Girl Time

The last two weekends have been jam packed with GIRL TIME!!!  The past 18-24 months have been a blur and filled with sadness, stress and the unknown and little to no alone time with my girlfriends.  Although I am a firm believer that we are never given more than we can handle, I do believe The BIG GUY does test our patience at times:)  We all need to have a little girl time, without the men in our lives.  Time to just chill, play games, shop, gossip (I know, not nice right??) eat and just hang out in our jammies if that's what we want to do.  

I was able to go to Lake Martin with Libby and Lauren 2 weekends ago to their amazingly beautiful lakehouse.  It was beyond gorgeous...peaceful, calming and very relaxing.  They taught me to play Hand & Foot, a seriously fun and way addicting card game.  We ate, played cards until late at night, put puzzles together (Libby kept telling me that as we age, we need to keep our minds sharp by doing puzzles, etc..LOL!)  It was such a great time with fabulous friends and just what the Dr. ordered.  

This is the view of the lake from the outdoor porch...Unfortunately all the pics I took from my cell phone were "lost in translation" when I transferred the info from my defective phone to the replacement phone when I returned home:(  I did steal this one from Libbys' FB photos, and you can just imagine this view with the Fall colors...AMAZING!!! I really had a great time and look forward to many more fun times with the Carlsons.

This past weekend, I flew to Tampa, FL and spent 4 days with my friend Tammy Mountain.  We used to do everything together when we lived there and I miss her dearly, but it was really fun catching up with her and again, having quality time with the girls.

We started the weekend with a quick pedicure, then lunch and the last showing of THE HELP.  I read the book and was really looking forward to the movie.  We then headed back to Tammys' to watch the final game of the World Series...don't ask, she wasn't thrilled to watch this but since she's such a good friend and she knows I LOVE baseball, she did indulge me:)  On Saturday we shopped, a LOT stopped over to see her kids and granddaughter, then went to dinner with another sweet friend Tami Bellows.  We caught up, ate a great meal and had some great laughs.  We then went back to Tammys' did some decorating & rearranging of pictures, then watched The Lincoln Lawyer.

Sunday, we shopped (AGAIN!) and I was able to finish my last Christmas gift for my grandkids, ate a fabulous late lunch and then just chilled at her house.  We talked and laughed and just caught up on everything.  Monday (Halloween) we shopped (do you notice a theme here??) ate a really good late lunch then went to see her granddaughter b4 she went trick or treating, then back to Tammys' to watch Something Borrowed.

I did also see my Sinus Dr while in Tampa and had a great check-up!  I was nervous as it had been almost 2 years since I'd seen him, but he said everything looked great and come back in a year...I was thrilled.

These are 2 of my BEST friends ... we have shared many, many great times and laughs together and I miss them both so much.  Loved seeing them and spending time catching up.

I don't even know what to say about this pic T Bellows...however, there was a large green grasshopper thingy on the concrete beside her, LOL.  She is a HOOT!!!

This is T Mountain and I at her sons' house on Halloween.  Neither of us love having our pictures taken, thus the sunglasses on me and the scowl on her face, LOL.

So, as you can tell I am blessed with some pretty amazing girlfriends. Thanks to y'all for everything and mostly for just always being there for me. I look forward to many, many more good times ahead.  I also should give a shout out to my amazing hubby for recognizing when I need "girl time" and encouraging me to do fun things, he is awesome and I love him so much.

"RUT" Day

It's almost here~Rut Day~a day that I dread every October 15th since 1996! For those of you not from the West or those who have no hunters in their family or for those of you who just really don't give a dang, October 15th (lovingly referred to as Rut Day in our home!) is the day Elk season opens back home in Wyoming. Cleo used to live for this day, plan his vacations around this day and basically look forward to it the whole year long. He would always be gone for a week, camp out with his brother and his Dad, sometimes with my Dad and Mom, brothers and brothers in law, occasionally with friends...using horses to get into the back country and to carry out the elk. Real Wyoming, roughing it type hunting. Cleo LOVES to hunt and elk hunting is the ultimate for a boy from Idaho. Quality time with family, outdoor adventures and of course the thrill of the hunt. He would come home after this week long hunt stinky (no showers in the wilderness, eww!!) with loads of laundry and dirty camp equipment, but the look on his face and in his eyes made it all worth while...I miss those days for him.

Since leaving Wyoming in 1996, Cleo has only been able to go home once for elk season...sad, huh?? I wish he could go every year. Basically for at least a week leading up to "Rut Day" he kinda starts moping around & gets that sad look in his eyes. Thankfully, he has a little sanctuary of his own at our place here in Ga so at least he can be in the woods and hunt deer. I know it doesn't take the place of elk hunting in Wyoming, but it helps.

Do I understand it?? Not exactly...I mean I don't have a hobby that I'm that passionate about, unless you count baseball but since I don't actually play the sport and am just an avid fan it's different because we go to lots of games and can ALWAYS watch it on tv. There are things that I love to do, but for the most part I can do them whenever I want and it's just different. But I do sympathize for him.

This year, on Rut Day we have a fall festival/birthday party with friends at 2:00 and then our neighborhood bbq at 6:00, so hopefully this October 15th his mind will be preoccupied with other things...and if not, at least I'm sharing his "grief" with friends...LOL!

If you know Cleo at all...this blog will make total sense, if not sorry you wasted a couple minutes reading it, LOL!:)

Happy RUT DAY people...

Playing Catch Up!

As I was catching up on everyone elses' blogs, I realized mine hadn't been updated in nearly 2 months! Summer seems to have gotten the best of me and I guess I just didn't "get 'er done". So as I'm trying to remember anything memorable that's happened since I last blogged, I'm drawing a blank...but, in our world that isn't necessarily a bad thing ;-)

Cleo is now nearly 2 months further in the post transplant process...doing pretty well until a couple weeks ago when he caught the CMV virus :( It nearly drained his energy because of the fever, but now that he's on the anti-virals (will be for 12 weeks total) he is rebounding nicely. It was caught early and the Transplant team says it most likely won't affect the kidney and his labs indicate that as well, thankfully. This is really very common as the majority of the population has been exposed to this virus, thus making it more likely a recipient can/will contract the virus after transplant. Piedmont Transplant has protocols in place for just about every scenario and this was no exception, so we both feel relieved that once the virus runs its course, he will once again be running circles around me...lol!

We were able to go to Houston over the Labor Day weekend and spend some time with Tommy and Cindy (Cleos' bro & SIL). Matt, Ashley and their kids as well as Audrey and her kids were also there making for lots of fun. Reflecting on the weekend, pretty much every memory involves food---and making new memories---and food---and fun---and, well you get the idea, we ate a LOT, but it was sure yummy!! We sure love spending time with the other Cheneys'...thanks for the hospitality y'all and of course all the food!!! I didn't get any pictures~don't have a decent camera anymore and always forget to use my cellphone camera until its past the point of being picturesque..haha! It was a really nice getaway and I'm glad we were able to go.

Now that fall is right around the corner, I'm looking forward to mowing less, reading more and doing some projects inside the house (don't tell Cleo, he doesn't know about them yet!). I expect to see less of Cleo as I'm pretty sure bow season opens this weekend and even on his worst day, he'd pretty much rather be hunting than anything else. I LOVe that he has a hobby that he's passionate about.

Hoping y'all have a wonderful fall...

Milestones...

Today, Cleo and I both went to Piedmont for our 6 month Post-Transplant appts. I know, it's really hard to believe it's already been 6 months (actually was on 7/14). This was my first visit since my 2 wk post-op and all my bloodwork was perfect. I am doing GREAT and go back in Jan. for a 1 yr. post donation and again at 2 yr for the same thing. They do this to gather statistical information and keep data on living donors.

Although they didn't have Cleos' bloodwork back before we left, he too is doing GREAT!!! He feels so good and his energy levels are wearing me out...LOL:) The biggest changes with this being his 6 month visit are:

• He stopped the Valcyte (anti-viral medication)
• He stopped the Bactrim (antibiotic)
• He now only has to see the Transplant team every 2 months

He will always need to have his blood drawn monthly to make sure the medication levels are correct...they can and do need to be changed periodically. But just knowing that he now sees the Nurse Practitioner instead of the Transplant Nephrologist just makes us feel like he really is doing so good, otherwise he would still be seeing the Dr, most likely with complications. I guess he will continue to see them for the first year and then at some point, they will alternate visits between them and his local nephrologist and then always see them on his anniversary month. What an amazing place Piedmont is...it will always hold a special place in our hearts. Not only is this where Cleo had his transplant, but where Jarod went through his cancer treatments last year...they are The BEST!!!

So that's it ... in a nutshell! Glad this wasn't a long post, because that would mean I had too much to explain and most likely that wouldn't be good news..HAHA!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!

July 13, 1988...The beginning of our story. Well, it really began in January 1988 when Cleo and I were set up on a blind date by mutual friends. We went on a double date with Kurt and Keri to a pizza joint in Rock Springs, WY. I knew then (I really did!) that I would marry this man. Cleo, well it took him a while to come around (not long, as you can see we were married 6 months after that first date!). We were, and still are to an extent, polar opposites. He LOVES the outdoors, hunting, fishing, camping...Me, well I'd rather be in a hotel with room service and bathroom facilites, but I think this is why we've made it work. We both love what we love and respect that we have different interests...although the longer we're married, the more we have found we really do have in common. When we met, Cleo had a 7 yr old son, a 5 yr old daughter and a 3 yr old daughter...I had a 6 yr old son, so we had an instant family. It wasn't always easy, and we didn't have a lot of money but I think we all have some pretty good memories of those days...I'm sure the kids would tell you there were some hairy times too (what kid wouldn't?), but after 23 years all 4 of our kids have grown into amazing adults...all are married to wonderful spouses and we have 5 awesome grandkids! Who would've thought??? There were many skeptics back then...I mean the odds were pretty much stacked against us, but here we are and I believe there will be MANY, MANY more wonderful years ahead of us!
Our Wedding day...in a chapel in Las Vegas, NV. We went to the Courthouse the night before to get our marriage license. It looked and smelled more like an inner city police precinct! We filled out the license, in pencil (yup, the exact same kind you would use to fill out a golf score card!) stood in line and when it was our turn, the clerk asked to see our drivers' licenses', she briefly glanced at them (heck they could've belonged to Elvis & Priscilla and she wouldn't have seen the difference..lol!) no blood tests required, and next thing you know we were holding our official License. The next day, we were picked up at our hotel by a sweet stretch limo. Our driver, Bruno, took us for an "eye-opening" tour of the back streets of Vegas before finally taking us to the chapel. It really was a beautiful chapel and decorated very tastefully, not a "dive" as I kind of expected...I was pleasantly surprised! A woman "minister" appears and starts the ceremony and quickly stops, asking "who/where is your witness?" Oh dear, we didn't think of that, we hadn't asked any family or friends to go with us, so Cleo quickly runs out to the limo and grabs Bruno telling him we need him to be our "witness". After a brief ceremony, we were pronounced Man and Wife by this woman who proclaimed her faith to be something like 10 words long...you know "The Church of the Holy Name of blah, blah, blah"!!! To this day, we sometimes wonder if we were really legally married, but after all this time I guess it was legit...LOL:):):) We enjoyed a night in Vegas, with Cleo begging me to go back to the room, to which I quickly responded "I'm winning, we have the rest of our lives for that!"...and left the next day for a week long honeymoon in California. It was amazing and every day since has been an adventure.

So, here we are 23 years later and I could not be more in Love with this man. He is my everything and I would not want to be on this journey with anyone else. I love you Cleo Kevin Cheney and look forward to many, many more years with you. Years filled with fun and adventure and good times and more Love than ever!!!

Kyle and Mikells' Wedding

May 14, 2011: Kyle and Mikell Cheney Wedding Day

We looked forward to this day for a long time and are so happy for both Kyle and Mikell on their wedding. We pray they will have a very long and happy life together :)

Although it was a really quick weekend trip to SLC (only about 48 hours total!) it was so worth it to watch our oldest son marry the woman of his dreams :) Mikell is just absolutely the perfect woman for Kyle...we hope she understands what she just signed up for...just kidding :) But seriously they are so good together, have so many common interests and goals and we couldn't be happier for them both.

There was a very informal rehearsal at a local park on Friday night with a bbq after. We were able to visit with family a lot on that night and just enjoy a really beautiful night with loved ones. I didn't get any pictures, but luckily Mikells' family did and were gracious enough to share them with us. I have posted a few from the picnic and some from the wedding. Looking back, I'm really sad that we didn't ask for a family picture with all our kids and grandkids, but it's so chaotic when you're at a family wedding and you just forget about details like that :(
24 more hours and this will all be over...
Now PLEASE take this serious and listen to me...LOL!!!
We were just trying to do what we were told
Uncle Brent, Scotty and Ashley (was so good to meet you finally Ashley!)
Launa, Cori, Teiha, Uncle Eric, Cleo, Brenda, Sara holding Kenleigh, Uncle Brent, Scott and Ashley
Grandpa Cheney, Kimmy, Aunt Tami, Cori, Grandma Cheney, Uncle Eric and Cleo...oh and Baby Sam in the stroller of course!
Take a deep breath Kyle...he was so nervous and we were grateful he didn't pass out before the ceremony started!
Mikell and her Dad...she was an absolutely gorgeous bride
Ok, so some of the pictures posted out of order and of course I couldn't figure out how to switch them...anyhow, the happy couple walking down the aisle after the ceremony as Mr. & Mrs. Cleo Kyle Cheney
Back of the gown...really beautiful!
The wedding party
Mikell and the grooms' party...Brayden (Kyles' son) was such a cute little ring bearerKyle with the bridal party
Mikell and her parents
The only picture of Cleo and I with the happy couple (Did I mention I HATE having my picture taken???) it's always like an out of body experience for me
Dad and Son...how handsomeMr and Mrs Kyle Cheney...CONGRATULATIONS to you both!!!! We love you and only wish that we could see you more often.

Live for Today...

Today, I had the extreme pleasure of being invited to celebrate "Donate Life Month" with a nice lunch and presentation at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta. While Cleo and I were both invited, he was unable to attend because he just returned to work a couple weeks ago and couldn't take the afternoon off.

The MC of the event was Dr. Welchel (Cleos' transplant surgeon) and as is his "norm" he showed up in a white lab coat and his signature cowboy boots...the man even operates in them. He is a very down to earth, laid back man with a gentle soul. He likes to crack jokes and you just want to hug him whenever you're around him. He has been at Piedmont for a very long time and is responsible for helping the hospital grow their living donor program and bringing kidney and liver transplant surgeries to the hospital and making it among the top 10-15 transplant hospitals in the country.

The first guest speakers were Steven and Maryanne Abbate who lost their son in a tragic car accident 5 years ago. His story inspired the movie (released last month) The 5th Quarter. They are from the Atlanta area and they shared their very emotional story about the call that no parent ever wants to receive, the gut wrenching news that their son was declared brain dead and then about their familys' choice to donate his organs. Because of Lukes' gift, 5 lives were saved. They were able to meet the young Mom who rec'd his heart and just recently found out that 2 of the other recipients rec'd their organs at Piedmont Hospital, but they have yet to learn their identity or to meet them. Their story was hard to hear (as a parent especially) and there wasn't a dry eye in the auditorium. They have established a Foundation in Lukes' memory to raise awareness of wreckless teenage driving as well as the need for organ donation. Visit their website for more on their story: www.lukeabbate5thquarter.org

The 2nd speaker was a local radio personality, Melissa Carter from Q100, who received a kidney from her cousin 10 years ago. She shared her story of being a young 29 year old who went to the dr. for a bad case of flu, was given a container for a urine sample, and then told that she was in kidney failure (completely unrelated to why she went to the dr!). She was on dialysis for about a year and a half, then rec'd her transplant at the age of 31, which was 10 years ago. She said the day she was told about her kidney failure, she threw out her cigarettes and hasn't had one since...good for her!!! She talked about living donors being super heroes and that recipients are very much aware of the gift they've been given and want to live their lives in such a way to honor their donors (whether deceased or living). She rec'd her transplant at Piedmont and spoke very highly of the Transplant team, who we know from personal experience are the BEST!!!

It was really special to hear from people who have been on both sides of the organ donation spectrum and who so freely shared their experiences with an audience full of strangers. I shed some tears at both stories, but as I was driving home on I-85 South through Atlanta traffic (for those of you who've been in this traffic, you know what I'm talking about!) I found myself crying to the point where I thought I would need to pull over. I was able to get it together after a few fingers and horns from passing cars...YIKES...and made it home safely. Once in the safety of our home, I seriously lost it. I'm talking full on hysterically crying and I'm thinking to myself "what is your problem?" and then I realized that over the course of the past 13 months, through Jarods' cancer diagnosis and treatment to finding out that Cleo was put on the UNOS transplant list in late summer, that I haven't truly processed it all. Yes, I've shed lots of tears but I would always pull myself together so that others wouldn't see me falling apart or see me as being weak. I know this sounds silly, but my blog is where I am able to journal all my feelings, good or bad and my daughter Sara has been telling me for over a year that one day I would need to truly process all my feelings, and I guess today was that day. I am truly grateful for all that we have and for living in a day and time when medical science can do the things that bring new life to so many people. Our lives have changed so much over the course of the past 13 months and no matter what happens tomorrow, we have today!

On Thursday, it will be 3 months since Cleos' successful kidney transplant. He is doing SO good and as I mentioned earlier, he went back to work a couple of weeks ago. He is enjoying turkey hunting and yes, even yard work!!! He has so much energy and he actually told me last night as he was roaming around the yard after he got home from work, that I "made him like this". Now I'm not sure if that was a compliment or an insult (just kidding), but it makes my heart sing to see him so healthy once again. Jarod went to the dr. last month and rec'd a great report from his oncologist and will be considered in remission end of May/fist of June. We are so very blessed as a family to have them both around and healthy this year.

I plan to live my life with no regrets from here on out...be happy, not worry so much about the small stuff, and if I do leave this earth, make sure that I leave having made it better for someone else :)

Two Month Post-Transplant

Today, it has been 2 months since Cleos' successful kidney transplant. Oh, what a difference a few weeks make in recovery time! Cleos' doctors are really pleased with his recovery and how well he is doing overall. His bloodwork is starting to level out and they haven't changed dosages on the meds for a couple weeks now. We are both feeling so good and have lots more energy every single day. We are both able to do pretty much what we want, except lift over 10 pounds for another couple weeks and he is still to avoid large crowds and obviously sick people. Cleo will meet with his boss later this week to discuss plans for him to return to work in the next couple weeks and he is looking forward to that and getting back into a normal routine.

We have been walking every day unless it's raining and have found new routes that include some wooded areas, so it feels more like hiking than walking. The change of scenery is nice and we really enjoy doing it together. Neither of us have ever been runners or even joggers, but we do walk at a pretty good pace and it's just good to get fresh air and activity. We've started doing things outside now that the weather is getting nicer, but we're glad the grass is still dormant and won't need mowing for at least a couple more weeks :)

It's pretty funny, but Cleo was saying to me the other day that most days he can't even force himself to take a nap now! In the weeks leading up to the transplant, it was nothing for him to take 4-5 naps a day...and I'm talking full on, can't get a rouse out of him naps! I am so grateful that his new kidney is working so well and giving him "new life".

Although Cleo has never asked "why me" or dwelled on the crappy hand life delt him in the 18 years since he was diagnosed with Goodpastures' Syndrome, that 6 month nightmare and the lasting kidney damage it caused sort of robbed him of the prime years of his life. While most people who know him didn't ever realize the change, we both did. Although he's no longer a young 35 year old man, we feel blessed that he now has the energy and stamina that was missing for so many years and we plan to take full advantage of that. The drs have told him not to fly for awhile, but have given reluctant permission for us to fly to SLC in May for our son Kyles' wedding and we are very much looking forward to seeing our family then. Any other travel will have to wait for awhile, but we've become pretty patient and know that the day will come when we can also do that.

Life is really good and we look forward to spring and baseball season and summer and hot, humid days and good times with family and friends and on & on & on~~~

One Month Post Transplant

It has been one month today since Cleos' successful kidney transplant surgery. Although I don't typically subscribe to the whole "Valentines Day" hoopla---kinda think you should just show your love all year round---I thought today would be appropriate to say "I LOVE YOU" Mr. Cleo Cheney! I'm pretty sure he already knows this because we never go to bed without saying that to each other, but nonetheless, I've said it for the world to hear.

We are both feeling really good and getting most of our energy back. Cleo definately has more than he did before the surgery, which is another sign the kidney is doing it's job. I still tend to get a little tired in the evening, but guess it's just my bodys' way of telling me it's had enough for the day! We go back to Piedmont this Wednesday to get Cleos' stent removed and he will also have bloodwork and see the Dr. So far, they are quite pleased with everything and we all continue to be optimistic this will last for a really, really long time and that Cleo will stay healthy. Now that the weather is warming up some, we are walking and up to at least 1.5 miles a day...it feels so good to get fresh air!

I just wanted to share one quick story from the day of surgery...so I'm in pre-op and I'm a very hard stick, whether it be just for blood or starting an iv, and about the 3rd person to come in and try was a young girl probably in her mid 20's. She asked me who I was donating a kidney to and I told her my husband. She replied "I've not met anyone yet that I would do that for". I thought to myself that she'd probably just been dumped and was a little jaded so didn't really give it another thought. Then after her unsuccessful attempt at starting an iv, another nurse came to give it a try. She was probably in her mid to late 50's and she asked me the same question. When I told her my husband she perked right up and said "I was married once for 6 months, it's not for me and there isn't a person in this world I would give an organ to". I was shocked to say the least...I mean really there is not even a family member that you love enough to give this amazing gift to?? I guess it takes all kinds to make this crazy world, but just so we're clear...I was and still am honored to have given this gift to my sweetheart. I wish those 2 ladies happiness and hope someday, somehow their hearts will be softened.

Happy One Month Kidney Anniversary Cleo...I love you with all my heart (and kidney!)

Post Transplant Update

It's been just a little over 2 weeks since Cleos' successful Kidney transplant and we are living, breathing proof that Science, sprinkled with little miracles do exist!!! I can't even begin to tell you how grateful we are to the entire Transplant staff at Piedmont Hospital...they are all Rock Stars in our book! We feel so blessed to be living in a day and time when things such as this are possible and to live so near a city with an amazing transplant center.

Cleo is getting stronger each and every day. His energy level is much better than before surgery and his color is great. He said he didn't realize he looked bad until people started telling him how awesome he looks now. He is still having slight headaches, which have diminished from migraines and continue to get better as they are able to lower the levels of anti-rejection meds. He is also having pretty bad tremors, another side effect from the meds, but hopefully they will get better as well with the lower dosages of meds. His staples (17 in all!) are starting to really bother him, but they are holding firm to not taking them out until 3 weeks! He was able to wear jeans by wk 1, but they now bother the staples too much so he's back to sweats until they come out! He will have the stent removed on Feb 7th.

I'm feeling pretty good. I pulled some muscles in the right abdomen right after surgery and it was pretty painful. I don't tolerate pain meds well so have been on just tylenol since day 2 after surgery and so I just thought I needed to endure the pain. Dr. Wolfe saw me at about 10 days post op and gave me muscle relaxers and within 12-24 hours I was a different person. I now only take them at night before bed and feel pretty good during the day. I was released to drive on Friday and since we are now "flying solo" that feels great!

Jarod and Lindsey were absolutely a "Godsend" leading up to and during our surgeries. Logistically speaking, we could not have done this surgery without them here. They were with us before, during and after the surgeries and took great care of us. They made sure we both got home safely, had all Cleos' prescriptions and did several airport runs to pick up family for us. I understand they were really good to update family and friends with emails and I know that meant a lot to the family. They will also be here for us in the next several weeks and months should we need anything. We love you both so much and appreciate all you've done for us.

Ashley (Cleos' niece) came out ftom Texas to be with us for the first week after surgery. She was AWESOME to have around. I think she got the worst week but she never complained and was a huge help to us. We loved having her here and appreciate Matt giving her up for a week to come help out. Tom and Cindy (Cleos' brother & sis in law) came from Texas for week two and I think it was nice for Cleo to have another guy around. They were also a huge help to us...driving us to ATL twice (once in a terrible rainstorm that had me in a panic!) and cooking for us and just being a support for us. We love you all and can't ever say Thank you enough for helping us and being a great support for us.

We know that our other kids and family would've been here in a heartbeat and we love you all more than words. Your support, encouragement and prayers made all the difference in the world to us both. It's very hard at times to live so far from our family, but we always know that no matter what, they're always there for us. This is one of the emblems to help support and promote Organ Donation...a cause very dear to our hearts.

This picture makes me cringe (I look hideous!). This was about 12 hours after surgery and I was able to walk down the hall to Cleos' room.

This picture was taken Sat night (day after surgery). I had a rough day...reaction to pain meds and then vomiting, so Cleo was able to come down to my room and hang out! He had such a smile on his face that whole weekend and I wondered if he was having any pain at all...lol! I think it was a combination of steroids and true elation at the success of the surgery.

Cleo will definately be "incognito" for awhile as they want him to stay away from large crowds for awhile (especially during flu season), so other than our daily walks and visits to the Transplant Clinic, he will be homebound. Good thing it's winter and not hunting season...LOL!!!

I will try and keep the blog updated as best I can in the weeks and months to follow. Love y'all.

Transplant Surgery

The day is almost here...Kidney Transplant Time...Friday the 14th at 7:30 am! We have known for awhile that this day would come and we look forward, with great relief, to Cleo getting his new, healthy kidney. Of course with any surgery, there can be risks, but we both have a very peaceful and calm feeling about this surgery and have a lot of faith in the surgical team at Piedmont. They are among the top hospitals in the country and above the national average in successful kidney transplants. Cleo will be admitted tomorrow and have a central line inserted as well as lots of pre-op tests. I have my pre-op at the Transplant Clinic tomorrow, but then don't have to be at the hospital until Friday at 5:00 am...ugh (I'm not a morning person!).

We are so blessed to have such a large, supportive family who will help us both through our recovery process. We love you all so much and appreciate, more than words can express, your prayers and love for us. This wouldn't really be possible without each of you. We are also grateful to have many wonderful friends, especially here in the Newnan area, who will help us through the next couple weeks and months.

Cleo...I love you more than I can ever express in words and look forward to Forever and Always with you.

I've put just a few of my favorite pictures of Cleo on this post and I hope that he will be hunting, fishing and playing on a beach in Mexico (or somewhere else tropical) very soon.

Turkey shot in the woods behind our house

Fishing at Mexico Beach, FL

Beach in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico...Pretty sure there was a little hottie to the right of him..LOL!!

First day of our Puerto Vallarta trip...2008

Christmas 2010

I've been trying for 2 days to upload pictures so I can do this blog update, but for some reason they aren't loading. So, I will just do this update and put the pictures on FB!!

Sara, Zach and Kenleigh flew out from Utah this year and spent Christmas with us. It was so magical to have a little one around...she really did "light up our world"! There's just something about the innocence of little ones to remind us what this season is really all about. We really enjoyed having all 3 of them here for a week.

Cleo and I went to Christmas Eve candlelight service at 11 pm and then it was time for "Santa" to arrive with his gifts. It's been a lot of years since he's left anything, other than stocking stuffers, at this house...lol!! So on Christmas morning we woke and enjoyed watching Kenleigh with her gifts from Santa. We then ate homemade french toast and bacon, looked in our stockings and waited for Jarod and Lindsey to arrive. They got here around 11:30 (it started snowing as soon as they arrived!) and we opened gifts. I think everyone did pretty well, and Kenleigh couldn't have cared less about opening gifts. She was perfectly content to play with my old cell phone..haha! We had a nice ham dinner and then just relaxed. Jarod and Lindsey decided to leave early as the snow had kind of turned to freezing rain and the roads were starting to get slick...they wanted to get home before dark. Cleo, Zach, Sara and I played games for hours after Kenleigh went to bed. It was lots of fun and I haven't laughed that hard in a long time.

On Monday, we met Jarod and Lindsey in ATL and all went to the Georgia Aquarium. It was lots of fun. Kenleigh did pretty dang good and I think she enjoyed it, but I'm pretty sure the grown ups enjoyed it more :) When we got home, Grandpa decked Kenleigh out in all her camo so they could explore a little. I'm not gonna lie, she was pretty dang cute and she loved it (she wouldn't let her Mommy take it off for quite awhile after coming inside). It was pretty cold outside and there was still a little snow so they didn't get to go into the woods for very long, but she LOVES being outside and she really loves her Grandpa so the combination was perfect. That evening, we just chilled and Sara got them all packed to head home. Cleo took them to the airport early Tuesday morning--I hate that part--and they arrived safely in SLC later that morning.

Thank you Zach, Sara and Kenleigh for making the long trip out and making this Christmas extra special for Dad and I. We love you tons and can't wait to see y'all again soon.

Hope everyone had a magical Christmas and that you'll have a happy and healthy 2011.

Thanksgiving...and so much more!

Thanksgiving ... a special time of year to give thanks for all that we have been given. This year, for us, we have MUCH to be thankful for! It has been a rough year for our family, but along with the hard times we have been given so much. We are so thankful for Jarods' life and for all the wonderful doctors, nurses and support staff who helped him and Lindsey through the hardest thing they've ever dealt with. We pray daily for his continued good health and a long, happy life with his beautiful wife.

Another blessing we have received this year is that we've found a healthy kidney for Cleo and on January 14th he will receive that new kidney! I have to say the process wasn't without a few ups and downs, and we are very thankful for the family who were willing to be tested. There really are angels who walk on this earth and Matt, Tami and Camille are but a few of them...for wanting to give Cleo that gift, we love you with all our hearts! And for all the others who wanted to be tested but weren't given the opportunity...we appreciate your unselfishness as well.

I always knew that when the time came, I would be tested for possible kidney donation to Cleo, but I NEVER dreamed in a million years that I would be the one to give him that gift. You see, I love this man more than life and to be able to give him renewed health, well that pretty much takes my breath away! I am looking forward to spending forever with this man and cherish each moment that we have together and now am very hopeful we will have many, many more years together here on this earth.

We are looking forward to this most wonderful time of the year...spending time with family and celebrating our Saviors' birth. We pray that each of you will do the same.

The next few months won't be without challenges for us, but with the love & support of family & friends we are confident it will all be good.

Bobby Cox Tribute

As most of you know that follow my blog...I am a HUGE Braves fan!. I'm not sure if I love the Braves because of Bobby Cox (the manager) or if I love Bobby Cox because he manages the Braves, but either way, well you get the picture. Many have asked me why I love the Braves so much since I grew up in Wyoming...they assume I would be a Colorado Rockies fan. But when I grew up Colorado didn't have the Rockies and one of the few stations we got on the tv was TBS, which happened to carry most of the Braves games. In our house growing up, if you wanted any quality time with my Dad, you learned to love sports. He still loves football the best (I think), but he always loved baseball too, so I learned to love the game. Then Jarod started playing tball at the age of 5 and shortly after that, Cleo started coaching him and I was the Little League secretary for quite a few years, so our summers were always spent at the ball fields. To this day, I love nothing more than watching a baseball game.

This year, because of the generosity of our friends the Carlsons mostly, we were able to enjoy quite a few Braves games and most recently this past Saturday we were able to go to the game and see the tribute to retiring manager Bobby Cox. It was a beautiful day and awesome weather for the festivities, but much to my dislike, we did not win the ball game. We did win on Sunday and due to the Padres losing the Braves have made the playoffs for the first time since 2005...YAY!!! I can't say thanks enough to you Libby and Jack for the tickets and mostly for your friendship...y'all ROCK!!

Bobby Cox will be sorely missed next season, but hopefully we can get some post season wins to send him off with a Bang (can they make it all they way?? who knows, but I'm gonna sit back and enjoy the ride!). He has the most ejections in Major League history and some would say that means he's just a hot head...I say it's because he ALWAYS has his players backs. He believes in them and knows how to get the most out of each of them. He knows how to make them achieve their full potential, he NEVER tolerates being late, he always expects you to play hard and give it your all and treats the rookies just like the veterans. I know a lot of people in this world who could learn a lesson or two about life from this guy.
They had #6 in front of both dugouts in Coxs' honor

Cleo and I...we arrived pretty early so got to watch them set everything up and just soak it all in!

Some of the coaching staff getting ready for the tribute

Hank Aaron was on the stage to present the painting of Bobby to him...pretty cool! A lot of former Braves players were in the seats in front of the stage as well as family members of Bobby. Chipper Jones sat on the stage next to Bobby and his wife Pam.

It was standing room only and the biggest crowd in Turner Field History...man was it loud!

Hero...I'm not really sure what constitutes a hero, but in my book the man is quite simply Amazing. I'm sure gonna miss going to the games next season and not seeing him in the dugout or on the field yelling at the umpires, but life goes on and so will the Braves. I just hope this year is the start of something really spectacular for the Braves.

Kenleighs' 1st Birthday

Cleo and I flew to SLC last Friday (9/27) for Kenleighs' first birthday party and so that Cleo could meet our newest granddaughter Ellie. It was a really quick trip, we only stayed until Monday morning, but it was so fun. And, best of all, I didn't get sick this trip..YAY!!! The last 3 times I've been to SLC, I've ended up pretty sick so I wasn't really looking forward to going just for that reason. Maybe because we only stayed for less than 72 hours, the Gods were good to me!!!

Sara and K picked us up at the airport Friday around 10:30 am and we grabbed a quick bite then went to her house and took naps! Cori and the girls came over that afternoon as did Kyle and Brayden for a quick visit. We went to bed pretty early that night as we'd been up for about 21-22 hours! Saturday I helped Sara make Ks' birthday cake and cupcakes for the party on Sunday. Cori, Brandon and the girls came over in the afternoon and then we all met Kyle, Mikell and Brayden for dinner at a yummy Mexican restaurant. We had a good time with all the kids and grandkids...wishing Jarod and Lindsey would've been there ...but hopefully we will all be together next spring at Kyles' wedding!

On Sunday Sara and I ran a few errands to pick up the last few things for the birthday party and then we headed to the park to set up for the party. Ks' cake turned out SO CUTE...Sara did a great job decorating it. Kenleigh wasn't too sure what to do with it when they put it in front of her, but she got the hang of it after they dipped her fingers into the icing! It was a nice day, little windy and cooler, but a nice day for the kids to play outside.

Little Miss Ellie is the sweetest baby...she is so quiet and just chills most of the time. There were times we forgot who had her because she is so quiet! She is a very happy baby and of course all the girls just love their Grandpa, as he does them. It was fun to be around Brayden and get to know him a little better as well.

Thanks to Sara and Zach for their hospitality...and to Cori and Kyle for spending time with us too. We sure do love and miss y'all so much and wish we could get together more, but it just makes the times we do more special. I apologize for not getting better pics...my camera is about ready for the landfill and I had to steal some from Saras' FB...not many of the indoor ones turned out at all. Guess I need a new camera...hint, hint Cleo ;)

Good thing this is the last "monthly" pic Sara needs of K...she doesn't enjoy sitting still!!

Is that not the Cutest Cake???

One of the many gifts...think K enjoyed the paper more than the opening of the gifts.

Cleo holding Ellie, and Cori...

Grandpa and Kenleigh...she really did Love being with him!

Grandpa and his girlies...they just Love him

Kyle, Brayden and Mikell...the camera can't be blamed for this shot, it was the photographer (i.e., ME) note to self...don't take pics into the sun!

Teiha, Cori, Ellie, Launa and Brandon

Sara, Kenleigh and Zach...again the photographer took pics into the sun...what can I say??

Nana, Grandpa, Teiha, Kenleigh, Brayden, Ellie and Launa...hard to get 5 kids all to look at the camera at the same time!!

Transplant Time...

Well, as most of you know, Cleo has chronic kidney disease due to a rare disease he had years ago and we were told 2 yrs ago that he was getting close to needing a new kidney. We found out on Wednesday that his latest lab values have dropped low enough to put him on the transplant list (pending ins. approval). He has gone through all the req'd tests for transplant eligibility and is healthy in every other aspect, so that's a good thing. He still doesn't feel any different, just tired but he's pretty much always felt that way :) His kidneys are still functioning and he does not require dialysis, so the goal would be to get a kidney transplant before that happens.

There are 2 reasons to go ahead and list him...#1 so that we can start the donor kidney testing for anyone who might be interested in that...#2 so that he can build up time on the transplant list so that if we don't find a suitable donor he has time to move up the list.

We are so blessed to have such a big family and a great network of loving friends and I believe that when the time is right, the right match will be found and Cleo will live a long and healthy life. Many of our family and friends have expressed an interest in being tested for possible donation, so for those of you interested here is that information. You need to contact Leanne Whitehead who is the Living Donor Coordinator @ Piedmont Hopsital in Atlanta 404-605-4605. There is a short phone interview and she can give you any other details.

Please understand that Cleo and I are not asking any of you to do this, but are strictly keeping our family and friends updated on his status, and giving donor info to those who have expressed an interest.

We love & appreciate each of you...Cleo & Marcy

He Really is THE BEST!!!

I just have to give a "shout out" to my wonderful hubby...Cleo. He really is THE BEST hubby ever. He works so hard (well, he works every day..LOL!!) in this stinkin' hot heat here in Georgia, then comes home to find that I've bought all new hardware for the kitchen cupboards (22 knobs & 8 drawer pulls)...and then proceeds to put them all on before he even showered or ate dinner!!! I know, right??? When we built our house and moved in , I specifically told the builder NOT to put any knobs or drawer pulls on the kitchen cupboards...thought they looked sleeker and cleaner without. Well, here we are 2 1/2 yrs later and now I want hardware on the cupboards & drawers. It seems that opening them without hardware tends to scratch the wood over time when your fingernails constantly scratch the wood.

He really is such a great husband and also my BEST friend and I would be so lost without him...plus, he's pretty cheap labor!!!

I have such a hard time making "Big Decisions", but I do know that marrying him was the BEST
decision I've ever made. I sure do love you Cleo Cheney and look forward to growing really old with you

HOME...at last!!!

Most of you already know about Jarods' latest surgery, but for those of you not on FB, here's a brief summary. Jarod, Lindsey and I flew to Indianapolis on June 29. After settling into the Embassy Suites (right in downtown Indy), we changed clothes, freshened up and walked to St. Elmos for a wonderful "last supper" as Jarod put it. This restaurant was amazing and I would highly recommend it if you're ever in Indy. We were all under the impression Jarod wouldn't be able to eat much on Wed. night before surgery, so wanted to make sure he got a good meal. The city is really cool, very clean and where we stayed was within 1.5 miles of the hospital and there was pretty much everything you would need within just a few blocks of the hotel.

On Wednesday, we walked to the canal and enjoyed the scenery. We ended up eating lunch right on the canal in a cute little restaurant before walking over to the IU campus to meet with Dr. Beck at 2:00. We met with him (surgeon) and he explained in detail what the RPLND surgery would entail as well as drawing a diagram to show us. We all liked him a lot and felt that Jarod was in very capable hands. The surgery was on Thursday morning and went pretty well. After the surgery, but before Jarod was awake from anesthesia, the anesthesiologist gave him an intrathecal epidural which was to help with the pain for the first 12 hours. It took her 4 tries to get it into the spine, so needless to say when it wore off, not only was he in a lot of post surgical pain, but his back was really sore from that...poor guy. Lindseys' Mom arrived about an hour before surgery was over and stayed at the hospital with us the rest of the day. Jarod was finally put into a room about 6:00 that night. It was decided that I would stay at the hospital with Jarod as Lindsey wasn't sure she could handle seeing him in pain. So after staying with him for a short time, Linds and her Mom headed back to the hotel to get some much needed rest. Jarod wasn't in a private room the first night, so I headed down the hallway to find a bathroom to change into shorts and a tshirt so that I could settle in for the night. The cleaning crew "caught me with my pants down" as my niece would say...but it gave me a good laugh! Not sure they knew what the heck was going on. It was a really long night as Jarods' epidural wore off and he was in a lot of pain...needless to say, there was no sleep that night.

Janice (Lindseys' Mom) brought Linds to the hospital Fri am and took me back to the hotel to get some rest. I had just settled into bed and was almost asleep and all of a sudden the smoke alarms started going off...so after figuring out what it was, I called the front desk and they said someone would come right up...15 minutes later and no help arrived and the damn thing was going off again. I called the front desk and was frantic at this point wondering if there really was a fire...they said someone came up to check but since I had the Do Not Disturb Sign on the door, they didn't come in...REALLY, I mean come on people. So anyhow they finally came to the room, figured out the battery was low on the smoke alarm and changed it for me. I had gone back to bed at this point and again, just as I was drifting off, I heard a ringing (thought I'd turned the ringer on my phone off) and thinking it may be an emergency at the hospital and not having my contacts in to see caller ID, I answered the phone. I'm pretty sure it was Tom (Cleos' brother) but I don't remember much about that conversation...LOL...just remember Tom, paybacks are HELL!!!

Jarod was moved to a private room on Friday and it was decided that I would just continue to stay with him during the nights. I feel pretty comfortable in a hospital setting after working in the medical field for so long and Lindsey really needed to try to get rest. She has a long haul ahead once they get home. On Saturday, Jarod really wanted to watch Chris pitch (he plays for the Brewers), but we kept telling him that it was on the MLB channel and the hospital only had basic cable. Well, he was convinced that if I got up on a chair and "messed with" the cables that he would be able to get that channel (man IV pain meds are good stuff..haha) so at this point we would've done anything for the kid, so I pulled a chair over near the tv and proceeded to "fix the cable"...Linds and I were laughing so hard and Jarod was oblivious! Well, after about 10 minutes we finally convinced Jarod that he would not be able to watch Chris play...he was so disappointed.

Jarod has had a hard time with pain control and is still not able to keep anything but mostly liquids down, but he was released on Monday. We heard from the dr. on Tuesday morning that both tumors were benign, necrotic tissue...no more chemo!!!! If you read Lindseys' blog (jarodandlindsey.blogspot.com) there are many more details about the surgery, etc. so I'm not going to repeat all that---you can read for yourselves.

I flew home Tuesday night and after sleeping for 12 straight hours last night, I'm trying to play catch up with laundry, unpacking, paying bills, etc. before picking Jarod and Lindsey up at the airport tomorrow afternoon. I know they are both very anxious to get home and for Jarod to feel better. His healing process may take awhile, but at least he is cancer free and the chemo is behind him. We are so grateful as a family for all your prayers, thoughts and concerns over these past 4 months. Jarod and Linds aren't done with this process yet, but the end is in sight now.
Lindsey and Jarod sitting on a bench by the canal

Mama and Jarod on the canal

View looking down the canal...it was so pretty!

A cool mural under a bridge on the canal

Spoke Too Soon...

So, as is pretty typical for me, I have spoken just a bit too soon about Jarod being "out of the woods". He had his follow up CT scans this week and the results came back with some abnormal lymph nodes in his lower abdomen...DAMN!!! His oncologist, Dr. Filip, has reviewed the results with Dr. Einhorn (Indiana Univ) and because of the rare type of germ cell tumor that Jarod had and the precise nature of removing these lymph nodes, they both feel he needs to head to Indiana Univ to have a urology surgeon who specializes in germ cell tumors remove them. We are headed up on June 29, will have a consult with Dr. Einhorn and the surgeon on June 30th and then he's scheduled for surgery on July 1st.

There is a chance they are benign...but the only way to know is to remove them. He will be in the hospital for about 4 days and can fly home 36-48 hours after he's discharged and do the follow up care back here in Atlanta. My head can't even begin to wrap around the idea of them being cancerous and the whole chemo regiman again, so I'm choosing to believe they are all benign and it's just a setback. But, nonetheless, your prayers would be greatly appreciated once again for Jarod and his beautiful wife Lindsey.

I will try, once again, to update the blog as things progress as most of our family is back west and it's just a good way to let everyone know what's going on. Thanks again for all the thoughts and prayers.