Daughter update...GREAT NEWS!

Yesterday I had a three month follow up appointment with my oncologist.  The plan is to be proactive so I will have CT scans every 6 months for two years then once a year for 5 years.  Otherwise, I am very good. I am still dealing with the UTI from the time of surgery, but we are trying to go a "holistic" way and conquer this bacteria ~ I have faith that this will work, but just take time to do so.  As I was sitting at the scheduling desk for my next three month appointment the Doctor came out and told us he called the pathologist to get some preliminary word on Dina's bone marrow biopsy from last Friday.  She is CANCER FREE in her bone marrow!  That is HUGE and we were just thrilled beyond words for that news.  The doctor asked us to tell Dina...so we planned a gathering at our favorite "kid" eating place:  Red Robin; we invited my other daughter's family and Dina's in-laws...and then we surprised her and everyone with the news!  We had a little help from the Red Robin staff...they came with a bouquet of balloons, my husband had a dozen red roses, and he announced that he "ran" into his favorite oncologist (called him by first name!) and shared the Good News.  We all cried with joy! And the staff sang:  "Today you are cancer Free" instead of the "Happy Happy Birthday" song.  She did have one small spot still on her spleen so there will be another follow up PET and CT scan in another two months, but it didn't look like it was an active disease...so we are hoping the last infusion of chemo is still working in her body and will clear up this last little spot of the disease!

I just wanted to share this news with all of you, I know you have been following our story and have been praying for both my daughter and myself.  Your prayers have been answered, and your prayers have lifted us to new heights...even during times of despair, worry, pain, His presence has always been felt and we have YOU to thank dear friends of the cyber world!  Truly prayers have come from around the world ~  from my Dutch friends in the Netherlands, to relatives in Norway, friends in England, relatives of friends in India and throughout all the states...THANK YOU for caring and sending prayers our way!  I know as a mother I will sleep easier knowing that for now, Dina is cancer free in her bones!  YEAH!!  God bless you all!  The above picture is from Red Robin, we are missing a few of the "younger children", after dinner they went next door to Kritter Kabana (a pet store...their favorite place to visit...pet and love on all the little animals!).

I have to share a heart warming story with you.  As my husband and I were in the waiting room to see the oncologist, a lady walked in holding two bouquets of flowers.  She came up to me and said, "I am doing a random act of kindness."  And she handed me one of the bouquets of red roses, and said "God Bless".  She gave the other bouquet to another lady in the waiting room!  Now that is what I call Being Jesus to the world.  I paid it forward by giving that bouquet to my daughter...couldn't have gone to a more deserving person!  Just think of that ONE random act of kindness and how it will touch many lives...I shared the story with the nurse who drew my blood and with the doctor...the act of kindness will be spread!

Remembering the 4 W's...who what when where....

Hi all!...

I started this blog when I was wanting to share my cards and enter different challenges.  I have had a personal blog for almost 5 years now and I really didn't want to mix the two.  My other blog is more personal and I post pictures of the family and what is happening in our life.  It is a way to stay connected to friends and relatives that don't live close to me.  And I didn't think it was appropriate to add in cards to the mix and so I have kept them separate.   And I still will, but I have so many wonderful blog friends from around the world...specifically in The Netherlands that mean so much to me and have been sending me cards extending their prayers and thoughts for both my daughter and me.

So I am adding a link to the sidebar for my personal blog "Remember the 4 W's".  It is there if you would like to read the news about our "cancer journey" together.  My daughter was diagnosed with lymphoma and one week into the diagnosis I was diagnosed with a tumor on my lung.  My daughter has had one chemo treatment and I saw the surgeon today and I wrote about it on the other blog.  You can choose to go there if you want to read about our story. 

For now I have been making Thank You cards for my daughter using the "Faith and Hope" stamp set from PTI...You all would NOT believe the community support for my daughter's fight with this stage four lymphoma.  She is receiving gifts almost every day...and she receives four meals a week, delivered to her front door.  She has a "tab" at a local corner grocery store and people drop in and just leave $20 to add to the tab!  Last night someone she really doesn't even know brought over three meals, brownies and sleepwear from a very nice clothing store!  Unbelievable and overwhelmingly generous, kind and wonderful friends and so many others in the community.  She is so blessed and has apparently touched many many lives with her spirit and her goodness of heart.  She is loved and in return she loves all of them.  On Monday, we are all donning our "TEAM DINA"  T-shirts and Sweatshirts and having a group picture taken...shhh...it is a surprise for her!

So thank you all for your continued support and love from near and far...especially to my best blogging friend EVER, Jose!  And from Jose, I have met Anja, Marjan, Cornelie, Monique who have shown their love and concern with their hand made cards!  I thank you from the bottom of my heart!!

I will be making cards again, and hopefully soon, but I am doing whatever I can to help my daughter right now.  They live right next door to us and she has three children, so while I am able, I am helping with transportation to school or sports activities, grocery shopping, washing the sheets, folding clothes...anything that will help her to take care of herself.  On Nov. 26 I will be having surgery where the lower lobe of my left lung will be removed in order to remove the tumor, so I will be out of commission for a little while.  But...I  WILL be back...so don't stay away too long!!

Thank you all for your prayers and love!