Fighting For Mike

Mike's Obituary

2008-09-02T09:09:00.003-04:00

Elwood Vern "Mike" Metzler, 58, of 1837 Gabler Rd., Chambersburg, PA, went to be with the Lord on Sunday, August 31, 2008, at his home.

Born Sunday, December 18, 1949, in Altoona, PA, he was the son of the late Paul F. Metzler and the late Irene A. Clapper Stone.

He attended the Scotland School for Veterans' Children, and was employed with Gabler Trucking, Inc. in Chambersburg, PA for 30 1/2 years. He was a member of the First Church of God in Chambersburg and associate member of the V.F.W.

He is survived by his wife of 38 years Judy Arlene Metzler, a daughter, Michelle L. Williams & husband Dean of State Line, PA; one son, Michael L. Metzler of Jacksonville, FL; two sisters, Ethel Jean Harmon of Chambersburg, PA and Pauline Kriner of Chambersburg, PA; two grandchildren, Kayla Brooke Williams of State Line, PA and Austin Jon Williams of State Line, PA; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Graveside services will be held for the family on Thursday, September 4, 2008, at 11:00 a.m. at the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, Chambersburg, PA with the Rev. Charles P. Frank officiating.

There will be no viewing or visitation.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made in memory of Elwood V. Metzler to:

Patriot Federal Credit Union
Attn: Mail Teller
P.O. Box 778
Chambersburg, PA 17201

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Douglas A. Fiery Funeral Home, 1331 Eastern Blvd. North, Hagerstown, MD. Online condolences may be expressed at http://douglasfiery.com/obitDetail.aspx?id=177.

Mike's Final Days Are Here...

2008-08-29T21:58:00.004-04:00

Wow - I can't believe it has been almost three months since I updated this blog. I apologize to those of you out there who have been using this as a means to keep up with Mike's cancer journey.

Mike has been unable to beat his cancer, but it hasn't taken him easily. Mike is now in a coma and while he doesn't talk or anything, the nurse says that he can hear us. Judy has been extremely strong and she has been surrounded by her family and friends over this past week.

Mike was still walking and talking until earlier this past week. I believe it was sometime Wednesday that he went into what the nurse is calling "a coma" and she had said then that he probably wouldn't make it through the night. He didn't have a blood pressure or anything. But then the next day he had his blood pressure back and he is still hanging on.

Mike & Judy's daughter, Michelle, has been staying with Judy and other family members are there on and off throughout the days and evenings.

It is a really sad time right now but Mike wouldn't want us to be sad for him. He is just that type of person.

O Praise Him Video & Lyrics

2008-06-08T21:04:00.002-04:00

We sing this song quite often in church and I really like it...

Turn your ear
To Heaven and hear
The noise inside
The sound of angels
The sound of angel¡¯s songs
And all this for a King
We could join and sing
"All to Christ the King!"

How constant
How divine
This song of ours will rise
Oh, how constant
How divine
This love of ours will rise
Will rise...

CHORUS:
O praise Him!
O praise Him!
He is Holy!
He is Holy, yeah!

Turn your gaze
To Heaven and raise
A joyous noise
Oh, the sound of salvation come
The sound of rescued ones
And all this for a king
Angles join to sing
"All for Christ the King!"

CHORUS [2x]

Oh la la la la la...

O pra-ise Him!
O pra-ise Him!
He is Ho-ly!
He is Ho-ly!

How infininte and sweet
This love so rescuing
Oh how infinitely sweet
This great love that has redeemed
As one, we sing...

"Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
He is Ho-ly!
He is Ho-ly!" [2x]

O pra-ise Him!
O pra-ise Him!
He is Ho-ly!
He is Ho-ly!

Oh, La la la la la la...

"Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
He is Ho-ly!
He is Ho-ly!"

O pra-ise Him!
O pra-ise Him!
He is Ho-ly!
He is Ho-ly!

Oh la la la la la la...

Check Out These Neat Pictures!

2008-06-04T14:07:00.002-04:00

I received an email today from my stepdaughter with all of these really cool pictures. At the end is the Lord's Prayer...

Off To Florida Soon!

2008-05-31T23:09:00.002-04:00

Mike and Judy are planning on traveling to Florida to see Mikie in a couple of weeks. They are taking Kayla and Austin, the grandkids, along to visit. Hopefully a change of scenery will do Mike some good.

Mike's pain has gotten worse and his pain pills and pain patch have been increased. Judy said at night she can hear him moaning from the pain.

He won't know until sometime in July if the cancer is better, worse or in remission. We are praying for better and remission. Mike doesn't look like himself any longer. He is extremely thin.

We just continue to ask for prayers and lots of love for Mike.

Sunday Activities and Pain Increases

2008-05-05T09:09:00.004-04:00

Yesterday was a busy day for the family. Our daughter was baptized and then after lunch we helped Mike & Judy get their yard sale items down to my mother-in-law's house. Next weekend is the annual yard sale in my MIL's neighborhood. It was a beautiful Sunday and it was a great day to spend time together.

Mike is ornery as ever and was in a good mood yesterday. His pain is getting worse and he has had to increase his pain pills from two a day to four a day. He is also wearing a morphine patch. He has been having severe pain in his ribs and back and Judy thought maybe he cracked a rib carrying two 50-lb. bags of sand up to the swimming pool. He had tests done and they found that he didn't crack anything.

Mike said his iron levels have went back up some. He seemed to eat pretty good at lunch yesterday, too.

Testify to Love

2008-05-05T09:06:00.000-04:00

All the colors of the rainbow
All of voices of the wind
Every dream that reaches out
That reaches out to find where love begins
Every word of every story
Every star in every sky
Every corner of creation lives to testify

For as long as I shall live
I will testify to love
I'll be a witness in the silences when words are not enough
With every breath I take I will give thanks to God above
For as long as I shall live
I will testify to love

From the mountains to the valleys
From the rivers to the sea
Every hand that reaches out
Every hand that reaches out to offer peace
Every simple act of mercy
Every step to kingdom come
All the Hope in every heart will speak what love has done

Chorus
Chorus

Two Cups of Coffee

2008-04-18T19:35:00.003-04:00

I received this below from Judy via email and thought it was really neat. I wanted to share it here...

Subject: 2 CUPS OF COFFEE
A MAYONNAISE JAR AND 2 CUPS OF COFFEE

When things in your life seem almost too much too handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front
of him.

When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty
mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the
students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar.
He shook the jar lightly.
The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then
asked the students again if the jar was full they agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into t he jar. Of
course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar
was full. The students responded with a unanimous yes."

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and
poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space
between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to
recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the
important things- your God, family, your children, your health, your
friends, and your favorite passions--things that if everything else was lost
and only they remained your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and
your car.

The sand is everything else -- the small stuff.

If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room
for the pebbles or the golf balls.
The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small
stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with
your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to
dinner.
Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the
disposal."

Take care of the golf balls first -- the things that really matter. Set
your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee
represented.

The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no
matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups
of coffee with a friend."

Judy's Email on Mike

2008-04-18T19:32:00.001-04:00

Here is the latest update on how Mike is doing. Judy sent this email out earlier this week:

Hi everyone. Sorry I didn't get this out sooner but we have been really busy and I just forgot to send this out. Mike saw the Dr. on Fri. the 11th of April. He gained another 2 lbs. He is anemic so he will be getting a shot every Fri. until his count comes back up.

He sees the Dr. again on 5/23/08. He has blood work done on 5/01/08 and again on 5/22/08 if his count isn't up on 5/01/08. This is part of the reason he is so tired. So maybe after his blood count goes up he may not get as tired.

The Dr. told us that Mike won't be able to go back to work until he has the PT scan which won't be until sometime in July. He was hoping this Dr. (chemo) would tell him he could go back to driving & to work. The radiation Dr. is the first Dr. that told him he couldn't work or drive. He has 8 weeks of chemo & than he will have blood work done to see if his tumor count came back down.He is keeping busy helping get ready for yard sales. Plus he has mowed the yard & is getting the pool ready for the summer. Now that it is getting a little warmer outside he finds things to do out there. But he does find time to take nap during the day. He has been going to Justin's (our nephew) volleyball games and soon he will be going to other family members softball & baseball games. This will help to occupy some of his time. He likes sports. Plus having our grandchildren here sure helps us alot too. I guess I have covered everything for now. Thanks for all your prayers.

Love always,

Judy

Mike's Our Hero!

2008-04-14T19:01:00.002-04:00

Anyone living daily with cancer is a hero and Mike is no exception! Of course, to all of us he is a hero for many more reasons. His kindness, unselfishness, giving and carefree attitude and spirit is amazing to us all!

The Family Together Again!

2008-04-06T19:17:00.002-04:00

Saturday my husband and I celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary with over 50 of our friends and family in attendance. We renewed our wedding vows, danced, ate and had a great time.

Mike, Judy and Austin surprised us by showing up and it was great having them there. They had previously had plans but they fell through at the last minute so they were able to join us.

I kind of knew though that they would be there - that's just how she and Mike are. I had this feeling that somehow they would show up and they did!

It has been a while since I had seen Mike so yesterday was the first time I saw him without any hair at all. When I asked him how he was doing he said he was hanging in there and was going to the doctor this week. He had to walk outside a couple of times during the party because of his dry heaves.

My brother-in-law, Bobby, and sister-in-law, Chris had us all laughing hard with their dance moves. They are very entertaining. They like to shake their booty! We had a fun day and it was great having everyone together again!

The video above is the Keeper of the Stars that Bill and I have always said was our song. We forgot to play it yesterday, though so here it is now!

Mike Went to Doctor's Today

2008-03-31T19:45:00.002-04:00

Mike had his doctor's appointment and he was rather disappointed when he left. The doctor told him that he can not return to work for at least another 2 - 3 months. He has to have another pet scan but they can't do the scan for another 2 - 3 months due to all of the radiation in his body. He's still not allowed to drive either.

The good news is that Mike gained a pound and he is feeling pretty good.

Keep saying prayers for Mike, as not being able to work is really hard for him.

Donations For Mike

2008-03-20T19:43:00.004-04:00

Inspiration For Today...

2008-03-20T19:38:00.002-04:00

Don't give up
It's just the weight of the world
When your heart's heavy
I...I will lift it for you

Don't give up
Because you want to be heard
If silence keeps you
I...I will break it for you

Everybody wants to be understood
Well I can hear you
Everybody wants to be loved
Don't give up
Because you are loved

Don't give up
It's just the hurt that you hide
When you're lost inside
I...I will be there to find you

Don't give up
Because you want to burn bright
If darkness blinds you
I...I will shine to guide you

Everybody wants to be understood
Well I can hear you
Everybody wants to be loved
Don't give up
Because you are loved

You are loved
Don't give up
It's just the weight of the world
Don't give up
Every one needs to be heard
You are loved

Cold

2008-03-14T12:06:00.002-04:00

Judy said Mike is having trouble staying warm. He's been trying to keep busy around the house to help pass the time. They have been working on cleaning out their basement and doing some other needed chores so at least he has something to do. She said they work a while then rest a while.

Mike hopes he can go back to work soon once he's able to drive. It's hard for Mike to not work. That's all he's ever done is work constantly. His body needs the time off though.

Comments on Moderation

2008-03-14T11:58:00.002-04:00

I have had to put comments on moderation because people have been posting spammy links and stuff on here and I don't want anyone clicking on anything that could lead to a virus.

Mike Has FInished Radiation

2008-03-06T22:06:00.004-05:00

Mike has now finished his radiation treatments. He has lost a total of 12 more pounds, though so they are hoping to have some weight back on him by the time he goes back to see the doctor on March 31st.

Judy says that he is feeling better and he is able to use his right hand now but he still doesn't have a lot of strength in it. He still cannot work, but even though that is hard for Mike not do work, it is probably for the best. He needs a lot of time to gain some strength and taking a break will be good for his body.

The doctor says that he cannot go back to work until he is able to drive again. He is hoping that by the end of the month when he sees the doctor he will be allowed to drive.

Leap of Faith

2008-02-29T21:24:00.002-05:00

I talked to Mike this morning for a minute. He sounded pretty good over the phone. As always, he never lets on how he really feels.

Mike had tests done today on his brain and neck to see if the radiation has shrunk or gotten rid of the cancer. He will find out the results from those on Monday.

Yesterday and today were good days for Mike but earlier this week he was having a rough time of it. He has been sleeping a lot, which is not surprising considering what all he is going through.

Judy said with him being off of work it has been difficult for Mike because he has a lot more time now to think. They are hoping after they talk to the doctor on Monday that he will be allowed to go back to work and just do some really light duty stuff. His employers have been wonderful to him and they will take care of him. He needs something to do though - that's just the type of person Mike is.

Mike's Hand

2008-02-22T08:27:00.002-05:00

Earlier this week Mike found out what was going on with his right hand. The doctor says the problems he is having is most likely coming from a lymph node in his neck that is cancerous.

It's not a new cancer area, though. A while back when they found out the cancer was in his spine there were three lymph nodes that were cancerous with one of them being in his neck.

On Wednesday, Mike started radiation treatments on his brain as well as his neck. He will have a total of 10 treatments on his neck that may cause him to temporarily lose his voice and he will probably get a sore throat.

Right now Judy is trying to keep Mike eating so that he doesn't lose anymore weight.

Mike's New Treatments

2008-02-18T16:43:00.003-05:00

Mike started radiation treatments for the cancer in his brain and he will go five days a week for the next three weeks. He is not able to drive or work during this time.

They are giving him radiation on the entire brain to prevent any further spreading of the cancer cells.

The doctor isn't sure what is causing Mike to lose the use of his right hand. They will be donig another MRI to find out what's going on there.

As I receive updates, I will keep you posted.

Please keep the prayers coming!

Cancer Is In Mike's Brain

2008-02-16T21:01:00.003-05:00

Mike had a doctor's appointment yesterday and he found out that the cancer has spread to his brain. The MRI showed a very small spot that has been affected.

Judy said she was scared to death yesterday when Mike came home for lunch. She said one minute he was eating soup and the next minute, his head was on the table and he was sound asleep. She made him go to bed and told him he was not going back to work. I guess he slept most of the day then and the doctor said that if she was not able to wake up Mike, or if he woke up and was not making sense or was confused, he would have to go to the ER.

Mike is now on medication to try and reduce the swelling on his brain. If they are able to get the swelling reduced, he will have radiation. She said today he is doing better than what he was yesterday except he was up with diarrhea a lot last night.

Bill stopped to talk to Mike on Thursday night and Mike said that he can no longer drive the big trucks at work because he doesn't have the strength.

Mike needs everyones prayers now more than ever so please continue to pray and pass it on.

Evolution of Dance - Funny Video!

2008-02-09T11:38:00.000-05:00

The comedian in this video has gotten over 74 million views with this You Tube video. Watch and you will see why!

Mike's Doctor's Appointment Today

2008-02-08T19:33:00.000-05:00

Mike had his doctor's appointment today. Here is the latest news from Judy:

We just got back from the Drs. Mike's tumor count went up again. It is now at 201.6. The blood counts are low. He is in a lot of pain so the Dr. put him on a patch for pain. He starts that today. The Dr. wants to try another Chemo called Xeloda. This is in tablet form. He will take it for two weeks and off for one week & then back on it for two weeks & off for one week.

We don't know how long he will be on this drug. We are waiting to hear from the Ins. Co. to see if they will cover this drug. The Cancer Center is dealing with our Ins. so we don't know when he will be able to start taking the drug. The Cancer Center will get back to us as soon as they hear from the Ins. Co. The drug will be sent to our home. It will be nice for Mike that he won't have to sit for hours with an IV in is hand.

He was having back side effects from the last Chemo drug. His hand looked like a burn. The Dr. told us today that it will go through stages. His hand was real red and than it got a white crusty look as if you put a paste of baking soda on his hand. Then his hand started peeling. It doesn't look as bad now just like dry skin.

Please keep him in your prayers. Also pray that the Ins. will cover some of the cost of the drug.

The Joys Of Being Bald...In Honor Of Mike's New Shiny Head

2008-02-01T11:05:00.000-05:00

Judy said last night that Mike's hair is gone so in honor of the new bald Mike, I have a video I want you to see...

Mike, don't worry about being hairless. There are plenty of famous people who are bald...

Dr. Phil McGraw...

Yul Brenner...

Britney Spears...(although I wouldn't recommend aspiring to be like her!)

Mr. Clean...

Bald Quotes...

"Experience is a comb which nature gives to men when they are bald."

"Better a bald head than no head at all."

"I don't consider myself bald - I'm just taller than my hair."

“Hey, believe me. Baldness will catch on. When the aliens come, who do you think they’re gonna relate to?”

Fix It

2008-01-22T19:13:00.000-05:00

I have a "fix it" attitude. When something is wrong with someone I care about, I have this instant urge to jump into action and to try and fix the situation. I guess this is common among us control freaks! It's like that with Mike. I just want to fix him and make him better. But the only thing I can do is pray. With cancer, there is no way for me or anyone else on earth to fix it.

I'm sure Judy, Mikie, Michelle and the rest of the family are feeling the same way. We just continue to pray and hope that the Lord's will is to get Mike through this battle.

Mike's Blood Test Results

2008-01-19T20:40:00.001-05:00

Mike had his doctor's appointment yesterday and his news was not good. His "tumor count" went from 72 back up to 192. Before that, his count was 298. His other blood work counts are low but that is due to the chemo. On February 7th he will have more blood tests run. If his counts for his regular blood work do not improve, he will not be able to have his chemotherapy treatments until they go back up.

If his tumor count goes up again, the doctors are going to try a different type of chemo. Judy says that Mike is getting weaker, but he continues to go to work each day. It would probably benefit him greatly to cut his hours back. He needs to build up some strength and reserve what little energy he has to get well. The doctor says it is okay for him to continue working, though.

Please keep Mike in your prayers.

Infection

2008-01-15T12:27:00.000-05:00

Mike is doing pretty good. Right now he has an infection in his left hand and wrist area and he is on antibiotics.

This Friday, Mike will have blood work done to check his tumor count and kidneys. If all is well with that, he will then have chemotherapy.

Please pray that Mike gets good news from his blood work!

Facts About Cancer of the Esophagus

2008-01-09T13:08:00.000-05:00

Mike's cancer has been a shock to everyone. I thought I would share some facts about esophagus cancer that you may not know.

The wall of the esophagus has several layers. Cancer of the esophagus starts from the inner layer and grows outward.

Long-term reflux of stomach acid into the esophagus sets up a special problem. It can change the cells in the lower end of the esophagus. They become more like the cells that line the stomach. These changed cells produce a condition called Barrett esophagus. The altered cells can change into cancer, so they should be closely watched by a doctor.

There are two main types of esophagus cancer: Squamous cell and adenocarcinoma. Squamous cell cancer grows form the top layer of the lining of the esophagus. Adenocarcinoma starts near the opening to the stomach. This type of cancer cannot start unless squamous cells have been changed by acid reflux.

In 2007, the American Cancer Society estimated there would be approximately 15,560 new cases of esophagus cancer. This cancer is 3 to 4 times more common among men than among women and 50% more common among African Americans than among whites.

The cause of esophagus cancer is unknown but there are risk factors that make this type of cancer more likely. The person's age (typically in people over 40), sex (men are 3x more likely than woman to get type of cancer), history of heartburn, tobacco and alcohol use, obesity and very hot liquids are all risk factors. Diets that don’t include enough fruits or vegetables and certain minerals and vitamins can raise the risk of this cancer.

The Cancer Society says that at this time there is no sure way to prevent esophagus cancer. Some lifestyle changes that can decrease your risks include avoiding alcohol and tobacco, eating fruits and vegetables (raw), and maintaining a healthy weight. Some studies have found that the risk can be lowered in people who take aspirin or other drugs such as ibuprofen that reduce inflammation.

Source: American Cancer Society

I Apologize For The Lapse In Posting

2008-01-07T17:03:00.000-05:00

Sorry I haven't posted for a week. A week is exactly how long I have been having severe CFS symptoms. My headaches are so bad I can't hardly stand to keep my eyes open, so once I am able to function properly again, I will back to my regular posting.

I talked to Judy for a few minutes last week and Mike is feeling better than what he was. The chemotherapy treatments are really hard on him and I believe he has three sessions left in this cycle.

Happy New Year!

2008-01-01T19:32:00.001-05:00

It's hard to believe that we have entered a new year! Where did 2007 go? Each year continues to go faster. With each new year comes hope, motivation and expectations of a brighter, happier and healthier year. It is common for many people to make new year's resolutions but usually by March the motivation has worn off and old habits set back in. It doesn't have to be this way, though!

For a little something different on here I thought I would post the top 10 new year's resolutions people make from an article on About.com:

Spend more time with family and friends. A poll showed that over 50% of Americans yearly vow to spend more time with family and friends and to appreciate them more.

Fitness changes. A common resolution most people make is to exercise more, eat less and to eat healthier.

Lose weight. Probably the most popular resolution of all. Over 65% of Americans are considered overweight, so no wonder why this is the most popular!

Quit smoking. This is a very smart resolution and a healthy one if you are able to kick the smoking habit! There are many resources available to help people quit and your lungs and heart will thank you! Your family will also thank you for no longer smelling like an ashtray.

Enjoy life more. How easy that is to say, but not as easy to do! Americans are so stressed out, it isn't any wonder heart attacks and heart disease are on the rise. Find a hobby you enjoy to de-stress, take on less responsibility at work and enjoy your family more when you come home.

Quit drinking. For the social drinker, this may be an easy resolution to keep. For someone who has a drinking problem, they need further support and help from local groups, such as AA. There are still too many drunk drivers on the road killing innocent people.

Get out of debt. If you are spending more than you are making, or if your credit cards are maxed out, then you definitely need this resolution! Learn how to budget your money and always ask yourself before spending if the item is a "need" or a "want". It you don't need it, don't buy it.

Learn something new. This is something I do. I like to learn and try new things so each year I attempt something I have never done before. It doesn't have to be anything big but it can be fulfilling to accomplish it!

Volunteer. There are many organizations, charities and hospitals who are always looking for volunteers. Volunteer a few hours a week to make a difference in someones life.

Improve organizational skills. My husband needs to make this a resolution! I can't stand walking downstairs into "his" room - it is a disaster area but I'm not allowed to touch it! I love to organize and if your house or a room is out of control, break the task down into small sections. Trying to tackle the whole room or house at once can be overwhelming and you will end up not accomplishing anything. Make a list for each room and follow the list, checking off each task as it is completed.

Bad Day for Mike

2007-12-28T11:22:00.000-05:00

Mike was up until 4 a.m. this morning having a gagging spell - coughing and dry heaves. He had chemo the other day and this usually happens after his treatment, but Judy said it is worse than normal. She said he slept for about two hours before it started again. He still went to work, though. We all wish that he would come home and rest when he is feeling this bad. It can't be good for him to push himself so hard when he has these spells. He needs the rest, especially if he hasn't slept, to build up his system. At 10:00 a.m. this morning, Mike was still not doing well.

Please pray for Mike that he will feel better.

Christmas With The Family

2007-12-27T19:38:00.000-05:00

Christmas went so fast this year. It seemed like it was just yesterday that we were celebrating Thanksgiving and now Christmas is already over! On Christmas Eve it is a tradition for the Robinson/Metzler/Baer crew to go to Pizza Hut in Chambersburg. We met this year at 4:00 p.m. and luckily, we didn't have to wait in a long line like we have others years. It was still busy, though and the employees worked hard to try and keep up with the demand at the pizza buffet line.

We gave Mike his book that everyone filled out the questionnaires for at the spaghetti dinner while we were at Pizza Hut. After Pizza Hut, we all went to our different churches for candlelight service. I enjoy candlelight service so much, especially the lighting of the candles and singing Silent Night. Every year as I sing that song it gives me hope for the upcoming year that things will be better.

On Christmas evening, the entire crew went to Bobby and Jane's house. Bobby and Jane remodeled their house a couple of years ago and this was the first that Bill and I had seen it. They have a beautiful home with lots of room now! The boys all went upstairs to play Playstation, pool and other games while the rest of the family congregated downstairs to play card games, board games, and to eat. It's never a Robinson/Metzler gathering if there isn't lots of food! Janes parents were also there. All in all it was a wonderful Christmas and a very memorable one!

As usual, Mike was his ornery self and he was cracking jokes and being silly. He looked really good and he's now making jokes about his lack of hair, thanks to chemo. I will post some pictures as soon as I get them uploaded onto the computer.

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-23T19:54:00.000-05:00

I would like to wish everyone and their families a very happy, healthy and merry Christmas!

Rejoice and remember the true meaning of Christmas - Christ's birth - and enjoy your families!

Online Podcast Regarding Fibromyalgia

2007-12-21T11:14:00.000-05:00

I was interviewed yesterday for an online podcast at the Weight Watchers Blogger website.

The interview was about Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and how it affects weight. You can listen to the podcast by clicking on the link below. The first four minutes the blog owner talks about her weight loss and then after that is my interview.

Podcast Spotlight - Fibromyalgia and Weight Loss

Mike's Birthday at Applebee's!

2007-12-21T11:04:00.000-05:00

Tuesday night the family gathered at Applebee's for Mike's birthday. It took us a long time to get seated, but once we did we had a great evening. Mike was onery as ever and he looked really good! It was a nice evening with the family.

Logan enjoyed his evening out and he got to sit down by Aunt Dudu and Uncle Mike so he was happy.

Happy Birthday, Mike!

2007-12-18T09:43:00.000-05:00

Today Mike is a birthday boy! He is 58 years young and still going strong! Judy turned 58 last month so Mike is always kidding around and giving Judy a rough time about the fact that he married an older woman! Always the joker!

Mike has been doing pretty good. He is losing his hair rather quickly and now his head is getting cold. Judy bought him a hat to keep his head warm. Mike has a head cold right now and naturally Judy is worried about it turning into something worse. When your immune system is so compromised from chemotherapy and cancer, any normal illness can take a turn for the worse quickly. She is upping some of his supplements to help ward off the cold.

Keep saying prayers for Mike! Call and wish Mike a happy birthday today!

Aunt Velva Is Now With The Angels...

2007-12-14T13:16:00.000-05:00

Our Aunt Velva died this week. She was 90 years old and her funeral was today.

Velva had been sick here for a while and it was time for her to go. She wasn't able to do the things that she once enjoyed and her life was no longer enjoyable as she once knew it.

She had commented different times to family and friends that she was blessed to have lived such a long happy life and whenever the Lord was ready to take her home it was okay with her.

Velva was a nice woman who I always thought was not afraid to speak her mind. If she didn't like something, she would say so. But she was always friendly and she was always very nice to me. When we had Logan, she came to the house and brought diapers and held the baby.

She will surely be missed by many family and friends. She is survived by six sisters.

Point of Grace: Jesus Will Still Be There

2007-12-13T14:26:00.000-05:00

Things change, plans fail
You look for love on a grander scale
Storms rise, hopes fade
And you place your bets on another day
When the going gets tough
When the rides too rough
When you're just not sure enough

(chorus)
Jesus will still be there
His love will never change
Sure as the steady rain
Jesus will still be there
When no one else is true
Hell still be loving you
When it looks like you've lost it all
And you haven't got a prayer
Jesus will still be there

Time flies, hearts turn
A little bit wiser from lessons learned
But sometimes, weakness wins
And you lose your foothold once again
When the going gets tough
When the rides too rough
When you're just not sure enough

(repeat chorus) (2x)

When it looks like you've lost it all
And you haven't got a prayer
Jesus will still be there

More Spaghetti Dinner Pictures!

2007-12-10T18:33:00.000-05:00

Jane was in charge of selling baskets, while I helped Bill occasionally throughout the night with door prizes.

Michelle enjoying her dinner!

Our music for the evening was provided by Woody Payne and his wife

Bobby's oldest son, Robby, and his daughter Julianna (Sorry if that's spelled wrong!)

Mike's sister, Jeannie, filling up food on the serving line

Mike & son Mikie hugging - he was our surprise guest!

Judy & Justin

Our friendly greeter, Chris, working the door! She was a great person to have greeting everyone.

Mike & mother-in-law, Helen coming in

Point of Grace: You Will Never Walk Alone

2007-12-07T14:11:00.001-05:00

Mike - You are never alone! This is a great song with wonderful meaning!

Along life's road
There will be sunshine and rain
Roses and thorns, laughter and pain
And 'cross the miles
You will face mountains so steep
Deserts so long and valleys so deep
Sometimes the Journey's gentle
Sometimes the cold winds blow
But I want you to remember
I want you to know

You will never walk alone
As long as you have faith
Jesus will be right beside you all the way
You may feel you're far from home
But home is where He is
And he'll be there down every road
You will never walk alone
The path will wind

And you will find wonders and fears
Labors of love and a few falling tears
Across the years
There will be some twists and turns
Mistakes to make and lessons to learn
Sometimes the journey's gentle
Sometimes the cold winds blow
But I want you to remember where ever you may go

Jesus knows your joy, Jesus knows your need
He will go the distance with you faithfully

Pictures From The Dinner

2007-12-06T21:40:00.000-05:00

Justin, Jess and a couple of other people took pictures at the spaghetti dinner last Saturday night so I had no idea what was on the camera until I came home and checked it out for myself! I'll post some tonight and then some in another day or so.

Justin and Mike

Wow! Look at all the people!

Bev & Lois at the dessert table! Yum!

Mike's sisters, Pauline (left) and Jeannie serving up spaghetti and sauce.

Bobby, aka "The Dip", and Jess serving food.

Judy and Austin coming in. My hubby's in the background carrying McDonald's for the kids and Chris is on duty at the door.

Our son, Logan, granddaughter, Mikeala and Kayla!

Door prize tables - we had many, many door prizes!

Silent auction tables - we had 21 items up for auction!

Sandi Patty: In the Name of the Lord

2007-12-05T12:15:00.000-05:00

Crowds Have Lined The Narrow Street
To See This Man From Galilee
Just A Carpenter Some Say Leading Fools Astray
Yet Many Kneel To Give Him Praise

And In His Eyes They Glimpse The Power
That Sees The Heart Of All Men
And He Knows His Fathers Mind And He Speaks His Fathers Words
For He Comes In The Name Of The Lord

There Is Strength In The Name Of The Lord
There Is Power In The Name Of The Lord
There Is Hope In The Name Of The Lord
Blessed Is He Who Comes In The Name Of The Lord

When My Plans Have Fallen Through
And When My Strength Is Nearly Gone
When Theres Nothing Left To Do But Just Depend On You
And The Power Of Your Name

And When We Call Upon Your Name
Your Strength Through Weakness To Show
We Can Know The Master Plan Extend The Masters Hand
When We Come In The Name Of The Lord

There Is Strength In The Name Of The Lord
There Is Power In The Name Of The Lord
There Is Hope In The Name Of The Lord
Blessed Is He Who Comes In The Name Of The Lord

His Name Will Be Worshipped Forever
Creator Redeemer And King And King

There Is Strength In The Name Of The Lord
There Is Power In The Name Of The Lord
There Is Hope In The Name Of The Lord
Blessed Is He Who Comes
Blessed Is He Who Comes
Blessed Is He Who Comes In The Name Of The Lord
In The Name Of The Lord

Mike Got Great News From Doctor!

2007-12-05T12:03:00.000-05:00

Judy called very happy this morning! Mike received some wonderful news from the doctor. His tumor count (blood work they took) is down a lot! Previously his count was 298 and now it is 72. That means this new chemotherapy is killing off the cancer. Mike has also gained two pounds! It is a glorious day!

I know the power of prayer has been helping Mike fight this so please keep it up! We have faith that he will be cancer free. Let's keep the prayer chain going.

P.S.

I didn't forget about posting the pictures from Saturday. I will try to get them up either tonight or tomorrow.

Spaghetti Dinner Was A Success!

2007-12-02T21:17:00.001-05:00

The spaghetti dinner was a huge success last night! We had close to 250 people in attendance and the church was full! It was great seeing so many people come out to support Mike. People started coming in early around 4:30 p.m. The food was ready so we went ahead and started sending people to get their spaghetti.

Mike and Judy were busy last night, walking around, talking to everyone there. Judy keeps saying she doesn't know what she is going to run out of first - tears or Kleenex. Mike had a surprise visitor that came for the event - Mikie flew up for the weekend! Mike had guessed earlier in the week though that he was coming so he wasn't surprised but he was sure happy to see him there. Michelle, Dean, Kayla, Austin, Mikie, Mike, Judy and Helen all had the head table - the one closest to the food!

The silent auction was a success, as we had 21 items that people could bid on. We ended up raising almost $1,000 just from the silent auction! Bill was busy all evening calling off door prizes every 15 minutes. We had many, many door prize items that were given away.

Chris was our greeter at the door and she did a great job greeting everyone and making them feel welcome. Jane was our official basket seller/order taker last night and she kept things on that side going.

Michelle and Kayla were in charge of the silent auction table and they did a great job of making sure those tables ran smoothly and they had the fun job of collecting money from everyone! Michelle was having a great time chatting with lots of people! Every time I walked by her she was talking to someone different!

I called Bobby a "dip" because he was one of our food dippers. I kept trying to give him a break but he wanted to be a dip! (Just kidding!) He was a big help on the food table and I appreciate him standing there the whole time. He was helped by Jess & Josh. Mike's sisters, Pauline and Jeannie, helped in the kitchen with dipping spaghetti and sauce and doing dishes in between customers. Pauline's husband, Ron, kept things filled up on the food table where Bobby was at.

My mom, Carolyn, my dad, Dave, and my sister, Sue, kept the drink table running smoothly. Bev & Lois were in charge of desserts and boy did they ever have a lot of desserts to dish out! That table was a big hit! We had many great cakes, cookies, cupcakes and other desserts donated. Bev was also a huge help in getting door prizes and silent auction items donated.

Our "behind the scenes" volunteers in the kitchen were Aunt Edna and Francis H. She cooks for all of the spaghetti dinners at the Shook Home in Chambersburg so we had a pro to help us out.

Justin was our photographer last night ( I will post pictures tomorrow) and Austin, along with Gretchen's son & daughter, and Gretchen helped to clear off tables.

Our daughter, Lori and my babysitter, Samantha, had craft activities for the kids to do and they kept that corner of the room running smoothly. Lori was also a great help with getting donations, door prizes and silent auction items donated. She also came early yesterday (2:30) to help Bill & I get things started at the church. Lori's two girls, Lexi and Mikaela, and our son, Logan, helped us put placemats and plasticware around on all of the tables. We had everyone working - even the little ones!

Mikie helped take trash to the dumpster and he helped us load up the vehicles with leftovers and other items.

Woody Payne was a great pianist for us last night and it was so nice to have Christmas music playing while everyone ate and chatted.

A friend and fellow train club member, Tony, and Steve Cox, another train club member and co-worker of Mike's, were a huge help in getting us to the church yesterday. I had everything for the spaghetti dinner stashed in my doll room and there was little room left in there to walk we had so much stuff! He came down at 2:00 p.m. yesterday and helped us load up the trailer and it was great having him! Then last evening, Steve Cox was a huge help in tearing down. He helped with trash, cleaning off tables and vacuuming the church foyer. Steve also helped to sell many tickets at Gabler's.

Later when it was time to clean up, we put all of the young men to work. Justin, Brandon, Josh, and a friend of Justin's helped to sweep, mop, put away tables and chairs and rearrange chairs for today's church service.

Chris said prayer before we began and that was so nice. It was a wonderful way to start the evening and it just put a calm over me that I definitely needed! I was a nervous wreck!

The church was wonderful in making sure all of the tables were set up and they were very helpful to us. Bill, Logan and I belong to a wonderful church and we are very proud to attend Mt. Rock.

It was wonderful to see so many people chip in and help and the whole event, from beginning to end, from October to now, was a team effort. It is something that I know none of us in the family will ever forget. Mike is really loved and last night it showed in that room. We could have probably easily sold at least another 100 tickets. He has touched a lot of lives and I am glad that he could see the results of that with everyone together in one room.

Thank you!

Thank you so much to everyone in the family and friends who helped with this event from donating food and items to working last night. We couldn't have had a better group of people working and everything that everyone did was greatly appreciated by us!

Believe

2007-11-29T21:15:00.000-05:00

Mike seems to be doing pretty good! It's hard to know sometimes because he is not one to complain, but Judy said that from what she can tell he has been feeling pretty good. Naturally he is tired and fatigued a lot and sleeps more now but he needs to sleep and rest more. She said he doesn't seem to be in as much pain either because she doesn't hear him moaning at night like she was there for a while.

It's a Busy Time

2007-11-27T17:46:00.000-05:00

I have been spending the past two days getting everything finalized for the dinner Saturday night. I am excited to see everyone that shows up and hope you all enjoy the evening. My sister-in-law, Chris, lined up a great piano player for the event and you will be able to eat to the sounds of beautiful piano music.

The church just called and said they needed to set up round tables for Sunday's service and they would like to do that on Friday. They wanted to know if I minded using round tables instead of the long tables we were planning to use. This works out great because they will have all of the tables already set up for us and we won't have to do that! Talk about perfect timing for this event! :)

Thursday I am scheduled to go to the church to instruct them on how we want things set up and to ensure that we have plenty of room for tables for the other things we are planning.

I also have received some cancer literature from the American Cancer Society that they kindly donated.

Things are coming together nicely and I am anxious to meet many of Mike & Judy's friends and Mike's family!

One Week Until The Spaghetti Dinner!

2007-11-24T11:01:00.000-05:00

I can't believe we only have one week until the spaghetti dinner! It seems as though Lori & I were just making plans to do some sort of fundraiser and here we are! The big day is almost here!

My doll room has become spaghetti dinner grand central and I have little room to walk around, as we have 72 pounds of spaghetti, many pounds of spaghetti sauce, plates, cups, silverware, door prize and silent auction items galore!

Yesterday I brought all of the silent auction items and door prizes out and we have plenty of great stuff that you can either bid on or that you will win as a door prize. I counted close to 70 door prize items and we have approximately 20 silent auction items. My husband, Bill, will be busy calling off door prizes every few minutes and Michelle and Kayla will be busy on the silent auction tables.

I will update the blog later this week to reflect all of the great gift items we have received from businesses and local people. We appreciate greatly the kindness of everyone who bought tickets, donated food items, supplies and many other gifts.

Mike's sister, Paulene, has been a great help in donating many items and we appreciate greatly all that she has done.

For those of you who purchased tickets we will see you next Saturday!

Update: Some people have been asking if we will be accepting checks for the silent auction items and yes we will. Checks will be made out to me, Sandy Robinson, as I will be depositing all of the proceeds for Mike and Judy.

Thanksgiving Day Was Great!

2007-11-24T10:52:00.000-05:00

We had a wonderful family dinner at Michelle and Dean's on Thanksgiving Day and everyone played games and ate yummy desserts in the early evening hours. There was a total of 19 of us at Thanksgiving dinner and Mike, as usual, was onery as ever!

Mike and I like to joke with each other a lot and we have always had a fun relationship and Thanksgiving Day was no exception! He likes to pick on my ever changing hair styles and I have fun portraying the "dumb blonde" around him (and yes, it is an act! I'm really not that dumb!).

My sisters-in-law and Michelle are all Black Friday shoppers so they were spending some time looking through the newspaper ads to see what good bargains they could find the next day and they had all three computers at Michelle's house going to look for additional coupons and savings.

My brother-in-law, Bobby, showed me up on a couple of games but that's okay. I'll get him back one of these days! Bobby, his wife Jane, Kayla, Judy, Bev and I had a hilarious time playing Outburst and Gimme Five. I had never played these games before so it was a learning experience for me. They were really fun to play games with and it was, as usual, a very memorable holiday!

Have a nice weekend and don't eat too many leftovers!

Time for Christmas Music! Enjoy!

2007-11-21T12:01:00.001-05:00

We'll Miss You, Mikie and Joy!

2007-11-21T10:01:00.001-05:00

Mikie and Joy are now not able to come up for Thanksgiving. They are both sick and with Mike's immune system being so weak, they were afraid to come up to expose him to the germs.

Thanksgiving won't be the same and we will miss you guys! Take care of yourself and get better. Hopefully we will see you again sometime soon!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone and please be safe! Eat lots of turkey!

Mikie and Joy - Have A Safe Trip Home!

2007-11-19T11:52:00.000-05:00

Mikie and Joy are coming home for Thanksgiving so everyone please pray that they have a safe trip back to PA! We'll see you all Thursday!

Thanksgiving Challenge

2007-11-19T11:29:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving is a great holiday that reminds us that we need to give thanks regardless of our life's situations. When things are not going well in life it is easy to focus on the negative and we often forget that there are still things in our life to be thankful and grateful for.

What I have found to always help is to keep a gratitude journal. Ever since I became ill 17 years ago, I started a gratitude journal to record the things that I am grateful for. Even though I might wake up and not be able to do anything other than wash my hair, I record that I am grateful that I was able to do that small task. It helps through the difficult times and it makes you realize that even though things may be bad, there are still positive spins you can put on each situation. Instead of becoming a victim of "poor me", become a victor and learn from your experiences, grow and help others. Instead of complaining, put on a smile. It helps!

So my challenge to everyone this Thanksgiving is to start your own gratitude journal. Be thankful for every little thing you have and for every person in your life.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Joy Is Still Cooking!

2007-11-15T19:47:00.000-05:00

Joy is still busy working her fundraiser for Mike. In addition to the Lumpia, she is also making pork on a stick and something else (sorry - I forget what Judy told me!). Mikie said she was still cooking after 11 p.m. the other night. This stuff must really be good!

Mikie and Joy are coming up for Thanksgiving and she is going to teach us all how to make Lumpia after we eat our Thanksgiving dinner.

Everyone have a nice weekend. I won't be home to post so it will probably be Monday until I blog again.

The Mom Song

2007-11-15T09:20:00.001-05:00

I thought this was really cute and it is really true! You don't realize how much you instruct your kids throughout the day but this woman does it all in less than 3 minutes! It's cute!

Sold Out!

2007-11-14T15:01:00.001-05:00

We are sold out of tickets for the spaghetti dinner! Wow - that didn't take long. For those of you with tickets, serving times will be from 5 p.m. - 7 p.m. We also have many great door prizes and silent auction items so it will be a great evening! Can't wait to see you all on December 1st!

Change In Mike's Chemotherapy

2007-11-14T14:59:00.000-05:00

Mike found out that the experimental chemotherapy he had is not working so the doctors have switched him to a different kind. Instead of having 5 hour chemotherapy sessions he is now down to 2 hour sessions.

The doctor did not do blood work to determine that the chemotherapy wasn't working. He said that if Mike was still having pain then the chemotherapy did not shrink the tumors. He said the cancer is still "contained", it just hasn't gotten any smaller.

Please continue praying that this chemotherapy will work for Mike.

Family Reunion At The Hospital

2007-11-12T20:20:00.001-05:00

Yesterday we had a family reunion at the Emergency Room of Chambersburg Hospital, as Helen (Judy's mom) was brought in for chest pains and dizziness. She had a heart attack a few years ago. Recently she was in the hospital for colon cancer.

After all of the usual tests for the heart and blood work were completed, it was concluded that everything with her heart was okay. She was supposed to come home today but she was running a small fever so they kept her.

Helen is 84 years old, so at her age anything can happen and you might never know why she has some of the symptoms she has. Please say prayers that she will be home soon!

Happy Birthday, Chris, Judy & Kayla!

2007-11-11T16:43:00.000-05:00

Lots of birthdays in November! Chris celebrated her birthday on November 8th, Judy's is today, November 11th, and Kayla is tomorrow, November 12th! Happy birthday!!

Mike Is Having Better Days

2007-11-10T19:50:00.000-05:00

Mike has been having a pretty good week. Of course he is very tired and fatigued but he has been able to eat better and Judy said he is getting his supplements to go down better.

He will go for his fourth chemotherapy treatment on Tuesday and next he will have blood work to determine if the chemotherapy is helping fight the cancer. Keep praying for Mike. I have faith that he is going to beat this!

Joy's Fundraiser For Mike!

2007-11-07T19:51:00.000-05:00

Mikie's girlfriend, Joy, has been busy with her own little fundraiser for Mike that she is doing down in Florida. What you see in the pictures above is a dish called Lumpia. From what I read online (and Joy if I'm wrong, please correct me!), Lumpia is a traditional Filipino dish. It is the Filipino version of egg rolls. Lumpia can be served as a side dish or as an appetizer.

Joy has made Lumpia for her co-workers in the past and this dish has been very popular where she works. Joy wanted to do something for Mike, so she took orders at work for her famous Lumpia dish.

She initially received orders for 400 of these and now she has received orders for an additional 300! Thanks so much Joy for doing this for Mike & Judy!

Now you realize that you are going to have to make some Lumpia for all of us to try the next time you and Mikie come home! :)

Take the Challenge: 100 Days of Love

2007-11-06T20:52:00.000-05:00

The website 100 Days of Love is offering a challenge to all of us to make a difference in the world by showing 100 days of love in various ways. The mission of the blog is clear - we should not wait until a tragedy happens to show others how much we love them and to do things to help our fellow mankind. Take the challenge for the next 100 days - you will be a better person for it. So that you can catch up on the days missed since the blog went up, here are the challenges thus far:

Day 1 - Please Join Us

Day 2 - Forgiveness

Day 3 - Hug O' War

Day 4 - Simple Service

Day 5 - Premature Judgment?

Day 6 - Attitude

Day 7 - Comfort Zones

All About Mike

2007-11-04T13:52:00.001-05:00

I don't sleep well at night and sometimes that turns out to be a good thing! It seems that when sleep doesn't come easily, many thoughts and ideas do so I have this new idea that I want to try for Mike and I hope everyone reading will participate!

Last night as I was tossing and turning in bed, I was thinking about all of the great friends and family who have been so kind to Mike and Judy during this challenging time in their lives. So....I was brainstorming and this is what I have come up with...

I would like to make a book for Mike with stories from people who know him. If you would like to participate, please email me at fightformike@hotmail.com and you can email me the answers to the questions below. I want to have something to write up that is consistent, so it will just be a standard questionnaire with the following information you will need to answer:

- What is your name?

- What is your relationship to Mike?

- How long have you known Mike?

- How did you meet Mike?

- What is your most memorable experience with Mike?

- How has knowing Mike affected your life?

- Why is Mike special to you and your family?

- If you could only describe Mike in one word, what would it be?

- What personal message do you have for Mike?

- Any additional comments you would like to add?

Mike has touched many peoples' lives in various ways over the years and I would like for him to see just how much he means to all of us!

I would like to have this done so that I can give it to Mike for Christmas, so please email me with the answers to the questions above as soon as possible! I have also created a Word document questionnaire that we can send out to people who don't have email or Internet access. I will have this questionnaire available at the spaghetti dinner too, so hopefully we will be able to get everyone. Thanks!

You Raise Me Up

2007-11-04T13:39:00.000-05:00

When I am down and oh my heart is weary

When trouble comes and my heart burdens me

Then I am still and waiting in the silence

Until you come and sit a while with me.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains

You raise me up to walk on stormy seas

I am strong when I am on your shoulders

You raise me up to more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains

You rasie me up to walk on stormy seas

I am strong when I am on your shoulders

You raise me up to more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains

You rasie me up to walk on stormy seas

I am strong when I am on your shoulders

You raise me up to more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains

You rasie me up to walk on stormy seas

I am strong when I am on your shoulders

You raise me up to more than I can be.

You raise me up to more than I can be

The Side Effects of Chemotherapy

2007-11-02T12:36:00.000-04:00

Judy said today that this chemotherapy treatment Mike is having has been much harder on him than his treatments he had when he first became sick. I'm sure because the cancer has spread the chemo has to be a lot stronger.

He doesn't throw up, but he gets up in the morning and has terrible dry heaves. This morning must have been particularly bad because Mike was late going to work and that's not like him. Judy said it sounds like he is throwing up everything inside of him. He is also having problems eating. He has no appetite. This is where the catch-22 comes in from being sick like this - you have to eat to gain strength and help build up your system, but the illness itself and chemotherapy kills your appetite. I have never had cancer (thank God!), but I know for myself just from having the chronic illnesses that I have how hard it is to eat when you are really feeling bad.

Eating is definitely not a top priority when you feel this bad, but it is something that you have to force yourself to do. We need to get Mike to eat more! He needs some weight back on and strength.

Hey Mike - I SAID EAT!! :) Don't make me come up there!

Clarification On The Spaghetti Dinner

2007-11-02T12:32:00.000-04:00

For Mike's spaghetti dinner, we have had a few people asking if we are going to sell tickets at the door that night. I decided that we would only be selling tickets in advance because it would be much easier to plan and know how much food we will need to prepare.

So if you were thinking about coming, you will need to have a ticket in advance. If you have any questions, please email me (Sandy) at fightformike@hotmail.com.

Fighting Fatigue A 2007 Weblogs Awards Finalist!

2007-11-02T08:20:00.000-04:00

My main blog, Fighting Fatigue is a finalist in the Health/Medical Issues Category for the 2007 Weblog Awards! Just think of all of the exposure something like this will raise for CFS, Fibromyalgia and Interstitial Cystitis!

Update Friday morning: You can click on the link below to go and vote for Fighting Fatigue for the 2007 Weblog Awards:

- Link to vote!

- At the Poll Index post, scroll down to "Best Medical/Health Issues Blog. Click on that link.

- Next you should see the 10 blogs that made the finals.

- Then vote for Fighting Fatigue!

- You can vote once per day and you have to have Macromedia Flash version 7 (or greater) installed and Javascript enabled or you will be prompted to get the latest version. If you do not have these installed, you can not vote.

Please go back daily and vote! I appreciate it! :)

Polls close on November 8, 2007!

American Cancer Society - Then and Now

2007-11-01T12:05:00.000-04:00

Items We Need Donated...

2007-10-31T13:53:00.001-04:00

We have been receiving some emails from people wanting to know what needs donated for the dinner yet and here is the list!

- Buy a ticket! We still have a lot of tickets left to sell so please contact me at the email address below if you would like a ticket!

- Gift cards for grocery stores to purchase food for the spaghetti dinner

- We are still in need of door prize items, especially for children and men

- Silent auction items for men and children

Thanks again to all of the family members and friends so far who have volunteered baked goods and their time to help us make this event successful!

Please contact Sandy at fightformike@hotmail.com if you have any questions or wish to donate! Thanks!

These Businesses Have Kindly Donated...

2007-10-30T19:01:00.000-04:00

The following businesses have generously donated gift cards, door prize drawings and silent auction items for Mike's spaghetti dinner on December 1st. Some of these people who donated I don't even know - I "met" them online and they graciously gave! Thanks a million!

Gretchen from Tastefully Simple

Crystal with Beauty From The Earth

Christie Walker with Mia Bella Candles

Anita with Send Out Cards

Yolanda with Mia Bella Candles

Penny Poorman with Mary Kay Cosmetics

Peggy Thompson with Home & Garden Party

Ron Rosenberry of Rosenberry's Abattoir, Inc. in Chambersburg, PA

Harold Gabler of Gabler Trucking

Giant Food Stores in Chambersburg & Shippensburg- Thank you managers, Jim Bishop and John George

Weis Markets in Chambersburg - Thank you manager, Travis Gottfried

Starbucks in Chambersburg

Bruster's Ice Cream in Chambersburg

Shippensburg Walmart

Fighting Cancer

2007-10-29T08:38:00.000-04:00

I read a very interesting article over the weekend on cancer that was written by Dr. Tedd Mitchell. I thought it would be neat to share here. It is rather long, though so grab your coffee or drink and relax a minute!

We've turned the Corner On Fighting Cancer
No longer called the "Big C", we no address it forthrightly.

"When I was a child, cancer was a scary, taboo topic that folks never discussed. Even John Wayne didn't use the term after his lung cancer surgery, instead calling it "the Big C". Perhaps he did that because our ability to diagnose and treat cancer a generation ago was more limited, so the diagnosis carried with it a more ominous outlook.

Well, things have changed. Advances in medical science have dramatically improved our ability to diagnose a number of cancers at earlier stages, when treatment is more effective. And because early diagnosis is still the best way to successfully intervene, numerous organizations have embarked upon campaigns to increase public awareness.

Today, survival rates for those with cancer have improved enough that the pendulum has swung. Folks who once were expected to suffer in silence now find strength in facing their illness in a full frontal assault. Family members and friends have joined the fight, as well, volunteering in events such as walks, fun runs, telethons and all sorts of fundraisers.

The shift in how far we've come with public awareness about cancer has even moved to the funny pages. A patient of mine, Tom Batiuk, author and "Funky Winkerbean" cartoonist, has written a book called Lisa's Story: The Other Shoe, which chronicles the heroic struggle of a woman with breast cancer. He uses the comic strip to illustrate the triumph and struggles that cancer brings to individuals and their families and friends.

Speaking about what inspired him to write the book, Batiuk said: 'The first part of Lisa's Story was based on the experiences of friends and relatives who had been touched by cancer. When I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2003, I realized what a huge gulf exists between empathy and personal experience and that I had only skimmed the surface of a cancer story in the first telling. This led to the second half of Lisa's Story, which I hope will be a cautionary tale about the importance of early diagnosis.'

As a cancer survivor, the author has a keen sense of its implications for a family. His book is also a remarkable illustration of how much we've changed our approach to the problem.

We have turned the corner in our discourse about cancer. Addressing it in a forthright manner helps people understand that having "the Big C" no longer means giving up. John Wayne certainly would be proud."

And More Pictures...

2007-10-27T11:42:00.001-04:00

Mike, Kayla and Dean - Alright Kayla! No fair hiding your eyes!

Bev - this one is just for you! I KNOW how much you love having your picture up here! (Sorry - I just couldn't resist!)

Bev, Helen and Bill chatting and relaxing.

Josh and Jess - It was a special treat having Josh there because he lives and works in Pittsburgh.

Still at the table - the back of Helen's head (Hey - I never said I was a good photographer!), Chris, Michelle, and family friend, Maria or AKA "Mama Banks".

Mikie and his girlfriend, Joy. Sorry guys! My son decided to walk in front of the camera just as I was taking the picture! In the background are the granddaughters, Austin and Judy!

Fun around the table - Jess (Josh's girlfriend), Josh, Shawn and Helen

The little ones - My son Logan, Austin, and our granddaughters, Mikaela and Alexis

Pictures From The Party...

2007-10-27T11:30:00.001-04:00

The twins - Mikie & Michelle

Mikie had this blanket made from a picture taken of Kayla and Austin in Florida. Mike & Judy took the kids to Florida a few months ago! This is really neat!

Michelle, Judy, Mike & Mikie - The Metzler Gang

Dean, Michelle,Austin, Judy, Kayla, Mike and Mikie! All together again!

Chris' son, Josh, and Judy or better known as "Aunt DuDu"!

The five kids - My hubby, Bill, Judy, Bev, Chris, and Bobby - the "baby" of the family!

The entire family!

What A Great Night!

2007-10-27T11:19:00.000-04:00

Justin Baer - the birthday boy! Seventeen now! He was only four years old when Bill and I got together - how time does fly!

Last night at my sister-in-law, Chris' house was so much fun! The whole family gathered for Justin's birthday party and we got to see Mikie and to meet his girlfriend, Joy. We had a wonderful evening of food, fun, games and laughs!

I got to play the game Taboo for the first time and I was pretty bad at it. But it was okay - some of the other players weren't much better than me! (Just kidding, guys!) Chris' other son, Josh, he was very good at Taboo and so was Michelle.

The house was full, as you will see from the pictures. Bev, my one other sister-in-law, said she didn't want to see anymore of her pictures on here but guess what Bev? MY BLOG - MY RULES! :)

It is always a good time when the whole family gets together. My husband's side of the family are all fun and it has been a joy for me to be a part of this family. Even if I don't always show it, I love them all and they are all very special in their own ways.

Mike was there and as usual, he and I had our back and forth banter of picking on each other that we usually do. Mike and I have always had this joke that he is the "other" man in my life and we kid around about that frequently.

Welcome Home, Mikie!

2007-10-25T09:31:00.001-04:00

Today Mikie comes home to visit his mom and dad! He is bringing his girlfriend and she will get to meet the entire family tomorrow night. Mikie lives in Florida and works for Citi. He moved to Florida a few years ago and everyone misses him!

It's great to have you home, Mikie and we will all see you tomorrow night! I'll bring the camera! :)

Thank You!

2007-10-25T09:15:00.000-04:00

For the past few years I have seriously doubted the number of good people left in this world - until now. This whole thing with Mike has restored my faith in people and I realize that yes, there are still many good, loving people out there.

This outreach and showering of love for Mike and his family has been truly overwhelming and I am just their sister-in-law! I can't even begin to imagine how touched Mike & Judy must feel!

Since we found out that Mike's cancer was back and since this blog has went up, we have received many donations, prayers, well wishes, offers to donate items for his spaghetti dinner, offers to make desserts for the spaghetti dinner, basket sales - I could go on and on.

I have been going around to the local grocery stores the past two days and the local Giant and Weis stores have been wonderful in donating. At four of these stores, the managers didn't even hesitate when I asked if they would be willing to donate gift cards for Mike's spaghetti dinner.

You all know out there who you are who have been so generous to Mike & Judy and we thank you tremendously.

This has been a great opportunity for me to get to know some of Mike & Judy's friends and family also! I was able to meet two of their friends this morning when I delivered their tickets for the dinner and Vivian and her daughter, Heather, have a lot of love for Mike and Judy. Vivian was sharing with me how great the Metzlers have been to them.

There is hope...

Yesterday when I went to one of the local Giant stores, the manager told me that he had been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer; he was given a 1 in 10 chance of surviving. He was given three to four months to live - and that was over two years ago. He has been cancer free since that time. I told him he gave us hope for Mike and he was an inspiration. Miracles are out there and we know that there is one miracle being saved for Mike! If anyone deserves it, he does!

What's New...

2007-10-23T11:50:00.000-04:00

I talked to Judy today and she said Mike is feeling good! He's tired but that is to be expected with what all he is going through. Mike is down to 139 pounds now. That is a huge difference from what we are used to seeing Mike weigh.

Judy had a visit today from Misty, Mike's niece. She came to pick up her basket that she bought. Judy said they had a nice talk and it was great seeing her.

Saturday was the "Ride for Eternity". Money raised went to the Crossbearers Youth Ministries and to Mike. Rose from Crossroads Church said:

"It was a great sight to see all the bikes heading out on their ride with our own Bill Elliott bringing up the rear in his pick-up truck with the American flag waving from his tailgate."

There were lots of baked goods and it turned out to be a great day for all!

Mike and Judy's son, Mikie, is coming home on Thursday and then Friday night the whole family will be together at Chris' house for Justin's birthday.

The fundraising is going pretty good for Mike! The family has sold about 37 baskets to date and Michelle is waiting for the second shipment to come in to deliver!

The spaghetti dinner benefit is coming together and Bill and Judy's aunt, Alma, and Francis, who both do the spaghetti dinners at the nursing home in town. They offered to come out and walk Lori & I through everything they do for their spaghetti dinners. I have never done a spaghetti benefit dinner before, so we are very grateful to them for offering to help us. The church Bill, Logan and I attend is letting us use their facilities to host the event so we are very thankful to them as well.

Anyone wanting tickets for the dinner, or a basket, please email me at fightformike@hotmail.com and I will hook you up! If you would like tickets to sell you can contact me about that also!

Please keep Mike in your prayers!

Friday Night At Mike & Judy's

2007-10-21T17:45:00.001-04:00

Logan and I spent the evening at Mike & Judy's on Friday. Logan (left in the picture) and Mike & Judy's grandson, Austin (on the right) have a really special friendship. They are cousins but they are good buddies too. It amazes me how much patience Austin has with him, as there is a four-year age difference between him and Logan. Most kids Austin's age wouldn't want to play with a 6-year-old but Austin is special. Austin's sister, Kayla, has always been good with Logan, too. She will be 14 next month and it seems so hard to believe. When Bill & I got together Kayla wasn't even a year old and now she is a beautiful teenager. I'm sure she is breaking lots of hearts!

Logan is always wanting to know if Austin will be at his "Aunt Dudu's" house. When I told him on Friday after school that he would get to see Austin that evening, his whole face lit up. He was very excited.

All the kids in the family have always liked going to "Uncle Mike" & "Aunt DuDu's" house. They are just great with kids. It always amazes me the amount of patience both of them have with children. Judy can relate well to children and she can think like a child. No - she doesn't act like one - she can just THINK like one!

While the boys played, Bev & I cut out the spaghetti tickets for the dinner benefit we are holding on December 1st. Mike was pretty tired while we were there and he rested in the bedroom watching the local news, dozing off at times. It was good to see him rest. It is seldom that you will see Mike resting. Then later he came out and ate his supper and we talked some. He still has trouble eating certain foods and he will feel pretty sick after eating at times.

We Are One Busy Family Fighting For Mike!

2007-10-19T12:16:00.000-04:00

It has been a busy week of baking for the family! Judy, Bev, me and Judy's aunts, Alma and Edna, made cupcakes, brownies, rice krispie treats, cookies and muffins for the bike riders for tomorrow. I believe Alma and Edna made 25 dozen cookies! I hope there are a lot of hungry bikers that turn up!

I just printed out tickets this morning for Mike's spaghetti dinner on December 1st, so anyone wanting tickets please contact me at fightformike@hotmail.com. I will be taking tickets to Judy's tonight and they are going to take them to the bike ride fundraiser that is being held for Mike tomorrow. I have printed almost 260 adult tickets and 50 children's tickets for the event.

We found out that since we are holding the event in a church we cannot have a raffle but they did approve a silent auction. Our daughter, Lori & I will be starting to go out asking for donations next week for the door prize drawings and the silent auction. We are also going to see how much of the food we can get donated.

The basket sale is going great! At last count this morning there are only seven baskets remaining out of the initial order of 25 that Michelle got in. Michelle can order more baskets, so if you want one, and if you want it personally signed by Mike, you can just let us know! Email me at the address above!

This family is definitely full of go getters and these are the types of people that it is so great to be in a family with!

Mike is doing pretty good. Judy said his arm was swollen after his chemotherapy treatment on Monday and he is tired and weak from it. He still has that great attitude we all know and love and with that attitude, and his faith in God, he will pull through this!

Fundraisers For Mike

2007-10-17T17:23:00.000-04:00

Members of our family have been busy preparing and planning fundraisers to help fund Mike's chemotherapy sessions.

Fighting For Mike Baskets

Upcoming fundraisers include Custom Fighting For Mike Baskets that are selling for $45 each. The basket is custom designed (see pictures above) by American Traditions Basket Company in Ohio and these baskets are limited in number and each basket is hand numbered.

The basket is 8.25" x 6.25" x 3.25". It includes a Brass Tag that says "Fighting For Mike 2007", Blue checked cloth liner and plastic protector.

Michelle said today that the baskets have been shipped out and the first shipment should be here within a few days. If you would like to put your order in for a basket to help raise funds for Mike, please email me at fightformike@hotmail.com.

If you would like to take orders, I can email you the PDF order form shown in the first picture above.

All-You-Can-Eat Spaghetti Benefit Dinner

My stepdaughter, Lori, and I are putting together a spaghetti benefit dinner for Mike that will be held Saturday, December 1st at the Mt. Rock Church in Shippensburg, PA.

Serving times will be from 5:00 pm. - 7:00 pm.

Tickets are $6.00 for ages 10 and over, $3.00 for ages 4 - 9.

Our menu will include spaghetti, cream slaw, pepper slaw, dinner rolls, applesauce, dessert, coffee, iced tea and punch.

We are looking for donations for the food so that we can use all proceeds to give to Mike for his treatments.

I will be printing off tickets for the spaghetti dinner hopefully by the end of this week. I have some paperwork to fill out to see what all we can and can't do, then I will print out the tickets and distribute them among the family members.

If you would like a ticket or if you would like to donate food or other items to the dinner, please email me at fightformike@hotmail.com.

My goal is to sell between 200 -250 adult tickets, so we hope everyone can come!

The Gangs All Here!

2007-10-16T11:16:00.000-04:00

The Whole Gang!

Friday was my mother-in-law's 84th birthday so all of her kids, some of the grandkids and their spouses, and the great-grandkids were there to celebrate! So here are pictures from that night at the restaurant that I took. As always, Mike was there and he looked really good Friday night!

For those of you reading this who don't know the family, Helen's (my MIL) kids are:

Bill, Judy, Bev, Chris & Bobby

Judy & Mike talking to someone they know. Their kids are Michelle (who is in a picture below), and Mikie. Mikie lives in Florida but he is coming up next week for a visit. More pictures!

Bev & the birthday girl, Helen

Bobby & his wife, Jane - Bobby is the youngest of the five kids. He & Jane have two sons, Brandon & Ryan. Bobby also has an older son, Robby.

Jane & Chris - Chris has two sons, Josh (he lives & works in Pittsburgh) and Justin, who is still in high school

Me & Bill - Our son Logan (who you will see in a picture below) and daughter, Lori and her family are in pictures below!

Mike & Judy's daughter, Michelle, her husband Dean (hiding his face on the right!) and their daughter, Kayla. Kayla was showing her school spirit for Spirit Day

Lori & Stan (pictures of their two daughters next)

Lori & Stan's girls, Alexis & Mikaela

Our son, Logan (on the left) and Michelle and Dean's son, Austin (on the right)

Chemotherapy Treatment #2

2007-10-15T20:04:00.001-04:00

(Photo courtesy of FreeFoto.com)

Mike had his second chemotherapy treatment today and Judy said he is doing much better than what he did a few weeks ago at his first treatment.

He wasn't feeling well at all this weekend. The pain in his back was really bad so today at chemotherapy they gave him a morphine shot and a prescription for Percocet. Hopefully he will be able to get some relief. I have read that cancer pain, particularly when it has metastasized to the bones, is the worst pain there is.

From an article on the Oncology Channel website about pain:

Studies have shown that 90% of patients with advanced cancer experience severe pain and that pain occurs in 30% of all cancer patients, regardless of the stage of the disease. As many as 50% of patients may be undertreated for cancer pain, yet not all cancer patients fell pain, and pain is rarely a sign of early cancer. Pain usually increases as cancer progresses.
The most common cancer pain is from tumors that metastasize to the bone. As many as 60% - 80% of cancer patients with bone metastasis experience pain.

The second most common cancer pain is caused by tumors infiltrating the nerve and hollow viscus. Tumors near neural structiures may cause the most severe pain.

The third most common pain associated with cancer occurs as a result of chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery.

Judy said that Mike will have 10 more chemotherapy treatments and he has blood work throughout the treatment process to make sure that his cell counts are okay.

We Can Do The Impossible

2007-10-13T10:08:00.000-04:00

We can, do the impossible

We have the power in our hands

...And we won't stop 'cause we've got

To make a difference in this life

With one voice, one heart, two hands, we can

They say the odds are stacked against us

But that can't hold us back, we will be relentless

There's a voice they're gonna hear

A voice so loud and clear

So let them say we can't do it,

give us a mountain,and we're gonna move it..

...We're gonna make a change today

Because we've got the faith it takes

To win this race, so let them say we can't do it

Put up a road block

And we'll just run right through it...

Big Fundraiser For Mike In The Works & Other Updates

2007-10-12T11:49:00.000-04:00

My stepdaughter and I are working on a big fundraiser for Mike. I will have details to post next week, as we are waiting to hear back from the location we want to use for the fundraiser.

I talked to Judy today and she said Mike is doing pretty good. He has been able to eat more, but he is having difficulty with any food that contains yeast. He ends up feeling sick, with the extreme belching and pain.

Tonight we are having a birthday dinner for our mother-in-law. She is 84 today! There will be over 20 of us at her dinner and I will have pictures to post come Monday from the event!

Have a nice weekend!

Would You Please Vote For My Blogs?

2007-10-11T13:35:00.000-04:00

I am interrupting the normal flow of this blog to ask all of you friends, family and readers to vote for my blogs on Blogging To Fame. I just found out this week that my Fighting Fatigue blog was short listed and has made the cut to the final 500 that will be chosen from for the Blogging To Fame Awards. This is a pretty big deal, as the prizes are great! Check these out:

1 Super Famed Blog wins $25000
3 Famed Blogs win $10,000 each
5 Glorious Bloggers win $5,000 each
All Winners Receive Free passes, stay and Tickets to Award Ceremony

So here is what you have to do. You have to vote for my Blogger Profile and My Blogs. I have Fighting For Mike listed too!

Go to the Blogging To Fame Website (click here)
On the left hand side, click "Register"
Complete the registration form
Come back here and click on the badges above
Vote!

Votes do not count if you don't register. I know it's a pain but it only takes a second! Make sure you vote for both Fighting Fatigue & Fighting For Mike!

If you have any questions, just leave me a comment here and I will help you!

Dust Off Your Harley & Ride For Mike!

2007-10-10T11:18:00.000-04:00

Mike & Judy's daughter, Michelle, is in charge of a fundraiser their church is having next Saturday, October 20th.

The Crossroads Youth Group is holding a fundraiser for their youth activities and they are donating half of the proceeds to Mike. The bike riders are going to ride 1 1/2 hours and each rider is paying to ride.

If you live close to us here in PA, or if you want to participate somehow or donate just email me at fightformike@hotmail.com.

Dust off your bike and ride for Mike!

Mike Has Seen Some Improvement

2007-10-09T18:36:00.001-04:00

I talked to Judy today and she said Mike has not been having as much trouble with his food affecting him like it was. After he would eat, and when he would wake up in the morning, he would have terrible gas from his stomach. Judy said it didn't even sound like belching - it sounded like he was throwing up. She said it was bad.

She said that since his chemotherapy last week, he has not been having these belching episodes. I guess they were pretty painful too. We are happy with that good news! Anything to make him feel better is what we have been praying for. Now we need a cure and a remission for him. Thanks again for all of the prayers and posts everyone has written on their blogs for Mike!

Mike Continues Working Despite Cancer

2007-10-08T16:09:00.001-04:00

Mike had told my husband last week that this chemotherapy he is getting really knocked him for a loop compared to what he had the other year with his esophageal cancer. I guess because the cancer has metastasized and has spread the chemotherapy is harsher.

Mike is still plugging along though and trying to work despite how bad I know he must feel. There is one situation where you don't know what to do. On one hand, continuing to work and not giving in to the cancer can be a good thing because if he was at home all day he would be thinking about everything that is wrong with him. On the other hand, by continuing to push his body when it is already so weak is doing nothing to help his immune system and to build his body back up. He really needs lots of rest right now to help reserve his strength.

Judy wants him to cut back his hours so I hope he does. Maybe if he can find that happy medium that would help some.

Keep praying!

Bloggers Unite In The Fight For Mike!

2007-10-06T09:30:00.000-04:00

The blogging community has been so generous in helping me raise awareness for Mike and this site. It has been a real joy for me getting to know these bloggers through their words and their generosity. Here are some more links to sites that have written posts about Mike:

My Chronic Life writes Help Mike Fight Cancer
Mummified Times Five writes Fight For Mike!
Everything and Anything writes Helping Family

Please stop by and visit these blogs!

Have a nice weekend everyone!

Fighting For Mike: A Cancer Story On Cancer Commentary

2007-10-05T07:38:00.000-04:00

I contacted Gloria, who blogs for Cancer Commentary to ask her if she would put a plug in for Mike and this blog. Raising awareness and spreading the word about Mike and what is going on can help others struggling with cancer as well.

I just sent Gloria an email last night and she has already made a post for us. Thanks, Gloria! I have added you to the blogroll.

If you know of any other cancer sites I can send Mike's story to, please comment! Thanks!

Help Mike By Donating Ink Cartridges and Old Cell Phones!

2007-10-04T08:20:00.000-04:00

Mike & Judy's daugher, Michelle, has found a company that will take empty ink cartridges and old cell phones and then they give so much for each. We are trying to gather up as many ink jet cartridges and old cell phones as we can to help raise some money for Mike's treatments & supplements.

Update: Judy emailed me with information from the company they are sending the cartridges into. They will accept ink jet cartridges. If the cartridge is larger than the palm of your hand, it is not acceptable. They also will not accept broken cartridges or refilled cartridges.

If you would like to donate these, please send me an email at fightformike@hotmail.com or leave a comment here with your email and I will get back to you. You can send them to me and I will make sure they get to Michelle.

We appreciate all of the love and support from everyone!

Click To Give Free Mammograms

2007-10-03T22:19:00.000-04:00

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. My grandmother died of breast cancer so in honor of her, I click daily on the Breast Cancer Site"Click To Give Free Mammograms" page.

By clicking on their page, you are helping to give underprivileged women free mammograms. The Breast Cancer Site had been having some difficulty meeting their quotas required by their sponsors who pay for the mammograms. Many of us who are supporters of breast cancer awareness started getting the word out and they did meet their quota in September!

You can sign up at The Breast Cancer Site to have an email reminder sent to you daily so that you don't forget to click!

Rough Day For Mike/Thanks For The Donations

2007-10-03T17:29:00.000-04:00

Judy called today and said Mike's not feeling very good. He came home at lunchtime and he told her then that his stomach was bothering him. I think most of his stomach is gone, if I'm correct. When he was first diagnosed with cancer in his esophagus, some of his stomach was removed and some of it was used to make a new esophagus. Keep praying for him, please!

The support that Mike & Judy have been receiving is just so great. People have been donating money to help with the expenses, emails have been coming from some of you asking what you can send to Mike, prayers have been abundant, and we are all so thankful for people like you!

Inspiration For Today: Bridge Over Troubled Water

2007-10-03T12:09:00.000-04:00

I always thought "Bridge Over Troubled Water" was a great song to listen to during the tough times. I love this version by Clay Aiken.

Mike's First Chemotherapy Treatment

2007-10-02T10:27:00.000-04:00

Mike & Judy - October 1, 2007

Mike had his first chemotherapy treatment yesterday. He was at the treatment center for five hours! I saw him and Judy last night and he said he wasn't feeling too great. He looked tired, but he still had his normal chipper attitude.

I took my son along and we took pictures of Mike and Judy for everyone to see on here!

Back before Mike became sick with cancer 1 1/2 years ago, he weighed 260 pounds. Judy told me last week that he is down to either 140 or 150 pounds. He really needs to put some weight back on so that he has some strength to fight the good fight.

Mike & Judy were telling me about this man who was also at the center for treatment. Judy said it showed her that even though things are bad for them, there are still people out there who have it worse. This gentleman has two young children and he is also battling cancer. He was at the treatment center for six hours yesterday. They said that his intestines and everything are gone and his rectum was sewed shut. After he left the treatment center, a nurse was coming to his house to hook him back up for chemo for another 48 hours.

When you hear stories like that it makes you realize how good you really do have it.

Keep saying prayers and sending your love to Mike & Judy! We can never have too many prayers!

If You Want To Help...

2007-10-01T12:00:00.000-04:00

Amazing Strength

2007-10-01T06:53:00.000-04:00

(Photo courtesy of stock.xchng)

Ever since I found out the other week about Mike's cancer returning, I have been totally amazed at the strength of Mike & Judy and their family. I keep wondering if I could be as strong as what they are if I were given the same situation.

When I talked to Judy on Friday she was telling me about her and Mike's upcoming plans for the weekend. Their daughter, Michelle, is a youth minister and I believe they were doing some type of fundraising event in Lancaster for their church. Judy said that she and Mike were going to help. She said that they are not going to stop living and they are not changing their normal routine or activities because he is sick. As long as Mike is up to it, he wants to go and do, and continue working, like he always has. I think that is a VERY HEALTHY attitude to have.

You can't stop living and I think that Judy and Mike both feel that if they just stay home and feel sorry for themselves, they will be giving up and giving in to cancer. As I have mentioned before, Mike's attitude is so great and if anyone can beat this monster called cancer, he can do it.

Today Mike starts his first chemotherapy session, so I will update after I talk to Judy. Keep praying!

Inspiration For Today...

2007-09-30T07:40:00.000-04:00

(Picture courtesy of FreeFoto.com)

" Live life to the fullest and never take it for granted. You'll have trials and tribulations but it was never promised to be easy. Just make sure by the time your journey's over that you've become a mountain climber!"

Fighting Cancer Aint Cheap!

2007-09-29T18:44:00.000-04:00

Mike & Judy got some good news today - Mike can start his chemotherapy treatments Monday. The bad news is that they will have to pay $3,000.00 for EACH chemotherapy treatment out of their own pockets. Mike has to have four of these chemotherapy treatments over the next two months. So their total just for this round of chemotherapy will be $12,000.00.

After these four treatments have been completed, Mike will be evaluated again to see if the chemo is helping to fight the cancer. If things are working well with this treatment, he will continue with more of the same treatment.

Their insurance is going to pay for some of the treatment now, but $3,000.00 each session is Mike & Judy's responsibility to pay. They will be put on a payment plan to pay off the balance.

Judy has also figured out what his supplements will cost per month that he needs to take to keep up his immune system. The cost for those are $250.00 a month. Our family is working hard and praying hard for all of this to fall into place. With faith and lots of prayer, we know things will work out.

Thanks For The Comments!

2007-09-28T19:15:00.001-04:00

Thanks so much to those of you who have left comments on this blog so far for Mike & Judy. For family and friends (and anyone else!), if you would like to read what great things are being said on here for Mike, just scroll down and on the right sidebar, below the Google ads, you will see a section that says "Most Recent Comments". You can also scroll down to the bottom of each post - you will see on the right hand side the "Comments". Just click on that link and you can read what others are saying!

WAHM Reviews Writes About Mike!

2007-09-28T18:32:00.000-04:00

I have some great Internet friends! It has only been a few days that we started putting the word out about Mike and this site and people have been leaving great comments on this blog and on their own!

Another wonderful post was written today from WAHM Reviews about Mike and this blog. Everyone has just been great and we appreciate all of the support, prayers and love being poured out for this great man!