Sunny Summer

Thank you Seth and Liz for updating the blog while I (Katheryn) was skipping around Minneapolis.

Uncle George blessed us with another visit for about two weeks. You would all be so impressed with how native he looked while he worked around the property. He kept very busy (dirty and sweaty) chainsawing trees in the back field, maintaining yard gear, mowing, creating patios, and installing cabinets.

Patrick and I returned from MN a few weeks ago and have been keeping busy with property and business maintenance as well. Aaron and Trillium worked together to create a paint art project in the new downstairs yoga/exercise room. Aaron has also been devotedly working on a major garden in the back field. Trillium left Maui last night to visit her family in Sweden for the summer. We all already miss her sunny presence greatly! Luckily, she's planning on coming back in a few months.

Shortly after the May 9th blog entry, David had fevers that would come and go and he had lost his appetite along with 12lbs. Around that time, he started having a severe nerve pain that starts at his buttocks area. This pain has been so intense that movement hurts a great deal and he has not been able to walk for about a month. He has been attempting to manage the pain in the buttocks and other areas with morphine, hydromorphone and a few other pain killers. Last night, he tried a new pain killer that focuses on nerve pain and it has reduced the pain to a degree.

While George was here and shortly thereafter, the rest of David's body (other than the buttocks pain) was feeling excellent and his appetite was back.

David started radiation treatment 1 and 1/2 weeks ago from vertebrae T1-S1 (aprox. 3 inches wide by 6 inches long) in an attempt to reduce the nerve pain. He finished his 5th treatment yesterday. The treatment seems to make him pretty tired. For the past four days, he has also re-lost his appetite.

On a positive note, he and Shanna have been going to the pool five days a week after radiation treatment to get the blood moving and enjoy the water.

Have a sparkley 4th of July everyone and a happy summer!