa City for another MRI. Justin always sees the oncology team afterward. They had a good report--the cancer is "stable". The doctor said instead of the normal 2 months between MRIs, it would be 3 months this time. If the MRI continues to show the cancer is stable in 3 months, then it will be 5 or 6 months the next time. This is really good news! Since Justin is now getting a paycheck, we had lunch at the Red Lobster to celebrate!

Back In The Saddle Again

I took a little break from blogging and I'm back! Since Justin is doing so well, he will not be the only person I blog about now. I will update about him as needed, but will also write about the happenings in my life and those around me.

However, just because I haven't blogged about him for awhile, I will catch you up.

Justin enjoyed a month-long stay in Atlanta. He came back renewed and refreshed. And then he got a job! He is now earning money again! Though it is not ministry related, his job as a security guard in a large medical clinic in the suburbs is a pretty good fit for now. He has a lot of down time at a desk, with frequent trips around to check doors, give directions, and make sure all is well. He has time with lots of people in the clinic, but even more time after they are all gone for the evening. He can't be on a computer, use an iPod, talk on the phone or spend a lot of time talking to people, but he can read. Since he is a voracious reader, he has been going through books like crazy. He can do an action/adventure novel in about 2 shifts. Non-fiction takes a little more time, depending on the subject. So he is rapidly catching up on all those books he hoped to read "someday." And the local library always seems to have something on hold for him.

Having a check coming in is a blessing! He decided to use his first check for a little fun before buckling down, so he bought a netbook (a small laptop computer). It is just what he needs for checking email, working on his book and playing music. Too bad he can't take it to work...

It is good to have Justin back!

No Wonder We Are In A Pickle

People wonder why this world is going downhill so fast. I have evidence of that in my hand. I just got a bill from the hospital where we went to have Justin's Rx rewritten. It is for $164. They accidentally sent it to me instead of Justin's insurance. So it IS a scam...charge our insurance company $164 twelve times a year, just to have a prescription rewritten. I am seriously thinking of contacting the higher ups in the insurance company to let them know what is happening. Just think what would happen if we got to use insurance money for things that were NEEDED. It just might change the world a little bit.

Justin has been in Atlanta for a few weeks now and is having a great time. I am not sure yet when he will return, but no one is in a hurry. We are all thrilled he is enjoying a vacation.

Vacation Time

Justin arrived in Atlanta late Monday night, after a normal flight. He is so glad to be there and having a great time. There is a lot to do there, and lots of family to see.

I am feeling relief that he is able to do this. He needs some fun, adventure and life, now! He has been through so much this past year. I want him to enjoy this time when he is healthy. I'm so thankful he got this opportunity.

Worries and Woes

Sorry I have not posted much lately. My job has changed and I have very little energy at the end of the day. I'm glad to have a job, but many times I wish it was not on my feet for 8 hours a day.

I have been so thrilled that Justin is doing better. Getting the radiation was the best thing we could have done for him and I have no regrets. Seeing him happy and mostly healthy has been such a blessing!

But just like most things, there is bad that goes with the good. We have had nothing but trouble getting Justin's meds. His hospital is in Iowa City, but since he lives in the county he does, his insurance makes him pick up his meds closer to home. For us that is Broadlawns. I know that the people who work there are just like everyone else--there are those that bend over backward to help, and those who are just putting in their time. But the SYSTEM there absolutely stinks. It is a joke trying to simply go and pick up your next month's medication.
When I need medicine, I just get on the phone, call Walgreens, and two hours later, I can pick them up. But for Justin, it is a different story. Broadlawns has a "closed pharmacy." The only meds going out of that place are prescriptions the Broadlawns doctors write. So when Justin gets a prescription for his meds from his oncologist (for a year's supply), he has to take that Rx in to have one of their docs rewrite it. They say it is at the doctor's discretion how many months to write it for, so they do one month at a time. So, every time he goes in there, he has to sign in at the registration, WAIT for his number, get a folder of information, and then WAIT in the clinic, then WAIT for the nurse to do blood pressure and temps, weight, etc...then WAIT for the doctor to come in, so we can explain he is only there for an Rx, then WAIT for the doctor to write it, then WAIT for the nurse to bring it, then go to the pharmacy downstairs, pick a number, WAIT to be called, give them the Rx, WAIT while they fill it, then WAIT in line to pick it up. Usually it takes four hours or more. Every month. I can't take that much time off work, so it is a huge hassle.
Now that Justin is going to Atlanta, he needs another month's supply, or at least get the OK for me to pick it up later this month and mail it to him. Great. So we have to go through this all again. It's Friday, he leaves Monday and I don't really want to go there. I. Really. Don't. Want. To. Do. This. Today.
I got to thinking about it and got really mad. Justin's radiology oncologist writes a prescription for two meds for a year, and some little resident has the power to say we can't do it that way?!!! So after working all day, I picked up Justin and we made a little trip down there. Being the first of the month, and with the "real scary" swine flu craziness, I knew it would be horrible. And I hadn't taken the time to eat supper, and my feet hurt, and I didn't want to do this.
Try as I might, I have never understood how this system works. But tonight it suddenly hit me. If Justin has to go monthly to pick up his meds, they can charge his insurance company FOR EVERY VISIT. Ahh, now it all makes sense. And it also makes me mad that they are using me and my kid in this game. So I went, ready to do battle. I told Justin on the way in, that I was mad, tired, hungry, frustrated and absolutely ready for war. I was going to sit down with the doctor and make him prove to me medically that Justin needs to come in monthly, I was also taking names. I had some paper to write our experience so that I could write a letter to the insurance company and the hospital higher-ups. BUT, I also wanted to be an example to my kid of how a person fights nicely, fairly and with honor, not rage. Hmm.
We walked in the door and the clinic lobby was empty. Empty. They signed him right in and got him back to the waiting area. We were called in less than 5 minutes....all the while thinking, "what's the catch?" The nurse quickly went through her stuff, and in less than 5 minutes the doctor came in. I very nicely explained why we were there. He looked so tired. I felt sorry for him--he probably feels like I do. He really only asked one question-"are they doing blood work to make sure your liver is handling this much anti seizure medication?" "Yes, sir." He said, "I would feel good doing a 6 month supply, would that be OK?" "Yes, sir."
Five minutes later, we we had the Rx for 6 months in our hands and got to the empty (!) pharmacy. I explained about Justin's trip and we would like to know the soonest date we can pick his meds up. Like most insurances, they only let him get one month at a time. But the pharmacist said, "I can get you next month's now." And she did, in less than 10 minutes.
We were out of there in less than an hour! Amazing. Thank You, Lord.


Do you remember when the dentist in Iowa City did my root canal and broke my ceramic crown and couldn't fix it? When I got home from this whole thing tonight I was feeling pretty good. But in the mail was my final bill from my regular dentist (who fixed it for only $1,200!) and the insurance companies. I owe $473 for the privilege of having someone break my tooth. Ugh. This junk never stops. So Monday I will be trying to juggle work and calling all over to see if there is anything else I can do to get this bill lowered or paid, say, by the dentist who broke it? It might as well be a million bucks. I'm having trouble keeping my head above water as it is, and have made virtually no progress from having seven weeks off. Nothing is caught up. I was hoping my tax refund would help, but my federal refund was exactly-to the dollar-what I owed the state. Grrr. I think they have a system, too.

So the good thing is, I have not used credit cards or borrowed from anyone for over a year. I am not adding to what little debt I have. The bad news is, I am really tired of never quite keeping up with the regular bills. It is a treadmill that has no shut-off switch. There is no light at the end of the tunnel, no way to catch up unless I take on a second job, which I have NO energy to do. Please pray for me, I need some encouragement!

Travel Plans

Justin has been busy online, looking for great travel deals. He finally found a flight he couldn't pass up--here to Orlando, $29. Yep. Of course they nickel and dime you to death with fees, but even with the taxes and the other "dings", it was still only $59. A bargain. So Monday, Justin will be flying to Orlando, and Josh will pick him up there for a 6 or 7 hour car ride to ATL. Not the best way to do things, but certainly the cheapest. It would have been several hundred more dollars for a direct flight, which we really can't do right now.
Justin got out his shorts, summer clothes, and swim trunks, and he will be living a life of leisure for a month or so down in the south. I am so excited for him....just wish I could go, too.

Home

Our trip to Iowa City this morning was a good one. No rain, snow, dark, road construction or detours. We made great time and had some good conversation. We have done this same trip many times, so we know about how much time we have left based on where we are on the Interstate.

Once at the hospital, we went downstairs for Justin's MRI. He used to hate them and wanted Valium to relax. But since losing 60 lbs, the tube isn't so tight anymore. Now his worry is the IV. For some reason, there are very few people that can get an IV into Justin without numerous pokes. He gets stuck many times and gets some "poke and twists" or double pokes. All the while, the person is apologizing and wondering how they lost their touch. He has bruises on his arms and hands for days afterward. He is really sick of it.

Today's MRI went well, except for the IV, then we went to the cancer center for the meeting with the team. There was a resident doctor there to meet, who was new. She went through ALL the neurological tests that she could do, instead of the three or four the regular doctors do. And she had braces on her teeth! Justin thought it was funny that his doc has braces. She was very thorough and kind. She had a med student with her, who watched. That is normal.
She showed us a frame of the MRI from today. Then she pulled up the one from April. It was amazing! Even I could see the difference in the size of the tumor. Actually, what we thought was tumor is actually edema (swelling). Our first look at his brain in April showed this swelling area about the size of a pear. Now it is more like a golf ball. Of course we are only seeing a "slice" of his brain in both pics. But it was very noticeable, so no matter what it is...it is smaller.

Then the main doc came in and joined us. He went through a few tests and explained everything again. We were able to ask some questions. Justin wanted to know if he would be able to ride roller coasters when on his trip to Atlanta. The doctor looked sorry, but said no. He said there is too much going on in Justin's head to do risky stuff like boxing, football, bungee jumping, roller coasters, etc. Justin laughed and said in his future, he would be the one at the amusement park sitting with the baby and getting his pictures taken with the princesses while mommy rides the wild rides with the other kids. He sees the humor in it. Not being able to ride a roller coaster is not a big deal.
We talked about the AVM (the cluster of veins and vessels that could bleed) as well as the thyroid. Justin's doctor did not agree with the endocrinologist and wants Justin seen anyway, so that will be in July during the next appointment and MRI.
I asked a lot about exactly what type of tumor it is. I see information on the computer all the time and it helps to know more of what I am looking for. I was wondering about cells called astrocytes. Does Justin's cancer include these or not? He said that although there are probably a few, certainly there are not enough to do a count. As long as there aren't any to do a count, it is grade II. Once there are astrocytes, it may be changing and getting more aggressive. Then it might be changed to grade III cancer. Once there are many agressive astrocytes, it will be grade IV. Good to know.

Off we went to the Hope Lodge to reconnect with our friends there. It was great, and they decided that we will grill out in July when we are there next time. Justin was also promised tickets on the field at one of the big Iowa football games...so we will be able to make some plans at that time.

Then we went to eat at Old Chicago Pizza, perhaps the worst meal I have eaten out in a long, long time. It made McDonalds look like a 5 star. Ugh. There is only one thing worse than horrible food in a restarant, and that is having to pay for the privelege! Ugh. It was recommended by someone and we tried it. I am sure that every single place in town has better food...we will be much more selective next time.

We didn't do the mall, or walking or anything else, just came home. It's good to be here.

Another Trip

Wednesday, April 15 is the trip we have been waiting for. We will once again go to Iowa City to meet with Justin's medical team for an evaluation of the radiation treatments. He will have another MRI and whatever other tests the doctors deem important. Then after the tests, we will meet the nurses, residents and doctors that care for Justin. We will get a report on his health and have a chance to ask questions.

I did hear from a nurse about Justin's thyroid. He was to have an appointment this week to see the endocrinologist for his one year check. The nurse said the doctor looked over Justin's chart and decided that due to the brain cancer, he recommends that we just have the primary doctor do regular checks of the numbers and let them know if they get outside of normal. No sense doing surgery or anything so soon after radiation. That is a relief. His thyroid is so big it does block his airway some when eating or sleeping, but evidently not bad enough for them to remove part of it.

We have almost everything ready for the trip. I got a free oil change card from some friends and was able to get my oil changed on my lunch hour today. They checked the tire pressure and topped off the fluids, so the truck is in as good of shape as it can be. I got Wednesday off--with just enough PTO time built up to get paid for the whole day. This trip is right before pay day (only my third since January), so we are still trying to get the funds together for gas and a meal. I know, it sounds bad...but this is just our reality for now! We didn't sign up for this, so we let God take care of us as He sees fit...and He has done amazing things so far. Although we literally don't have two nickels to rub together, I have not used credit, have not borrowed money, and have not missed too many meals. Rent has been paid every month, and although all the bills are at least a month behind, nothing has been shut off so far. It is not a fun way to live, but we see God working, and we trust Him.

Once we are in Iowa City, we will stop at Hope Lodge to catch up with some of our friends. We hope to visit a dynamo little boy from our church that is critically ill with a seizure disorder. This is very serious and we hope we can encourage his mom a little bit. We may walk a mile or so in Carver Hawkeye Arena for the fun of it. Then we will head home and will probably be home by supper. Lots packed into one day, that is for sure.

Please keep praying! We couldn't do it without you!

Travel

Justin is working on a trip to see his brother in Atlanta. Plane fares are up, but he looks every day to see if he can find that "can't pass it up" price. This is a great time for him to travel...he is happy and healthy and not undergoing any medical care at this time. There is a lot to do in Atlanta, so he will not be bored.

Great Job, Justin!

I went to church with the family and Grandma. We met lots of the kid's friends and found their church to be very friendly and welcoming. The music was terrific and the preaching was great. The one thing that really stood out to me is that about 95% of the people there are between the ages of 20 and 30. It is a young church, right in the downtown area, so not many children and not many older people (like me!). The pastor was giving a final sermon on a theme, and was ending with a message about sleepwalking through your life, not taking your faith seriously. About midway through the sermon, Justin got invited up to speak.

The pastor introduced him and told us that Justin had a story to tell. So Justin took the microphone and began to talk about his life, where he went to school, college, etc. He told about losing sight of the goal of being a youth pastor by getting caught up in the fun of college, but never doing the work. He had collected and downloaded so much music that it froze his computer. Everyone laughed. Fast forward to April of this year when he went to bed one night and woke up the next day in an ambulance. He told the audience that he was diagnosed with incurable brain cancer. We could hear a collective "punch in the gut" sound as the audience took this in.

Then he explained to them that unless the Lord intervenes with healing, he doesn't have lots more years to live. You could hear a pin drop. Then he explained how that knowledge has turned his life around. He is more motivated than ever in his life to be close to the Lord, to make every day count, and to start living to the best of his ability.

As Justin finished speaking, you could sense in the room a quietness. They really took a hard look at "what if that was me?" Then pastor finished up with a message of importance: be ready! Don't take your life or your faith for granted.

After church, lots of young people wanted to stay to talk with Justin. We were there about an hour after church was over. He spoke with so many, and they were all interested in his story.

Great job, Justin! You may never know how many lives you touched until we are in heaven.

Back to Work

Spring break was spent working at the camp. Justin was in charge of seeing that those at the work-a-thon got their work orders and knew how to do the jobs. He was also in charge of the tools and equipment, so it all got back to the shop. There were college kids from Minnesota and junior highers from Iowa, too. Each had their own set of jobs to do. Justin's boss told him that he was doing exactly what they envisioned when they put together his job. He was pleased.

After dinner and a movie with a friend, Justin will head to church tomorrow to give his testimony. He feels better about it, now that he has it written down.

Thanks again for your prayers!

Testimony Time

Justin was asked to give his testimony at church this Saturday night. He has been speaking in front of people for years and has never been too nervous. Well, another surprising change in him: he is scared! I think he will feel much better once he writes down what he wants to say. Pray for him, that he has peace this week, and that he speaks from his heart to the young people that attend his church. It is a church right in the downtown area that attracts very young adults in an urban setting. It is not much like a traditional church, except the Bible is preached without apology.

A Great Day!

I have a new picture in my mind of Justin tonight. And it is a goody.

Four months ago, if Justin decided to go to the store with me, he would always warn me to stay close in case he had a seizure. Wherever I walked in the store, he went with me. I felt bad for him. It must be hard to have known how easy life was in the past, and have it change so dramatically that you cannot even walk somewhere by yourself now.

So here we are, a month past the radiation treatments, and today Justin went with me to HyVee. He was all over the store, getting things he wanted or needed without a thought of whether I was around or not. He pushed the cart out for me and we loaded the groceries in the back of the truck.

So here is my new mind's picture: Justin grabbed the cart, went running for the "cart corral", put one foot on the bottom bar of the cart and rode the cart like a scooter, smiling all the way! He jogged back grinning from ear to ear. Oh, what a huge blessing! God has done so much for Justin over the last 3 months! I will never forget the joy we are feeling today!

Working At Camp Again

Justin began working at the camp. The pay is low...nothing...but the rewards are high. He is doing some consulting, but there is a bigger job to do now. He is walking through the buildings, making up work orders for everything that needs done. He will turn those in, then the staff will decide which things are in the budget and which ones are not. Justin will help the team in any way he can.

We visited the Social Security office. Long story short, we will not hear anything for at least three months. If Justin does not qualify for disability, they want us to appeal. We can do 2 appeals, the last one is with a judge. That takes a while...the state is so far behind that Utah is taking some of our cases. They are backed up a year or more. So it looks as if we either get a little help before fall, or we fight to maybe get nothing in two years. Let's just say we are not holding our breath. Although we are not interested in food stamps or other help, if he gets on disability, he will automatically be on Medicaid and will be able to seek medical help almost anywhere. No more Broadlawns. We will continue at Iowa City because he is getting great care there. Medicaid is better insurance than he has now.

Being An Uncle

Justin was not doing very well when his nephew Jaxon was born. They really didn't have too much time together. I think the underlying fear was that Justin would have a seizure while holding the baby and that could be bad, especially because Justin is a big guy. So he kept his distance. Jaxon would stare at him with those sweet little eyes, but didn't smile much, and didn't seem to know how to react when Justin talked to him.

Now, it is the opposite. The two of them are best buds. Often I see Jaxon sitting on Uncle Justin's lap, chillin'. They play monster, "pat the bald head", and the ever popular, "you are my trampoline". What a blessing to watch these two! We are blessed they have each other.

Motivation--Where Did That Come From?!

Every day Justin seems to come up with more and more motivation. He is currently writing a book-working on Chapter 2, memorizing the book of James, reviewing his Greek course and trying to catch up, walking every day, and looking for an awesome job. He did NONE of this in the past. I don't know where it came from, but I like it!

Resume Time

Justin saw an ad for his dream job and is working on updating his resume...

The first three years of college, Justin was in a prison ministry. Several young men went into the nearby prison every Monday night to spend time with the inmates, share their faith, and build trusting relationships. He loved it and looked forward each week. I remember him telling me one time that there were guys in the prison younger than himself. He felt really bad for them.

It was on the national news one night...several inmates escaped by dropping mattresses out of the 5th story window onto the razor wire fence. One of the inmates fell wrong and was injured pretty badly. The prison took this very seriously and closed the prison to outsiders. No more prison visits for anyone. That ended the ministry for good.

There is a position open near here for a chaplain. Justin is not positive that he has the exact qualifications that they are looking for, but he will send his resume anyway. They may have something else if this isn't the right thing.

Justin loves prison ministry about as well as camp ministry, so we will pray he gets a job in one of these two areas. Thanks!

A New Postition

Justin did a great job on his walk-through at the camp. Within 3 hours of him returning home, they called to ask if he would like to work at the camp as a regular volunteer. There are no paid positions at the camp yet, but they have much to do to prepare for Josh McDowell, who will be speaking in the auditorium later this month. Justin is pleased and ready to get back into a job, even if it is unpaid at this point.

The camp is only about 2 miles from my workplace, so transportation should not be too much of an issue.

Exciting Day

Justin is going to do some work tomorrow for a church here in town. They have purchased a camp and are not really sure what they have and don't have. They have asked Justin to go on a walk-through with the pastor to see the camp and then let them know what he thinks. He has worked at many camps and will be able to tell them the good and the bad. But mostly he will be able to encourage them to do the things that will draw people there. Justin worked at a camp in Pennsylvania that used the camp facilities year round. During the fall, winter and spring they brought in groups from schools, senior citizen groups and others for retreats to learn about nature. It keeps the camp in business year round. That is how it should be. Pray for him, that this may lead him to some sort of job.

Moving Forward

Several people from both hospitals have encouraged me to have Justin apply for Disability. I looked into it last year and it said you must have been sick for one year to get benefits. Well, it has been over 10 months already, so the time is now.

I have this sinking feeling that we will spend many hours on this project (you have to jump through a hundred hoops) only to find out he does not qualify for some reason. I will have to take some time off work to visit the local social security office, and take dozens of informational papers, like who his doctors are, the dates of his treatments, future appointments, his patient ID numbers, medications and their prescribers, and even a copy of his birth certificate. It will take me hours to get all of this information together. I will try to keep a positive attitude about it, but I just have a feeling it is a lot for nothing. But, you can't know until you try, so we will try.

I called the Social Security office and they gave us an appointment for 1:00pm this Wednesday. I was actually surprised that we got in that fast. And yet that is not too much time to have all this information put together.

This is the tiring part of illness.

A New Man

Justin has been gaining energy and motivation by the day. I am surprised every day to see what he has accomplished. Today he showed my his bedroom, all neat, organized and cared for. This is a tremendous change. Cleaning his room has never been one of the top 100 priorities in his life! It was a blessing to see that he really cares about his things and wants them to look nice.

Every day, the guys have been walking the trails in our neighborhood. I'm not sure how many miles they walk, but that isn't really a concern right now. Just the fact that he is out walking is a good thing. He seems to like the walks.

Chapter one of his book is written, and he is working on chapter 2. I love hearing how the character is moving along in the story.

The only bad thing going on right now is boredom. Even with walks, writing, cleaning, tv and family, he is still looking for a lot more to do. Pacing isn't fun.

Radiation Leftovers

Justin's hair is beginning to grow back in, but much slower where the radiation was given. So he has an interesting pattern on his head. I can feel that there is hair beginning to grow at the radiation site, but it is about invisible at this point. All the rest is dark brown.

Another thing we have noticed is that certain spicy foods make his tongue sore. The worst one for him is Doritos. He loves those things. And yet when he eats them it hurts. So for now, he has to pass on them.

For a guy who has endured 25 radiation treatments, the above list is not much to complain about.

Writing a Book

Justin is in the process of writing a Christian action/adventure novel. He has been thinking of it for a long time and has finally buckled down and started writing it. I am not going to tell the story, but it is about pain, redemption, choices and forgiveness. A friend of his has some connections in the publishing world, so he hopes it is good enough to go the distance. I have been listening to his ideas for several years, discussing details and playing the devil's advocate on occasion. I know the main character like he is a relative. And let me say...I am very excited to finally see him on the written page. I am an avid reader and I believe this will be a winner!

Comic Relief?

We just moved into our house in mid-December, so we have not met our neighbors yet. But from what we have seen, they are all really nice folks. Well, tonight some of us got a surprise...

Tammy heard something at the front door. It sounded like bumps or thumps. She thought someone was throwing something at the house, but wasn't sure. She went to open the front door and smelled fire...

Lo and behold, we and other neighbors got the old "dog poop in a paper bag" prank done to us. They lit it on fire! We must have caught them in the act, because they left the box of matches on the porch, too. Jason and Justin went around the property to see if they could find them, but the kids were gone.

We decided to call the police, since our porch is wood. Lighting a fire on a wood porch is seriously stupid. I called the non-emergency number and the dispatcher told us that we were not the only ones that had this prank done. The officer was at another home getting a report about the same thing. He came to our house, wrote a report, looked around some, then went off to fight some more dog doo doo crime. Poor guy. What a dumb waste of his time.

Back To Work

After 6 weeks away, I returned to work today. I was a little worried that I would forget things, make big mistakes, or feel like I didn't belong. Of course none of that happened; I jumped right in and after about an hour, it didn't feel like I was away at all. Everyone was so kind to me, happy to have me back, and excited that Justin is doing so well.

I haven't really written about my finances much, but I will say a little bit here. Being without a paycheck for awhile has been a hardship. I won't get a full check for a few weeks, so it is not over yet. Though I was not being paid, my bills were still generating! Rent is still due, and we still have to eat. I am probably going to struggle for many months to catch up. I am usually very frugal, but I have had to be extremely tight since October, to try to get this done. We even skipped Christmas gifts this year to save money.

And here is the honest truth about it. I would have done it over again. I have been SO blessed to have six weeks to spend with my son. That has been worth so much more than money! We were together 24/7 for weeks and got along famously. We had great talks, long walks, big laughs, some painful circumstances, silly times, hard times, amazing activities, shared our dreams, plotted a really good book that is in the works, learned a lot about a lot of things, made some new friends and felt much peace in the storm. What is that worth? Zillions.

So my credit takes a ding, my utilities get behind, I get little texts that my cell bill is due. No big deal. None of that matters in the long run. But my son matters. More than anything.

I have a Provider. God cares for me, for my sons, even for my work and my pay. I need not worry about things. He will walk alongside us all the way, and provide what we need, not just during bad times, but also during the good times. He made a way for us.

Sunday

Justin got a big welcome at church. Everyone was so glad to see him. I think it is really good for people to see Justin in the middle of this trial. He is happy, confident and ready to share with anyone who will talk to him. There is no need to be nervous or upset--he certainly isn't that way. He got to see lots of people who have been encouraging him, praying for him, sending cards and gifts. His old friend Ryan was so happy to see him that he immediately invited us for lunch at his house. It feels to great to be loved by our friends.

All day long we were restless. I finally figured out that my head was telling me to get ready to go back to Iowa City. It was great to know that we don't have to do that anymore! I'm still living out of my suitcase, but plan to deal with that today.

Looking Ahead

Justin is once again looking for work. He loves camp ministry and would love to work in that capacity soon. He will be doing some consulting work for a church that has just purchased a camp right in our area. We are not sure what that will look like, but for now he is scheduling a walk-through and tour, so they can discuss what the camp has, does not have, and what would get it up and running, and used to the best of it's capability. He is really pumped and ready to go. He has a notebook of things to discuss after he observes. It should be fun for him.

Pray that God will give him just the right job. Thanks.

Daily Routine

Now that we are home to stay, we have to figure out what our daily routine is supposed to be. I have noticed that both Justin and I have done very little since we got here. We are used to crashing over the weekend so we can go back to Iowa City. I supposed it will take a week or so to get used to the lack of travel and being home again.

Thanks again, everyone for your cards, gifts, calls, encouragement and prayers. It has been a wonderful thing to be in the midst of all that love and care.

Hair Be Gone

Justin finished his last treatment this morning. He got a certificate of completion that was signed by all the nurses and radiologists that worked with him. They were very encouraging and told him how much they would miss him. A nurse talked to us about what to expect in the future and checked us out.

We packed up our things, said good bye to all of our new friends, checked out of Hope Lodge, and hit the road. It is amazing how fast 6 weeks flew by. A quick stop at Wendy's for lunch and we were on our way home for the final time for now.

Justin has been talking of cutting his hair off. The radiation makes patches of bald areas that don't look normal. So this evening, Jason took Justin outside on the porch and gave him a haircut. They did it out in the cold so there wouldn't be hair everywhere where the baby crawls. We didn't know what to expect, since he has never had no hair before. But we all just LOVE it. He has had many compliments from people all over the place.

Radiation does not give a stylish haircut.

You can't really trim this to make it look normal...

Hey, barber....you're getting it a little close!

Oh, yeah. Quite a different look, wouldn't you say?

Uplifting News

After Justin's treatment today, we had a medical team appointment. The main doctor came in first, which was unusual. He checked Justin's scalp for issues (none), encouraged him to keep walking the three miles a day, and answered our questions about travel, meds, the future. He told Justin how good he was doing, that he needs to come back in 2 months for an MRI and a visit to the thyroid doctor.

Even though Justin has not had any seizure activity for a month, the doctor said he must stay on the same dosage of his anti-seizure medications. He said if it got to the point of going 3 years without seizures, he might think of slowly easing him off one. Although that is a little disheartening, it is also something simple that Justin can do.

The nurse came in and told us she would work to get Justin's next appointments on the same day, and she would let us know soon when that would be.

Finally, the resident doctor came in. He is usually first. I told him thanks for all they have done for Justin. He told us that they look forward to the patients like Justin who actually do better. He said it keeps them going. That was nice to hear.

Almost Done

Justin and I cannot believe that he only has two more treatments left! Time has flown by! We have been here over 5 weeks already. Now that it is time to go home, we are finding it hard to do all the things we wanted to do. Tomorrow is our last full day here. He will have his last radiation Thursday morning at nine, and unless the doctor tells us differently, we will go home shortly after that. We will be responsible to wash our sheets and towels and do a deep cleaning of our room, but that shouldn't take us long. We keep it mostly clean all the time.

This whole experience has been very eye-opening for me. I have learned so much about myself, my son, and those around me going through physical hardships. I will be posting more about that in the future. I think I really need some time to process it and make some sense in my own head before I write it down.

Here is a little funny along the way. There are 28 rooms here, and we all must share all of the work in the kitchens. The four kitchens are in the four corners of a big room, with tables and chairs in between. My side has three women that do too much of the work; Tammy, Freddie and me. We do not mind in the least if we do dishes for someone who is sick. There are some elderly men that are here with no caregiver, and there are a few people who are really frail. So we do their work happily. The kitchens are wide and beautiful and have all the latest equipment, including industrial dishwasher/sanitizers. They are easy to run and we all (should) take turns. Usually there are several of us at once, so we chat and have a great time.

There is one caregiver who is a healthy female. We have noticed that she has never once done her own dishes. She leaves them on the counter for someone else to do. That is not only against the rules, but it is just plain rude. And she has been plain rude for 5 weeks. We are tired of it.

This morning Freddie and I noticed that she made scrambled eggs. She left her eggy pan, her (and her husband's) dishes, cups, silverware and wrappers on the counter for someone else to clean up. This really bothered me and Freddie. We griped that the two of us and Tammy always have to do her work for her. So I got a little piece of paper and wrote, "Please leave these for me so I can clean them myself." We both laughed that we really didn't want a confrontation, and maybe this little hint would nudge her to do her fair share. Then we left the kitchen, all clean except this one dirty pile with my note on it. We hoped she would pass by the pile later in the day and fix her problem.

In less than 5 minutes, Tammy enters the kitchen, sees the dirty pile, reads the note and promptly feels sorry for the unknown person who didn't have time to do their dishes....and she washes them all up and cleans up the mess, then throws the note away.

When we found out, Freddie smacked her in the arm! We laughed and laughed about our lesson gone wrong. So our friend got away with it again. As I write this, I know that there are again dirty dishes in the sink. She and her husband are the only ones in the kitchen (clean, except for her dirty pile). Oh, well. Looks like this will not be solved by me. But it did give us a reason to laugh like little school girls.

Can he do it...yes he can!

I left Justin at Hope Lodge for the weekend and went to Des Moines to get some of my stuff done, visit a friend in the hospital, see my sister, go to church and the library. It was different at first, since Justin and I have been constant companions for 6 weeks, but I got used to it pretty quickly.

Justin made his own meals, went to the wrestling meet, walked at the Arena and spent time with others that are here. I knew he would do fine, and he did. It was good for both of us, as I must return to work next week.

He has lost more hair, but has decided to shave it all off when he gets home and just start over. That is about the only negative about the radiation treatments. He has a hat, so that helps when he is feeling self-conscious.

Thanks for cards from Grandma Jo, Randy & Phyllis, Josh & Hannah, and Kelly Jo & Bryan. We appreciate your thoughts, prayers and gifts so much!

Wrestling Fan

I went home to Des Moines for the weekend and Justin stayed in Iowa City. He got a ticket to see the Iowa Wrestling meet. He feels very confident now to do things on his own, so I have been encouraging that.

He called me during the meet and was glad he went.

Valentines Day

Today was a great day. We invited some friends from Des Moines to go to the Hawkeye basketball game with us. Ramona and Rachel came for the day and we ate at Texas Roadhouse, shopped with them for Hawkeyes shirts, then walked over to the game. Though we didn't win, we had fun anyway.

I left Justin in Iowa City and came home by myself. He is fine by himself and was really looking forward to a quiet weekend. I will return sometime Monday after my dentist appointment to finally get my permanent crown.

Pictures!

From the pressbox...a place Justin would like to work someday!

Looking west from the top floor of Kinnick.

A favorite of Justin's.

In the bubble.

The Cy-Hawk Trophy. He is smiling because it is here, not in Ames. Right, brothers?

The football training area.

The pink locker room is REALLY pink. Carpet is brown and pink. I'll bet the visiting teams think this is the greatest locker room in the Big 10...and beyond.

As promised, the pink urinals in the visting team's locker room.

The field. Waiting for fall.

Dan Gable, Champion, Olympian, Coach, family man and friend to all who know him.

Dan Gable was very talkative and interested in not only wrestling, but Justin, too.

These values are good for all of us. There were things like this everywhere.

Where are the basketballs?

A seat that can be yours for only about 5 grand a year. Nice. You pay for the popcorn, too.

This is Justin and me in the Iowa Football Building, near the Cy-Hawk Trophy.