Chelanigans!

We're here, in the land of beautiful orchards and smoke-filled skies, once more.  Central Washington, Chelan, to be exact.  (The smoke-filled skies is a reference to the fires that seem to plague the area every summer.  This summer, there's a fire near a small town called Staheegan.  No idea on if that's the correct spelling.)  Ben's mom and step-dad live here.  We la-hove it here.  And we love Ben's mom and step-dad.  His step-dad, Greg, actually just finished a huge stem cell and chemo-filled hell - he has/had bone marrow cancer.  We wanted to visit him once his white blood cell count was in a safer range.  He's doing okay; the chemo's side effects are still raging through his body, and that's really hard for him.  But his latest scan shows that he is free and clear.  Such good, good news.

Greg's brother, Jodi, lives here, as well, and he is HI-larious.  My favorite joke of his so far this week: He just bought the movie, Insurgent.  He showed it to us, saying, "Look!  I got Insurgent!  We should watch it!  I can't wait until the next movie, Detergent, comes out.   It's where they all wash their clothes.  And then the fourth movie, Astringent, is when they try to clear up their skin."  I'm still chuckling over that joke.  Haha!  He's so funny.

Saturday, we played in the lake:

Gage got tired and conked out on the blanket:

 My adorable mother-in-law:

 Micah's more of a play-in-the-sand guy:

 Greg has to keep his feet up most of the day - his neuropathy and edema are still pretty bad from chemo:

 Benj:

Oooh, oooh, I forgot to tell you some most important news:  Micah was tested by a child psychologist, and he does have ODD, but in combination with generalized anxiety disorder.  So he's on medication for both problems, and his behavior has improved a thousand-fold.  We are so, so grateful.  This diagnosis and medication is an answer to basically seven years of prayers over this kid. He actually seems...happy.  For the first time.  Truly happy, contented, and at peace.  It's like the shell that was covering the true him - the Anger Shell - has been stripped away, and he is able to emerge. So, so thankful.  This vacation with him has been extremely pleasant.  I'm thrilled.

Micah is also taking a vitamin supplement called Q96 that my friend, Kara recommended.  It is supposed to help anyone with any kind of neurologic/mental health issue.  I'm sure it's helping him as well.  If not, it certainly can't hurt to get more vitamins and minerals into one's system, no?

Kar Cancer Update:

Still going in for my herceptin IV every three weeks which, thankfully, has no bad side effects.  A troubling little...nodule?  Blister-like bump?  Has appeared on the scar line of my left chest.  My radiologist says it's either just my skin still trying to cope - apparently, the radiation stays in your body and continues to zap the area at which it was aimed for six months after your last treatment.  Man, no wonder I'm so tired!!  So it could be that my skin is still trying to heal, and it's difficult, because the radiation is still there, wreaking havoc.  Orrrrr..... it could be something we need to biopsy.  I need to make an appointment with a breast surgery specialist in town so he can check it out. So if you are ever praying for me, pray that the blister-like bump is just...my skin, still mad at me for being radiated, and not any type of recurrence of cancer.  I'm thinking positively and just planning on it being angry, sad skin.