Trick or Treat? What a great holiday. I had the pleasure, last night, of walking around with my kids and their friends trick or treating. What was particularly interesting was one of the girls was from China. Her mom and grandfather walked with me. Her mother explained that she was trying to explain to her father what halloween was about. As I watched his enjoyment of the exchange between trick or treaters and generous donors, I too looked on with fresh appreciation of the kind and caring interactions that took place. It is truly a one of the many nice traditions we have in this country.
As some of you may know, November, not only holds the lovely tradition of Thanksgiving, but it is also Lung Cancer Awareness Month. Lung cancer is the most deadly cancer, yet also the most underfunded. As a lung cancer survivor, I would like to help change, not only that statistic, but also the stigma that goes along with lung cancer. As I mentioned before I am attending a lung cancer benefit in SanFrancisco next week. The sponsor of the benefit is The Bonnie J. Addario A BREATH AWAY FROM THE CURE FOUNDATION. If you would like to help me in this cause please go to www.lungcancermatterstoo.org. There is a wealth of information on the web page and at the top right corner there is an opportunity to donate.
Thank you so much for all your support.
Peace, Denise
Thursday, November 1
Thursday, October 11
October 11, 2007
It's autumn and I love it. We have a high of 61 degrees in KC today. Last night it got down to 37 degrees. Last time I wrote I mentioned that my sister Dee and I were going on a retreat to Arizona. Well we had a great time. The focus was on spiritual growth. It was very inspiring. We enjoyed wonderfully prepared raw, vegan food each meal. We spent time hiking, reading, and learning. We had the opportunity to attend daily yoga classes and nightly prayer and meditation sessions.
We hope to be able to incorporte what we learned into our daily lives. Sometimes that is difficult in this fast, convenients oriented society in which we live.
All is well in the Curley household. We have been enjoying the Friday night high school football games & watching the kids activities. Bonnie with dance and cheerleading and Brian with soccer. Napper and I will celebrate our 14th wedding anniversary this month. We plan to take an afternoon off and go to the plaza, have lunch, do a little shopping, and just hang out. There is a wonderful vegan rest. there that we both love.
As for me, I am terrific. I continue to feel great. I had a CT scan of my chest yesterday with good results. I do have scar tissue in both my upper right and upper left lungs but that is to be expected. I also have a morning cough, but once I clear the fluid collection to the scarred areas, I am pretty much cough free the rest of the day. I am working 3-4 days per week and just loving life. I continue to feel extremely blessed and thankful.
We are looking forward to our trip in November to San Francisco. Napper's business partner and his family have many exciting things planned for us. The kids are also excited. They HAVE been to California, but they were too little to remember. So it will be a new adventure for them.
Love and many blessing to you all,
Denise
We hope to be able to incorporte what we learned into our daily lives. Sometimes that is difficult in this fast, convenients oriented society in which we live.
All is well in the Curley household. We have been enjoying the Friday night high school football games & watching the kids activities. Bonnie with dance and cheerleading and Brian with soccer. Napper and I will celebrate our 14th wedding anniversary this month. We plan to take an afternoon off and go to the plaza, have lunch, do a little shopping, and just hang out. There is a wonderful vegan rest. there that we both love.
As for me, I am terrific. I continue to feel great. I had a CT scan of my chest yesterday with good results. I do have scar tissue in both my upper right and upper left lungs but that is to be expected. I also have a morning cough, but once I clear the fluid collection to the scarred areas, I am pretty much cough free the rest of the day. I am working 3-4 days per week and just loving life. I continue to feel extremely blessed and thankful.
We are looking forward to our trip in November to San Francisco. Napper's business partner and his family have many exciting things planned for us. The kids are also excited. They HAVE been to California, but they were too little to remember. So it will be a new adventure for them.
Love and many blessing to you all,
Denise
Wednesday, September 5
September 5, 2007
Hello,
Labor day weekend holds a different significance since my cancer diagnosis. This weekend marked two years. Last year we celebrated this anniversary by planting a tree in our back yard. We plan to do the same this year. I am hoping in 20 years we will have a forest!! Thank you for your prayers.
Love, Denise
Labor day weekend holds a different significance since my cancer diagnosis. This weekend marked two years. Last year we celebrated this anniversary by planting a tree in our back yard. We plan to do the same this year. I am hoping in 20 years we will have a forest!! Thank you for your prayers.
Love, Denise
Wednesday, August 22
August 22, 2007
Hello,
Man is it hot... and humid. We are getting a new roof today and thankfully there is a nice breeze to keep the roofers somewhat cool. It sounds like the heat is here to stay for awhile.
We are doing great. We have all had a good summer. The kids started back to school last week and they were both happy to go. Brian is in 7th grade this year and Bonnie is in 5th. The weekend before school we went to Branson with friends and the kids had a great time running around Silver Dollar City (Amusement Park), and tubing on Table Rock Lake.
Napper & I put alot of energy this summer preparing for our church ice cream social. This is a yearly fund raiser for our church. The actual event was August 5th and thankfully was very successful.
In July we had a wonderful trip to Minnesota. We enjoyed visiting with the Curley Clan. We were thrilled to see two of our nephews, Scott and Nic, safely home from Iraq. Napper & I went to the Michael Buble Concert while there and loved it.
My health has been fabulous. My energy level is excellent. I continue without treatment. I have been wanting to do something to help raise money for lung cancer, but until recently had not found an organization that truly inspired me. Through "Care Pages" I have found, The Bonnie Addario Lung Cancer Foundation. They "truly" inspire me. In November Napper and I are going to San Francisco to attend a benefit dinner to raise money for lung cancer. Dana Reeve's sister,and son will speak at the event. I hope to come back educated and prepared to raise money for this largely underfunded disease.
In a couple weeks my sister and I are going to Azizona. We will go to a center to learn more about the nutrition plan we both follow. We have both been studying and practicing this way of eating. Basically we follow a raw, organic, vegan diet. We are very committed to this and I truly believe that it is the best way to keep my immune system strong. I am really looking forward to our trip and the time together.
Thank you all for your continued prayers and support. We are very blessed.
Blessing to you,
Denise
Man is it hot... and humid. We are getting a new roof today and thankfully there is a nice breeze to keep the roofers somewhat cool. It sounds like the heat is here to stay for awhile.
We are doing great. We have all had a good summer. The kids started back to school last week and they were both happy to go. Brian is in 7th grade this year and Bonnie is in 5th. The weekend before school we went to Branson with friends and the kids had a great time running around Silver Dollar City (Amusement Park), and tubing on Table Rock Lake.
Napper & I put alot of energy this summer preparing for our church ice cream social. This is a yearly fund raiser for our church. The actual event was August 5th and thankfully was very successful.
In July we had a wonderful trip to Minnesota. We enjoyed visiting with the Curley Clan. We were thrilled to see two of our nephews, Scott and Nic, safely home from Iraq. Napper & I went to the Michael Buble Concert while there and loved it.
My health has been fabulous. My energy level is excellent. I continue without treatment. I have been wanting to do something to help raise money for lung cancer, but until recently had not found an organization that truly inspired me. Through "Care Pages" I have found, The Bonnie Addario Lung Cancer Foundation. They "truly" inspire me. In November Napper and I are going to San Francisco to attend a benefit dinner to raise money for lung cancer. Dana Reeve's sister,and son will speak at the event. I hope to come back educated and prepared to raise money for this largely underfunded disease.
In a couple weeks my sister and I are going to Azizona. We will go to a center to learn more about the nutrition plan we both follow. We have both been studying and practicing this way of eating. Basically we follow a raw, organic, vegan diet. We are very committed to this and I truly believe that it is the best way to keep my immune system strong. I am really looking forward to our trip and the time together.
Thank you all for your continued prayers and support. We are very blessed.
Blessing to you,
Denise
Thursday, July 5
July 5th, 2007
Happy 4th of July..2007. We had a wonderful evening with friends grilling, swimming and watching the fireworks. Our summer has been very nice. We started the kids break from school with a trip to Mishawaka, Indiana. There we met up with my sister and her family, who came in from Colorado, my brother and his family, and my dad, who live in Mishawaka. I also had the opportunity to visit with extended family and long time friends. It was great to see everyone and reconnect.
This summer I am working less, just Monday and Tuesdays, so I can spend time with Brian and Bonnie while they are on break. They are growing up so fast. I think this is the first summer where they sleep in......I forgot about that stage. Realistically, I could probably work half the day and they would not miss me a bit. At least I don't have to worry about making breakfast for them.
I am doing well health wise. I had lab work done a couple weeks ago and met with my Oncologist. All is well. In October I will have a CT scan of the chest and meet with my Radiation Oncologist. I continue to do all I can to keep my immune system strong through healthy eating, exercise, low stress and positive thinking and lots of love and prayers. I am grateful for each day. I appreciate your interest and concern.
Much love,
Denise
This summer I am working less, just Monday and Tuesdays, so I can spend time with Brian and Bonnie while they are on break. They are growing up so fast. I think this is the first summer where they sleep in......I forgot about that stage. Realistically, I could probably work half the day and they would not miss me a bit. At least I don't have to worry about making breakfast for them.
I am doing well health wise. I had lab work done a couple weeks ago and met with my Oncologist. All is well. In October I will have a CT scan of the chest and meet with my Radiation Oncologist. I continue to do all I can to keep my immune system strong through healthy eating, exercise, low stress and positive thinking and lots of love and prayers. I am grateful for each day. I appreciate your interest and concern.
Much love,
Denise
Wednesday, May 2
May 2, 2007
Hello, all is well here. My PET Scans showed no sign of recurrent cancer. Needless to say we were happy and relieved. The time between my scans will be increased from 3 months to 6 months. I will have lab work in July. It has been 18 months since my last treatment.
We are looking forward to a trip to Indiana the end of May and a relaxing summer.
Thank you for your continued support and prayers.
Love, Denise
Hello, all is well here. My PET Scans showed no sign of recurrent cancer. Needless to say we were happy and relieved. The time between my scans will be increased from 3 months to 6 months. I will have lab work in July. It has been 18 months since my last treatment.
We are looking forward to a trip to Indiana the end of May and a relaxing summer.
Thank you for your continued support and prayers.
Love, Denise
Saturday, April 7
April 7th, 2007
Quotes from a recent report on lung cancer. Wed. Feb 14th, 2007. Stanford, Ca. Dr. H. Wakelee, assistant professor of medicine at Stanford "Close to 20 percent of cases of lung cancer in women and 8 percent in men occur among never-smokers." "Among women that rate is surprisingly higher than experts had previously thought."
My thoughts and prayers go out to all people with cancer. This is such a prevalent disease and affects so many people. Nearly every week I hear of new diagnosis of friends of friends or relatives of friends. There has to be a reason for this surge in cancer. Be it enviroment, our food supply, our stress levels or a combination of all three. The medical community works hard to solve these problems once diagnosed, but we each need to take responsibility for our own health. We need to do everything we can to keep ourselves healthy, our immune systems strong and our minds at peace. "LIVESTRONG"
Peace and blessings for a wonderful Easter!
love, Denise
My thoughts and prayers go out to all people with cancer. This is such a prevalent disease and affects so many people. Nearly every week I hear of new diagnosis of friends of friends or relatives of friends. There has to be a reason for this surge in cancer. Be it enviroment, our food supply, our stress levels or a combination of all three. The medical community works hard to solve these problems once diagnosed, but we each need to take responsibility for our own health. We need to do everything we can to keep ourselves healthy, our immune systems strong and our minds at peace. "LIVESTRONG"
Peace and blessings for a wonderful Easter!
love, Denise
Friday, March 9
March 9th,2007
I just came back from a school assembly. The topic was Platte County's Kindest Citizen. Bonnie nominated me and did a lovely joy with her essay. Some of the children wrote about their parents or grandparents, some family friends, neighbors, one was their bus driver, a sunday school teacher and a coach. All the essays were so heartfelt and sweet. I was truly inspired by the children's words and to see what a difference one person can make in each of our lives, and especially the lives of our children.
Speaking of children, Brian and Bonnie are doing great. Brian started spring soccer practice this week. Bonnie is preparing for her upcoming dance recitals. Her tumbling class will have to be on hold for a bit, as she broke her finger this week. She slammed it in the car door and will be in a splint for three weeks. Speaking of cars, mine was totaled a couple weeks ago. No injuries!!! I was driving with my mom and Bonnie, we were on a rural road, came up over a hill to find that cars had stopped behind a postman. Do to the ice on the road I could not stop and swerved into a ditch. My Honda had 170,000 miles on it so it did not take much to total it. My goal was to get 200,000 miles on that van but I had to let it go. Now we have a new Honda Pilot and I am enjoying that very much, unfortunately Bonnie was not quite used to the door hence the finger injury.
At the end of January we took a family trip to Puerto Vallarto, Mexico. It was wonderful to get away and soak up some sun. We met Napper's sister Colleen and brother in law Paul there, as well as nephew Barry. We enjoyed whalewatching, fishing, swimming and swinging through the jungle. It was the second trip there for the kids so it was fun for them to see some familiar sights. The people there are so kind and sincere, we always leave with such great memories and good feelings.
We are enjoying the spring weather here in Kansas City. Today it is in the 60s and beautiful. I was just realizing the other day that it has been one year since I started back to work. It does not seem like 12 months have passed, but we have certainly packed alot in this last 12 months. It has been a wonderful year of family, fun and fellowship. Our lives are so enriched by so many people. I think they were always there, but we just notice them more now. That was certainly one of the many gifts this cancer has brought to our family.
Speaking of cancer, I am doing great. I feel fabulous. I am energetic. I exercise regularly. I eat right. I have every reason to think that my scans will be great next month. I will keep you posted. Let me know if you have any prayer needs, I would love to reciprocate all the prayers sent our way. We have been praying for our soldiers in Irac and especially our three nephews Leif, Nic and Scott.
God Bless!
Love, Denise
Speaking of children, Brian and Bonnie are doing great. Brian started spring soccer practice this week. Bonnie is preparing for her upcoming dance recitals. Her tumbling class will have to be on hold for a bit, as she broke her finger this week. She slammed it in the car door and will be in a splint for three weeks. Speaking of cars, mine was totaled a couple weeks ago. No injuries!!! I was driving with my mom and Bonnie, we were on a rural road, came up over a hill to find that cars had stopped behind a postman. Do to the ice on the road I could not stop and swerved into a ditch. My Honda had 170,000 miles on it so it did not take much to total it. My goal was to get 200,000 miles on that van but I had to let it go. Now we have a new Honda Pilot and I am enjoying that very much, unfortunately Bonnie was not quite used to the door hence the finger injury.
At the end of January we took a family trip to Puerto Vallarto, Mexico. It was wonderful to get away and soak up some sun. We met Napper's sister Colleen and brother in law Paul there, as well as nephew Barry. We enjoyed whalewatching, fishing, swimming and swinging through the jungle. It was the second trip there for the kids so it was fun for them to see some familiar sights. The people there are so kind and sincere, we always leave with such great memories and good feelings.
We are enjoying the spring weather here in Kansas City. Today it is in the 60s and beautiful. I was just realizing the other day that it has been one year since I started back to work. It does not seem like 12 months have passed, but we have certainly packed alot in this last 12 months. It has been a wonderful year of family, fun and fellowship. Our lives are so enriched by so many people. I think they were always there, but we just notice them more now. That was certainly one of the many gifts this cancer has brought to our family.
Speaking of cancer, I am doing great. I feel fabulous. I am energetic. I exercise regularly. I eat right. I have every reason to think that my scans will be great next month. I will keep you posted. Let me know if you have any prayer needs, I would love to reciprocate all the prayers sent our way. We have been praying for our soldiers in Irac and especially our three nephews Leif, Nic and Scott.
God Bless!
Love, Denise
Friday, January 12
January 12, 2007
Happy New Year!
I hope you all had a peaceful and relaxing holiday. We sure did. We were content to stay home and lounge. Brian & Bonnie went back to school on the 3rd. Today they got off early for inclement weather and they are off Monday for Martin Luther King Day.
Brian turned 12 on Wednesday. He wanted to have his birthday dinner at a Japanese steak house. It was a good time, and I enjoyed some sushi.
Last Friday I had an EGD. My esophagus looked good. There was a small narrowed area which was dilated. I had a CT scan on Wednesday. My lungs are clear and the area of fibrosis has gotten smaller. So we had lots to celebrate this week. In April I will have a PET scan which will scan the whole body. If that looks good we will go 6 months between scans.
I cannot express how grateful I am for all your prayers, concern and kindness! Thank you!!!!!!!
Have a great year,
Sincerely, Denise
I hope you all had a peaceful and relaxing holiday. We sure did. We were content to stay home and lounge. Brian & Bonnie went back to school on the 3rd. Today they got off early for inclement weather and they are off Monday for Martin Luther King Day.
Brian turned 12 on Wednesday. He wanted to have his birthday dinner at a Japanese steak house. It was a good time, and I enjoyed some sushi.
Last Friday I had an EGD. My esophagus looked good. There was a small narrowed area which was dilated. I had a CT scan on Wednesday. My lungs are clear and the area of fibrosis has gotten smaller. So we had lots to celebrate this week. In April I will have a PET scan which will scan the whole body. If that looks good we will go 6 months between scans.
I cannot express how grateful I am for all your prayers, concern and kindness! Thank you!!!!!!!
Have a great year,
Sincerely, Denise
Friday, December 22
December 22, 2006
Hello,
Yea! I finished all my stuff tonight and now I get to rest and enjoy!!! Tomorrow Bonnie and I are going to the Nutcracker with friends. We are so excited. It has been a mother/daughter tradition since Bonnie was 5 years old. Of course last year daddy filled in and made it a special day. Napper and Brian also plan something fun when we go, and this year they were invited to go to a KU basketball game. They are pumped.
We are all doing great. We, like everyone, have been very busy, but it has been a fun month. Brian & Bonnie started winter break on Thursday. Napper and I are both taking time off over the next week or so. We are looking forward to lots of R & R. Snow would be welcome.
We have enjoyed visits with family recently. During the Thanksgiving holiday we had a wonderful weekend with my family. The weather was exceptionally warm. We were able to spend time outside hiking through the woods at Weston Bend State Park.
Last weekend we had a whirlwind trip to Minnesota for the annual Curley Christmas party. It was great to see everyone. We went Christmas caroling and had lots of good laughs.
We are looking forward to 2007. 2006 has been of year of great abundance. We feel so blessed. Our lives are enriched with the many kind special people.
Merry Christmas and many blessings for a wonderful new year.
Love, Denise and all
P.S I was thrilled to celebrate my 46th birthday Monday.
Yea! I finished all my stuff tonight and now I get to rest and enjoy!!! Tomorrow Bonnie and I are going to the Nutcracker with friends. We are so excited. It has been a mother/daughter tradition since Bonnie was 5 years old. Of course last year daddy filled in and made it a special day. Napper and Brian also plan something fun when we go, and this year they were invited to go to a KU basketball game. They are pumped.
We are all doing great. We, like everyone, have been very busy, but it has been a fun month. Brian & Bonnie started winter break on Thursday. Napper and I are both taking time off over the next week or so. We are looking forward to lots of R & R. Snow would be welcome.
We have enjoyed visits with family recently. During the Thanksgiving holiday we had a wonderful weekend with my family. The weather was exceptionally warm. We were able to spend time outside hiking through the woods at Weston Bend State Park.
Last weekend we had a whirlwind trip to Minnesota for the annual Curley Christmas party. It was great to see everyone. We went Christmas caroling and had lots of good laughs.
We are looking forward to 2007. 2006 has been of year of great abundance. We feel so blessed. Our lives are enriched with the many kind special people.
Merry Christmas and many blessings for a wonderful new year.
Love, Denise and all
P.S I was thrilled to celebrate my 46th birthday Monday.
Tuesday, November 21
November 21, 2006
Hello,
What a difference a year makes. I finished my chemo and radiation 1 year ago this week. Wow! We are looking forward to Thanksgiving. We have so much to celebrate. This year I will definitely participate. Tomorrow my sister and her family will arrive and thursday my brother and dad will get here. We will actually have our Thanksgiving meal on Friday.
I have been feeling wonderful! I think I am back to my full energy level, if not better. I continue to practice healthy habits, hoping to keep my immune system strong. I have been doing a lot of reading and research in this area. I am very interested in natural, holistic ways to keep myself healthy.
I am working part-time. That is working out well. I do take call for surgery 1 day per week. Brian & Bonnie are doing great. They have been busy. Bonnie with cheerleading, choir and dance. Brian with soccer, basketball and science olympiad. They both enjoy time with their friends, but still like hanging out with mom & dad once in a while. Bonnie is 10 and Brian will be 12 in January. Napper is also doing quite well. He just finished tiling our downstairs bathroom. Quite an accomplishment. He has been busy with work and business is going well.
Napper's sister Terri and brother-in-law Gino were in town from California this past weekend. They bought some property here in K.C., so they will visit periodically to manage it. It has been great spending time with them.
This has been a growing year. I have heard some people refer to cancer as "the gift of cancer" and I in many ways it has been a gift. Some very good things have come from this process. I have made a list of them, but I won't bore you with the details. Mostly, I just appreciate what I have, and the wonderful people who bless me each day with their presence. I am grateful for your concern, and your prayers.
Love and blessing to you,
Denise
What a difference a year makes. I finished my chemo and radiation 1 year ago this week. Wow! We are looking forward to Thanksgiving. We have so much to celebrate. This year I will definitely participate. Tomorrow my sister and her family will arrive and thursday my brother and dad will get here. We will actually have our Thanksgiving meal on Friday.
I have been feeling wonderful! I think I am back to my full energy level, if not better. I continue to practice healthy habits, hoping to keep my immune system strong. I have been doing a lot of reading and research in this area. I am very interested in natural, holistic ways to keep myself healthy.
I am working part-time. That is working out well. I do take call for surgery 1 day per week. Brian & Bonnie are doing great. They have been busy. Bonnie with cheerleading, choir and dance. Brian with soccer, basketball and science olympiad. They both enjoy time with their friends, but still like hanging out with mom & dad once in a while. Bonnie is 10 and Brian will be 12 in January. Napper is also doing quite well. He just finished tiling our downstairs bathroom. Quite an accomplishment. He has been busy with work and business is going well.
Napper's sister Terri and brother-in-law Gino were in town from California this past weekend. They bought some property here in K.C., so they will visit periodically to manage it. It has been great spending time with them.
This has been a growing year. I have heard some people refer to cancer as "the gift of cancer" and I in many ways it has been a gift. Some very good things have come from this process. I have made a list of them, but I won't bore you with the details. Mostly, I just appreciate what I have, and the wonderful people who bless me each day with their presence. I am grateful for your concern, and your prayers.
Love and blessing to you,
Denise
Monday, October 16
October 16, 2006
Hi
I am doing great. I feel good and I am enjoying each day and all those I encounter. I had a CT scan of my chest last week. The scans show scar tissue to the original tumor site. So of course that was a relief. Even though I feel great I do start to get nervous a couple weeks before my scans. By the time the scans are here I am feeling more relaxed again, and of course after the scan I feel really fantastic.
So, thank you all for your prayers. I am very grateful and feel very blessed. I have been busy working and keeping up with our two busy children. Napper, Brian & Bonnie are all doing well. Our dog Kelly (16 1/2 year old lab) passed this summer. I miss her sweet face, but she was definitely ready to go. We still have our cat Amos and he has adjusted well to being our only pet.
Happy Halloween!!!!
Love, Denise
I am doing great. I feel good and I am enjoying each day and all those I encounter. I had a CT scan of my chest last week. The scans show scar tissue to the original tumor site. So of course that was a relief. Even though I feel great I do start to get nervous a couple weeks before my scans. By the time the scans are here I am feeling more relaxed again, and of course after the scan I feel really fantastic.
So, thank you all for your prayers. I am very grateful and feel very blessed. I have been busy working and keeping up with our two busy children. Napper, Brian & Bonnie are all doing well. Our dog Kelly (16 1/2 year old lab) passed this summer. I miss her sweet face, but she was definitely ready to go. We still have our cat Amos and he has adjusted well to being our only pet.
Happy Halloween!!!!
Love, Denise
Sunday, September 10
September 10, 2006
Hello,
Our relaxing summer has come to an end and the fall schedule is in full gear. Brian is playing fall soccer and enjoying his first couple weeks of middle school. Bonnie has been practicing cheerleading and starts her dance classes this week.
The drought is over, isnt' it great. The temps are very pleasant. The grass is green again and growing fast. Our potted flowers and gardens are loving the change in weather.
I quietly celebrated my 1 year anniversary of my diagnosis of lung cancer. I feel really good about the changes this event has brought about for myself and my family. Each day is truly a gift.
I am very grateful for my health. I feel wonderful. To regain and build strength, my focus has been on nutrition and exercise. Each week my endurance and strength improve. I have really enjoyed this process and I have let go of any guilt associated with taking this time for myself. Napper & the kids have been very supportive.
I so appreciate all the love and support I receive each and everyday from family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and other parents. You have all inspired us to want to help other people and to give back in any way we can! Thank you.
It will be interesting to see what the next 365 days holds for us!!
Feeling blessed,
Denise
Our relaxing summer has come to an end and the fall schedule is in full gear. Brian is playing fall soccer and enjoying his first couple weeks of middle school. Bonnie has been practicing cheerleading and starts her dance classes this week.
The drought is over, isnt' it great. The temps are very pleasant. The grass is green again and growing fast. Our potted flowers and gardens are loving the change in weather.
I quietly celebrated my 1 year anniversary of my diagnosis of lung cancer. I feel really good about the changes this event has brought about for myself and my family. Each day is truly a gift.
I am very grateful for my health. I feel wonderful. To regain and build strength, my focus has been on nutrition and exercise. Each week my endurance and strength improve. I have really enjoyed this process and I have let go of any guilt associated with taking this time for myself. Napper & the kids have been very supportive.
I so appreciate all the love and support I receive each and everyday from family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and other parents. You have all inspired us to want to help other people and to give back in any way we can! Thank you.
It will be interesting to see what the next 365 days holds for us!!
Feeling blessed,
Denise
Wednesday, August 2
August 2, 2006
Wow it is hot! Our lawn is brown and keeping the flowers alive has become a challenge. There is a chance for rain today or tomorrow, let's hope it happens.
Other than the heat, all is well here. We have had relaxing, fun summer. The kids are getting ready to go back to school. They start on the 17th of this month. I have been feeling great. My weight is good. My esophagus will eventually have to be dilated, but for now it is fine. My next scans will be the first week in October.
I took a part-time job at the hospital where I currently work p.r.n. and that will start Aug. 21st.
I will be working in surgery. I will continue to work in other departments p.r.n.
Have a great rest of the summer!!
Love, Denise
Other than the heat, all is well here. We have had relaxing, fun summer. The kids are getting ready to go back to school. They start on the 17th of this month. I have been feeling great. My weight is good. My esophagus will eventually have to be dilated, but for now it is fine. My next scans will be the first week in October.
I took a part-time job at the hospital where I currently work p.r.n. and that will start Aug. 21st.
I will be working in surgery. I will continue to work in other departments p.r.n.
Have a great rest of the summer!!
Love, Denise
Sunday, July 2
July 2, 2006
We just returned from a two week vacation. The first week we were in Dubois, Wy. We rented a cabin in the mountains with my brother Dave and his wife Tracy, and my sister Dee and her husband Mike ..and kids Casey, Allie and Chris. It was a great spot, with beautiful views and smells. We made frequent treks to Yellowstone National Park and The Grand Tetons. It was wonderful week filled with hiking, fishing, horseback riding and sight seeing. I got along great despite the high altitude. The uphill climbs did make me cough a bit more, but was not limiting.
The second week we all went our separate ways. The Curleys traveled on leisurely to Thermopolis, Wy where we spent the day soaking in the hot mineral baths. How relaxing. We made our way across Wy and the breath taking Big Horn Mountain range. A route I would definitely recommend. We spent the remainer of our week in South Dakota. We saw many of the sights there, but one of our favorite spots was the Spearfish canyon in Spearfish, SD. The streams were so clear you could see the markings on the trout that inhabited the waters. We also visited Mt. Rushmore, what an accomplishment! We drove through Bear Country, USA and saw some of the wildlife we missed in Yellowstone, though the setting was not quite as majestic. The Badlands were quite impressive too. Our last night in SD we stayed in Sioux Falls and then we headed home. It is nice to be home. Our neighbors kept things going here, despite the heat. We are grateful for the time together and the many special people in our lives. Happy 4th of July!!!!!
Many blessings,
Denise
The second week we all went our separate ways. The Curleys traveled on leisurely to Thermopolis, Wy where we spent the day soaking in the hot mineral baths. How relaxing. We made our way across Wy and the breath taking Big Horn Mountain range. A route I would definitely recommend. We spent the remainer of our week in South Dakota. We saw many of the sights there, but one of our favorite spots was the Spearfish canyon in Spearfish, SD. The streams were so clear you could see the markings on the trout that inhabited the waters. We also visited Mt. Rushmore, what an accomplishment! We drove through Bear Country, USA and saw some of the wildlife we missed in Yellowstone, though the setting was not quite as majestic. The Badlands were quite impressive too. Our last night in SD we stayed in Sioux Falls and then we headed home. It is nice to be home. Our neighbors kept things going here, despite the heat. We are grateful for the time together and the many special people in our lives. Happy 4th of July!!!!!
Many blessings,
Denise
Wednesday, May 31
May 31, 2006
Hello,
We had a great family weekend. The bike ride was fun and challenging. The temp. was 95 degrees. Unusual for May. We would like to go back in the fall. Napper and I were thinking it might be a good anniversary get away.
I had my PET scan yesterday. Everything was clear. The lungs showed "radiation fibrosis" to the original tumor location. Basically, scar tissue formation in the cavity left from the tumor. I am so grateful and just in awe of how life unfolds. Each day is such a gift.
Thank you for your prayers, support and concern.
Love & blessings
Denise
We had a great family weekend. The bike ride was fun and challenging. The temp. was 95 degrees. Unusual for May. We would like to go back in the fall. Napper and I were thinking it might be a good anniversary get away.
I had my PET scan yesterday. Everything was clear. The lungs showed "radiation fibrosis" to the original tumor location. Basically, scar tissue formation in the cavity left from the tumor. I am so grateful and just in awe of how life unfolds. Each day is such a gift.
Thank you for your prayers, support and concern.
Love & blessings
Denise
Wednesday, May 24
May 24, 2006
Hello,
Well the school year is winding down. Tomorrow is Brian & Bonnie's last day of school. Where did the year go. All in all they both had a great school year.
Last weekend friends Nancy from Colorado and Sue from St. Louis visited. We loved seeing and talking with them. Next weekend we are going to bike ride part of the Katy Trail. This is a old railroad trail converted to a recreational trail between KC and St. Louis. We will ride part of the trail on Sat. spend the night in Booneville, Mo. Sat. and ride back to our car on Sunday. We have talked about doing it for a long time. The kids are at a great age for it now.
Have a great Memorial Day Weekend!!! Thankyou for your thoughts and prayers.
Love & blessings,
Denise
Well the school year is winding down. Tomorrow is Brian & Bonnie's last day of school. Where did the year go. All in all they both had a great school year.
Last weekend friends Nancy from Colorado and Sue from St. Louis visited. We loved seeing and talking with them. Next weekend we are going to bike ride part of the Katy Trail. This is a old railroad trail converted to a recreational trail between KC and St. Louis. We will ride part of the trail on Sat. spend the night in Booneville, Mo. Sat. and ride back to our car on Sunday. We have talked about doing it for a long time. The kids are at a great age for it now.
Have a great Memorial Day Weekend!!! Thankyou for your thoughts and prayers.
Love & blessings,
Denise
Tuesday, May 16
May 16, 2006
Hello, It has been awhile since I updated this blog. Overall, I am still feeling great. I did develop a cough, and after watching it for a few weeks I let the doctor know and my CT scan was moved up. There was some concern in reading the CT scan that a recurrent tumor is growing where the original lung tumor had been. The lymph nodes are still negative and the rest of the lungs are clear. Consequently, we will follow up with a PET scan on May 30th. I will keep you posted.
My brother Dave and his wife Tracy visited this past weekend from Indiana. We had a great time. We opened the pool on Saturday. They were a tremendous help. We got done in one day what it would have taken us a couple weekends to do. The kids were a great help too. We all enjoyed being outside.
Thank you for your continued support and prayers.
Much love,
Denise
My brother Dave and his wife Tracy visited this past weekend from Indiana. We had a great time. We opened the pool on Saturday. They were a tremendous help. We got done in one day what it would have taken us a couple weekends to do. The kids were a great help too. We all enjoyed being outside.
Thank you for your continued support and prayers.
Much love,
Denise
Tuesday, April 25
April, 25th, 2006
Hello,
Everything is going well. We have been busy, like everyone else. Brian is in the middle of his spring soccer season. That keeps us busy on the weekends. Bonnie has her dance recital this weekend.
I have been working part-time. That is going well. I am exercising on a regular basis and feeling very good. My swallowing seems to be progressing and most foods are not a problem. I anticipate that some time in the future I will need to have my esophagus dilated.
For now it is okay.
I have not had any chemo or radiation since November. My next scans are scheduled for the first part of June.
Thank you for your prayers, thoughts, optimism and cards.
Much love,
Denise
Everything is going well. We have been busy, like everyone else. Brian is in the middle of his spring soccer season. That keeps us busy on the weekends. Bonnie has her dance recital this weekend.
I have been working part-time. That is going well. I am exercising on a regular basis and feeling very good. My swallowing seems to be progressing and most foods are not a problem. I anticipate that some time in the future I will need to have my esophagus dilated.
For now it is okay.
I have not had any chemo or radiation since November. My next scans are scheduled for the first part of June.
Thank you for your prayers, thoughts, optimism and cards.
Much love,
Denise
Friday, April 7
April 7th, 2006
Hello,
My how time passes so quickly. All is well here. Napper & I had a great visit in California. We got to see friends we have not seen in a long while. I had Sushi several times and I think I got my fill.
I have enjoyed visiting with my sister this week. She headed back to Colorado early this A.M. It was fun to catch up with her. We are all ao spread out that we very much value the time we have together. I look forward to getting together with my siblings and families for a trip to Yellowstone and The Grand Tetons this summer.
I continue to feel good. I appreciate your prayers and support. Napper, Brian & Bonnie are all doing great, as well as Kelly, (my 16y.o lab) and Amos our cat. We have started working outside on the yard, and we look forward to being out more. I might even throw caution to the wind and get a tan! whoo whoo
Much love,
Denise
My how time passes so quickly. All is well here. Napper & I had a great visit in California. We got to see friends we have not seen in a long while. I had Sushi several times and I think I got my fill.
I have enjoyed visiting with my sister this week. She headed back to Colorado early this A.M. It was fun to catch up with her. We are all ao spread out that we very much value the time we have together. I look forward to getting together with my siblings and families for a trip to Yellowstone and The Grand Tetons this summer.
I continue to feel good. I appreciate your prayers and support. Napper, Brian & Bonnie are all doing great, as well as Kelly, (my 16y.o lab) and Amos our cat. We have started working outside on the yard, and we look forward to being out more. I might even throw caution to the wind and get a tan! whoo whoo
Much love,
Denise
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