UPDATE ON MY SIL (JASON'S) BRAIN CANCER

Jason has a very rare form of brain cancer.

-NOT GLIOBLASTOMA-

I thought I would let him speak for himself

on this.

Their plans are still to sell their house in

Omaha, Nebraska

and move back to 

Carmel, Indiana.

That is where their hearts lie-

and it is "home" to their three kids,

who spent most of their lives there.

Here is Jason's post:

The picture is of him and his good friend, Owen.

Please keep him and the family

in your prayers and send

healing wishes and thoughts.

We are looking for a miracle........

Brain Cancer thought and update.

Hello from Omaha. I wanted to reach out to you as supporters during a time in the Noel house we never expected. Nearly 3 weeks post brain tumor removal surgery I am healing well. No pain and I am walking daily averaging 4-5 miles and starting to get the needed rest for my body to heal. After the walk I’m cooked for the day. Lol . We spent our fair share of time this last week at the hospital visiting doctors, specialist, MRI’s research studies and beyond.

We’re still waiting pathology reports that will help understand short and long term diagnosis, root cause and related items. Either way it’s not going to change my attitude to beat cancer’s ass a second time, live life, care for my family, enjoy my friends, have faith, get back to work and stay the course.

The support, prayers, meal trains, phone calls, visits, text, cards and beyond are making a significant difference for our family and me personally. Thank you very much! I am humbled by it all and know it’s going to be a driver's success in the treatment process.

We have identified next steps in this journey in the coming weeks along with a world class medial team of true professionals at the Nebraska Medical Center. These people are bad ass. Although I haven’t been to the casino or bought a lottery ticket, the number 42 continues to show itself as a significant and meaningful part of this experience. The tumor most likely started growing when I was 42. I had 42 staples holding my head together and just found out that I will have 42 consecutive days of oral chemo that starts on September 20-21st. This will coincide with targeted radiation over 6 weeks too.

No matter how dark this experience could be, three things remain intact - We must be:

1. Do’ers: sitting around isn’t an option. Keep your mind going, body healthy and push forward in all you do

2. Donors: obligation to your family, community, church, friends and beyond must remain at the forefront of who you serve

3. Door openers: how can we, you, and I open the door to better others, their lives and related situations

We look forward to working through the next steps from a medical perspective, getting the house back on the market, relocating to Indiana and getting back to work. It’s been great over the last week having family, friends and co-workers visit. My brother, brother from another mother, mom, sister and others.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. Upward and onward. In it to win it!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO ME! (AND TO LUCKY HIM)

She wore flowers in her hair-

Yes she did!

46 years of marriage started here-

on the riverbank in Alva, Florida.

Whoop-de-doo

When did I get wrinkles and
when did his hair disappear?
sigh

Not such great pictures.

We lost most of our pictures 

during a move.

As you can see-

The bride wore a Gunne Sax gown

and the groom wore a

BLUE LEISURE SUIT!

LOL

Then, we had to re-marry a few years later

IN A CHURCH

just to make everyone happy!

And where are those pictures?

Yeah- I am wondering that, too! 

Hope you all have a wonderful day.

I am planning on doing the same!

UPDATE ON JASON'S BRAIN SURGERY- KEEP PRAYING~

I posted already 

an update on

Facebook & Instagram

but I know not all of you are on those sites.

Jason's surgery was yesterday

and it went well.

Today he moved out of ICU to a 

regular room and he should be 

coming home this weekend.  

                 We don't know what the road to recovery

will look like.

We don't know what follow up treatment

lies ahead of him yet.

What we DO know is that

God has Jason in the palm of his hand

and will pave the path

as he moves forward.

If you are a 'pray-er',

please pray.

If you don't pray,

please wing good thoughts

and healing thoughts his way

and enfold his family in those

thoughts and prayers.

Thanks to all of you that have reached out

with love and messages of hope

and encouragement.

 

PRAYER REQUEST FOR MY SON-IN-LAW, JASON'S SURGERY FOR BRAIN TUMOR

 Life is always full of surprises.

Just when we think things are

going along swimmingly,

something happens.

This time it happened to my 

son-in-law, Jason.

He started a brand new job

last Monday.

He was sitting in the airport

waiting to fly out and 

he had a massive seizure.

EMT's/Hospital/MRI

Results:

A rare brain tumor.

He had no symptoms until the seizure.

I am so thankful it happened in the airport

and not while he was in the air.

This coming Tuesday he is scheduled

for brain surgery.

Please pray for him, 

his wife, my youngest daughter, Mindy,

his kids and the rest of the family.

If you are not a pray-er,

please wing healing thoughts,

best wishes and positive vibes

their way.

I will be headed down to spend the 

next week or so with them.

As always,

thank you so much for all your

prayers and good thoughts.

CELEBRATING ANNA BELLA'S HEAVENLY 16TH BIRTHDAY

 Today our sweet 

ANNA BELLA

would be

16 years old.

WHERE have the years gone?

We held her for moments

in our arms but she is

forever in our heart.

Would she get her driver's license today

and take her friends for rides

one by one?

Would she have a special "boy" 

in her life that would make her

shyly smile and say

"No, Nana!  He is NOT my boyfriend"....

Would she be bucking 

Mom and Dad

about curfew and screen time?

Sadly, we will never know.

We do believe that she is

in Heaven with other

angel babies sharing

sweet, happy moments.

That is what keeps us going. 

On earth

she would be nestled in between

three special girls

The would champion her causes

and fight over who used the

last bit of shampoo.

You are loved and missed,

ANNA BELLA!

Hold every child/grandchild

tightly because you never

know how long they will

be yours -they are just

in the world

on loan.

~Blessings~

TIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR FEEDBURNER!

 

Hi blogging friends~

You that know me know that I am an

ABSOLUTE IDIOT

when it comes to techy stuff with

my blog.

Anyway,  I told my friend, Linda,

Life & Linda Blog,

My Fairy Blog Mother,

that I would post something here for those of you

that need help like I did!

She will help you change your 

mail over from feedburner

to use an alternate FREE service/MailChimp.

I did this 

so that my followers could follow me

(straight to the crazyhouse).

Linda switched me over to 

Mailchimp because, 

I know y'all don't want to miss my

heartfelt, crazy, funny, endearing posts.

This is the sidebar subscribe widget she designed for me.

She will also design the email campaign that y'all

 receive.  Linda always matches your blog.

So, click on the links and pop over

and ask for help.

There is a very reasonable fee if she does the 

switch for you, but trust me,

you won't have to take out a loan,

and she will walk you through whatever

you have to do for the set up.

Here is what I know-

IMPORTANT!

Linda has found a way to remove your address from your Email campaigns.

Also feel free to use an old address, an P.O. box.

Feedburner in July will not be sending out your email, so you have to switch to something so your readers won't miss out on your new posts.

Linda from Life and Linda- also My Fairy Blog Mother has been transferring bloggers over to the FREE Mailchimp email marketing for a fee.  Mailchimp is free for up to 2,000 subscribers. Mailchimp is the most popular marketing program and Linda knows all the ins-and-outs of it.  It was so worth it to pay her a very reasonable fee to make the switch over.

She has also provided a link to a Mailchimp video tutorial for those who wish to make the transition themselves. AND GOOD LUCK WITH THAT -Maybe YOU can figure it out---

I didn't because I am lazy, dumb, camping.

Linda wrote a tutorial for those using Feedburner on how to export your subscribers using the CSV format.  You will need that if you using another email marketing service.

While you are in your Feedburner account, you will want to pay attention to some subscribers mostly with the Outlook.com email.  Those are usually spammers.

She had to lead me through the process

to even check into my Feedburner account.

Yep- I am that un-techy.

No, I am not leaving Blogger!

Just switched to Mailchimp for your email updates.

So--while y'all are doing that,

Scruffy and I will be walking through

the quiet woods of the campground,

sitting around a campfire 

and scaring off anything that looks 

remotely like wildlife-

including the grill.  It

has a black cover on it and apparently

looks like a black bear.

It has been barked into submission

so we're good!

This is how the men in my life

like to lay around

in the camper when they are tired.

At least the two-legged ones

wear pants---usually~

Have a wonderful week

and reach out to Linda for help!

You'll be glad you did!!

YOUR CHOICE-THE HOTEL OR THE CAMPGROUND!

Gotta love those old hotels.

We have stayed in a few of the 

really old hotels over the years.

NOW we have taken to camping...I think.

Anyway-

One of the most photographed hotels

around here

is the old Maribel Caves Hotel.

Before that there was another old hotel and

people used to go to be cleansed and healed

by the sweet spring waters that flowed there.

Here is the only picture I could find of 

The Maribel Caves Hotel

when it was still in use.

It has always kind of fascinated me.

It was built in 1900 and 

supposedly visited by Al Capone.

It went up in flames in the 1920's,

was rebuilt  and burned again in the 1960's.

It was reported to be haunted and 

singing could be heard

along with sightings of  a child 

dressed in white.

When there was a new moon it "glowed".

The floors have been gone for several years

and this is what it looked like from the first time 

I ever saw it.

This was considered to be haunted

and was often called Hotel Hell because of the 

red stains on the walls of the cellar

and there were accounts of moans

and cold spots when it felt as if you

were brushed by cold hands.

There used to be doors from the basement

that went into the Maribel Caves,

some of which were located below the hotel.

This place has scared generations of kids

that would go there at night.

Including my son who swore he heard 

"something" in the old stables.

We had had some bad storms over the past few years.

Bad storms with high winds.

Sadly, when I went by the last time,

this is what I saw.

Gone- All Gone-

Only the door facade stands intact.

No one will walk those haunted halls again.

No more reason to be scared.

Or is there?

This is what you see just down the road.

Camping anyone?

We don't camp here

but it is a really cool campground.

We are on a permanent site now

in Door County, WI.

It's a great place; quiet & peaceful.

We have made friends with some

of the other campers our age.

Many of them have dogs there.

However---

WE HAVE THE CUTEST

SMARTEST, SWEETEST,

DOG THERE~

I might be a little prejudiced.

As you can see-he is also ambitious.

Stay tuned-

I am just getting the camper set up

and will share some pictures soon.

We sadly said 

GOOD-BYE

to our Minnie 

and she is being loved by a new family.

With hubby's health being what it is

we were unable to travel with it

like we had hoped.

Some dreams are just not meant

to be realized.

Remember that~

Have a wonderful week.

Bear with me if I don't get around

to visit you.

When we are at the campground

we have NO internet and 

very limited phone service.

Good or bad?

Good for the quiet and disconnect-

BAD when you can't google something

you need to know...

like....where is the back-up breaker

for the AC unit?  hmmmmm...

Thank God I have a son that

is only a phone call away-

he is like the 

mastermind of 'Mr. Fixit'.

I should try to figure out how much

money he has saved me over the years

and leave him a little extra in the will.....

And on that happy note-

see ya soon!

WISHING YOU A BLESSED HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY-2021-LEST WE FORGET

I wrote this for Memorial Day

a few years ago but I think it is

relevant every day.

This means even more to me after I

volunteered at the VA Center here

before Covid hit. 

Memorial Day

Memorial Day is here once more,

We fly the flags above our door,

We plant our flowers that mark the grave,

Of every soldier that was so brave,

They fought for freedom for everyone,

Many lives snuffed out by a sniper's gun.

We proudly march in our little bands,

As daybreak filters across our lands,

But I wonder if we can truly see,

What cost it was to make us free.

Confederate soldiers fought the Yanks,

Some brothers fought brothers in those ranks,

To free the downtrodden that were lost,

To free all men at any cost.

My father was a medic in World War One,

A war not talked about by anyone,

Some men lost limbs and some were gassed,

Some picked up by comrades, others  bypassed.

World War II! How tragic indeed,

People standing by watching others bleed.

Souls thrown to the winds with no remorse,

Foreign government standing on their own course.

Vietnam was not a war they said,

Then how come so many soldiers ended up 

dead?

No heroes welcome for them in sight,

They slunk home in the dead of night.

Should I go on-with Korea & Desert Storm?

Iran? Afghanistan? Are you getting warm?

Do you feel the pain you see in their face?

Does it make you squirm in your warm, safe 

place?

I've just one more thing I'd like to say,

It's about celebrating Memorial Day,

Look around and everything you see,

Was paid out in blood so that we are free.

Put your hand on your heart,

For the blue, white and red,

Raise your eyes to the flag,

Say a prayer for the dead.

Because of a soldier I can have my say,

So ~God Bless you this Memorial Day~

A special thank you to my late nephew, Scott, 

my father, my Uncle Samuel, 

my foster brother, Eugene,

my old schoolmate, Tom Babcock and

my friend I met blogging, Kurt Keys.

And To All Our Soldiers-