This was taken in the summer of 2011~
So grateful to be in this place of renewed life and even greater Joy!

A new journey begins

Thank you for being so faithful in reading our journey.
I am happy to say that the Oncologist is very pleased with where things are. My blood counts are good. I have been on the maintenance chemo for 10 months and my liver is accepting the drugs!
14 more months to go! I am back to work with intensity! More family shoots than I have had in a long time! I have many new galleries and I am enjoying the ability to be an artist again! Praise God! This was my photo taken January 26th, 2010 for my drivers license! I officially started the maintenance a week before.

If you are interested in any more blogging, it will be done on my Artistic Imagery website:
www.LornaRande.com


Again, you have made this journey richer by your care, love and prayers over us! We are SO thankful! Rob, Lorna, Jessica, Amy and Angela

One Year~

Today is April 12th 2011~ Wow, what a year since I was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia! It is incredible to look back over the year and remember the blessings, struggles and joy! We had a family dinner tonight at Angela's and celebrated. How rich and good!

The days have been filled with a portion of 'normal' it just does not last as long as it used to!
But it is good. Among other things, I signed my contract with CS Designs to have Dave sell a line of my images to designers. That has been a journey as well. I was given my first royalty check yesterday!

Blessings to each one who has followed along on this journey! Lorna

15 years!

Today~ Rob and I celebrate 15 years since our wedding day!! What rich wonderful experiences shared with an Amazing Man!! Memories of hiking in Yoho with our Girls and all new hiking boots for each of us! That was beautiful... Camping trips, fishing Lakes and (Yucky) leeches that liked Angela!!
Home Renovations and my Rob learning to do many things here! And, having such a supportive family through the Leukemia Journey! Wow, I am blessed!

We have all the Girls home tonight to celebrate our anniversary! Fun!! Beef Tenderloin, roasted red peppers, parsnips and sweet potatoes and jello with Strawberries and grapes AND Jessica is making one of her scrumptious cheesecakes!
So much to be grateful for... even if this chest infection has not gone away! We are celebrating in the sunshine!!

THANK YOU

Well Dear Ones...
I have been reminded by someone that I have not posted for awhile, wanting to know how I was! Do you have any idea how encouraging that is to hear!!!? Thank you for caring and for continuing to check this blog!
I am sick! And have been for a week. I had a chest X-ray last thursday and my lungs are clear, but I have had congestion and rattling in my chest all week. It is beginning to break up, but I am weary.
Maybe I did too much.... and have stepped back again spending the whole week mostly in bed! Rob has also been sick... and has taken a week off work as he is also coughing and sick but he has a flu bug as well. So, we have been reading a book together.
I have also been preparing images for the professional competition. That has been good. I will post once the judging is done. March 19th.
Thanks again for caring! Lorna

Snow and a walk in the woods!

Oh dear... February 8th was the last post!! Well, I saw Dr Forest on thursday a week ago and the chemo tablets have not even dropped my white blood count down. So, this is good! I am feeling more 'normal' and enjoying life! What a Gift! Today was a walk in the woods with a friend! It was LOVELY! All taken with my iPhone! It is just so easy!!

Four weeks~ This Thursday!

This would be a self-portrait of my First Born Jessica!
Life is just so Good!!

Each day I am stronger! Thursday is four weeks since Dr Forrest said I am officially "cancer free".
Wow, how good. I had my bloodwork done on friday, by a lovely Technician @ BC Bio named Karen. Very gracious and did not feel anything for the first time having blood taken 'with a needle' in a long time!! So, I am grateful! I go to find out the results on thursday when I meet with Dr Forrest again. These are sweet days. I still get tired out if I overdo it but I am feeling more and more "normal"!

My Baby Girl turns 24!

February 2nd. Angela's Birthday. We started off with breakfast together at 5:45 am before Angela, Rob and Jessica left for their construction jobs! Well... I have still not brought my "Big Camera" out much... and the iPhone is just so easy!
So, here is Angela with one of our Pastors at Cedar Grove for the international dinner for Missions Week! And with Rob, and with Nicole! Party Time! Angela was okay with going there for her 'Birthday Dinner' and was having fun!

Renovation

The Renovation is progressing!! The bathroom for the suite has been boarded by our great Brother-in-law! First coat of mud is done and in "our" bathroom... Angela and Rob moved the tub in last night!! We will be ready to 'board' the second bathroom soon!
It is exciting! Rob is going long hours as he is also working 6 days a week! It will be good to be done!

Twins

Saturday we had two adorable twin boys come visit with their lovely Mamma! It was SO delightful! Thanks Jessica, for cleaning up after!

The Two Year Journey...

Well, for those of you interested... I have taken a photo of my chemo drugs! The 12 little ones I take once a week. The two yellow ones I take once a day with the single white one also ( the antibiotic).
It seems to be going well. The weekly dose gives me a rash but otherwise all is okay. I also wanted to say that the entire 9 month journey, I was never car sick with all those trips going in and out! Wow, that was incredible. Thank you again for your prayers. God has been so good on this journey!

It has been 9 days.... Nine wonderful days since I last wrote... it seems as if the Leukemia is on a boat drifting out to sea and I am happily on shore!! I celebrated my 51st birthday last sunday... officially, with a wonderful lunch in the lovely home where Amy is house-sitting right now! What a delightful day.
It has been a full week of celebrating and growing in strength! My shoulder is much better and I look forward to playing the conga's again this coming thursday! Such Rich Joy!

One week later...

It has been a week since the wonderful news from my Doctor! What a week! My strength is returning... though I have done something crazy to my shoulder, which is in great pain... and it was NOT shoveling the driveway yesterday, OR playing the congas in Freedom Band ~Yahhooo! So good to BE there last night~ as my shoulder was hurting before that! I guess I have overdone it a bit! It is just so~ so cool, to be feeling a bit 'normal' ! I had a wonderful outing to Fort Langley on Tuesday with a friend to celebrate our birthdays! The 'Salon Cafe' is a new restaurant at 'The Little White House'. They have a pastry chef there who does amazing things with herbs! That little 'cookie' on the spoon is a savory short bread cookie with rosemary! The tomatoe soup was delicious with Basil, the quiche (which is a half portion as we shared it) was also delicious! Just Lovely. Then a wonderful visit on Wednesday at my house with the very precocious and beautiful 'Kirra Theresa Rose' and her Mom! : )
I have started a body strength "rebuilding program" with a very capable massage therapist, who I am going to see this morning to get my shoulder 'fixed' ! Maybe I will have to step back a bit...
Blessings to each of you this day!

In Remission!

Well..... my last day and my prayer was that maybe God would give me Annette for my nurse today and I had Annette!! Here she is taking out the Pic line (once I was done getting the meds). Wow, it's gone in seconds! Then all five of us met with Dr Forrest, who says "Yes! Lorna is in complete remission!" Good News!! I will need to get blood work done in Surrey once a month... and I will go in to see Dr Forrest once every three months! Then as we were leaving we ran into Dr Drysdale the Pychiatrist who was SO excited to see us and hear our news. She had just prayed "Lord, I need something encouraging right now" and then she saw us! How Fun!! She was so happy to hear me being "clear minded"and talking with inflection and vibrancy!!
We all went to Red Robins to celebrate and told our waitress why we had c ome and she said her son had been diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma at 4 1/2 and has been in remission for 3 1/2 years!! She brought us a dessert of our choice!!! What a day! God is Good!!!

Last Day!

Wonderful Snow yesterday... we had 8 inches at our house!!
So beautiful... but it started raining somewhere around 6:00 am... so I went out for a little bit before it all disappeared from the branches!!

Today is the last day in!! Yahoooo!!
My last dose of Pentamidine (the 'yucky' antibiotic). Then I meet with Dr Forrest who will watch over me the next two years. I am bringing all my questions and all of my family will meet Amy and I there at 2:20!! Good thing!

Blessings to each of you this day, Lorna

wonderful weekend

What crazy weather!! Hailstones on Saturday, followed by sunshine!
Then that evening we were invited out for supper!
Oh so good to have "normal numbers" again! Little Ava loved the tree!! Sunday I was able to go to church for the first time in weeks! That was lovely! And I am allowed to drive again! Yahooo.... now I just need a vehicle!
Blessings!! Happy January 10th!

The Best News!!

I was into VGH wednesday... and my last appointment at the ~VGH Bone Marrow Transplant Unit ~ will be next Thursday!! I have the 'yucky' Pentamidine one more time and then the PIC line is taken out and I will be "Released" from the Daycare Program!! All the blood work needed, will be done in Surrey and faxed to Vancouver from next Thursday~ on! Yahoooo!!

I began the "desensitization" yesterday, to the antibiotic that I need to take for the two years, while I take the two oral chemo drugs. I am allergic to the antibiotic, so they are starting me on small incremental doses for two weeks, hoping that my body will accept the drug. (The only other alternative is to have the Pentamidine administered every two weeks by IV. So, they are hoping this will work.)

I had a valuable reminder this last week from Clair, who reads this blog and who has also walked through the Leukemia Journey. I will quote her, as the words are profound:
"Cancer invites us to take on the challenge of survival and it also leaves us vulnerable. I think this is a gift too. It reminds us of how precious life is and what really matters in our lives. We get a bonus chance to balance our hectic lives and invest the time into those we love and hobbies that fill our soul."

Thank YOU Clair. I keep assuming that "complete recovery" means life will be back to what it was before... I need to remember that "normal" will be redefined. That is okay, it may just take me awhile to sort out what I can and cannot do.

Thank YOU, again ~
Lorna, the Leukemia Mamma

making progress

Hmmmm ~ Life is so good!!
Sunday... I went to see Leona's home and had tea! Lovely! I took this shot of the Fitzes front door!
This makes me happy! A welcoming door!
Then went to Yaletown to have dinner with two lovely friends!! Yummy assortment of nibbly's! Tasty!! Including an artichoke dish that we picked up from 'La Province' around the corner!!
The other good news is that "The" Plumber and Electrician both came by yesterday !! We are closer to having the suite ready to rent for February 1st! We are praying for another GOOD Tenant!

Happy New Year~

January First, 2011
What a delight to begin a new year! Thank you for the rich encouragement you have been on the 2010 journey~ Happy New Year!
I am in just once a week now. When we left on Wednesday morning, it was snowing big snowflakes!! Beautiful! My visit @ VGH revealed that my neutraphils are still at the bottom, though all the other numbers are up. It means I still need to stay away from crowds and sick people! So, New Years Eve was quiet. We had Jessica and Angela both come for dinner and a movie! So, it was a lovely evening. Oh what a gift my family is to me! Enjoy this lovely day ~Lorna, the Leukemia Mamma