Delayed Update!

Hi everybody!  Holy Week was so great for several reasons...great Lenten lunches and speakers, services, Easter morning with Caden, then Easter lunch with Ben, Caden, Rachel and Steven, and Lynne.  Saturday had Bill, Ben and I going up to Smyrna, TN for family night, Music City Mystique.  It was FAB!  We watched a little bit of rehearsal, then the group came out and did a 'concert-type' version of the show, and then did the whole show.  They've continued to tweak the show and the changes make it even better!

On Friday, Cathy and I went to Good Friday service, and then went looking at wigs and hats.  Then today (Tuesday), we went with Rachel to check out eyebrow makeup!  I know for you guys that doesn't mean anything, but you ladies will know how important it is to have SOMETHING above your eyes!!

Mom came into town tonight, and she'll take me to treatment tomorrow (Wednesday).  I go in at 11:00 for blood work, which they will check each treatment time for red and white blood cell levels.  Treatment starts at 12:00.  They were very accurate last time with the length of time (about 2.5 hours).

The nurses were also very accurate with their predictions of symptoms, etc.   I've got some questions to ask tomorrow, in terms of how similar will this next time be to the last time, and how different or similar will the treatments be after the initial four treatments (when I start the weekly treatments). These last four-five days have felt pretty normal, and it would be nice to know if I could expect that each time.

My hair has started falling out...I noticed that my arms are completely hairless today.  I have some major sensitivity in my mouth (which has the cells that frequently generate like hair).  I got my hair cut very short this afternoon so that the hair falling out won't seem so bad (I hope).

I have worked with Malinda to take a couple of months off of work (thank you Malinda!).  My goal would be to really focus on friends and family (which sure includes many of my church peeps) on those days where I feel good.  I know the 2 months will go quickly!  Everyone has been so great to help out and be supportive.

HOWEVER, I can say with MUCH JOY that VHUMC folks made our goal of $72,500 during the Lenten season (and with some partnerships with other churches).  This will allow us to package 250,000 meals for Stop Hunger Now (www.stophungernow.org) next Monday and Tuesday.  So excited!

I'm also really looking forward to mom and I going up to Dayton this weekend (I know that sounds a little crazy, and it is), but Ben's group is performing in the WGI World Championships!  Thursday night are preliminaries, Friday is semi-finals and Saturday is finals.  Their group won first at the Regionals, and they are in very good standing to win the whole thing.  It's been several years since they've placed first, so it is VERY exciting!!

So, it's good to go into tomorrow's treatment knowing that I have something to look forward to soon.  We are planning to rest during the day and then get to the shows in the evenings for about an hour or so (as energy levels go).

Hope that y'all are well, and reveling as Easter people.
Denise

From Saturday: