Re: A Janet update..

[Guest guest]

That's weird as the neuprogen usually brings the counts right up. Oh well

give it another week and I'll bet they will be way up. one week is not a problem

and look at it this way she should be feeling fairly well for Christmas.

Stay warm and reasonably healthy

God Bless

Narice

[Guest guest]

Larry,

Sometimes time is the only thing that will get the white blood

count back up.

Something that I learned a while back - live. I think that one

of the things that people do upon getting or caring somebody that

gets cancer is realizing that maybe they've spent a lot of time

before doing things that were not really as important as they might

have thought they were at the time. So then they say, " Well, we're

going to live every day like it's our last. " But then treatments

come, and they put off living that lifestyle until the treatments

are over. Then they get cured and put off living that lifestyle

until later... and so on.

As things progress, at some point you will get into a routine

and on a large scale, you'll know what is and what isn't doable on

a specific day during the two week cycle. For example, I never

planned on a trip to Boston during week 1. Week 2, especially later

on in the week, it was game. But that is the big scale. On a small

scale, don't let it get in the way of living. Wake up in the

morning and live every day like its the last, whether its the first

day in the cycle or the last. Sometimes you'll accomplish all that

you wanted, sometimes you won't, so you can try again the next day.

If you do this, I guarantee that six months from now you and Janet

will look back and you'll truly be able to say that miracles happen -

you'll have experiences that you could never imagine happening with

something as terrible as what is currently going on. Days that you

would have expected to be awful will have turned out to be among the

best you ever had.

Merry Christmas - Joe

>

> Not much to write. Took Janet to the hospital this morning. They

> told her that the white blood count was low and that she had to

come

> back in a week for the chemo therapy. We had gotten ourselves

> physchologically up to deal with this over the Christmas Holidays

> and now that has been changed. I guess there is no need to plan

> anything around these things. We feel a little let down. However I

> guess we will try and handle it over the New Year Holiday. I guess

> the neupogen injections didn't work. Is there anything anyone

knows

> to elevate the white blood count?

> Larry

> Http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/JanetRGreen

[Guest guest]

Karima,

Try an keep a good thought.Find something to keep you distracted. Play with your

dogs, Find something on TV. Call a friend.Write to us. You are never alone, you

got us. But by all means try and have a good Christmas.

This is special for me. The kids can't believe I put up the tree this year and

helped with the decorations. The neighbors were surprised that I hung up garland

on our porch. I spent the day Christmas shopping with my fifteen year old son

and we never raised our voices at each other and we had a wonderful time while

little girl and mommy stayed home and wrapped gifts.Despite the difficulties

this one of our more special Christmas's.

We are so thankful for what we have.

My three words:

" PAT "

Patience

Acceptance

Tolerance

Have a great Holiday

Barbara Gari wrote:

Dear Joe,

Great Message to Larry and Janet and me too. I can't seem to do the " live " part

right now especially when I am alone at home. The alone part is all the time. No

one to lean up against, no one to hold hands with, no one to love me. Well,

that's not really true because my three dogs do fill in spaces.

I've gone through three broken marriages and was physically battered through two

of them and the last of 17was emotional passive aggressive abuse.

Of course I have been doing the singing for the seniors and did get back to

church; I am not even sure what I want out of life...more of it, or none of it.

I didn't make our last show last night and I know my dear friend was almost

angry with me. I know they think I can if I want to...but I just don't want to.

I am scared of how I live in my house doing almost nothing.

A lot of this inertia is from just getting to come to terms with a divorce after

17 years of marriage. When I asked my ex if he would come visit me in the

hospital, he said " not a chance in hell " .

I know I am whining; I am sorry. I know you have young children; I know, I know,

I know and yet.

I am really on the pity pot.

Must send this. Sorry.

Karima

Re: A Janet update..

Larry,

Sometimes time is the only thing that will get the white blood

count back up.

Something that I learned a while back - live. I think that one

of the things that people do upon getting or caring somebody that

gets cancer is realizing that maybe they've spent a lot of time

before doing things that were not really as important as they might

have thought they were at the time. So then they say, " Well, we're

going to live every day like it's our last. " But then treatments

come, and they put off living that lifestyle until the treatments

are over. Then they get cured and put off living that lifestyle

until later... and so on.

As things progress, at some point you will get into a routine

and on a large scale, you'll know what is and what isn't doable on

a specific day during the two week cycle. For example, I never

planned on a trip to Boston during week 1. Week 2, especially later

on in the week, it was game. But that is the big scale. On a small

scale, don't let it get in the way of living. Wake up in the

morning and live every day like its the last, whether its the first

day in the cycle or the last. Sometimes you'll accomplish all that

you wanted, sometimes you won't, so you can try again the next day.

If you do this, I guarantee that six months from now you and Janet

will look back and you'll truly be able to say that miracles happen -

you'll have experiences that you could never imagine happening with

something as terrible as what is currently going on. Days that you

would have expected to be awful will have turned out to be among the

best you ever had.

Joe

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