Wanted to post today.  Two years ago I received word that my younger brother Steven had stage 3 rectal cancer.  I couldn't at the time begin to comprehend the battle we would fight for the next year and a half.  His odds of surviving were a little less than 30% but I always thought he would win the battle, I just didn't know how hard it would be and how hard the next couple of years would be.  He did have one complication and that was he is schizophrenic.  Well he fought hard, lived with a stoma for 6 months, had chemo, radiation, two surgeries, a complete breakdown, followed by a month in a psych unit of the hospital. In the midst of all of this our mother is suffering from dementia, our little sister Lorie committed suicide, and we were sharing in the care of my husbands now 99and 1/2 year old mother.  But guess what?  We survived the last two years and do you know what else-Steven had his first colonoscopy  and he is cancer free. He is cancer free and he has also had his rectum reattached and it is all working.  It is a happy day.  We are still caring for our mothers, I miss my little sister Lorie, and life is very busy, but I am so thankful that I have stayed well and strong the last two years, Steven is cancer free, and I have a wonderful family,  the moms (even suffering from dementia) are sweet, and kind, and cute.  I adore my 13 grandchildren.  Hailey and Leighton are well and growing and learning.  There is so much to be thankful and I shouldn't ever complain.  Do I complain?  Yes, sometimes too much, but to get myself out of it I just have to stop for a minute and think and reflect!

Happy 52 and 65th birthday  Steven and Dennis!!!!

THE GRANDMAS:  The last year of my life has been pretty wrapped up with taking care of our two mothers.  Afton Harding is 99 1/2 and mom is now 91.  It has been a crazy year.  Both now have some dementia and Afton fell and broke her knee cap. Mom has the more serious dementia, and Afton is just starting to loose her short term memory. She is here and it is crazy.  Here is pictures of them both.The top picture is Afton.The bottom picture is mom taken last week

   in the Dr.s office waiting and waiting.  She is happy.  She just enjoys getting out.

The top picture is Afton.  This is right before we took her to the dr. to check her knee.  I can't even express what my life is like right now.  Some days getting them both dressed, some nights getting them ready for bed, fixing and feeding mom breakfast everyday and trying with all my might to get Afton to eat. In the middle of it all I have been trying to keep Tour West responsibilities humming along, tending grand kids sometimes, Sunday Dinners, working out, finishing the class I am taking and it is pretty crazy  Would I choose to have it any other way right now.  No.  Would I like more free time yes. What am I grateful for.  My family, that my health has been really good and I have been able to take care of these cute ladies, my job, the good year Tour West has had, my home that is big enough to have two grandma's stay at the same time, my grand kids that come visit and make me happy, my kids that are all amazing (this includes my kids-in-law,) the teachings I have, being blessed with energy,the gospels, the help I receive all the time from a loving Heavenly Father--I could go on and on. 

Here is a Steven, Mom, and life update.  It is now October.  We have had a huge struggle the last 6 months since Steven had a tumor removed from his rectum.  It has really been hard to keep his schizophrenia stable.  It has really been crazy, but I am sure because of prayers and blessings he got stable in time to have his reattachment surgery two weeks ago.  It is such a blessing that he could be put back together and not have his intestines sticking out with a bag for the rest of his life.  The treatment for cancer is a blessing, but the treatment is hard and in Steven's case complicated by his mental illness.  Now I think he has to go to the Dr. twice a year for 5 years and then he can be declared cancer free.  Mom is struggling with dementia, but she has a senior class where they work on brain function.  It is amazing that there is a class like this.  Mom is much happier when she attends because she is taken care of in a safe environment and they engage her all day long.  They have music, play games, do puzzles and crafts, and go to the senior citizens center across the street for lunch.  She is always happier when she attends.  Our sweet little angels Leighton and Hailey are doing great.  Leighton is a cute little character and has learned to crawl.  Hailey is a powerhouse little girls packed with energy and cuteness.  Tycee is amazing cute.  She did not loose or gain an extra chromosome.  She talks and is a delight in every way.  She reminds me of her Daddy.  It is so fun to have her.  The rest of the grand kids are also amazing, cute, talented, and the best kids ever.

I have not posted for a while.  Life has been busy.  My mom has been staying here for two months and my brother Steven has had cancer-surgery-complications-a mental crash- and is finally coming out of the hospital tomorrow (after almost 3 months)  My friends (best friend whom I love) son died a couple of weeks ago.  It broke our heart!  My little darling grand daughter has surgery next week.  It has been a long hard few months.  Sometime I will try to put to words what I have learned from all this.  Right now I am not sure.  Here is a picture of my brother Steven.  This picture is the face of cancer.  My post will not let me upload a picture, but I will do it soon.

Cute Grandma Harding's 98 birthday party with her kids.  What can you say.  We went to her favorite restaurant (Sizzler) she paid for everyone's dinner.  We decided to let her because we would have had to fight about who paid the whole night and she wouldn't have enjoyed her dinner.  She said she had to pay for it because she takes turn living with us and we feed her all the time.  She is amazing for 98.

I am posting pictures of Steven.  Tuesday he had his tumor removed.  It was a 4 hour surgery.  He is still in intensive care.  It has been difficult to say the least.  He still doesn't complain but you can tell how hard it is.  After he recovers from the surgery he has 4 months of killer chemo.  The good news is that we can probably cure this cancer.  The bad news the cure is hard. 

Brother Steve

This is my brother Steve.  We are  sitting in the Doctors office.  He is fighting cancer.  He has courage does not complain and I think life is not always fair.