on the beach of st thomas

what a difference a year makes! One year ago today Zabrina was sitting in "the chair" receiving taxol ~ a five hour chemo treatment. Today Zabrina and Jeff are sitting on the beach of St Thomas. I praise, praise God, for His healing hand over Zabrina and for being her great physician. Life has a different normal ~ Zabrina is finding her way, a friend who also had a mastectomy, told Bri it goes with you everywhere, even on vacation. Thank you for your continued prayers, love and support for our family.

Thankful to God

Hope all of you had a Thanksgiving that was filled with blessings. Jeff, Zabrina, Robert, Sarah, Rob and I, shared a meal together and are so aware of our many answered prayers.
Last year, the week of Thanksgiving, is when Bri went to the doctor for the lump and saw the surgeon 12.1.08, who took the biopsy and a week later 12.8.08 gave Bri the diagnoses. That week was filled with many test, we all say we had the "deer in the headlight look". We went where they said to go and did what they said to do. On Friday, Dr. Friedman gave us the plan and Bri started chemo. So, as these dates draw closer, I must say we all are taken back. Thankful to God, to be one year past this but for sure is a vivid reality. Looking forward to this time of Bri's life to be a distant memory.

Keep Bri in your prayers as these days unfold. She says she would like the calendar to move to January.

If you give a mouse a cookie

Today, Zabrina is taking her class to see the play,
If you give a mouse a cookie.
Observing my daugher, doing normal every day life is so nice. She is doing well, for sure tired at the end of the day. Bri was encouraged that Dr Friedman was very impressed that she is working full time. One of her students, said to Zabrina, "do you want to know how I am today"? Bri ask him, how he was and he said, "I am having a good day" those very cute comments from a 5 year old fills her up like nothing else.
Keep praying and we praise God for your love and prayers.

pamering by Kathleen

Zabrina spent some time in Kathleen's chair at Ladies and Gentlemen. A time of pampering! Zabrina said a little color, a little cut and a lot of love. The "new do" is cute. Also a praise the Lord, Bri met with her reconstruction surgeon, she has choices. Bri says from chemo, surgery and radiation ~ Bri was not given any options. But for reconstruction she does have choices PTL. Thank you for the prayers. We find so much comfort and strength from your prayers

Fun

very nice to be able to say, with everyday life is moving towards a different new normal we are so thankful to God for so many answered prayers for Zabrina. Really, all of are finding our new different normal ~ seeing more of Zabrina b/c (before cancer)returning is a gift to those who love her. There is still recovering from the chemo/surgery/radiation taking place in Zabrina ~ she is amazing ~
When all of us have fun normal moments ~ we savor them and take them in on a different level, I can not explain. One of those, is the pic with this post ~ Bri and Jeff decorated the pumpkins and Bri said they laughed a lot while creating their princess and pirate.
Laughter is good!
Give prayers of thanksgiving to God and his continued healing power upon Zabrina.

THANK YOU GOD!

Bri got the lymph nodes and tissue is all clear report this morning
PRAISE THE LORD ~ really stop and praise God for the healing he has done. Yesterday was Rosh Hashanah, so Bri was told if the one reading the results was Jewish, we would not hear until today. For sure last night was a long evening. Jeff called Lisa this morning and got the results. This is huge for confidence building and for bri walking into her life. The road to recovery is definitely feeling good.

when you pray

Early tomorrow morning is Zabrina's pet scan. Pray no light. This is another step in walking away from cancer and Zabrina walking into her life. So tonight lift Zabrina up to our most awesome God.

we felt the love

Over Labor day weekend, we had a family picnic with the davlin family. We had not seen any of the family since the diagnoses. Part of walking back into Zabrina's life is being part of events that were very normal before but now because her circle had gotten so small because of being so sick, this is all new. Thank you to the family ~ you all were amazing ~ you were loving, compansionate mixed with a lot of laughter. I loved watching Zabrina's and her aunts interacting!

This is a praise, praise God post
Zabrina had a great first week of school
Your many prayers for strength and confidence for Zabrina's were answered by our awesome God
The first three days Zabrina said she was on an adrenalin rush
Thank you to the Knipps for the balloon bouquet that welcomed Zabrina to her class room Monday morning
To the staff of MHCA, the parents and students ~ we feel the love
Kim you have got the touch ~ you and Tink:)
Keep praying ~ Tomorrow starts week two

Ready

Today Zabrina's road to recovery is taking her to school ~ her first day back to work after nine months
When she got up this morning ~ she put her watch on and realized, she has not worn it for nine months, it was still on EST.
Three weeks ago we began the transformation of her class room
the desks are painted and in place, bulletin boards welcoming the students back are up and Zabrina's back to school supplies are in place.
On one of Zabrina's "good" days during chemo, we went to her class room ~ she sat at her desk and said "I love the smell of new paper, pencils and all that goes with a class room setting."
I believe in God's perfect timing and I praise God Zabrina is in her k/1 class as I am writing this using her God given talent ~ teaching children!
Pray for God to give her the strength and confidence as she reclaims this part of her life.

Happy 2nd Aniversary Jeff & Zabrina

Two years ago today at 11:00a Zabrina and Jeff became husband and wife! Bri and Jeff planned every aspect of their wedding day and the day reflected the beautiful beginning of two becoming one.
Bri says people tell you the first year is tough ~ there were some minor adjustments but the first year was all good.
The second year held health issues that they could have never imagined. Linda (Jeff's mom) and I would say they are so young and should still be celebrating being "newly weds". Now that did get put on hold for a time.
Today they are celebrating 2 years and beginning their third year of marriage. Because of the past nine months, Zabrina and Jeff connect on a level in ways only the two them can know. As mom and mother-in-law, I smile when I observe them together but oh, I so would not want them to ever had to have this be part of their story!
Because of the GREAT I AM, I know their strength will rise as they wait upon the Lord

Walking into her life

On face book, Zabrina wrote words from a song about "I will breathe in and breathe out and Put one foot in front of the other and Take one day at a time" She is walking back into her life.
This recovery has so many layers. Zabrina felt like when the last radiation treatment was done, that she laid down her guns. As gruelling as chemo, surgery and radiation was and the recovery from each, Zabrina saw those as her guns that she was firing at the enemy(cancer). I was sharing this with Becky and I loved her response. She said, "Zabrina may have laid down those guns but oh the guns she is going to pick up, with one in each hand, oh the good she is going to do!" With each passing week Zabrina is stronger ~keep praying

Summer Vacation

For Zabrina her summer break began last Thursday 7.23.09 ~
Zabrina has had one week of summer vacation
Jeff and Zabrina went to the Dave Matthews concert this past week
they had amazing seats and had a perfect evening ~ thank you God!
As Bri had radiation Dave was her music of choice ~ she called it "her get mad songs" that got her through the treatments.
This is the time of year that Bri & Jeff go on vacation ~ but finding the trip that fits with the doctors limitations was taxing. So they have decided to do some short trips with time for rest built in. The staycation is defining vacation for now.
The physical and mental is still big ~ thank you for your prayers
God is at work

The First Day of the Rest of Zabrina's Life

Today was Zabrina's last radiation treatment. This part of the road to recovery has been difficult both mentally and physically. Bri's body has been under assault in so many ways for 8 months.
Sometimes, I would think, when we told the doctors of what this was doing to her body, that it would have helped if we had known ahead of time. But there is no preparing yourself for what unfolds with radiation.
Now, Zabrina is for sure not ready to party ~ yet. The doctors said her fatigue would be a lot and it is. They said, this is like recovering from surgery ~ 4 to 6 weeks. But, as of 10:00a this morning ~ no more for her ~ now her body will start rebuilding.
So Zabrina is now ready to walk back into her life

Linda, Mere, Zabrina and I got a pedicure. Lillian came with us too.
We had a fun girls day complete with lunch and laughter.

So the picture is of all of our pretty toes, as Bri walks back into her life, we are all right beside her and holding on tight!

God has answered so many prayers ~ Thank you for lifting Zabrina up to our most awesome God!
Pray for strength and peace of mind for Bri as she reclaims her life

The count down

Zabrina has used a paper chain with her kindergartners as an end of the school year count down. We needed the same visual count down for radiation. She has one for her car, one at her house and one at our house. When a treatment is completed, if she is at our house ~ we get great delight out of shredding the link of paper. Zabrina has 8 more treatments ~ The road of recovery that began December 8th 2008 has hit Zabrina from every direction but we look forward to life after all of this knowing God has great plans!
Keep praying

The Race

Marcie, a friend of Bri's, told Bri she was praying for Zabrina, she said, she got it regarding the radiation treatment. She compared it to running a race. In the last mile of the race, the runners body is screaming no way ~ I can't do this! For Bri, radiation is the last mile. Now, we all know that Bri says the only way that she would be running is if someone was chasing her,
but Zabrina said the analogy really helped.
Tomorrow is #14 ~ that is half way

Keep lifting Zabrina up to our most awesome God
Suzanne

Pray and hold on tight

Zabrina has had a week of radiation. We all were told by the medical staff "that compared to chemo, radiation would be a walk in the park." Well ~ so far that has not been the case. The set up (a 2 hours session) had to be repeated. Then the machine that administers the radiation kept turning off, so what should be a 10 minute process took an hour and that has happened twice. Bri lays on a metal table so she has had a lot of back and leg pain. Bri says, they should say ~ it is difficult in different ways compared to chemo. Now, we are holding onto the hope that next week will be closer to a walk in the park. Everyone tells Bri how good she looks and she does but she says ~ she is waiting for her insides to catch up. Because, on the inside she feels like jello.
Thank you for praying and holding on tight to Zabrina like Debi Nicholls did for her friend Anne Hjelle, who was being attached by a mountain lion. Debi said, "she was not letting go!"

Seeing Pink!

Thank you!
Over the past several weeks Zabrina has heard from friends and family who walked in the Race for the Cure and the Strides Against Breast Cancer.
We are all so moved by your love and support for Zabrina.
A statement that I continue to repeat ~ I so do not want my daughter in this place but I am so thankful for the prayers and out pour of support you all have given Bri.
Thank you to Rob, Sarah, Jeff, Marcia, Chris, Jayme, Kim, Carl, Alana, Lisa, Dr. Friedman, Laura, Valerie and Jena. These are the ones we know about ~ if you walked or gave a donation let me know and I will add your name.

Zabrina is still on the road to recovery
physically she is getting stronger
emotionally Bri has stretches of good with some roller coaster moments
really ~ we all still have the roller coaster moments
We were told, we are still in the "heat of it" a lot is behind Zabrina and we thank God for His powerful healing hand. Keep offering up prayers to God for Zabrina.
Bri still has radiation (6 weeks)and the side of effects of chemo

The picture is of Rob and Sarah ~ they walked in Columbus for The Race for the Cure
Oh what a brother and sister-in-law do for their sister/sister-in-law:)

Baby Steps Forward

On Thursday, Zabrina went to school and did chapel with her students. She talked about God being the vine and we are the branches,and we are to bear fruit. Then the children traced their hands to be the branches and added grapes that they cut out. One of her little girls in the class, told Bri she found out that she could let her hair grow and then cut it and give it to Zabrina. How caring it that! So if Bri shows up as a red head ~ you'll know where the locks came from. Everyday, I see more of my daughter returning. I did not realize her road to recovery would also include Zabrina having to reclaim her life ~ she is doing it ~ she is made of some amazing stuff.
The picture with this post is one of the gifts Zabrina received from MHCA ~ they sponsored her surgery. From the day Zabrina was diagnosed, her students have prayed and believed that God has already answered. God tells us to have a "child like faith"
and we have been given many examples to model after:)
Friday is an appt with the radiation oncologist ~ Bri would like to skip this step and honestly ~ all of us who love her would like that too. But Dr. Friedman says it is a 3 step process and this step has to be taken. Keep praying ~ I know you are ~ thank you

Finding the new normal

As you know the surgery went as planned. Zabrina recovered very well and the pain was maintained. She was sent home with a drain to prevent infection which was not only burden physically but it made her feel tide to the hospital. Last Wednesday we had the post-op follow up and everything looked good and he pulled the drain. That drain must have been attached to a switch inside my wife because she walked out of that appointment a different person. The sun was shining, she had no more tubes attached, and just a feeling that we just might make it through this.

Everyday has been better since. The energy level is increasing slowly but surely, more importantly is that her ambition to do more is increasing rapidly. So well infact that we escaped on a whim to Columbus for the weekend to see Rob and Sarah. A great low key fun visit. We made it over to Fishinger and Kenny for service on Sunday morning to say some thank yous and meet with some people who have been in this battle with us. Everyone was thrilled to see Zabrina and couldn't believe how well she was doing.

Sometimes we forget she is only a little over a week post-op, and I know she wants to be able to do more. She does great for about 3hrs than can use a little lay down to recharge. Everyday is a little better physically and could not be more proud of her.

My Phoenix has risen from the ashes.