And I'm sure your answer is yes! Well, yesterday start up pretty good and that dumb prednisone kicked in and Harriet's knees swollen up to the size of basketballs (slight exaggeration). It was enough to cause concern so I called the doctor and got the straight scoop. More of the same, stay off your feet, keep your legs elevated and hang in there. By evening the swelling had gone down considerably.
More news on the home front. We get a long-awaited letter from Daniel (he writes once a week). It just seems like it's a long time between letters when you're waiting for news. He gave us a long story about how things were going in Arizona and then how through a series of errors they did not transfer his account so that he could go to "canteen", to buy things to eat. But they finally got around to putting him on the list to come to California. To show you how slow things are as far as communication is concerned, he wrote the letter on the 24th, it's postmark three days later the 27th and we received it on the 30th.
According to his letter he should be transferring on the 27th or 28th of October and arrive in California on the same day. But, I just checked the California inmate locator website and it still has him listed in Arizona. Daniel told me that that website runs a few days behind. So keep I will keep checking on it. I did write him a couple of letters this past week and send it to the Arizona prison, which means that he will not get them. Usually they just trash it. So, I will print off a copy of the letters and mail them to Chuckwalla. From what Daniel said that he has to be in isolation for about two weeks before he can have any visitors. I will probably drive over there sometime later on in November. Harriet is not up to making the trip. I know that friends Tracy and Arlene have volunteered to go and visit him while he was in Arizona, because they lived relatively close, but you have to submit paperwork and sometimes it takes three months or even longer for approval. The same applies for California prisons. The paperwork must be submitted, they do a background check and then they approve it.
So that's the latest information. Thank you again for your prayers for Harriet, Daniel and for myself. God bless you and I hope that you have a fantastic day!
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
Friday, October 31, 2014
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Good Morning!
Well, it is a good morning, for some of us. Unfortunately Harriet had a really bad night last night. This prednisone is really causing havoc. I got up at 3:30 AM this morning to come to work and she was still awake from last night. She's going to try and get if you are sleep. It just causes nausea, above and beyond what is normal. They did give her some anti-nausea pills, but they just don't work for this.
Two more days of taking these prednisone pills they are 50 mg each. So she just going to have to endure through Friday and then hopefully Saturday will be better. That's about all I have for today.
We do appreciate the cards and notes, it really does help Harriet. Thank you so much!
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
Two more days of taking these prednisone pills they are 50 mg each. So she just going to have to endure through Friday and then hopefully Saturday will be better. That's about all I have for today.
We do appreciate the cards and notes, it really does help Harriet. Thank you so much!
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Third Cycle, Second Day
The day started off very well. Harriet was doing well until she took her second prednisone pill at 2 PM. As I mentioned these pills are taken four days in a row after the chemotherapy and somehow it enhances the therapy. But, it really takes its toll.
So far from my limited observations, it seems that during each cycle, there's a separate set of aftereffects. From speaking with a number of people who have gone through the chemotherapy successfully, not all patients have the same aftereffects. So what this means, it's a new and challenging experience during each cycle, because it may not be the same as the previous cycle.
Thank you so much for your continued support and prayers. It means a lot to Harriet and myself.
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
So far from my limited observations, it seems that during each cycle, there's a separate set of aftereffects. From speaking with a number of people who have gone through the chemotherapy successfully, not all patients have the same aftereffects. So what this means, it's a new and challenging experience during each cycle, because it may not be the same as the previous cycle.
Thank you so much for your continued support and prayers. It means a lot to Harriet and myself.
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Round Three This Week
Things went well for Harriet at the hospital yesterday. The chemotherapy went as scheduled. I brought Harriet home from the hospital yesterday afternoon. After a healthy meal, she rested. She mentioned later on in the evening that after having a chemotherapy session, your body feels as though it's been used as a punching bag. It's hard to imagine and I hope that you never have to go through it.
So the next four days we have a course of prednisone which according to the physicians, it actually works in tandem with the chemotherapy to enhance the drugs and help them do what they need to do for healing/killing the cancer.
Before I left to go to work, I put out Harriet 6 AM medications. That way when she gets up she doesn't have to try and figure out what she supposed to take. We have a list of each medication taken and when it's supposed to be administered.
The swelling seems to have come back to Harriet's feet, which is not a good sign. I'm hoping that this round of chemotherapy will knock it out.
I've attached a photograph (I finally figured out how to do it, a couple of weeks late). This was taken about two weeks ago, during the second cycle. I mentioned in the blog post that I took Harriet for a drive to Mount Soladad, just so she could get out of the house. This is the view looking North from Mount Soladad, La Jolla in the foreground and you can see Scripps pier, then Torrey Pines and so on.
I hope you have a great day.
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
So the next four days we have a course of prednisone which according to the physicians, it actually works in tandem with the chemotherapy to enhance the drugs and help them do what they need to do for healing/killing the cancer.
Before I left to go to work, I put out Harriet 6 AM medications. That way when she gets up she doesn't have to try and figure out what she supposed to take. We have a list of each medication taken and when it's supposed to be administered.
The swelling seems to have come back to Harriet's feet, which is not a good sign. I'm hoping that this round of chemotherapy will knock it out.
I've attached a photograph (I finally figured out how to do it, a couple of weeks late). This was taken about two weeks ago, during the second cycle. I mentioned in the blog post that I took Harriet for a drive to Mount Soladad, just so she could get out of the house. This is the view looking North from Mount Soladad, La Jolla in the foreground and you can see Scripps pier, then Torrey Pines and so on.
I hope you have a great day.
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
Monday, October 27, 2014
Round Three Starts This Morning
Harriet goes in for her third chemotherapy this morning at 10:30 AM. I appreciate your prayers for her that the cycle will go even better than the last. It will be a tough week, but we look forward to the advances that are being made against the lymphoma.
I really don't have a whole lot of new information for you. Hopefully I'll have a good report tomorrow morning. But I can tell you that we can definitely see some good signs, like Harriet appetite returning this past week. She's lost so much weight that it was a concern.
Thank you so much for your well wishes and support. I hope that you have a great week!
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
I really don't have a whole lot of new information for you. Hopefully I'll have a good report tomorrow morning. But I can tell you that we can definitely see some good signs, like Harriet appetite returning this past week. She's lost so much weight that it was a concern.
Thank you so much for your well wishes and support. I hope that you have a great week!
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
Sunday, October 26, 2014
Oh Swell!
Overall Harriet had another good day and again I'm very thankful. But, she has swelling in her knees and in her heels. Who knows what's going on? It is obvious that all is not well in Santee California.
Lord willing, Harriet will be going to church this morning. Walter is preaching the 2nd part of the message on "The Great Commission".
After church I need to take Harriet to Kaiser and have her blood taken (not all of it, just a little bit). It is mandatory that the day before a chemotherapy, you must have your blood drawn 24 hours in advance. If you don't do it, they will not administer the chemotherapy.
I hope everyone has a blessed day today and going to the house the Lord to worship the Creator of the Universe!
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
Lord willing, Harriet will be going to church this morning. Walter is preaching the 2nd part of the message on "The Great Commission".
After church I need to take Harriet to Kaiser and have her blood taken (not all of it, just a little bit). It is mandatory that the day before a chemotherapy, you must have your blood drawn 24 hours in advance. If you don't do it, they will not administer the chemotherapy.
I hope everyone has a blessed day today and going to the house the Lord to worship the Creator of the Universe!
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
Saturday, October 25, 2014
Four Days in a Row
This has been a pretty good week! Harriet's been feeling well for four days straight. We talked about it last night and this second cycle has gone much better than the first cycle. Which of course I want to project out for the next cycle will go better yet. I think we're winning this battle and that Harriet is doing much better.
Harriet reminded me that her feet and legs were so swollen that she could barely walk into the doctors office for the first consultation with the oncologist. So, I would say that things are going very well.
On Monday she has her third chemotherapy. Our friends Ron and Virginia are taking Harriet to Kaiser Hospital a little after 10 AM. I have a funeral to officiate for my good friend Brian V. His mother died a couple of weeks ago and we're having a service at 11 AM. Please pray for that service also because from what I understand there will be people who have never trusted Christ as their Lord and Savior. Then I will pick up Harriet after her chemotherapy.
That's it for now and I hope you have a great weekend!
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
Harriet reminded me that her feet and legs were so swollen that she could barely walk into the doctors office for the first consultation with the oncologist. So, I would say that things are going very well.
On Monday she has her third chemotherapy. Our friends Ron and Virginia are taking Harriet to Kaiser Hospital a little after 10 AM. I have a funeral to officiate for my good friend Brian V. His mother died a couple of weeks ago and we're having a service at 11 AM. Please pray for that service also because from what I understand there will be people who have never trusted Christ as their Lord and Savior. Then I will pick up Harriet after her chemotherapy.
That's it for now and I hope you have a great weekend!
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
Friday, October 24, 2014
I Remembered
Remember I told you that one of the most difficult things is to think of a title for each blog post. So if the titles get a little weird, you understand why.
Harriet is doing very well! She said yesterday that she's feeling the best that she has in the last couple of months and this is a big deal! It really makes me happy. When she's hurting, it is difficult to do anything to help her. But, the fact that she's having three good days in a row, that's really great.
Hopefully today will be the fourth good day. Even though next Monday is her third chemotherapy and it will be a difficult week, I'm looking forward to it because then the following week we will have the CAT scan done and see what progress has been made. I can tell you that from close examination of her feet on a regular basis that things are getting back to normal. Her calves are still swollen, tight and sensitive. Hopefully as time progresses these will also reduce in size and go back to normal.
If I could ask you to include one another thing in your prayers for Harriet and myself? Please pray that I have wisdom in selecting the attorney that will represent Daniel at his hearing. I will give you information as to what needs to be written in letters of support. Many people have volunteered letters and I really appreciate it.
God bless you and I hope you have a great day,
Frank and Harriet
Harriet is doing very well! She said yesterday that she's feeling the best that she has in the last couple of months and this is a big deal! It really makes me happy. When she's hurting, it is difficult to do anything to help her. But, the fact that she's having three good days in a row, that's really great.
Hopefully today will be the fourth good day. Even though next Monday is her third chemotherapy and it will be a difficult week, I'm looking forward to it because then the following week we will have the CAT scan done and see what progress has been made. I can tell you that from close examination of her feet on a regular basis that things are getting back to normal. Her calves are still swollen, tight and sensitive. Hopefully as time progresses these will also reduce in size and go back to normal.
If I could ask you to include one another thing in your prayers for Harriet and myself? Please pray that I have wisdom in selecting the attorney that will represent Daniel at his hearing. I will give you information as to what needs to be written in letters of support. Many people have volunteered letters and I really appreciate it.
God bless you and I hope you have a great day,
Frank and Harriet
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Boy Did I Dropped the Ball
My apologies for not getting the blog post out early this morning. I got to work and got sidetracked. I was looking up the attorney information for Daniel.
Harriet had a pretty good day yesterday and evening. Of course I'm always thankful when this happens. Because next Monday she has her third chemotherapy and that means she'll be down and out in Santee for a week.
I really don't have a whole lot to tell you concerning Harriet. But, we did get a letter from Daniel and he's of course looking forward to moving to California and then his upcoming hearing. That is why I was searching the Internet for confident attorneys that are proficient at presenting their case for the SB 260 hearings.
Thank you again for your prayers and support.
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
Harriet had a pretty good day yesterday and evening. Of course I'm always thankful when this happens. Because next Monday she has her third chemotherapy and that means she'll be down and out in Santee for a week.
I really don't have a whole lot to tell you concerning Harriet. But, we did get a letter from Daniel and he's of course looking forward to moving to California and then his upcoming hearing. That is why I was searching the Internet for confident attorneys that are proficient at presenting their case for the SB 260 hearings.
Thank you again for your prayers and support.
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Dr. Chen
We had Harriet's appointment with the oncologist yesterday morning. He was very positive. He seems to be a very caring person. He noted the improvement concerning the swelling in Harriet's feet. He suggested that Harriet cut back on the Dilaudid pain medication, but continue to take the morphine every eight hours.
Well, we did that and by night time the pain had returned. Here is the email that Harriet sent to me before she went to bed, "It began as a gentle ache around the abdomen where the lymphoma is and I thought, "I can handle this." Then it just slowly got worse until I realized I was clenching my teeth. I still hurt, but hopefully, the meds will kick in by morning." So, what we've done is to reduce the Dilaudid. Morphine tablet is taken every eight hours and between those pills, Harriet was taking one and a half Dilaudid pills. So now she's going to cut back and take only one Dilaudid pill. I think this is a more sensible approach. Actually, I was surprised that the doctor wanted to reduce the pain medication so drastically.
That's it for now and I hope you have a great day! Thank you so much for your love and prayers.
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
Well, we did that and by night time the pain had returned. Here is the email that Harriet sent to me before she went to bed, "It began as a gentle ache around the abdomen where the lymphoma is and I thought, "I can handle this." Then it just slowly got worse until I realized I was clenching my teeth. I still hurt, but hopefully, the meds will kick in by morning." So, what we've done is to reduce the Dilaudid. Morphine tablet is taken every eight hours and between those pills, Harriet was taking one and a half Dilaudid pills. So now she's going to cut back and take only one Dilaudid pill. I think this is a more sensible approach. Actually, I was surprised that the doctor wanted to reduce the pain medication so drastically.
That's it for now and I hope you have a great day! Thank you so much for your love and prayers.
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Good Day, Tough Night
I'm not sure what it is exactly that causes these problems. We are going to see the oncologist this morning and I will ask him why the drastic fluctuations. I realize that the lymphoma is the root cause, it just seems that things should be getting a little bit better now. The pain seems to be under control with the medications. Where just dealing with all the symptoms which are in themselves devastating.
I will let you know tomorrow morning what the doctor says. I hope you have a great day and thank you so much for your prayers and support.
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
I will let you know tomorrow morning what the doctor says. I hope you have a great day and thank you so much for your prayers and support.
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
Monday, October 20, 2014
Unfortunately That Was Not The Case
Well yesterday was not as good as I had hoped it would be. Harriet didn't make it to church and she just was not doing very well yesterday. Of course I'm hoping that this week will be better than last week. I guess we'll wait and see.
I you have a great week and thank you for your continued prayers and support!
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
I you have a great week and thank you for your continued prayers and support!
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Yesterday Was Good, but Today Will Be Better
Overall yesterday was a good day, there are still the ups and downs, but on the whole, it was a good day. I'm very thankful for these good days. Of course I'm hoping that Harriet will feel well enough to go to church this morning and praise the Lord!
Harriet's sister, Lee Ann, flew in from out of town yesterday and will be leaving on Monday. It is really nice to see her.
Something that Harriet reminded me the other evening when she said, "You need to be thankful for your good health every day". She was referring to me specifically, but I think that this applies to all of us. Sometimes we take our health for granted until we lose it. I know that when I was sidelined with back problems and in a wheelchair and we had to sell our home in Del Mar and downsize because I was not sure if I'd be able to walk and work again, it really makes you stop and think. Then one slowly your health returns, you really do appreciate it a lot more.
This morning I'm preaching and the title of the message is, "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us". God has given us great opportunities to learn and grow and be healthy spiritually and emotionally, if we follow his principles that God has provided for us in his Word. No, I'm not going to preach the message right now. But, I will tell you this, when you forgive others for their trespasses, it is for your benefit, not theirs.
We were going over the calendar yesterday evening and we have our oncologist appointment this coming Tuesday at 10:30 AM. I'm looking forward to that.
Again I want to thank you for all your positive comments on this blog that you give to Harriet and me. Also the cards and emails. I can tell you honestly that many times it brings tears to Harriet's eyes, because of the love that you share with us.
I hope that you'll be able to go to the house the Lord and praise him because he is worthy of all praise, glory and honor!
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
Harriet's sister, Lee Ann, flew in from out of town yesterday and will be leaving on Monday. It is really nice to see her.
Something that Harriet reminded me the other evening when she said, "You need to be thankful for your good health every day". She was referring to me specifically, but I think that this applies to all of us. Sometimes we take our health for granted until we lose it. I know that when I was sidelined with back problems and in a wheelchair and we had to sell our home in Del Mar and downsize because I was not sure if I'd be able to walk and work again, it really makes you stop and think. Then one slowly your health returns, you really do appreciate it a lot more.
This morning I'm preaching and the title of the message is, "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us". God has given us great opportunities to learn and grow and be healthy spiritually and emotionally, if we follow his principles that God has provided for us in his Word. No, I'm not going to preach the message right now. But, I will tell you this, when you forgive others for their trespasses, it is for your benefit, not theirs.
We were going over the calendar yesterday evening and we have our oncologist appointment this coming Tuesday at 10:30 AM. I'm looking forward to that.
Again I want to thank you for all your positive comments on this blog that you give to Harriet and me. Also the cards and emails. I can tell you honestly that many times it brings tears to Harriet's eyes, because of the love that you share with us.
I hope that you'll be able to go to the house the Lord and praise him because he is worthy of all praise, glory and honor!
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
Saturday, October 18, 2014
More of the Same
It seems that there's a trend here. The week of the chemotherapy is a tough one and then the next couple of weeks are up and downs. Mornings and days seem to go pretty good and then evening comes when it's not so good. All you can do is ride out the tough times.
I do want to mention one thing. Thank you for the cards and comments on these blog posts. I've tried to reply to some of these blog post responses and for some reason I'm not able to do so. So I want to take time right now thank you for the encouraging words. You know, I've never done a Diary and I was thinking about it this morning, this is something like that. Sharing your goings-on and feelings about things. So it's a new experience for me. Maybe this is like therapy for me. Just saying.........................
Hopefully I will have something more positive for you tomorrow morning. God bless you, and thank you for your prayers and support.
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
I do want to mention one thing. Thank you for the cards and comments on these blog posts. I've tried to reply to some of these blog post responses and for some reason I'm not able to do so. So I want to take time right now thank you for the encouraging words. You know, I've never done a Diary and I was thinking about it this morning, this is something like that. Sharing your goings-on and feelings about things. So it's a new experience for me. Maybe this is like therapy for me. Just saying.........................
Hopefully I will have something more positive for you tomorrow morning. God bless you, and thank you for your prayers and support.
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
Friday, October 17, 2014
Another Good Day
Well yesterday was another pretty good day and the evening went well too, so that's just great! I really don't have a whole lot tell you this morning. So, I will give you all an update on how Daniel's doing.
We received two letters from him this week. He is arrived in Arizona and it seems that they are really on a fast-track to cycle people from that facility back to California. Hopefully he will not be there more than two weeks. The other good piece of information is the fact that they are not waiting 90 days after the notification of the hearing. This means that he could have his hearing for resentencing in a much shorter time.
I know a number of people have asked, "What can we do?" During the hearing they only allow one person to speak and Daniel has asked me to do so. But, what they are looking for is community support. So I will probably ask our friends to write letters and email them to me. This way I can gather up all the letters and give them to the attorney. I will give an outline of things that the hearing board are looking for. Pretty much they are looking for, Maturity. They want to know that the juvenile offender has matured and will be a productive member of society. By the way, I counted the associate degrees that Daniel has accrued over the last decade or so and he has nine associate degrees, one bachelor and one Masters degree. Of course to me this shows a lot of maturity and fortitude. Eight of the nine associate degrees he got on his own without any of my help. The other degrees were done through a correspondence course which I helped him get. Because during those degrees in theology, he needed research information and documentation which I provided.
Thank you again family and friends for your love and support.
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
We received two letters from him this week. He is arrived in Arizona and it seems that they are really on a fast-track to cycle people from that facility back to California. Hopefully he will not be there more than two weeks. The other good piece of information is the fact that they are not waiting 90 days after the notification of the hearing. This means that he could have his hearing for resentencing in a much shorter time.
I know a number of people have asked, "What can we do?" During the hearing they only allow one person to speak and Daniel has asked me to do so. But, what they are looking for is community support. So I will probably ask our friends to write letters and email them to me. This way I can gather up all the letters and give them to the attorney. I will give an outline of things that the hearing board are looking for. Pretty much they are looking for, Maturity. They want to know that the juvenile offender has matured and will be a productive member of society. By the way, I counted the associate degrees that Daniel has accrued over the last decade or so and he has nine associate degrees, one bachelor and one Masters degree. Of course to me this shows a lot of maturity and fortitude. Eight of the nine associate degrees he got on his own without any of my help. The other degrees were done through a correspondence course which I helped him get. Because during those degrees in theology, he needed research information and documentation which I provided.
Thank you again family and friends for your love and support.
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
Thursday, October 16, 2014
A Hard Days Night
Yesterday during the day went pretty well and the night came. I'm not sure why, the great fluctuations that can happen within a 24-hour period. Because yesterday seem to go very well until nighttime. So, I'm trying to figure out what triggers the negative episodes.
I went to Kaiser yesterday to pick up a prescription of pain medications that I called in Sunday and they said it would be ready by noon on Wednesday. 14 people in line ahead of me picking up prescriptions. When I finally got to the counter, they said that prescription had not been filled because the paperwork has not been received from the doctor. I do go up to the next level and try and get the hard copy prescription for this medication. Most medications they can just enter the data into the computer and it will be refilled. When you're dealing with opiates, they need a hand written hard copy. So I go downstairs and drop off the prescription and they say, come back in an hour and a half. Well, I come back a couple hours later and now there are 16 people in line ahead of me. I'm thinking, I sure wish I had some stock in Kaiser/prescription department. Anyway I was able to get the pain medication which is so important for Harriet.
It is obvious that there is a continued need for prayer and I really do appreciate it. I hope you have a great day!
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
I went to Kaiser yesterday to pick up a prescription of pain medications that I called in Sunday and they said it would be ready by noon on Wednesday. 14 people in line ahead of me picking up prescriptions. When I finally got to the counter, they said that prescription had not been filled because the paperwork has not been received from the doctor. I do go up to the next level and try and get the hard copy prescription for this medication. Most medications they can just enter the data into the computer and it will be refilled. When you're dealing with opiates, they need a hand written hard copy. So I go downstairs and drop off the prescription and they say, come back in an hour and a half. Well, I come back a couple hours later and now there are 16 people in line ahead of me. I'm thinking, I sure wish I had some stock in Kaiser/prescription department. Anyway I was able to get the pain medication which is so important for Harriet.
It is obvious that there is a continued need for prayer and I really do appreciate it. I hope you have a great day!
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
The Toes Knows
Well I couldn't wait until tonight to measure Harriet's feet. I know it sounds funny, but it's an indicator of what's going on as far as restoring bodily functions. The toes are not little fat sausages anymore! This is a big deal. I must tell you that her feet and toes look like they were so puffed up that they would pop, I was really concerned.
You could definitely tell that they have lost some of the excess fluid. They are a long way from normal, but you can tell they're doing much better. So I did measure the circumference around the center of the arch around the top of her foot and sure enough since I started taking these measurements about four weeks ago her right foot has decreased by an inch and a half. Now it's the same size as the left foot.
If I understand this correctly that her body is starting to function more normally and is able to get rid of excess fluid. She's feeling better than she has for quite some time. Her stamina is really low. But it's great to be making some headway. I could hardly wait to let you know. I will try and fatten her up a little bit. She's lost quite a bit of weight.
God bless you and thank you so much for your continued prayers and support!
Maranatha,
Frank
You could definitely tell that they have lost some of the excess fluid. They are a long way from normal, but you can tell they're doing much better. So I did measure the circumference around the center of the arch around the top of her foot and sure enough since I started taking these measurements about four weeks ago her right foot has decreased by an inch and a half. Now it's the same size as the left foot.
If I understand this correctly that her body is starting to function more normally and is able to get rid of excess fluid. She's feeling better than she has for quite some time. Her stamina is really low. But it's great to be making some headway. I could hardly wait to let you know. I will try and fatten her up a little bit. She's lost quite a bit of weight.
God bless you and thank you so much for your continued prayers and support!
Maranatha,
Frank
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
A Little Slow This Morning
I'm putting the blog out a little bit late this morning. I had a lot of emails to answer. I'm thankful that Harriet is over the week that comes after the chemotherapy. That is the most trying for her. She's doing pretty well overall. I don't have a whole lot to report. She continues to hang in there.
If you read the blog last week, you know that her feet have swollen up quite a bit and I'm going to measure her foot circumference tomorrow night and find out if we are doing better. I will let you know.
God bless you and thank you so much for your prayers and loving support.
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
If you read the blog last week, you know that her feet have swollen up quite a bit and I'm going to measure her foot circumference tomorrow night and find out if we are doing better. I will let you know.
God bless you and thank you so much for your prayers and loving support.
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
Monday, October 13, 2014
Cycle Two, Second Week
One of the hardest things to do is to come up with a new title for each blog post, So the secrets out. Yesterday went pretty well. Harriet was able to come to church for about 20 minutes and then Joe and Hilda took her home. We had a quiet Sunday and then I took Harriet Out for a drive. It's hard when you're in the house for a week without going outside.
We headed out Highway 52 W. and I thought we go to the top of Mount Soladad because it doesn't require any walking and there's a beautiful view. It takes about 20 minutes. We got there and admire the view and then Harriet was done. Taking this medication she's not to be in the sunlight for very long, but besides that she was getting weak. Then we drove home.
I mentioned about dropping the card in the mail to Harriet and I forgot to add our address in case you would like to do that. Emails are fine also. I will give both pieces of information.
Harriet Kovacs
7467 Mission Gorge Rd., #44
Santee, CA 92071
Email address is: hedykovacs@gmail.com
Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support.
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
We headed out Highway 52 W. and I thought we go to the top of Mount Soladad because it doesn't require any walking and there's a beautiful view. It takes about 20 minutes. We got there and admire the view and then Harriet was done. Taking this medication she's not to be in the sunlight for very long, but besides that she was getting weak. Then we drove home.
I mentioned about dropping the card in the mail to Harriet and I forgot to add our address in case you would like to do that. Emails are fine also. I will give both pieces of information.
Harriet Kovacs
7467 Mission Gorge Rd., #44
Santee, CA 92071
Email address is: hedykovacs@gmail.com
Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support.
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
Sunday, October 12, 2014
Today Is the Day the Lord Has Made, Let Us Rejoice and Be Glad in It!
Harriet had a pretty good day yesterday, then last night was not so good. She's thankful that the week after the chemo therapy is over. That is the toughest. But, there are still ups and downs.
Thank you for your cards and emails of support for Harriet. I know that many people have asked me, "Please let me know if there's something I can do to help". At this point in time the only thing I can say for sure is that the sending of cards and emails is a real plus and lifts her spirits. So, if you would take a few minutes to drop her an email or send her a card in the mail, I know that she would really appreciate it.
I'm looking forward to church this morning. We have a young man at our church named Walter, who I have known for about 10 years and he wants to be a chaplain in the Navy. We are giving him the opportunity to preach this morning. He's a good guy and I look forward to hearing the message. And the praise and worship is always excellent! I hope that you'll take time this morning to go to the church of your choice and praise Lord for all he's done and give thanks. As the old song says, "Count your blessings, name them one by one........................"
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
Thank you for your cards and emails of support for Harriet. I know that many people have asked me, "Please let me know if there's something I can do to help". At this point in time the only thing I can say for sure is that the sending of cards and emails is a real plus and lifts her spirits. So, if you would take a few minutes to drop her an email or send her a card in the mail, I know that she would really appreciate it.
I'm looking forward to church this morning. We have a young man at our church named Walter, who I have known for about 10 years and he wants to be a chaplain in the Navy. We are giving him the opportunity to preach this morning. He's a good guy and I look forward to hearing the message. And the praise and worship is always excellent! I hope that you'll take time this morning to go to the church of your choice and praise Lord for all he's done and give thanks. As the old song says, "Count your blessings, name them one by one........................"
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
Saturday, October 11, 2014
Ups and Downs
One thing that it has been consistent through this entire experience are the ups and downs. One day good, then a couple of bad days. Or it could be good in the morning and then by evening not so good.
Harriet finished her second cycle of chemotherapy/prednisone yesterday. Harriet made an interesting comment yesterday afternoon, it's almost like she could feel the chemotherapy leaving her body or diminishing in intensity. All drugs have a half-life and a point where the effectiveness diminishes. From our experience it looks like it's about five days.
Something else that I must confess to you is that going through this experience and seeing the devastation caused by the disease and also by the "cure", I realize that I not been as sensitive to people that were going through this ordeal. This experience that Harriet and I are going through, has cured me of that.
I do hope that you have a great weekend. I'm hoping that Harriet feels well enough on Sunday morning to attend church. It is extremely important to be positive in your outlook and there's no better way to do that, then to be in the house of the Lord and with your friends.
Maranatha,
Frank
Harriet finished her second cycle of chemotherapy/prednisone yesterday. Harriet made an interesting comment yesterday afternoon, it's almost like she could feel the chemotherapy leaving her body or diminishing in intensity. All drugs have a half-life and a point where the effectiveness diminishes. From our experience it looks like it's about five days.
Something else that I must confess to you is that going through this experience and seeing the devastation caused by the disease and also by the "cure", I realize that I not been as sensitive to people that were going through this ordeal. This experience that Harriet and I are going through, has cured me of that.
I do hope that you have a great weekend. I'm hoping that Harriet feels well enough on Sunday morning to attend church. It is extremely important to be positive in your outlook and there's no better way to do that, then to be in the house of the Lord and with your friends.
Maranatha,
Frank
Friday, October 10, 2014
Doing A Little Better This Morning
Thankfully, Harriet is doing better this morning than yesterday. The situation changes daily and sometimes even hourly. Today is the last day she takes predisone. That really wipes her out. So hopefully in the next couple of days her body will start to do better.
I'm hoping to have some very positive information for you in the next couple of weeks. We are hoping that the cancer has started to shrink. We will know by the symptoms. As I told you early on, she has retained a lot of fluid in her feet and her legs. Her little toes looks like little sausages. So a couple of weeks ago I measured the girth of her foot using a tape measure and measuring around the circumference of her arch over the top of her foot. I did take a reading yesterday and her right foot has decreased in circumference by half an inch. I will take another reading next week and let you know how it goes. If we see the circumference reduced, then this will be a good sign that things are going the way we want them to.
Thank you so much for your continued support and prayers. It is so encouraging for Harriet to received cards and emails. I forward all emails to her. It is difficult for her to spend time on the computer and that is why I am handling all the communication.
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
I'm hoping to have some very positive information for you in the next couple of weeks. We are hoping that the cancer has started to shrink. We will know by the symptoms. As I told you early on, she has retained a lot of fluid in her feet and her legs. Her little toes looks like little sausages. So a couple of weeks ago I measured the girth of her foot using a tape measure and measuring around the circumference of her arch over the top of her foot. I did take a reading yesterday and her right foot has decreased in circumference by half an inch. I will take another reading next week and let you know how it goes. If we see the circumference reduced, then this will be a good sign that things are going the way we want them to.
Thank you so much for your continued support and prayers. It is so encouraging for Harriet to received cards and emails. I forward all emails to her. It is difficult for her to spend time on the computer and that is why I am handling all the communication.
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Difficult Night Last Night
After each chemotherapy treatment the patient needs to take prednisone, a high dosage for the next four days. This is causing more problems. It just seems as though they give you so much medication that it overwhelms the body. As said before, the idea is to kill the cancer, without killing the patient, but they get pretty close to doing that too. Please continue to pray for Harriet.
I met with my longtime friend Larry yesterday and he asked me about Daniel. I thought I'd take a moment to clarify my blog posting of a couple of days ago and what the implications of SB 260 are for him. Daniel was sentenced to 23 1/2 years and with good behavior you must serve 85% of the sentence. The law that was passed last year SB 260 and how it applies to Daniel is as follows, if a person was a youth when they committed the crime, but they were sentenced as an adult and after they've served a minimum of 15 years, they can have their sentencing reevaluated. It doesn't mean that everybody will be let out. What they are looking for is to see if the person who committed the crime has matured beyond his youthful stupidity, and can be a productive member of society.
To be totally objective and I know it sounds like it will be difficult because it's my son, but Daniel had a 707 hearing to establish the fact whether he could be tried as an adult or juvenile. Without going into a great deal of detail, there are five points that they use to determine these things. They determined that he could be tried as an adult, but when tried as an adult two of the five points were eliminated as not being relevant. But, beyond that, because that is the proverbial "spilt milk", Daniel has Towed the line for at least the last 14 years, out of 16 years that he's been imprisoned. It took a while for him to get to the place of repentance. The Bible clearly states, "Without repentance there is no remission of sins".
I wish I could share with you the last letter we received from Daniel just a few days ago. In preparation for presenting his case to the hearing board, he had to write out certain things from his past, which would include his crime. He said that it was very difficult to relive those stupid things that he did, but as he said in his letter, the story doesn't end there. He is become a new person in Christ and he is not that same idiot kid that did the crime. We're all thankful for that.
When they have the hearing for Daniel, they can do a number of things. They can let them serve out his full-term, or release him for time served and anything between those two options . So, it's not a guarantee that he'll be getting out after the hearing. That of course is our hope.
Thank you again for your prayers and support.
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
I met with my longtime friend Larry yesterday and he asked me about Daniel. I thought I'd take a moment to clarify my blog posting of a couple of days ago and what the implications of SB 260 are for him. Daniel was sentenced to 23 1/2 years and with good behavior you must serve 85% of the sentence. The law that was passed last year SB 260 and how it applies to Daniel is as follows, if a person was a youth when they committed the crime, but they were sentenced as an adult and after they've served a minimum of 15 years, they can have their sentencing reevaluated. It doesn't mean that everybody will be let out. What they are looking for is to see if the person who committed the crime has matured beyond his youthful stupidity, and can be a productive member of society.
To be totally objective and I know it sounds like it will be difficult because it's my son, but Daniel had a 707 hearing to establish the fact whether he could be tried as an adult or juvenile. Without going into a great deal of detail, there are five points that they use to determine these things. They determined that he could be tried as an adult, but when tried as an adult two of the five points were eliminated as not being relevant. But, beyond that, because that is the proverbial "spilt milk", Daniel has Towed the line for at least the last 14 years, out of 16 years that he's been imprisoned. It took a while for him to get to the place of repentance. The Bible clearly states, "Without repentance there is no remission of sins".
I wish I could share with you the last letter we received from Daniel just a few days ago. In preparation for presenting his case to the hearing board, he had to write out certain things from his past, which would include his crime. He said that it was very difficult to relive those stupid things that he did, but as he said in his letter, the story doesn't end there. He is become a new person in Christ and he is not that same idiot kid that did the crime. We're all thankful for that.
When they have the hearing for Daniel, they can do a number of things. They can let them serve out his full-term, or release him for time served and anything between those two options . So, it's not a guarantee that he'll be getting out after the hearing. That of course is our hope.
Thank you again for your prayers and support.
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
You Know This Is Tough
Yesterday was a very tough day for Harriet. Of course it makes sense that the day after the chemotherapy the drugs are the most potent in her body, thereby causing the greatest distress. When I got up this morning at 2:15 AM, she was in better spirits and she was still awake from yesterday. So, I tucked her in to bed and put out her pills for 6 AM and set the alarm.
She's taking a lot of pain medication as I've mentioned, but during the first week after the chemotherapy she's pretty much sleeping off and on. I'm sure it is expected.
I hope everyone is having a good week.
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
She's taking a lot of pain medication as I've mentioned, but during the first week after the chemotherapy she's pretty much sleeping off and on. I'm sure it is expected.
I hope everyone is having a good week.
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Second Cycle Day One
Harriet only had to spend four hours at Kaiser Hospital yesterday. I picked her up at 2 PM and she was in good spirits. We got home and as the afternoon progressed, she says that it's like you're getting the flu, a really bad case and you can feel it coming on. These are the beginning effects of the chemotherapy treatment. So, she is resting and I have all her pills scheduled. After each chemotherapy treatment, she needs to take the prednisone, this is part of the chemotherapy, for four days. Of course she takes all her pain medications too.
Something that I forgot to mention, our son Daniel is heading back toward California from Tennessee. Many of you know, that he has been in Tennessee for the last five years. He signed a waiver that allowed the state of California to transfer him out of state. He was supposed to come back in June, but the state/authority moves very slowly. Because of SB 260, the law that was passed a year ago, he will have a hearing for resentencing. For some reason they take the inbound prisoners to Arizona and then on to California after a few weeks stay. The time in Arizona could be 2 to 6 weeks. We do not have a date for his hearing, but I would also appreciate you keeping him in your prayers. He's done very well over the past more than 10 years that he's been studying and has many associate degrees, a bachelors degree and a master's degree in theology.
Thanks again for your continued support and prayers,
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
Something that I forgot to mention, our son Daniel is heading back toward California from Tennessee. Many of you know, that he has been in Tennessee for the last five years. He signed a waiver that allowed the state of California to transfer him out of state. He was supposed to come back in June, but the state/authority moves very slowly. Because of SB 260, the law that was passed a year ago, he will have a hearing for resentencing. For some reason they take the inbound prisoners to Arizona and then on to California after a few weeks stay. The time in Arizona could be 2 to 6 weeks. We do not have a date for his hearing, but I would also appreciate you keeping him in your prayers. He's done very well over the past more than 10 years that he's been studying and has many associate degrees, a bachelors degree and a master's degree in theology.
Thanks again for your continued support and prayers,
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
Monday, October 6, 2014
Second Round of Chemotherapy Today
Yesterday was partially tough and partially good. It's amazing how our health can fluctuate so much in the course of 24 hours. Harriet did not get a lot of sleep on Saturday night. But she got up to go to church and did not feel well. Later in the morning she was doing better.
I took her to Kaiser about 11 AM to have her blood drawn. It is mandatory that a blood test is done 24 hours before every chemotherapy. Without the blood test they will not do the chemotherapy. At least today we have a better idea of what to expect. Ever the optimist, hoping for good results.
I hope you all have a great week.
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
I took her to Kaiser about 11 AM to have her blood drawn. It is mandatory that a blood test is done 24 hours before every chemotherapy. Without the blood test they will not do the chemotherapy. At least today we have a better idea of what to expect. Ever the optimist, hoping for good results.
I hope you all have a great week.
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
Sunday, October 5, 2014
2nd Chemotherapy Tomorrow
Yesterday went pretty well. Harriet's energy level is not very high. Unfortunately the lack of nourishment sustainability is taking its toll. Tomorrow Harriet goes in for her 2nd round of chemotherapy. Hopefully it goes better than the 1st one, but it's hard to be optimistic from all the horror stories I've heard.
I hope you have a great day today and thank you for your continued prayers and support.
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
I hope you have a great day today and thank you for your continued prayers and support.
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
Saturday, October 4, 2014
Getting Ready
Harriet is preparing for the next round of chemotherapy starting on Monday morning. Ron in Virginia will take Harriet to the hospital and I will pick her up after the treatment.
I wanted everyone to know that when we spoke to Dr. Chen, the oncologist, about these different symptoms that Harriet has and how to deal with them he responded with the following, "All the symptoms that she is suffering from now, will dissipate as the cancer diminishes". He said that after the second and third cycle of treatment she should start feeling better and need less pain medication. The swelling in her feet, ankles, legs will start to go down in size. Hopefully then she'll be able to keep food down and be on the mend. We appreciate all the helpful tips on nourishment, nutrition and family remedies. The problem is not with the normal body functions, the problem really is with the lymphoma cancer. Once that cancer has been removed, then these other symptoms will disappear, even if it's just gradually at first. We look forward to that day.
Thank you again so much for your love, your support and your prayers!
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
I wanted everyone to know that when we spoke to Dr. Chen, the oncologist, about these different symptoms that Harriet has and how to deal with them he responded with the following, "All the symptoms that she is suffering from now, will dissipate as the cancer diminishes". He said that after the second and third cycle of treatment she should start feeling better and need less pain medication. The swelling in her feet, ankles, legs will start to go down in size. Hopefully then she'll be able to keep food down and be on the mend. We appreciate all the helpful tips on nourishment, nutrition and family remedies. The problem is not with the normal body functions, the problem really is with the lymphoma cancer. Once that cancer has been removed, then these other symptoms will disappear, even if it's just gradually at first. We look forward to that day.
Thank you again so much for your love, your support and your prayers!
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
Friday, October 3, 2014
Relatively Good Day
Yesterday was a relatively good day for Harriet. We got to go out with Hilda and the grand sons for In-N-Out hamburgers. Harriet still cannot eat very much, which is a big concern. I just finished writing an email to Dr. Chen concerning this problem. I have no idea how long her body can continue with the lack of nourishment. No matter what she eats it goes right through her system.
Thank you so much for your willingness to stand with us and pray for Harriet's healing.
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
Thank you so much for your willingness to stand with us and pray for Harriet's healing.
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Yesterday Was a Better Day
Were thankful that yesterday was a better day and that the nausea was less than the previous day. Not a whole lot to report today. Just trying to get nourishment, vitamins and minerals to help build up Harriet's body in preparation for the next chemo on Monday.
God bless you and thank you again for your prayers and support.
Maranatha,
Frank
God bless you and thank you again for your prayers and support.
Maranatha,
Frank
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Appointment With Dr. Chen
The appointment with our oncologist went well. As I mentioned yesterday we had a lot of questions. One of my big questions is the dosage of the chemotherapy the same each time or does the dosage vary up or down? I wish I could remember the exact statement he made, but it was something to the fact that they've calculated the exact amount of dosage required (not to kill the host, my words not his) yet it will kill the cancer. So the dosage remains the same through every cycle. Next Monday will be the second treatment. We know what to expect a little bit better now than we did a couple of weeks ago.
You can probably guess by his name that our doctor is Chinese. Nice guy, very intelligent. It was kind of interesting because Harriet was wearing her "shorter hair wig" and he made a comment "that I thought you're going to lose your hair by now". So, that was very nice of him to say because I thought Harriet look good with her wig and I think that everybody needs reassurance.
The other question was concerning her churning intestines. She's having a very difficult keeping food down, with nausea and or the food going right through her. Dr. Chen said specifically that that is a result of the lymphoma. But, there is a possibility of a intestinal infection which can be treated with antibiotics. So things get complicated, again.
Dr. Chen checked the swelling in her legs. He seems to think that the swelling has gone down a little bit. From my point of view, it is difficult to determine. The last time Dr. Chen saw Harriet was three weeks ago and I don't know how many hundreds of patients he's seen between then and now, but for him to remember the exact swelling for specific patient would be highly improbable, to my way of thinking. Maybe he was just being positive. He did say that after the second and third cycle of treatments that we should get some real good results in reducing the swelling in her legs and of course the lymphoma/cancer. I can't remember if he said that she'll have another PET scan after the third cycle or if it's after the fifth cycle. I think they want to determine how things are progressing. It only makes sense.
They weighed Harriet in at the beginning of the appointment and she's lost a lot of weight. I'm not surprised because I can see it in her face. I'm trying to buy things that she will want to eat, it's just tough one you have nausea all the time.
Today Harriet has the chemo class which is two hours long. I hope that she's up for it. This class is something that normally people take before they start chemotherapy. I will touch know how it goes.
Thank you so much for your prayers and support. It really does help to know that people are praying and that so many people are standing with us. Thank you again!
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
You can probably guess by his name that our doctor is Chinese. Nice guy, very intelligent. It was kind of interesting because Harriet was wearing her "shorter hair wig" and he made a comment "that I thought you're going to lose your hair by now". So, that was very nice of him to say because I thought Harriet look good with her wig and I think that everybody needs reassurance.
The other question was concerning her churning intestines. She's having a very difficult keeping food down, with nausea and or the food going right through her. Dr. Chen said specifically that that is a result of the lymphoma. But, there is a possibility of a intestinal infection which can be treated with antibiotics. So things get complicated, again.
Dr. Chen checked the swelling in her legs. He seems to think that the swelling has gone down a little bit. From my point of view, it is difficult to determine. The last time Dr. Chen saw Harriet was three weeks ago and I don't know how many hundreds of patients he's seen between then and now, but for him to remember the exact swelling for specific patient would be highly improbable, to my way of thinking. Maybe he was just being positive. He did say that after the second and third cycle of treatments that we should get some real good results in reducing the swelling in her legs and of course the lymphoma/cancer. I can't remember if he said that she'll have another PET scan after the third cycle or if it's after the fifth cycle. I think they want to determine how things are progressing. It only makes sense.
They weighed Harriet in at the beginning of the appointment and she's lost a lot of weight. I'm not surprised because I can see it in her face. I'm trying to buy things that she will want to eat, it's just tough one you have nausea all the time.
Today Harriet has the chemo class which is two hours long. I hope that she's up for it. This class is something that normally people take before they start chemotherapy. I will touch know how it goes.
Thank you so much for your prayers and support. It really does help to know that people are praying and that so many people are standing with us. Thank you again!
Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet
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