Our final day at Oasis began very early. The alarm went off at 6:30 and Krissy was up and at it for treatments to begin promptly at 7:30. First off Ozone with UV light, then on to breakfast, before the last rounds of Vitamin C, Vitamin K, and Kemdalin. It was the best day of weather we had in all week, probably reached 70ยบ by 10:00. Krissy actually did really good with the Vitamin C, she was only queasy for the first hour, and then she was fine. We went outside and basked in the sunshine, til we got too hot and me little suburned, so we came in, grabbed our stuff, said our goodbyes to Casey, Karen & Jim, Beth & Earl, Dottie & Carol, and headed for sunny San Diego.
It took almost an hour to cross the border. The cars were lined up for hours but we got to go through the fast lane, that however did not mean we got to cross any sooner than the 500 cars lined up to get through. It was interesting to say the least. At one point I was almost having a full blown anxiety attack because all I could see was cars all around me, people selling their merchandise at the car windows, and border patrol picking random cars to inspect. I almost felt claustrophobic, so I just tried to keep my head down til we got to the booth. After about 45-50 minutes of waiting, we finally got across, thank goodness. We met up with my cousins Voni and Analeisse and had just enough time to shop and hang out before our flight. It was the first normalcy I had felt in an entire week.
Our flight was delayed a 1/2 hour, which felt like an eternity, but was fine because it was only a 1/2 more before we were home sweet home. Frankie was waiting for us and Camryn and Cori were ecstatic to see their mommy. Once we got to my house, I was greeted with the warmth of my hubby and an Oasis approved beer I had been waiting for. Something about the Oasis' approval of coffee, beer, and wine, just makes it easier to accept the changes to our diet. How bad is that....or good?
Overall I have to say this was a once in a lifetime opportunity and I am honored my sister asked me to go with her. Sometimes we need to take the blinders off to really see what life is really all about. We are all guilty of getting caught up in the material side of things that we forget the true value of life and relationships we have with others. Last week was another life lesson for me. Even though my stay there was short, it was long enough for me to really evaluate things within my life. My advice, say "I love you" as often as you can to the people you love! So on that note, I love you all....God Bless!
Friday, February 19, 2010
Friday, February 12, 2010
Day Eighteen: Watched Pot Never Boils
TGIF! Today was a big day of treatments for Krissy.... Ozone, UV light, Perftec, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, and Kemdalin. With several hours of her time being tied up, I decided to play on the computer, go outside and sit in the courtyard, watch some daytime tv and read The Lovely Bones. I finished Dear John last night, my hope is that the movie is relatively close to the quality of the book, because I really enjoyed it. With Saturday fast approaching, it seems as though the day went by really slow. They say that when you're anxious for time to fly by, it actually slows down, and that was very true for our Friday. Its exciting to think that we'll be heading home tomorrow, but I wish there was a way that we could keep in touch with EVERYONE here because we genuinely care about their progress. You create such a support system here, that it's hard to say goodbye. My hope is that Krissy will cross paths with most of who are here now when she comes back in 4 weeks.
Laura and Ron came to say their goodbye's to us this afternoon, but I missed them. They had plans for the evening and tomorrow they're going to spend the day in San Diego. Another family we saw leave today was Helen and her mother and son. They're from London and although we never formally we met them, we always smiled and said hello in passing. Helen was the patient here, battling breast cancer. Her son looked to be about 10 and you could see how ready he was to go home. The other night for dinner, he had a plate full of banana muffins and some juice. Imagine kids who don't always like eating their vegetables and now only having vegetables to eat. I can only imagine what he'll eat when he gets home! I heard another Aussie has arrived. He was talking with the father and son from Melbourne (who are originally from Argentina) at lunch and there was no mistaking that accent.
Restful evening it was, watching the Olympic opening ceremonies. Krissy's treatments didn't finish until after 7, and the Vitamin C always make her feel yucky. It was the first night I ate by myself but I brought my tray back to my room and watched The Proposal on the laptop while she rested. Tonight before bed I'm going to pray real hard for everyone here and everyone who will be arriving this weekend. Whether its future goals or dreams, whatever it is you want, if you pray and believe in it with all your heart and soul, anything can happen!! God Bless!
Laura and Ron came to say their goodbye's to us this afternoon, but I missed them. They had plans for the evening and tomorrow they're going to spend the day in San Diego. Another family we saw leave today was Helen and her mother and son. They're from London and although we never formally we met them, we always smiled and said hello in passing. Helen was the patient here, battling breast cancer. Her son looked to be about 10 and you could see how ready he was to go home. The other night for dinner, he had a plate full of banana muffins and some juice. Imagine kids who don't always like eating their vegetables and now only having vegetables to eat. I can only imagine what he'll eat when he gets home! I heard another Aussie has arrived. He was talking with the father and son from Melbourne (who are originally from Argentina) at lunch and there was no mistaking that accent.
Restful evening it was, watching the Olympic opening ceremonies. Krissy's treatments didn't finish until after 7, and the Vitamin C always make her feel yucky. It was the first night I ate by myself but I brought my tray back to my room and watched The Proposal on the laptop while she rested. Tonight before bed I'm going to pray real hard for everyone here and everyone who will be arriving this weekend. Whether its future goals or dreams, whatever it is you want, if you pray and believe in it with all your heart and soul, anything can happen!! God Bless!
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Day Seventeen: Downgrade to DEFCON 3
What a difference a day makes. I admit to feeling pretty down when I heard the news from Krissy yesterday. I'm not sure if it's because I'm too close to the situation or if I'm a worry wort, but kneejerk reactions to any kind of change in Krissy's condition seem to be the norm for me lately. I'm still not pleased with the test results but I had to stop and question, what did they really mean? I'm not a doctor, and even if I played one on TV, slight changes in her condition one direction or the other may be perfectly normal. And after reading Cesa's update tonight it seems that this is the case, we just have to give these processes time and understand that "improvement" will be measured in the long term. So for myself, I just resolve to keep my head down, support Krissy every day in her battle, and trust that prayers and determination will see us through. As Camryn so wisely stated to me at dinner last night, while working so hard to shovel slippery spaghetti noodles into her mouth and dumping most of it in my lap, "Be patient Daddy!" Ok, attitude adjustment completed, now it's time for Words de Cesa!
I guess all that praying last night really wore us out, or maybe it was that no one was riding the elevator all night, either way, we got a really good night's sleep and slept in this morning for the first time since we got here. Breakfast today, for lack of better words, was awful! Their attempt at french toast was a failure at best, but we understand the effort and the reason why the food is the way that it is here. Krissy and I kind of picked at our food before deciding that what we really wanted most was coffee. We ate some fruit and then went to Starbucks. We got to come back and enjoy our coffee in the courtyard because of the beautiful weather again and then came up to see if Dr. Lagos was making rounds again.
Dr. Lagos came in and told Krissy, with a smile on his face and his hand on hers, that the protocol will not change. He said after meeting with the other doctors this morning they decided that all will remain the same. I asked him why the tumor would have grown a little and he came and sat next to me and said, "the growth is not much, almost the same as last time, with a slight (as he pinched his fingers together) difference." He said they felt that the pain in my sister's side was not related to the cancer and that she can keep on doing everything she's been doing. Their bedside manner is so different from any of the doctors that I'm used to. I only met him for a brief minute on Monday and as I pass by him in the halls, he always says, "Hola, Francesca". So his words of advice to Kris before he left, keep up the healthy lifestyle, exercising and eating right and he told her he expects good things. Also, while she was visiting in Dorian's (patient coordinator) office, Dr. Cesenias, the head oncologist, told Krissy that he wasn't worried about her and that it typically takes 3 lymphocyte treatments before they really start analyzing the effectiveness of the treatment and ended with "and you'll be fine". Crisis averted!
What good news that was for both of us....I think we got a surge of adrenaline and didn't know who to call first. She did the immune therapy today, or as Frankie and her will call it, "corn therapy". LOL...this is the lymphocyte transfusion that causes her to smell like corn. At first I didn't notice a difference in the smell, but it definitely kicked in later. If you ask who your lymphocyte donor is, the hospital will tell you and then you can meet them and thank them. Her donor for today's transfusion was Isaac. So today was a themed lunch, carribean to be exact, and on the themed lunch days, the staff is invited to come and join the patients and their companions to eat and get to know them. Isaac, ironically, came and asked if he could sit with us. He is the main hospital coordinator here and as he sat down, Krissy told him thank you for being her donor. He said he was honored and felt it was not coincidence that he picked us to sit with. While we were eating, we met our neighbors Karen and Jim. They're from Grand Rapids, MI, a city we're familiar with, and Karen is battling ovarian cancer. After 6 cycles of chemo, she decided no more chemo, so here she is. We also briefly met Earl and Beth from Ontario, Canada. Not sure what the type of cancer is because Earl had a treatment to get to, so they just had time to introduce themselves. I have to admit, today's lunch was probably the best yet, not because of the food, but the company and the 2 hour conversation we had with them.
The rest of the afternoon we spent relaxing in the room watching Ellen (Krissy) and me reading my book. After Ellen we walked down to the pharmacy for Kris to get one of her prescriptions and then over to El Yogurt to get me a frozen yogurt. At dinner, I noticed there were several new faces. Some people have left or are leaving tomorrow and new ones are coming in. I did happen to notice that a gentleman, whose wife had been taking her meal trays to their room, is now eating with his wife in the cafeteria. I take that as a good sign and he looks to be doing good. No service tonight, which we were kind of bummed about, but we'll just say our prayers in silence before turning in for the night. Tomorrow is movie night, they prepare air popped popcorn with olive oil and veggie salt, but we're thinking we'll skip out on the movie and just snag some popcorn and return to our room to watch the Olympic opening ceremonies. Can't believe just a couple days left here for us. The week started off slow, but has picked up momentum. I'm getting anxious, Krissy also, to get home and see our families. Thank goodness for Skype and facebook, but it doesn't compare to being in their presence or any of you for that matter! God Bless!
I guess all that praying last night really wore us out, or maybe it was that no one was riding the elevator all night, either way, we got a really good night's sleep and slept in this morning for the first time since we got here. Breakfast today, for lack of better words, was awful! Their attempt at french toast was a failure at best, but we understand the effort and the reason why the food is the way that it is here. Krissy and I kind of picked at our food before deciding that what we really wanted most was coffee. We ate some fruit and then went to Starbucks. We got to come back and enjoy our coffee in the courtyard because of the beautiful weather again and then came up to see if Dr. Lagos was making rounds again.
Dr. Lagos came in and told Krissy, with a smile on his face and his hand on hers, that the protocol will not change. He said after meeting with the other doctors this morning they decided that all will remain the same. I asked him why the tumor would have grown a little and he came and sat next to me and said, "the growth is not much, almost the same as last time, with a slight (as he pinched his fingers together) difference." He said they felt that the pain in my sister's side was not related to the cancer and that she can keep on doing everything she's been doing. Their bedside manner is so different from any of the doctors that I'm used to. I only met him for a brief minute on Monday and as I pass by him in the halls, he always says, "Hola, Francesca". So his words of advice to Kris before he left, keep up the healthy lifestyle, exercising and eating right and he told her he expects good things. Also, while she was visiting in Dorian's (patient coordinator) office, Dr. Cesenias, the head oncologist, told Krissy that he wasn't worried about her and that it typically takes 3 lymphocyte treatments before they really start analyzing the effectiveness of the treatment and ended with "and you'll be fine". Crisis averted!
What good news that was for both of us....I think we got a surge of adrenaline and didn't know who to call first. She did the immune therapy today, or as Frankie and her will call it, "corn therapy". LOL...this is the lymphocyte transfusion that causes her to smell like corn. At first I didn't notice a difference in the smell, but it definitely kicked in later. If you ask who your lymphocyte donor is, the hospital will tell you and then you can meet them and thank them. Her donor for today's transfusion was Isaac. So today was a themed lunch, carribean to be exact, and on the themed lunch days, the staff is invited to come and join the patients and their companions to eat and get to know them. Isaac, ironically, came and asked if he could sit with us. He is the main hospital coordinator here and as he sat down, Krissy told him thank you for being her donor. He said he was honored and felt it was not coincidence that he picked us to sit with. While we were eating, we met our neighbors Karen and Jim. They're from Grand Rapids, MI, a city we're familiar with, and Karen is battling ovarian cancer. After 6 cycles of chemo, she decided no more chemo, so here she is. We also briefly met Earl and Beth from Ontario, Canada. Not sure what the type of cancer is because Earl had a treatment to get to, so they just had time to introduce themselves. I have to admit, today's lunch was probably the best yet, not because of the food, but the company and the 2 hour conversation we had with them.
The rest of the afternoon we spent relaxing in the room watching Ellen (Krissy) and me reading my book. After Ellen we walked down to the pharmacy for Kris to get one of her prescriptions and then over to El Yogurt to get me a frozen yogurt. At dinner, I noticed there were several new faces. Some people have left or are leaving tomorrow and new ones are coming in. I did happen to notice that a gentleman, whose wife had been taking her meal trays to their room, is now eating with his wife in the cafeteria. I take that as a good sign and he looks to be doing good. No service tonight, which we were kind of bummed about, but we'll just say our prayers in silence before turning in for the night. Tomorrow is movie night, they prepare air popped popcorn with olive oil and veggie salt, but we're thinking we'll skip out on the movie and just snag some popcorn and return to our room to watch the Olympic opening ceremonies. Can't believe just a couple days left here for us. The week started off slow, but has picked up momentum. I'm getting anxious, Krissy also, to get home and see our families. Thank goodness for Skype and facebook, but it doesn't compare to being in their presence or any of you for that matter! God Bless!
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Day Sixteen: Carry the Fire
It's all Cesa tonight folks, I'm done tuckered out. My only contribution tonight will be to the title, inspired by The Road. No one said this was going to be easy, but what burns brightest inside will see us through. Enough of my waxing poetic, time to turn you over to Cess.
Apparently Colorado isn't the only place with unpredicatable weather. Seems as though the storm we were supposed to get blew over us. Yesterday evening they were already sand bagging the doors and prepping for what we thought was going to be high winds and lots of rain. To our delight, we woke up to clearer skies and no wind and we made it in time to see all the beautiful faces from all over the world at breakfast. I guess I should have remembered to tell you sooner that there are people here from London, other parts of England, Australia, and many other great US states. On the menu this morning, much to my surprise, was egg in the hole! I thought that was only an "American" thing, but apparently lots of things make they're way across the border, just like Peter Piper Pizza.
While the nurses were getting Krissy set up on her IV treatments, I decided to take a walk and get to know the 3rd floor a little better. I also have a hard time with needles and blood and they were having to fight Krissy's arms to find a good vein. She has tiny veins and they were not cooperating with the nurses. As I was walking around, I noticed an article posted on the wall about Donald Factor, the son of the very famous makekup artist Max Factor. He was diagnosed with liver cancer in 1986 and after virtually no options for treatment in England, he came to Oasis of Hope. When you hear a diagnosis of liver cancer, one automatically assumes "terminal" because our liver is the laboratory of our bodies and is one of the main powerhouses to complete the functions of our organs. Donald Factor underwent this surgery to create a port that delivered the medication directly to the liver. Long story short, he survived through the miraculous efforts of Dr. Contreras and his team here at Oasis. As I read this, I couldn't help think to myself that if only Josh's dad Garry would have known of this place, maybe he too could be here today to tell his story. Everything in life happens for a reason though, and we have to believe that there is a beautiful world we will enter into after this life, and some are just meant to go before us to prepare for our arrival.
Marcia left this morning and I wish we would have had her for one more day because we got some pretty upsetting news. The results from the scan came back and it seems as though the tumor by Krissy's pancreas and intestine has grown slightly and the one in the lining of her stomach has increased a little as well. That was a blow initially, but the powers that be, sent us comfort in the form of Laura and Ron. As we were walking down the stairs to lunch, they greeted us with a smile and saw that it was not returned so easily. Immediately Laura asked how the scan went and we both started crying. She hugged Krissy tightly and said, "It's ok, Ron's scans were different all the time and not always good, but he's here today cancer free and that's all that matters." Everyone here is not given the same protocol, they are very similar, but they're all tweaked to find the perfect regimen. Krissy's will now probably need to be readjusted, and tonight we will pray for the guidance and direction we will need to go in tomorrow.
With this much needed sunny, warmer, weather, Krissy and I got to venture out again. This time it was to find the Church, our place of solice, but the doors were locked when we got there. So we headed back and I attended the relaxation workshop led by Dr. Lety Wong, the psychologist here. I was the only one in the class, so I got to meditate all by myself. It was very relaxing and I came back to the room with a much clearer head. Earlier in the day I had attended Dr. McCarty's seminar on nutrition and as Frank told us in the blog from the first round....we eat TERRIBLLY BAD in the US. Looks like its going to be the Mediterranean diet for me. First I need to have a slice of pizza, because that's what I am craving so badly, but after that....I'm restructuring my meals.
For dinner we decided enough with the plethora of fruits and veggies and off to El Yogurt we went. Krissy's protein levels are low, so she needs to start eating more fish, chicken and adding the vegetable proteins, so all the more reason to eat out at the hospital approved restaurant. I had chicken enchiladas and Krissy had a chicken burrito and for dessert, raspberry frozen yogurt with lots of sunflower seeds, almonds and walnuts. Healing service was at 7 and that was just what we needed before retiring to bed. We prayed for Krissy and Casey. Casey is a young father from Atlanta. He has been battling colo-rectal cancer for quite some time and it has advanced to his lungs. He has two little boys, ages 3 & 5, who bring a light to his eyes when he speaks of them. After several rounds of chemo and it not working, he was sent hopeless from Atlanta to the light of Oasis.
Today didn't go exactly how we would have planned, but there's always renewal by hearing someone else's journey and we never forget the promise of tomorrow! We're 1/2 way there.....God Bless!
Apparently Colorado isn't the only place with unpredicatable weather. Seems as though the storm we were supposed to get blew over us. Yesterday evening they were already sand bagging the doors and prepping for what we thought was going to be high winds and lots of rain. To our delight, we woke up to clearer skies and no wind and we made it in time to see all the beautiful faces from all over the world at breakfast. I guess I should have remembered to tell you sooner that there are people here from London, other parts of England, Australia, and many other great US states. On the menu this morning, much to my surprise, was egg in the hole! I thought that was only an "American" thing, but apparently lots of things make they're way across the border, just like Peter Piper Pizza.
While the nurses were getting Krissy set up on her IV treatments, I decided to take a walk and get to know the 3rd floor a little better. I also have a hard time with needles and blood and they were having to fight Krissy's arms to find a good vein. She has tiny veins and they were not cooperating with the nurses. As I was walking around, I noticed an article posted on the wall about Donald Factor, the son of the very famous makekup artist Max Factor. He was diagnosed with liver cancer in 1986 and after virtually no options for treatment in England, he came to Oasis of Hope. When you hear a diagnosis of liver cancer, one automatically assumes "terminal" because our liver is the laboratory of our bodies and is one of the main powerhouses to complete the functions of our organs. Donald Factor underwent this surgery to create a port that delivered the medication directly to the liver. Long story short, he survived through the miraculous efforts of Dr. Contreras and his team here at Oasis. As I read this, I couldn't help think to myself that if only Josh's dad Garry would have known of this place, maybe he too could be here today to tell his story. Everything in life happens for a reason though, and we have to believe that there is a beautiful world we will enter into after this life, and some are just meant to go before us to prepare for our arrival.
Marcia left this morning and I wish we would have had her for one more day because we got some pretty upsetting news. The results from the scan came back and it seems as though the tumor by Krissy's pancreas and intestine has grown slightly and the one in the lining of her stomach has increased a little as well. That was a blow initially, but the powers that be, sent us comfort in the form of Laura and Ron. As we were walking down the stairs to lunch, they greeted us with a smile and saw that it was not returned so easily. Immediately Laura asked how the scan went and we both started crying. She hugged Krissy tightly and said, "It's ok, Ron's scans were different all the time and not always good, but he's here today cancer free and that's all that matters." Everyone here is not given the same protocol, they are very similar, but they're all tweaked to find the perfect regimen. Krissy's will now probably need to be readjusted, and tonight we will pray for the guidance and direction we will need to go in tomorrow.
With this much needed sunny, warmer, weather, Krissy and I got to venture out again. This time it was to find the Church, our place of solice, but the doors were locked when we got there. So we headed back and I attended the relaxation workshop led by Dr. Lety Wong, the psychologist here. I was the only one in the class, so I got to meditate all by myself. It was very relaxing and I came back to the room with a much clearer head. Earlier in the day I had attended Dr. McCarty's seminar on nutrition and as Frank told us in the blog from the first round....we eat TERRIBLLY BAD in the US. Looks like its going to be the Mediterranean diet for me. First I need to have a slice of pizza, because that's what I am craving so badly, but after that....I'm restructuring my meals.
For dinner we decided enough with the plethora of fruits and veggies and off to El Yogurt we went. Krissy's protein levels are low, so she needs to start eating more fish, chicken and adding the vegetable proteins, so all the more reason to eat out at the hospital approved restaurant. I had chicken enchiladas and Krissy had a chicken burrito and for dessert, raspberry frozen yogurt with lots of sunflower seeds, almonds and walnuts. Healing service was at 7 and that was just what we needed before retiring to bed. We prayed for Krissy and Casey. Casey is a young father from Atlanta. He has been battling colo-rectal cancer for quite some time and it has advanced to his lungs. He has two little boys, ages 3 & 5, who bring a light to his eyes when he speaks of them. After several rounds of chemo and it not working, he was sent hopeless from Atlanta to the light of Oasis.
Today didn't go exactly how we would have planned, but there's always renewal by hearing someone else's journey and we never forget the promise of tomorrow! We're 1/2 way there.....God Bless!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Day Fifteen: Totopos?
Thank goodness, everyone in the Lanza household woke up feeling well and well-rested. Finally having my appetite was great, one of those things you don't miss until it's gone. Camry was re-fitted for glasses this afternoon after trashing her first pair at daycare two weeks ago, so we begin the adjustment phase all over again. I might have to take a long break from contacts so I can show her that daddy and sissy and mommy all wear their glasses, so Cam can too. It's rough when the one year old has the indomitable will of kung fu sensei.
As live goes on here at home Kris and Cesa continue their adventure at Oasis. After a few days without my wife, I'm not sure which is more difficult, being in Mexico with her or being home alone and wondering how she is doing all the time. I find myself feeling a lot more anxious this time around although I don't really have any reason to be. I'll be glad to have her back this weekend.
Well, without further delay I'm going to turn it over to Cesa and catch some extra sleep tonight. Take it away sis!
Where to begin....typical weekday morning, except Krissy had her CT scan so she got to drink yummy contrast with apple juice. They were a little late taking her down so we got to breakfast late and had a quiet meal all by ourselves. When we returned they started her genoxil, then on to kemdalin. While hooked up to her IV, Marcia and Dottie knocked on the door and asked if they could visit with us. These two women are incredible. They come once a year, Marcia for 2 weeks, Dottie for a month and work with the amigos. They have no cancer experiences of their own, but devote themselves to helping others with their spirituality and deep love for every human being. They visited for a while and then we prayed. I have heard many great things about Bruce and Vicky, and I'm sorry to have missed them, but I'm blessed to have crossed paths with these two lovely ladies.
Pretty uneventful Tuesday. At lunch there was some fresh guacamole so I saved a plate and brought some up to our room to eat with my "totopos". Something about eating fresh guac on lettuce just doesn't appeal to me as much as good old fashioned tortilla chips!
Weather was pretty crappy today, windy, cloudy, and cold, so we stayed in all day. This afternoon Kris was pretty tired so she napped and I switched between reading, crocheting and watching daytime tv. Those that know me well, know that I can't sit still for long, so this down time is kind of kicking my butt. If I could run circles around this place I would, but they would probably think I'm crazy and Lord knows its not safe to run around outside. I'm adjusting, but the two cups of coffee each day doesn't help!
After Ellen we went to Starbucks....figured we better go get our coffee before this nasty storm comes blowing in. Apparently the next day or so is supposed to be very rainy and cold so we might be done with our beautiful weather for the next few days. As we were walking to Starbucks, I saw the Peter Piper Pizza sign again and I had forgotten to mention that the other day.....what a blast from the past! I know there are several people reading this that will have flashbacks after hearing that name. I thought that was only a Colorado Springs thing and I also thought that left with our old school 90's permed hair....apparently everything makes a comeback, let's just hope the perms don't!
Tonight it was prayer and reflection with the amigos, Biggest Loser (my other source of inspiration) and relaxation. Biggest Loser was filmed in Colorado Springs for tonights episode, made me proud of our hometown but made me miss Colorado even more. Reflection group was very fulfilling. We met Jorge who is here with his wife Conchita. She, ironically, is battling gastric cancer as well. We didn't get the chance to hear much of her story, but she was offered no hope in San Diego, a story all too common in this place. He drives back and forth from San Diego and he looks tired, but as he stated, "I am so blessed that my wife and I were told of this place, I know we made the right decision." He went on to say that he has always been a man of faith, but this experience has renewed his faith. Amen to him and Conchita for being here!
As the night winds down, my reflection for the day is, we always knew the Oasis was a gift from God and I am priviledged to be amongst these angels here. While this place can be hard to be in at times, it also renews my strength and faith like Jorge. We are all too aware that things happen in life that we have no control of, but its the people we meet along the way who enrich our souls to make the journey more beautiful!
"God is love, Rev Run" (LOL to those who understand this quote)
As live goes on here at home Kris and Cesa continue their adventure at Oasis. After a few days without my wife, I'm not sure which is more difficult, being in Mexico with her or being home alone and wondering how she is doing all the time. I find myself feeling a lot more anxious this time around although I don't really have any reason to be. I'll be glad to have her back this weekend.
Well, without further delay I'm going to turn it over to Cesa and catch some extra sleep tonight. Take it away sis!
Where to begin....typical weekday morning, except Krissy had her CT scan so she got to drink yummy contrast with apple juice. They were a little late taking her down so we got to breakfast late and had a quiet meal all by ourselves. When we returned they started her genoxil, then on to kemdalin. While hooked up to her IV, Marcia and Dottie knocked on the door and asked if they could visit with us. These two women are incredible. They come once a year, Marcia for 2 weeks, Dottie for a month and work with the amigos. They have no cancer experiences of their own, but devote themselves to helping others with their spirituality and deep love for every human being. They visited for a while and then we prayed. I have heard many great things about Bruce and Vicky, and I'm sorry to have missed them, but I'm blessed to have crossed paths with these two lovely ladies.
Pretty uneventful Tuesday. At lunch there was some fresh guacamole so I saved a plate and brought some up to our room to eat with my "totopos". Something about eating fresh guac on lettuce just doesn't appeal to me as much as good old fashioned tortilla chips!
Weather was pretty crappy today, windy, cloudy, and cold, so we stayed in all day. This afternoon Kris was pretty tired so she napped and I switched between reading, crocheting and watching daytime tv. Those that know me well, know that I can't sit still for long, so this down time is kind of kicking my butt. If I could run circles around this place I would, but they would probably think I'm crazy and Lord knows its not safe to run around outside. I'm adjusting, but the two cups of coffee each day doesn't help!
After Ellen we went to Starbucks....figured we better go get our coffee before this nasty storm comes blowing in. Apparently the next day or so is supposed to be very rainy and cold so we might be done with our beautiful weather for the next few days. As we were walking to Starbucks, I saw the Peter Piper Pizza sign again and I had forgotten to mention that the other day.....what a blast from the past! I know there are several people reading this that will have flashbacks after hearing that name. I thought that was only a Colorado Springs thing and I also thought that left with our old school 90's permed hair....apparently everything makes a comeback, let's just hope the perms don't!
Tonight it was prayer and reflection with the amigos, Biggest Loser (my other source of inspiration) and relaxation. Biggest Loser was filmed in Colorado Springs for tonights episode, made me proud of our hometown but made me miss Colorado even more. Reflection group was very fulfilling. We met Jorge who is here with his wife Conchita. She, ironically, is battling gastric cancer as well. We didn't get the chance to hear much of her story, but she was offered no hope in San Diego, a story all too common in this place. He drives back and forth from San Diego and he looks tired, but as he stated, "I am so blessed that my wife and I were told of this place, I know we made the right decision." He went on to say that he has always been a man of faith, but this experience has renewed his faith. Amen to him and Conchita for being here!
As the night winds down, my reflection for the day is, we always knew the Oasis was a gift from God and I am priviledged to be amongst these angels here. While this place can be hard to be in at times, it also renews my strength and faith like Jorge. We are all too aware that things happen in life that we have no control of, but its the people we meet along the way who enrich our souls to make the journey more beautiful!
"God is love, Rev Run" (LOL to those who understand this quote)
Monday, February 8, 2010
Day Fourteen: Blessings
Well, here it is midnight already and I haven't finished this post. I'm feeling pretty crappy today, I think I caught Camryn's stomach flu bug from this weekend and I fell asleep in the glider with her a few hours ago. I guess I needed the rest. Thank god Cesa has a meaty post tonight, because I'm turning it over to her and hitting the sack! G'night!
First morning at Oasis was pretty uneventful. We woke up to a beautiful sunny day with no wind. We watched the news and the Today show while we waited for the lab tech to come take Krissy's blood. Since the labs were done late, we missed morning service, but were still able to make breakfast on time. The menu for this morning: eggs, refried beans, oatmeal and lots of fruit! I swear I'm going to come back skinnier and I'm lovin it! During breakfast we met our first two people. Marcia and Dottie. They are here with the "Amigos de Esperanza" since Bruce and Vicky are in Italy. They were so friendly and told us about a lecture going on tonight about trauma as it relates to cancer, couldn't wait to hear tat one!
After breakfast we came back up to our room and waited for Krissy to get her treatment schedule. First thing on the list, Genoxil. While Krissy was hooked up to the IV drip, I decided to grab my ipod and go sit in the courtyard and do some more crocheting. It was so nice, I decided to come back and grab my bag of goodies, ie, gossip mags, journal, book, sunglasses, and head back out to my comfy spot. Soon after I got settled, Krissy came and joined me and we read our magazines and basked in the sunshine. Laura, a lady we spoke wth briefly last night came over and talked to us for a while. She and her husband are here with the "Amigos" and he went through treatment 4 years ago and is living cancer free after a battle with prostate cancer that spread to his lungs. After our visit, we came in for lunch. Albondigas de pollo, beans, and veggies galore. We ate quickly because we really wanted to venture out while it was so warm. First stop, Calimax (local grocery store). We wandered around, skimming several aisles and walked out with advil (for me), Totopos (tortilla chips), water, and chocobanana oreos (for me of course). Next stop, the dollar store.....very interesting in there, but fun to see. Last stop, the beach. We walked down alongside the US border and saw the wall of crosses. Wasn't quite sure of the story, but based on the mural "Ni Una Muerte Mas, Reforma Ya", many people had attempted to cross the border and never quite made it. Dorian later confirmed it. As I stood there, I looked at it thinking, "that wall is the gate to a freedom many will never know, as well as the difference between a life of poverty or that of wealth. We have a lot to be thankful for and those types of things are just little reminders."
At dinner we met Vera, a very cute woman who has tumors on the liver and gall bladder and is here with her friend (I can't remember her name right now) who was here several years ago with ovarian cancer. In 24 months she was here 22 times but is now living cancer free. Now she is delighted to be with her friend sharing the experience. We attended that trauma seminar i mentioned earlier after dinner, and it was very enlightening. The research on trauma, emotional and/or physical, has a tremendous impact on our health at the cellular level. I challenge everyone to do their homework on this, its worth the knowledge. The overall message from this lecture though was when we allow ourselves to find forgiveness within and through our belief and faith in God, we can be delivered from those burdens and be in a constant state of healing.
While today we heard those survivor stories that fill us with joy and hope, there are those I see and quietly say a prayer for because their battle will be much harder and possibly longer. We were told there are 19 patients checked in right now and there are several that don't leave their room. We see their friends and family in passing and they look weary, but never without a smile. The warmth and friendliness of the strangers around us brings a smile to my face but also reminds me that hope is almost tangible here because of the amazing light this place radiates. As Vera put it so plainly this evening, "Thank God for Mexico." Until tomorrow........God Bless!
First morning at Oasis was pretty uneventful. We woke up to a beautiful sunny day with no wind. We watched the news and the Today show while we waited for the lab tech to come take Krissy's blood. Since the labs were done late, we missed morning service, but were still able to make breakfast on time. The menu for this morning: eggs, refried beans, oatmeal and lots of fruit! I swear I'm going to come back skinnier and I'm lovin it! During breakfast we met our first two people. Marcia and Dottie. They are here with the "Amigos de Esperanza" since Bruce and Vicky are in Italy. They were so friendly and told us about a lecture going on tonight about trauma as it relates to cancer, couldn't wait to hear tat one!
After breakfast we came back up to our room and waited for Krissy to get her treatment schedule. First thing on the list, Genoxil. While Krissy was hooked up to the IV drip, I decided to grab my ipod and go sit in the courtyard and do some more crocheting. It was so nice, I decided to come back and grab my bag of goodies, ie, gossip mags, journal, book, sunglasses, and head back out to my comfy spot. Soon after I got settled, Krissy came and joined me and we read our magazines and basked in the sunshine. Laura, a lady we spoke wth briefly last night came over and talked to us for a while. She and her husband are here with the "Amigos" and he went through treatment 4 years ago and is living cancer free after a battle with prostate cancer that spread to his lungs. After our visit, we came in for lunch. Albondigas de pollo, beans, and veggies galore. We ate quickly because we really wanted to venture out while it was so warm. First stop, Calimax (local grocery store). We wandered around, skimming several aisles and walked out with advil (for me), Totopos (tortilla chips), water, and chocobanana oreos (for me of course). Next stop, the dollar store.....very interesting in there, but fun to see. Last stop, the beach. We walked down alongside the US border and saw the wall of crosses. Wasn't quite sure of the story, but based on the mural "Ni Una Muerte Mas, Reforma Ya", many people had attempted to cross the border and never quite made it. Dorian later confirmed it. As I stood there, I looked at it thinking, "that wall is the gate to a freedom many will never know, as well as the difference between a life of poverty or that of wealth. We have a lot to be thankful for and those types of things are just little reminders."
At dinner we met Vera, a very cute woman who has tumors on the liver and gall bladder and is here with her friend (I can't remember her name right now) who was here several years ago with ovarian cancer. In 24 months she was here 22 times but is now living cancer free. Now she is delighted to be with her friend sharing the experience. We attended that trauma seminar i mentioned earlier after dinner, and it was very enlightening. The research on trauma, emotional and/or physical, has a tremendous impact on our health at the cellular level. I challenge everyone to do their homework on this, its worth the knowledge. The overall message from this lecture though was when we allow ourselves to find forgiveness within and through our belief and faith in God, we can be delivered from those burdens and be in a constant state of healing.
While today we heard those survivor stories that fill us with joy and hope, there are those I see and quietly say a prayer for because their battle will be much harder and possibly longer. We were told there are 19 patients checked in right now and there are several that don't leave their room. We see their friends and family in passing and they look weary, but never without a smile. The warmth and friendliness of the strangers around us brings a smile to my face but also reminds me that hope is almost tangible here because of the amazing light this place radiates. As Vera put it so plainly this evening, "Thank God for Mexico." Until tomorrow........God Bless!
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Day Thirteen: Veggie's Revenge
Welcome back everyone! Yes, it's that time again, Krissy has begun her second of three scheduled trips to the Oasis of Hope. We'll all gather around the virtual campfire every day to recount her tale, this time with the assistance of my lovely sister Cesa. Wow that really makes me sound like a cheesy gameshow host huh? She'll be supplying the words and perspective from Playa de Tijuana as only she can while I take up the position of ghostwriter. I'm really looking forward to getting her point of view on the treatment process at Oasis as well as hearing about the new folks they'll inevitably run into.
To quickly recap, Krissy has completed her first 12 day cycle of treatment at Oasis and we've been getting back into the swing of things during the four week break at home. It's been a bit difficult sticking exactly to the diet she's supposed to be on, especially now that we're both back to work, but I feel Kris has done great with her recovery path and is on the way to being cured. Unfortunately, we haven't had any real world proof or feedback to show us that these treatments are working as we don't currently have an oncologist at home to run tests and scans for us. Hopefully we can have a new one on board by the time she returns from this session in Mexico. We've received such incredible support throughout this ordeal and we're truly blessed to have friends and family around us providing love, prayer and overwhelming generosity.
Well, I think I've rambled long enough, let's hand the mic over to Cesa for a rundown of the girl's day at Oasis!
Hey there! Today started off rough, leaving the kiddos and husbands behind was hard, especially at 6am. Once we were in the air, the only thoughts crossing my mind were "what's this place going to look like, how will the people be, will it be anything like I imagined?" Well, to my surprise, it was just how I pictured it, with slight variations. Luis was the first person I met. He was our chaffeur from San Diego and he was so excited about the Super Bowl... not so cool that he was cheering on the Colts, but very nice guy. Dorian was the next friendly face and he was happy to see Krissy again. He showed us to our room and made sure to ask if we were hungry because lunch would be served soon after we settled in.
Lunch was interesting. Lot of veggies, and more veggies, and more veggies, but there were some very nice people sitting around us and I sat back and listened to bits of information that I could use to start piecing their stories together. We were all going to go on a shopping trip to one of the markets, but to our disappointment, the shuttle was not able to make it back in time and we were left finding things to do on our own. We came back and watched some tv, read a little and then decided to go to Starbucks for afternoon coffee. When we got back, we turned on the TV, did a little searching and found the Super Bowl. What a great way to finish the day, watching the New Orleans Saints win their well deserved 1st super bowl championship! Now after all the excitement, we're winding down. Krissy is sleeping and I'm juggling gossip mags, gossip TV, emailing and crocheting. I'm excited to see what tomorrow has to offer, maybe nicer weather, a stroll to the beach, who knows, but I'll be sure to let you know! All our love!
Thanks Cess! Reading that makes me wish I were there with you guys, I miss Krissy already and it's going to be a long week without her by my side. At the same time I'm grateful to Cesa for taking this trip with Kris and allowing me to stay home with the kids so we can maintain some sense of normalcy in their lives. I know she's sacrificing a lot to be away from her own family and I'm very thankful for her help.
I spent my first day "home alone" by doing mounds of laundry, eating mac & cheese with the kids (with veggies of course, I'm not that bad of a father!) and wrapping up the evening with the Superbowl. Cori had to watch the game to count commercials for a school project, while Camryn would look up every 20 minutes or so and yell "Go Broncos!" at the TV. I've never been so proud.
I should go so I can fold this four foot high pile of clothes on my couch. I'm looking forward to Skyping with Kris and Cess again tomorrow to see how they are doing and hear what the doctors have to say about the course of treatment. Stay tuned for more adventures from Oasis featuring Cesa Brooks, same bat-time, same bat-channel!
To quickly recap, Krissy has completed her first 12 day cycle of treatment at Oasis and we've been getting back into the swing of things during the four week break at home. It's been a bit difficult sticking exactly to the diet she's supposed to be on, especially now that we're both back to work, but I feel Kris has done great with her recovery path and is on the way to being cured. Unfortunately, we haven't had any real world proof or feedback to show us that these treatments are working as we don't currently have an oncologist at home to run tests and scans for us. Hopefully we can have a new one on board by the time she returns from this session in Mexico. We've received such incredible support throughout this ordeal and we're truly blessed to have friends and family around us providing love, prayer and overwhelming generosity.
Well, I think I've rambled long enough, let's hand the mic over to Cesa for a rundown of the girl's day at Oasis!
Hey there! Today started off rough, leaving the kiddos and husbands behind was hard, especially at 6am. Once we were in the air, the only thoughts crossing my mind were "what's this place going to look like, how will the people be, will it be anything like I imagined?" Well, to my surprise, it was just how I pictured it, with slight variations. Luis was the first person I met. He was our chaffeur from San Diego and he was so excited about the Super Bowl... not so cool that he was cheering on the Colts, but very nice guy. Dorian was the next friendly face and he was happy to see Krissy again. He showed us to our room and made sure to ask if we were hungry because lunch would be served soon after we settled in.
Lunch was interesting. Lot of veggies, and more veggies, and more veggies, but there were some very nice people sitting around us and I sat back and listened to bits of information that I could use to start piecing their stories together. We were all going to go on a shopping trip to one of the markets, but to our disappointment, the shuttle was not able to make it back in time and we were left finding things to do on our own. We came back and watched some tv, read a little and then decided to go to Starbucks for afternoon coffee. When we got back, we turned on the TV, did a little searching and found the Super Bowl. What a great way to finish the day, watching the New Orleans Saints win their well deserved 1st super bowl championship! Now after all the excitement, we're winding down. Krissy is sleeping and I'm juggling gossip mags, gossip TV, emailing and crocheting. I'm excited to see what tomorrow has to offer, maybe nicer weather, a stroll to the beach, who knows, but I'll be sure to let you know! All our love!
Thanks Cess! Reading that makes me wish I were there with you guys, I miss Krissy already and it's going to be a long week without her by my side. At the same time I'm grateful to Cesa for taking this trip with Kris and allowing me to stay home with the kids so we can maintain some sense of normalcy in their lives. I know she's sacrificing a lot to be away from her own family and I'm very thankful for her help.
I spent my first day "home alone" by doing mounds of laundry, eating mac & cheese with the kids (with veggies of course, I'm not that bad of a father!) and wrapping up the evening with the Superbowl. Cori had to watch the game to count commercials for a school project, while Camryn would look up every 20 minutes or so and yell "Go Broncos!" at the TV. I've never been so proud.
I should go so I can fold this four foot high pile of clothes on my couch. I'm looking forward to Skyping with Kris and Cess again tomorrow to see how they are doing and hear what the doctors have to say about the course of treatment. Stay tuned for more adventures from Oasis featuring Cesa Brooks, same bat-time, same bat-channel!
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