Where was I? Oh, the baby woke up! Well, I took my American Government written test and thanked GOD, I got 100% because I was kinda arguing with the Immigration officer on why they were making us wait too long and they kept on sending people in the testing room and I had to go back to work! He said that I was there because I wanted to become an American Citizen which I couldn't argue about it but I told him that I needed my job also. I have 8 sets of parents who has to go to work and they need me to watch their children. After the written test, he made me read a sentence, "They are a happy family." and made me write, "I am too busy to talk! Afterwards, he told me to drive safely, don't get into an accident and go back to work because everybody needs me. I returned it with, "Thank you. Every body needs me especially my husband who has cancer!"

We are not driving to Va this weekend and I am looking forward to it. That's one weekend of not seeing a cop on the road! Everytime I see one, I'm on the passing lane. Danica said that we left our half way mark at the same time for last 2 Sundays, 4:10 pm! I wanted to break this record but I can't jeopardize my application. I am now waiting for my interview letter to come!
The last time I got a ticket, I asked the police officer if he could give me a warning but it didn't work. He couldn't even tell my race. I was face to face with him but checked out "white"! I could have used, "Mr. Officer, my husband has cancer" but it was 7:00 in the morning, too early!

Our cherry tree is growing like a weed! Dave asked his Mom today to fertilize it. She's been planting all kinds of vegies this week. They haven't been able to go out for breakfast or just hang out together which was the plan. Dave has been so busy with paperworks for his retirement. He made me fill out a medical form and told me to write so small that I couldn't even read my own writing with my glasses on! There was not enough space for the list of meds that he is on! He is in good spirit this week! He said that everybody that he had talked to -- on the shuttle bus, at the decal office, the hospital-- were giving him hope. His only down point is that his hair is thinning out. He's not ready for this!

His 7th grade teacher sent him a card to which made him really happy. He said that she liked him a lot. If the teacher only knew what's behind them eyes!

He will be starting his next round of Xeloda tomorrow which I hope I won't forget giving it to him. We are going to the hospital at 5 am to sign some important papers (we have to beat the traffic). This is the last round of chemo before his CAT scan. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. We need to have a melt down on those nasty tumors!

The Hoskins Family wants to thank the members of Open Bible Baptist Church and Green Bay Church in Chatham, VA. We appreciate your thoughts and prayers. Thank you to Broadneck Baptist Church, for your support and prayers. Thank you so much for being there for us, especially for the girls.

Thank you to my friends in San Diego, Colorado and New Mexico for believing that I am a strong woman (if only you knew). We need to have another Bunko night with Angie's "Long Island Ice Tea". I could use a 12 oz. glass or two! It will make me stronger or probably make me unconscious for a week! Love you and miss you, guys...

Love,

Edith

The last two weeks were very challenging on Dave. He had to take a week off chemo because his body couldn't take much of the side effects. His blood counts dropped too low that he was always so tired and losing a lot of weight.

We had been driving back and forth to VA every weekend to let him do what he loves most, FISHING! I went fishing with him on Easter weekend. I spent most of the time worrying that he might fall in the pond. ( I don't really like fishing but it was a nice day for us to be together).

Last Saturday, April 22, was a better day for him. He had another fishing tournament and came home with a T-shirts and hats! The girls and I spent the day at the mall with Barbie, the boys and Granny. Melissa had to pick up some outfits for her trip to Myrtle Beach, S.C. She is going with the Orchestra and Band group from school, tomorrow, April 27. Danica is going to have her dance performance at school on Friday and Saturday night. It is a very busy week for us!

Dave has been feeling much better this week. He said that he felt like human again. He has been going back and forth to the hospital for his follow-up check with his oncologist, dental works and he is working on his endless paperworks for retirement.

I went to the immigration yesterday for my fingerprints. Finally, after 16 years being here in the states, my friends, my husband and my in-laws had persuaded me that I should get my citizenship! Since I was already there, the lady who was getting my fingerprints asked if I would like to take the written test. I have to go for now. The baby is awake!

Chemo # 4

Dave went for his chemo #4 this morning. Before he left I put his meds in a ziplock bag, put it in his wallet so that he could take it after having breakfast at the galley. With his luck lately, he called at noon, he forgot to take his meds but he couldn't find it. He might had lost it while at the bank when he went to make a deposit.

He had blood works and urine analysis done. His WB and RB counts are low and some other counts that I have no idea what they are. I need the help of one of my clients who is a Nurse Practitioner who brought me a medical dictionary. His sugar is really high, 219- normal is bet. 74-106. One of his meds, Dexamethasone might be the culprit but then again diabetes runs in the family. He hasn't been feeling good since he came home from the hospital. I went to pick him up from the Academy with a hospital bucket in his hand just in case. The smell of dinner didn't help matters. He went to bed with no dinner. He had half of a cantaloupe and some radishes. He kept his meds intact this time!

Your thoughts and prayers are very much appreciated. Please keep them going. Thank you so much!

Edith

Fishing Tournament

April 8, 2006. We were back in Va. for the fishing tournament. Dave, Brandon and John pre-fished the lake to prepare for the tournament the next day. They came home very excited, finding the pattern, catching big fish, etc. Dave forgot to take his meds that morning, calling me at 1:00 PM, why I didn't call to remind him! They came back home around 3pm, had dinner, and on their way to play cards until 9pm. Dave came home exhausted!

Tournament Day! Dave got up at 5:30, feeling sick and tired. He decided to take his meds with no food (didn't listen!) and already sick in his stomach. As soon as they got to the lake, it came all back out. The poor thing used a flashlight to look for the chemo pills at least. All the guys thought that he had partied too much the night before! John did all the checking in while he was in the truck. He was ready to go back home and let Brandon fish the tournament but his stomach had settled down.

The girls, Mom and I were getting ready for church when Dave called saying that he was really hungry. He wanted burgers from DQ! We had to get burgers and met them at some lake in the middle of nowhere. ( I really need to learn a lot more on country talk, I heard it was Pittsfull Rd. It's Pittsville!) After wolfing down 2 burgers, he said he felt better and back to fishing with no luck. He was wiped out!

P.S. Dave was able to go the land fill last Friday morning and then had breakfast with his Mom!

A Nice Day In Maryland!

April 6, 2006. It was a nice day today, somewhat like San Diego weather. Dave had been experiencing some anxiety for the last 2 days due to drug withdrawal. He took his Fentanyl patch off yesterday and didn't want to put another one on until this morning. He is also having numbness on his toes and fingers, one of the side effects of the chemo drugs. I got him to ride with me to the post office to mail our income tax returns and to pick up his Rx at the Annapolis clinic. He took a long nap when we got home and after a few hrs. I heard him talking to Chris (one of his friends from Arizona) on the phone. His patch has started working!

He decided to go out in the yard with his Mom to do some work which made me so scared that he might hurt himself. He took his chain saw, shovel, etc. out of the shed and cut a stump which he tried to pull it out with his truck, cut those old wooden flatforms that were used to stock the firewood, pulled roots and put all of it at the back of his truck to be carried to the dump tomorrow if he would be feeling better. He also carried an 80 lb bag of cement by himself and we dedided to use a push toy cart to carry the other one into his truck. He felt sick afterwards, he said that he got too hot.

He decided not to get a ride with Rob to Va. All of us will driving back there tomorrow night depending on how he feels. ( He is also having separation anxiety). Melissa doesn't care of going but Danica is not so fond of it.

Girls, he is enjoying the company of your mother but don't worry we will bring her back to visit you guys! We will see you all on Saturday and FIRE UP THE GRILL... We might not be there for the Easter weekend. We really have to stay here for the girls and finish painting the front door, bathroom, kitchen, the deck, etc! I missed living in the military housing. I just have to call the maintenance guys.

For all my old friends who's asking about Melissa, I will try to update all of you guys next posting.

Chemo # 3

Dave went for his chemo today, April 3, 2006. Brandon gave him a ride to the hospital this morning. He decided that he's able to get his treatment by himself for now. He took the shuttle from the hospital to the Annapolis Naval Academy and I picked him up from there.

His blood count is normal. We are weaning him slowly on the Fentanyl patch. He started on 150 mcg and he is now on 25 mcg. Other than having hiccups for 3 days after his treatment, he is doing find. He doesn't sleep a lot anymore. He easily gets tired and asks for certain food out of the blue that most of the time we don't have it. He is worse than a pregnant woman! He came home from the hospital hungry and asked for beef ribs on a bed of rice.

He is getting so excited for the next weekend. He is planning to fish a tournament on Sunday with John at Smith Mtn. Lake in Va. Robert will be in Waldorf, Md. on Wednesday so he is going out of his way home to come and pick up Dave.

Mom Hoskins is here this week! She started digging the yard to plant a garden. One less thing for me to do. We planted a cheery tree today and Dave made a promised that he will live long enough to eat cheeries from that tree. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers and please include Mom Hoskins. She is worrying so much.

Weekend Trip to Virginia

March 31, 2006. Dave decided to bring our boat back to Va. He drove all the way to the hospital to meet Brandon so that he could do the driving. Saturday morning, Dave and Brandon left for fishing on the boat at 6:00 AM and we didn't see each other again until 8:30 PM. The girls, Mom and I went with Angie and her kids to lunch, went to see Delta, and did some shopping.

He has a lot of energy as long as he is fishing. The next day, they left again at 7:oo AM to fish in a pond and came back around noon. They caught a lot of fish, an 8 lbs. bass for Dave and 6 pounder for Brandon. Dave loves to fish that he fell down on a stick ( about 1/4" in diameter) which cut his ear but he kept on fishing. He had scratches on his legs and arms and I guessed the ticks didn't find him! Thank goodness, we had Surgical Techs around, the patient and Brandon. I tried to clean Dave's wound but I chicken out, couldn't do it. He was telling me to open the flap and clean it.

On the way home to Maryland, we had to stop at a lake in Culpeper, Va. to FISH! Couldn't get enough fishing. We didn't get home until 9 pm and we had ramen noodles for dinner!