Checking In

Hi all:

Basketcase checking in finally!.  A lot has been going on.  Y'all know about my best friend's house fire and losing her 95 year old father in the fire and her husband Steve undergoing lung ca treatment.  Well, they have demolished the old house and getting ready to build the new one.  Steve has finished chemo and rads and had a ct scan last Friday.  The onc. was very pleased with results which were the tumor and lymph nodes had shrunk and may be "dead".  He wants him to have two chemos to rid hopefully any ca cells lurking behind.  He will have one this Monday and the other one on June 3.  They will be triple the strength than the initial round he got as he was doing rad. at the same time.  Doc was very pleased with how he had bounced back from his treatment.  It was rough for him the week of the fire and father-in-law's funeral and he did spend the next Mon-Fri in hospital dehydrated and not eating or drinking much but now he's much better in that department. 

I believe I told y'all that my aunt in Albany, GA passed away on March 14.  She would have been 95 this July.  She was such a hoot and I will miss her.  Her funeral was on March 19 and then my best friend's house burned the nite of March 24.  Also about a month ago my brother Jerry who lives in Thomasville, GA and the only brother I have left was in the hospital for about 3 weeks.  He had been having trouble walking and it was getting worse but in no pain.  Well, he fell and broke 4 ribs (balance wasn't good) and low and behold once they started doing tests found he had cluster of tumors at the base of his spine which fortunately are benign!  Docs were amazed he was walking at all.  Turns out to be genetic related and is undergoing radiation tx to shrink the tumors and now the neurosurgeon doesn't think he'll have to have surgery.  He did see an onc. who told him if it had been cancer he'd been dead by now as he probably has had this going on for at least 2 years if not longer!  I believe if the dx had been otherwise I dont think I would have handled it very well with everything else that had gone on in a month's time.

Nephew Brian is okay; he's had some seizures and my sister-in-law thinks he may have had another mini stroke and is in constant battle it seems like with the staff there off and on.  I don't think they like dealing with someone that stays on top of everything.  That's just too bad isn't it?  It will be two years Labor Day since the accident and he should begin receiving Medicare benefits even at the ripe old age of 40 as he will be 40 in July.  His mom thinks things may change since money will be more available for him then.  Sad to think that but true.

I'm still struggling financially and in process of trying to do a loan modification on the house but have had to let some bills just go.  However, the lite at end of tunnel is a little brighter.  I have signed up for Charlie's SS and will begin receiving that the 4th Wed of the month beginning in August and also in August my teacher retirement kicks in.  So that is going to be major help.  Will still at least have to  work part time for awhile to pay off credit card as had to borrow on two of them to make it this far!  Of course getting all those calls from people and just doing the best I can. 

Sammy and Chargee are fine and such company and fun for me.  I honestly don't know how I'd make it without them.  Hope all is well with all of y'all and I think that about gets everything caught up.  Sorry I haven't been on in a while but do keep up with what's going on.  Love  y'all and God Bless!

Jan (Basketcase)