Ahmmm

I am just going to sneek back in here and really try to keep up… It has been a bit much, but hey that is life.

Still running alot, 35-50km per week. Summer was great (was – it is almost over in Sweden). I think I will remember this as the best summer in a long time, and I hope the kids will remember it this way too. We swam a lot and enjoyed little outings around here mostly. We had many fun visitors and we grilled almost every day.

Vince starts first grade on Monday. That is huge! I will update on that in a separate post, but I am really happy (now at least) and I feel rather calm about it.

My dad is doing great, and as of what we know now the tumor is at least not growing. Still eff cancer.

And like I said, a serious effort will be made:)

Summer

I have the day off. The kids are in school/ day care. I dropped them off and then met friend J for a run around the lakes. One hour of running the terrain trails through the woods and around two lakes on the mountain we live by. Talking and laughing while running hills and pushing through. The reward afterwards is jumping in the lake. A morning that brings so much energy, life is beautiful.

2013 so far

I know, hello blog, it has been a while…
I am going to make a serious attempt to get a lot better…

I am hone with Vince today. He has a cold that never seems to be getting better. So movies, sleep and couch hanging is what is up today.

2013 so far:
– My dad is done with radiation! He had 30 rounds and is feeling tired but Ok.
– I joined a gym to help work on my strength and hopefully improve my running results. Their schedules is fitting well with my lunch break. So far i tried TRX and kettle bells classes.
– We booked a trip to Austria for a long Easter holiday.
– We booked a family trip to Dennark and the Reef Hotel in Feb.
– I have been running as much as the continuos colds allow, and it is such a HUGE difference running with someone vs. alone. This weekend we did 31k (sat+sun) in -10c wether. Awesome way to start the day!
-Work is busy but good!

Half way!

Today was round 15 of radiation, 15 to go!

Edgar and my dad waiting for my dad’s appointment today.

Morning Glory

Hanging with Vince on the couch before heading out in the snow storm to go to radiation with my dad followed by a doctor’s appointment, then quick hospital cafeteria lunch before heading over to the second hospital in Göteborg to pick up Vincent’s newly molded winter shoes.

December

The snow finally came to Surte. The kids are thrilled to spend the day riding sledges down the hills. Both of them refuse to wear gloves. I spent about a zillion SEK (Swedish Krona) on gloves of all types and designs. Edgar will wear his Spiderman gloves, but they have no finger tips, and are not really enough for -9c which was the high today. Vince refuses all types of gloves, and apparently preferred blue hands to wearing gloves.

My dad had his third round of radiation today and he started on chemo yesterday. So far he is feeling fine and no nausea. My mom, my brother, Bookie and I take turns on hanging with him for radiation. He is doing it in-patient and just goes to the hospital for his radiation and then goes back home. The chemo is in tablet form, the only way to get it past the cerebral cortex.

I am really thankful that I am back in Sweden. Firstly, to be close to my dad and my family and friends who are all the bestest of the best. Secondly, for the medical and health system. We have had a great experience with all the people we have met along this ‘journey’ and things like free medicines, appointments and transportation to and from the hospital once you reach costs of 2000SEK (ca 250 USD).

What else is going on with us?
Christmas season is here providing lots of lights. I love it. So does the kids. Vince is being VERY patience with his advent calendars (Lego City, Bamse and chocolate), while Edgar has no patience whatsoever and wants to open all doors every morning, usually ending in the regular drama.

We LOVE the house. Edgar is obsessed with helping B fixing things around here. He is currently awake way past his bed time helping Mr B with something. We finally got the fence up, which keeps the kids in,but apparently not the moose out. With a bit of luck our apple trees will survive the winter instead of being moose food…

Glioblastom/Glioma

That is the name of the malignant tumor my dad has. It can’t be cured. My feelings about it are undescribable. My dad has always been my biggest hero.
He will start a combo of chemo and radiation in 1.5 weeks approx. He will receive the max dose, of 30 rounds. We hope he will fight it off for as long as possible!
Cancer sucks.

Seafood Saturday

Pretty much since the day my dad came out of surgery 8 days ago, he has talked about wanting seafood. On Friday he was able to leave the hospital to come home, with only minor restrictions. He is now signed out of the neuro to be signed into the oncological side come tomorrow. But before that, Mr B and I and the kids along with my brother and his two kids spent the weekend with my parents.

THAT would be fair!

Cancer Update

My dad had surgery last Thursday. The doctors were able to remove almost all of the tumor. They took away what they believe is all of it, but it is impossible to say if some cancer cells remain. My dad was doing great and was walking and eating on Friday. Then things turned scary and there was a bleeding in the brain. A new surgery was necessary to stop the bleeding. It also went fine in terms of the brain, but his heart was taking a toll. He has not yet responded as wished for on the heart medicines he was put on, but the doctors decided to wait with a new heart surgery (electric conversion) till he is more stable.
He has been moved to the hospital closer to home and he is doing a lot better every day.
Tomorrow we will get the results on what exact type of cancer tumor it is. We have been told it is the most malignt type there is, so we already suspect that will be confirmed. It is also believed it started to grow in August, so it has grown very fast. Future treatment plans will be discussed tomorrow as well. Thanks everyone for kind words and support!!!

Sunday, the day after my dad’s second brain surgery in three days. Sharing candy with my mom in the break room.