happy halloween

Thanks Natalie

Heidi's friend Natalie met us at temple square so we could get some family picts. Thanks so much!

mom's new digs

Saturday night review

Good evening from Layton. We are watching the Monticello Girls State Volleyball Championship game on the Internet. Go Lady Bucks and congratulations to the boy Football team for their win today. Marilee, while being really tired and worn out from yesterday is once again with us in the same galaxy and language compared to what she experienced yesterday. The reaction made her very silly and for the most part nothing that she said made any sense at all. It has been a pretty day today and has been really quite as Max and Jillian are visiting their other grandparents, Ryan was helping on an Eagle Scout Project in Ogden, Kelli and Pete took a couple of days off; and so it has been mostly Jenna, Marilee and I. We haven't heard anything from Huntsman today and most likely won't until Monday but are hoping to get her into another treatment this coming week. No time to waste but we are hoping for a much better outcome that yesterday. They had the ribbon cutting ceremony yesterday for the new wing at the Huntsman Cancer Center with a ton of people, big wig people there. It was nice to see and we will get to see the new digs immediately. The Chemo Pharmacy was being moved to the new part as were in the infusion center. It will also move to the third floor of the new wing, Dr. Ward's Clinic A is going to move to the third floor of the new wing. All of the staff are very excited for the changes. How blessed we are to have someone like the Huntsmans to donate such large amounts of funding for such an healing place right here in our State. Cheers to Monticello Girls for taking the second set. I have some good friends from Rich County, the salt of the earth, but it is their turn to lose.

An interesting visit from some old friends that worked in Dr. Porter's clinic. Judy Berry, Amber Young and Laurie Valerio all came by for a few minutes the other day. I got a chance to spend a few minutes with Dr. Porter the other day. He sends his love to all.

We hope for the best for everyone that has been praying, thinking, communicating and doing all the things for us that we hear about. We really appreciate everyone and everything. You are such good people.

We will continue to post information and Marilee would like to be able to start posting but is struggling with Jenna's IPad so we will have to get her access to a normal or regular computer.

Once again, thanks for everything that is being done for us.

Friday 10/28/2011

Marilee had a setback today as she had a pretty severe reaction to the chemo treatment. She had been receiving the chemo for about 8-10 minutes when she had the reaction. We continue to be blessed with great medical staff and I think we had the best nurse on the floor. They immediately stopped the chemo and got her feeling better and then watched her for a couple of hours of monitoring. A doctor working the emergency department at Huntsman came in for two visits and it was decided to discontinue any treatment for this day. She was disappointed that she could get the treatment but Dr. Ward and his staff will review the process and come up with a different plan and a different "cocktail" mix. The experience drained her of her strength today and so she went down for a nap as soon as we got back to Kelli's house. I imagine it will be Monday before we hear back from Dr. Ward for the new plan of action. We will regroup as a family to give her the needed support to get her going again.

Tuesday Evening Update

Jenna had her follow-up visit with her doctor yesterday. It appears that the surgery went well and the ear is healing well. It still causes some pain and irritation but she is a trooper and is handling it well and is a brave soul. She has another follow up in four weeks and if all is going well they will look at some surgery for her other ear. She will also have to have her surgery for her ear that was done last week some time in the next six to twelve months. Hopefully we will be able to get most of her ear and hearing problems taken care of.

Marilee had her followup visit with Dr. Ward this afternoon and her lab test were looking pretty good and well enough that they have scheduled her next chemo treatment for this Friday. She continues to feel good but has limited strength but has good spirits and hope in her treatments. We found out that we were just lucky enough to be in the rotation of the doctors at Huntsman to have Dr. Ward in his rotation. Apparently the doctors rotated for three weeks. He has been a good, patience, and loving bedside manner.

Josh and Heidi head back to St. George tonight. They have been good to have around and we will miss them but they will be in communication on a regular basis. Marilee will plan on staying her at Kelli's for a while longer after her treatment.

The new bedroom and bathroom are very cool. They have done a great job in putting it all together and it is very comfortable for Marilee to rest and recuperate.

It is a small world. I parked the car after letting Marilee and Heidi out at the curb at Huntsman and got into the elevator and we stopped at the first floor to let people in the elevator and Chris Maughan got on.