Bike Ride-Fun Times!

Hey! This was so fun! Can't you tell how excited everyone looks! LOL! Vince, Mindy, Bobby, Gianni, Veronica & I all went on a bike ride to our local Subway. I haven't ridden a bike in probably 20 yrs! It was about 5 or 6 miles round trip, which Veronica and I had to be picked up because everyone ditched us and wouldn't wait so we could rest, since it's all uphill on the way home!!! LOL! Next time WE WILL go the distance!!

The funny thing is, Jim followed us in his car just so he could see his family riding...or like he said, "like little ducks all in a row"!

Vince has been feeling really good and it was time to get his blood work today. Mikemo is coming home tonight (he has been gone for 3 weeks) and asked Vince if he wants to go to San Francisco with him and the Girl Skateboard team tomorrow and come home on Sunday. The nurse called a few hours ago and told us that this counts are way too low for him to go. He is at major risk for catching any darn viruses and weird germie things! It's such a bummer!!!!!!!!!! WE really wanted him to go and just have some fun for a few days, but it's too risky.

Just don't ask him about it...he's a bit grouchy and with good reason. It's weird how he can be feeling so good and looking so good and have such low blood counts...I guess it's quite deceiving.

His arm is still healing and he is getting stronger each day. He is now able to reach out a little to shake your hand, but that's about it. He is doing great overall and has such a great attitude! His next chemo will be on June 15th.

And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.

James 5:15

I would like to wish Rachel a very special HAPPY 19th BIRTHDAY today! I love you!

The following is for Vince, Jim and Mikemo!!!

Go Lakers!

Checking Off Chemo #5...YAY!

Yes!! He did it! Chemo #5 is now officially checked off of the list! It was a long day, it took about 8 1/2 hrs! We had our own "chemo room" which was nice and private. It had a TV, but no cable, only DVD's and NO internet! That does make for an even longer day!

He did really well, until about 2:00 pm when he started to feel full and that's when he just wanted to throw up! AND he did, a few times!

BUT, on the way home he wanted pizza, which Jim ordered for us so when we got home he was able to eat! He feels really good now, so let's hope with the help of the new "patch" for nausea, which costs $300 (crazy) that he will feel even better! He goes back tomorrow for that shot (costs $6,600, even more crazy) that renews his white blood cells AND we only have to go the facility in Westlake! YAY! Which means no traffic!

Vince said he can't wait to ride his bike! So, I'm hoping in the next few days that he is able to get out and enjoy some of this beautiful California sunshine on a glorious Memorial Day weekend! For all our family, friends, and blog-a-holics, I hope you have a wonderful weekend remembering all those who have served our country and fought for our freedom!

Thank you for all your emails and prayers for Vince, we feel so blessed!

"For even I, the Son of Man, came here not to be served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many."

Matthew 20:28

Chemo #5 on Thursday, May 21st

It's official. Vince will have chemo #5 on Thursday @ 8:00 a.m. at a facility in Santa Monica. We couldn't get it at the Westlake facility because they needed a little more time to get the drugs and their schedule was a little too full, so we will do it there in 6 weeks from now for chemo #7, but for now he will be at the Santa Monica one. Vince is so easy and doesn't really care where he goes, he just wants to get it done. This will take about 7 hrs. of sitting in a chair hooked up to the machine and then we get to come home in traffic, but that's the way it goes.

Did I mention Vince bought a bike today? Well...yeah...he is making me crazy! He was riding it in the house, yep...in our house.... and out on the street! It's only been 5 weeks since his surgery, but he is a full grown man and he can do whatever he wants...BUT, I

will probably have a full head of gray hair in another few months! Thank you Loreal for making great hair dyes! LOL! Actually, it was pretty fun, I rode it, too! LOL!

Pray that this round of chemo will go smoothly and that he will feel great! Hey...why not ask for the best outcome! He has a wonderful attitude and this is just the beginning of a long journey and it would be so awesome for him to feel as good as he possible can when going through such a strong regimen of drugs. We are ALL for that!

This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it! Psalm 118:24

Mikemo is in Tony Hawk's New Video Game-RIDE! Comes Out in the Fall!!! Congratulations, Mikemo!

5th Chemo Next Week!

Vince saw the surgeon's assistant yesterday and he said he was doing better than he thought...duh! He was the one that we saw a few weeks ago and told Vince he would never lift his arm up again. But, even though we know he will, he is just saying that for Vince's protection, and we do appreciate that. He said anything more than what he is doing right now is "gravy!" It was funny to see the doctors eyes light up when Vince was able to move his arm around better than he thought, and he kind of said, "oh, um maybe not too much."

He will start his 5th round of chemo next week, still don't know which day, but we find out on Monday. Great news! He gets to have his one day (7 hrs.) treatment in Westlake Village, which is really close to our house! We are so excited! It's a brand new facility and so nice! That is such a blessing and I know that the Lord paved the way! I met the nurse that is in charge there, about 6 mths. ago (thank you Cathy) and even before they opened , and we knew that it could be a possibility that he could be treated there! Vince is super happy because that takes away the stress from having to travel about 2 1/2 to 3 hrs. each day for those two days. The second day is for that expensive shot that rejuvenates his white blood cells.

I have to tell you how proud of Vince I am, because as we where driving in the car yesterday from the doctor, we were talking about the chemo and that he has 13 treatments to go, and he said to me, "it hasn't been that bad". I looked at him and said, "THAT BAD!" "Oh, my gosh! Do you know what you've gone through?" and I added, "I love how God gives us "amnesia" after we get through these things." How cool is that, that Vince is just so casual about all he has been through! I am just so proud of him and my heart leaps for joy knowing that he realizes that this is just part of his life and he will get through it! God is there in the midst and He protects our hearts and minds and keeps us focused, not on the past, but what lies ahead!

This last month has been such a wonderful resting period for me, and our family, and I am so grateful that I am able to renew and refresh so that I am able to endure the upcoming trials set before me! There are a few that I am not going to share yet, but I am asking for prayer for me and my family, which is not Vince related:) I will keep you posted when I find out more information.

For now, I pray that you find that God is working in your heart and that you are able to draw closer to Him than ever before, no matter what you are going through! God bless:)

I am putting a link right here if you want to see a graphic photo of a similar surgery that Vince had. Just be warned it's quite graphic, so if you have a weak stomach you may not want to look.

No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,

Phillippians 3:13

22 Minutes of True Inspiration

Happy Mother's Day!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Vince's Dog Deric listening to the song O'Christmas Tree which is being sung by a barking dog! Silly Dogs!

Short & Sweet Update:)

I thought you would like to see Vince without his sling (or his head...hahaha) He is doing SO GREAT!!! I am so proud of him and how well he is doing! He only took pain medication for the first 11 days and only needs an occasional Tylenol! He is exercising him arm all throughout the day and is looking forward to starting physical therapy soon, which will be around the same time as the chemo, I think? It does get a little sore in the evening because of the exercises, but that's it! He is truly BLESSED! God is so good to him!

That's it for now! Short and sweet!! God bless!

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

Psalm 28:7

Charging Ahead!

Vince saw the surgeon's assistant on Thursday for the swelling in his arm and luckily it's completely normal. He said that it will have swelling for up to 6 mths. and it really looked great. I wish they would have told us that in the beginning, but hey...they can't overload you with too much info, I guess!

He also told us that Vince will never be able to lift up his elbow out to the side, only from his elbow down and up to his mouth! The surgeon NEVER told us that! His assistant said the reason for that was because they took out all the ligaments with the tumor! We NEVER heard that

either! So, needless to say we were quite surprised! WE are so grateful that Vince still has him arm and we do know that is not their goal to save the arm, but their goal is to SAVE his life, and we are all for that of course, but the surgeon told us different and we are looking forward to seeing him on May 14th so we can hear what he has to say. But, for now Vince is doing his exercises to gain more use of his arm and he is NOT allowed to move his shoulder AT ALL! The scar tissue needs to build up so that it will hold his bone in the socket so it won't dislocate. Thankfully he has zero pain! What a blessing!

Vince saw the Oncologist on Friday to see what the "Game Plan" is for the chemo treatments. He is still going to have 13 treatments as planned because this is the part that is considered to be the "Life Saving Part" and their is no letting up, especially at this point. It is very critical to treat this disease aggressively so that the cancer will hopefully be eradicated! We are praising God for all HE has done and we will continue to praise HIM! Vince is ready for the battle!

By the way, we told the Oncologist what the surgeon's assistant said, and he also understood that Vince would be able to do more than they thought, so that confirmed for us that Vince will be able to have more movement like we were told originally by the surgeon. He also said that he thinks that Vince will skate again in the future! So that is great news!

He will start chemo in 2 weeks and also start physical therapy around that time as well. We will find out for sure on May 14th. His treatment is expected to end in February or March, so please pray that Vince will endure the treatments with no harsh side effects! Dr. Tap said that he expects that Vince will do just as well as he has thus far! We are all looking forward to chalking off each treatment on the calendar and we can't wait to for Vince to be "CANCER FREE"! What a JOYOUS day that will be!

Here is a photo of Mindy, Bobby, Gianni and Vince a few days after his surgery. He is amazing!

Hey! Check out Mikemo's Top 5 reasons for living at home. It's on the right side of this page. Just click on the "Crailtap" link under the title! Makes me smile!

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song. Psalm 28:7