Dukes Up...

OUR LIFE UPDATE:
Over the past weeks Ginny has been working with Gal Pal Jocelyn to complete the manuscript for Ginny's latest writing project.  We are now working with Byron (Jocelyn's Husband) the artist on the illustrations for the book.  This is an exciting time for Gin as seeing this project complete is high on her "living list".  Stay tuned...we are expecting publication later in the spring.

OKAY DUKES UP...

    

On Monday Ginny went in for her 10th stent to keep her right ureter open and her right kidney functioning.  When they got in there, her kidney was in distress as the stent was clogged.  Once the old stent was removed and the new one placed her kidney danced the hokey pokey with relief.

She will not wait as long for her next replacement (2 months).

As part of the monday procedure, medical staff took a good look at her bladder from the inside to see if that tumor is indeed penetrating into the bladder.  Two biopsies were taken from two questionable areas.  We will get results at the end of this week.

Today we are in Rochester for Ginny's first round of Doxil cocktail, a chemo that she has not yet experienced.  There are many possible side effects with this one and we are hoping she tolerates it well.

As I sit here, watching her drift in and out of nap mode, I am acutely aware of how amazed I am by her strength.  She walks in such grace.  I am certain that I would not be so gracious if in her shoes.

One of the things we have been talking about is the legacy or the thing people will remember most about her.  She has taken this very seriously in the past couple of years.  She believes that it is her mission to create memorable meaningful moments with people, both those she knows as well as strangers.  Ginny seeks out opportunities each day to engage with others, to share cheer.

At a retreat this past weekend she was asked to identify a word to live by and to help her grow.  Her word?  SHINE.  This is not a surprise to those of us who know and love her, but having a word to focus on and to meditate on pleases her.  So our sweet Gin is stepping up her "shine".  Hang on world, this hilarious, quirky, intelligent, kind woman is on a roll and is determined to make as big an impact as she can creating  memorable bright moments.

Shine On :)
Kir

It Seems I Married Rocky Balboa

As promised in past posts we want to start with the good in life.  I will admit this is a little challenging this week, not so much going on by way rainbows and butterflies. I will say that these past weeks have been wonderful for us as a couple.  We are deeply bonded and the moments together are sweet and tender.  We are still finding time to play and tease.  There are lots of "I love yous" and lots of singing.  Yup singing.  I sing to Ginny at some point everyday.  The quality is debatable as often is it sheer silliness, but those silly songs are part of the cheer we are seeking in the moment to moment.

Gin is still her active self.  She is driving.  She is getting herself to her favorite weekly events.  She is taking the dogs to the park.  She is writing.  All of these things just take a little more time and planning.   Life is happening!

Before I get to the medical info, we wanted to share that I have decided to adjust my working schedule.  For the past two years I have been working almost two full time jobs.  I have been teaching for Riverland and St. Cloud Technical and Community College as well as working days at Austin High School with the REACH program.  REACH is a program I started with a colleague 3 years ago.

I truly love my work but I am tired. With all that has been happening with Gin, I can no longer keep up with the responsibility and pace of teaching and REACH.  Last week I resigned my position in REACH.  This has been a very difficult decision.  I have grieved this decision but know that it is what is best for me and Gin but more importantly for my kids in REACH.  They need consistent support and the unknowns of Gin's health and increased medical appointments made this difficult.  So, my last day is January 27th.  I will volunteer some time in the REACH classroom as I have made commitments to kids that I want to keep and I have applied for a sub license so I can help the team out when they need.


Now for the update.

1) The tumor has grown.  It is slow growth but it is growth.  So the "chemo pill" is not doing what we need it to do.

2) Ginny's pain pump has been adjusted so fingered crossed.

3) Gin is experiencing  more and more complications with her urinary system.  There are a couple explanations.  It could be stent related, with infection or it may be that the tumor is penetrating into the bladder.  Gin is having a new stent placed on January 23rd and at that time they will look at the lining of the bladder to confirm this.  The radiologist felt like this was a likely scenario given the placement of the tumor.  So we will see.  In the meantime, Gin will start antibiotics to address possible infection.

4) After all the info was presented, we began to look at the options.  There are two types of Chemo.  One that Gin has used before (not likely to do much) and one that is more aggressive (she turned this down before).  This is the Rocky Balboa part.  Gin has chosen the more aggressive chemo.  There are likely more side-effects and will be harder on her but it is something this bastard tumor has not seen before and maybe it will catch it off guard.  She is not willing to give up yet!  She will begin after the new stent is placed.  I expect Jan 25 or 26th.


Will update once we know more.


So as part of our LIVING we have started planning a 80th Birthday Party for Gin.  Gin is enjoying the planning of this and looks forward to visiting with friends and family.

March 11th  (1-4 pm)

Open House

Toasting at 2 pm

Austin ArtWorks Center

300 North Main Street

Austin, MN

No gifts please.  Donations can be made to the ArtWorks Center OR the Mower County Humane Society if desired.

Peace.
Kir

Holiday Merriment and More

Merriment...

Ginny has declared that she has had many happy Christmases, but 2016 was indeed the MERRIEST.
This pleases her wyf (that's me).

We began our celebrating December 16th with Gal Pal Jocelyn P with an overnight in Minneapolis and a night of theatre.  We saw Fun Home, an award winning play that is based on a graphic novel that is a favorite.  We LOVED it.  We ate wonderful food (oysters and other amazing bites) and chatted up a storm.  We continued to collaborate on Ginny's current writing project - The Book of Lurch and Pal Joce and I fed our shoe and boot addictions with a visit to the Fluevog store.  What wonderful start to the season with two of my lovelies.

On December 21st our beloved Sue arrived.  Susie and I have been friends for over 20 years and Gin has grown to love her deeply over our years together.  Susie is a Kiwi (New Zealander) who has lived in the states all the years I have known her.  She spent the Holidays with us two years ago and is very much part of our family.

Brother Dan arrived next.  With the foursome complete we entered into blissful days of GREAT food, lazy mornings and puzzling.

Gifting was thoughtful and meaningful.  There were a couple of highlight gifts.  A piece of Byron Johnson art that I commissioned for Gin and a "pill jar" presented to Ginny from Susie.  This extra large mason jar was filled with color-coded slips of paper (medicine for the soul).  Some are poems and others are quirky facts, thought provoking questions and 3rd grade jokes.

Over the days we broke bread with close friends who stopped in for meals or morning coffee breaks.  Lots of love...lots of sweet memory building.  The Baltimore Larsens sent crab cakes from Pappas (Christmas Eve) and I dug into my family traditions and made roast beef and Yorkshire pudding for Christmas dinner.  Susie and I enjoyed days in the kitchen together.

On Chirstmas Eve, trooper ginny suited up in her cuddle duds and winter gear and we headed out for fun in the snow with the Susie the California Kiwi.  Great fun and that Gin was a great sport.

Spoiler alert...

This is the moment in this writing that the tone will change. I don't want to "spoil" the warm gushiness that is a merry season report, but I know you want to know how she is doing.  Feel free to stop here and re-read the merriment again if you like.  I would go back and get another dose before I moved forward.  Not because what is coming is horrible (although not very merry) but because when I read the first half of this post I smile and so if you have the time, rewind for another smile or two before moving forward.


The other stuff...

I hate (that's right hate) that there is another side of our story.  Gin and I have agreed that each post must include the LIFE being lived in these days before we give the other stuff.  So continue to bask in thought of a MERRY GINNY while you continue to read.  She insists that you all know she is cheerful!  Oy...my wyf.

Ginny is continuing to struggle with pain management and an increasing "pressure".  Her tumor is in her lower region pressing on a section of her lower bowel.  She is unable to sit comfortably.  She has become very attached to her donut cushions.  We found a model that she loves and that provides relief.  We have been meeting with medical teams to work on the pain management but with the increase in pressure we have asked the oncology team to up her next ct scan as we believe the increase in symptoms and pressure may be an indication that the chemo treatment is not working as we hoped.  We will travel to Mayo Jan 13th where she will have her scan and we will meet with Oncology, Pain and Palliative teams.  At this time I am supposed to tell you, again, that she is cheerful.

There continue to be challenges with her "systems".  Her urinary and "waste" systems are both significantly impacted.  Gin has declared that her dignity remains intact but her modesty is long gone.  "My body is not my own."  The loss of these controls has been difficult BUT, as is Ginny's way, she is always the optimist.  Just yesterday she listed all of the cancers that would be worse to have. "We have got to keep looking at the bright-side Kir."  My heart aches...

There will be more to share in the coming days.  Stay tuned and KNOW that we are grateful for the love and support of our peeps.

Bright-side people...bright-side.

Kir

Another 30,000-Foot Post

An apology for the lapse in posts the past couple of weeks.  Much going on.

I am in the air...alone this time.  I am on my way to Winnipeg this morning.  I will meet my sister Erika and we will travel to Portage La Prairie, the place of my birth, to say goodbye to my mother’s sister.

On November 28^th we received word that my Aunt Gillian was diagnosed with cancer…late stage cancer.  Tumors were present in her liver, both ovaries and both in and out of her colon.  Efforts to address an obstruction in her bowel failed and a second surgery was too much for her to manage.  She died 13 days after diagnosis.  Monday the 19^th we will gather to remember, to celebrate and to say goodbye.

I have to say that this has been a difficult few weeks.  Gillian’s diagnosis and death has stirred many memories and feelings.  It has been almost 20s since my mother died, but in these past weeks, it has felt new and raw once again.  My mother was one of three girls.  My grandmother (94) lost my grandfather when my mother and her two younger sisters were little ones, raising them on her own.  My grandmother and Aunt Jocelyn remain.  Aunt Gillian has two children, Scott and Brianne.  Scott is married and he and his wife Laura welcomed Gillian’s first grandbaby only days after her passing.

I will be singing for my Aunt as I have done for all of those I have lost over the years.  There is a joy in being able to do this.  I am thankful that I have Randy Lindbloom genes and am able to share this with family and friends.

Aunt Gillian, Jayme, Aunt Jocelyn, Erika and Kir

On the Ginny front, we had a MARVELOUS weekend in Minneapolis.  We attended Fun Home (touring Broadway musical).  I loved it!  Gal Pal Jocelyn (yep there are two Jocelyns in my world.  Aunt Jocelyn and Pal Jocelyn) joined us for the evening – a gift.  We ate wonderful meals and spent time working on Ginny’s latest writing project.  Gal Pal Joce is co-authoring and her husband Byron, the artist, is illustrating.  I get to publish.  There is much joy in this project.  Saturday morning Pal Joce and I slipped out for some shopping – great fun.

This morning I dropped sweet Gin off at the shuttle and we parted ways.  She has been managing well, although her pain continues to increase and there have been several pump adjustments made in the past weeks.

Ginny describes her pain as pressure that grows from pressure to pain and then to agony.  Most days she can find relief with meds and standing or stretching out.  If asked, she says that she feels like she is sitting on a honey crisp apple (not sure why she selected honey crisp).  Gin believes that the apple is indeed growing as the pressure has increased and more meds are required to keep her comfortable.  She is not scheduled for a scan until January 24^th.  I will be inquiring on her behalf on Monday about moving the date up as symptoms are changing.

I return Tuesday evening with two school days left before Christmas break.  I am so looking forward to waking up Thursday morning, knowing that at the end of that day, there will be rest.

We will be home for the holidays.  Gin’s brother Dan and our dear friend Sue Blough will spend the season with us.  We are looking forward to their arrivals later this week. 

With all that is happening there is still a sweetness in this season for the Lindbloom-Larsens.  We are living each moment as we enter it.  We are focused on family and friends and we are loving each other with intention and tenderness.

Time feels short and in some moments that is overwhelming.  It is then that gratitude takes over, gratitude for love, for life, for the time we have had and for the days ahead.

Enjoy the season, love with intention and tenderness…

Gratefully

Kir

My iPod is spinning favorite carols this morning.  This one makes me weepy. Always been my favorite.  Oh Come All Ye Faithful 

Mayo Visit Update

We made our way to Rochester on Tuesday for two medical appointments.  The first with Palliative Care and the second with Oncology. Both of these were check-in appointments.  There were no tests/scans.

In our Palliative Care team visit we talked about pain management, quality of life challenges and end of life wishes.  Gin continues to struggle with her "evacuation systems" and the challenges faced in these past days have been met and conquered.  She is good humored, thank God.  I don't know that I would cope as graciously as she does. The discussion about end of life wishes made for hard conversation, but we are all in agreement and decisions have been documented.

The visit with Oncology folks went well.  Ginny believes the tumor is growing because the pressure she feels has increased but we need to wait another month before taking another scan.  We expect the scan will be set for mid-January.  The pain pump masks her pain but she still feels the pressure. STINK!

She is asking that I convey to you all that despite it all she is CHEERFUL :) and enjoying life.  I continue to be amazed.

Love fiercely peeps. Take nothing for granted.  Hold your kin close.

Love
Kir & Gin