Red Beer

Subject for the day was Red Beer....Dr. Barnett (Roger's Oncologist) never had heard of Red beer until this week and Roger telling him about it....He is this very sincere, baby faced, well informed Dr. that has won our hearts with his desire to give Roger the best he knows how to give.....this appointment needed to be more light hearted and matter of fact than the last one...the last appointment was very heavy and hard for all of us. So, Red Beer came up and we ran with it.
Today Dr Barnett really listened to Roger and what Roger wanted....I asked, of course a lot of questions and Dr. Barnett was very willing to answer them and explained a lot to us. He is all for Roger taking a break, but has urged him to think about continuing therapy and so does his nurses...Roger will think about it, meanwhile Roger is doing some unconventional things and is not in a great deal of pain and even getting an MRI tomorrow to see if he can get back to playing a little golf without breaking bones that have been destroyed by his cancer.......
All in All it was a very good session with the Doc. Roger got his dose of Zomita and his Hormone shot.......
Roger still reads a lot and laughs at me whenever I can be funny enough for him to laugh at me.
We are staying positive and thanking everyone for the prayers.
Aunt Wilma is finally home again after two weeks in the Hospital with Pneumonia and her Congest. heart and her COPD and a lot of other things....she still has her wits and mind about her and wanted to try it again at home......my adorable Colbie had her heart appointment today and the verdict was heart surgery, but Chad is researching and is reluctant because of lack of evidence. He doesn't want his precious baby daughter to undergo something that may not be necessary....but I know that it is inevitable....he is just scared and needs more time....I know that she will be fine, even Tina says lets go ahead with it, but Chad is her daddy and is very apprehensive of it all....and I don't blame him....she would be cared for at Children's Hospital and I know that she will be fine, but it is hard to give your child to a surgeon that you don't know and give permission to work on her little heart......
Well enough for now.....I could go on and on......but the real message in all of this is that we are thankful and blessed and loved to the fullest.......
Make it a great day, month and year
Lovingly Dianne

Just coasting for a while

Roger is just coasting for a while and thinking of alternatives at this point....we have a couple in mind and want to really take a good look and research them.....because....Roger was not very keen on the trial study they had available in Denver at the Rocky Mt Cancer Center. His oncologist called today to see why Roger was not wanting to do this...they both decided that he would keep up with the Zomita injection and the Hormone therapy and monitor his blood count here in Longmont.

I am totally letting this decision up to Roger, but trying to give him information and things to think about during his time of contemplation. He has been through so much treatment in the last few years and it wears on one, especially when there is not a good end result....all of the time and struggle and doctors and poking and proding can get to a person. He is as good a patient as they come........

He is looking forward to some nice weather as we all are, but his golfing days are probably not going to be. That is the hardest thing I think that he is facing although it may not be what any of you would consider to be important. Golf made him happy and I try my hardest every day to make him laugh. Thank you for all of the funny e-mails you send from time to time...some of them get us both laughing so hard we pee our pants ! ! !

So......come by....call....or just pray that Roger can fight his fight without a lot of pain.

Lovingly Dianne

Not the news we wanted to hear

Roger's cancer is not responding to the chemotherapy like the doctor thought in the last few months.....his PSA is no longer a good indicator for his cancer that is in his bones in fact in the last five months it has spread to more places in his spine I have the pet scan to prove it....Dr. Barnett explained very well to us both this morning, but to reiterate it at this time .... I just cannot and do it any justice.......for the most part it was not what we both wanted to hear nor was it the news that our dear Dr. wanted to give us.....he really loves Roger and thinks of him as a strong, wonderful man as do I........Roger took the news much better than I did.....as far as any more treatments, there is really nothing that is going to be a strong winner at this point....a different type of chemo that MIGHT respond.......a trial study of which is not available to Roger because it is not in his vital organs at this time.( that, being here with Dr. Barnett) Dr. Barnett did say that he would e-mail his buddies at Denver Midtown and at University Hospital to see if they had anything available that Roger would be eligible for. It is very complicated and very hard to explain to anyone. If you want go to ustoo.com and just see how complicated and how much information is out there, please do so, if not I really don't blame you. It is a lot of information that is very hard to consume and put your arms around.
Roger is one heck of a guy and is taking this like no other person I know would......it is me that is the weak link in the armour right now, but I too will have to rise to the occasion and be strong for him and for me.....
All of you that have been praying for us ...we thank you....please don't stop.....I was told by my brother some time ago that God ALWAYS answers our prayers....it may just not be the answer that we are looking for........
We love and have each other....just make sure that you love and have each other too and we will all be good.......................................................
With Love and Gratitude, Roger and Dianne

News flash for upcoming events

February will be the true test of what is to come......Tuesday Feb 2nd are the lab tests then....wed the pet scan.. then tues. Feb 9th is the Doctor appt with the results of the tests and to find out whether Roger goes in for more Chemo or not....He is such a patient man and is taking all of this unlike no other.....He never blows up....I just don't know how he does it.....Roger's son is here looking to move here if he can land a job and also if he can sell his home in Idaho and find one here . He is looking to move back home......time will tell., as in all things in our life right now. thanks again for all your support and for your friendship.... we truly apprecaite it.....fun times at poker with our Mesquite friends...you guys are all awesome......
TBC everyone asks what they can do....well.........PRAY PRAY PRAY....thank you so much

Maybe, Is the word

Roger thought that he was going in for the last of the Chemo treatments today.....and hopefully that is the case.....we must all think and pray that in two weeks when the pet scan is done that results are what we want them to be and there is no progression of this horrible cancer in any of Roger's organs. The Doctor will determine from the pet scan whether to continue the chemo and also from the blood tests. Roger was so hoping that this was it, but unfortunately his fight continues. He is a little down, but continues to keep his chin up and so very much wants to not have to go to the doctor so much and to live a simple normal life without pain and drugs. I will keep positive that this can be accomplished. It is such a long and trying process. It really keeps one humble and wanting just the simple things in life and to wake up in the morning to know that it will be a good day.....the definition of a good day is up to each individual. Mine is
Please Lord let me laugh and love and be thankful for whatever I have or even what I don't have........goodnight Dianne

The Smiling Doctor

Yes, Dr Barnett was smiling when he came into the room on Tuesday for Roger's Appointment. He is so very pleased with the way Roger is responding to his treatment. Chemo every three weeks until late January....Zomita for the bones and Hormone therapy. The combination they have going right now has even made the doctor have words of encourgement like "remmission?"
We have not heard any words of encouragement since this whole thing began 4 1/2 years ago. It was music to our ears......Jeff and Jolene have a very strong faith as I know a lot of your do. Roger and I are trting to have one. The road has been a difficult one and we are not complaining. The power of prayer is so powerful that before Jeff and Jolene left our house from Christmas we all gathered in our kitchen for Jolene to say her prayer for Roger and her belief that there could be a Christmas Miracle for us if we would just ask. I feel there was and is. Thank you Jolene for having the faith and the courage to ask....I was afraid to, but you were not.
Thank you everyone for YOUR prayers and thoughts for Roger. we depend on you for that and that is the greatest gift anyone of us could ever have now and anytime in our lives.....I am deeply humbled and thankful for this.......you just don't know what this means at this point in our lives here on earth......Roger is very grateful, but still has a long hard road to bare....and I know he will do it with dignity and strength, because that is who he is.....my Rock.......Happy New Year to all......2010....has a good ring to it.....Love Dianne and Roger

Merry Merry Christmas 2009

And I mean that from the bottom of my heart. It has been, as most of you know, quite the year for Roger and I and our family. I'll begin with Roger. He is undergoing Chemotherapy and will continue until the end of January. His prostate cancer came back and landed in his spine and his left arm. This all started last January. Needless to say it has been one doctors appoinment after another. His oncologist, as of the other day said, with a smile on his face, that the Chemo was bringing Roger's PSA level down and so they will continue treatment so at least he can be comfortable and not in so much pain. We know that it is not a cure, but we will take any kind of good news we can get at this point.
I was bought out of my Dental Assisting School in Niwot as of Sept of this year and started my own....I now have, with a very great working partner this time, Academy for Dental Assisting Careers (ADAC) in Longmont, Greeley and Littleton.. I am still working two days a week for the Dental Office in Niwot and do enjoy it. You just cannot retire me yet, I guess it is just in my blood to work work work.
Ken is in Idaho and is selling cars and thinking of maybe moving back to God's country(COLORADO). His girls Kenna (9) and Jade(7) are in Utah with their mom, but get to be with Ken on Holidays and Summer. We got to see them this summer at Roger's family reunion of which was at our house.
Chad, Tina and Colton and the newest addition Colbie Marie are in Firestone, CO. It is not that far away so I get my Colbie (7 mo.) and Colton (8 3/4) fix as much as I can when I am not working. Colbie was very premature, but is very happy, healthy baby girl and we love her and her big brother. (He can now say at school with pride he has a sibling)
Jeff, Jolene, Jaelyn (4) and Jax( 2) have moved from Texas to Grand Junction, CO. They were able to sell their house in Tx. quickly and Jeff can live anywhere as long as he is near a major airport. He does some travelng with his job (The Empowered Network), but can also work from his home office. Jolene and the kids are adjusting being back in the cold and snow...yes even in Grand Junction.
Aunt Wilma and Gert are doing well, also. Aunt Wilma (85) still lives in her own home, under the watchful eyes of her great neighbors and us. Gert (91) is still amazing us with her vitality. She just got back from being in California with Roger's brother and his wife Doris for Thanksgiving. Plane trip and all, it was a good trip for her she said.
Thanking everyone who has been by our side or prayed for us this year and wishing all of you and your families the best Christmas ever....I know that we will. We are so fortunate to have the greatest kids, grandkids anyone could hope for.
FAMILY>FRIENDS>LOVE that is what it's all about ! ! ! ! !

Love and many Blessings for the New Year
Dianne and Roger