BigFred

Here is a picture of us at the Space Needle last Tuesday night when our baby girl gave a great speech and received her award for Youth of the Quarter from the Skyway Boys & Girls Club!

Just a quick note to let you know that Ericka did an outstanding job at the Boys and Girls Club Youth of the Quarter dinner on Tuesday night at the Space Needle. She was one of the youngest kids nominated and she had a wonderful speech. Her dad was in tears when she was done. Yes, our little “Baby E” is growing up right before our eyes. We’ll post the picture when dad downloads it. Hopefully that will be sometime this year.

Otherwise, it’s been a relatively eventless week so far, Praise God! Frederick is doing okay and is planning to go to visit the Women at the Well, held at Eastside Academy in a week or so. They are coming to get him so I know he feels real special.

Talk to you all again soon.
Diana

What a joyous Easter we had.  Frederick finished his last round of chemo last Saturday so his body’s been adjusting again.  We went to dinner at Applebee’s on Friday evening.  Saturday afternoon Frederick went to Fry’s with a friend and Saturday evening we had a small group from church over for dinner.  That was a lot of fun.  By Sunday, Frederick was feeling a little sluggish and nauseous, by the end of service he was feeling a lot better.  Our Pastor talked about the fact that we owed a debt we could not pay and Jesus paid a debt he did not owe.  Just because he loves us.  Thank you Jesus.

Sunday dinner was especially good since one of my God-daughter’s cooked most of the meal.  After dinner we took a nap and by the time we woke up it was time to clean up after dinner and go to bed.  My kind of Sunday. 

So we have a few more weeks before the after chemo follow up and we’re praying that when we do go for the follow up, we’ll hear “the tumor has shrunk”, or “the tumor is gone”.  Now if we hear that the tumor is gone, you’ll know because there will be a special news report about the woman who couldn’t stop shouting in the doctor’s office.  That will be me!

Please keep Ericka in your prayers tomorrow as she will be giving a speech at Seattle Center, telling about what the Skyway Boys and Girls Club means to her.  It is a special honor for her to be chosen to make this speech.  I know the club has been a good outlet for her during this time dealing with her Dad being sick.  We’ll let you know how it all goes.

Ok, ya’ll stayed blessed!

Diana & Frederick

Are you wearing green today!  Happy St Patty!

Frederick finished his chemo on Saturday.  He was very tired Sunday morning and said he didn’t sleep well so he didn’t go to church, but the afternoon was quite good.  He didn’t fall alseep on us once, that I can remember.  A friend who is moving out of town came over and she asked him to play his guitar for her because she wouldn’t be around to hear him.  He played at it for her.  I don’t recall actually hearing a recognizable song, but at least he did pick it up and fingered around.  He needs to do this more so come over and request a song would ya!

His INR was low (blood too thick) last week so he goes in for a check on Wednesday.  Then we have a 30 day wait before the after chemo follow up.  At the next oncology appointment we are going to be pressing for some other treatment like the cyberknife or gamma knife or the new radiation that has been talked about that is available in Tacoma or Everett. 

Just a short note for today.

Keep pushing! (Praying Until Something Happens)

Diana & Frederick

Frederick started his next round of chemo last night.  He spent most of the night with his face in his pink hospital bucket, if you know what I mean.  That same thing happened to him the last time he did a round of chemo.  Hopefully it’s a first day only thing just like last time.  We was very tired this morning and so was I.  I pray we both can get a little more sleep tonight.  Also, please pray that his INR is not off due to the chemo starting up.  He goes in for his INR check on Friday.  We’re still planning to get to the gym in the next week or so and I had planned to get him outside walking today, but we just never got to do it.  If it’s sunny tomorrow, we’ll try to get out.  He has been down in the basement working on music so that is encouraging for me.  I even heard a few new ditti’s that I hadn’t heard before.  Pray his voice comes back to normal too cause even though he didn’t sing to me very often, I did enjoy hearing his voice when he sang for everyone else!  If he reads this maybe he’ll get the hint!

Be blessed and keep the faith.

 Diana & Frederick

Another long and tiring week.  Monday was INR check.  It was way too high, meaning Frederick’s blood was way too thin.  So they adjusted the dosage and we had to go back on Tuesday.  It was still too high but not as high.  We also find out that the pharmacist that had prescribed the dosage last week made a slight mistake, because Frederick had two different strengths of pills and what she prescribed didn’t quite match what he was taking.  We got that all straight and today his INR was right where it should be.  They are not going to charge us for 2 of the appointments since it was partly due to their error.  Tuesday we had to be downtown at 8:40am for an MRI.  That basicially came off without a hitch, except having to get Frederick up and out so early.  Wednesday we saw the oncologist.  We had a 3 pm appointment.  We finally saw him around 4 pm or so.  Again the MRI shows the mass is unchanged in size and appearance compared to prior exams.  The collection of spinal fluid is slightly smaller and the build up of spinal fluid in the brain is unchanged.  Too much of this fluid can cause pressure on the brain.  We asked the oncologist, so where does that leave us.  The oncologist says the tumor is not growing.  That is a good thing.  It seems we learn a little more than we knew each time we visit.  If we only knew all the right things to ask for once and for all.  So we go another round of chemo.  The chemo cost has tripled because we have a different insurance and because we have already met the benefit maximum for the year.  Unfortunately, I didn’t know the maximum existed.  I can’t blame that on the insurance person who sold it to us, I am just learning that I need to read the fine print on EVERYTHING!  So the insurance person is working on getting us on with the WSHIP, basically the state and per the insurance agent you pay a higher premium but there are no limits, at least on prescriptions.  I better check on the other areas too before we sign on the dotted line again.  The oncologist seemed to think Frederick looked good.  I told the oncologist, “he always looks good when he’s coming to see you.  He likes you and you make him feel good.  So we need to move in with you.”  The doctor laughed very loudly, but didn’t hand over any house keys.  The good news of the week was that a musician’s foundation that we had applied to for help with medicine and some equipment for Frederick came through.  The bad news was that the cost of the medicine was double what we had asked for from the foundation.  Of course we found all this out after everybody was gone home for the day and this is the weekend so we get to start all over again on Monday trying to get this stuff straight. 

I’m mostly just venting so please don’t think we are defeated.  In Christ we are never defeated, knocked down but not out…you know the verse.  If you don’t, ask me later and I’ll look it up for ya!

Even with all the bad news, the good news remains that God is still blessing us and still providing for us and giving us joy.  Joy doesn’t mean you are always happy on the outside, but joy is deep within and I’d rather have the joy of the Lord any day than fleeting outward influenced happiness.  Did that make a bit of sense?  I sure hope so!

Please keep up the effectual fervent prayers because we know that’s what is keeping us.  Our prayers along with the prayers of the saints.  And we know that he hears us and if he hears us, he will answer.  Sometimes yes, sometimes no and sometimes wait.  A wait beats a no every time! 

 Finally, please if you are available, come by and see Frederick.  Call him just to say hi.  He needs the encouragement.

We praise God for you!

Diana and Frederick