UPDATE:  7:15 p.m.-We are home.  Everything went well for Leslie.  No problems at all with IV.  God answered our prayers for strong veins.  She is resting now and we are praying for a smooth night.  We think we have the right anti-nausea drugs now to help her.  She does have an appetite and is going to eat some dinner.  I'll post tomorrow morning how her night went.  Thank you for taking good care of my wife and keeping her in your prayers and encouraged.  Mike

Latest Update: 5:30pm- Due to Oncology staff calling in sick, Leslie was delayed until 5:00pm for treatment.  IV was started fine and Mike will update when they get home.  Please keep praying!!!!  Specifically for nausea.  By the way, this in an update from Monica.

UPDATE:  8:45 a.m. - Please pray for Leslie.  Oral chemos are already taking a toll.  She could not keep down breakfast.  Update more later

Good morning!  Well today IS THE BIG DAY!  I start ALL chemo today.  I take both oral drugs this morning and at 2:00 (Pacific time) I will be at the cancer center doing my once a week IV chemo drip. Then more oral dugs tonight.   The appointment with the oncologist here went really well and the staff at the center couldn't of been more nice.  I had no anxiety at all.  I walked in fine, saw a room full of people receiving chemo and I was fine.  Really.  I am ready to go.  Amazing what all the prayers are doing for me.  I feel strong and ready to do it.  I had to go to the hospital last night and have blood drawn and it went fine too.  Please will you remember me at 2:00 today and to pray for strong veins?  Mike will get back on here when we get back to give you all an update on how it all went.  Yes....there will be side effects.....but will wait and see what my body does.

As you can guess, yesterday was my last day at work for a while.  It is hard for me to leave the kids and such an amazing, supportive, loving staff. Breaks my heart......but is definitely the right decision.   I will miss everyone so much!  Hope you all have a blast at the staff Christmas party today.  Know I am with you in spirit and eat a plate of food for me.

Besides myself, could you please keep Mike, Jenna, Jeff and Ryan in your prayers today?  It is hard on family to see wife and mama go through this again.  They want to fix it and know they can't.  We all just have to be patient and know in the long run it will be just fine.  They are tremendously strong, encouraging and supportive and they just love me so much.

Mac & Patty McDonald.........thanks for the awesome meal last night.  I am sure that I gained 5 pounds after that meal!  It was so good!

Have a great day today everyone.  Only 9 days left till Christmas! 

GOD IS SO GOOD!!!!  HE WILL BE THERE HOLDING MY HAND!

Good Monday morning!  Had a great day yesterday!  I baked lots of goodies and watched football all day.  What did you think of that San Diego Charger game?  We played like a bunch of High Schoolers....but we pulled off the win and a "win is a win" and I'll take it!  (Sorry Christie) :)  It keeps our very slim chance for the playoffs alive. 

Today I go and meet the oncologist here where I live and get the game plan for the week.  Here we go.  Pray for strength for me today.  It is going to be a little hard for me to open the door to the Dr. office and go in.   I know what is coming and I am trying to get mentally prepared for this again.  I do believe he will have me start the oral chemo drugs  tomorrow.  Just not sure what day this week the IV drip will take place.  I am so ready to do this though and get it over with.  Again keep me in your prayers for strong veins.  Also the steroids are really taking a toll on my body....so I am asking for prayer that I won't have to be on them a whole lot longer.  The strength and peace that I have received from God has just been amazing.....thanks to all of your prayers.  I feel the love everyone!  And encouragement!  I have faith that God has already healed me......just got to go through this stuff a little bit longer.  Thanks for the very sweet, funny an encouraging cards.  What a pick me up!

Thanks to Mike's brothers Greg and Bryan for the awesome steak dinner last night.  It was all so good!  You guys are the best!  Thanks also to my friends Terrie O. and Peggy Severe for the delicious baked goodies!  Wow.....I am set for the week!

Also a big shout out and "Happy Birthday" to my dear friend Lisa Alloway!!  I know you are having fun!  Can't wait to hear all about it later!

Only 10 days to Christmas!  Are you ready???????  Oh I wish it would slow down!

GOD IS SO GOOD!!

Good Sunday Morning!!

I slept really well the last two nights.  Actually it was the first time in 3 weeks that I slept 8 hours.  But I did something that I shouldn't probably of done to get that sleep (nothing harmful) but I feel so much more rested now.  My body actually feels better.  I hadn't slept more then 4 or 5 hours a night in about 3 weeks. 

We did go to the wedding of our dear friends Diana Verdugo and Ernesto Vargas.  It was a beautiful wedding and they were gorgeous!  However we ended up not going to the reception.  My body had told me enough and it was time to rest.  So we had a nice quiet dinner out with Jenna and Ryan and went home and watched movies.  Friday was a big night for me and I am glad I made it through the evening, but now it is time for me to take it easy and be strong for next week.  So I am laying low again today.  Thank you everyone for your super sweet comments on the pictures I took.  And yes my cold is so much better now.

Actually I am baking cookies today and watching football.  Baking is totally relaxing for me.  Football is too as long as the Chargers are winning!  :)  GO CHARGERS!!  So I am making it a lazy Sunday  today so I will be ready to hit all that comes my way this week.  Tomorrow is the appointment with the oncologist and will probably start the chemo on Tuesday.  I will let you know.

Thanks for praying like crazy for me!  I feel all the prayers.  Wouldn't be doing as well as I am with out them  I know how tremendously blessed I am with support and I thank God each and everyday for that.  I can't thank my family and friends enough for what you do for me and my family and continue to do.  What encouragement you are!  What a blessing you are!  What tremendous love I have for you all!  You give me such hope!

Have a super relaxing Sunday.  Have fun with your family today and enjoy the blessings that God has brought to you. 

GOD IS LOVE AND HE IS GOOD!!!!

This is the day that the Lord has made......let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Good Morning!  Wow!  We had an awesome time last night!  It was such a great evening and it was a joy to see Mike and Jenna get their awards.  We ate awesome food, laughed all night long, heard great music and danced.  I felt great!  The cold is getting so much better.  Here are some pictures from last night.  Remember I am so swollen from the steroids so thats why I look like a puffy blow fish!  (HA, HA!)

Here is Mike and I

Mike up on stage receiving his award listening to the emcee reading a note they asked for me to write about him as a surprise!

Ryan & Jenna

Jenna, Mike and Leslie

Jenna and Leslie

The most handsome husband and gorgeous daughter ever!

Just a few of the many I took.  I am a proud wife and Mama. 

I want to thank Jessica Silva for surprising me yesterday with her to die for home made cinnamon rolls and Starbucks coffee.  What a great way to start our morning!  Loved it!

Also a BIG "Happy Birthday" to two sweet dear friends of mine.....Ginna Gaddis and Genelle Billings!  Hope you both are having a super day!

This afternoon and evening we have a wedding to attend and reception.  Will get to see lots of friends that we haven't seen in a while.  Yes......I am resting up all day so I will be good to go.  Have a great day and have fun!

GOD IS SO GOOD!!!!!!

Good morning!!  I have a date with the oncologist here on Monday afternoon.  Chemo will start next week.  I do not know the day I will be doing the IV drip yet.  Will find out about all of that on Monday.  Tuesday will probably be the starting date for my oral chemo meds.  They are shipping out the first batch now and will be here on Monday afternoon.  My prayer requests are that I first and foremost have strong veins for this.  I do not want to do the port thing again if I can help it.  Being that it is only one day a week instead of two days in a row I am hopeful......that I do not get sick......that I mentally stay strong for all of this.....that I don't lose my hair again.  The first round of chemo is 6 weeks.  But the rumor and feeling that I am getting from all of my Drs. is that they may have me do 4 six week rounds. (6 months).  I of course want only 1 round but I know it is an aggressive cancer and they have to treat it that way......so I have to do what I have to do........just won't be easy will it?  I CAN DO IT!!

Happier news!  Tonight is Pioneers Hospitals big Christmas Ball Gala/Awards night.  My hubby Mike is being honored tonight for 25 years of service at the hospital and my daughter Jenna is being honored as one of the hospitals Shining Star employees of the month.  Big night for our family.  Looking forward to getting very dressed up (got a new sparkling Christmas red dress and my hair is blonde again) and have an awesome fun time.  I am so very proud of them both.  I'll take a million pics tonight and try to post some later.

Oh did my friends come through for me!  WOW!  Thanks for the delicious goodies Patty & Ella Mc Donald, Susy Davila, Lisa Alloway and Jodi Gilbert.  I am loving it all!  For those of you that don't know.....I am not normally a sweet eater.  I go for salty snacks all the time.  It is so good that I am craving sweets instead.....can't have the salt at all right now.  I have seriously been trying to gain weight with all of this and have not managed to get but a pound or two.  I will work even harder this weekend to increase my intake.  Thanks for helping me out with the calories girls!  Yes Kori I did make and try the Derby pie.  Oooohhhh that was super sweet!  I will make the other recipe too.  Thanks for sharing it.  Oh yeah I forgot that you have FED EX connections......so now you and your mom are not off the hook.  Are you baking Mary Jo?  Hee Hee!

Terrie O.........Sounds like fun!

Have a FABULOUS Friday!  If you live in Imperial......go to their Christmas parade tonight.  So fun and cute!  What is your weekend looking like?

GOD IS JOY AND HE IS GOOD!