It has been almost three weeks since my last chemo treatment. I am feeling so good, although some side effects remain like the sensitivity to cold I noticed when I was helping fillet and package the salmon the kids caught. I also still need to stay pretty close to a bathroom. I am not suffering from any nausea and my stomach feels wonderful. It is nice to have some energy to do things with the family this week. I have another week of freedom and then the treatments are supposed to start again, at least 3 more. I am also getting a ct scan at some time in the near future to see if this chemo has done anything to the tumors in my liver. Having this last week with the grand children and feeling good has been a real blessing.

Now the babies and big girls are gone. They flew out of here last night and this morning and I am going to miss them. I have to admit that things have been pretty crazy around here with 10 people rubbing shoulders in our 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom cabin but we made some sweet memories. This last week we added Heather's husband's family to many of the activities as they were here on vacation too, however they were staying with friends in Anchorage. We hiked in Hatcher Pass yesterday, We have processed lots of Salmon; Rob and Jared brought home Kenai Reds from a couple of fishing trips and Angela went dip netting at fish creek and caught 14 silvers and reds. We celebrated Meg's birthday this week she turns 11 on the 2nd of August and Heather and Angie and I took her and Grace shopping for school clothes. Of course we visited the Iditarod Museum and the grand kids took a ride on the dog sleds, and we have had ice cream at Little Millers and other places numerous times. I will remember making muffins with them, everyone helping, stirring and tasting and singing tra la la boom dee aye while they kept time with paper plate drums and forks and butter knives, walks to the lake to look for ducks and fish and watching them play together. Seeing Brian holding William on his lap watching "I just can't wait to be King on you-tube over and over again and Abbie snuggling into his shoulder, just enjoying being held. Meg and Grace asking their grandpa to be "hilarious" as he shares with them short sentences that contain those "potty" words which he tells them for some reason will always make a 5 year old or a 10 year old laugh.
It has been a summer to remember and I appreciate Brian for helping to make it happen.