Chemo with Ryan

Today was not so fun, but nice at the same time.  Miranda was at work today, and couldn't get off.  So Ryan, who is still in town, came to chemotherapy with me.  I think it was good for him to see what happens.  He asked questions and listened as the Noura explained what was going on. 
Without fail, I fell asleep in the middle of the uno game.  But I warned him about that, and so he brought some things to occupy his time.

It was nice to be able to spend time with Ryan like that.  With him being in Utah, and then the both of us being married, we don't get much one on one time.  And so it was nice to enjoy that, and to be able to introduce him to my nurses, doctors, and friends during chemotherapy.

Dudley Vacation - Washington DC, Williamsburg

Another great week!  This week was the Dudley Family Vacation week.  It was busy, and I am exhausted.  I am sure I will pay for it, but it was fun.

August 17. 2010

The absolute highlight of the vacation was when, on this morning, we all went to the temple.  It was the first time all 16 of us were there together since Ryan and Stef's wedding four years before.  It was a most sacred experience for all of us.

While in the temple, Chi Chi made arrangements that allowed us to meet in one of the rooms to just talk for a while as a family.  As we sat together, we all shared the most intimate of feelings.  Chi Chi began by sharing the experience of his healing, and a scripture that has been near to his heart for 30 years.  Then Mom spoke.  And then one by one, the siblings. 

At the end, I spoke.  I thanked everyone for their faith, prayers, and encouragement.  Then I shared with them how my testimony and knowledge of Heavenly Father has grown since being given this trial.  I did not share with them all that I have learned.  Nor will I share it here.  But I do know there is a loving Father in Heaven.  There is a purpose to this life, and it's climax is not experienced here.  There is life after this, of that I am certain.  As Neal A Maxwell teaches, "In the grammar of life, death is not an exclamation point, but a comma."

After we exited the temple, we took some pictures.  It was fun to take a picture with the bald men in my family.  What a great memory that will be!

Also, during this vacation, we spent time in the city, enjoying the history of our country.  I always feel something special as I think about our Forefathers, and what they stood for, what they fought for, and what many gave their lives for.  And we are blessed to be the beneficiaries of their great sacrifice.

We also spent a day in Busch Gardens.  Yes, that's me in the motorized cart.  It's the closest i was allowed to get to a roller coaster all day because of my mediport.  All the harnesses would have crushed it, and that would not have been good!  But it was fun because all the kids wanted to ride with me, and so from place to place, I would always have a kid on my lap.

The only part of the day that stunk was that Miranda wasn't there with us.  She has begun work at CMA CGM, and this was her first week.  So she wasn't able to be in Williamsburg at all with us.  How I missed her!

Robertson Vacation - Smith Mountain Lake

We just had a great week!  Every year with Miranda's family we go to Smith Mountain Lake, and enjoy nature, do some wakeboarding and tubing, and just enjoy the family time.  This year was a little different for Miranda and me.  Right before we went up, I had another round of chemotherapy.  So the first part of the vacation wasn't the most fun!  But it was nice to rest in a different area than my bed at home.  I was on the couch in the family room.  We opened the blinds, and I was able to look at the beautiful water!  What an influence a change of scenery can have on one's mentality!

Towards the end of the vacation, I was able to participate in the activities.  I wasn't allowed to do much other than safely wakeboard and safely tube.  That meant no tricks, no jumps, or anything like that.  For those of you who know me and how I like to try new things, it was near impossible for me to not do any of that.  But I didn't feel like messing up my mediport and have to go into another surgery that would postpone treatments.  So I had to think about what was best for me in the long run!  As boring as I might have thought it was to board and tube safely.

But it was just nice to get out and do something physical without feeling like I would pass out!

Smith Mountain Lake is one of the highlights of the year for Miranda and me.  We love it up there!

CMA CGM

 What a blessing we have received.  The chemotherapy treatment (that I ironically received today) is really kicking my butt!  Insomuch, I am unable to work for a few days out of the week.  I hate laying around, doing nothing, and feeling like this.

However, Miranda has been great.  And we received a marvelous blessing today.  Miranda was offered, and has accepted, a job at CMA CGM, a shipping company, in their accounting office.  What's more? BENEFITS!  We have been going through all this thus far with no insurance, and it's a killer!  Now we will be getting some help.

Education has always been something very important to Miranda.  Many people wonder why she was so adamant about finishing her degree instead of us starting our family.  We definitely haven't followed the typical "Mormon family path."  Not that it's horrible.  It just wasn't right for us.  Anyway, because she finished her education, she earned a great job that will help us through this time when I can't work the way I want to.

What a wonderful blessing her job is!  What a wonderful blessing she is!

Youth Temple Trip

What a great day!  I went to Washington, DC with the youth group as they gave service to their ancestors, and others who have passed on.  I was blessed with the opportunity to perform some baptismal ordinances in Spanish for the family of a good brother in my ward.  It was a sweet experience.

I was also able to visit with a good friend, Sis. Sleight.  She is the wife of one of counselors in the temple presidency.  She was also diagnosed with cancer.  So whenever I am in the temple, I look for two special people - Sis. Boyer, the widow of the man who performed the sealing of Miranda and me; and Sis. Sleight, my cancer friend.  We inquire as to how the other is doing, and share experiences, and give encouragement and strength to each other.

I have found that the more you involve yourself in the trials of others, the less you worry about your own.  In other words, as we help others, we forget about what is going wrong in our lives, and look at everything that is going right.  Yes, cancer stinks.  But I have made some dear friends because of it.  I have had some sweet experiences because of it.

Fight It, Survive It

Today was fun.  Miranda, Shelby, and I went to Virginia Beach and met with Bob Halliday.  He works for Ocean Apparel, and they are making shirts for all of us.  Shelby met the owner at the Market in Sandbridge, told hims about me, and he offered to do shirts for us.  So today we went down and designed them with his guy, and ordered them.  I am super excited about them!  They are going to be really cool.