Little tired!

Jenny, Mike, Christine, Matt and Chad got to see the house

Matt, Bill and Casey and Tristen came from Washington DC

Matt started his second round of chemo. His red blood count was 8.1 and it should be around 13. They had talk to Matt about getting blood last time and he had decided no. This time he decided to try it so maybe the chemo might not be so hard on him this time. He spent 6 hours at Watertown Hospital getting 2 pints blood.

After getting blood he heard snow is coming so he picked up his truck and is getting it ready for the snow that is coming tonight.

Matt's house is getting really close. The plumber and electrician are finishing up this week. The carpenter is putting the finishing trim around windows and doors. The dishwasher was install and the microwave will be installed today. All the bathroom sinks are in and possibly the toilets might be put in today.

Matt had a surprise visit from Bill and Leity and Tristen from Washington DC. They were so kind as to let us stay with them when we were in Washington for Matt's surgeries. It was great to see his family!!

God's blessings to everyone for this Thanksgiving. Thank you for all your continued thoughts and prayers.

First Week of Chemo over

Chelsey and Shaun Wegner's wedding

Matt and Casey wearing funny hats when one of their cousin's thought they should wear.

Matt & Casey standing on their new tile floor in the front entry way.

Matt & Casey's kitchen

Matt's first week of chemo is over. It starts another week of chemo on Wednesday. Matt's first week went okay. The extra drugs he got for the cold seemed to help. He plans to continue it. This round of chemo made him tired and nausea all week. As soon as he was done with chemo he had more energy. Matt goes for labs on Tuesday morning and chemo on Wednesday. Then he takes the chemo pills for six days.

Matt has been working real hard on his house. Matt and Ryan got the tile floor done in the master bath and extra bathroom and the front entry way. They did a real good job. It looks great!!! The only tile left is on the side of the bath tub. This week the plumber and electrician plan to finish up! They have all the lights, toilets, sinks and counter tops ready to go for this week. Matt and Casey had a wonderful weekend. They had a dnner lunch with Casey' s family and then they went to Uncle Jeff's for a get together on Kitty's side of the family.

On Saturday Matt & Casey went to Chelsey and Shaun's wedding. They had dinner and time for good talk and Matt was tired so they went home. During the day Casey's little blue revenue girls were in the holiday parade. Matt drove the truck with their float.

Thank you to everyone for all your continue thoughts and prayers. Hopefully his labs come back good. Matt blood count was low. They are keeping an eye on him so he hopefully will not have to have a few pints of blood transfused.

Chemo and House pictures

Garage, outside of their house

Cori staining the patio door

Jean painting the living room wall

Uncle Jeff acting cute!!

Kitty and Brian painting in the office

Uncle Moose staining windows

Tom & Mike Gates, Jenny painting the kitchen wall

Linda Hepp staining the bay window

Matt and Casey painting the Master Bedroom

Linda staining the kitchen window

Chemo has been going okay. Matt has been taking his chemo medication, Xeloda everyday for six days. His has been making him very tired and nauseous. Thursday following chemo in Johnson Creek he experience some bladder issues. Matt called the doctor and he wanted to see him right away. Matt went in and the doctor decide he might have a bladder infection. Matt is taking medication for the infection. We also found out at the Doctor appointment that Matt has a kidney stone in his left kidney. This was found on the last CT-Scan.

Matt is working through the tiredness and nauseousness. He wants to get the house built and move in and finally he can slow down some.

Here are some pictures of this weekend of painting. Many family and friends showed to help pain the living room, master bedroom, office, kitchen and master bathroom. Windows were stained and the following days they got polyurethane. Today they are working on putting up the trim, kitchen cupboards, counter tops. Then Matt and Ryan are going to lay the wood kitchen floor and they will be tiling the 2 bathrooms and the front entry way.

Thank you for all the continued prayers for Matt. Please keep Matt in your prayers for him to handle the chemotherapy and for the chemo to slow the growing of the cancer!!

Chemo again

Matt started chemo again yesterday. He is trying Xeloda again. Matt and Dr. Holen decide that the Xeloda seem like it slowed the cancer down the most from all the other chemo he has tried. He started yesterday with Calcium Chloride and Dexamethasone and magnesium and Zofran before they gave him the Xeloda. After several hours of Xeloda he got the Calcium Chloride and Magnesium sulfate. The Calcium and Magnesium will hopefully help him with handling the coldness. He is going to try this for a few times to see if it helps.

Today Matt said he is tired and he feel naueous. He was going to go home and try and get a nap.
With this type of chemo he goes his first day to Johnson Creek to get it IV way then the next 6 days he takes 6 Xeloda pills in the morning and 6 Xeloda pills in the evening. Then he has a week off and he starts all over again. He goes to Johnson Creek on December 1 for round 2 of Xeloda. I pray this will help slow the cancer down from growing.

Thank you for all your continue prayers. Please pray for Matt to handle the Xeloda and the coldness. He is looking forward to being able to snow plow this winter (hopefully!).

Better Wedding Pictures!

Casey and Matt in the unity ceremony

Matt anxiously awaiting Casey walking down the isle

Bestt Man, Nate. Matt's brother and Ashley, Maid of honor, Casey's friend

Bret, Matt's friend and Jenny, Matt's sister

Ryan, Casey's brother and Christine, Matt's sister

Eric, Matt's Cousin and Kelly, Casey's friend

Caleb & Elli, Cousin's of Casey

Beautiful Bride, Casey

Wonderful Couple, Matt & Casey

Pastor Ewerdt blessing their marriage

Jerry walking Casey down the isle

These are some pictures of Matt & Casey's wedding that friends had taken. Can see these pictures better.

Thank you to everyone who made their day so special!!

Thank you for all your prayers!

CEA Tumor Marker Results

Johnson Creek Cancer Center called with Matt's tumor marker number. The last number it had gone down to 12.2 and now it has jumped to 19.0. Matt is starting chemo on Wednesday, November 17th. Matt has been feeling aches and pains. Some of his pains he contributes to working hard on his job and working on building his house and he says some could be from the cancer. He has some abdomen pain.

Please help us pray for Matt that the chemo will slow down the growth of the cancer and that the aches and pains go away so Matt and Casey can spend lots of time together.

"Jesus, my Savior and the Shepherd of my soul, embrace me with Your love, and protect me throughout this day. I need You, for I am wounded and bruised, sick at heart, and in trouble and distress. To You I come. Forgive me all my sins in Your mercy and love, and uphold me amid these trials and tribulations. Strengthen my faith. Take every doubt out of my heart, and lead me into Your Word, where You promise to be with me always in every situation of life. Calm my nerves. Put my mind at ease. Make me hopeful and patient. O Christ, have mercy upon me. O Christ, Be with me now and forever. Amen"

Thank You for all your continued thoughts and prayers!

Test Results

Matt saw Dr. Holen yesterday. His tumor marker score was not in yet. The Doctor said we should get it today. He did say that the CT-Scan was not good. Matt has developed several 4mm spots in his lungs, a 6mm spot on his liver. The spot on his pelvic bone got a little larger and the spot in his abdomen got a little bigger. Dr. Holen thought that Oxaliplatin chemo had worked the best in the past for Matt. He felt that since these new finding the Erbitux is not working like it should. Matt is going to start on the 17th of this month Oxaliplatin again. The side effects of this drug is the cold. He can not drink gold drinks, touch cold bottles. If he does it will feel like his throat is swelling up and could possibly do that.

He will go in on the 17th and the first time it will take 4 hours to get the first drugs then he will take pills for 7 days. Then he will have a week off . He will do this until the next Ct-scan to see if this is working. He will do 7 days of chemo and 7 days off. Hopefully this chemo will help to shrink all those spots.

Please if we all can continue the prayers for Matt that the chemo will work and shrink all the spots!

Thank you to everyone for all their thoughts and prayers for Matt and Casey on their Wedding!