A cute story....

First, I apologize to all of you for having to look at those weird letter/number formations for a verification that you are human...I didn't realize that was on my blog...I have removed it.  I feel your pain with trying to figure out those verifications, I too have given up leaving a comment after 2 or 3 tries...very annoying.  So I hope from now on you will not have to deal with that, but please let me know if it is not working.

Cute Story:  Dina shared this with us yesterday:  She told Jalen (he is 5) that "Mommy" is sick and the drugs she has to take to make her better will most likely cause her to lose her hair.  He says, "But how will I find you?"  (Edited to add a thought:  Scott was wondering if Jalen didn't understand the "losing the hair" part of the story...so if her hair was "lost" then maybe mommy would be too...so how could he find her...gives us something to think about from a 5 year old way of thinking about losing things!)....oh and Dina's response to his was something like this:  "Pretty sure I am going to be the only bald mommy in this house!!"

Are you laughing?  OMG, that one I must remember.

You know, to look at Dina you would not know she is filled with cancer in her lymph glands...she still has her radiant smile, her beautiful blue eyes, she is still slim and trim (envious here *wink).  And even bald I think she will be beautiful because she is beautiful on the inside...just the way God made her...in His perfect Image!

Yesterday she went to Ellie's volleyball game at St. Anthony's in Tigard, she had not seen Ellie play yet as I took her last week.  Scott too wanted to see Ellie, so we went as well.  Joy, Jamie's aunt came and gave her support and with just a few points left in the final set, her MIL came with Jalen, Jake and Alexa (his cousins)...oh I better interject here that Jalen had a soccer game and that is where his daddy was and he scored 4 goals...(was quite proud of the fact that he didn't "pass"...just ran it down himself!)  I think his daddy is going to be having a talk with him...After the game we all went to Red Robin for lunch, Dina and I shared a chicken wrap...and she ate it!  (I mention this because she has not had an appetite and she had lost 4 pounds in the 11 days between her oncologist appointments).

I guess yesterday was an eating day as later the Iacolucci side of the family went to the Olive Garden to celebrate Caleb turning 13....and again she ate some pasta with veggies...not a lot, but some...so it is all good.

I think I mentioned already that she will have a "port" in place on Tuesday, she will have a bone marrow procedure on Wednesday, and on Thursday she will have an echo cardiogram along with a few other tests.  Then she will be set to begin her chemo.  The doctor talked to her about being in a study and she agreed that it was a good thing to do.  Just a couple of downsides:  1.  more visits to the office during the week; 2. perhaps another side effect like diarrhea (which she will already have from one of the other chemo drugs)..  The plus side of it is that she will be monitored very closely, a few more tests that will follow the process of eliminating the cancer...she felt like it was a win/win for her...and more people to be there following her progress every step of the way and being on top of anything that looks out of the norm.  She actually doesn't know if she will be accepted, but her type of cancer makes her the perfect candidate for this clinical trial.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
   And lean not on your own understanding.  Provers 3:5

Thank you for following Dina's journey through this blog.  And THANK YOU ALL from the bottom of my heart and Dina's too for all your faithful prayers.  The support is incredible and that alone is uplifting...to know she means so much to so many people is really humbling and something she can draw strength from...so my friends and family, WE ALL THANK YOU!