Now......gamma knife for you.

Well the scans are in. Two of Sheri's tumors grew slightly in the last two months, and there is one tiny new one. Keep in mind all of these are quite small, but you don't mess with stuff in the head.....so now we are a candidate for Gamma Knife surgery. If you read back several months ago we were here once before but the Doctors over there (UW) sent us back because we're COUGS!!!! Just kidding, because Sheri didn't quite fit their criteria, now she does. So next Wednesday and Thursday we head to Seattle. While we're over there we are going to meet a Nature Path Doctor to discuss nutritional things we can be doing better to help Sheri's body win. 17 years ago my Mom beat back a watermelon sized tumor in her abdomen with an alternative therapy, no chemo or radiation, so we know this can play a very important role. We have changed our diet a lot, but I think we can take another step.
A piece of good news is another Doctor looked at Sheri's other scan (her body PT) and they determined it is not in her bones. We are continuing to ask God for a complete healing. I know my Mom is in His ear telling Him to heal "that one." We have the best cheerleader on our side up there now! It's been a rough two weeks, but we are pushing through it. I guess my Mom was a great example for us, in 17 years she had a lot of bad news, bad scans, proceedures, doctors appointments. In between all that stuff, there is still a lot of life to live. We are going to follow her lead and push on with this fight......and.....keep looking up.

Brett (Sheri proof read)

What a week...

Why haven't I blogged? Well, I thought it would be more respectful to celebrate my mother in law at this time. It sure has been an eventful time though.
Friday morning Brett called me about him mom passing away. I was able to go right over to see him and his dad. After some visiting, with Brett, dad and Craig and Chris, our pastor and his wife, Brett and I went to get the kids at school to tell them. I wanted to get them before first recess so I knew we would be the ones to tell them. We took the kids to the lake to tell them. We all cried in together on the dock. Then we skipped rocks or just threw them in the water on the beach. It was a beautiful sunny day and a family time none of us will ever forget.

Saturday, th next day, I had a scan planned. We went and got the results on Monday. My doctor informed us the cancer had returned just above my adrenal gland, in my breast and in three spots in my bones. That wasn't the news we were hoping for. In the middle of receiving the news, Brett actually passed out. We had one doctor, three nurses and me right there to help immediately. Honestly, if you're going to pass out, that was a good place to do it. They had his pulse and blood pressure almost immediately. He was fine...just totally overwhelmed. Can you blame him?

Right now we are concentrating on celebrating Sharon's life. On Thursday, the day after the funeral, we will go down for a MRI to see what is going on in my head. My doctor is more concerned with my head than the rest of me at this point. I will also get training on the new chemo that I will be taking. It will be oral so I won't have to go down for as many treatments. I'll just take them at home.

During the midst of this, Brett and I have decided that it would be best if I worked half time next year so I could rest in the afternoon and heal up. That was a BIG decision for me because I've been doing the same thing for 17 years and I love my job.

We are choosing to look up at this point and trust God. It may not be what we would have chosen, but healing will come in His time, not ours. I think of the verse "This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it." I'm not worrying about tomorrow or yesterday. He has given us today to live right now. I pray that God gives us each the grace to live each day to the fullest for Him. I am also so thankful for the peace that passes all understanding that He gives.

God bless you all.

Looking up,

Sheri

Sharon J. La Mar 1943-2009

Sharon J. La Mar, 65 of Manson, went home to be with her Savior Jesus Christ after an extended illness on May 15th, 2009. Sharon was born in Wenatchee on July 29th , 1943 to Norman and Anita Coon. She grew up in Wenatchee and graduated from high school there in 1961. During her years in Wenatchee she was heavily involved in music and drama, and was an Apple Blossom Princess for the 1961 festival. She attended Washington State University where she was a member of the Delta Gamma Sorority, along with numerous music and drama groups, and she was selected as College Queen for the Pacific Northwest,. Sharon met her future husband, Edward La Mar, while attending WSU, and the two were married on June 22, 1963. After some time in the Mukilteo and Everett area, Edd and Sharon settled in the Lake Chelan valley in 1969 and moved to Manson in 1971. Their family grew with the addition of their two children Brett and Amy. Sharon quickly became entrenched in the music and drama community in Lake Chelan, directing choir for the Chelan Methodist Church and many other community functions. She was one of the founding members of the Lake Chelan Bach Festival, and a board member of Chelan Valley Players. Edd and Sharon started their family business, Lake Chelan Building Supply, in 1979 in Manson, and added a branch in Chelan in 1993. Sharon was very involved in her community, including: PEO, Lake Chelan Hospital Guild, Community Choir, JC Wives, Manson Apple Blossom Festival, Little League Boys and Girls Baseball, Cub Scouts, Bluebirds, along with many others. In 1992 Sharon was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma cancer, at that time she was given a very short time to live. Never one to look at the odds, Sharon tackled her disease like all things in her life, head on. For 12 years she was pronounced cancer free much to the amazement of her doctors. In 2004 her cancer returned, and she resumed her courageous fight to the end. She was an avid supporter and participant in all forms of music and drama, making yearly solo appearances in the Lake Chelan Bach Fest, as well as numerous Chelan Valley Players productions. She and Edd were also long time members of the Columbia Choral. For the past several years Sharon and Edd traveled south to Arizona in the winters where they were involved in the Choir, and she was a soloist and guest director at the Gold Canyon Methodist Church. Locally Sharon helped direct many community choirs for the Manson Apple Blossom Festival, and was a frequent soloist in weddings, and funerals. For the past 30 years she has been the Choir director and involved in the music at North Shore Bible Church, were she directed the choir this past Sunday, Mothers day, May 10th , 2009.
Sharon is survived by her husband Edd, son Brett and wife Sheri La Mar, and daughter Amy Dobbs and husband Doug. Sharon was a proud Grandmother of four grandchildren Mitchell Dobbs, Alyssa La Mar, Bryce La Mar, and Sydney Dobbs. She was also survived by her mother Anita Coon, sister Karen Viebrock, and brother Rick Coon and his wife Rose, and brother in law Andy La Mar, along with numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in her death by her father Norman Coon, and sister Colleen Kay Coon.
Funeral services will be Wednesday May 27st at 2pm at North Shore Bible Church in Manson with Pastor Craig Rayment. Interment will follow at Fraternal Cemetery in Chelan. Memorials can be made to the Lake Chelan Bach Festival or Chelan Valley Players. The Family would like to give a special thanks to Hazel Conyers and Sam Morrison for their help and caring love for Sharon.

Back to work!

Last Friday both Brett and I came down with a cold. It really hit me. By Saturday I had a temperature of 102. With an antibiotic and some TLC (sleep) the temp broke. I took Mon., Tues., and Wed. off. Tomorrow I'll go back to work. I can usually work through chemo. or a cold, but I can't work when I have both at the same time. Brett and I are both doing much better.

I had just told my doctor that I was amazed I hadn't picked up a cold from the kids in my room. Then zappo! Oh well, at least it was just the common cold.
I'm thankful to be feeling better.

Looking up,

Sheri