So far, so good

We've all made it through the holidays–whew! I hope yours were wonderful. We actually wrote a Christmas letter, but never got it sent out. So, let me say here and now, Happy Thanksgiving, Happy St. Nicholas Day, Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and whatever other holidays you may have celebrated! I hope they have been a blessing to you and a reminder of what is truly important in this life.

Our holidays were good. We got to be with both our parents over Thanksgiving–and I didn't have to cook anything. We celebrated Christmas with a Christmas Eve service including a reader's theater play David wrote (a funny, modern take on the story of Christ's birth) and by helping with a community Christmas dinner on Christmas day. I sang Christmas songs as part of the entertainment–more singing than I've done in a while! We also spent time with most of David's family in Merced after Christmas. New Year's Eve found us home playing games and watching movies as a family.

For a while there I was wondering if I would be able to handle taking the drug trial chemo long term. I've had my ups and downs. But over the past month I've improved dramatically. The mouth sores that were so miserable have been solved by Lysine supplements and I seem to have adjusted to the drug. There are only a couple of minor irritants I am currently dealing with.

I had a long day at UCSF today. I endured another battery of neuropsych testing to make sure my brain is functioning properly (it is). I had an MRI and met with my oncologist and his nurse and had a chest x-ray (protocol while I'm on this chemo.) The MRI I had today will be a baseline for the MRIs I will have over the next couple of years–the length of time I could be on this chemotherapy. The Dr. saw exactly what he expected to see after surgery and no visible growth. Although my surgeon removed all he could see and remove safely, there are places that indicate there may be additional cells. Those are what he will be watching over the next two years.

Ian has continued to do great. Today he's working on making an electricity magnet generator. Tomorrow he will be with a group of friends working on an engineering project–ever the creator. ;-) Next Tuesday he has his second two month check up at Stanford. Last time, he had a clear chest x-ray and was poked and prodded by four doctors who were all satisfied that he was cancer free. I expect a similar report next week.

As always, we are so thankful for your thoughts and prayers for us and also remember many of you in our own prayers. May you find blessings and the love of God everywhere you turn in these difficult days.

Love, Natalie