I'm back

Hello Everyone,
One of God's miracle happened to me this past saturday april. 26th. On 4/26/53 Loki as I call my honey, were young, and in love and took 6 or our close friends to Las Vegas and were married at the hitching post and they treated us to a nice dinner for our wedding night. It was wonderful, romantic throughout day and evening. Yes our parents knew and approved of us going and they gave us a nice reception later. But on Saturday morning, I got up at about 7 am and instead of struggling to decide what to eat, like always, my honey comes in the bedroom and says to me happy anniversary, how sweet is that. Each morning he comes to greet me and ask what I want. This morning God says, mom feels like eating corned beef hash with poached egg on top. Would you believe. Praise God. Got up went to the store with him and even to the farmers market, which he loves to do each saturday morning. He used to take a good friend Willie Ota, each Saturday to get him out to shop around and buy him their favorite watermelon juice. We will miss Willie, he went to be with the Lord on April 15th and accepted the Lord as Pastor Carl Yoshimine ministered to him. Loki will miss taking him on Saturday's but will continue to go to pick up a large bag of oranges and juices at least a gallon for our grandkids each week. They love it.
Last week was a week at the Hoag center getting hydrated thru my port a cath 3 times a week and also had my lungs drained. Last week was a good week. After 55 years of love, blessing, children and grandchildren God has been so good to us. My loving hubby who has taken over cleaning house. Up early in the morning, cleaning the whole house before he comes in to greet me in the morning. We have worked together in business for so long, 35 years in nursery and so blessed through thick and thin. I told him the other day how much I appreciate his doing so much and he said, I married you for better for worse and now you are worse off than I am and I'm here for you. How sweet is that.



Sorry this is so long but I have to share on Saturday and Sunday it was marathon party at the Takai's for our anniversay. Kids swimming from 11 am saturday til marathon dvd on Sunday. Kids in one room and later the whole family watching movies together. Popcorn and all.

We ended our celebration with two anniversary cakes. Love you all, thanks for prayers.
-Dottie

Chemo begins

Hello Everyone,

Monday and Tuesday at the Hoag Cancer Center was quite an experience for me and each day I see God presence all day. On Monday Juli, Robbi, Ron and June and dad were with me for 3 hours for my first treatment. It is so amusing to see that they bring food, spam musubi, cheese, ham and crackers, fruits, etc. and camp out in the waiting room with ice chest and just hang out and sit while I am getting chemo since there are so many people getting treatments. They each come in one at a time to bring me food. Met this man named Billie the 1st day and he shared that this was his last treatment after 6 months. I told him it was my first and he was so encouraging and found out he is a Christian also. He has small cell lung cancer also and learned so much about him. He also went to the same high school as our kids. Western High School.
Yesterday, Tues. it was almost a 5 hour treatment and was blessed with even Miko wanting to join us for the day. She is always so inspiring, reading verses, and even had Kirk, Juli and Miko as a trio singing for the whoever can hear. The people at the nurses station thought it was so wonderful to have all the love and support. Tuesday we took up more room in the waiting room,. all our kids and even Jackson. You wouldn't believe what went on that day also. It was not coincidence it was a God thing again. met this lady Pam, a caucasian lady and the other a chinese lady and had a wonderful time sharing. Pam said she was married to a Japanese and his name was Yukihiro. Oh! I said, the big trucking company that used to be on Beach Blvd? she said yes. I told I know Calvin Yukihiro who comes to our Bible study on Fridays when he can and Pam says, he is my husbands cousin. and she also went to Reid, Orangeview Jr. Hi and Western High where of course our kids attended. It was also good for Miko also since they know many of the Yukihiro family. With so much love and support I don't even think of sitting there for 5 hours for my treatment. After arriving at home and having dinner, Brittany topped off my day with more love and delight. She drove all the way from UCLA with this beautiful bouquet of flowers to cheer me up after being texed from her dad about my day. I was told the next 3 to 7 days may be uncomfortable and little by little I should start feeling a little better. Only thing is that I cannot do my normal lifestyle and socialize. I am now pretty much isolated as when you get chemo, your immune system is very low and I cannot be in public places because of maybe people being sick. Will miss seeing all of you for a while and pray that soon I can be back to visitng. love you all for your unceasing prayers and support. dottie.

a new challenge

Hello everyone,

I am now going to be facing a new challenge now that I am going to start chemo on April 14th. Just to get prepared for this treatment is quite overwhelming. I have been at Hoag Hospital everyday of the week with an ultrasound on my thyroid, an echocardiogram, and more fluid drained out of my lungs. On Tues. the Nurse at my Drs. office explained the procedure and process of what I will be having and going through with chemo, so with all the support from the kids, I feel confident that they heard everything. June with her recorder, Ron with his notebook and questions, Robbi with her young mind and Dad just listening what he can grasp. Me I just do what the kids heard. So after the teaching I was to get a port a cath, which will make it easier to have my chemo with this thing in my chest so I will not have to get poked each time in my vein when I am treated.
On Friday, I was able to go to my growth group and it was good since they all prayed for my surgery for the cath, and it went really well on Friday afternoon. My surgery was at 2 and by 4 pm I was able to come home. Ron had a 1/2 sandwich for me with a snapple and it was really good. I devoured it and even had Don stop and pick up a bag of chips to go with it.
So my dear friends, my family is hear for me each week end and Juli cooks for us on most evening during the week. As long as I am up to feeling ok I try to get to church and I praise God that Don has been attending with me. I get to the bowling when I can and enjoy seeing my golfing friends also. Please continue to pray that the reaction from the Chemo will not be too harsh. That will be a bummer. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers. lv ya dottie

more challenges for my update

Good Evening to my dear friends,

Yesterday, April 4th after my appointment with my oncologist Dr. Andreea Nanci. I ended up having such a busy day. My appointment from Thurs. was postponed to Friday since they didn't have the zometa for me for my IV to strengthen my bone. Dr. Nanci, talked to us for 45 min and said that the Tarceva did not do anything for me and my ct scan showed that my cancer has grown since starting the Tarceva. That was very disappointing for don and I but, we know the knowledge that our Dr. has and she reassured us that with me starting Chemo with Cisplatin, and docetaxel to start as soon as possible.
After my zometa at the office, she made a call to the radiology at Hoag Hospital to also have my Fluid drained from my lungs, as she saw that my lungs were filled with fluid. I went have the procedure done since I have been really coughing lately and was hard for me to lay down to sleep. I was sitting up right for a few night. After removal of the fluid, my coughing is better and unfortunatley since I had so much fluid I have to go back in on Wed. to continue removing my fluid. It got very painful and uncomfortable for me to have that procedure at one time. So the Dr. in radiology felt that I should be back next week to complete draining. It has been so much easier to breath without all that fluid. They drained 1900 cc which is really alot.
Please still continue to pray for my chemo which I will probably start very soon. I will let you know.
I am getting a little apprehensive about the treatments, but God, I know gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. God will strengten me and help me, and uphold me. So with God's love and his presence will give me peace.
My family are right behind me and they go to my appointments whenever they can and are here for me every week ends. and ready to prepare meals whenever they are here.

I am so blessed to have such a supportive family. Even Brittany tries to make it to visit each week end from UCLA. Our grandson Jeff if really studying so hard following his dads footsteps as a dentist and doing very well. He calls me often for my update.

Thanks to all of you. good nite, dottie