Val & Collette Cook Family

Bright socks to start off my week. The are actually brighter in real life. It was a busy long day. There were more patients than chairs because the Dr had been out of town and we all came back on the same day. I was last in (they started me in another room) and last out. How do I feel? I feel like I'm on a planet with more gravity so I feel heavy. It is more work to get around which makes me tired. It is a strange feeling. Now I can pretend I'm a space traveler. Which planet should I go to today? Location: Mars?

I love Sundays. I love the peace the gospel brings. I find so much joy in serving the sisters in my ward. I wish I could do more but right now they are serving me. It is a little backwards some how I feel it is part of Heavenly Fathers plan for me and our ward. There is such a feeling of love in our ward. Everything I heard and felt and sang buoyed me up which will help me make it through this next week of chemo. Thanks again for all the prayers and help everyone has given. Somehow I'm feeling nervous some ways I feel stronger than last time and others I feel weaker physically that is. My spirit is strong and I know I'll be fine. I guess a little nervousness is ok. It's going to be a great week. Live life happy!!! Location: Home

My chemo starts 29th of July so i have some time to visit family in Utah.  the hardest part was finding at least four days in a row. so I didn't have to drive there spend one day and drive back the next.  It was tricky because of Val's work schedule we were going to go the week before the chemo but a work meeting came up so we decided to go the week before with an evening and morning to get ready.  The drive was long made longer because we had to stop so val could interview a guy in England.  I did do some driving when Val was to tired to drive. we had a good visit with family Amber and Nathaniel purchased a new home.  we stayed with them and my mom and dad came over to visit while we were baby sitting the boys. Kevin and Vicky dropped by to see us. Saturday we went to the Hogle Zoo.  It was so much fun there were lots of animals. the best of all there was cute grand boys.                 ...

I feel pretty normal I'm tired but that really doesn't make me realize I have stage 4 cancer. My hair is falling out. They told me it would go but how do you prepare for it? I have a great wig and some hats. It is strange losing your hair I can't explain how it feels. I don't really like my hair but now that it is going I have a better appreciation for it. Losing my hair has made this adventure a little more real. Never fear I am keeping up my spirits up. We are more than what we look like it is what's inside that matters most. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

It feels good to be home. The surprising thing is is I feel tired. I think I was expecting to feel my normal self, but I don't. I don't feel as tired as I felt a week ago. I will be glad of the improvement and keep going forward. When we got home the lawn was mowed and the house cleaned. It was so nice. This is another thing keeping up my spirits is all the wonderful people wanting and willing to help. I feel all the prayers it is a strength to me. Camilla told me how all my aunts uncles and cousins were asking about me and sent their love. This is me sending it back to them. I love you all and wish I could have been there. Family and friends are so precocious.

The white knights won!!! My white cell count is down to normal and I should be going home tomorrow. I am feeling better. Gale Couch came to visit. She brought me things to cheer me up. She is a great friend. Robin and Miang made it back from their trip and reunion. They came by last night and brought Val dinner. This was so nice. Val has to fend for himself. I'm thankful for nurses that know what they are doing. They were able to fix my port so that it was working right. No more pocky blood draws. It is much Easter to give blood. I even slept through it. Location: Folsom Hospital

I'm learning so much about how the body works. Apparently I have little solders running around in my body called white blood cells. I'll call them my white knights. Well they have been calling in the troops and I have a very high white blood cell count which means they are attacking an infection in my body right now. This means I will be in the hospital for a bit longer. Which is good because my white knights can use all the help they can get. The accommodations are not 5 star but for a hospital they are very nice. Val has his own bed. They are taking good care of me here. The hardest part has been I didn't get to go to the family reunion. I'm glad Emma was able to go with Gene and Janna. She will be going home with Camilla and my parents to have a little summer fun with family in Utah. Location: Folsom Hospital

On Monday day I was at the doctors to get blood work and my white blood cell booster shot (what ever its called). They kept me because I was dehydrated. So Tuesday I was trying to drink my fluids, it's hard to drink 80 oz. of fluids.   While packing for Idaho to go to a family reunion (Val was doing the packing) I wasn't feeling well.  I had Val take my temperature it was 101.2. That was high enough that I was supposed to go to the hospital. We watched it, but it didn't go down, so instead of going to Idaho I went to the emergency room. They take very good care of cancer patients. They wanted to admit me, so here I am relaxing in the hospital. Emma got to go with Gene, my brother, to Idaho. She will get to see the family for me. The room is great there is a couch for Val and other chairs so I can get up and move around. That is tricky because I am tied up to monitors. The fever came back yesterday and a little today. They ran lots of tests nothing concl...