Oh Come let us adore Him.
Sunday, December 25, 2005
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Checking in and thanks!
Gee, it's been forever since I have written, so I thought I should do an entry so you all didn't think I had passed on or something. Actually, I shouldn't say that, that is not very funny. I haven't written because I have been in a terrible dry spell. And because I have been in a terrible busy spell. As most of you know John has been in the hospital. I have been very busy with that and with doing things to prepare for his upcoming bone marrow transplant.
So I thought I should do an entry and check in. Except I don't know what to talk about, lol. I just wanted you all to know I am still here! I am still having writer's block and can't think of anything profound to say. Just know that I love you all more than you know.
This I can say, your support for John and me during this difficult time touches me and I love you from the bottom of my heart. I can not begin to express what it means to me. All of you who have been there for me and John in one way or another know what I am talking about. ;) Yes, that is what I wanted to get on here and say.
Love you all, Krissy :)
Thursday, December 1, 2005
Monday Morning Question (Comin' at ya on Thursday Morning)
Monday Morning Question:
Fruitcake. Doorstop or delicious?
Delicious, of course.
This Week's Hunt
Attention everyone! We are going to start something new starting this coming Sunday. The Photo Scaventer Hunt will be housed at Betty's journal called Of mini-paws and menopause.
I won't be able to do the photo hunt myself for awhile because I am helping John get ready for his bone marrow transplant. And then of course I will be at the hospital in Hershey for awhile with John while he gets the transplant. Betty has so graciously offered to run the Photo Scaventer Hunt until I am able to return to doing it. She is also going to do the Monday Morning Question. Please put her journal on your alerts!
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Now on to the Scavenger Hunt for this week:
This Week's Photo Scavenger Hunt (#52) will be due on Sunday, December 4, at 11 PM EST.
When you have completed your entry, please leave a link to it in the journal Of mini-paws and menopause. Do not leave the link to your entry in my journal.
Category: Gift
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Just a final note. We are on week 52. Wow. A whole year has gone by!!! Thanks for playing along! It hasbeen so much fun. Love, Krissy :)
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Entries for Scavenger Hunt #51
Category: Thanksgiving or Something I am Thankful For
swmpgrly did fridge
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Oh wow!
Well here it is Monday night, really Tuesday morning. I thought I would have the Scavenger Hunt photo links posted a couple of hours ago and I don't. I apologize. I have been super busy. And now I have to go to bed. I have a doctor's appointment early in the morning. And so does John. So I will definitely get to it tomorrow (on Tuesday). Thanks for being patient, especially to all of you who participated in the Hunt. Krissy :)
Monday, November 28, 2005
Sorry I'm late
Sorry I didn't get the Scavenger Hunt or the Monday Morning Question up yet. My life has been quite hectic lately. I will try to have them up by tomorrow morning. Krissy
Monday, November 21, 2005
Monday Morning Question
Monday Morning Question:
What things make Thanksgiving special for you?
John and I being together, eating a nice Thanksgiving feast together that God has provided us, guarding our cat Michael from stealing the giblets for the gravy, watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, watching football
This Week's Hunt
This Week's Photo Scavenger Hunt (#51) will be due on Sunday,
November 27, at 11 PM EST.
When you have completed your entry, please leave a link to it in the comments section below.
Category: Thanksgiving or Something I am Thankful For
Entries for Scavenger Hunt #50
Category: Fridge
Thank you all so much for playing along. This was so much fun! Love, Krissy :)
Saturday, November 19, 2005
John's transplant will be in January
Hi, I am back posting. I have had trouble even posting because of the whole banner ad thing. I couldn't post for two days and so I did what was suggested by AOL. I cleared my cache and rebuilt my adapter. This has caused major problems with my computer. I won't go into all of them now, but I am very upset.
I don't want to deal with the whole ad situation right now, or my previous inability to post. I have too much going on in my life to deal with it. I am going to post what I need to right now and deal with the ads and my opinions on my problems posting at a later date. Please bear with me.
So what is it that I am dealing with now? Or should I say, what is John dealing with?
On Thursday, Nov 17, John and I went to (Hershey) John's Transplant Center to see John's oncologist. Dr. Claxton, his oncologist, said that if he didn't get a bone marrow transplant there is a 100% chance of John getting AML (MDS leukemia) during his lifetime, with a 50% chance of getting it within a year. That is why Dr. Claxton has decided that John's transplant will be in January. He will have one more appointment on December 22 at which point we will find out the exact date in January that the transplant will take place.
One thing that was unexpected was that John found out he will be having a Non-ablative transplant instead of an ablative transplant. One thing that means is he will be having less chemo with fewer side effects. The Non-ablative transplant also has a much greater chance of survival, instead of the twenty to forty percent death rate of the ablative transplant.
It also means that John will have a shorter stay in the hospital , but we will still have to stay in Hershey for four to five weeks so John can have daily outpatient care. During the outpatient time, he will go to the hospital during the day, but at night he will be able to come back to the Hope House at night and spend the nightwith me! The Hope House is a place like a Ronald McDonald House. It is directly across from the hospital.
John is relieved that he is having this transplant as opposed to the other one. However, he is not kidding himself; it is going to be rough. He will still have to have high dose chemotherapy. It will last for 16 hours a day for three days.
We are not sure what else is involved. I have looked on the internet trying to research Non-ablative transplants and have not come up with much information. They are a relatively new procedure.
Well, thanks for letting me share.
Love, Krissy
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
One Two Three Testing
This is a test to see if I can post in my journal.
Testing, testing, one two three testing.
Monday, November 14, 2005
Monday Morning Question
Monday Morning Question:
What important thing are you working on at this point in your life?
Helping my husband prepare for a transplant
This Week's Hunt
This Week's Photo Scavenger Hunt (#50) will be due on Sunday,
November 20, at 11 PM EST.
When you have completed your entry, please leave a link to it in the comments section below.
Category: Fridge
Entries for Scavenger Hunt #49
Category: Harvest
Thank you all so much for doing this. I know the topic was real hard this time! But your photos were fabulous! I promise it will be easier this week, lol. Love, Krissy :)
Monday, November 7, 2005
Monday Morning Question
Monday Morning Question:
What about your family are you thankful for?
There are so many things. I think the thing I am most thankful for is their generosity. When I need something they are there for me. Not just materially, but in every way. And for that I thank them.
This Week's Hunt
This Week's Photo Scavenger Hunt (#49) will be due on Sunday,
November 13, at 11 PM EST.
When you have completed your entry, please leave a link to it in the comments section below.
Category: Harvest
Entries for Scavenger Hunt #48
Category: Photo of your choice
Thank you all for joining in. These were great!
This is my Concession Speech
Now that the Vivis are over, I just wanted to say a few things. First, I would like to congratulate the Vivi winners. You all write exceptional journals. It is okay that I did not win a Vivi Award, just being among you was a great experience.
I would like to thank Jesus. Without Him my life would be meaningless.
I want to thank you, my readers. You who read me, you who nominated me. You are such an important part of my life. You mean so much to me. And to John. You have become more than just readers, you have become a support system to us. We are forever grateful.
Thanks a lot, Krissy :)
Saturday, November 5, 2005
My dress for the Vivis
It's just a few more hours to the Vivi Awards Ceremony. So I guess I will get ready, lol.
Told you I was wearing red! And doesn't John look dapper in his suit? Even Michael got a new tux out of the whole thing, with a beautiful purple bow tie! I don't care whether or not Kitty is allowed in to the Vivis, he IS coming in with us, as he is part of my family. I will try to keep him off of ya'lls plates of food, lol. No, he is an obedient kitty, really!!!
Oh, I forgot, just in case I need some earrings, or a purse, I picked these up. If I don't use them tonight I can use them for the next dress up event I go to. I get to go out now at least every month (ya right, in my fantasy life, lol). So here are my accessories for tonight, straight from Frederick's of Hollywood:
Well, I guess I better go, I still have to do some last minute things. Hope everyone has a fun time tonight! Love, Krissy
John's appointment moved up
I haven't done an entry since Monday. I've been in pain all week and have not been able to do it. Some days my back just spasms out of control bringing excrutiating pain. I saw a physical therapist three times this week. Yesterday I finally got a therapist that really knew what she was talking about. She taught me how to fight against the spasms, by moving into them when they occur. Gee, this makes such a huge difference when they grip me suddenly! Why didn't the other therapists show me this? So even though I hurt, those big spasms don't make me scream anymore.
What else is new? Yesterday kind of brought a surprise. Dr. Claxton's nurse called from Hershey and said that after John's biopsy slides went to cytogenetics at the Mayo Clinic, that Dr. Claxton has decided he wants to see John on Nov. 17 instead of waiting till Dec. 1. Apparently something serious was found upon analysis of the slides. Wow, I wonder what it could be? She is of course not allowed to tell us, but phoned us to come in on Nov. 17 as Dr. Claxton had asked her to. So it looks like John is on the fast track to get the transplant...
On to a much lighter note, tonight I am going to sit at the computer and attend the Vivi Awards. Later on today I will be doing an entry to show you what I am going to wear to the Vivis tonight. I can't say much, other than I will be wearing red, lol! I also need to write my speech this afternoon so I can put it in my journal tomorrow. I know it won't be an acceptance one, but that doesn't matter. I love all of you so much in J-Land and I want to thank you. I love, love, love you guys!
Okay, talk at ya'll soon. Love, Krissy :)
Monday, October 31, 2005
Monday Morning Question
Monday Morning Question:
What about you irritates people?
My directness is appreciated by a lot of people, but to some people it is irritating!
How about you?
This Week's Hunt
This Week's Photo Scavenger Hunt (#48) will be due on Sunday,
November 6, at 11 PM EST.
When you have completed your entry, please leave a link to it in the comments section below.
Category: Photo of your choice
Sunday, October 30, 2005
Mocktails
I awoke this morning with tears streaming down my face. WHEN is this pain going to end, and how did I possibly stand it before I got the pain meds and and muscle relaxants a few days ago? I can't even fathom. Oh well, the pain has to end eventually. So I swallowed some pills and got on here. I am not one to stay in bed too long, lol...
So today is Sunday. Sunday is my favorite day of the week. The day I go to church and worship the Lord. The day that I take all day to concentrate on Him. Not that I don't do that other days, that is silly. But I have more time on Sundays to set aside to do Bible reading and such.
So tomorrow John and I have a "fun night" planned. It was ordered for us to have by one of his "chemo angels". She sent us a DVD to watch, and some classical music to listen to. She also sent us some candy. John's other chemo angel sent us a Wallace and Gromit movie. I love Wallace and Gromit! This one is called "The Wrong Trousers"! So we will have movie night.
I was also thinking about making some "mocktails". I have a few recipes that I found online:
Non Alcoholic Pina Coladas
1 (8 oz) can crushed pinapple (or use fresh)
2 1/2 cups vanilla ice milk or ice cream
1 teaspoon rum extract
coconut milk to taste (or you can use coconut extract)
1 tablespoon sugar
Directions: Place all ingredients in blencer. Add ice. Blend until smooth. Serve immediately.
Virgin Mary
6 oz. of tomato or V8 juice
1/2 oz. lemon juice
2 dashes Worcestershire Sauce
3 drops Tobasco Sauce
salt and pepper to taste
celery stalk
Directions: Shake with ice and strain into chilled glass. Add celery for garnish.
So that's about it for what we have planned. And by the way, does anybody have any suggestions for good movies to watch? We are thinking of maybe taking in another one this week. You can rent them very cheaply here. What are you all's favorites?
Krissy :)
Saturday, October 29, 2005
Vivi Voting
If you haven't voted yet, you can cast your vote for the Vivis through 11:59 pm Sunday, Oct.30.
http://viviawards.bravehost.com/votenow.html
If you would like to vote for SometimesIThink, it has been nominated in the category of Most Inspirational Journal. ;)
You are not required to vote in every category, if you'd like to vote for me.
Check back at a later date for either my acceptance or concession speech, lol.
Love you all, Krissy :)
Friday, October 28, 2005
Chelsea surprised us!
Chelsea - My sister Val's daughter
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So here I am after a few days, writing an entry. It has been a few because I have been in such tremendous pain. I have been in bed a lot. Yes, I cheated and got on the net some (I can't stay in bed all the time!), but I have been on some bed rest too. The muscle relaxants and my looopy pills have cut down the pain about half. And I start physical therapy on Tuesday. That should be fun. How am I going to find the time to go to therapy three times a week?
Let's see, what else is new? John's oncologist's nurse called. She said John's oncologist was going to send his bone marrow biopsy slide results to the Mayo Clinic so they can look at them. They are going to look at the cyogenetics. Whatever that means. Wow, the Mayo Clinic.
Meanwhile, in my household, there are three birthdays this week! Happy birthday to my sister Therese, my brother Carl, and my sister Valerie. May this coming year be everything you want it to be plus more.
Yesterday was my sister Valerie's birthday. Last night Chelsea showed up. Chelsea is Valerie's 19 year old daughter. She just walked in and surprised her Mom! Valerie was so excited that she cried and laughed, she said. Chelsea will be here for a week, so I plan on seeing her. My sister Therese is here too, so I want to spend some time with her also. It will be so nice doing some family things. Hopefully John will wake up and be able to join us for some activities this week. He is asleep right now and it is 6 PM...
Well, I need to get off of here and do some things. Hope everybody is doing well. Love you all lots, Krissy :)
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
I didn't block you, my dears!
If you are a reader of my private journal "John's Journey With MDS", and are unable to get into the journal, please put a comment in the comment section below and let me know, or email me. I just went to the MDS journal and noticed that about 50 of my readers have been removed from the list. I am horrified as I don't remember the names of all my readers, so I don't know who to invite again.
Please know that I would never block any of you. I am really beside myself right now.
Yes, I should be in bed with my back and all, but I slept all day, and just came on the computer to check something out. And I am glad I did, because I received an email tonight from a journaler saying that they couldn't get into the MDS journal. When I went and checked and noticed half of my readers had been dropped, my heart sunk . I have heard other creators of private journals say their readers have also been wiped out, so this must be a common occurence. So I am off to fire a letter to Joe journalseditor and let him know what has happened.
Like I said, if you want to be added back, and you can't get in, leave a comment in the comments section, or leave me an email.
Love you lots, Krissy :)
PS I just checked my other private journal - "Krissy Is Thin Within". That is missing over half it's readers. If you want added back to that one, let me know. Please specify which journal you would like to be added back to. Thanks. Krissy :(
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Get up on the bed!
Today started out beautifully. When I awoke, I noticed large white snowflakes falling to the ground. Wow, the first snowfall of the year, I mused. I wanted to run and get my camera and take some shots. But then I became aware of the gripping spasms in my back and knew I wasn't going to take any photos at all. Actually the spasms have been hurting me severely for three days, and I had called the doctor on call in the middle of the night last night and he told me to call my primary doctor first thing this morning. So I called this morning and his office said they would call me back today.
When nobody had called me today, I called back at 4:30 and asked why nobody had called. After talking over my symptoms with me, (and me crying into the phone because of the pain), the doctor's office told me to go to the ER.
At the hospital the triage nurse asked me some questions,
and then took me back to a room and told me to get up on a bed. My back was burning and spasming. Whenever I had a spasm my back would grip up and then I would be wracked with pain. Anyway, she quickly told me to get up on the bed and then she left. John sat down in a chair. I stared at the bed. It was high. My body had waves of pain going through it. I couldn't maneuver myself up onto the bed and turn around. I was thinking, "Don't you get it Lady, I am in pain!" I told John I couldn't make it onto the bed, that the bed was too high. He told me he would go get somebody to help out. He came back with a nurse. She looked and said, "We can't make it any lower, that is as low as it will go," and then she walked away. I started thinking, "Don't you get it Lady? I am in pain, my back is spasming. This is ludicrous. I can't climb up there. You won't help me. I can't stand here with my back spasming? Can you say PAIN??? Can you not at least help me to a chair or the floor while my back spasms???" Then I couldn't stand the pain any longer and I just burst into sobs. I mean I really sobbed. So much for bravery. Maybe it was because I didn't know how long I would have to stand there and I couldn't go out there and ask them again to get me into the bed. I was in too much pain to even walk out there and ask for help.
This time another woman heard my sobs and came running. She had a stool. "Let me help you get in bed," she said. She put the stool down and helped me climb in. I knew there was a solution to that "We can't lower the bed" problem! She asked me if I could get in with the stool. I told her I could if I went very slowly, and I did.
Shortly the Physician's Assistant came in. He did some tests on me. He wrote me a script for some muscle relaxants, and some loopy-loop medication. He also prescribed bed rest for four or five days (no, I am not supposed to be on here, lol), heat, and massage. If I am not better if five days I am supposed to go to my Primary Care Physician. Now, how am I supposed to stay in bed when I have so much to do?
So anyway, if I get on here and my entries are loopy-loop, or I leave loopy comments in your journals, you will know why, lol. Just thought I would warn ya.
Well, that's about it. Hope everyone is having a good day. ;)
Monday, October 24, 2005
Two donors!
Wow I'm ecstatic today. I can't contain it. After months of wondering if John would find a donor for his bone marrow transplant, I found out he has two donors. Two. That's right, two! I called his Transplant Specialist's nurse today. She told me the news. She said both donors were a "perfect match"! A perfect match means ten identifiers match. Ruth (the nurse) said that if there is more time before John's transplant is to take place, she will have time to
examine other things within each donor's makeup, including their blood type, thereby determining the very best donor for John! She also said that one of the donors could be used as a back up for him!
I remember an entry I did when I first found out John needed a donor. I was a little discouraged back then. It was predicted that there was an 80% chance that he would get a donor. I thought, wow, I just know it, he will be in the 20% that will never get one, and he will just die. Because he has had such bad luck. I wasn't thinking positive at all.
Well today I feel real good. There is always a reason to think positive! As a matter of fact, I feel this is downright miraculous that John got a donor this quickly. I have gone on message boards and I have never found anyone who has found two donors in this amount of time. Actually, I have never met anyone who has found one donor in this amount of time! I really believe God is behind this. Not that God isn't helping somebody who didn't find a donor right away. I just feel like John is supposed to have a donor. And I am glad he has two. What a relief! I told John today that this is of course better than winning the lottery. It is a chance to save his life. And I believe he will live.
Thank you all who have been praying. And who have been staying with me and listening through all these twists and turns. You are the best! Love you lots, Krissy :)
Monday Morning Question
Monday Morning Question:
Given the chance, what would you tell somebody going through high school right now to help him in his life?
My answer: That being popular is not important. That having the popular kids like you is not important. That some day it all won't matter if the popular kids thought you were important or not, because they may not be the popular ones in life at all, and that you will soon find lots of friends after high school.
Why am I picking this answer? Well, I wasn't in the popular crowd, I was the one picked on by them some of the time. Hey, kids can be cruel. But times change. And that is something I would never have believed. Things changed very quickly after high school ended, and this is what I would want to pass on. I would tell the unpopular kid to just hang in there.
What is your answer? What would you tell somebody going through high school?
This Week's Hunt
This Week's Photo Scavenger Hunt (#47) will be due on Sunday, October 30, at 11 PM EST.
When you have completed your entry, please leave a link to it in the comments section below.
Category: Cute
Saturday, October 22, 2005
Volunteer Job
I wanted to say congratulations to all who have been nominated for a Vivi Award. I am very surprised that I was nominated for Most Inspirational Journal. That is all I will say about that. Except thank you all who voted for me. It is such a great honor. Thank you, thank you.
A few weeks back I mentioned that I was in a Cancer Survivor's group. It is for Cancer Survivors and their spouses. Well, I just wanted to mention that they created a really cool volunteer job for me!
What the volunteer work entails is going into the oncology unit at the oncology department near my home and doing crafts with the patients while they get their chemo.
First let me say this is a really nice oncology unit. It is a very nice atmosphere there. Yes, it is HORENDOUS going through chemo (when John had Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma I went with him every time he had a treatment), but this oncology department tries to make it as comfortable as possible. There are wonderful chairs for the patients to sit in while getting chemo, and tables in front of the chairs. The patients can do things while sitting there and waiting for the chemo to be done (John's chemo used to take three or four hours to complete). They can even eat if they are not too nauseous. I used to bring lunch and drinks in for John because he was able to eat! Also, each person has his own TV to watch at his chair.
At any rate, The Cancer Survivor's organization got the idea that we could go in there and do crafts with whomever wants to while they are receiving chemo. We have several projects in mind.
We have two purposes to have somebody go in and do projects with those getting chemo. The first is to have the patients have something fun to do to keep their mind off the chemo. (Not that they can really keep their mind off of the chemo, but we hope to keep them a little distracted.) The second is to tell them about our Survivors group, in case they want to come, or get any services from us. We want to provide any services to them that they want.
Well, I am excited about this, and amazed that they picked me out of everybody to do this. If I don't do it alone, then I will be the director of everyone who does it.
One thing that will be hard is that I will have to work around the times that John needs his medicine and care. I will either tell them I will have to go early morning before I have to wake him for his first dose of medications, or after 12 noon when he takes his second dose and goes back to bed. And before he needs to each lunch and get hydrated. The timing will be tricky, but John is my first priority. Maybe I will only do it once or twice a week, for a couple of hours. I will tell them WHEN I can do it.
Another thing depends upon when John will have his
bone marrow transplant. If it is soon, the whole thing is going to have to wait a year until after he has it. Because he will require a year of care at home. We shall see. I will make it work out.
Well, that's about it for now. Hope you all are doing well. Love you all, Krissy :)
Thursday, October 20, 2005
Bone Marrow Biopsy
Well, we survived. Awhile ago John and I got back from Hershey Medical Center where John had a check up with his oncologist. The check up turned into a bone marrow biopsy. This is a painful procedure in which the oncologist removes some bone marrow from the patient. This time they gave John two atavan, morphine, and a bunch of local anesthetics. He has had bone marrow biopsies done four times before at a different hospital. The Hershey staff was surprised to learn that the other hospital did not use atavan or morphine. This time, due to the medication and the Hershey doctor's greater experience, the procedure hurt John a lot less.
John's oncologist (transplant specialist) asked him to call in one week to get the results of the bone marrow biopsy. The biopsy should indicate the progression of his bone marrow cancer, and help to determine when the transplant needs to be done. Barring an emergency, John doesn't have to come back for six weeks (Dec. 1).
Now that the appointment is finally over, John is feeling relieved. He says the anticipation was worse than the
procedure itself. And feeling good on the morphine is not hurting him either right now, lol.
I will give a further update when we have the results from the bone marrow biopsy.
Take care you all, Krissy :)
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
Monday Morning Question
Monday Morning Question:
What are two things that you bring to a friendship?
Me: loyalty and encouragement
What is your answer?
This Week's Hunt
This Week's Photo Scavenger Hunt (#46) will be due on Sunday, October 23, at 11 PM EST.
When you have completed your entry, please leave a link to it in the comments section below.
Category: Color of your choice
Entries for Scavenger Hunt #45
Category: A few small items I find necessary
firestormkids04 did Autumn
robinngabster did My Favorite Bracelet
valphish did My Favorite Bracelet
Thank you all for participating. It was neat to see the items you came up with! Love, Krissy :)
Monday, October 17, 2005
My entries are being gobbled up!
Yikes. I just posted all of the entries for the Scavenger Hunt and the computer ate them. Seems like the computer is eating all my entries tonight. I am getting some kind of error message that I have never seen before. So because I no longer want to waste my time, I am not going to post tonight. That means no Monday Morning Question either. Hopefully things with be better tomorrow (Monday).
Grrrrrr, I hate when my entries get eaten, it wastes my time. And I hate when you all do so much work and I can't post your Scavenger Hunt entries. Sorry. I will get them up as soon as I can, Love, Krissy :)
Scavenger Hunt #45 - A few items I find necessary
My first necessary item is my cat brush. I have to brush Michael every day because he is long haired. I used to not know that I was supposed to. He became matted and I took him to get groomed but no groomers in town would touch him. I ended up having to get the poor cat put under anesthesia and he had to be brushed out while asleep. After that I have brushed him daily without fail.
My second necessary item is my inhaler. I carry it on my person at all times.
And finally there is salt. What can I say? My family has joked that they will get me a salt lick for Christmas. My diabetic doctor doesn't think it is funny...
Monday, October 10, 2005
Monday Morning Question
Monday Morning Question:
What are three things that you like about Fall?
My answer: Gathering with family at Thanksgiving, God's display of beauty in nature, and sitting around at home under throw blankets.
What's your answer?
This Week's Hunt
This Week's Photo Scavenger Hunt (#45) will be due on Sunday, October 16, at 11 PM EST.
When you have completed your entry, please leave a link to it in the comments section below.
Category: Take a photo of a few small items you find necessary
Entries for Scavenger Hunt #44
Category: Anything Autumn
See mine in my entry below. Thanks everybody for playing!
Scavenger Hunt #44 - My Autumn Photo
It was hard for me to find a Fall photo. The leaves haven't changed too much yet. And then today my husband left the house wearing a jacket for the first time this year. I realized that would be my photo! Here is his handsome self in his new Fall jacket!
Happy Autumn!
Saturday, October 8, 2005
Update on John
It's been awhile since I gave an update on my husband John. For you new readers, he has bone marrow cancer and will have to get a bone marrow transplant. Well, the news is that he may have to get the transplant this winter. We were just told this about a week ago. It came as a surprise. We will find out more when we go to his Transplant Specialist on October 20th. Wow, I just realized, that is less than two weeks away.
How do I feel about the transplant being done so soon? I have mixed feelings. On one sense, the sooner it occurs, the sooner it is over with. On the other hand, it is a very frightening procedure for him to have. He will have to stay 30 to 100 days in the hospital, receive some outpatient care, and then recuperate at home for a year. However, with the Lord's help, John and I will be able to handle it.
Well, that's about it. We will let you know more when we know more.
Monday, October 3, 2005
Monday Morning Question
Monday Morning Question:
If we were to look in your frig, what is something we would always find in there?
My answer: unsweetened iced tea
What is your answer?
This Week's Hunt
This Week's Photo Scavenger Hunt (#44) will be due on Sunday, October 9, at 11 PM EST.
When you have completed your entry, please leave a link to it in the comments section below.
Category: Anything Autumn
Scavenger Hunt #43 - My Favorite Bracelet
Here is my favorite bracelet. Somebody I met online made it for me and sent it as a present. No special occasion! Patti you are the best!
Next is John's favorite bracelet. He wears it all the time. It is a Cancer Awareness Bracelet. It says HOPE on it. It means hope for a cure for cancer.
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Interpreting Monday Morning Question
Okay, let's interpret our Monday Morning Question. Keep in mind that this is only for fun, lol.
Let's do question #2 first.
2. What is your favorite color? Name three adjectives to describe this color.
Interpretation: This is how you view yourself.
Now let's go to #1.
1. What is your favorite animal? Name three adjectives to describe this animal.
Interpretation: This is how others view you!
3. What three things come to mind when you think of the word white?
Interpretation: This is how you view Heaven. (Don't get upset if this one didn't work, many people don't like their answers on this one!)
There are a few I wanted you to take a look at that are posted in journals. Take a look at these: LadyHasFlava, fasttrack58, cdittric77
Hope ya'll had fun, Krissy ;)
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
I started a Weight Loss Journal
Today I started a weight loss journal. It is a private journal. If you would like to be invited, leave me a comment in the comments section or email me.
It is based on the book Thin Within by Judy and Arthur Halliday. If you want to get the book, you can order it from Amazon or Barnes&Noble. By the way, the authors are Christians, so it has a Christian slant.
Here is a description of the book from the publisher:
Thin Within: A Grace-Oriented Approach to Lasting Weight Loss
Diets just don't work. Judy Halliday and Dr. Arthur have years worth of research to prove it and most Americans have personal testimonies that echo that same sad truth. But Halliday's extensive experience and study also prove that you can reach and maintain your ideal weight by simply listening to your body. If you have suffered from being overweight or have struggled with an eating disorder, Thin Within is the truth you have been searching for and it will set you free.
-The original hunger-fullness plan, time-tested for over 25 years
-Learn to eat like a naturally thin person
-Leave diets behind forever
-Eat your favorite foods and still lose weight
-Identify and resolve issues that cause you to overeat
-Feel good about yourself as you melt down to your natural size
Krissy :)
Monday, September 26, 2005
Monday Morning Question
Monday Morning Question:
Actually, this is three quick questions. I am going to ask you to take a little psychological test. Answer this either in your journal or in the comments section below. Then come back to my journal on Weds. and I will tell you how to interpret your results.
1. What is your favorite animal? Name three adjectives to describe this animal.
2. What is your favorite color? Name three adjectives to describe this color.
3. What three things things come to mind when you think of the word white?
My answers:
1. cat: playful, fun, lazy
2. purple: beautiful, spiritual, stable
3. the blending of all colors (hence colorful), peaceful, calming
This Week's Hunt
This Week's Photo Scavenger Hunt (#43) will be due on Sunday, October 2, at 11 PM EST.
When you have completed your entry, please leave a link to it in the comments section below.
Category: Favorite Bracelet
Entries for Scavenger Hunt #42
Category: Sleep
I hope you will go and take a look at all of these sleep entries. They are priceless. Krissy :)
Scavenger Hunt #42 - Sleep
I snapped a shot of Michael enjoying his favorite pastime. Sweet dreams, Kitty!
Sunday, September 25, 2005
Update on John
Hi. I haven't given an update on John in awhile. For those of you who don't know, John is my husband. He has been diagnosed with bone marrow cancer. At some point he will have to have a bone marrow transplant.
So what's new? He has been sleeping a lot lately.
Something else that is new is John was accepted into a program called Chemo Angels. If you know somebody who is going through chemo, or is going to have a bone marrow transplant, you may want to suggest they go to the Chemo Angels site and fill out the form to get an Angel. If they are unable to do it themselves, then ask them if they would like an Angel, and fill out the form for them. The site is www.chemoangels.com. The Chemo Angel Organization matches a volunteer "Angel" with a cancer patient. The Angel sends cards and other little things to the patient to cheer him up.
John signed up and got two Angels! A letter came from a family on Thursday and from a woman on Friday. He was really excited!
Let's see. What else is new? I am on the board of the Cancer Survivor's Association, Inc. It is a local group that does a lot of things for cancer survivors. One thing we do is hold montly meetings for cancer survivors and their significant others. Another thing we do is bring a basket of fun and helpful items to a cancer survivor when they complete chemo, and ask them to join our meetings. We are thinking about starting to give them the basket sooner, and asking them to join the meeting sooner. Another thing that the Association does is education. Just a few weeks after John found out he would eventually need a bone marrow transplant, the president of the organization was at our home with information on the procedure. She also matched John up with others who had had the procedure. It is a wonderful organization.
So Monday night John and I went to a picnic for board members and survivors. It was a lot of fun. We had to introduce ourselves and name something in our refrigerator that we drank. Everybody was saying they drank "coke" or "diet coke". When it was John's turn he said, "I used to have Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Now I have bone marrow cancer, and in my frig you will find non alcoholic ginger beer!" Everybody Ooed and Ahhed! "What eclectic taste" they said! It was funny. That is my John. He is different. He likes ginger beer and classical music! And Star Trek, lol.
Take care, Krissy :)
Monday, September 19, 2005
Monday Morning Question
Monday Morning Question:
Many of you recently have said you would like to write a book and have it published. If so, what would the subject matter be?
My answer: Maybe it would be about being a caregiver to a cancer survivor. I have thought about writing about this. There are so few books on the subject. Especially for those who are to become caregivers for bone marrow transplant patients. The book would be about how the caregiver could help the patient, as well as how they could avoid burnout themselves.
On a lighter note, I would also like to write a little children's book.
This Week's Hunt
This Week's Photo Scavenger Hunt (#42) will be due on Sunday, September 25, at 11 PM EST.
When you have completed your entry, please leave a link to it in the comments section below.
Category: Sleep
Entries for Scavenger Hunt #41
Category: My Family
kokoapuffy1 did "Something Interesting I Did This Week" and "My Family" in one entry. Check it out. It's fantastic!
If you want to see my family, check out the entry below.
Thanks everyone for sharing your families with us! These were great! Now we all know one another a little bit better! Krissy :)
Sunday, September 18, 2005
Scavenger Hunt #41 - My Family
My husband, John, last Winter:
Mr. Michael The Maine Coon Cat:
My Mom and Dad:
My brother Carl:
My Sister Valerie, Me, My Sister Therese and My Sister Grace on my wedding day:
My Sister Deirdre:
Well, there you have it. John and I (and Michael of course!) are one happy family. And then in my family of birth there are my parents and six children. Hope you enjoyed the photos. Don't worry, I won't show you the hundreds of cousins, lol. Krissy :)
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
The Krissy Quiz
I got this idea from Judith's journal. She made a quiz about herself so I made one about me. Go ahead and take it and see how well you know me!
quiz: How well do you know me?
How did you do?
Monday, September 12, 2005
Monday Morning Question
Monday Morning Question:
What latest trend simply baffles you?
My answer: Owning a ferret. Why would anyone want to own a sneaky weasel?
Uhmm, can I have a second answer? Tongue piercing. It's very unsanitary and it can't possibly feel right.
What's your answer?
This Week's Hunt
This Week's Photo Scavenger Hunt (#41) will be due on Sunday, September 18, at 11 PM EST.
When you have completed your entry, please leave a link to it in the comments section below.
Category: My Family
Entries for Scavenger Hunt #40
Category: Something Interesting I Did This Week
And here are some SKY photos:
Scavenger Hunt #40
Something Interesting I did this Week
Thursday I put together my new vacuum cleaner, and then vacuumed the carpet. It is a Bissell POWERforce BAGLESS. Why, you ask, would I put this down as something interesting I did this week? Because this is my first bagless vacuum cleaner! And it works so well! I am so excited to have it. Welcome to the twenty first century, Krissy!
If this is one of the highlights of my week, perhaps my life is dull! Then again, you can't do without a good vacuum.
Sunday, September 11, 2005
Saturday, September 10, 2005
Seven Things
I was tagged by onemoretina and heathyrxmarie. But I didn't want to come out and play. Then I got tagged by Promise. I figured I'd better participate or people wouldn't quit touching me, lol. No, seriously folks, I am glad I did this, this was fun!
7 Things I plan to do before I die:
1. Learn Spanish
2. Help with John's hospital care for his bone marrow transplant, and his recovery at home
3. Help other cancer survivors in a significant way
4. Eat properly and exercise
5. Tell more people about the Lord
6. Write a book
7. See the ocean again
7 Things I can do:
1. Be a loyal friend
2. Teach a Bible study
3. Help run a Congressional campaign
4. Teach English as a Second Language
5. Advocate for John's health
6. Teach my cat tricks
7. Remain hopeful
7 Things I can't do:
1. Geometry
2. Tolerate injustice
3. Listen to rap music
4. Listen to classical music
5. Do the splits
6. Hawaiian dance
7. Roll my tongue
7 Things that attract me to the opposite sex:
1. Love for the Lord
2. Intelligence
3. A good sense of humor
4. Integrity
5. A good conversationalist
6. A positive outlook on life
7. Good looks. Okay, I said it!
7 Things I say most often:
1. Did you hear what I said?
2. Did you take your meds?
3. I love you.
4. Jesus, help me!
5. LOL
6. You've got to be kidding.
7. Where's my kitty?
7 Celebrity Crushes:
1. Shaun Cassidy (when I was a kid)
2. Kevin Costner (in my younger days)
3. Greg of the Wiggles (now)
4. Murray of the Wiggles
5. Jeff of the Wiggles
6. Anthony of the Wiggles
7. SpongeBob Squarepants (now)
7 People I want to do this:
1. Annie
2. Sara
3. Jules
4. Kasey
5. Jenny
6. Mary
7. My sister Val, when she gets her computer fixed.
Have fun!
Thursday, September 8, 2005
John might have a donor!
I am so excited! John may have a donor!
Yesterday John called Hershey Medical Center (where he is going to have the bone marrow transplant) to ask if a donor was found for him yet. Ruth, the RN who handles such matters, was not in. So John left his name and number.
Well, Ruth called back at 8:30 AM today. She told John that one more thing needed to be checked, but they think they have found him a perfect match! A PERFECT match! She told him to keep positive, because when everything has matched as it has thus far, the last piece almost always matches too. She said by the time John comes to see Dr. Claxton in October, they will be finished with what they need to do, and will be sure whether or not it is a match.
I am so excited. Dr. Claxton told John at his initial appointment that he had an 80% chance of finding a donor. While this is a high percentage, in the back of my mind, I kept thinking, what if he was in that 20% who can't find a donor. Well, today's news is a good sign. It looks like his marrow type is not a real rare one.
So I hope they found a donor on the first check. Here's hoping and praying...
Monday, September 5, 2005
Monday Morning Question
Monday Morning Question:
What would you like to do before you die?
The first thing that popped into my head was - learn Spanish.
I asked John what his answer was. "Live another 80 years," he replied. We both laughed uproariously.
This Week's Hunt
This Week's Photo Scavenger Hunt (#40) will be due on Sunday, September 11, at 11 PM EST.
When you have completed your entry, please leave a link to it in the comments section below.
Category: Something interesting I did this week
Entries for Scavenger Hunt #39
Category: Sky
Don't forget to visit my entry below! And please visit all of these entries, as they are absolutely superb this time. I know I am constantly saying that, but these were especially nice, lol. Thanks to everyone who took part. It was nice to see some new participants! Keep coming back and sharing your photos with us. Love, Krissy
Saturday, September 3, 2005
Val's Biopoem
My sister Val asked me to post this biopoem in my journal that she wrote about herself. Her computer is not working too well right now, and she can't post it in her own journal.
Valerie
Animated, emphatic, joyful and creative
Who lives at a snail's pace
Sister of Jesus and Daughter of God
Who needs affirmation, marvels at creation
and is thankful for each new day.
Lover of words, her family, truth
Who fears cancer, rejection, the unknown
Who needs stillness, gentle words, hope
Who gives her heart too easily, her ear when needed
and a smile freely.
Who would like to be worry-free, a better world for
my children and to get a hug from God.
Resident of a quiet sanctuary
Violet
And here is a biopoem I wrote about John:
John
Serious, loving, quiet, highly principled
Son of Ed and Kathy
Who is always trying to better himself,
is amazingly courageous, never gives up hope
Lover of God, Star Trek reruns, classical music
Who fears tornadoes, nightmares, but not much else
Who needs Krissy and Michael, hope for the future,
a bone marrow transplant
Who gives his all for his wife, help to all who need him,
and a beautiful witness
Who would like to live a long life, try haggis,
see Antarctica
Resident of the Universe
John
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Please Donate
Please help victims of Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina has blazed a trail of devastation throughout Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Across the Gulf Coast, Katrina engulfed thousands of homes and decimated the landscape in what could become the most destructive storm in U.S. history. Victims are stranded and in need of immediate medical care, food and water, and tens of thousands of people will need temporary housing for months.
You can help people affected by this storm by making a donation. If you would like to do so, click on the link entitled "Network for Good" below. And let's not forget to pray for these people. Thanks and God bless. Krissy
Monday, August 29, 2005
Monday Morning Question
Monday Morning Question:
What are your plans for Labor Day?
My answer: I really didn't have any plans, so I just asked John. He suggested we get a rack of ribs and some macaroni salad and take it to the park. Later in the evening he wants to go for ice cream at this quaint country ice cream shop. Then maybe we'll rent a movie. Yes, a true day off!
What are your plans?
This Week's Hunt
This Week's Photo Scavenger Hunt (#39) will be due on Sunday, September 4, at 11 PM EST.
When you have completed your entry, please leave a link to it in the comments section below.
Category: Sky
Saturday, August 27, 2005
Biopoem
Kristina
Kristina
serious, joyful, fiercely loyal, uncomprimising when called for
Daughter of God
relative of Captain Kangaroo
who is glad to be alive, loves babies, marvels at God's wonderous ways
lover of God, John, mankind
who fears regret, depression, terrorism
who needs sunshine, hope, chocolate
who gives a listening ear, food when someone's hungry, truth
who would like John to be cancerfree, a vacation at the beach, and wisdom
resident of my wonderful, loving, cozy home
Krissy
This is called a biopoem. Why don't you write one yourself? It is easy. Instructions are over at Poetry Dance.
Hope you are having a nice weekend. Krissy :)
Thursday, August 25, 2005
Processing my feelings
I went with John today to his oncology appointment. It was with his local oncologist, Dr. Ford. John reported some new symptoms to him. He has had a cough for a couple of weeks, and some skin problems . Dr. Ford said the cough and skin problem (staph) are due to having low white counts, and gave him an antibiotic. He also has brittle nails. A big piece of his toenail on his big toe just broke right off without him hitting it on anything. Like almost half the toenail! Dr. Ford says the brittle nails have to do with the progression of his bone marrow cancer (MDS). He has also been having general malaise and fatigue. I just asked him if there was anything else he wanted to add and he said, "I am just plain tired."
So how am I doing? Well some days it is hard. I am trying to process the fact that John has cancer again let alone needs a bone marrow transplant. For awhile I think I was real stoic, but now my feelings are kind of hitting me hard. I talked to my psychiatrist today and she said this was normal. We deny for awhile and then we deal. I think it is helping me to actually process things instead of pretending that nothing is happening. I am glad I have a therapist right now to talk about my feelings with and work things through. As time goes on she can help me process more and more.
And I also want to do some research on the bone marrow transplant process. I think if I know more about it it will be less scary. Or maybe it will be more scary. I just don't like the unknown. I already found out some of the things I thought about it were untrue. I had some preconceived misconceptions. I was catastrophizing about something I shouldn't have been. So I need to do some reading up.
Well, that's about it for now, take care, Krissy
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Monday Morning Question
Monday Morning Question:
This question was submitted by Heather of Singing With My Heart......
What is your favorite part abourt journaling and why? Whether online or offline.
My Answer: If you would have asked me this question when I started my journal over a year ago, I would have said that it was the cathartic effect I got from journaling. Writing in my journal was a way to get out my feelings and thoughts.
It was also a way for me to practice my writing skills.
Now my favorite thing about journaling is the friends that I am in contact with on a daily basis. We have become a part of each others lives. Yes, being in contact with friends, and sharing our lives together has clearly become the most important thing about journaling to me.
This Week's Hunt
This Week's Photo Scavenger Hunt (#38) will be due on Sunday, August 28, at 11 PM EST.
Please note the new day (Sunday) and the new time (11 PM EST) that entries are now to be submitted by.
When you have completed your entry, please leave a link to it in the comments section below.
Category: Favorite Mug
Monday, August 22, 2005
Sorry
Sorry ya'll. I usually have your photo entries listed by this time of morning. But as you probably know, journals were out this morning from 4 am to 6 am and that is when I was going to work on them. I was also going to post the topic for next week's photo scavenger hunt, and the Monday Morning Question. Looks like since the journals were down I am really running behind. I would love to do the entries right now, but I have to go out this morning. So I will do it later on today. Thanks so much for being patient, especially those of you who did a photo scavenger entry and deserve to have your link posted. I am sorry, I would have posted the entry links earlier yesterday evening, but I forgot about the blackout from 4 am to 6 am. So I will be back later today. Hope you all have a great day. Take care, Krissy :)
Sunday, August 21, 2005
Happy Second Anniversary
Happy 2nd Anniversary J-Land!
I wanted to take this time to say Happy Second Anniversary to all my fellow journalers out there in Journal Land. You are some of the best people on earth. It has been a privilege getting to know you these past two years. I have really enjoyed reading your journals and becoming a part of your lives. And you have become a dear part of mine also, my friends. You have been with me through many joys this year. One of the highlights of this year has been my marriage to John. You have also been with me through my tribulations this year. You have helped me through my husband John's illness with bone marrow cancer. You have pulled for him, prayed for him, and written letters to your congressmen. And you have also prayed for me, and emailed me with your words of encouragment, and supported me. I don't know what I would have done without you all. Thank each and every one of you. I can't wait to see how another year will bring us closer. Keep on writing, Love, Krissy :)
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