Christmas with Steve, Di and John!!! FINALLY

We put the tree up again this year! When we're traveling, this doesn't happen cause we're usually gone 2 days after Christmas.. Since we're going to be home this year...up went the tree! We even put some lights out on the new porch. The little boy next door told us that he calls those lights his "night lights". Hope that's a good thing!

John is now 2 1/2 years old....yes, I know, he's really growing up! We had a ball last night....he is just so much fun. He's so polite and well behaved...Steve and Di have done such a wonderful job with him. He said "Grace" for us at dinner and asked to be excused from the table! Steve made a delicious spaghetti pie and for dessert we enjoyed the ice cream cake. We sang Happy Birthday to Jesus...a new tradition that the kids want to do for John so he knows the real reason for the season. We ALL agreed that this was a very special Christmas for all of us.

Sunday Dec. 26, 2010 - The STORM IS COMING!!

Keith is doing good...the visiting nurse is to come today...and I hope she comes this morning. The storm that we all thought was going to miss us...is COMING any time now. We're to get 6 to 10 inches...the first snow of the year. I got up early and drove up to feed Brad and Vivien's cats...and I filled the car with fuel...$3.03 a gal.
When I arrived home I backed both cars under the car port and moved all the furniture on the new porch as close to the house wall as I could. I filled the bird feeders too. We have plenty of food and Keith is fine...so we'll be staying put...until tomorrow when we have to be at the hosp. at 1 p.m. for Keith's appt. IF it blows and drifts like they say (20-40 mph winds) ..Keith is going to ask Steve to take us to the hosp.

We didn't have Christmas with Steve, Di and John yest... Steve and Di weren't feeling well.. We felt it best to wait til they DO feel better. We were glad that they could just stay home and let John play with all his toys...oh to be 2 1/2!!! He was having a ball!

Wed. Dec. 22, 2010 - HE'S HOME!!!!

Thankfully Dr. DeVos came to Keith's room early today and took the 2 drain tubes out. Also removed 1/2 of the 27 staples! Keith and I were home by 11:30. All Keith could talk about was how thrilled Dr. DeVos was tellling Keith how perfect his surgery went....and how really glad he was to give him such good news. So many times the doctors have to give bad news:(
Keith has been eating regular food since Sunday and doing just great.
I can't tell you how good it is to have him home:) He's in his recliner answering the phone which hasn't stopped ringing:)
Hopefully, he'll get a good nights sleep.

Tues. Dec. 21, 2010 - DAY 5....

MORE GOOD NEWS!!! The lab results are in.....EVERYTHING IS CLEAR....Praise God!!
More answered prayer!!! Thanks to ALL!
Keith will be coming home tomorrow....as soon as the doctor makes his rounds and takes the 2 drain tubes out...Keith will be able to leave.
Thurs. the visiting nurses will start to come. They want us to be home bound for at least 2 to 3 weeks... Again, trying to avoid any illness.
Feel free to call: home:610-779-8692

Monday Dec. 20, 2010 - Day 4

Dr. DeVos checked in on Keith during lunch time.. He was pleased to see Keith eating everything....said IF nothing changes in Keith's condition...he'll be coming home on Wed.:) Doc. told us what a perfect surgery Keith had...only lost 1/2 pt of blood...and how amazed he was at the shrinkage in Keith's tumor. He also said that it was a plus that Keith was in good shape and not over weight.
Tomorrow the lab should have all the results back.....we are anxious to hear :)
Sorry this is short, but I'm really tired tonight..:)
More tomorrow...M

Dec. 19, 2010 - Just 3 days since the surgery

Wow...can't believe it's been 3 days since the surgery.....and Keith is just making great progress.
Today they unhooked him from the "pole" that had to go everywhere he went...
And he's on soft foods now. The only thing he needs removed are the 2 drain tubes.
He and I walked all around the 3rd floor area....that was the first time he did that without the pole...That wore him out.
Tomorrow the nurses will start teaching him how to take care of the ostomy.
He says to tell everyone HI...
Until tomorrows post........

Sat. Dec. 18th 2010

It was a GOOD day! Got a call from Keith at 8:30 a.m. He was eating/drinking a liquid breakfast! Told me he had a good nights' sleep too! He's now walking around (slowly) holding on to that "pole" without the watchful eye of the nurses. They took his catheter out and all is well there. His one nurse told him the first time he burped or farted she would do a funny dance. I guess it's a BIG DEAL when you burp and fart! Last night it happened and she did her dance:)
After the epidural wore off yest...they put in a morph drip, which he is using when he needs it.
All in all I think Keith's doing everything they're asking. It'll be interesting to see what the doctor has to say tomorrow morning when he checks on Keith....
It's hard to believe it's only been 2 days since he was in that operating room....to me it feels like longer than that.
Just one more week til Christmas! I'm sure Keith will be home with me and we'll be glad to have this part behind us.

Friday night - Dec. 17th 2010

When I arrived at Keith room today, I was surprised to find him in a private room. And, that only family is allowed to visit right now... All this to keep him safe from illness the best they can. IF there's going to be an infection, they say it's the first 5 days after the surgery. Even though you can't visit, Keith says his phone works:)
610-741-0469.
He looks good. They've helped him get up and walk about 30 ft to the nurses station and back. He must do this 3 times a day. Still no food....not for at least another day.
Keith says HI to everyone. I took the lap top to the hosp...and as the messages came in, I read them to him.
The doctors and nurses say he's coming along nicely....everything looks good.
Well, gang, that's what we want to hear. Now lets hope he can sleep tonight. Last night he didn't sleep much, and not because he had pain...he said he just watched t.v. and napped.
Let's see what tomorrow brings!

Friday Morning Dec. 17th 2010

Good morning to all...
Keith was still in recovery at 7:30 last night...The hosp. allowed Brad and me to see Keith for a few min. He LOOKED GREAT and was awake. He was in recovery longer because he had had stomach cramps.They upped his meds and he was feeling fine...just waiting to go to his room. We couldn't touch Keith and that was hard, but we were just glad to be allowed in the recovery room to see him.
The doctor had just been in to tell Keith the GOOD NEWS. Needless to say we were all very emotional.
When I got home, the phone rang - it was Keith calling to tell me he was in his room....someone must have helped him:) He said he was tired....I guess so.
All things are possible through Christ who strengthens us:)
Now, I'm off to the hosp...more news later...Thanks again for all the prayers...they were answered:)

GREAT NEWS!!!!

Keith was in the OR for 5 hours... At 3:30 the dr. called me from the OR and said that he couldn't be more pleased with how everything went. The chemo and radiation had done it's job...saying that the tumor originally might have been about the size of 1/2 dollar...but it was the size of a sun flower seed today. While he had Keith open, he checked everywhere and found NO cancer.
Dr. said for me to go home since Keith wouldn't be in his room for several more hours. As soon as I'm finished with this news, I will call to see where he is right now.
What WONDERFUL NEWS....and what a WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS GIFT!!!
We are so very grateful.....
Thanks again for all the prayers....they have been answered.

Wed. Dec. 15, 2010 - Day before surgery

As you can see, Keith is lookin' good:) Last Wed. we met with the surgeon and he is very pleased with Keith.
Still feels that he'll do very well... Then on Friday, we spent from 9 til 12 noon in the hosp. for pre-op testing.
We met everyone who will be taking care of Keith during and after the surgery.
So, here we are,.....the day before the surgery. Today is the "prep" day. We'll leave for the hosp. at 7 a.m. tomorrow. The surgery is scheduled for 9:40 a.m. as of now; that could change.
Diana and Brad will be coming to be with me from about 10:30 on. I'm told it might be late afternoon til Keith is finally in a room....
Feel free to check the blog or call..... Thanking EVERYONE for their prayers...God is with us!

Early Christmas with the KIDS!

Each year we celebrate Christmas early with Brad and Vivien as they leave for TN til after New Years'. The ONLY day that worked for all of us, before Keith's surg. was last Sat. morning. Keith and I made a huge breakfast to please everyone. Above is Di, John and Steve.

It was so much fun watching John realize what all this giving presents was all about. It only took one or two gifts and he was REALLY into it. Can you believe he's now 2 1/2 yrs. old?

Vivien and Brad got up early to be down at the house for breakfast. They've both been SO busy with their businesses. Vivien had to leave by 10:30 a.m. to take the photos for Pet Smart. She does a GREAT JOB and vol. LOTS of her time getting cats adopted. Brad was getting ready for Reading Highs Christmas Concert. Needless to say we are so very proud of ALL our kids.

John helped Papa by putting all the trash in the bag. Keith is feeling normal...looks normal.... had lots of fun today!