Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Happy Halloween

Joe left early this morning and will get his IPT today and his Pet scan tomorrow. We probably won't get the results until next week but at least it will be done. Joe was off one day on our return home. We will be driving home on the 7th and Heidi's Dad will be coming here on the 8th. We hope to be home until Jan7th but I might fly back to Ohio to help Heidi if she has RFA scheduled or if she goes to MD Anderson for a consult.
Halloween in this house is way different than at home. We don't ever have trick or treaters living in an adult community so I will be busy handing out treats and going to school to see the parade of costumes.
Have finally caught up on the cc website with all the other patients that have cholangiocarcinoma to see what they are doing and how they are doing. Lots of different ideas out there but everyone seems to stay away from sugar, alcohol, eat lots of vegetables and fruits, take supplements and pray for a cure soon. It is scary when you get a new symptom or one you haven't had in awhile. That's when we turn to God for wisdom, guidance and knowledge that we are following His Plan even tho we don't know where it is going. Love to all of you and God bless. Mary Anne

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Home for a bit

My stomach has been acting up (queasy) for the last week and one half. Because of that, I am trying to schedule an IPT treatment and have another Pet CT the same day. I am currently waiting for approval from Medicare. The order was not written quite from my doctor and consequently they turned the first request down. We are trying again. If it comes through today, I will fly out tomorrow, have the pet CT and IPT the next day and fly back to Ohio the next day. We are planning on driving home on Nov 8th. Heidi's Dad will be arriving to help out on the 9th. She is feeling well and gaining strength every day.

As happy as we were to help out it will be good to get home again. We have been home so little this year. So far we have only been home during July, August and half of September. In many respects it seems like a lost year.

Thanks to all of you who are praying for Heidi and me.

Joe

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Ohio

Heidi came home from the hospital yesterday. She seems to be recovering well from the surgery but as might be expected is having to process "having Cancer" I have bbeen spending some time with her discussing the importance of a positive attitude. There are lots of things to be positive about for her.

This morning we talked quite a while about God. She does believe in God and seems open to learn more. I told her that having Cancer was not the worst thing...having Cancer without God is the worst.

I think it is so good that we are here. It's a lot of work running the house and the three kids take time also. I am doing homework with Isabelle every night. She is very bright and helps me a lot so that the homework gets done.

Thanks for adding Michael and Heidi to your prayer list. We will be here til the 8th of Nov and then head home.

Joe

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Another challenge in the Coburn household

Hi Friends,
We made a sudden change to out plans of being in Bonaire for the month of October. Our daughter in law Heidi was informed from a colonoscopy that she had a tumor in her colon and after biopsy, it was found to be carcinoid and metastacised to her liver. They have three small children and live in Ohio so Friday we flew home and drove to Ohio on Saturday to help out with the kids. It was a blow for Joe to get his diagnosis last year but he was 66. She is 44. It also is treatable but not curable by medical standards. She will hve RFA on the liver mets after she heals from the surgery in about a month. Please include her and Michael in your prayers. We plan to be here til the 8th of November but can't stay away from Joe's treatments either. We will try and pass on all the good nutrition info as well as the hope and strength they can get from God in this tough situation. We are back to helping with homework, feeding animals, and doing household chores that make us feel needed. Joe has Connor the 10 year old out fishing right now. There is a website for people with carcinoid tumors just like the cc website and that has been helpful for Mike. Joe continues to do well and our few weeks in Bonaire were really good to just relax and sit back.Take care and God bless. Mary Anne

Monday, October 15, 2007

Good Divin'




We are still in Bonaire and although not cold at all the weather has been unusual for Bonaire. The last few days have been cloudy and lots of rain. The island only get 22 inches of rain a year and we got 2 1/2" on Saturday. As many of you know, I suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) which means that when the sun is not shinning, I am not in such a great mood. Saturday was about the third day that week that it was clooudy and I was pretty down most of the day. Sunday and today dawned sunny and nice and we went diving both days. Today we saw a Spotted Eagle Ray and I was able to get some nice pictures and Sunday for the second time we saw a Queen Trigger Fish (beautiful) and I also got lucky with the camera.
We are so blessed to be able to dive and see God's creatures that so very few get to see. The colors and variety anr unbelievable. I am not sure how one could doubt the existance of God with all the wonders of creation around.
Thanks to those who comment on the blog (Caroline above......we continue to pray for you). I so enjoy reading them.
Joe

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Just Relaxin!

We have been on Bonaire for about a week and a half and it has been very good. On our own schedule and very relaxing. We went to the Small group that was started when we were down here in Jan. They are going strong and growing. They are studying the life of Jesus and the leader (Ernie) is doing a GREAT job.

Yesterday, I had my doctor in the States fax orders for bloodwork to the doctor I see here. I went in to see him yesterday and had the blood drawn yesterday afternoon and I picked up the results this afternoon. ALL of the results were very good. Liver function was all normal. Red and white bl;ood cells were also very good. Praise God! They were unable to do the Cancer markers here so I will probably get that done when we return home.

I made arrangements with American Airlines to came home two weeks earlier than planned in the winter so that Mary Anne can train with her coach prior to the Master's State Meet. I also made arrangements to come home in February (in the middle of our stay) for a week in order to get three IPT treatments. I will do that and then return to Bonaire for five more weeks.

This island is so much like home for us. We have been coming here for eleven years and know so many people. The Antilliens are very friendly and laid back. The island is sub tropical and not what one might picture when thinking of a tropical island. No long stretches of sandy beach but this is one of the things that maked the diving great. We think that it is beautiful. There is no discrimination here........I believe that it is the way God intended the world to be.

Again and again thank you for all your prayers!!!

Joe

Thursday, October 04, 2007

Bonaire

We arrived here with no problems whatsoever on Monday night at 8:45. It was good to get back and we have seen quite a few people on the island that we know. Yesterday at the Warehouse market a lady who worked there asked me how I was doing? She said she knew me from church (on Bonaire) and that the testimony I gave in Feb really touched her. She is praying for me every day. WOW!

We went to Rum Runners for dinner last night and Bashi the manager asked how I was and said he had told his mother about me in Jan. She had asked about me just a couple of weeks ago and Bashi said she prays for me every day.

We went on our checkout dive on Tuesday and went to one of our favorite sites yesterday. Water is warm at 84 degrees and visability is good. We are hoping to be able to see the coral spawning tonight as we will do a night dive.

It is good to be here, very relaxing with no schedule.

Our love to you all,

Joe