Stuff

2010-   We made our plans for a trip to NY, NY in May to see Chick Corea at The Blue Note.  Our friends continued to help make the new fence in the back back yard.  Dave was still weak from brain radiation, he had some hair, but we shaved his head due to it starting to fall out again.  I eventually bought a shaver to do myself and include his facial hair (Don Johnson look).  Also started with new oncologist and planned chemo since the brain radiation treatments were done.  Dave was eating pretty good and we went to Sagatuck for one of the best fried perch dinners with my mom and Julie Lester. Joni took Dave to chemo and stayed with him, I was working in Grand Rapids that day.

2011-  PLG girls started a Team Trivia team.  The electric company removed all the "cover" brush at the back of my yard.  It hid so much and made the back back yard private.  I hated when it was gone...it still is for the most part.  I also saw lots of birds "doing it" last year in the front yard.  Spring was and is in the air.

Tonight is the first planning committee for "Buds Vuds", our new Relay for Life team.  The name is Loni's idea.  Dave's family called him Vud from Da-Vud.  His nieces and nephews even called him Uncle Vud some times.  It seems like the right thing to do.  I posted some facts and an opinion on facebook last week about lung cancer:

{"Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, among both men and women. Lung cancer claims more lives each year than do colon, prostate, ovarian and breast cancers combined "(Mayo 2012). 

"It is great to see that medical researchers have made another breakthrough in our understanding of breast cancer. In the largest ever study of breast-cancer tissue, a team at the University of British Columbia have reclassified the disease into 10 new categories, based on the genetic make-up of different kinds of tumours. As the justifiably excitable newspaper headlines put it, this could help to "revolutionise" the treatment of breast cancer, allowing doctors to predict how a tumour might respond to certain drugs and therapies.
Yet at the same time as we welcome the ongoing medical war against breast cancer, it is worth asking why other cancers have been left largely unstudied, where breakthroughs are notable by their absence. It is hard to avoid the conclusion that a cancer hierarchy has been created, where breast cancer is seen as something we can all talk about and wear ribbons for and publicly lament over, whereas other cancers – in particular lung cancer – are viewed as dirty, shameful diseases undeserving of public sympathy or research funding. The end result is that while people with breast cancer are experiencing improvements in their life expectancies, people with less fashionable diseases like lung cancer are not" (The Telegraph- UK, 2012).
Let's fight Lung Cancer...give $10 or some of your time and make a difference. I do not mean this to sound like an anti-breast cancer tyrant...just care about many who have or have died from lung cancer that shouldn't have. We can fight lung cancer and WIN! Help me represent Dave at Relay for Life and get a voice. }


Everyone CAN help by increasing the number of voices the American Cancer Society has behind them.  It's as simple as joining ACS CAN, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network,  for as little as  $10.  Or, you can let Congress know you support cancer research.  


I realize we all have very busy lives and there are lots of great causes to support.  Dave said to the nephrologist who had just recommended he not have dialysis..."so you can't help me, but what has happened to me may help someone else?"  I want to see that happen.


peace, love, groove