Greetings:  Karen was to the doctor on Monday, after having been there for Chemo on Friday, and shots on Saturday and Sunday.  Too put it lightly, she is completely whipped out.  The shots are to help her blood counts, but they take all of her energy and put her on an emotional roller coaster.  She pretty much has slept the last two days and has no appetite.  While at the doctor's office we were able to schedule tentative appointments through the middle of June.  Karen mustered up enough energy to go to the DMV this morning and secure a much needed disabled placard.  We were in and out in less than 10 minutes.  Kudos to the DMV staff at the Rocklin office.   It was back home and to bed.  Keep Karen in your prayers.  Thanks! :o)

Hi readers and followers.  Hope you all had a glorious and happy Easter.  Karen, Mom and I celebrated the day with our usual Sunday Mass viewed on television as well as watching the Pope's Mass from the Vatican.  We ate the delicious food that Lindsay sent us from Omaha Steaks.  The neighbor next door, Jeanne, brought over a home-made carrot cake, about a 1/4 sheet.  She spent quite some time visiting with us on Easter.  Here comes the good part, Karen is not a fan of carrot cake, but for Mom and I that's another story.  By Tuesday, Mom and I had eaten the entire 1/4 sheet of cake.  Hmmmm hmmm good!  With that we defrosted the carrot cake that came with the Omaha Steaks.  By Wednesday afternoon half of it was gone.  We put the remaining half on another plate to make room in the frig.  Later on Wednesday night, after prayers, I went to get a piece and low and behold Mom had eaten the remaining half.  Needless to say carrot cake doesn't have a chance at this household.

We went to see the Hemo/Onco Dr. on Monday, he reassured Karen that what she is feeling is normal, and in fact he stated she is doing great, doing better then most.  Her the weight loss has stopped, she hasn't run a fever, and her blood pressure numbers are normal.  The rest of the week we prepared for the 4th round of chemo scheduled on Friday 04/13. 

Karen did well today with the chemo, it took a little longer however about 3-1/2 hours. She and I did get in trouble for making the staff laugh to much and too loud by telling some old stories about ourselves.  It was great service, the ratio was 2 nurses to 1 patient, and somebody had to keep everyone awake, Karen and I took on that role. We didn't need to be asked, our combined past experience at the CHP has taught us, "you see a need you handle it."  Okay back to the serious side of things.  Because of low blood counts and chemo drug interactions, Karen needs to get a shot of Procrit tomorrow (Sat 04/14) in the early a.m, and a shot of Neulasta on Sunday (04/15) in the a.m.  She will see the Dr again on Monday.  We will have been to the Dr's office 4 days in a row.  I honestly think Karen just likes she being chauffeured around town.  LOL  Just as we got use to the timeline of the side effects of this chemo treatment (Adriamycin and Cytoxin) it was the last of this kind.  As the caregiver, who knows what I will be up against with the new chemo (Taxol) that will start on 04/27.  Karen and I are up to the challenge.  Still working on the pics of Karen and the hats. 

Heard from some more folks at the CHP.  Thanks to all of you for the cards and letters, thoughts and prayers. :o)

Well Karen underwent her 3rd round of chemotherapy on Friday 03/30 and Saturday 03/31.  She has felt downright tired and has laid in bed and slept most of the week.  We controlled her nausea and resulting anxiety with various drugs.  Today we went for the follow up lab work and bone shot only to find out once again that her numbers are in the dump.  She will go again tomorrow for another shot to help her blood numbers and hopefully provide her some energy.  Karen has been a real "trooper" these past six weeks of treatment. 
I needed some help, since Mom came down with a serious infection (Klebsiella Oxytoca) in her right leg.  I took her to the ER on Sunday 3/25 and to the doctor on 3/26.  Anne came up to help with taking Mom to another doctor appointment while I took Karen to hers on 03/30.  Mom has received two shots and is on a 14 days regiment of antibiotics, in the meantime I have to make sure Karen does not catch the bugs.
This past Sunday (04/01) Teresa came by colored my hair and took me for a short outing while Mom and Karen slept.  No worries, fortunately Dave was here to babysit them.  He also tended to lots of tasks on Mom's list of "Things "To Do." He left in the wee hours of the morning today.  We got to spend sometime together and had a wonderful 8th wedding anniversary yesterday. Ann came and stayed with Mom and Karen while Dave and I went out.
Both Mom and Karen have doctor appointments on Friday, so Anne is staying the night to take Mom to her appointment. 
We were surprised to find a large box at the front door on Tuesday afternoon.  Turns out Lindsay sent us a complete dinner from Omaha Steaks that we plan to heat up and fix on Easter Sunday.  On Wednesday another box arrived from the boys, (Carl, Chad and Casey) They sent us flowers for Easter, which will decorate the table at Sunday's dinner feast.  Big Thanks to all of you!!!! 
Lastly, the news about Karen is travelling on the CHP grapevine, as former friends (Stephanie Helms, Pat Daly & Chuck Shipley) contacted us this week.  It was nice to hear from them and know that the CHP family is wishing Karen all the best in this journey.
In closing, we are wishing you a Joyous and Happy Easter. :o)  Thanks for reading and for posting comments.  It is greatly appreciated and is the highlight of our days.

Sorry readers, there hasn't been much to report and update you on.  There are some things that Karen won't let me blog, I guess I would have to start my own blog to describe the caregiver's point of view, but who would interested in that. LOL  Karen is doing well as she revs up for her 3rd round of chemo scheduled for Friday 03/30.  We had a visit from brother Louis from Saturday 03/24 to Wednesday 03/28.  He is sure a delight to have around.  Mom put him to work for all those things Karen is unable to do LOL and the caregiver did not contract to do, again LOL, like lawn cutting, vacuuming, dusting, laundry, etc.  Anne came to visit on Tuesday 03/27.  The five of us shared food from Panda Express for yesterday's dinner. It was so delicious.  When it came time to eat our fortune cookies Louis advised that in his family they always add the phrase "IN BED" to whatever the fortune is.  So we did as he suggested and tried it.  It made for some great laughs.   Karen's fortune was "Be carerful and systematic in your business arrangements IN BED." But Mom's was the clincher "You will be a great success both in business and socially IN BED."  Gotta go have to go get our Mega Million Lottery tickets for the $476 million draw on Friday.  Hate standing in the long lines of losers. LOL  Karen swears the win would make her feel a whole lot better, she would at least like the chance to see if it does.  Yes we will share if we win the big pot. :o)

With the 2nd round of chemo on Thursday and a Neulasta shot on Friday Karen was pretty much toast this past weekend.  By Saturday she had nausea, was a little cranky and slept alot.  With all that she is going through she is allowed to be cranky once in a while. Lol.  Teresa came by on Sunday and visited with Karen for quite some time in between making home-made Swedish Rye Bread from an old family recipe.  We ate some of the bread with dinner tonight it was delicious!!!! I made Karen some turbans out of old t-shirts to help with the hair loss situation.  As of today most of her hair has fallen out, fortunately the hats and head coverings she ordered last week arrived today.  Karen tried on all that she bought (six in all) and she looks "darling" in them.  Yes I said darling.  I have never seen Karen in anything but a baseball cap in the past.  The hats and head coverings are assorted colors and have a feminine flair.  If she sits still long enough I will take a picture and post it so you can see what I mean.  No promises though, as you well know you have to be one step ahead of Karen at all times as she does not like her picture taken.  We looking into purchasing a wig as well.  Can't decide on the color or style.  I say something wild, and Karen says lets keep looking.  I offered to shave my head, but Karen says no, that we would look like two cue-balls riding around in the car.  Thanks for reading.  Most of all thanks for the cards and well wishes, they are truly appreciated.  :o)

What a great day.  Karen woke up with vim and vigor.  She ate breakfast, bathed, dressed and got herself ready for her 2nd round of chemotherapy today.  She had an excellent atttitude and very little apprehension.  She acted like an old pro at this.  It was amazing to watch her.  She has started to lose her hair, and is hoping it will come back in blond and wavy so she can be like the other Clark girls.  For those of you that don't know, she was the only girl with dark hair in the family growing up.  She considered herself the outcast, we considered her downright different. Lol.  The past few days have been wonderful, and we realize that is due to the prayers and wishes to our Lord from so many friends and family.  Thanks you all.  It is proof he answers prayers. :o)

The past few days have been great ones for Karen.  On Saturday she had a visit from the former neighbors across the street (Priscilla & Dave) and was emotional at first then very happy to see them.  They provided Karen the encouragement she needed at that moment.  The potted flowers they brought were beautiful and were the icing on the cake.  On Sunday Anne came by with delicious food from the Mecca Restaurant near her home in Pittsburg.  Karen was able to enjoy taquitos and guacamoto.  That's right she asked for guacamoto and no hot chipoto sauce for her taquitios. I think she has been watching way too much "..Ninja..." on the G4 channel or she is learning the Japanese that is spoken on the show.  Either way, it was a great laugh for us.  She let out the biggest belly laugh once she realized what she had said.  As for today she full of energy and hungry, kinda took on her "bossy in control" attitude, which has me jumping to all of her demands. LOL.  Her nephew Jeff stopped by today on his way back to Utah.  Again she enjoyed the time spent with him.  She received another hilarious card from Joanne, which had us all in stitches.  Joanne has the best sense of picking a card and adding to the verses or theme of the card.  Each one received is a bright spot and forever cherished.  Thanks to all for your continued prayers and thoughts.  Keep the comments coming on the blog, Karen treasures all of them.  XOXO :o)