We just got home from the hospital and we have very good news. Kelly's MRI was clear - there are no signs of tumor at all right now!! It feels so wonderful to get good news. I feel like I can breathe easier for six more weeks. This doesn't mean there are no cancer cells left, but they haven't grown in the last six weeks. She will still continue her chemotherapy and will have another MRI in 6 weeks.
We are having such a nice Christmas - and now this news makes it so much better. Tracy, my sister from Oregon, is here with her family, and last night Jenny, my sister from Florida arrived with her family. It is so nice to have a houseful of family to celebrate the holidays with. Our season truly is merry and bright.
Kelly is having a bit of hard time since her last chemo on Monday. She is more tired and nauseous than before, but at least now we now we know the chemo is doing its job. Thanks so much for all your prayers and good thoughts - it is really helping.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
The Best Christmas Present
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37 comments:
HOORAY!!! That is the most wonderful news!!! I've been checking your blog all afternoon just hoping for good news. Kelly, I hope you continue to gain stength and energy. As soon as you're up for it, we'd all love to see you! We're finally healthy and are looking forward to "playing" soon!
Love,
Clare
Hi My Hero!!!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!! I am so glad that you are having a great Christmas. I am so jealous that you girls got all those gifts. That is so awesome. My mom says hi and is so happy you are doing better. She can't wait to meet you.
Luv ya lots,
Stevie
What wonderful news - we have been checking and waiting for the post - so glad you can all sleep easier tonight. Enjoy your family and have a very wonderful and peaceful New Year!
The Palmer Family
Yeehaaawww!!!!!
That is such great news!!! Oh Kellie, we are so happy for you!
When you are up to it we would love to come visit you! How long is Jenny in town for? I would love to see her this time. It seems we are always just missing them when they visit! Debbie Meyering
That really is the best present ever! So happy for you and we know how great it is to be with family right now too. We are sure enjoying ours up here in Oregon. Brrrrrr!! Still praying and we are thrilled at the news! Love, The Diemer's
Hi Kelly,
I'm delighted your scan was clear, but sorry the chemo's being rough on the tummy. Ask about Compozine. The doctors don't want to make you more uncomfortable than they have to.
Some people find that Coca-Cola helps, others say ginger ale is good. Still others find that candied ginger root helps.
Have a great time with all your relatives. I'll pester you with stories another time.
Henry
Praise the Lord! What wonderful news!!! I've been thinking about you all day and hoping I would find some good news this evening, and I did! I am sorry to hear the chemo is making you suffer a bit more than normal. Maybe all the fun you have been having has worn you out a little. I know you are strong, brave and courageous and you can beat this thing. I'm so glad you have so many family members there to celebrate with you. God Bless you and keep you.
Kim (Your Aunt Tracy's friend)
We are so happy to hear of your clear MRI! Keep up the good work!
Merry Christmas,
The Jenkins family
Praise the Lord!!! We are so happy to hear your great news! Hang tight, Kelly, you'll be feeling good in a few days. Then you can get back to playing the Wii! Enjoy your holiday everyone!
love
The Nicolosi Family
Hey Sweetie, What wonderful news and a great Christmas present! I will keep praying for you. Hope you feel a better tonight.
Hugs,
Charmaine
Yippee! We are so excited about the happy and great news! We are celebrating with you all! We love your doctors!
Welcome home Kevin! Lots of hugs, Darla and Sophie
Hi Kelly! Yipee!!! Thats's the best news! What a wonderful Christmas present! We are all sooo happy for the great news.
How nice so many of your family members are in town to share in your good news. Enjoy them while they are in town and have fun celebrating.
After your company leaves and you are feeling up to it, come over and visit with our new puppy that Santa left at our house.
Hugs,
Lori
Praise God and halleluiah!! I've been away all day helping my daughter move and couldn't wait to get home and check your site. What glorious news. And how wonderful so many of your family are with you (especially your dad) to share and celebrate it! I'm thrilled that your courage and persistence during the difficult chemo and radiation treatments are paying off.
Fondly,
Sondra Morrow
We have been reading your updates nightly - when we get home, some time after midnight, like tonight! What wonderful news! We go to bed with a prayer for you all each night and tonight (or this morning) will be no different! Love to all Laudes'......Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! XX The Armes (Christmas card will come as a Happy New Years Card! The Armes just couldn't get it together before the holiday! Your card was amazing though! XX
Yes! We have been praying for this good news! We saw you from afar at church (Kevin's height is a definite advantage)but couldn't get to you through the crowd, so here is a belated but very heart-felt "Merry Christmas!" to you.
The Litschewski Family
Hooray!! That is absolutely fabulous news and the best Christmas gift ever! How wonderful that you have so much family there to celebrate the good news with! No one deserves it more than you do Kelly. You've been through so much. Hope you are feeling better and enjoy the rest of the time with your dad and the rest of your family.
Love,
The Silvestris
Dear Kelly,
Yippie!!!! Your Dad called last night and I could tell from his voice that the news was good. We are all so happy. I brought Poppie down to the library this morning because he wanted to see your blog. We printed it out and will show it to Nana. Despite your smiles you were beginning to look a little tired but I'm glad that all your hard work had such great results. Keep up the good work.
All love
Aunt Denise Poppie too and I'm sure if Nana was at my shoulder she'd say me too.
Great news! Hope you feel better from the chemo soon.
Tom
The Berg family here in La Jolla, CA is thrilled andjumping for joy over the news about your MRI Kelly!
We are so glad prayers have been heard and answered and your treatments are also working so well.
Continue to enjoy your Christmas with All your family.
Hope to see you soon.
Love,
Marisa and Fran
The Berg family here in La Jolla, CA is thrilled andjumping for joy over the news about your MRI Kelly!
We are so glad prayers have been heard and answered and your treatments are also working so well.
Continue to enjoy your Christmas with All your family.
Hope to see you soon.
Love,
Marisa and Fran
Hi Kelly,
Are you interested in trying an old Scottish New Year's tradition? It's called First Footing, and the tradition says that if a tall, dark-haired man is the first person to come to your door on New Year's day and you give him a coin, you'll have good luck the whole year through. Women are bad luck, I'm afraid. So are sandy-haired men, and short, dark-haired men. It's perfectly acceptable to stack the deck. If any of your uncles is tall and dark-haired, for example, you can arrange it for him to be the first person to come to your door on New Year's Day.
There's another New Year's tradition from County Armagh that you might want to try, if you can get the essential ingredients. There's a little rhyme that goes with it, too. It goes like this: "On New Year's Day, two bayberry candles, burnt down to the socket, bring luck to all and money to the pocket." The trouble is bayberry candles are getting hard to find. Bayberry-scented is the most you can find, usually, but they're not the same. Real bayberry candles are a sort of grayish olive green, and they're made by boiling bayberries, if you want to go to the trouble. When I was a boy, bayberry candles were easy to find, but I don't think I've seen one for 20 years.
It's all a bit of fun, but maybe there's something to it.
Sincerely,
Henry
Kelly,
I'm so excited about your good news! I've had you in my prayers for such a long time. I'll keep praying.
ps I got a Dancing With The Stars Wii game for Christmas...can you come and play?
Love, Kendall
YEAH! What great news. I am so glad to read that!
So glad that you are having a wonderous Christmas! You all deserve the best!
Love you all.
Jacquie
Hi Kelly!
Talked to your Mom after reading the great news on your blog. We can't even express how happy we are for you! This is such encouraging news. God has been listening to all the prayers He's gotten about you. I'm sure your positive attitude has helped, also. Looks like 2008 is going to be a great year! Take care, Sweetie! Hope to see you soon!
Love and hugs,
Laurie, Mark and Mr. Turtle
Dear Kelly,
I'm back with more New Year's lore. The Germans always say that eating pork on New Year's Day brings good luck throughout the new year, and the Chinese have always associated pork with good luck, so, if you're feeling up to it, you might want to go to Applebee's for some baby back ribs, or to your favorite Chinese restaurant for some moo-shoo pork. I don't know about you, but I'm willing to try anything that might bring good luck in the new year, though I do draw the line at human sacrifice.
I also draw the line at the Czech custom of eating carp on New Year's Day - too many bones by half!
Have a lovely day!
Henry
YAY!
Wonderful News Kelly! It was so great to see you yesterday. I love you my dumpling face.Have a good new year. I will see you soon.
Love,
Desi
Dear Kelly,
Two ladies (a mother and her daughter) had a holiday party for the Wednesday evening book group, which your Aunt Denise leads. There were about ten or eleven people there. Everyone was thrilled about your presentation, and especially about your latest scan results.
If the German/Chinese tradition about pork holds true, we're all in good shape, because EVERYBODY had ham - even Paula, who is a rather conservative Jewish lady, and she hardly ever eats pork. Kathy and I even brought a vegetarian lasagna for her, so she wouldn't have to violate her religion's laws, but she just shrugged, smiled, and said: "What the heck." It was very sporting of her, I thought, but that's Paula for you. Then she said: "No wonder you guys eat this stuff. It's delicious!" Her husband, Andy, who is also Jewish, said: "It sure is," then he helped himself to another slice.
Your Aunt Denise looked lovely in her new French sweater, and we all had a good time.
So, I hope the chemo blues have all gone and you are looking back on beautiful Christmas memories and looking forward to a wonderful new year.
Henry
Hey Sweetie,
Thanks for giving me the best Christmas gift imaginable, even though I didn't get it till the day after Christmas.
I'm getting close to the end of my active duty tour with Marine Forces Pacific. Yesterday my coworkers took me to lunch and gave me a comemorative flag that had flown over the USS Arizona memorial. Very nice of them.
See you Thursday!
Superduper!!! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Wishing you all the best, <3 Shannon Hargis and family.
Wow, what a wonderful Christmas present! I'm so happy for you all. Please know I'd love to see you when you are strong enough. In the mean time, let's pray for a cancer free 2008.
Love to you all,
Poli
Kathy, Kelly, and family, I am so thankful to hear the great news about the MRI results. He is faithful! And I am so encouraged when He shows us how much He loves each of us. God's blessing to each of you and Happy New Year!
Jennifer Gaudet
YAY!!! Kelly, that's great news- I was overjoyed to hear it! :)
Happy New Year! I'm always praying for you!
Love,
Kriztia
Happy New Year Laude Family! May you all be blessed with everything wonderful in 2008!
With love from The Turner family
Dear Kelly,
It's alredy 2008 here in the East, and I hope it's a wonderful, exciting new year for you and your family.
I keep forgetting to tell you that my 91-year-old mother says a prayer for you every day. Well, she does, and she would be quite angry with me if she knew I forgot to tell you, so I hope you'll keep mum.
I don't think I've ever told you of the oddest coincidence. My father's parents both came from County Armagh, Northern Ireland. My mother was born on the farm next door to the one my father's mother was born on. My mother's father was killed in World War I. My grandmother came over here, but she left my mother with her parents on the farm in Northern Ireland. Twenty-two years later, my mother came over here. She became a hairdresser in Springfield, Massachusetts. There was a hairdresser's convention in a big hotel in New York, which my mother attended. My father was one of the waiters at the hotel. There was a really sleezy shampoo salesman at her table who was, shall we say, taking liberties. (In other words, he was a real pig). My father served them and said to my mother: "Don't forget. We have a date." After the dinner, people were milling about, and my father found my mother. They started to talk, and he mentioned that her accent sounded like his mother's. My mother asked where his mother was from, and who she was, and so on, and my mother said she knew his grandmother well. She used to live next door. When I was a child, it always did strike me odd that Dad would ask Mom questions about his own grandmother, but then again, he never met her, you see.
Another odd thing is that in the intervening years, my mother lost her accent altogether. That's not just a son who's extremely used to the accent talking. My wife, Kathy, who can't understand my Irish cousins at all when they come over, said to me just yesterday that my mother sounds completely American. It's basically true, though sometimes she'll say: "It's as broad as it's long" -- Irish for "It makes no difference."
Now, by no stretch of the imagination am I a theologian at all, but it seems to me that if the Lord could bring my parents together, surely He can cure your cancer, and wouldn't this brand new year be a grand time to do it?!
Sincerely,
Henry
It was so wonderful to read the good news on the website today. Just what we all need to start the New Year off on a great start. Wishes for a happy, healthy and prosperous 2008 to all and especially Kelly! Best wishes from Wendy (Arts Express)
Dear Kelly,
Happy New Year! Kathy and I had our pork on New Year's Day in the form of Hoppin' John. That's a dish that consists of black-eyed peas, smoked pork shoulder, rice, canned tomatoes, and a few red pepper flakes. It's a Southern and Midwestern tradition. Did I tell you? Kathy's from Kansas. Anyway, there's our good luck pork for the new year.
Your Aunt Denise was kind enough to give us a plum pudding last Friday, so we had that for dessert. My father used to make them. It was a real treat to have one again.
Enjoy your day!
Henry
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