Happy Thanksgiving!

Today Vince had his one week post chemo check up. The dr. said that he is doing extremely well! He said the reason he gained 20 lbs. is because they have been giving him steroids with his treatments, which is what I kind of suspected. He said his blood work looks good, but his white blood cells are a bit low, so he is really not supposed to be around crowds or anyone who is sick at all. He needs to be very careful, especially the next week or so, as this is when he is more susceptible. He will go into the hospital for the 5 days of chemo on Thursday, Dec. 11th. This will be his last chemo for awhile. Vince is still feeling really good and he an Mikemo skate every chance they get.

He will probably be having radiation approximately 3 weeks after the chemo, depending on what the surgeons findings are after the MRI or CT Scan when he is in the hospital. Dr. Tap told us that usually the radiation treatments consist of about 4-5 weeks of treatments and the treatments are Monday thru Friday for those 4 or 5 weeks! I was so surprised, I had no idea it would be that long. That adds up to 20-25 radiation treatments. He did say that they would only be about 2-5 mins. long, which gave us some relief. But, we will be driving everyday to Westwood to get the treatments. When the radiation is finished, he will have the surgery to replace the bone, but that also depends on how much of the bone will be saved through chemo and radiation and how much of the muscle and tissue are affected. So, he could possibly be having the entire humerus replaced or just part of it replaced. Please pray that the treatments would be extremely effective and that he will have to have only a minimal amount of surgery. Of course we are always hoping for the best possible outcome and we do have faith that the treatments will be very encouraging. I am figuring, based on what he told us today that he should be having surgery sometime the end of February or beginning of March.

After he recovers a bit from the surgery then he will indeed have 8 mths. of chemo. I asked the doctor if that was absolutely necessary, since we were hoping that he wouldn't have to be exposed to all that chemo for so long, but he said that it IS extremely necessary. So, we will pray that he continues to do as well as he has thus far.

I hope everyone has a very happy Thanksgiving and may we all be a bit more thankful this year as remember how blessed we are no matter what we are going through:)

Also, we are having a quiet dinner this year at home vs. the 25 or so that we normally have, due to Vince's health and we are trying to de-stress our lives this holiday season. We will miss all of our family members...we love you all and we will miss Grandma Charlotte's yummy cooking!

Mom & Dad I love you and I will miss you, too...but we will see you next month!

I have to share this photo with you...it's Mikemo, Vince & Little Will. I think Mikemo was about 4, Vince 6, and Little Will about 5. Mikemo was a Ninja, Vince was Gambit & Little Will was Wolverine! They were sooooo cute! Thanks Big Will for the photo! It brought back sweet memories!

	"Praise the Lord! Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever."
	Psalm 106:1

Today Vince is feeling so great! Oh my gosh! I am amazed at how much of a difference there is between his first chemo and this 3rd one! He did throw up twice last night, but it's mostly because he just feels so full and can't even put anymore liquids or food into his body until the chemo liquid comes out. He always feels so much better after that. He REALLY is doing so fantastic and I am so grateful to Jesus for providing healing in his body in such a short time! I made him pancakes for breakfast and we are leaving shortly for his 2 pm appt. at UCLA to have the shot that renews his white blood cells, which is given 20-24 hrs. after chemo.

Here are two photos that Mikemo took of our new friends, Milt & Betty! What a joy they were! In the photo with Veronica, he told Mikemo..."here, take our picture of me kissing her, kiss, kiss, kiss"...it was hiralious! He is such a jokster! He told us so many funny ones and kept us laughing for hours! Vince said he wants to make his appointments at the same time as his from now on, because he made the time go by so fast! A 6 hr. chemo session only seemed like a few hours because of them. His wife Betty & I are in the other photo...which I had no idea that Mikemo even took of us...it looks like we are posing, but we were actually standing next to each other because her husband told her to stand next to me to see how tall she used to be before she started to shrink! He told us to take 1,500 units of calcium everyday so that we don't get what she has and she looks at him and says, "oh...Stop!...they don't want to hear your advice"! LOL! They have been married for 55 yrs! They bicker back and forth constantly, but you know that they love each other very much just by the mere fact that they are still together! He has lung cancer, like I mentioned yesterday, and he said he never gets sick from his chemo and his was so energetic! His wife said she doesn't know where he gets all his energy and he is driving her crazy!! LOL! Actually, they reminded me of my own parents...when I call them on the phone, my dad picks up a phone from the other room and we are all talking, and then they start bickering back and forth and talking to each other while I just listen...it's pretty entertaining! I love it when my mom says, "Cal, you make too much noise on the phone...hang up!" Cracks me up! I love them for that...so it was great to have Milt and Betty remind me of what love is at that stage in life! See what we have to look forward to?...LOL!!!

Colossians 4:2
Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.

Veronica and Mikemo came with Vince and I to UCLA for Vince's chemo today. The waiting room was extremely crowded today so they decided while Vince and I were in the infusion room that they would lay out in the hall! People kept asking if they were ok, they thought Mikemo was in need of some medical attention...it was pretty funny:) It gets a little boring hanging around waiting, and Vince says he doesn't really care if we are with him, but I know he really does. We love him and we want to show him we care. There is a difference in the action...saying something and then doing it, shows you really do care:) Vince has gained almost 20 lbs. since his chemo started! The nurse said she would rather see that happen than for him to lose weight. He has been hooked up for a few hrs. and he was getting a little nauseous in the beginning but he seems to be doing ok for the time being. He has a man and his wife who are really hilarious keeping him company! They are in their early 70's and just so funny...the husband keeps telling Vince jokes and stuff. He has lung cancer, and as he says, "really bad", but he has the best attitude! He said they found his cancer by accident when he went for a pre-op and had some tests done and told him he couldn't have the surgery which he was originally supposed to have (a spine fusion) because they found the cancer. He hurt his back a few years ago when he fell off of a chair he had put on his car to use as a ladder! He is a funny man...so glad Vince has him there with him today! Thank you Jesus for sending the most unlikely people to bring a smile to his face!

Don't forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!
Hebrews 13:2

Chemo Tuesday

Vince will be having his 3rd chemo treatment on Tues, Nov. 18th @ 11:00 a.m. This is the one that is done in the doctors office for about 7-8 hrs. Please be praying specifically for no nausea and that he would feel better than he has in the past. The doctor did say that he shouldn't get as sick, and hopefully that will be the case. He will probably be in bed for a few days just to recover, but I know that with lots of prayers, God will comfort him beyond our expectations!

This is a photo of Jim with Vince on his shoulders. Vince was about 6 mths. old (he was a big boy), Jim around 24 yrs. old! This brings tears to my eyes as I remember how precious he was! (and still is...LOL!) He was soooo cute!!!!!

I will be in the cafeteria at UCLA Westwood for a quite few hrs. while he is having chemo, as the chemo room gets quite crowded with other patients, so if you are online and would like to email with any prayers or encouragement for Vince, I can read them to him throughout the day. Thank you in advance! God bless!

rondacapaldi@msn.com

For he loves us with unfailing love; the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD!

Psalm 117:2


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.

2 Corinthians 1:3

Prayer Quilt

Vince received this quilt the other day in the mail.
It's so amazing and beautiful! I knew that a quilt was being made for him, but I had no idea how it was going to look! The quilters even made it with a special fabric which has skateboarders on it, which actually resemble Vince! If you double click on the photos, you can see all the detail. Check out the cross on the back of the quilt! It's a wonderful reminder of how Jesus died on the cross for our sins! Every time Vince uses this quilt it will be a constant reminder of God's grace and mercy! It also has over 50 tied knots, which represent all the prayers that were said for Vince! The Lord is so good! What a blessing to know that he has had so many wonderful and caring people praying for him! I even know people who are praying for him that have never prayed in their lives! Prayer changes things, especially the hearts of those who are doing the praying! Thank you Jesus for loving each one of us!

Thank you to all the women of "Sew Blessed Pray Quilters" who made this quilt! We are so blessed by your gift of love! God bless each one of you and thank you for praying for my precious son, Vince! My heart is full of JOY!

Inland Hills Church in Chino, Ca.

Thank you to Joe Tuso for putting Vince on your prayer chain at this wonderful church!!

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life."
John 3:16

Game Day!

Today Vince & Mikemo got invited to go to a Clippers game at the Staples Center with Eric Koston (another pro-skater on Mikemo's team). Here is a picture of the seats they had! Pretty awesome, huh! I always get the "nose bleed" sections when I go to any venue! So, I am glad to see that they had an up close and personal view! Thank you Eric for making their day!

Guy Mariano came over the other day to take Vince and Mikemo to play golf at a local golf course. He's the pro-skater that came over last month and took them to Golf N Stuff. I don't think Vince golfed, but I do know they had a great time! Guy brought over these yummy cupcakes from "Sprinkles Cupcakes" as a gift for Vince! Thank you Guy for thinking of him!

My baby brother, Eric (he's almost 45..lol) crashed on his dirt bike in the desert yesterday and broke his shoulder and humerus bone in 3 places. He had 2 surgeries in the last 24 hrs. Please pray for healing for him and that he has a speedy recovery! He was in a lot of pain when I saw him at the hospital today. Thank you so much!

Psalm 117:2
For he loves us with unfailing love; the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD!

Pray for Nathaniel

Nathaniel is a 15 yr. old young man, who had open heart surgery recently, is now on a breathing tube, has a staff infection and pneumonia. His heart was leaking blood after the surgery and they put glue around his heart to stop the bleeding, which worked, but now has other problems. Please pray for him today, and that God will restore his health and that he would be on his way to recovery~he is in desperate need of prayers! Thank you all so much!

Vince is doing so fantastic! He is out skating with Mikemo and their friends everyday and gearing up for Nov. 18th. He is trying not to think about it too much...just the thought of having to go through it, makes him nauseous. Please pray for Bernadette, too...she is having a MRI on Monday or Tuesday. She is having a problem with her hip and it's extremely painful for her.


Thank you to Antoine for the letter you sent to Vince. He really appreciates the fact that you care about what he is going through. I am praying for your mom and your friend with cancer as well:)

This is a picture of Mikemo and Antoine in France (he lives there). This is where he met Mikemo and gave the letter to him for Vince.


Thank you Judy for taking me to dinner the other night~it was so nice to get out and spend time with you!


Happy Birthday to my mom...she had her 6?th birthday on Thursday! YAHOO!!! I love you! Of course she'd be mad if I said her real age...LOL!! Can you believe Thanksgiving is coming up in just 19 days! Christmas in just 47! I know I will have a new thankfulness as I celebrate these 2 holidays this year! How about you?


Jeremiah 30:17 "For I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds," says the Lord.

Matthew 21:22 Everything you ask for in prayer, if you have faith, you will receive."

PRAISE REPORT!

Vince saw Dr. Tap today and he told us that the chemo is working nicely and a 3 or 4 in. portion of the tumor in the humerus has diminished! He said in his opinion, "the cancer is shrinking." We are so happy that the chemo is doing it's job in just a few treatments! Thank you Jesus for hearing our prayers! His blood work looks really good as well, but he is a little anemic, but not enough to treat him for it. Dr. Tap suggested that he eat his spinach! I told Vince I could juice it for him with some carrots and an apple, but he wasn't too keen on that idea! LOL! He did say that he would eat it...which is a great sign that all my nagging is actually getting through to him!

Vince will have chemo in 2 weeks (Nov. 18th) at the doctors office, the one day big blast session. At the hospital, we were told that the 3 week cycle is counted from the 1st day of chemo, but today Dr. Tap told us that it is counted from the last day of the chemo. So that is great news for Vince! He has 2 more weeks to feel normal! He also gained 10 lbs! I guess that fast food is catching up to him and the fact that he hasn't been burning off too many calories since his skating is at a minimum! Of course, as I am writing this, he and Mikemo just left to go skating at Skatelab! Hmmm I wonder what they will be doing there?

Thank you for checking on Vince to see how he is progressing. All of your prayers and wonderful thoughts are certainly paying off for him! He feels really good and he is very grateful for all the outpouring of love and affection! God bless!


Hey...check out this photo of Mikemo...so many people have said that he looks like Michael Phelps...what do you think? I think he does look like him, but only much more handsome, of course! I am looking forward to seeing Mikemo on his own box of Frosted Flakes in the future!

Proverbs 15:30
The light of the eyes rejoices the heart, and a good report
makes the bones healthy.


Hebrews 11:6
Now it is impossible to please God without faith, since
anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and
rewards those who try to find him.

The Golden Tickets!

Vince is feeling really good and if I could just keep him from skateboarding, he wouldn't feel soreness through his ENTIRE body! If you see him skateboarding, PLEASE STOP HIM! LOL! Actually, he is not supposed to skate, but I know how much he loves it...so I am hoping he is using common sense and NOT skating until after his surgery, not sure when that is, but he really needs to be healthy in order to have the surgery. He has an appointment tomorrow at 11:30 a.m. at UCLA Santa Monica and we will find out the results of the MRI and X Ray and I will blog about it tomorrow evening.

In the meantime, a dear friend of the family, Kevin and his wife, Debra, bought tickets for the Smashing Pumpkins Concert, which happens to be Vince's all time favorite band, and it should work out perfectly for him, because if my calculations are correct, it will be the night before Vince's 4th chemo treatment, the one in the hospital for 6 long days. What a great gift! Thank you Kevin and Debra for bringing a smile to Vince's face!

Check out this photo of Jim hugging Mikmeo! Cracks me up! Just goes to prove that you are NEVER to old to have your dad give you a hug and love on you! Warms my heart! I love how Mikemo's arm are just hanging by his side! Now that's submission!
We picked him up from the airport on Friday night, he was gone for two weeks in Europe with Matix Clothing! Welcome back Mikemo! We missed you!




This photo is Mindy and Vince...it was taken the day after he got out of the hospital last week.




Thank you to everyone for praying for him (and our family) while he was in the hospital, God has heard our prayers!

James 5:13
Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone
cheerful? Let him sing psalms.