The Day After

Today has been a very good day for Vince. We had an appt. at 1 pm at UCLA Westwood, got a shot to rejuvenate his white blood cells, there was no traffic at all either way (thank you, Jesus), came back home, he went to lunch w/Josh, and has felt pretty good other than a little nausea (which he has medication for) so we are extremely grateful! He is feeling a little soreness in his ribs from the shot already, last time he felt it in his back, but that is a good sign, it means the shot is working:) We were also told that he should be getting a little more tolerant from the chemo with each treatment as well.

We didn't see the doctor today, but Vince has an appt. next Tues. Nov. 4th for blood work and we will find out about the MRI and X Ray results. He has a great appetite and has had McDonalds, Jack in the Box, & Taco Bell all within 24 hrs! As someone told me who had the same cancer as Vince, "that's already a little victory!", that he is able to eat. Yay!

Thought I'd share this video with you from "Stand Up To Cancer"..I thought it was really special. It's called "Be OK"...click here to watch it.

You can also launch a star. The Constellation is a tribute space to honor anyone who has received a cancer diagnosis. For a donation of $1 or more, you can add a star to the Constellation in the name of someone you love: a family member, a co-worker, a friend.
Thank you Cathy for your "goodie bag" for my hospital stay...I loved it!

Matthew 14:27
But Jesus spoke to them at once. "It's all right," he said. "I am here! Don't be afraid."

HOME SWEET HOME

We got home today from the hospital at 1:30 pm. When he got into the wheelchair to leave, the nurse pushed him to the elevator and as we were waiting, the door opened and there was a gurney in it so we had to wait for the next one, which actually took about 5 mins. He was so ready to leave that he put one side of the foot rests up, and was using his foot like he was skateboarding to push to wheelchair closer to the elevator and the nurse gently walks over and pulls him back...it was pretty funny...they kept saying if we don't get him out of here he is going to make a run for it!!

He has to be at the oncologists office at UCLA Westwood tomorrow at 1 pm for the shot that helps to replenish is white blood cells. He is doing very well considering all he has been through. As soon as we left the hospital he decided he wanted a cheeseburger, Sprite, and an ice cream cone! We found a McDonald's about 6 blocks from the hospital and he was so happy! We got home and he immediately took a shower and got on his computer and then rested for awhile. But, he has not thrown up! Yay!! His stomach does feel a bit upset...took his anti-nausea medication and feels better. The doctor said each day should get progressively better, so he will just take it easy and rest. Just getting out of the hospital helped so much...that smell was even getting to me!

He goes back for his 3rd round of chemo around Nov. 11th...it's only 2 weeks away, since he is on a 3 week schedule and the first day you begin chemo starts that 3 week cycle, so that's the reason for only 2 weeks in between. He doesn't even want to hear the word "chemo" right now...it makes him sick, too:(

Check out Vince's legs...Bernadette shaved a "B" and a heart in Vince's leg hair...and when he was walking the halls pushing his chemo tower, one of the nurses walked by and said..."is that a "B" on your leg?" LOL!

Veronica is laying in my "bed" in this photo..see how "comfy" it looks! Sorry it's blurry...no, it's not your eyes! LOL!

So, that's pretty much it for now...I will try to update tomorrow evening about his visit to the doctor. Hopefully, he will have some info about the MRI and the X Ray:) Thanks again for all of your prayers! They are such a huge part of Vince's treatment and I know that he is doing so great because you are faithfully praying on his behalf! God bless!

Thank you Aunt Diane for bringing a "home cooked meal" to us today! We love you! It was delicious!

Strength is made perfect in weakness.
2 Corinthians 12:9

Going Home Tomorrow!

Vince had the MRI and X Ray today. I don't know when we will hear the results, but I'm sure it will be soon! I am looking forward to hearing what the doctors have to say:) Vince is on his last bit of chemo for this round. It will end tonight at 12 a.m.! He is soooo happy! He has to finish another medicine for his bladder (it protects his bladder) and that one will be finished before 10 a.m. and then we are free to go as soon as the doctor releases him! Hopefully, 10:15 a.m...which is not soon enough for Vince! So I assume we will be home around 12 or 1 pm. God has been so good to him while he is here. The biggest hurdle has been the episode the 2nd night, but now we know he is allergic to Compazine and the other hurdle is the vomiting for the last 2 days, due to one of the chemo's. Otherwise, he has done so great! I can't believe that this is our 5th night here! I can't wait to sleep on a mattress! I've been sleeping on a fold out chair, which is super uncomfortable! But, it's a great reminder for me of how sometimes when we are uncomfortable, how much more we will appreciate having comfort! Sounds pretty simple, but true:)

This photo of Vince is an area where we could go and didn't learn about it until today...man...why oh why didn't they tell us sooner! I will make sure next time that the dr. tells the nurses that he can go out there...Vince didn't want to go back into the hospital, he can't stand the smell! Just the thought of smells would make him gag...like the soap, or the bathroom, or the sheets, etc..horrible!

Quick story...Pastor Mark (Executive Pastor @ Discovery Church) came to visit Vince & I today here at the hospital. It's a pretty confusing place to visit and find your way around, so I told him to call me when he got into the lobby and I would come down and get him. We got into the elevator to go to our floor and wouldn't you know...two men getting out of the elevator and one leaves behind...lets just say...a not so pleasant smell...and in the elevator with us was a woman, who was not shy in voicing her opinion! She proceeds to say..."whoa..why did they have to do that...oh man...that's baadddd...oh man...don't they care"...and then...WHAM...it comes our way!....it was so funny...and she got off on the floor before us and as quick as a wink...she pulls out a bottle of perfume and sprays the elevator for us as she left..running! Pastor Mark turns to me and laughs and says, "now, that's a first"! We were quite amused by her...and it gave us a good laugh!

This is a Bible verse that I would cling to when Jim had cancer...it helped me realize that there is joy in our sufferings...even though it is sometimes hard to find...it's there if we just look for it.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4)

Pray For Good News, Expect Healing!

This morning at 7:40 am, Dr. Crow (one of the surgeons that did the biopsy) came in to see how Vince is doing and said that they want to get an MRI and a CT scan before Vince leaves the hospital so that they can reevaluate his tumor! I am so excited because I thought it wouldn't be until the 3rd or 4th treatment that they would do that. I am claiming a miracle for Vince in Jesus name! I don't know what they are expecting to see, but please join with me in prayer that it would show BETTER than what they EVER expected and that God would be GLORIFIED through Vince's story! God is able to heal Vince according to His word and I am expecting him to be healed! Please stand on HIS promises with me today...right now! As I was writing this Dr. Eckardt, the surgeon, came in with all of his team and said that no pain means effective chemotherapy! Praise God for all HE has done because we know that JESUS is the ultimate healer!

Jeremiah 30:17
I will give you back your health and heal your wounds, says the LORD.

Acts 4:30
Send your healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus."

Psalm 118:8
It is better to trust the LORD than to put confidence in people.

Psalm 118:14
The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my victory.

Psalm 118:24
This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.

Here is a view from Vince's hospital window. I could see the ocean on the first day..it was so clear! The fog rolled in today, but it was a nice change. Vince slept pretty good last night other than waking up every hour to go to the bathroom. The more he goes, the better it is for his body...helps prevent some of the side effects by flushing out the chemicals. Grandma Charlotte (Jim's mom) came to visit today for quite awhile, which was so great for me, since I am the only one here with him now. We had some good laughs when she went downstairs to have a cigarette and got lost coming back to the room (which is like a maze) and some nurse escorted her back to me...which was great, since I was waiting in the hall looking for her because I had a feeling she was lost since she didn't come back in a timely manner! We hugged like she was gone forever! LOL!

Bernadette has to work, so she can't be here for the last few days, other than a few hours at night. Here is a photo of how we spend our time...that's Jim, Bernadette and Veronica on the computers and of course we each have own! I love to have my computer here at the hospital because I can email everyone on the spot...check my Facebook, listen to sermons, watch DVD's, play Bubble Town with my Facebook friends (you know who you are:) Vince has been playing it, too...keeps his mind occupied when he's awake and he doesn't really have to think about his circumstances. He is getting extremely anxious to get out of here. Originally we thought he would leave on Monday, but now it will be Tuesday. He is asking if they can speed it up, but it could make him feel a little more sick, so that probably won't be an option. He is just trying to find every possible way to get out of here. The smell of the medical tape, the bathroom, the sheets, and looking at the tower of chemo bags hanging just make him queasy! The chemical taste in his mouth is horrible and just laying in bed so much really sucks! I try to get him to walk the halls a few times a day, but he is not too excited about that, but does it anyway just to shut me up:) He threw up three times today, but always feels better instantly and then eats his lunch or dinner...good job Vince! He does still feel like eating which is awesome! He has had enchiladas, mashed potatoes, hamburgers, raisin bran, strawberries, ice cream...whatever he wants! The following poem was sent to me by a wonderful friend and prayer warrior..it's really beautiful:) Thank you, Rosa!

Never Unsaid by Valerie Capasso A son like you, I thought could never be. Because the day you were born, I just knew, God sent me a blessing- and that was you. For this I thank Him everyday, You are the true definition of a son, in every way. It is because of you that my life has meaning, Becoming a mom has shown me a new sense of being. I want you to know that you were the purpose of my life, Out of everything I did- it was you that I did right. Always remember that I know how much you care, I can tell by the relationship that we share. For a son like you there could be no other, And whether we are together or apart, Please do not ever forget- You will always have a piece of my heart.

1 John 5:4
Everyone who is a child of God has the power to win
against the world. It is our faith that wins the victory
against the world.

A Devotional I Received Today..Appropriate For Me & Maybe For You, Too!

GOD IS MY SALVATION
by Helen Grace Lescheid

Do you feel discouraged and don't know what to do next? We
have mentors that will talk with you.
http://thelife.com/experience/talk-to-a-mentor/
Listen to this devotional read aloud online:
http://thelife.com/blogs/experience/kindle/2008/10/26/god-is-my-salvation/

"Surely God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid"
Isaiah 12:2

Do you ever feel like you can't face another day of challenges?
Perhaps it's time to take a day off and to spend it in quiet
refection walking through nature or reading a good book by the
fireplace. But what do you do when none of this helps to lift you
out of the doldrums? May I suggest something that has helped
me to get out of the fog--literally and emotionally?

One night as I was coming home along the highway, the fog was
as thick as pea soup. I could not see the road in front of me. I
could barely glimpse the dim reflectors marking the lanes of the
busy highway. How was I going to find my way home? It was by
focusing on these "bright spots" in the fog. I inched forward from
one reflector to the next. What a relief when, an hour-and-a-half
later, I reached the warmth and light of home!

By using the same mind-focusing principle, I've learned to let
Scripture guide me instead of my moods. I take a portion of
Scripture like Isaiah 12, a favorite---- and personalize it. Then
I say it out loud.

Today I will give thanks to you, O LORD!

When I feel afraid I will remember, Surely God is my salvation.
I will trust, and will not be afraid.

When I am weak, The LORD God is my strength and my might; He
has become my salvation.

When my resources are gone, I will draw water from the wells of
salvation.

I've discovered there's power in speaking the Word of God out
loud. As I recite God's life-giving words throughout the day, my
mood lifts and I receive courage to move forward one step at a
time.

~ Lord Jesus, thank you that I don't have to navigate this day
alone. With Your help I will face every challenge and conquer it.
For great is the Holy One of Israel who lives among us.

I know I've been a little slow in getting up to date on the blog. I have had so many people calling and emailing me wanting to know what is going on with Vince since he has been in the hospital. It's so wonderful to have such caring family and friends. Thank you for that! We got here on Thursday about 2 1/2 hrs. late, thank you to the fire that was near the Getty Center.

Everything seemed to be going fine, until that episode last night, which just makes me cling even tighter to my faith:) God has been my strength through all of this, which I know I would NEVER be able to handle on my own strength! I am weak and powerless and I realize more than ever that God is my rock! I cannot do this alone! I NEED Jesus and I want to know HIM more! I am amazed on a daily basis at how HIS love covers me and my family and I will dwell in HIS presence. HE has shown me HE is caring for us by the people HE sends into our lives for prayer, encouragement, and fellowship along this wonderful journey called life! I will choose to listen and believe the voice of TRUTH, which is the word of God:)

The picture above is Bernadette and Vince waiting to be escorted to his room...aren't they cute:) I love them both so much! Bernadette is such a wonderful, sweet and loving girlfriend and Vince (and our family) is extremely blessed to have her around as he is battling this horrible disease. I can't help but think that they are so young to have to deal with something of such great magnitude at this early stage in their lives, but I know that God has a plan for them and how HE wants to impact their lives and the lives of so many others around them. Sometimes it's hard for us to even imagine what's around the corner and how we are going to endure, but that's where faith comes in. I know I speak about that quite a lot, but if you don't have faith, then what DO you have? No faith? Now that's a scary thought!
Mark 11:24 For this reason I say to you, Whatever you make a request for in prayer, have faith that it has been given to you, and you will have it.

2 Corinthians 5:7 Our life is lived by faith. We do not live by what we see in front of us.

2 Corinthians 4:18 And so we keep our eyes on the things we can't see instead of what we see, because the things we see last for just a short time, but the things we don't see last forever.

Vince's hair started to fall out a few days before we came to the hospital, so Bernadette decided to shave his head last night. It's still a tough thing to have done, even if you are a guy and you do want to be bald for a Halloween party! LOL! It was a little hard for him to look in the mirror...he is grateful for beanies though (thank you ACTIVE RIDE SHOP:)

Vince is getting bored and wants to go home! We found out that he might not get to go home until Tues. morning...bummer. But, he has been feeling pretty good, except for that one bump in the road...so to speak, and again, it's one day at a time. The last few weeks have been so great...we felt as though life was "normal" again. He was out skating and having fun just hanging out with Mikemo and their friends, but once again, back to chemo. It's all about enjoying the small things as well as the big things. Vince has a great attitude and he knows that he is going to beat this cancer and in a year, all of this will just be a memory. God is so good!

Gosh, I guess I could go on forever, but I won't, but before I go...check this out....here is a picture of my tire. Both of the back ones looked like this a few days ago. I have been driving on them for the last 6 weeks back and forth to Santa Monica and home, and I was shocked when Jim pointed them out to me! They were both splitting at the seams! Whoa! I can't believe that I didn't get a blow out! I now have 2 new tires and feel so much more secure! Thank you Jim's Tire in Simi Valley!

I think if you click on this picture it will enlarge and you can see the inner edge a little better! Maybe you should check your own tires, too! Don't rely on someone else to discover it for you, or when it's too late:) An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure...so they say! I am saying goodnight, it's 1:05 a.m. on Sunday morning and I am watching my handsome son sleep peacefully! Now, hopefully I will sleep, too! Thank you for all the prayers and support for Vince and our family!

Thank you Jeanette for the yummy cookies & visiting us at the hospital:)

Thank you to the Vasquez family and to the Carson family for the videos, they are awesome!

Thank you to the Dyer family for the wonderful and yummy enchiladas!

I love you Jim, Mindy, Bobby, Gianni, Vince, Bernadette, Mikemo, Rachel, Veronica
and of course my parents and in-laws! You are all so special to me!!!

God bless!

Immediate Prayers Needed

It's 11:00 pm on Friday night...please pray for Vince, I know that a lot of you won't be checking email but Vince needs prayers right now! He started to have twitching in his face about 1/2 hr. ago and his tongue was swelling, it was difficult for him to talk. It is extremely scary for Bernadette and I, but even more so for Vince. I noticed his face twitching and he got scared, we told the nurse, who was in here, and they called the dr. They gave him Benedryl and he felt better within minutes. They gave him an anti-anxiety medication and he is now resting comfortably. I know there are side effects with chemo, but they think it was caused from one of the anti-nausea drugs they gave him. Thank you for your prayers of protection, healing and comfort for Vince. Thank you Jesus for your word! I give you all the glory and praise! Amen!

Matthew 8:17
This fulfilled the word of the Lord through Isaiah, who said,
"He took our sicknesses and removed our diseases."

Mark 11:24
For this reason I say to you, Whatever you make a request for
in prayer, have faith that it has been given to you, and you
will have it.

UCLA Hospital-Santa Monica

I forgot to mention that Vince will be in the hospital for 5 days in UCLA Santa Monica Hospital. I guess that's important to know, huh? The doctor told us that the 5 days there should be a little easier than the one day chemo treatment at the office, because they spread them out over those 5 days vs. 1 day of blasting him with intense chemo. So, I guess he will find out the difference between the two. But, he still needs plenty of prayers, as chemo is always tough. I will post more later about what time he has to be there on Th. Until then...have a blessed day!
Please say a prayer for my friend Lisa...she is having her first chemo treatment as I write this. Pray for her and her family to have the strength and peace that only God can give! Thank you!

Chemo Thursday

Sorry about the late blog, but I've been putting it off because we didn't know exactly when he was going into the hospital. We were told that he would be on a 3 week schedule and that would mean Tues. Oct. 21st would be the date, but for some reason the communication isn't that great (the oncologist has a new nurse practitioner and still learning the ropes, pray for her as she is a very sweet lady:). So, Thursday seems to be the day. Vince didn't like that too well, since he is planning on going to a Halloween party next weekend and he knows that he needs at least 5 or 6 days after chemo to heal and to feel somewhat normal, in order to attend. We are trying to push for Wednesday, as every day counts towards his goal. I will be posting pictures of the party, so you might want to check back after Halloween for the updates! Hopefully, Mikemo will be at the party too...as he comes home on Halloween from Europe. Please pray for Vince's chemo treatments. We are asking the Lord for better than expected results, just like this last time! Since God is in charge, I choose to trust HIM with my son's life and I know that "all things are possible with God" :) By the way, he is just now starting to lose his hair! They told us it would take about a week, but it's been 3 weeks! I took a video of him pulling his facial hair out with duct tape! OUCH! I am going to post that video of him doing that as soon as I figure out how to do it! LOL!

Also, if you could say an extra prayer for Mikemo and his team and for them to have a safe trip home, I would be a very appreciative MOM!! Thank you:)

I am praising God that I got my jury duty postponed for 1 yr! Yay!

Thank you Henschen family for making Vince's "chemo blanket"..it's awesome! It will keep him super warm and cozy as the days get colder! Jackie, I love how you said that "Jesus blankets us with HIS love"...that's so true! What a great visual for us every time he uses it!

Vince looks about 15 yrs. old without his beard! He shaved it off yesterday before it was supposed to fall out. He does still have hair under that hat, but not for long. It's shedding everywhere!

Thank you to the Reilly family for making us yummy scones for our breakfast treats! We especially love the art work on the bags! Thank you Allie and Aidan! You are awesome artists!


Philippians 4:6
Do not worry about anything. But pray and ask God for
everything you need. And when you pray, always give thanks.

Lakai Team Interview for Fully Flared Video

Here is a video clip that I found on the Transworld Skateboarding website. This was the video that Mikemo was in last year and it was awesome! If you would like to watch it just click the link below. Please be warned that you will hear lots of "F" words...that's the part I hate the most! If you want to check out the Fully Flared video clips you can also click here. Transworld Skateboarding interview.
If you want to know where to buy one click here.

Mikemo Left For Europe Today

The Matix team (Mikemo's clothing sponsor) left for Europe today at 6 pm from LAX. Please keep them in your prayers as they travel to Europe and skate!

They will be heading to the UK, France, Belgium and Spain. They will be gone until Nov. 1st. The skaters are as follows: Marc Johnson, Rick McCrank, Brandon Biebel, Jeron Wilson, Mikemo, Torey Pudwill, Jesus Fernandes, JB Gillet, Danny Brady, Kristian Bomholt and Lem Villemin.

I am always so excited for Mikemo to be able to see so many different places all over the world at such a young age. I will be a bit sad, as he will be gone during Vince's 5 day chemo hospital stay next week. It's always so special to have them together, especially at this time. I do know that Mikemo and Vince will be able to talk to each other on their computers while he is in the hospital. Oh the wonders of technology!
.
On my way to the airport I took this photo of my mileage...it turned over to the 100,000 mile mark! Great! There goes my 100,000 mile warranty! By the way, just so you know...I was going about 5 mph when I took this photo...the traffic was horrible and it took me about 45 mins. to go 16 miles! So, I was very safe while I took this...you know me and my driving lately... I wouldn't take any chances! LOL! Actually, Vince says that my ticket "ruined me"...and I am driving like a little old lady now! I am actually staying between 65-70 mph and EVERYONE is passing me! The people driving behind me in the carpool lane are even passing me illegally, you know those people who go out and get back in when there is no dotted line to get in or out (hey! where is their ticket?!!) So, I apologize in advance if you are behind me! LOL!

Vince is feeling really good and it's been so nice this last week to just be able to really not think about his cancer as much and just let him live his life as normally as possible. I'm trying not to "mother" him as much, but that's tough, I am always telling him to hydrate himself, eat better food, blah, blah, blah...so I am trying to control myself:)

Thank you to Dave & Jody for their gift basket! It's a great healthy treat for Vince, he and we, have been enjoying it!

Thank you to my Bible study for praying for Vince...sorry I had to miss it tonight, I love you all so much! I will not be there next week, as I'm sure you know...but, I will be on the computer at the hospital if you want to send me any emails...hint hint:) Here is my email address: rondacapaldi@msn.com

Blessings to ALL!


Matthew 21:22
And all things whatever you shall ask in prayer,
believing, you shall receive.

Mikemo's Team Took 2nd Place at Van's Downtown Showdown!

Mikemo's team took 2nd place last night at the Van's Downtown Showdown at Paramount Studios. They each took home $2,000.oo. Not bad for a days work! Congratulations Mikemo & the whole Girl Team! The webcast highlights can be watched by clicking here. Today Mikemo & Eric Kosten had a signing at Active Valencia from 2-4 pm. Check out Mikemo's skateboards by clicking here. Dad & I are so proud of you Mikemo!

Vans Downtown Showdown

Vince and Mikemo will be at the Vans Downtown Showdown today. It starts at 5 pm-10pm, and Mikemo will be competing with his skate team, GIRL Skateboards. It is a pretty amazing sight to see! You can watch the live webcast by clicking here. I am praising Jesus that Vince is feeling so great! Thank you Lord!

Grateful!

Guy Mariano (a pro-skater on Mikemo's team) came over yesterday to take Vince and Mikemo to Golf N Stuff for a little break for Vince! It was so nice to see them hanging out together, since it's been quite awhile that he has been able to do anything without ANY pain! He hasn't even had ANY pain medications at all since Friday! How awesome is that! My grandson, Gianni (10 yrs. old) was here and got to meet Guy for the first time and he also got his board signed by him. I took this picture of them and he was really excited, but hates to get his picture taken (the reason for the closed eyes!) Hey look! They all have the same haircut! LOL! Thank you Guy, for making yesterday such a special day for ALL of my MEN!!!

We are happy to report that Vince did not have an intestinal infection and he is doing so much better! Thank you all my prayer warriors!

Vince is out with Bernadette today, he took her to lunch and a movie! It is a beautiful day and I am so grateful that he feels so good! Your prayers, phone calls, cards, gifts, meals and love are definitely making all of us feel so loved!

Thank you to the Hale family for your card and Mrs. Field's cookies! Chocolate chip cookies are Vince's favorite! I miss you, Nancy...your card was a blessing and I totally understood what you were trying to say:)

Thank you to Aunt Carrothead! Your gift was extremely unique and made Vince laugh! (good to hear these days!)

I also got an email from a wonderful lady named Shari this morning, and she said that she thought of the word "IN VINC IBLE" last night and thought of Vince! Here is the definition:
Invincible....incapable of being conquered, defeated, or subdued.
Jim & I love this~thanks, Shari!

Here is a verse from Psalm 24:8 that uses that same word!
Who is the King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, invincible in battle.

I love how powerful and alive Gods words are, and how He can speak to MY heart in ways that only HE can through HIS written word! What a comfort and a joy for me as I remember that the creator of the universe is INVINCIBLE and that HE loves Vince even more than I do! That is why I trust in the Lord with all my heart, with all my soul and with all my strength:)
God bless!

One Week After Chemo

It's been 3 weeks since Vince's biopsy surgery and here is a picture of the incision. His swelling has almost gone down completely! It looks great for 3 weeks! That almost seems like it was a year ago! He had chemo 1 week ago, so he still had to show up for his appt. today because the dr. wasn't there yesterday when he got all his blood work done. I just love driving the the freeways of Southern California! NOT! I also had the wonderful experience of getting my first moving violation, in the form of a speeding ticket on the way to Vince's appt. last week! I was ticketed for keeping up with traffic at 78 mph. I told her that I was running a little late for my son's chemo appt. at UCLA and she said "I'll be right back"...and proceeded to hand me a ticket for speeding and said.."drive carefully"....some HEART she has! Oh well...I guess that made up for the 90 mph to the E.R. a few weeks ago! Guilty as charged! Can't wait for jury duty! That's on Oct. 24th, which got postponed due to Vince's MRI the day before we found out about the cancer. I sent in a request for excuse because of his chemo (he will be in the hospital) so we will have to wait and see if they have a HEART? Prayers would be good for me right about now!! LOL!

Ok...enough about me and my problems! Vince is feeling really good! The only thing is the diarrhea situation...they said he could have an infection or it could be a side effect of the chemo, so they made him give "a sample" today, which of course we laughed about, since you have to give "a sample" in a small urine cup, which is only about 3" in diameter! Yeah right! But, Vince is a champ and complied! Good job Vince! That's my boy! LOL! Vince also skated a couple of times in the last few days, he was a bit wobbly, but tried anyway...trying to live his life as normal as possible. The dr. told him today that it's probably not a good idea..too risky for head injuries...so I think he'll be waiting awhile. But, when he's healthier...watch out!

They will call us tomorrow with the results. If he does have an infection he will need antibiotics and he should be ok. He should be having chemotherapy at UCLA Santa Monica on Tues. Oct. 21st, providing all goes well. He should also be losing his hair within the next week. It's just part of the treatment:( He will be in the hospital for 5 days. The dr. said that it shouldn't be as hard on him as the one he just had, most patients say it's a bit easier on them. He said that it can be done as an outpatient but he would have to be in the chemo chair 8 hrs. a day for 5 days, coming home every night with a pump and sometimes the pumps leak and the patient ends up in the E.R. and it's not easy thing to deal with. So it's the hospital for US! Our prayer requests are as follows:

1. No infections
2. No fevers
3. That he will be feeling better each day so that he will be able to endure the treatments being as healthy as possible
4. That we will ALL be rested and ready for that time

Thank you to our neighbors..Jack & Beverly for bringing us the wonderful meals today! You are such a blessing to us!

Thank you Jesus! We are grateful for each little victory that you have given to us! Each day is truly a gift!

Romans 8:37
These are the trials through which we triumph, by
the power of him who loved us.

1 Peter 2:24
He took our sins on himself, giving his body to be nailed on
the tree, so that we, being dead to sin, might have a new life
in righteousness, and by his wounds we have been made well.

Oncology Appt. A Day Early

Vince called the dr. last night because one of the side effects is diarrhea and it can be very dangerous, if left untreated. The dr. told him to come into the office this morning, which is only one day early. He will do some blood work and examine him. Please pray for him today around 10:00 a.m. (Hmmmm....have you ever been in a position where you are searching every bathroom you have and every cubby hole to find that extra roll of toilet paper? That's me at 5:30 this morning..hahahaha!) So, needless to say, I am on my way to Ralph's to get some now...I knew I forgot something on my last Costco trip!

2 Corinthians 1:3-11-Thank you Pastor Murry!

God Offers Comfort to All

All praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the source of every mercy and the God who comforts us. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. You can be sure that the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. So when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your benefit and salvation! For when God comforts us, it is so that we, in turn, can be an encouragement to you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. We are confident that as you share in suffering, you will also share God's comfort. I think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and completely overwhelmed, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we learned not to rely on ourselves, but on God who can raise the dead. And he did deliver us from mortal danger. And we are confident that he will continue to deliver us. He will rescue us because you are helping by praying for us. As a result, many will give thanks to God because so many people's prayers for our safety have been answered.

Feeling Stronger Everyday!

It's been three days since Vince's 1st chemo treatment and here's the scoop. He is doing better than we ever imagined! All those prayers ARE working!!! Thank you, Jesus!!! He is feeling nauseous at times and he really hates that feeling, but...he hasn't even had a pain pill in 24 hrs! His stomach feels acidic and he is trying many different foods to try to overcome that feeling. The thing that really seems to help quite a bit is WHEAT GRASS (thank you Brian Santor for doing some research to help your buddy to get better!) I actually got Vince to try it today and he said that it does calm his stomach. I made a shot glass full for everyone in our house today and here is what happened! Bernadette had a headache and it disappeared within 15 mins., Mindy and I got the giggles and we laughed for about 20 mins.(LOL!) which was very much needed after all we've endured this past month, I had Veronica and Jim have some when they got home and they said they didn't feel any different, I tried to get Mikemo to take it but he said he just couldn't, so I had Brent (Vince & Mo's longtime friend) try it! Brent and Mikemo came back after skating for a few hrs. and Brent told Mikemo how good he felt while they were gone, so Mikemo had to have some before he and Brent left to go to the driving range! Brent of course had to have another shot before he left! When they came back Mikemo proceeded to tell me that when they were at the driving range, he hit the ball so hard that he broke the head off of the club and it flew as far as the ball! LOL! Wheat grass makes for good story telling, huh! This is so great! I love that everyone wants to get in on the healthier lifestyle that we are now adopting! Did you know that you can buy a flat of wheat grass for $10! LOL! You might want to give it a try! I mix a slice of apple and a small amount of oxygenated water with it and "bam"...zing in a shot glass!Vince had a hamburger the day after chemo and also wanted pizza today! He did have an episode last night and threw up his dinner, but he probably ate a little too much. He has anti-nausea pills which he thinks are making him sick, they are probably too strong for him now, but they worked wonders the first two days, so he quit taking them today and feels better now. The swelling in his arm is going down and he has zero pain! We are SO thankful that he is feeling so good especially since he had 3 different hard core chemo drugs pumped into his body for 7 1/2 hrs in one day! Like I said before...we are taking this one day at a time, but as for today we are feeling very BLESSED! We know that the days to come, especially the 5 days he will spend in the hospital (twice) over the next few months, will not be as pleasant, but we are going to enjoy our days of happiness! You never know what God will do and we are looking forward to watching HIM work in our lives and I will PRAISE HIS NAME ALWAYS!

A BIG thank you to the Della Penna's for sending Vince some "Shari's Berrie's"! They were so yummy! Vince & Mikemo posed for these pictures willingly, by the way! They don't stand a chance around here with me always trying to get a picture & a story for the "BLOG"!!! They are such great sports! God bless!

P.S. Keep the comments and emails coming! We love reading them! You are ALL so amazing! Almost 2,000 people from all over the world are praying for Vince! 2 yrs old to 90 yrs old! We are blown away by the outpouring of love for Vince and our family!!! Thank you from the bottom of my "mommy" heart!

Exodus 23:25 "But you shall serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water; and I will remove sickness from your midst.

Mark 11:24 On this account I am saying to you, All things whatever you are praying and asking for, be believing that you received them, and they shall be yours.