Thanksgiving was a time for THANKS

Our family gathered around a bountiful table on Thanksgiving Day - just a quiet group of us - ever so thankful for the blessings we have. Will and Lauren gladly escaped the frostiness of Chicago for a few days in our Tampa warmth, and Dee's son, Sam, was home from Stanford. We enjoyed quiet visits, tv football and reading while they were home.

John had a rather non-eventful doctor's visit today and the outcome was that he will continue the treatment regime he has switched to for the immediate future. There will be further brain MRI and body CAT scans in the new year, but for now, we are hoping for smooth sailing through the holidays. The whole clan will be in Tampa, so our home will be filled with loving energy on a daily basis! We so look forward to gathering them all in.

Our Annual Christmas Card mailing has been curtailed for this year. So, for all of you, please know we wish you happiness and health for 2011 and a wonderfully blessed holiday season.

A Brief Stay at Moffitt

Things certainly never get dull around here. We noticed some swelling in John's right ankle over the weekend. Our doctor requested John's presence in the Moffitt Direct Referral Center (sort of a triage emergency room) on Monday and ultrasounds showed a blood clot in his leg. Because of his history of brain tumors, he is not allowed to take a blood thinner, so inserting a filter to catch any breakaway clots was the required course of action. They kept him overnight Monday and we waited all day Tuesday for the 20 minute procedure to be completed - with no complications. My devoted sis, Dee, took the day off to be with us which was a huge help. We returned home Tuesday night at 8:30, tired as always from hospital time, but so glad to know the filter is in place. Hopefully John will return to his physical therapy efforts on Friday and we will enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving with Will, Lauren, Dee and her son, Sam - home for the holidays from Stanford.

Cortisone shots today

Conditions remain much the same here since I last wrote, Oct. 17. Radiation treatments have concluded and we continue to hope that they will help with John's hip pain. Likewise, the x-ray guided injections today of cortisone have a likelihood of reducing inflammation and thus, relieving pain. John will soon start on another kidney cancer drug, Afinitor, as results from the Nexavar he has been taking have not all been as we'd hoped. Upon much urging from friends and family, we are getting some home assistance three afternoons a week, which serves as a huge help for me. We look forward to a visit next week from John's sister, Margaret and his mom - both of whom will drive down from Atlanta.