Jun 3rd, 2011 by Lori Puente
In the hospital enjoying Hudson's insistence on holding his baby sister 1989
“The family. We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another’s desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together.” – Erma Bombeck
One of my most favorite bits on having and raising children is Bill Cosby’s Himself circa 1980. If you have never seen it, I highly recommend it. You will laugh until your face hurts, if you are a parent that is. Continue Reading »
Tags: milestones, parenting, transitions
Posted in Kids, Our Life | 5 Comments »
Jun 3rd, 2011 by Lori Puente
Aunt June
“Only an aunt can give hugs like a mother, keep secrets like a sister and share love like a friend.”
My father’s older sister, my Aunt June. She will turn 80 this month. While I was there we “walked the property”. She wanted to show me the areas where the gas/oil folks were meandering around on the property. It has been years and years since I walked up into the woods on the old quarry/logging roads to the end of the line. There was so much to explore when we were children.
Continue Reading »
Tags: Aunt, farm
Posted in Our Life | 3 Comments »
Jun 3rd, 2011 by Lori Puente
A little touch in my Uncle's beautiful country garden
“Ironically, rural America has become viewed by a growing number of Americans as having a higher quality of life not because of what it has, but rather because of what it does not have!” ~Don A. Dillman
Continue Reading »
Tags: Hudson Homestead, NE PA, The Farm
Posted in Our Life | No Comments »
May 18th, 2011 by Lori Puente
Rendering by artist Ron Baker, My Friend!
“Courage is fear holding on a minute longer.” – General George S. Patton
Yesterday at the airport waiting for Dave to get the car situated before checking bags and making our way through security, suddenly bagpipes, with only the sound they make, began in earnest not far from where I was standing. Continue Reading »
Tags: returning soldier, welcome committee
Posted in Our Life | 3 Comments »
May 17th, 2011 by Lori Puente
“Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were. But without it we go nowhere.” – Carl Sagan
Over at the Myeloma Beacon they have announced that Dr. Nair at UAMS is recruiting high risk myeloma patients for this trial. Continue Reading »
Tags: Dr. Nair, High Risk Myeloma, natural killer cells, NK Cells, Trial, UAMS
Posted in Multiple Myeloma | 3 Comments »
May 17th, 2011 by Lori Puente
“The charity Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research hopes to speed up the delivery of new drug treatments by linking together 13 UK research centres.”
The mission of our Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) is to resolve some of the very issues that this story presents for the patients in England and market obstacles to get new drugs to the patients. Even drugs that have been approved in the US are not readily available for the folks across the pond.
Here’s hoping that they have found a workable solution to being able to get these new drugs through speedy trials and available more broadly to their patients.
“There are so many different blood cancers – the most common cause of cancer deaths in the under 35s – that it has often been seen as uneconomical to develop drugs for many types, says the charity.”
Article (Hat tip by buddy Andrew, across the pond)
Tags: BBC news story, blood cancer research, drugs to patient, Research, trials
Posted in Multiple Myeloma | No Comments »
May 15th, 2011 by Lori Puente
Montana
“Mommy – I can’t wait until I grow up and have blond hair and blue eyes like you.” – Tani, Age 4
Montana and I were getting ready together for our day in my bathroom. I was putting on my makeup and she was preparing for me to do pigtails or a braid, whichever trend she was into at that moment. It was one of those sweet moments where you are deeply touched that she wants to be like you, but also taking the opportunity to tell her that she is more beautiful just the way she is. Continue Reading »
Tags: celebration, family, friends, graduation, montana
Posted in Caregiver Thoughts, Kids, Our Life | 6 Comments »
May 15th, 2011 by Lori Puente
Posted in Misc | 4 Comments »
May 14th, 2011 by Lori Puente
“A friend is the one who comes in when the whole world has gone out.” – Grace Pulpit
Lately, I’ve been very aware of other’s tragedies in life, including my own. We all have them. None of us are immune. And a common thread through them all that I have noticed that continues to trouble me, is the “stigma” attached, and the “social death” that so often ensues. Continue Reading »
Tags: Cancer, death, divorce, drugs abuse, foreclosure, job loss, social death, social stigmas, teen pregnancy, YCHS 1976 Bus Crash
Posted in Caregiver Thoughts, Our Life | 4 Comments »
May 10th, 2011 by Lori Puente
“It is easy to get a thousand prescriptions but hard to get one single remedy.” – Chinese Proverb
A story at Yahoo is stating that acetaminophen is now connected to increased risk of blood cancers. Now that caught my attention of course. But then, as we often do, I thought “Dave never took Tylenol or any aspirin or aspirin substitutes.” Funny how we relate everything to ourselves and our own experiences, anecdotally. Anyway, here is my take… Continue Reading »
Tags: blood cancers & tylenol, drug society
Posted in Caregiver Thoughts, Misc | 5 Comments »
May 9th, 2011 by Lori Puente
All is well, no worries… Sarah chided me (rightly so) for using a sensational headline! Sorry. It’s just we never really are too far from “Myelomaville” and I have been ‘away’ doing other fun and meaningful things in my life of late… a good thing. Thus, ‘Back to Myelomaville’ to check in and write… Continue Reading »
Tags: IMF, Little Rock, The Myeloma Beacon, UAMS
Posted in Caregiver Thoughts, Misc, Multiple Myeloma, Our Life | 4 Comments »
May 8th, 2011 by Lori Puente
My Mom in her late 20's, 1960s era
“The moment a child is born, the mother is also born.” – Rajneesh
Happy Mother’s Day to everyone. A lovely day of sharing or remembering our mothers. I often remember not just my own, but all those who “mothered me” along the way. Their nurturing, their care, their hugs, their advice, their laughter.
Continue Reading »
Tags: Mother's Day
Posted in Misc, Our Life | 4 Comments »
May 7th, 2011 by Lori Puente
The words that were on our school sign the day after the accident and for weeks to come back in 1976.
“It’s like a miracle. Thirty-five years ago, we were encouraged to put it behind us; but for so many people it never went away. It helps to have a place to go, to remember, that has their names up. When people have a place to come and focus their feelings, they can let go a little at a time. And that’s how grieving is supposed to be.” – Tom Randolph, at the groundbreaking for this monument, March 26, 2011
Continue Reading »
Tags: 2011 Memorial Dedication, YCHS 1976 Bus Crash
Posted in Our Life | 5 Comments »
May 5th, 2011 by Lori Puente
Accident Scene in Martinez California
“Sometime during all of this, someone yelled that they were going to lift the bus and wanted me out. I crawled out and saw the big Shell Oil cranes overhead, and watched as they lifted the bus. As the cranes carefully elevated the bus, it gave us 360 degree access to all the children still inside. I could see up and down along the bus that the other firefighters were now able to get to all the kids that had been inaccessible before.” – Capt Xon Burris
Continue Reading »
Tags: 1976, Dedication, Memorial, Remembering, Yuba City High School Choir Bus Tragedy
Posted in Our Life | 20 Comments »
May 4th, 2011 by Lori Puente
Posted in Misc | 3 Comments »
May 3rd, 2011 by Lori Puente
Chenille Scarf (click to enlarge)
Sorry I haven’t been posting lately! It has been a wonderfully busy time for me! I have been taking a weaving class from Robyn Lynde of Meridian Jacobs farm in Dixon, CA. The class, my friend Kathi and I took, was a beginning class where we learn basic theory, look at samples, pick our yarn, figure out basic stuff, math, warp out on a warping board to get our length, transfer it onto our looms and weave a sampler of varying patterns. Of course during that entire process you run into problems, questions, concerns and Robyn guided us all along the way offering her 30+ years of experience in a gradient, digestible, manner. She is a very open, caring, giving instructor and we had a fabulous time.
Continue Reading »
Tags: busy, Weaving
Posted in Kids, Misc, Our Life | 5 Comments »
Apr 25th, 2011 by Lori Puente
“A Cancer Institute researcher thinks the most aggressive myeloma tumors may soon meet their match.” – UAMS
I’ve been really busy this week on a large scarf order where the yarn took way too long to come in and now I’m backed against a very hard deadline for a dear friend.
So I will keep this brief, but it is very exciting. Nick has already written about it and to understand the particular Myeloma patient’s presentation of his disease you should definitely go over and have a read there. Nick is very good at articulating the science.
Continue Reading »
Tags: myeloma research, natural killer cells, UAMS, van Rhee
Posted in Multiple Myeloma | 1 Comment »
Apr 22nd, 2011 by Lori Puente
“Soul-mates are people who bring out the best in you. They are not perfect but are always perfect for you.” – Unknown
Something that is very important for us as caregivers and not so easy to do, is to remember, always, we are the support for the patient, but the patient needs to lead. While there will be times where we have to take the lead and “cover” for them when they are really struggling, it has to be as the 2nd Lieutenant supporting the General. In other words, you do and support in ways that you know they would expect you to based on your relationship, understandings and communication. Continue Reading »
Tags: balancing, differing views, support of the patient
Posted in Caregiver Thoughts, Multiple Myeloma | 11 Comments »
Apr 21st, 2011 by Lori Puente
Terry & Red
“Myeloma may be what takes my life in the long run. But I’m not going to let it happen today.” – Terry Purdom
Ok, you simply must watch this great video from Terry Purdom! (hat tip: David at workingwithme.com)
Terry has Multiple Myeloma, diagnosed quickly in 2004. He loves Harleys and is spreading Hope about surviving Multiple Myeloma and Cancer. He has a website and a newsletter “Hope Elevated”.
http://www.terrysbigadventure.com/
I just want you to know, that I know this journey can be very hard. Continue Reading »
Tags: harley davidson, Hope Elevated, inspiration, long term survivor, multiple myeloma, Terry Purdom
Posted in Caregiver Thoughts, Multiple Myeloma | No Comments »
Apr 19th, 2011 by Lori Puente
“To be in your children’s memories tomorrow, you have to be in their lives today” – Anonymous
What a wonderful trip I had in Maryland visiting our daughter Montana. She was an athlete for four years at Maryland and was giving a little speech at the year end swim and dive banquet. It coincided with our trip to Little Rock, so Dave went home and put me on a plane for College Park. I stayed with Montana at her sorority house, AOPII (Alpha Omicron Pi), with 47 residents, a house mother and her little dog, Luda. It’s a lovely old mansion right off the campus. Continue Reading »
Tags: montana, Terps, University of Maryland, Visit
Posted in Kids, Our Life | 5 Comments »
« Newer Posts - Older Posts »
