Updates on Kathi and Patricia

Dear friends, so many have asked about Kathi and Patricia.  Here's the latest.  Please continue to keep these wonderful women in your thoughts and prayers.   Please forward.

From Kathi who had a hysterectomy after the first several rounds of chemo:

All good news.  The doctor examined me and all is healed.  I will still need to be careful with lifting for a while.  My blood counts were fine so got my treatment.  They were VERY busy so Kay and I had to wait until 11:20 to begin the treatment.   Since she picked me up at 6:30 and we got home at 5, this was quite a gift of time she gave me.  My college friend, Betty, joined us during the 4 treatment hours and we told stories non-stop.  Having people i love to sit with me and keep me busy made the time fly by pretty fast. Traffic going there and home was not bad at all which is a nice bonus!  Next treatment will be on August 30th if blood counts are good.

I spent last week in Michigan with Jennifer and Liz's families.  We went to the beach almost every day.  Since I cannot be in the sunlight much (chemo accelerates sun exposure), I spent a great deal of time in a chair under a large umbrella/tent enjoying watching the kids frolic in the waves, build sand castles and dig swimming pools, etc.  We went to St. Joseph several times.  Lovely beach there as well as a large indoor merry-go-round, children's museum, Splash Park and playground.  It is about a half hour from where we stayed in Union Pier.

We also went to Warren Dunes.  Those of you who have been there know that it is a beautiful beach as well and very close to Union Pier.  There is a huge sand dune and the kids loved their walk to the top and the run down to the bottom.  Once was enough for everyone.  The kids went berry and peach picking. They had to abandon blueberry picking when the mosquitoes outnumbered the blueberries!

Dave and Kasia came up on Monday and spent all day Tuesday.  He brought up two paddle boards and the kids and adult have a go at it.  They loved it.  They joined us again on Thursday and we took them to our beach---it was pretty wavy so they did not use paddles, just tried surfing in on them a bit.  For the little ones, their boogie boards were easier to handle.

All in all it was a wonderful week.  II got to enjoy all 8 grandchildren at the different stages and ages!  They range from almost 11 to almost 1.  It is great for the cousins to get this time together!  I felt the most like a normal person since this started in February.  It was wonderful to get away.

Love, Kathi

And from Patricia who has begun a new series of treatments:

How I trust in the power of your prayers, your "loading of the air waves with positive thoughts."  Already, I feel that this new regime is working.  Already, I feel my heart shifting from anxiety about the changes in my life patterns.  The loss of hair, the changes in schedules, the long days in treatment--these have all worked out. I'm left with plenty of time to pray for the well-being of our children, for all of us and for a deep quality to our lives as we all try so hard to be present for each other and for our children.  

I do feel that I'm a work in progress because I am learning, every day, how really fortunate I am to have medical care, a place to sleep, a wonderful place to work, a great husband, and terrific friends and children.  And equally important, I am really learning so much about what life must be like for thousands of other people, including our dear Kathi and my six other friends who have cancer.  Oh boy oh boy, doctors, nurses, technicians (both at Kaiser and at Stanford) have taught me so much about how to be a good person in this world.  I am surrounded by people who role model generosity of spirit -- including you.  Including you.

Love love love to you in return, dear Lois.  I pray for you to be strong and healthy so that you can continue to do the work of making this world more beautiful for others to live in.  It's such work, Lois.

Thank you.

Patricia

Patricia Weaver

Wonderful friend, phenomenal teacher, terrific tutor, magnificent mom.  No better mentor exists.  A woman whose impact far exceeds these words/definitions. 

I know that many of you know and love her.   

Please spread the word.  Forward the following to others whose children have been a part of Patricia’s world.

Best, I think, communicated in her words:

Dearest Lois,

I thank you for asking me to pray again for Kathi.  I have been and I will again.

In the meantime, would you pray the same for me as my cancer has spread to the lymph nodes.  If Kaiser approves, I will begin a three drug trial on July 1 at Stanford, and like Kathi's medicine, mine will go through a port.  Mine will be a day 1, day 8, day 21 cycle, very aggressive.  I have never needed so much prayer as I do now, though I know that because of people's prayers, these last four years and nine months have been very peaceful years for me (even with one PET-CT every three months, about nine different radiation treatments, etc).  And I do mean peace-filled.  In the process of having treatments in various facilities, including Stanford, I have truly been blessed.  This is all because of the tremendous support of friends.  So as I write those words, I know that the spirit of Goodness, the God of the universe, will indeed carry me through the hard treatments ahead.

Love to you, and blessings to Kathi,

Patricia