http://www.pleonast.com/user/bigdeborah recent pleonast.com entries by user bigdeborah en-us http://www.pleonast.com/user/bigdeborah?l=5&entryID=614340 We are enjoying the holidays. We have been able to spend time with lots of family and friends; we had our first try at Rock Band, watched Humphry Bogart movies, ate lots of Blue Bell, and just enjoyed hangng out with family. At the same time, our loved ones who are going through trials are ever on our minds. I lay awake today, thinking of and praying for those I love, whose hearts are hurting. Matt. 5:4 blessed are those who mourn; for they shall be comforted Eccl. 7:1-15 wisdom and mourning Let's end this year and start the new year, looking to God more diligently. 2008-12-31 http://www.pleonast.com/user/bigdeborah?l=5&entryID=610068 Thanks for your prayers for my friend. She says she had a 'plan' (for suicide) but she seems to be doing better. I try to contact her at least once a day. She did send me an encouraging note telling me she realized she has been allowing too many things to stress her out and some things just aren't worth the worry. So, things seem to be looking up. Please continue to pray for her, as well as for those who have been affected by cancer, including 7 year old Nathan, Kim, Brice, my Great Aunt Joyce, 3 year old James, and my sis-in-law's mother. I had a good time with my niece and Mom here last week. We went to see the sea lions in SF, Rainforest Cafe, the beach, and she had her first try at ice skating at an outside rink in SF! She did good skating with me. Mom had a great time watching us go around the rink, P, J, and I all trying to avoid falling. :) We also went to see Bolt in 3-D. It was cute watching her crack up at parts, her whole body shaking and reaching out to try to gra... 2008-12-16 http://www.pleonast.com/user/bigdeborah?l=5&entryID=609330 DECEMBER 13, 2006 BEGAN AS AN ORDINARY DAY. PAUL WENT TO WORK, ME AND NATHAN TOOK MARISSA TO SCHOOL AND DID SOME CHRISTMAS SHOPPING. IT WAS A WEDNESDAY, SO WE ALL WENT TO WORSHIP SERVICES THAT EVENING. WE CAME HOME AND GOT THE KIDS READY FOR BED. WE WERE LIVING THE 'NORMAL' LIFE THAT IS SO EASILY TAKEN FOR GRANTED. AROUND 9:30 pm, OUR LIVES WERE DRASTICALLY CHANGED. NATHAN WAS PLAYING IN THE LIVING ROOM FLOOR, AND SUDDENLY FELL. WE THOUGHT HE HAD SLIPPED, AND PAUL SAW HIM LAND ON THE LEFT SIDE OF HIS FACE. HE CRIED OF COURSE, AND WE LOVED ON HIM (WHICH USUALLY MAKES IT ALL BETTER). HE BEGAN HOLDING HIS HEAD AND SAID IT HURT ON THE RIGHT SIDE. (LOOKING BACK NOW, I CAN'T IMAGINE THE AMOUNT OF PAIN & PRESSURE HE WAS EXPERIENCING). WITHIN A FEW MINUTES, HE VOMITED, SO PAUL AND I DECIDED TO TAKE HIM TO OUR LOCAL EMERGENCY CENTER (STILL HAVING NO CLUE AS TO WHAT WE WERE ABOUT TO FACE). AT THE ER, NATHAN WAS HARD TO KEEP AWAKE, AND WHEN THE DR. HAD HIM WALK, HE WAS 'DRAGGING' HIS LEFT LEG... 2008-12-14 http://www.pleonast.com/user/bigdeborah?l=5&entryID=607299 NATHAN'S TESTS WENT SMOOTHLY TODAY - WE ARE SO PROUD OF HOW HE HANDLES THESE THINGS SO WELL! WE WENT TO DR. SILVERMAN'S (SILLYMAN'S) OFFICE AFTER THE MRI. HE GOT THE MRI RESULTS FROM KOSAIR - THE 5 SMALLER TUMORS ARE STILL SMALL, BUT THE BIGGER ONE APPEARS TO BE A LITTLE BIGGER AND HAS SOME SWELLING AROUND IT. SO, NATHAN HAD ANOTHER 'FACE MASK' MADE AND A CT SCAN TO PREPARE FOR RADIATION TREATMENTS THAT WILL BE DIRECTED TO THAT ONE TUMOR. HE WILL HAVE FOUR TREATMENTS, STARTING TOMORROW THROUGH FRIDAY. PLEASE PRAY THAT THESE TREATMENTS HELP TO SLOW THIS TUMOR DOWN, BECAUSE IT IS PRESSING ON A MAIN ARTERY IN HIS BRAIN. IF IT CONTINUES TO GROW, IT WILL RESTRICT BLOOD FLOW TO THE LEFT SIDE OF HIS BODY AND DEFINITELY CAUSE SOME PROBLEMS. THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR LOVE AND PRAYERS. IT TRULY MEANS A LOT TO US, KNOWING THAT SO MANY PEOPLE CARE ABOUT US AND ARE FERVENTLY PRAYING. LOVE, MISSY Kim has had 2 chemo treatments. Please continue to pray for them. 2008-12-08 http://www.pleonast.com/user/bigdeborah?l=5&entryID=606872 ".....................................................................I downloaded something on my phone today and texted it to my friend, and she texted back and was like, 'for real??' and she told me she was havin a rootin tootin bootin Santa Clause party and that was pretty fun and then she texted me a word she made up and I can't even say it; it's such a silly word that she just made up. How funny is THAT?!?" -quote from my niece Payton -if you have ever met her and she got over her shyness around you, you understand why there are so many ...... before the story starts. one more... Looking out the window at the airport... Payton: What's that? My mom: It's a truck that fills the airplane up with gas. Payton: EWWWW!! Airplanes toot??? 2008-12-07 http://www.pleonast.com/user/bigdeborah?l=5&entryID=605334 We drove this portion in May: PCH from tha LBC to SF We drove this portion over Thanksgiving weekend and had a yummy meal together at Claim Jumper. I know what you are thinking, "You didn't get to be with family??!" but we had a great weekend and we were with each other, so we WERE with family! We are blessed to see our family fairly often throughout the year and later this month, we will get to go to TX and KY! :) PCH from Astoria, OR to SF random comment: the Comcast commercials with the turtles make me laugh. :) Message from the Ings: NATHAN HAD BLOOD WORK DONE AT HIS PEDIATRICIAN'S OFFICE THIS MORNING...AND HIS COUNTS ARE STILL STABLE! YAY! NO TRANSFUSIONS NEEDED, AND HOPEFULLY NO GREATER RISK FOR INFECTIONS (SINCE HIS WHITE COUNT IS HOLDING ITS OWN)! NEEDLESS TO SAY, WE'RE HAPPY :-) AND THANKFUL TO GOD FOR ANOTHER DAY OF BLESSINGS. 2008-12-02 http://www.pleonast.com/user/bigdeborah?l=5&entryID=602753 I have a friend (I have only met her once but we email often, especially about spiritual matters). She has had a very hard life. I just received a note from her online. She seems suicidal. I tried to contact her, but she does not want to talk, so I sent her a message encouraging her to live for God. Please pray for her. **update: she did respond later, but only a very short response, including that her "plan" probably won't work. Maybe she is just starved for attention. I hope that is all it is, and I hope she gets the attention she needs. As my brother pointed out, let's not take for granted those of us who have wonderful families and friends to support us. There are many people who do not have the support system we have. 2008-11-24 http://www.pleonast.com/user/bigdeborah?l=5&entryID=601619 Please continue to keep Nathan and Kim in your prayers. Kim--goes to the doctor this week to have blood work done and to make preparations for her next round of chemo. Nathan--I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT NATHAN WAS ABLE TO FINISH HIS FIVE DAY DOSE OF TEMADOR (THE NEWER CHEMO)! WE MIXED THE MEDICINE WITH 3 OZ. OF THE 'OLD FAITHFUL' SUNNY D, DIVIDED IT AMONG THREE 7 OZ. BOTTLES OF SUNNY D (TO DILUTE THE NASTY TASTE), WHICH HE DRANK OVER THE COURSE OF EACH DAY. HE NEEDED 1 ZOFRAN EACH DAY FOR SOME NAUSEA, BUT THANKFULLY HE DIDN'T GET SICK. THIS MEDICINE WILL MOST LIKELY CAUSE A DROP IN BLOOD COUNTS (TAKES ABOUT 3 WEEKS AFTER THE MEDICINE IS TAKEN), SO PLEASE PRAY THAT NATHAN'S WHITE BLOOD COUNT DOESN'T GET TOO LOW. THANKFULLY, IF ANY OF HIS COUNTS DO DROP TOO MUCH, WE LIVE IN AN AREA WHERE HE CAN EASILY GET TRANSFUSIONS AND GREAT MEDICAL CARE. I WANT TO SAY 'THANK YOU' TO GOD FOR BLESSING ME AND PAUL WITH ANOTHER YEAR OF LIFE AS MAN & WIFE. WE CELEBRATED OUR 15TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY YE... 2008-11-21 http://www.pleonast.com/user/bigdeborah?l=5&entryID=598297 COULD ANYONE USE SOME GOOD NEWS? WE GOT A MUCH BETTER REPORT FROM THE DR. TODAY THAN WE HAD EXPECTED! NATHAN HAS NO NEW TUMORS, I REPEAT 'NO NEW TUMORS'!!!! HE STILL HAS 6 ON HIS BRAIN AND 1 ON HIS SPINE. THE 1 ON THE SPINE IS STABLE. FIVE OF THE 6 ON HIS BRAIN ARE STABLE (about the size of a pencil eraser). ONE HAS GOTTEN SLIGHTLY LARGER, BUT IS ONLY A LITTLE LESS THAN 2 CENTIMETERS. THIS IS THE ONE THAT IS PUSHING ON THE ARTERY, BUT WE DON'T KNOW YET IF THEY WILL NEED TO DO THE ANGIOGRAM. WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE THE LIQUID CHEMO, AND REALLY TRY HARD TO GET HIM TO TAKE THE CAPSULES (TEMADOR). DR. A WANTS TO TRY THIS MED, BECAUSE IT IS NEWER AND HAS HAD GOOD SUCCESS AGAINST OTHER BRAIN TUMORS. SO PLEASE PRAY WE CAN FIND A WAY TO GET NATHAN TO TAKE IT! NATHAN WILL HAVE ANOTHER MRI ON DEC. 8TH, SPECIFICALLY TO CHECK THE LARGER TUMOR. HE WILL HAVE A CT SCAN THE SAME DAY AT DR. SILLYMAN'S OFFICE. IF THE LARGER TUMOR IS CONTINUING TO GROW, THEY CAN GIVE RADIATION THAT IS PINPOINTED TO THAT... 2008-11-11 http://www.pleonast.com/user/bigdeborah?l=5&entryID=597957 Note from Missy: (Saturday, Oct 8) WE GOT A CALL FROM NATHAN'S ONCOLOGY OFFICE TODAY. THEY GAVE US SOME INFO FROM THE WRITTEN REPORT OF THE SCANS. THE TUMOR ON HIS SPINE APPEARS THE SAME. THERE ARE SOME SMALL PLACES THAT ARE GONE, BUT THERE ARE ALSO SOME NEW LESIONS (DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YET). SEVERAL SPOTS HAVE INCREASED (DON'T KNOW BY HOW MUCH YET), BUT AT LEAST ONE HAD DECREASED. THERE IS A TUMOR ON ONE OF THE ARTERIES IN HIS BRAIN. THIS ONE HAS INCREASED, SO IT CAUSES SOME CONCERN ABOUT BLOOD FLOW IN THAT AREA. HE MAY NEED AN ANGIOGRAM TO CHECK THE AMOUNT OF BLOOD FLOW. WE HAVE AN APPT. FOR TUES. AT DR MORIARTY'S OFFICE, SO WE CAN VIEW THE SCANS AND LET THE DOCS EXPLAIN WHAT ALL OF THIS MEANS. SO, IT WASN'T GREAT NEWS, BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE. ALL THE TUMORS COULD HAVE INCREASED AND A LOT MORE COULD HAVE APPEARED. WE TOLD NATHAN HIS TUMOR ISN'T GONE, SO HE WILL NEED TO CONTINUE TO TAKE HIS ORAL CHEMO. HE'S FINE WITH THAT, HE JUST DIDN'T WANT ANYMORE SURGERIES. ******PLEASE... 2008-11-10