Living in a Vacuum

If you're here wondering about Emery - he's doing much better -- now move along, because this post is going to be about the last 24 hours of my life and my relationship with my vacuum cleaner.

Yesterday I was going to vacuum.  The belt was broken on the vacuum cleaner.  I tried to take it apart to change it - I didn't even know if I had a replacement belt.  I spent waaaaaaay too much time trying to figure how to take it apart to replace the belt.  Finally I got on the internet and looked it up.  It said to "unscrew the 3 phillips headed screws".  - Ok - I figured there were screws, if I knew where they were I wouldn't be looking it up on the internet!  -- Finally I found the screws, got the vacuum apart - found a belt, wasn't sure it was the right one, walked up to Dale's Hardware, he didn't have a belt for my vacuum cleaner - but in our conversation he was sure I had the right one - I went home and tried it and it worked.  I put the vaccum cleaner back together -- I started it - and obviously had something wrong - because immediately the belt broke again!  Now I was on a quest - so I drove to Jamestown - yup - 50 miles one way - and bought 4 belts - got home put the new belt on - vacuumed and felt pretty good.

That was yesterday -- Today I was cleaning, and needed to vacuum this closet -- I vacuumed up some wire and broke the new belt -- so I think - Ok, no problem, I have 3 left -- so I take the vacuum cleaner apart again - and realize now - a piece of the vacuum is broken off -- no fix for this -- So now I need a new vacuum cleaner!  So I'm thinking, I should get one that uses the same belt?  --  Maybe I should just stop cleaning!  It's getting expensive!

Where have you been?

It's been awhile since I've updated -- mostly because not too much has happened.  Emery is feeling "low energy" still - but doing quite well.  He just got back from a school technology conference.

The weather is beautiful - the trees are budding -- and the garage is getting cleaned out!

Hope you all are enjoying your day.   ------------ jan

Sunday

He made it thru the end of the treatments.  Now we're in that yucky stage.  He's feeling pretty crappy, but trying to kind of ignore it the best he can and do somethings and then rest and then do some more.  I think it gives him energy thinking that this is the end! 

We are enjoying a nice day today, and it sounds like it will be a nice week!  Hope you are all enjoying your weekend and have a great week coming up!

Round 4 - Day 3 - THE END!

Today is the last day of chemo.  Emery should be done by about 10:00 this morning.  I talked to him a little while ago and he said nurses are coming in congratulating him -- I wish I would be there -- It's pretty exciting!  We know that the next couple of weeks will probably hold the ugly side effects - but also know that for hopefully a long time -- this is the last chemo!  --

Saying Good-bye..........

Walking away............

Leaving it behind...........

Tomorrow is a quick trip to Jamestown for the last shot of Neulasta.

There will be follow up blood work and tests and appointments

in the next few months, but not chemo! 

Thank you everyone for your prayers and for going with us on this journey.

Easter

The kids were home for Easter

Thats better than a chocolate bunny!

Round 4 Day 1

Today is the begining of the fourth round of chemo -

and after finding out the results

of the bone marrow biopsy from last week --

drum roll please.............................................. THE LAST! 

The leukemia has been wiped out of the bone marrow --

so Em is officially in remission! 

Another Thank you Jesus moment!

Jessa came with today so she could get her ankle checked out. 

Since she sprained it/hurt it in December.

It has never really stopped hurting. 

We found out today she tore ligaments in her ankle --

I did the same thing to my left ankle when

I was a junior in high school - in a basketball game.  -- 

She really didn't have to copy me!

Jessa and I did a little shopping and went out for lunch.

We will be going home tonight. 

Tomorrow Emery will be teaching school in the morning and

heading to Fargo for a late afternoon infusion. 

He will spend the night in Fargo and will have

an early morning infusion on Thursday and head home and teach in the afternoon.

But --- this will be the LAST ONE!!  --

 for a long, long time is the plan!

This day is long.............. but we are again very thankful that this is the last.

Biopsy

Yesterday we left for Fargo before the sun

was even thinking about waking up.

We got to Fargo as the sun was peaking over the horizon.

We headed straight to the Roger Maris Cancer Center.

First a blood draw..........

Then the biopsy.  I got to sit in the room and watch the bone marrow biopsy.  I told Emery I would never call him a pansey - never say he couldn't handle pain - ever again!  He did amazingly well.  They had a difficult time getting the sample - and needed to start over twice -- which was like having 3 procedures done.  Emery did great!  They got a good sample after all.  We won't have the results until Tuesday when we go to Fargo for chemo.  Today Emery is pretty sore -- but off to school.

Then we went out for breakfast!  The End.