SOLD

The closing on my condo yesterday, July 30th, was bittersweet. I am sad because I feel that I just closed another chapter of my life, much earlier than I would have liked. I am happy because I feel that a load has been lifted. Now I can move forward with God's direction and with whatever the future holds.

"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you, O God." Isaiah 26:3

Dory Lakes Vacation - July 2009

Johanna, my aunt, reserved the lodge at Dory Lake for the the week. My cousin Mary Pat and her daughter and son-in-law and their three children joined us. They took off each day and everyone went their own way. My cousin Johanna and her dad, uncle Larry were traveling through Colorado and spent a day with us.  Johanna is a common name in our family and there were five of us present at Dory Lakes. What fun we had. It was such a good time. I took Johanna, my aunt, to Mount Lindo so she could see my resting place. We had a picnic lunch and enjoyed the beauty as well as the peace and quiet.

And then one afternoon - I knew that I had a blood clot when I was rushed to Boulder to the hospital. The pain had been going on for 4-5 hours before I told anyone, but I knew what was happening. By the time I left the hospital another 4 hours later the pain had subsided. I was really puzzled about what was going on. You can not mistake the pain of a blood clot once you have been through one. And then, I ran across this article on Altitude Illness. It was a wonderful article about what actually happens when we change altitude. I would have never guessed that it would cause thrombophlebitis, but it actually made sense after reading the article. I caught it in time and getting to the lower altitude helped until I was told by the ER to use moist heat packs. This is just a short sentence that caught my eye in this article. "Studies have shown that there is an increased tendency for blood to thrombose (clot) in arteries and veins at high altitude." If you would like to read more about Altitude Illness, check out the site - http://www.elbrus.org/eng1/high_altitude1.htm

There is always something funny if you look for it. When I go to Dory Lakes it is with my aunt. The last time we were at Dory Lakes was ten years ago. I was napping one afternoon and my aunt woke me and said that she need to get to the hospital. She was having numbness in her arm and her breathing was very labored. The doctor said that she needed to get to a lower altitude and stay there. So, ten years later she decided that she could probably handled it if she really paid attention to what her body was telling her. This time (ten years later) I woke her from a nap and said that I needed to get to the hospital. At the moment, of course, it was not funny, but as we looked back on it we had a good laugh. Maybe we will try it again in another ten years.

Ladybug, Ladybug

For some it was fun and for others it was not so much. This was the summer of the ladybug invasion in Jefferson County in Colorado. I live on the 15th floor and I would never have expected to have my picture window covered with ladybugs - between 25-50 at any given time, with many, many more just flying around. I found this to be a mystery and a friend started investigating and found that the ladybugs had invaded Colorado. A couple of weeks ago when I was in the mountains I noticed that the bushes were covered and the air was filled with thousands and thousands of the little good luck charms, according to folklore.

I just returned from a week in the mountains (higher altitude) and did not see any ladybugs. Not sure if they left or if it was truly limited to the Jefferson County area. You can click on this link to see a sampling of the massive amounts of Ladybugs. http//media.smh.com.au/ladybugs-invade-colorado-629437.html

I must say, however, that the wild flowers are magnificent this year. I have never seen so many varieties. I had a wonderful week with family at Dory Lakes, just the other side of Black Hawk and celebrated my birthday, on Saturday, at Georgetown with my aunt. I did have one little incident and was taken to the emergency room at Boulder. After about 4 hours it was determined that I did not have a blood clot at that time and the pain had almost subsided. After warm, moist compresses the pain finally went away. They said that I did the right thing by getting it checked out since I seem to be a high risk for blood clots (due to my episode in October).

I am feeling relatively well and I am scheduled for another PET scan on August 6th. My CA125 (blood test) two weeks ago was up to 53 which is above the normal range. In April it was 20 and an indication that it was on the rise.

It was a birthday like no other. I received well over 50 cards from my church family alone. I thank you Father for close friends who help me build a stronger character and draw me closer to you.

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" John 15:13

I have chosen my resting place!

Colorado’s Mount Lindo Cemetery and Mausoleum rests on top of a mountain that overlooks Highway 285 and Denver. On the East side of the mountain is the largest lighted cross in the United States. The cross is 393 feet high and 254 feet across, and can be seen from the highway and parts of the city it watches over.

This has been a very busy week with getting a contract on the condo and making all of my funeral arrangements. I am very excited about the place that I have chosen. I will be cremated and my ashes scattered in the Garden of Freedom on Mount Lindo. I will have a small bronze plaque with my name and years of birth and death on a Cenotaph sitting in front of a magnificent view of the mountains. (A cenotaph is a tomb or a monument erected in honor of a person or group of persons whose remains are elsewhere.)

Several months ago I met with my aunt, Sister Johanna, to plan a service in the Kansas City area for all of my cousins, family and friends that want to attend. We planned a very nice service with biblical verses and songs that are close to my heart. Today, I met with my pastor, Steve Heese, to plan a completely different type of service for my church family and friends in the Denver area. Since we wound up choosing many of the same verses and songs, it will be different only in the fact that it will be on Mount Lindo where he will scatter my ashes.

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you O Lord, are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." Psalm 23:4

Contract on condo

As of July 1st I have a contract on my condo. Please pray with me that the inspection and closing go smoothly.

Life is fragile, handle with prayer.

I have survived my first year with cancer

When concerns cloud our minds and steal our serenity, we often seek instant comfort through words of the world. But we’ve been given another means, and even better means: the complete package of God’s Word. And on those pages we will find peace beyond all earthly understanding. ~ from “God Things Come in Small Packages”

One year ago today, July 1st, was the start of my journey, better known as “Katherine's Cancer Journey”. No one knows for sure how long I had the cancer before I was diagnosed as Stage 3C. So, I consider this my first year of survival. I know - I know, everyone has set five years as the true survival rate. I look at it a little differently - each day, each month, or each year that I am alive is survival for me. I will turn 66 this month but instead of celebrating my birthday I want to celebrate the fact that I have made it one year living with a very aggressive cancer that has taken over my body.

I was reading another persons blog that has the same type of endometrial cancer that I have. I love this quote from her doctor so I took the liberty of borrowing it. "This is YOUR fight, not theirs. You will do as well as you think you will, do not believe in any statistics but your own! The statistics your are reading are old by the time you read them anyways. Keep positive!" ~ Dr. Jeremy Sturgeon

A much needed trip to Moss Beach

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I spent a week at Moss Beach near San Francisco with family and had a wonderful time. Oh how I love the ocean. It was cool there but it has been cool here in Colorado also. The picture of the tree is the reason that it is called Moss Beach - what beauty.

I cannot believe that the month is half over. There is no news health wise and I am still feeling well. I am no longer working except at the church. Mentally and physically it became overwhelming for me just like the house did. Still no offers so keep praying that it will sell soon.

My mind is forever on the cancer but I do not let it get the best of me. I keep my chin up, and my spirit on high. I thank my God for each and every new day.

It was nice living in this tent when it was strong and secure and the sun was shining and the air was warm.

But, Mr. Tentmaker, it’s scary now.

My tent is acting like it’s not going to hold together. The poles seem weak and they shift with the wind, a couple of the stakes have wiggled loose from the sand, and worst of all, the canvas has a rip. It no longer protects me from beating rain or stinging flies.

It’s scary in here, Mr. Tentmaker. Last week I was sent to the repair shop and some repairmen tried to patch the rip in my canvas. It didn’t help much though, because the patch pulled away from the edges and now the tear is worse.

What troubled me most, Mr. Tentmaker, is that the repairmen didn’t seem to notice I was still in the tent. They just worked on the canvas while; I shivered inside. I cried out once, but no one heard me.

I guess my first real question is, why did you give me such a flimsy tent? I can see by looking around the campground that some of the tents are much stronger and more stable than mine. Why, Mr. Tentmaker, did you pick a tent of such poor quality for me and even more important, what do you intend to do about it?

Oh, Little tent dweller, as the Creator and Provider of tents, I know all about you and your tent and I love you both.

I made a tent for myself once and lived in it on your campground. My tent was vulnerable, too, and some vicious attackers ripped it to pieces while I was still in it. It was a terrible experience but you’ll be glad to know they couldn’t hurt me. In fact, the whole occurrence was a tremendous advantage because it is this very victory over my enemy that frees me to be of present help to you.

Little tent dweller, I am now prepared to come and live in your tent with you, if you will invite me. You will learn, as we dwell together, that real security comes from my being in your tent with you. When the storms come, you can huddle in my arms and I’ll hold you. When the canvas rips, we’ll go to the repair shop together.

Someday, little tent dweller, your tent will collapse (for I’ve only designed it for temporary use). When it does, you and I will leave together, (I promise not to leave before you do). Then, free of all that would hinder or restrict, we will move to our permanent home and together, forever rejoice and be glad.

~~By Roselyn Aronson

Partial view from bedroom

It was taken, of course, through the screen. Sloan's Lake and the mountains.

The Estate Sale is over

The move is over and the Estate Sale is over. All went very well. The people doing the Estate Sale went way above and beyond what I was expecting. They left the house clean and vacuumed and empty except for one very large bookcase/entertainment center. The washer/dryer and the refrigerator were left as bargaining tools. If whoever buys the house does not want them I am sure they will be easy enough to sell. Pray that the condo sells fast.

I cannot believe how much a person collects over the years - stuff we don't really use - it is just there. My little apartment has everything I need and so far I am very comfortable here. Yes, I do miss the garage and I go to another floor to do the laundry. I was so used to the comforts of every day life and having everything at the tips of my fingers. Now I have to reach a little and it is good for me.

The whole move and process of moving went so fast that I did not have time to go through all of the old paper work, etc. I am still in the process of doing that - almost finished. It will be so good to have all of this finished.

As for my health I am feeling pretty good, certainly nothing to complain about. My back is hurting but that is because I was lifting things I was not supposed to lift - there is not always someone around to do this for you. I don't have any doctor appointments scheduled but I guess that will not happen until it is necessary.

My hair was finally to the point that I had to do something. It was growing fairly fast in the back and on the sides but not on the top or the very front. It looked kind of weird so I decided that I needed to get it styled. Well, to make it look right and match the top it is now very short again. It was growing in all different directions and I now have a slight wave at the neckline and the very front and a huge cowlick at the crown. She said that some of my hair was very fine and some was very coarse. Guess it will just take time to get straightened out. However, I think I am through with the wigs.

The cats are doing much better but they know there is something on the other side of that door and they want to explore. I am going to put something under the door to help reduce the noise and maybe that will help.

I am looking forward to a week at Moss Beach in San Francisco. It will be good to get away and enjoy the beach.

"Thank you" to everyone who helped me move and to those who prayed for an easy transition. Please keep praying for me. I have a long way to go and so hopefully you will be praying for me for a very long time.