"Echoes of Heaven"

"Give praise to the LORD, call on God's name; make known among the nations what God has done.  Sing of him, sing his praises; tell of all his wonderful acts.  Glory in God's holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.  Look to the LORD and his strength; seek God's face always."  (Psalm 105:1-4)

One of our favorite things to do this summer has been the "sunset dinner cruise", so named by the lovely Crystal Benyo; she and Joe have been gracious and kind to share the pleasure of a ride on their boat on Lake Nacimiento, often just before sunset.  The kids often will ride the tube as we cruise along in the boat toward a secluded little beach that faces the setting sun; we will have packed a picnic dinner; we will sit on the beach and enjoy the yummy food and the beauty of creation at sunset; and my favorite part is the serenity of the silver lake as we ride back to the boat launch at dusk.  "Echoes of heaven", I know.  Jesus is whispering to me in the beauty of creation, by the love of family and friends, in the gift of life.

(Lake Nacimiento at sunset, Friday, September 17, 2010)

DJ begins cycle #10 of chemotherapy tomorrow, Monday, September 20.  My "stay-at-home" motherly duties, including 3 different school release times for our three precious children, will keep me from attending tomorrow's session with him.  Do you think that he will be lonely without me, or do you think that he will enjoy the "peace and quiet"?  :-)  Ha-ha-ha, I make myself laugh!  :-)  Thank you for your ongoing expressions of love and support for us, and for continuing to uphold our family and DJ in prayer; may he be filled with perseverance and faith and hope and grace and healing, according to God's good will.  And, "May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.  Amen."   (xoxoxo from HollyB) 

More of the same, more or less (emphasis on the "more")

Thank you so very much to all of you, the Bigelow fan club, who check this blog and pray for us and think of us and send love and affection our way.  Please pardon the lapse of time it has been since I have posted; "those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer" have given way to the hectic, filled-to-the-brim, busy-busy-busy but very good days of back-to-school.  I am blessed beyond measure to be a part of this family; and since the kidlets began the 2010/2011 school year last Monday, I have fallen exhausted into bed most nights at approximately 9:47 p.m.  :-)  What busy, fun, and groovy times these school days are!  How happy I am to be a "stay-at-home" mom, although I confess that I haven't stayed home for very many hours. Soccer practice and carpool and volunteering in the classrooms and other things keep me on the run!  And it is all lovely.  :-)  Here is a photo of Alexandra on the way to 7th grade, Brooke to 4th grade, and Caedmon ready for the first day of kindergarten.

Regarding DJ's treatment, I will now report:  for the most part, the pattern has held true for the most recent cycles 6, 7, and 8: DJ feels yucky for most of the first week after receiving treatment , and for the most part he feels well enough to return to work the second week of the cycle.  It seems that the negative side affects may be settling into his body a little more deeply each time, so that he feels more yucky and for a longer period each time.  For the last two cycles, treatments #7 and 8, he laid on the couch for 3 or 4 days hardly speaking or moving except to ask for something to eat and make grim faces when I suggested one thing or another.  On the 4th day of the cycles, he spoke!  And I thought, 'Oh, he must be beginning to feel slightly better.'  He tells me that in addition to the extreme fatigue, he is experiencing a weakness settling into his hands (particularly - I'm not sure of other body parts).  I know that we will be happy, happy, happy when treatment number 12 has come and gone and chemotherapy is a thing of the past!  If all goes according to schedule, that should be in late October. 

(Caedmon and DJ on the lake)

In the meantime, he is very excited about professional football and the four (4) fantasy football leagues in which he is participating; and he is at the beginning of the Paso Robles High School volleyball season, coaching the jr. varsity team.  Some have expressed their concern that he is trying to do too much, but my humble opinion and perspective is that doing something that he enjoys may help to pass the time more quickly until he is restored to full health.

Treatment #9 is scheduled for this coming Tuesday, September 7 (through Thursday, September 9; DJ sits for 4-6 hours at the Oncology/Hematology Associates of the Central Coast to receive the first part of the regimen; then goes home connected to a pump, a small device that administers the other part of the "mFOLFOX 6" prescription for the following 46 hours.  He returns to Oncology 2 days later to be disconnected from the pump).  I am ever so grateful for the ongoing encouragement you have given to us in the forms of prayer, well-wishes, prayer, meals, prayer, financial assistance, prayer, love notes, prayer, telephone calls, and prayer.  Thank you for supporting our family through this diagnosis/surgery/chemotherapy experience.  We are blessed beyond measure by your goodness to us!