Monday March 28th

Dave went to work again today, rested and then went to track practice. He was tired this evening but it was so worth it for him.
I called the Oncologist about Dave's UTI and they are not sure that he has had one. The antibiotics should have taken care of the symptoms and that is not the case. Since we do not have the scan report yet we may have to wait until Thursday. I have contacted our family dr. just in case we need a referral to a urologist. Sometimes blood counts from chemo can cause symptoms that appear to be a urinary tract infection, but nothing is abnormal enough to account for this either. He is not running a fever or feeling bad so I suppose we can wait until Thursday. The Cancer Center will run blood work and we will have all of the information from last week's scans....that should be enough to make a proper assessment. The symptoms that I see all point to Kidney involvement, but so far no one has asked me......guess we will get all of the information that we need on Thursday.
As always we appreciate all of your support and the random acts of kindness that come our way when we need it the most!
Blessings to all.....

Saturday March 27th

Janice and Tim Zerger (Dave's sister and brother-in-law) and Scott, our nephew came from Olathe today to visit. It was really great to see them...I really lucked out on the in-laws......just wish that we lived closer....
Dave was worn out..he slept most of the day and all night. I think going to work all day Friday really did him in....but he is ready to go back Monday for more.....
His feet and ankles are still really swollen....I will call the oncologist tomorrow and ask his opinion...we go in Thursday for our regular appointment.....he is still on antibiotic and no fever....so maybe it can wait???
Hope everyone had a great weekend and enjoyed the beautiful weather....Blessings to all...

Friday March 26th

Today was another good day. Dave went to school and I picked him up at about 3:30. He was really tired when he got home, but it was a good kind of tired. He really misses the kids and the staff at MSMS! He can rest up this weekend, thank goodness we have nothing on the agenda (except the K-state game).
I did yard work today so that we could just relax all day Saturday....it was windy but my yard is starting to look good.....it makes me hopeful that Spring really is around the corner.
Blessings to all....

Thursday March 25th

What a beautiful day.....loved the sunshine and mild temps!!
We had scans today, which will tell us if the chemo is being successful. Our consult with the oncologist will be next Thursday, so we are of course hoping for the best!
Todd Carter (our pastor) came over this afternoon, it is always good to visit with him, he is a source of strength and encouragement to us both. Todd is amazed at the numbers of people on Facebook, and the support from friends and family, Dave and I are very lucky........
Watched the K-State game tonight with Chris and Bailie...WOW...what an exciting game it was....Bailie is our K-Stater, Dave and I like to see the Kansas teams do well....Go Cats!
Hope everyone enjoys Friday....it should be another great day! Thanks again for all of the support....Blessings to all!

Wednesday March 24

We have loved the warm weather the last couple of days...sure wish it would stick around. Sunshine makes everything seem better!
Dave went to work yesterday and today. He is truly amazing....he then comes home and rests so that he can go to track practice. If the truth were told I think he gets tired of me!!! He needs the normalcy that being at school brings and I know that he misses everyone ...I am glad that he has been able to get back if only for a short term basis....Of course I never underestimate Dave's determination....Guess time will tell.....
He has developed a urinary tract infection which is making him uncomfortable. I am concerned too because his legs and ankles have begun to swell. Hopefully the antibiotic for the UTI will kick in soon. The swelling is another issue, we will address it at our next drs. appt. I sit at night and rotate his legs and ankles so that hopefully the muscles will not completely atrophy. He has no usage of his left leg and his right is not always reliable so we are very careful when we have to move anywhere.
We have a doctor's appt. at West Wichita tomorrow for blood work and body scan. The scan will determine how effective the chemo and the radiation have been. We have a consult with our oncologist on April 1st. He will go thru the scan report and we will discuss what our next course of action will be....this will be a very important appointment .....
Jack Thomas called this morning and is bringing us a pizza for dinner...we love the pizza from out there in Cheney.....sunshine or not...it is a good day!
Blessings to all......

Saturday March 20th

Today is Chris's birthday....Happy Birthday Chris....34 years old.....we hope that he had a good day...
We went to he Wichita Wild indoor football game tonight. John did the commentary and Dave helped feed him information ..it was really fun. We met Ernie and Jeannie and Chris and Bailie there. I had never been to Hartman Arena..it was a great place..
Dave came home and went to sleep, but it was cartainly worth it.....
Blessings to all...pray for Spring....

Thursday March 18th

We had chemo today and then Dave slept most of the rest of the day. His mom and aunt came over and went with us. They brought BBQ, potato salad, and 2 pies. What a help..I didn't have to try to come up with something for dinner.
While Dave slept, I worked in the yard. It was a beautiful day and being outside is such good therapy for me! Really wish it would stay nice. Chris and Bailey went to the KU game so Morgan (my granddog) played outside while I mowed.
We are watching the basketball games this evening, we both love March Madness. Our brackets are filled out and so far I am a couple of games ahead of Dave....that does not happen very often!
Blessings to all.....

Wednesday March 17th

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all of you....Happy Birthday to Pam Frazee today and to Bryce Guinn yesterday!!!!!
Patty Ruzich came over this morning and took Dave over to see Paul McGinty, who is the agony of defeat poster boy for skiing the slopes.....they met Schreiners there too. Dave and Patty said that they had fun...it was a good visit.
I went shopping for awhile....it was good to get out.....didn't buy any shoes but it was a good outing none the less......
We do chemo again tomorrow, and then scans next week. Dave continues to be such an inspiration to me. He faces every day with a positive attitude.....
Blessings to all....

Tuesday March 26th

John and Dave went out for a "Charlie's" burger today. It wiped Dave out, because he slept most of the rest of the day...but it WAS worth it. I had lunch with Susan Thoman..I loved catching up on news and just spending time with her. I miss my "teacher friends" especially when it comes to the girl talk!
Dave got an e-mail that Curt is coming back to Kansas on April 1st for a visit. It will be great to see him and to meet Mary......I would be nice to get Gary Turner down here too for a real get together.....
Blessings to all.....

Monday March 15th

We started the week off on a busy note. Dave had radiation first thing this morning and this afternoon we went to get our taxes prepared. Thought since I retired this year that maybe we should go to someone that really knows the "rules".
He is really tired tonight so I have the TV off and am enjoying the quiet while he sleeps. I never thought I would enjoy the sound of his snoring, but tonight the sound brings a comfort to the house and to me.........
Dave has chemo again on Thursday, but other than that no drs. appointments...YEA.....
He and John are going for their weekly burger adventure tomorrow and I am having lunch with two of my girlfriends.....looking forward to seeing them!!
Blessings to all......

Sunday March 14th

Dave and John did have a great time last night! It was good for Dave to be out and about...a little time away from me (Nurse Ratchet). John and Joan have been so good to us, and we both appreciate the friendship!
Marylin, thank you for your wise and encouraging words...I know that you have been thru the storm with Jenny, but she is proof that there is sunshine ahead for us all!
Blessings to all.....

Friday March 12th

We have had a very long week and we are both really tapped out tonight. We have had drs. appointments 4 out of the 5 days this week and they were 3 to 4 hours each time. It takes a toll on both of us physically as well as emotionally. We've been in our pj's since 6:00 tip off of the KU game....
Dave is going to go with John tomorrow night to help with the color commentary of the Wichita Wild football game. He is going to need his rest if he is to have the stamina for it...so I would like to request (lovingly) that you postpone visits tomorrow.....Dave gets really worn out... He has been looking forward to doing this with John and I would like him to be rested so that he can have a really great time! Thank you so much for being understanding.....
Once again today I was overwhelmed by the kindness of others.....we took our car out to Lubbers because we could not get the key out of the ignition...and today when Doug called to tell me it was ready he said that some "Pettay fans" had insisted on paying the bill for us....I know that Keith McMahan, Jack Thomas, and Doug Meyer had alot to do with this, but to the entire staff of Lubbers thank you so much. I can't begin to tell you how overwhelmed we were...
Blessings to all....I wish I could find the words to express the strength that you have given us through your friendship and your random acts of kindness!

Thursday March 11th

Today was a long day. We had chemo today, left the house at about 10:00 and got home at about 3:00. The time went a bit faster today since we had the KU game to watch...
Dave, Chris, and John went to the Wichita Wild Indoor Football practice tonight. Mike McCoy, the GM, was Dave's cooperating teacher in Haven years ago. It was fun for them to "reconnect". Dave is going to help John with the commentary at Saturday night's game.

Keep the Marasco family in your prayers during this time of sadness...
Blessings to all......

Wednesday March 10th

Dave had Cyber Knife radiation today. It is about a 3 hour process. So far no difference in motor abilities, but also very little pain....We drove there in a new Mustang we were looking good !!......our Fusion is being serviced and they gave me something to drive.....wow....sure is fun.....thank you Doug take your time with our Fusion!!!
Lee and Kip brought us Abuelos tonight for supper....YUMMY..we watched basketball...Jayden and I made rice crispy treats with cocoa crispies. He likes to bake cookies with me when he comes over.....and I just enjoy him.....
John B. dropped in for a while....he has been so good to us both....very supportive....
What great friends we have.......
Blessings to all.....

Tuesday March 9th

Our hearts are heavy today as we learned of the death of Carol Marasco. She was a beautiful lady.....Our thoughts and prayers go out to her family....
The last time I saw Carol was in Dillons, we had a nice visit about school and our kids. The last thing she said to me was that she loved Dave and I both and that she wished that she could make things better....then she hugged me and kissed my cheek. If you love someone tell them.....Life is a gift that should not be wasted.
Love and blessings to all and especially to Mike, Holly, Matt and Jake whose lives are forever changed.

Monday March 8th

Dave had his first Cyber Knife today, it lasted 3 hours. He fell asleep so I guess it was not too tramatic! He has appointments Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.....wow what a busy week.
Joan and John Blazek took him to a BB game at Koch Arena tonight. Chris and Bailey came over and ate dinner with us and they went too. I stayed home with Morgan (my granddog). It was a good night to stay in.....raining....
He continues to do well after the therapy, just tired. He does not complain.....wish I could do more for him......
Blessings to all.......

Saturday March 6th

Dave went to Cheney this morning with Kip and Leeann to shop for cars. He was really tired when he got home....slept thru the entire KU game, but it was worth it!
This evening we out to eat with Dave and Karen, Cayte and Matt....we went to Shorty Smalls, since that is where Chris works...had fun, but he is sound asleep and snoring as I write this blog....it is GOOD to see him tired for a reason.....We celebrate the fun days!!
Blessings to all.....keep those positive thoughts coming our way!

Friday March 5th

Dave woke up this morning feeling restless and wanted to do something. He called our neighbor, Dave Warn, and they headed out to Dave's storage shed in Goddard, where Dave Warn worked and Dave P....visited. It was good for them both because they have always been "partners in crime" and they both miss those times together. He is really wiped out tonight, but it was so worth it for him to be out and about today!!
Dave has been the one person in my life that I could always turn to for comfort. He has such inner strength and that quality has gotten us thru the obstacles that we have faced the last 25+ years. It is that strength that I continue to see every day as I watch him fighting the cancer and all of the pain and humiliation that the disease imposes on him. Christy Whipple sent me a quote today on facebook that I thought was worth passing on:

"The depths of the mind can fight like an armada unexplained by science".

That is what I witness every day.....may God be loving and kind in His decisions for our future......
Blessings to all.......

Thursday March 4th

Today was a really long day...it was our "chemo day". We left home at about 10:00 and got home at almost 3:30. Not only did we have chemo. but we had labs, and a consult with our dr. as well. I shared my concern that chemo and radiation could possibly cause nausea (and all that goes with it). With Dave not being able to walk, caring for him would be a nightmare for us both. Our Dr. reassured me that he really did not think the chemo was going to have that side effect due to the doses being administered. He feels that we should continue this round (2 more Thursdays) and then reassess after scanning. Those scans will give us definite answers as to whether the chemo is working. We can then decide how to proceed.
Dave was exhausted when he got home and slept most of the afternoon and evening. He will most likely sleep most of the day tomorrow as well.
On a positive note the wheelchair ramp was a real help!! It took at least one of my worries away.
Blessings to all.....lets hope for more beautiful weather this weekend!!!

Wednesday March 3rd

Dave went to the game in Augusta last night to watch Kip's Mavs play basketball. It was a man's night out, he went with our son and John Blazek...I think they all enjoyed the time over and back without "Blondy or Nurse Ratchet"....although I don't know how that could possibly be.........
We went to the Cyber Center this morning and Dave has been fitted with a "bed" that he will lie on for the radiation sessions...we have appointments next Monday and Wednesday. The last radiations did wonders to help his pain level, and hopefully these will add quality and improve his abilities as well.
It is increasingly hard for Dave to get around, and falling has been a big worry. I called Edd LaPlant yesterday to see if he had the time to build a ramp in the garage.( Edd put the stone on our house this summer, we got to know him and we really enjoyed the time that he spent here with us.) Edd was in our driveway this morning when we got home from the Cyber Center with his partner Pari Ungles. They put their other jobs aside and by 11:30 we had a ramp! What makes this so noteworthy is that neither of them would accept any money for doing this for us. It made me cry....we have had so many wonderful people helping us thru these days..A ramp may seem like a small thing, but I can hardly get Dave down the 2 steps of our house to get him to our car. This act of kindness will enable him to go with me when I run errands....he won't be so home bound, and I won't be afraid of dropping him! I don't know how to thank these men enough...but ...if you need some remodeling, tile, cement, building of any kind done....call me and I will give you their numbers. They are good at what they do, and as you can tell they are good people!!
We go in for labs, chemo and dr. consult tomorrow. It will be a long day. Our days are becoming increasingly more difficult. Dave and I pull from our faith and we have always found a great deal of strength in one another. Cancer will consume everything in your life if you let it....but we try each day to do something "cancer free"......We watch a movie, or play cards, sometimes just sit on our deck and hold hands....these are valuable moments for us.....so sometimes we find it necessary to take our phone off the hook......our time together is that important. It does not mean that we are unappreciative of your calls, but there are times when we just don't want to talk about cancer....that is why I blog.
All of you are blessings in our lives, we are dealing with alot right now, we need your friendship, but sometimes we need our privacy as well. I hope that you will understand this...

Monday March 1st

We had an appointment with our radiologist this morning. Although the last series of radiations did some good with respect to Dave's pain, we are going to step things up a bit by using cyberknife radiation in hopes of shrinking the cancer even more and hopefully making it possible for Dave to walk again. The dr. is making no promises, but this is the best shot we have at making things better. The dr. also went over the scan reports with us. The MRI of the brain shows involvement in several areas and of course the spine shows the most involvement which we knew. I know that it is hard for Dave to hear these facts, but he continues to stay positive.

Maize South began their track practices today and Dave was determined to be there. Our neighbor has loaned us a wheel chair which we packed in the car and he was able to go ...it was good for him to be with the kids and his fellow coaches! Hopefully he will make more of the practices now that he has the wheels to do so.

Our neighbor (Dave Warn) also brought over a scooter which really has some get up and GO....we are blessed to have Dave and Karen as our friends and our neighbors, they have been such a source of strength and understanding thru all of this....

John Blazek, our son Chris, and Dave are heading to the MSHS game tomorrow night...GO MAVS....so Dave is resting up tonight. We are both really tired. The phone is off the hook and we are getting some well deserved rest. The reality and the stress of these drs. appointments take a toll on us both.

Blessings to all and know that we appreciate all of your prayers...and your support....