My Girls

This is a little bit of a tough time for us right now.  All's good but multiple testing and the follow up doctors' appointments can get wearing.  I just want to shout out to my daughters for checking in with me, asking what they can do to help, prayer support and just general "we're thinking about you - what can we do to help" comments.

Thank you Traci & Ginger for your words of support and for "being there".  It means a lot!

Biopsy is tomorrow - Bill always does really well and I'm amazed at his body.  The nurse today said they'd keep him in recovery until they know he's safe to go home because it's like putting a needle into a balloon.  Thanks for that thought and thank you for not sending him home to my care until you know he's "good to go".

Thanks for visiting ~ Reia

Cancer Wife ~ PET Scan

24 hours of no carbs - no sugar.  Oh my goodness!  I'm married to a man that doesn't do well following the rules.  In fact - he rarely follows rules of any kind.

Thankfully he realized the importance of the test he took yesterday and did a pretty good job following "the rules".

While he was tested I was able to spend 1 hour and 20 minutes of time in prayer and time being thankful for the incredible facility we're at.

The Lewis Cancer Center offered me the following...

A beautiful view as I waited for my husband.

All of the coffee I could want plus a place to charge my phone.

The waiting room in the CyberKinife/Radiology area as we waited to hear the results.

Thanks for visiting ~ Reia

Cancer Wife ~ Something Grew

This is such an interesting journey.  November 2017 was when Bill was coughing up blood and saying if it's lung cancer - I don't want to know about it.  Umm - if it's lung cancer, you'll know about it.

Fast track to March 2019...in remission since July 2018...CT scans every 3 months looking for new growth...March 4th CT Scan - new growth.  Bam!  We're in a new experience and what an amazing group of doctors we have.  Radiologist has a PET scan scheduled immediately, we see him right after.  Oncologist puts Bill's fears to rest - "I'm not going to use chemo for this."  Whew!  (Apparently that's the bar with my husband - the line between I'll be treated for this or I'm ready to meet my maker.)  Chemo kicked his butt.

The new growth (1cm grew to 1.6cm in 3 months) is scheduled to be biopsied next week - fiducial markers placed for radiation - radiation plan to be put in place - a couple of zaps and done.

I'm actually marveling at the tremendous job our team of doctors and their staff are doing.  I'm attaching reward dinners and a hotel stay since I don't do "early mornings" any more to the present testing.  (If my mama taught me anything, she taught me to be rewarded after something tough.)

Thanks for visiting ~ Reia 

Cancer Wife - Guess That's Me

Tonight I was asked to write about my experiences as the wife of a Cancer Patient...it will help someone.

Wow!  Brave face blown!  Real face revealed!  I am the wife of a man dealing with Cancer.  There it is - I said it.  I own it - I don't like it - in fact, I hate it.

I've never run from reality - I've run to reality and dealt with "worst case first".  If I can deal with the "worst case" then I can deal with what I'm facing.  It's worked well for me.  And then my husband of 20something years developed lung cancer.  The big bug-a-boo.

Truthfully - we've been blessed with incredible doctors and supportive staff.  I wasn't the person having the radiation zaps or the chemotherapy that zapped my husband to "stand up - pass out" status -  I was the was the person on constant alert should he "hit the floor".

So, I'll keep my promise and tell my story of what it's like to be the "Cancer" wife.  It's a life of prayer, faith and constant words of affirmation.

Thanks for visiting ~ more to come ~ Reia

Got Any Rivers You Think Are Uncrossable

I've been singing this song continuously for days now.  I know I'm praying and waiting for some answers on how to handle a few things.  I guess this is a way I pray - constantly singing a prayer.

Photo by Pablo Fierro on Unsplash

This song has been around a long time.  The words are good.

Got any rivers you think are uncrossable?

Got any mountains, you cannot tunnel through?
God specializes in things thought impossible
And He can do what no other power can do.

Yes, I do have some rivers that seem uncrossable and a few mountains I'm not sure how I'll tunnel through.  Yes, I know that God specializes in things thought impossible.  I've seen God doing just that through all of my life.

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

I discovered a new rendition by Selah and it gives me a promise - God will carry me.  He's carried me in many situations over the years.  God is good at carrying me.  He's good at carrying you also.  We just have to let Him.

I hope you enjoy this version by Selah.  Got Any Rivers / Carry You

Thanks for visiting ~ Reia

Ash Wednesday

I wrote about Ash Wednesday a few years ago here.  This is my 14th year experiencing an Ash Wednesday Mass.  I'm always touched to my core during the Mass.

I've been blessed to add the Spanish congregation to my Music Director world.  Now I have beautiful Spanish music/words added to my English world.

There's something so humbling and yet uniting when I approach the thought that "for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”  (Gen. 3:19)

As we approach tomorrow - let's remember that dust we are and "unto dust we'll return".  May we make the most of our time on this Earth.

Feel free to watch our streaming tomorrow night on our church Facebook page - St. Stephen First Martyr Catholic Church.  English Mass is 5:30pm and Spanish is 7pm.

Some of the music we'll sing tomorrow night.

• Con Estas Cenizas, Senor

• With These Ashes

• Entre Tus Manos

• Ashes to Ashes

• Perdona tu Pueblo Senor

Thanks for visiting ~ Reia

If concerned, ask for help!

It's okay to be concerned and ask for help!  We did just that last week.  So thankful we did!

When Bill went through Congestive Heart Failure Oct. 2017, we were told "call us if he gains 3 pounds".  He's been on Prednisone for his lungs and has gained 18 pounds.  If 3 pounds is critical, what in the world is 18 pounds doing to his heart?  So...we called and asked for a "today" appointment with his cardiologist.

"Heart" (CC BY 2.0) by seyed mostafa zamani

We love our cardiologist!  He's practical and calmed us down immediately.  Apparently there's "weight gain" and "weight gain due to fluid".  Thankfully he ordered a BNP test which came back with a really good number which means "no heart failure".

"Thankful" (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) by MTSOfan

We're so thankful that we asked for help and advice!  If you need a good cardiologist (& staff), we have a referral!

Thanks for visiting ~ Reia