Very nice Thursday

I feel good but pretty tired today. I remember the doctor saying that chemo is a cumulative thing and that I could expect to feel more tired as the treatments continue. He was right! But this morning I wrote some lesson plan ideas for my sub at Hayden Meadows. She's doing a wonderful job, but she really likes having my input. And this afternoon I got to go to Hannah's school to an assembly where she was receiving an "integrity award". It was so great to be there because she was so surprised to see her Mom and Dad, her Grandma Kathy, and me!

It's very quiet at my house because Greg went to Oregon very very early this morning and he'll return tomorrow afternoon. I plan to write lots of thank you notes this evening. I'll be able to use those very cool cards that Ellen made!

Happy Halloween and thank you for your prayers! Love, Julie

The day after chemo...

I had chemo yesterday and everything went smoothly. Last week wasn't so great at the Cancer Center. My nurse was crabby, I was cold and thirsty, and I didn't get a good chair. But yesterday I had that same nurse and she was just awesome! She was so sweet and kind to me. I'm glad I didn't blow up at her last week because it wouldn't have been good advertising for God. (She saw that I was working on my Bible Study on prayer.) Whew!

What continues to be a little crazy, in my experience, at the Cancer Center is the whole aspect of scheduling. It's such a complicated process and the doctor's secretaries and the chemo department have to coordinate. Anyway...my cat scan date is now Nov. 11 and I will see my oncologist Nov. 13. So Nov. 13 is when I'll find out what happens next. But I now know they are pretty sure I'll need more chemo because I'm already on the schedule for Nov. 17. So I'm trying not to be discouraged. For some reason, I thought this would be my last cycle of chemo. I have to remember that God is in control!

I had a wonderful surprise today! Jerry sent me two CDs of his original music and Ellen sent me a huge box of cards that she made! I'm excited to listen to the music and to use the cards.

Please know how thankful we are for your prayers. I feel so blessed! Love, Julie

Cousins

Oh my goodness! I had a wonderful time with my cousins, Cheryl and Lauri! They flew in to Spokane Friday afternoon and headed back to the airport early this afternoon so it was a very quick trip. But we packed so much great visiting into that short time! We had dinner at Dockside last night and talked and talked. When we returned to my house we talked and talked some more. Today we sat around the breakfast table in our jammies till it was 15 minutes before they had to leave and they scrambled to get dressed and out the door in time so they wouldn't have to run at the airport. (Cheryl will appreciate that running part.) I feel like we're more like sisters. Our mothers were twins and we spent so much time together growing up.

And I got to go to Costco this afternoon! The Russells came over and Greg and I joined them in an excursion to one of our favorite destinations--Costco. I always find so many things I "need" at that store.

It's been a great week. Thursday was my only sort of icky day. This cancer thing is so amazing...a total stranger came up to me at Costco and told me she went through chemo last year and she told me she would pray for me. God is so good!

Thank you for your prayers. Love, Julie

The plan...

Yes, I was a little wiped out after yesterday's treatment. I usually have chemo in the morning, but yesterday it was in the afternoon and I didn't get home till 6:30. I heated up some leftovers for dinner then got ready for bed at 7:00! Even though I woke up really early this morning, I have felt great today!

My doctor's office called this afternoon with some slightly different news than I understood yesterday. Here's the plan: I will have chemo just two more times, then I will have a week off, then on November 14 I will have a cat scan. On Monday, November 17, I will meet with the doctor and he will tell me, based on the results of the scan, what will happen next. Either more chemo or NOT!! We're praying that the cancer will be gone! God still does miracles, right?

Thank you for your prayers. We sure appreciate that you care about us. Love, Julie

More good news!

Julie's pretty wiped out tonight after an extra-long treatment, so she asked me to update you. We had more good news from the Doctor today. He said her lung sounded good when he listen to her breath and he said her liver felt cleared up even more since the last time. So, if everything goes as planned, she has only two more weeks of chemo. He will wait about 6 weeks after the last treatment to do a pet scan, then make a game plan of after-care. He told us at the beginning that the goal was to drive the cancer to remission and then maintain it. That would be a great Christmas present. Julie would love to begin the new year by beginning to teach again second semester. But in the meantime, we're just loving what God is doing today. Julie was so encouraged and blessed this morning with a prayer from our friend Bonanzaro in Africa:

Dear Julie,
Receive my greetings in Jesus. I am thankful to the Lord for what He is
doing in your life. There is a purpose for your healing from this cancer.
You will be a tool to comfort those who go through the same hardship. The
Lord is faithful and he will lead till the end what He started in your body.
This morning during our prayer meeting at work, we prayed for you and the
situation in Granpa and Grandma Camp's church. We are confident that the
Lord will handle the matter. May God bless you and let read you soon.
Shalom, Bananzaro 

We want to learn how to pray with the kind of confidence and authority that Banazaro prays with. Thank you for your love & prayers!
Greg

Thinking about tomorrow (take 2)

I'll be starting my last cycle of chemo tomorrow afternoon and I have an appointment with my doctor. I have lots of questions for him. I hope I'll have lots of new information to share with you tomorrow night. Like..."What happens when the chemo cycles are over?"

I'm looking forward to a visit with my cousins, Cheryl and Lauri! They are planning to come this Friday and I can hardly wait to see them!

The church I grew up in and that my parents still attend have a prayer letter ministry and they have been sending me letters every week. They are so encouraging! Anyway, last week the letter was written by my mom and I want to share part of it with you. It was so cool.

"When I was in Africa with no doctors, Bonanzaro prayed this prayer for me and I was healed. I would like to pray it for you. Jer. 17:14 "Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed. Save me and I will be saved, for you are the One I praise!"

It's so good to know that I am in His hands and that He has a plan for my life! Love, Julie

Chemo Vacation

Ah...it's been a wonderful week! After every chemo cycle I get a week off and by the end of that week, I really feel great! I almost forget about the stupid old cancer. I feel so blessed that Betsy, Cam and the boys were healthy and I was healthy so I spent some very sweet days with them this week. It was an amazing little vacation. I got some video of Julian walking and being cute and of Sebastian "reading" an entire book and being cute. I feel so blessed that my daughters are good moms and that they have great husbands who are good dads.

We have been looking forward to seeing Jake at the end of the month because he and Matt were planning to include Coeur d' Alene in a concert tour. But now it looks like the tour is cancelled. Bummer.

I am so grateful to all of you who read this blog and care about us. It's so humbling to realize people love us enough to pray for us. The Lord continues to bless us through you. Thank you.
Love, Julie

Off to visit the grandkids!

I talked to Julie today and she's having a wonderful time in Seattle with Bets, Cam & the boys. Its great for her to get away for a few days to just love on those little fellas. Of course she couldn't go over there without filling her oversized suitcase with a bunch of clothes, games & books for them. And I'll bet you can guess what's she going to do when she gets there - you got it, shop some more for them. Julie plans to do a documentary of her visit with plenty of videos and pictures to share with the rest of us. We just can't seem to get enough of those kids. They change so fast we just can't seem to keep up. So, my friend, LJ, suggested getting us hooked up with a computer camera so we can see them when we talk to them.

I had so much fun teaching a class for young parents tonight. (I still refer to anyone under forty as a kid) We went through some basic fundamentals together and they each walked away paired up with marriage & family mentors for support and accountability. Those mentors are going to be asking a set of questions related to those fundamentals each week and will also walk along side these parents for a while, because I think it takes a church/village to raise a kid.

Thank you for your prayers!
Please let us know how we can pray for you.
Greg

Enjoying the season...

Greg and I went with the Russells to Green Bluff today and Emily and the kids had an adventure in a corn maze, the kids got to go on a little train ride, and we picked out pumpkins in a real pumpkin patch. We ate popcorn and caramel apples and drank hot apple cider. It was a great day. But it sure was chilly outside! The sky was blue and the sun was shining...but we nearly froze in the chilly wind! All part of the adventure...To quote Hannah "This is going to be a memorable weekend."

I'm feeling like wearing a paper bag over my head! My poor skin is not enjoying this new chemo drug. I guess I shouldn't be so vain or I should just avoid mirrors.

I'm hoping to visit Betsy and Cam and Sebastian and Julian next week. I am so excited! Julian has changed so much just since the wedding! He walks and points and does all kinds of cool things. And Sebastian sang a little song on the phone for me last night. What a smart and talented little guy!

Hope you're enjoying your weekend! And thanks for your prayers. Love, Julie

Celebrating!

They told me to expect a rash as a result of the new drug that is attacking the cancer cells. And it's here! On my chin and neck. I feel like I'm going thr0ugh puberty. The rash is supposed to signify that the drug is working so hurray for zits!

Today was a quiet day. I feel pretty good but I have no energy. I'm looking forward to a chemo-free week next week!

Thank you for your prayers. Love, Julie

Chemo Monday--Julian's birthday!

Another grandchild's birthday today! Betsy and Cam's little Julian is celebrating his first birthday today! Wish we could be there with them. But...today was "Chemo Day" and I never would have believed it when I first started this whole process, but I actually enjoy being at the Cancer Center and the treatments aren't that bad. The nurses are so nice and now they all know my name and it feels very comfortable. My nurse today is the same height as me and she insisted that I have one of the "good chairs". She asked one of the regular sized people if they had ever sat in a chair that was too big and uncomfortable and had to stay in it for over 4 hours. Silence. So we short people got our way!

Time is going so fast! I finished my third cycle today. This cycle was only three weeks. So I have next week off from chemo to let my cells try to build up. Then, if everything goes as planned, I'll have one more cycle of chemo. I'm feeling a little anxious about what comes next. But this is yet another example of not having control over anything. So I'll let the Lord take over on that one. When I start to worry, I try to pray instead.

It was great to have Liz here for a brief time this weekend. We had a good visit and had Starbucks together. Mmmm. It tasted good yesterday!

I'm hoping for a good day tomorrow. Thank you for your prayers. Love, Julie

Saturday already!

I can't believe how fast this week has gone! Except for lousy Tuesday, I have felt great. I almost feel like I have enough energy to teach! If only kids weren't so germy.

This afternoon we went to Hannah's birthday celebration at Emily and Nick's. It was a really fun party. Liz and Emma came to the party from Pasco and tonight they will spend the night here. I've been looking forward to sister time!

Hope you're having a wonderful weekend. Love, Julie

Happy Birthday, Hannah!

It's Hannah's 11th birthday today. Doesn't seem possible that we were gathered in the hospital waiting for our little Hannah to arrive eleven years ago!

Mom and Dad left this morning after Greg went to work and the house was very quiet without their cheerful voices. I am so thankful for them and so glad they could come to visit for a few days. We enjoyed Mom's cooking and she cleaned my floors and vacuumed and she worked in my kitchen yesterday and organized some scary places. Like under the kitchen sink. And the place where my pots and pans are stored. She was very happy to find a special frying pan she'd been looking for. In the very back of my pots and pans. Go figure.

Yesterday I did not feel well, but today was much better. I think it may have been from the new drug added to my chemo. But hooray! I certainly can put up with some days of feeling lousy knowing that drug is beating up on the cancer cells.

Thank you for your faithful prayers. I'm thankful for you all. Love, Julie