CHEMO TREATMENT HAS BEEN STOPPED!

Dave's chemo treatment has been stopped to give his body a much needed break. The swelling in both legs has gone down a little since he went to see his oncologist on Tuesday, the 24th. He has been in constant pain that his pain meds dose has been doubled to 60 mg. 2x daily but it made him so high that Delta and I had to do some adjustment over the phone. (He went home to Va. with Delta and their mom on Wed). His daily meds has been put together so he doesn't have to worry about what to take.

He is on his way to Buggs Island with John when I talked to him this morning. They might spend the night there depending on the bite (fishing). John is off work this week so he is keeping him company which I really appreciate it. Delta had given Dave specific orders that if John couldn't go on the boat with him, he has to take their mom. He is not allowed to take the boat out by himself. (Take note Angie and Barbie, your baby sister is giving Dave very firm orders!)

I had given so much thought about taking the whole summer off and I finally told one of my daycare parents this morning , three more to go. Ruth will be taking all of them except the baby. She doesn't have room for her. Danica didn't like me to take the summer off, "What are you going to do, You're staying home all summer, Can you still buy me stuff?" Told her that no more buying her stuff.

I'm sure it won't be that boring being off work all summer long. I will just clean the house, sleep when Dave is sleeping and stay awake with him at night. I really need some sleep! If everything goes well, we will fly out to San Diego, spend a week at Lake Martinez in Yuma, AZ.

I will be taking Dave to his appointment next Tuesday. We will know the result of his CAT scan from last week and when he can start with chemo treatment. I don't want to call his oncologist for his results before Tuesday because whatever the outcome is, it will not change.

Melissa and I will be driving down to Va. tomorrow morning to bring Dave home.

To Dave's family, I can't thank you enough for your continued support. Thank you to John for giving Dave company for this whole week. Thank to all for your thoughts and prayers.

Have to go, the baby is awake!

Edith

It's been a while since I last updated. Dave hasn't been feeling that well for the last few weeks. His legs are swollen and he said that they are painful. His oncologist has been thinking of stopping chemo treatment to give him a break. He has episodes of chills -- starts shaking, gets really severe headache and he gets so thirsty. I have to cover him up with layers of blanket and turn the portable heater on ( our thermostat is set on 75). It takes a few minutes for him to warm up.

We spent a few days in Va last week. Had a nice Easter Dinner with the whole family. I gave Dave, Reglan for nausea, so that he could enjoy all the different food that was on the table but it didn't take long before he got sick. The kids had fun hunting for eggs considering the cold weather .

Dave took the boat out with Danica and her friend Diana while I was out with Barbie shopping for Melissa's Easter dress. They also went fishing in the pond and I stayed home to do my paperworks. Most of the time he stayed at the back porch with a .22 in hand, shooting at targets and some unfortunate creatures like a crow.

We stayed at home this weekend. I am still putting my kitchen together after a month of demolition. We finally have a working diswasher, a machine, that is (not me!) Dave was bored watching me working in the kitchen so he went to the movies with the girls. Danica was off today so she was able to go with her dad. She is turning into a workaholic like Dave. She finally got her driver's license last Thursday. Dave and I were so happy that she made it home after work! Dave asked her to go to 7-11 yesterday for slurpee and when she was pulling in to our driveway, she squeezed herself between Dave's truck and one of my client's vehicle who drives a Land Rover. She missed both vehicles but not those decorative bricks and she didn't even know that it!

It has been a very emotional week for me, watching him in pain all the time. I think I finally come to terms that we won't be growing old together. But only God knows.

A while back, on one of our stops to the VA office, they gave us a form for his life insurance that if we wanted to take half that we just have to ask his doctors to sign it. I didn't like the idea. I didn't like the thought of death. Dave wanted to do it so that we could pay everything that we owe. I had one of those moments of none stop crying the other night and had a lot of sad thoughts and one of them is his life insurance. I brought it up to him the next day but now he has mixed thoughts about it. He said that that money is for me and the girls but I told him that if we don't have any bills he wouldn't be so stress. I just want us to enjoy whatever time God has for us.

We were talking a while ago about our trips to Va. and so on. He said that it's getting hard on him especially on his back. He wants to go back to the Philippines one more time and go back to Ca. He likes to have his whole family here because it's fun when they are all visiting together. We talked about death which makes me cry everytime. I don't want him to leave me which is very selfish on my part.

Anyway, I really have a very nice kitchen! Dave is enjoying all the credits. He was the one who picked out the floor tiles, (I wanted marble floor, but I was out voted), the granite counter (cheaper than I wanted) and the back splash. He also decided on the lay out of the back splash which turned out very nicely.

Please continue on praying for Dave that we will have more years together so that we can enjoy our new kitchen. Thank you Marie for sending us cards and notes all the time.

I also had a good time playing cards with Dave's sisters and their mom last Easter Sunday. Thank you for always being there!

I also played poker that night and I won a lot of nickles and dimes. Took most of Scott's change!

Edith