Boundless Blessing!!!

This past Saturday about 8:15a...6 men and 1 boy showed up at our house to do whatever needed to be done to make our lawns look manicured again (as Jeff usually keeps them). Well, since our wonderful neighbor across the street is very dutifully keeping up the front lawn, I directed them to the back yard...in May Jeff planted a vegetable garden (annual event) and in early June he had his seizure, so because I am not the garden kind of gal, his vegetables were okay for awhile, but eventually dried up and bit the dust. Our lawn was starting to look like one of those you see with the old broken down vehicles in it (although without the vehicles)...within 1-2 hours these wonderful, giving saints had that yard looking clean cut and put together! Jeff was in bed all morning because of migraines and nausea, but when he got up and looked, he was very pleased and thankful!!!! Just a note...when in a situation like this, God blesses you in ways that you don't even think of...I figured one of these days I would get out there and pull all the old plants etc... Anyway, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU...FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS...YOU GUYS BLESSED OUR SOCKS OFF!!!!...

{From back to front: John VanderMeer, Doug Palmer and Corey...
I'm sorry, Corey, I don't remember your last name =( }


{In middle: Jeff Hogan}


{Ken Chavarria}


{Tim & Elijah deKoekkoek}


On another note:
This past Friday morning, I heard my little girl call out "Mom, I'm going out to watch the trash truck.", this is a normal occurrence on Friday Morning...when I came around the corner to see how far she had gone out of the front door...this is what I saw... Pajamas, headband, slippers, & stool perched on the porch to witness the show!!! When she came in she was quite excited {although it is not yet Halloween, we had to throw away a pumpkin because she dropped it too many times and it had a soft spot on the side}...while the trash man made the big arms dump the collected trash in the front dumpster into the back of the truck, Dalaynee got to see our pumpkin fly in the air as it made it's way with the rest of the trash!!!! What a GREAT way to start a Friday!!!

...
Jeff has definitely been doing better in the headache and nausea departments, especially when he's not taking the chemo...but...he's not doing any better with the day timer/journal...I have come to realize that I am sometimes too easy on him...I think it's because I've never had to tell him what to do, he's always been very capable and particular about how he does things, so he didn't need, or frankly want, my help...so I'm still trying to get used to telling him what needs to be done! I have been keeping up on writing daily events in his journal so he can at least look at it as a reference...today I went through everything with him a couple of times and even though he gave me a dirty look, he paid a little bit of attention! Please pray that along with strength, I have the diligence to push him a little even when it's not comfortable for me. Also, Dalaynee came down with the flu on Saturday night (4-5 times during the night we were up)...she only threw up 2 times yesterday and was able to keep a little down today...please pray that neither I nor Jeff get the flu. Please also continue to pray for shrinkage or obliteration of the tumor to be the result of the next MRI 2-3 weeks from now. Personal Note: I've come to understand that when the Bible says that God will never give you more than you can handle...what it means is that He will give you the strength to handle whatever circumstance He puts you in...6-7 months ago if someone would have told me my immediate future, I would have asked God to spare me, because I am not able to withstand something like this...in looking back at the past, almost, 5 months I am simply amazed at how God has brought me this far! I am re-learning to NEVER doubt our Heavenly Father or His perfect will!!!!

Jeff & I constantly pray for God to Bless others as they have blessed us!!!!
~Jayne~

Prayers Answered!!!

Hello All!

Just thought I'd let you know that the prayers you have been uttering about Jeff's headaches have been working...along with the fact that I increased the amount of his anti-inflammatory drug by half a pill a day! Also, he started the Chemo again today and didn't have much nausea, however, maybe that will be stronger later in the week, so please continue to pray for relief from the nausea. I was given Godly advice from a dear friend at church (Mrs. V) to pray over Jeff's head and stomach and, in Jesus name, command the swelling parts to go back to how God created them and demand whatever is causing the nausea to stop...I've been trying to do this before he goes to sleep and night and the last few nights he had no problems...THANK YOU GOD!!!!

One more minor prayer request...

Dalaynee has been hitting other kids at Pre-school, her teacher says that she's not an overall disciplinary problem....she likes to follow directions and is happy to complete a task when asked...she hits me sometimes at home too, when she's upset...I give her time outs every time...I'm not sure if it has to do with what's going on in our house or what, but please pray that she grows out of this trait!


A PERSONAL NOTE:
Coffee Break was GREAT last Wednesday...they are studying James - Trials and Temptations...what a great time for me to be able to go!!! I am impressed by the leaders and feel it will be a wonderful place for me to be filled up when I am often drained at home!!!

FUTURE PRAYER REQUEST--we are supposed to get another MRI in 2-3 weeks...please pray from now 'til then that there is shrinkage or no tumor at all!

May God richly bless you!!!!
~Jayne~

Immediate prayer needed...

Just a short note for a specific prayer request...

The last few days Jeff has been experiencing horrible headaches...from what the doctors have said, I believe these are due to the swelling in his brain but they have told me to taper him off of the anti swelling drug...and...so far, Tylenol seemed to control the headaches, so when I talked to the doctor's nurse at Cedar Sinai about giving him more anti swelling meds she informed that the doc feels there shouldn't be an increase as long as Tylenol seems to be taking care of it. Well, very early this morning (4:30a) Jeff woke up with a terrible one and so I gave him Tylenol and he tried to go back to sleep...then he awoke at 5:30 and asked if I had given him anything for a headache and then again at 6:30...I think about 7a he was feeling better. Again this afternoon between 3p & 3:30p he asked for something for a headache...we were out running errands so I gave him 3 Advil from my purse first and then one more a little later (a medical professional once told me that I could take up to 4 "over-the-counter" pain meds at a time and still be fine (I have had headaches for years)...at 5p he was still in major pain so I gave him 3 Tylenol...not until about 6p or 6:30p did he start feeling better and then, of course, his stomach started bothering him! My concern is that he hasn't taken the chemo pill for 3 weeks and next week Monday he has to take it again for 5 days...which may increase his side effects! We have an appointment next week Monday with his GP who is the one that prescribed his Nausea meds, so maybe we can get a higher mg, since his chemo mg is higher....Please pray that we find a way to relieve him of these minor, yet monotonous, side effects since they tell us we may need to do this amount of chemo for 12 to 24 months.

"The Lord Bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you, the Lord lift His countenance upon you and give you peace!!!!!!"

~Jayne~

Bath? Did someone say bath?????

A few nights ago when it was time for Laynee's bath...she got the idea that a bath in the kitchen sink would be wonderful...since I had no strength to argue and realized it would be easier for me then being on my knees on the bathroom tile floor, I agreed. Even though she had to be all scrunched up to fit in the sink, she absolutely loved it...as a matter of fact, I didn't mind it too much either, but the bathtub is definitely less of a mess!!!! Here's a few candids of the occasion...

Now, back to real life...our current prayer requests are: shrinkage or obliteration of tumor, restoration of Jeff's memory, strength for both of us, the Lord's joy during this trial, that Jeff would learn to like his day planner (which will help with his memory)...he HATES it and grumbles every time he has to write anything down in it (this was suggested by his memory therapists as a tool to help him compensate for what he can't remember right now...but he needs to write down as many details about his day as possible which makes him feel stupid and childish). Also, since I am not working right now, I've decided to join Coffee Break at our church next week, in the morning while Dalaynee is in Preschool, please pray that this is as wonderful a blessing for me as I believe it might be. Well, I guess that's it.

May God richly bless those, who richly bless the Nords!!!!!!

~Jayne~

Party...Party!!!!!

Last night I was privileged to spend the evening with my daughter at "Mom's night out" (sponsored by the preschool)...the flyer said bring your favorite preschooler and come for a fun filled evening...the only catch was...it was a Pajama party!!!! Well, (I may be divulging too much info, but) since I wear a short nightie to bed, I had to find PJ's with pants...I went to Wal Mart, but since I didn't try them on...the shirt wasn't the right size...so off to Kohl's...my new FAVORITE store (they always have sales)...anyway, I found very comfortable Jammie's that I can wear around the house this winter...and...of course...Dalaynee saw how much fun I was having trying things on (NOT) so she wanted to join in...long story short...I weakened and bought her new PJ's too with Tinkerbell on them...(even though she already had 2 great pair from my cousins Kevin & Tracy that she could wear). All in all, the decor and activities were very cute and Dalaynee and the other kids had a blast!!!! In addition to what my photos show there was a snack area, craft, bean bag toss and pillow case hop...the kids were sweaty, but you couldn't wipe the smile off of their faces!!!

Anticipation..anticipa-a-tion (song from old heinz ketchup commercial)......

A game where the kids held the edges of a sheet and tossed stuffed animals into the air (the little boy with glasses next to Laynee is one of my cousin Mike's twins (either Jake or Tyler). Laynee did this one about 4 times.

This was where they played the song "10 in a bed" they rolled and rolled until the one on the right ran to the other end and started to roll again (the boy in the red pajamas is Laynee's friend Landon)...she did this about 3 times.

The preschool staff...I got to see first hand how much they love our kids...we are thankful!!!!

Mommy & Dalaynee

GOD IS GOOD....ALL THE TIME!!!!!!!

(Havasu, April, 2007)

Well, between 9:30 and 10 this morning we jumped on the freeway bound for the metropolis we call L.A. Our first appointment was at Cedar Sinai at 11:30...we actually walked into the office at 11:45 because we drove around the parking garage about 6 times before we found a spot big enough for the Suburban. We went in to see Dr. Phuphanich (whom we've seen 2 other times since the diagnosis) and after his assistant did small tests on Jeff by asking him different questions about the year, month, etc...and to remember 3 words for longer than a few minutes (he remembered 2 out of 3!!!). She took our copies of Jeff's MRI's and left the room...after awhile the Dr. himself came in with photo copies of Jeff's tumor. He proceeded to tell us that he had just spoken with our Radiologist at Long Beach Memorial and believes that he (the radiologost) hasn't seen much of what's happening here...but...what looks like growth in the tumor is just what they call "pseudo-progression" which means even though it looks like the tumor has progressed (grown), it's actually just swelling from the treatments...which means...we are not worse off than we were...the tumor is being aggravated, in a sense, by the treatments and is swelling...so...we must keep on with the chemo we are doing (500mg for 5 days/month) and in 1 month we'll do another MRI to see where we are...he did not seem concerned at all...PRAISE GOD!!!! Then after a tasty subway sandwich, we moseyed on over to UCLA Medical Center (The Buccowich's Doctor) to get one more consultation (our appointment was at 3p and we actually got there early enough to fill out paperwork). Doctor Ngheimphu (a female) came in after her assistant did some of the same kind of tests on Jeff that they did a CS...and...she had looked at the MRI and completely agreed with Dr. Phuphanich...it seems to her that this is a case of "pseudo-progression" and she supports Dr. P's advice to keep doing what we are doing and get another MRI in a month. She said she knows Dr. Phuphanich and he is a very good Dr. She then proceeded to give us each one of her cards and said, well, now we (UCLA) are in the loop too...so...if anything comes up that you need further clarification on...just give me a call. We are so blessed to have 2 kind, knowledgeable doctors working on Jeff's case! Now, here's where God is soooooo good...On the way to LA Jeff and I prayed (I didn't close my eyes) that we would receive positive feedback and direction for the next step...He answered our prayer in a matter of hours...we definitely received positive feedback and the fact that 2, highly regarded, doctors agreed so completely directs us to follow their advice, at least for right now...we are thankful, relieved, hope filled, and blessed by the power of the living God!!!!!!

By the way, thank you to the anonymous giver of gas cards we received in the mail yesterday...you are a blessing!!!!!

Thank you all for your prayers...we are recipients of much blessing!
~Jayne~