January was busy with Brennen's birthday.  He enjoyed a party with friends at CiCi's Pizza (basketball team friends).  He's also had basketball practice every week and a game every Saturday (Perryville gym).  He is on the Seals team.  We're very proud of his progress, although he doesn't get to practice with his Dad quite as much as he'd probably love.

Greg has been playing basketball with some friends at the church gym on Thursday nights.  That's been a good mental and physical exercise for him.  Bren sometime joins them toward the end, and thinks his Dad is really awesome!  

Grant suffered 2 weeks in Jan from mono!  This was quite a nightmare with fatigue, lymphadenopathy, vomiting, weight loss, sore throat, etc.  But...we survived and he seems to be back to his old active self!  Finally!  Bren passed a kidney stone just before Grant's mono episode, so we dealt with 2 medical issues in a row with the kids.  

My Dad has been dealing with a big medical issue for the greater time period.  He presented in Dec. with obstructive jaundice, which proved to be secondary to pancreatic cancer.  Last Monday, he underwent major surgery ( a whipple ) to resect the cancer.  As best as could tell the 9 hour surgery was successful in removing the cancer, but his recovery is proving to be challenging.  He was doing great the first 2 or 3 days, but soon after they introduced a regular diet, he began vomiting uncontrollably - 2 gallons of biliary secretions at a time!  More than 10 times a day!  The food would go through, however.  So, apparently the efferent loop must be edemetous and obstructed.  They now have a nasogastric suction tube in place that's removing copious amounts of these secretions so he will have less of the projectile vomiting, and will have him on TPN (IV feedings) until the inflammation at the new anastamoses resolves.  He is really ill.  He told me yesterday he really thought he was dying.  I think, though, he will pull through.  Once this is all over, though, he will require radiation (Greg) and chemo.  Tough ride! All this while knowing he has metastatic prostate cancer and is just 58 years old!  My mother is exhausted.  He won't let her leave his side.  Of course, I don't think she'd want to.  

Well, today is Valentines day.  Greg gave me roses yesterday.  I'm not sure what we'll do to celebrate today.  I guess I'll cook dinner...  Not too excited about that one - kind of tired.  Maybe well go out - we'll see.  Gotta go do some chores!  Checking out - Chris