Stew

My sister Sue, gave us the name of an author of cookbooks full of heart healthy recipes a few years ago after my heart attack. We have been using that cookbook more recently and trying out some new and interesting salads. So far we haven't made any that we haven't enjoyed!

I just put some stew in the oven, it is called stay-abed-stew. You throw everything in and put it in the oven at 325 then hours later, hey presto a delicious stew. We went first class with this stew, we bought a couple of steaks and chopped them up rather than using stewing beef. I wonder if it will really taste any better? Carrots potatoes squash, can of beef broth, can of cream of mushroom soup, 2 cans cream of celery soup. That's all there is to it. Plus a couple of garlic cloves and Worcestershire sauce.I'm looking forward to trying it.

We bought some SPF 50 sunscreen this morning, getting ready for the trip...

ARGHH!

SO I came in to work yesterday, lasted for about an hour and a half and then went home. Back to work today, not really feeling that much better, but not feeling bad enough to go home.

LifeWife went and picked up D1 from chemo treatments yesterday. D1 was overtired, zapped by the rigors of the chemo and while appreciative, wasn't able to make up her mind about what to eat. Very frustrating for LifeWife because she knew that D1 wanted to eat, knew that D1 knew she should eat, but was unable to decide what to eat. We have noticed that D1 is really not gaining any weight at all and we are upset about it. D1 is being very protective/selective about what she will and will not eat (all based on info from the naturopathic college). No sugar no wheat no this no that and consequently (it seems to us) there really aren't too many choices available. We'd like to see her scarf back a bacon double cheeseburger with fries with gravy and a large chocolate milkshake, anything that will put some meat on her.

We are continuing to learn to adjust our mindset to acknowledge that she does not need/want us to dictate anything to her, she absolutely will not do anything SHE doesn't want to do. We are learning to live with and accept that. Sometimes we as parents DO know what is best. (That is the frustrating part.)

Whew

So I'm fast asleep, it's the middle of the night, I wake up and sneeze and OH MY GOODNESS, it felt like I sneezed my throat out, it hurt! I fall back to sleep and when the alarm rings I get up, shower, head out.
I drive up to the Timmy's window, a voice says Can I help you and I open my mouth and out comes something that must have sounded like Darth Vader on steroids or something, there was a moment of silence and then the voice says Excuse Me? By this time I have harrumphed and cleared my throat several time so when I said Large Double Double, it was decipherable. Then I remembered the sneeze.
So it is sorta going downhill, not really feeling bad enough to leave work but definitely not feeling like working, glad this is happening now and not the night before The Trip!

The Trip:

We are going on a trip.

LifeWife and I
D-One and Companion
D-Two and S-One and GS-One
D-Three and S-Two
It is getting kinda tiring writing out the numbers so I am switching to the following D1 and C
D2 and S1 and GS1
D3 and S2
There that will make things easier.

Okay, so the trip, well it is a long and complicated story to try and identify how it all came about and I don't have the time or the inclination to write it all out. Suffice it to say we are going.

Circumstances dictated that we were unable to get into the same resort, so we are on the same beach but there is a resort in between the two resorts we are staying at. It all started by D3 & S2, buying the trip for D1 and C. Then D2 found out about it and at one point D1, D2, and LifeWife, were together and came up with the idea of us all going.

Hey I'm all for sun sand and sea, and it will be amazing to be there with all the people I love the most. I'm really looking forward to this trip.

S2 is pumped and checking out all the day trips that are available.

INTRO: Heroes

We all (or most of us) have heroes don't we? The funny thing about heroes is that as we change we obtain new or exchange our heroes.

Band of brothers has a great clip of one of the actual guys whose story they are telling. His grandson asked him if he was a hero in the war, and he told his grandson, No, I was in a company of heroes.

Well I gotta tell ya, my heroes are my daughters. I have three, and they all grew up to be such wonderful powerful women. Self assured, confident in themselves, each of them growing and developing: kindness, tact, compassion, wisdom and grace.

Just so I don't have to say it for each one...they are beautiful, brilliant women.

D-One my eldest daughter, is a fierce competitor, and yet gracious and loving in demeanor, obviously cared for by all who get to know her. Her friends amaze me, actually it is not her friends that amaze me it is the wide diversity of personalities and how different they are from her, and yet from my observations, they'll drop anything to help her. D-One is currently battling Ovarian Cancer. She is determined to be a part of the 30% that survives longer than 5 years, we are at four years since initial diagnosis. This is the kind if person D-One is, 4 years ago late in the fall, D-One asked LifeWife and I to meet her for dinner at a Korean restaurant, we delightedly acquiesced, and it was there that she told us her diagnosis, she had been diagnosed two months earlier, D-One I asked, "Why didn't you tell us sooner? She replied "Because I didn't want to ruin your birthday Dad."

D-Two my middle daughter, a new Mom to a currently 9 month old son, GS-One, and learning all the ramifications involved in motherhood, she is reading all the books and trying to do everything just right, which is great but I would think a little tiring. She is a fine woman with a ready and heartwarming smile, cheerful and bright. Her tenacious optimism for D-One is inspiring. Her Husband, Son One (S-One) is a man who has been teaching D-Two's sisters what it is like to have a brother, teasing and tormenting them, and yet when they need it he is a brotherly loving hug for them so obviously full of love and care. D-Two told me he weeps for D-One. I've told him how much I appreciate his care love and concern for D-One and D-Three, and how much LifeWife and I love him. /==/ D-Two is a great conversationalist, and I've figured out why. She listens. She makes you feel that you have her focused attention, she asks insightful questions, she engages you.

D-Three my youngest daughter, Christmas day she was jumping on the couch, I warned her "Don't jump on the couch" ... next thing you know there we are, in Emerg on Christmas day, she must have been 3 or four at the time. She and I made several trips to Emerg... D-Three is an actioneer, she won't sit and wait, she'll get up and make it happen. She too is married, just celebrated her first anniversary and as we learn more about S-Two, I must admit we are developing a fondness for him as well. She has an amazing capacity for patience (but will not put up with nonsense) in trying circumstances, if you are ever sick or in hospital D-Three is the one you want beside you. //==// She has this annoying habit of being right and being eminently logical. She is irritatingly able to point out inconsistencies in positions or opinions.

Heart of a Lion D-One, D-Two and D-Three are all equipped with this. They fill my heart with joy/wonder/pride/awe. D-Two and D-Three consistently demonstrate selfless love in their interactions with D-One. They are so protective and giving, it makes me weep that they are so wonderfully loving towards their elder sibling. The amazing thing is that they all have the same attitude towards each other, sure there are small things that irritate them about each other, but that doesn't matter when there is a need. Not at all.

D-One's quote: from her blog
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And he said this is like life too, if you lose your job, you don't think I'm never going to find anything, you think I'm going to find something better.

He said, if you are sick, you say every day I am going to get a little bit better, more well.

For obvious reasons that really struck me. Lately I have been wondering if I am really getting better, if this new chemo protocol is working for me, doubting... This inspired me.

Screw what the doctors say. In my mind I am going to be determined. I am not going to assume the worst before the results are in-so to speak. Every day I am going to have the mindset that I am getting a little bit better than I was yesterday, that I am moving towards wellness.

I want to be a champion in jujitsu. But even more I want to be a champion in life and overcome all the obstacles set before me. And cancer, I am going to win, today is going to be my day, people say you are really tough-unbeatable, but I am going to surprise you and submit you and win.
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D-One - The Champion.