The tables are set, for 23, possibly 24, the menu passed to all the families with requests for certain dishes or desserts. Once again, we are grateful to be home and with high expectations for a great family gathering.
Our family gatherings have changed over the years. There was once the time when we gathered with our parents and siblings, then added to that the grandchildren, nieces and nephews. There were many years when we would send greetings, or videos, or golden leaves pressed between wax paper to my brother and his family when they were missionaries. As the grandchildren grew from teens to college graduates we had the addition of more family members. Some moved away to other states and gradually the siblings joined their children. For many years the gatherings centered around those who lived near and many years passed before the siblings could again join the Thanksgiving celebration.
This year we will welcome most of our children and about half of our grandchildren. There will be new guests in our house this year as two of our teen granddaughters will be bringing their boyfriends. We are excited that granddaughter Rebekah and husband Adam will join us with their baby daughter, Alyssa, 8 months.
Like you, I will begin the week with my food planning agenda and will continue with the food preparation until we all sit down around noon on Thursday. I have already warned my children that once I am seated, do not expect me to rise again. All the clean-up will be up to the rest of the family. That will be my time to be entertained by my family with piano, or conversation!
Lee is continuing to do well. He works on regaining his energy daily. The heart problems he encountered this Fall have left him without the strength he had earlier. He works very hard to regain and admits that it is a constant struggle. The redness has finally disappeared from the radiation to his scalp and forehead. The new growth has completely disappeared! Thank Goodness! He visited his local dermatologist this past week and returned with scars from three more biopsies on the right side of his face. We are hoping they are not squamous cell ca.! The report will be available sometime next week.
There will be two visits to Duke on Dec 3, & 4. We plan to stay at the Caring House once again and are looking forward to seeing some of our acquaintances for a short while.
We wish for each of you a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving!
More Later................................................................Brenda
Saturday, November 22, 2014
Monday, November 10, 2014
VALE!
Last Tuesday, November 4, Lee and I returned to the cancer center @ Duke for the daily appointment at 10:30 a.m. We were glad to know that he would complete his course in one week. I settled into my corner in the waiting room to read another John Grisham book, and to look for the new friends I had made during those past few weeks. It usually took about 45 minutes for Lee to complete his procedure. Only about 8 minutes of that time was the actual radiation. The other was for preparation prior to radiation.
I spent my 45 minutes reading a while, then greeting other acquaintances and reassuring some of them that I would be there same time tomorrow! Imagine my surprise when Lee appeared and asked me if I was ready to go home. Do you mean the Caring House or Vale? Home to Vale, he exclaimed with a wide broad smile on his face! All we have to do is see the oncologist one more time and then I am discharged! Wow!
Wouldn't you know? We had just returned from a short two-day week-end at home, and because the weather was cold, I loaded up on warmer clothes and more groceries. My mind was racing and wondering how I would get everything back into our small car! We now have two large coolers, several coats, more shoes and a bundle of personal supplies!
We waited ten minutes and the doctor was ready to see us. Yes, Lee was finished with the radiation. Just need to keep our eyes on the new development that appeared last week and notify them immediately if it begins to enlarge. His follow-up appointment is February. We had a quick lunch, kept another appointment @ 12:30 with pulmonary for an antibiotic infusion. This was given through a nebulizer because he cannot take oral antibiotics along with the new heart drug.
Because it was too late that afternoon to pack and hit the road, we took our time, had dinner at the Caring House with bitter-sweet good-byes to our new friends and began packing the car. We were able to have a restful night before the long trip home on Wednesday. We had not been able to say good-bye to those acquaintances at the clinic whom I had promised to see again on Wednesday, so we made another trip to the cancer center for that purpose. We are glad we did! We exchanged personal information on our I-phones, with promises to stay in touch. At 11:00 a.m. we were on our way and arrived in Vale around 2:30 that afternoon.
We have been busy with the unpacking, the settling in, and making more appointments for the next three months. Lee still has to continue with his local dermatologist, primary care physician and his cardiologist. So far, the new growth has not increased in size, and his heart is regular in rhythm. He is recovering his strength, but is still not up to par on that. I guess we can say, "so far, so good"!
It is always good to be home! I am sleeping better, and more relaxed since his heart has finally settled down! He is hoping his extreme redness on his head and forehead will begin to disappear along with the profuse itching of his scalp. He has tried lotions, aloe and various creams. Finally, mineral oil seems to be working!
This past week-end was wonderful! We had a great Fall dinner with daughter Julia as we celebrated a sort of house-warming in her new house. Sunday was a full day at our church. Life is good!
We are now looking forward to a large family group around our table for Thanksgiving! There will be an abundance of food as all bring a dish. The smells of turkey will drift through the house, the young ones will be laughing, stories will be remembered and renewed. There will be long walks after the feast, and ballgames and recliners for the some of the guys.......................aaaaaah.................the good life!
Hope yours is the same!
More Later............................................Brenda
I spent my 45 minutes reading a while, then greeting other acquaintances and reassuring some of them that I would be there same time tomorrow! Imagine my surprise when Lee appeared and asked me if I was ready to go home. Do you mean the Caring House or Vale? Home to Vale, he exclaimed with a wide broad smile on his face! All we have to do is see the oncologist one more time and then I am discharged! Wow!
Wouldn't you know? We had just returned from a short two-day week-end at home, and because the weather was cold, I loaded up on warmer clothes and more groceries. My mind was racing and wondering how I would get everything back into our small car! We now have two large coolers, several coats, more shoes and a bundle of personal supplies!
We waited ten minutes and the doctor was ready to see us. Yes, Lee was finished with the radiation. Just need to keep our eyes on the new development that appeared last week and notify them immediately if it begins to enlarge. His follow-up appointment is February. We had a quick lunch, kept another appointment @ 12:30 with pulmonary for an antibiotic infusion. This was given through a nebulizer because he cannot take oral antibiotics along with the new heart drug.
Because it was too late that afternoon to pack and hit the road, we took our time, had dinner at the Caring House with bitter-sweet good-byes to our new friends and began packing the car. We were able to have a restful night before the long trip home on Wednesday. We had not been able to say good-bye to those acquaintances at the clinic whom I had promised to see again on Wednesday, so we made another trip to the cancer center for that purpose. We are glad we did! We exchanged personal information on our I-phones, with promises to stay in touch. At 11:00 a.m. we were on our way and arrived in Vale around 2:30 that afternoon.
We have been busy with the unpacking, the settling in, and making more appointments for the next three months. Lee still has to continue with his local dermatologist, primary care physician and his cardiologist. So far, the new growth has not increased in size, and his heart is regular in rhythm. He is recovering his strength, but is still not up to par on that. I guess we can say, "so far, so good"!
It is always good to be home! I am sleeping better, and more relaxed since his heart has finally settled down! He is hoping his extreme redness on his head and forehead will begin to disappear along with the profuse itching of his scalp. He has tried lotions, aloe and various creams. Finally, mineral oil seems to be working!
This past week-end was wonderful! We had a great Fall dinner with daughter Julia as we celebrated a sort of house-warming in her new house. Sunday was a full day at our church. Life is good!
We are now looking forward to a large family group around our table for Thanksgiving! There will be an abundance of food as all bring a dish. The smells of turkey will drift through the house, the young ones will be laughing, stories will be remembered and renewed. There will be long walks after the feast, and ballgames and recliners for the some of the guys.......................aaaaaah.................the good life!
Hope yours is the same!
More Later............................................Brenda
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