June Update... long overdue

Wow.. where has the month gone?!?! Every weekend I keep saying to myself "I need to update the blog, I need to update the blog" but as you can tell it hasn't happened. I will start out by giving a recap on our family and then end with info on Todd.

Tyler finished school the last week of May.. his last year at Elementary school. :( I was sad but survived. The next week he loaded a bus with 1200 other students, 23 from his school and went to Washington DC with Safety Patrol. This was the first time he had ever been this far away from home. Luckily one of his chaperones took and sent lots of pictures. I have attached a few.. they are great!!! These kids stayed busy from sun up to sun down...

Tyler is the one in front of the boy with the white jacket. He has on the black short with white.

Tyler is the very front with the white shorts... not the one bent over.

So what else have we been up to... We've had craziness around the house. 2 weeks ago our garage door broke so we spent the next few days looking for a garage door/company. Then last week we had a HUGE storm come through and while we were worried about the cars getting hailed on (that was 2 months ago-a hail storm) we frantically tried to get the garage door open to get the cars in. Just as we opened the door, we heard a loud boom and BAM... our main big tree fell on the back end of Todd's car (barely hit it but hit it) and Ty's basketball goal fell on the front end. Lovely...

Here a picture of what we saw when we heard the door open.

The next day... doesn't look horrible but it's most of the tree.

Our neighbors trampoline

A tree on the road behind us.. The root of the tree was at least 6 feet tall and it took part of the asphalt with it.

We learned last week to appreciate electricity. We were out of power for a bit over 24 hours. It was awesome to see the neighborhood rally together. One neighbor had 4 refrigerators connected to his generator. I put everything into our chest freezer and found a block of dry ice. What a mess.... what a mess... Since we had nothing to do the kids played games outside and ran around like wild hooligans. :) Us adults took the time to chat up on life. Funny part about this picture is that we would sit in the driveway for a bit then when it started to rain we would go into the garage and so on... No need to go inside because it was cooler outside then inside. NOW... I will say that we were only out of power for 24+hours but we will have a few school friends who are STILL out of power.

So the phrase: When it rains it pours, really fit the Bloomfield house the past few weeks.

Todd this past weekend went on his annual golf trip however he was a bystander vs. a golfer. I felt extremely bad for him as they all loaded up for their trip. Nothing like going on a golfing trip and not bringing your clubs. Greg (brother), Ken (neighbor) and Todd drove to Crossville, TN to meet up with the VF guys-Monte, Jay, Jim, Greg G. and Dave. (Dave isn't a VF guy, just a friend) They played all day Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Todd got home yesterday and I knew he was 'off.' He said that his stomach was sick starting Sunday and he forgot his nausea medicine at home. Still today, he is not feeling well. I knew that when he got home he would have to recover from the long draining weekend. I know he had a great time catching up with friends and I am so appreciative that they included him in the trip. It was good for his mind and soul.

So to current day and plans... Tomorrow (Wednesday) he goes for a scan, Thursday he goes for his bloodwork (which has been good over the past few weeks) and then next Thursday, July 7 we are back to Duke. Ty and I will leave on July 10 to go to the beach with GREAT friends. We have a busy busy month ahead of us but I am still struggling with the thought that this week wraps up June!

Nothing else is new... The past 2 weeks have been completely draining but all is good and we are back on track. I am very thankful for our friends, neighbors and family. Each day someone one reminded me all the reasons to stay positive. :)

I will update again either after the scan results or on our way home from Duke-which ever comes first.

Thankful...

So I don't have any updates on Todd.. he's still trucking along and feeling the same.

We here at the Bloomfield house have had a long and crazy week. First of all, Todd's cousin, Judy (57) died suddenly. This was a complete shock to the family. Next, (not deep at all) Tyler finished up at the Elementary School he's attended for 6 years... This school/teachers have been a solid rock to our family. I was with many other mothers on the last day as we wiped tears and watched our children get ready to start a new adventure. Lastly, we learned that 2, not 1, of our friends were having marital issues and possibly ending with divorce. With all the issues, I have had plenty of time to think about life and the trials and tribulations of being a wife, mother, daughter, friend, co-worker, etc... (Yes, a little deep for me)

Anywho... I come to the THANKFUL post. I decided to list out 50 things that I am Thankful for. (in no particular order, just how they have popped into my head)

1. God has been by our side and he's giving us challenges that are keeping us on our toes. He's put us where we are for a reason and someday we will know His objectives.

2. We've decided to search for a family church together

3. Still searching for a church and it doesn't feel like a chore

Work...

6. I have a job that is M-F

7. Excellent and understanding boss

8. A place to work that is fun and rewarding

9. Everyday I laugh at work

10. Excellent Co-workers that actually work

11. A coworker that loves to hug and has inspired me to hug others

12. Todd gets a card from a VF store once a week-most of the people he don't know :)

13. His current co-workers send him a text at least once a day or send him a facebook message

14. Tusculum has a great vacation plan and I will be able to take time off over the summer to play

15. Todds work is looking forward to him coming back

Friends

16. I have a BFF that's been by my side for almost 20 years. Yes, 20... and I called her a BFF, LOL.

17. I met a new friend from her that I see sticking around for a long time

18. Todd has a select few friends that check in on him weekly

19. Todd was invited to go on a golf outing :)even though he can't golf anymore :(

20. We have great caring neighbors. Yes, we have a crazy one but... the rest outweigh the crazy one

21. Old coworkers that have turned into friends that I dearly treasure

22. I have a great network of friends that I could call at almost a drop of hat.. many of them I could call in an instant

23. People accept that Todd is introverted and I am not!

24. We have another family that loves to hang out with us, vacation with us or just sit on the couch with us... conversation is always good and funny!

25. I have never met a stranger

Family

26. Todd is functioning on his own.

27. In August we will celebrate our 14th wedding anniversary and this month marks our 20th year of being together

27. Tyler is well rounded (for the most part, lol) and he enjoys life to the fullest

28. I talk to my mom everyday

29. We have 3 sets of parents that are still alive

30. I still have a grandmother and Tyler has a great grandmother alive

31. We have family within a 20 minute drive

32. Todd's brother lives less than a mile down the road

33. We have a roof over our head and we've been safe from all the storms

34. We have a new sister-in-law who makes Todd's brother happy

35. Todd's mom is still alive and an active grandparent even after battling cancer for 15+ years

Mom and wife

36. See #27

37. Tyler still loves his momma and thinks I'm kinda cool

38. Todd thinks Tyler is a spitting personality image of me

39. Now when I come home from work, Todd has dinner ready, laundry done and cleaned. (not a gourmet meal, not laundry perfectly folded, not a spotless house but an attempt to do what he can do even with mobility issues)

40. We can sit on the couch and be fully engulfed in REALITY tv together

41. Tyler has been by my side throughout the entire Todd situation

42. I can talk to Tyler like an adult

43. Todd accepts me for the crazy things I do and he puts me in place when I have crossed a boundary

44. We all tell each other we love each other every night

45. We make a great team... the 3 of us

Misc... Tyler's thoughts

46. School is over and summer is here

47. Friends, trees-for oxygen, food and a place to sleep and US as parents

48. Electronics

49. Technology

50. That I could come up with 50 things to be Thankful for and it only took me an hour.

Wow, it was much harder to come up with a list than I thought... I've been thinking about this all week and it seemed easy. I guess bottom line is we all think we have bad stuff going on in our lives but in the big picture, there are lots of good things. Sometime we just need a reason to remember.

In ending... I hope we all can take a few minutes to be thankful. There really are lots of reasons to be. My #51 reason and most importantly... my family

Tyler Update

Just a quick update on Tyler... Yesterday he fell at school and the teacher called to say she thought something was broken in his hand/fingers. Todd was already home from his Dr's appointment so he went to go get him... Ty was still crying so off to the ER they went.

At Childrens Hospital they did xrays and discovered the metacarpals had a small fracture. Todd texted me this picture. I thought it was precious but it also made me chuckle becuase we are dealing with a finger... not an arm. :) Afterwards, the Dr. came in and told Todd and Ty that the sling was not necessary but to keep it. However, they did want Tyler to see an Orthopedic Dr to make sure it did not need surgery or pins. When Ty left, he had a sling and a mini-casted hand... I met the boys at Knoxville Orthopedic Center and after review of the xrays, the Dr said for him to take it easy over the weekend and by Monday he should be alright... So, no cast and off he went.

Now, how did he do it... He was swinging on a swing and trying to do a back flip. Not sure I understand how that can be done but apparently it can be... but not by Tyler! I am thankful that he didn't break his neck.

Thanks for all the well wishes yesterday... We are all fine and dandy.

Week Update 5/17

Hey Guys... I'm going to give a quick update. Who am I fooling, I can't do it quick! Last time I wrote I was telling you about us not being able to go on a mini trip... Well that bummed us out but it was for the best! Friday was Tyler's field day and Todd and I both planned on going to watch him. When Todd woke up on Friday, he said he felt nauseous and said he would meet up with me later at school. He wound up staying home the entire day home and resting. I was sad only because it was Tyler's last year of elementary school and Todd missed it but... you do what you gotta do!

I've posted some pics at field day.. They kinda crack me up. I sat in awe of how the kids have grown up over the past years. The teary part for me (its a mom thing) is that most of these kids have stuck side by side since kindergarten and this era is ending for them. I can't wait to see what the next era brings. I love being able to watch my child grow in addition to all his other buddies... it's amazing!

Tyler was in the sack race, hula-hoop contest and the dizzy bat race... what happened to the traditional games?

Yes, crazy hair...

This was his first place finish team... All but one he has been in class with since K.

Tyler's 5th Grade Teacher... Ms. Turner

Ty and his buddies. The one is the black shirt is his 'friend'. LOL...

Ty and Sarah, his 'friend'

Ok... the real reason you are reading.. you want to know about Todd. :) So, Todd was icky feeling on Friday. On Saturday he told me he was bored and wanted to get out of the house. He chaperoned me around while I ran errands and we ended up going grocery shopping. After a few hours once again, he was dog tired. We went home where he rested on the couch. While out shopping, we received a call from his buddy in Florida-Steven. He told us that he had a few extra airline miles and would like to come on Monday... We said 'come on' and I could tell that Todd was excited. Afterall, we just had to cancel a weekend trip and lets face it, Todd's days are kinda boring.

I think I pushed the Todd envelope too far on Sunday. We had to clean becuase if you know us... our house IS NOT company ready. We tagged teamed and eventually got it cleaned but I could tell Todd was 'foggy' and having some vision issues. We relaxed for a few hours and then decided to go strawberry picking. On our way there our great friends the Rupekas called and said they wanted to join us so... off we all went. I was in strawberry natzi mode but when I looked over at Todd I could see he was struggling. He let me know that he couldn't see and it was time for him to stop. Boo.... It seems that when he gets tired or pushed himself too far, his double vision is coming back. He said that the berry patch was one big blur.. Boo again! (We did manage to get almost 8 lbs of strawberries)

I guess we are learning that as much as we want to be a 'normal' family and do 'normal' activities, we have to be more cautious. Kinda sucky but I will take that any day as long as we are doing it all together!

Todd picked up Steve early Monday morning and he left last night (Tuesday). I can't tell him enough how thankful I am he came. He brought my family back to life.... They/We laughed and played games (ps3) like we did months ago. Because of Todd's limited hand mobility, he hadn't played with Ty in months. Steve played with Ty and by yesterday afternoon, Steve encouraged Todd to give it a try. When I came home, Todd was playing! Not a biggie to some but golf was taken away and recently video games so seeing him playing the video games was a sigh of relief. It surely is the small things in life that make you go hummmm....

I think I heard through the grapevine that Steve and his family might be coming in June for a few day visit. If we can't travel to see them (Orlando) then they are more than welcome to come see us!

Well, thats the weekly wrap up... Todd has a dr's appt tomorrow but it is only for bloodwork. Unless something has dropped, he will continue on the same path. I will post if there are any new changes.

A quick shout out to his VF team.... Thanks for all the cards we've been receiving. I know there are some days he receives 3-4 cards. One person sends one bi-weekly! Just letting him know he has support helps him to continue on. I have lots of support and I think sometimes he feels out in the cold-whether he will admit that or not! LOL....

Lastly, I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to know who is visiting the blog. IF you don't mind, please drop us a comment. The nosey person in me is dying to see where all the visits come from. :)

Thanks everyone!!!

Long Overdue Update

Sorry guys... I've been busy with work and Mother's Day weekend. I have finally found a moment to sit down and update... I knew I had to get it updated pretty soon because I am running into people around town, some I haven't seen in years, and they tell me the blog isn't updated. HAAA.

Todd's scan results came back last week and we were told 'no significant' change. In the brain tumor world, to us that is pretty good news. We can't expect miracles overnight! Dr. Desjardins emailed me a few times on the next plan of action and then she spoke to Todd on Monday. The new plan is to add just a bit more dosage and continue on a every day treatment cycle. His bloodwork came back just a smidge off but nothing that was too alarming. She said they would discuss it again after the next round if it was 'off' too. I believe that Todd is on Temodar (chemo) for the rest of the year and if at any point she feels like the tumor is not responding, she will add another mix to the prescription.

Todd's feeling pretty crappy... to say the least. He's functioning and functioning pretty well but he just doesn't feel good. I know he is 'enjoying' the much needed time off from work but I wish it was for other reasons. :) He is not able to do much and it saddens me. My goal for him is to eventually play golf again. At this point, golf isn't even in the conversation... He can't use his arm to swing nor could he do the walking. A few months ago, he told me to sell his clubs. I was telling one of his golf buddies about the conversation and he made me promise not to sell them. So... we will hold on to them with high hopes of being used SOON!

We had planned to go on a weekend 'trip' with some family and that was cut short due to the Dr. telling Todd that she didn't want him to travel. It bummed me out a bit however Todd is my first priority. It's amazing how we now have to consider the smallest things now when it comes to him...snotty noses, upset stomachs, travel distance, shopping buggies, etc... Hand sanitizer is a new best friend.

I feel like I keep telling everyone the same thing over and over... I wish I had something new and exciting but... not this week. :)

Todd's mom is feeling pretty good as she is continuing with her chemo as well.. Please keep all of us in your prayers. We have a lot going on. Thanks everyone (will do better about updating this week)!!!

Tomorrow....

Tomorrow is a scan for Todd. This is always one of those nights/days that I lose sleep on, lol... His scan is at 7:15, so bright and early. From there he will overnight the disk to Dr. Desjardins in hopes of hearing the 'results' on Thursday.

There are a few different scenarios:

1. Tumor is GONE and he can quit chemo (wishful thinking)

2. Tumor is stable and he continues on the path of the chemo 28 days

3. Tumor has not responded and they add another mix to the plan

Either way, we will with the flow and continue along. I will post as soon I we hear from Dr. Desjardins. We always welcome any and all prayers. In addition to Todd, please add Todd's mom. She just started another round of chemo... she's been struggling with cancer for as long as I can remember. (We just can't catch a break)

Thanks all!

Weekend Update 4/24

Happy Easter to all!!! We had a GREAT day and it was nice for us to take the day to worship and be with family. As many of you all know, we have been church hunting. Today we joined my Mom and Wally with them at their church. While this church wasn't the 'one', we know that the 'one' is out there and most importantly we were together on this special day. Here are a few pictures that we took... I would have taken more but the boys are not very patient these days, LOL..

Me, G-Mom and Tyler

The 3 of us

Todd and Tyler


Me and Tyler

Me and Todd

This long weekend took a toll on Todd and by Sunday I could tell he wasn't feeling all that well. He complained most of the week of feeling 'off'...not really sick but not really great either. On Friday he told me that his double vision seemed to be coming back, not sure if it was because he had pushed himself too much or if... Again on Saturday and Sunday, he noticed double vision. This scares me because last time it meant we had growth! He also complained of a headache most of Sunday and all he really wanted to do was lay around. I feel bad because there is nothing I can do for him. So...

On a positive note, all his labwork came back pretty good. He had a few levels that were a bit low but nothing that was alarming. He will have labs done again this Thursday and next Wednesday he is off for a scan. The Dr. also reminded us to becareful of our surroundings because Todd's immune system is not strong and to push him/to allow him to rest. I feel like I am coming down with some type of cold but hoping for allergies. If it is a cold, I will be summons to another part of the house and we will be on a disinfecting spree.

So there you go... we are still trucking along. I will post again next weekend after his bloodwork. Thanks for all the prayers and the well wishes. I am very thankful for our family and dear friends who continually show support.

Weekend update...

Just a quick update... Nothing too new but I have many people checking daily so I thought I would drop a few lines.

Todd had his labs done on Thursday and when they called they said all was 'looking' good. First thought... Yeah!!! Second thought... Ut Oh. Last 3 month cycle all was well and come to find out tumor had grown. Anywho, we have no choice but to trust in our doctors. He is still feeling a bit blah but not sick. So I guess as long as he is not sick, all is well.

Ty is having a sleepover tonight for his birthday and we went to the Melting Pot for his Birthday. (Tomorrow is his 11th birthday) Sorry for the bad picture but I took this from my phone. We had a great time... Todd stayed home because he wasn't feeling fabulous and he is trying to watch his diet while on chemo.

Tomorrow for Tyler's actual birthday we are going to try a new church with friends-Fountain City Presbyterian Church, lunch and then to surprise Tyler with his basketball goal. I'm sure I will take pictures of Tyler 'hooping it up."

Lastly, my Aunt Marianne passed away this week. Although I haven't seen her in years, the news was very sad. It reminded me that life is short and we need to make the most of it!!! Please add my cousin, Dianne Garofalo in your prayers as she is dealing with the loss of her mother. Also, many of you know that my mother in law, Bonnie, has been dealing with cancer for many many years. This week her tumor markers skyrocketed and within the next few weeks, she will start chemo again. Us Bloomfield's can't catch a break!!!

See you all next week sometime!!!

MRI Results and stuff

Todd had a baseline MRI last week-April 7th and Dr. Desjardins emailed to say that the tumor was stable based on the one from March 14th... Good news, I guess (always wishing for the best tho). At least she now has a baseline so they can accurately see the results at the 1 month mark.

Everyone keeps asking.. How is Todd? He is medium, as I say. He is not in horrible shape and he is not in excellent shape. :) Like I have said in previous posts, he is super tired and is off and on nauseous. He says his stomach is just 'off'. My main goal is to keep him healthy... we've been given the lecture of 'only healthy people should be around him'. Thats hard to control however anyone who is comes in to our house is going to be sanitized. The last thing we need is him to catch a cold or the stomach bug!!!

His mobility has declined. He is definitely having an issue using his arm/hand. I think he has gotten used to using one arm/hand. I push him to use it but it just doesn't work. His walking is a bit slow and he has a limp. Ty and I have to remind ourselves to slow down when he is with us. Other than that, he's trucking along.

I will have to say that I did not know how I would do with him being at home. I work 9-6 and its a long day when I don't get home until 6:30-7ish... At that point, I still have to kick into mom mode. Todd everyday musters up the energy to do some sort of cleaning-mostly downstairs so if you come over, you can't go upstairs. :) Our downstairs is pretty much company ready now. In addition, dinner is made. Nothing fancy but it's better than NOTHING. I will secretly say that I'm kinda liking him at home... shhhh.

Ty is turning 11 this weekend. I am having a hard time grasping it. The classic phrase "I can't believe my baby is turning 11" is playing over and over in my head. Are we really old enough to have an 11 year old? LOL.

We are good... Just continue to say prayers for us. Also, if I could add.. One of my friends, Christy Garrison's, mother was recently diagnosed with Breast Cancer and is having a double mastectomy within the next 2 weeks and a friend of mine at work, Lindsay Seal's, Papaw died today. He was 92 years old. It sure seems that everyone around us has something going on.

Thanks everyone. Will post again when I have something to say.

Happy Birthday Todd!

Today is Todd's birthday... We have a pretty low key day planned-Church, lunch, and him sitting on the couch to watch the Masters golf tournament. Ty and I will probably just piddle around. They say its going to be close to 90 today so I'm not sure I'm going to far today.

As far as Todd's treatments go... today will be day 5. He's much more tired than last time but he really has nothing to do so he can focus on resting. I do believe this will be a long.... 28 day cycle. The wonderful part about Temodar (if there is a wonderful part, lol) is there is very little nausea associated with this pill, he battled an upset stomach on Friday but thats it. The fatigue is the biggie. He went grocery shopping with me last week (not even on the pills) and he was beat when he got back home.

I wish I had more to post but we are really quiet. We had friends over last night for a cookout. We are reminded every day about the wonderful friends/neighbors we have!!!