Life continues forward

I don't know what I would do if it wasn't for this little boy in my life. He has been my saving grace. He is now 19 months old, has started speech therapy because he isn't talking but is catching onto sign language quickly! He's starting to look more like his mommy. I could go on and on but I'll spare you!

Aaron
Several months ago I caught him buying Kratom. Using is using even if it can be bought legally. I won't even get into all of the details of that day. I believe he has stopped using now. He is still in the drug court program and has moved into the Friends of Bill house. He is working and paying his own way. We don't see him much as he has changed jobs and now works third shift. I think it works for all of us.

The unbearable pain.

A parent shouldn't have to bury their child. It's not supposed to work this way. 

My beautiful daughter.

4/15/86 - 6/11/16

Where to start

Let's start with the vacation.
We came home on Sunday from a wonderful family vacation. For 9 days we were able to escape reality, for the most part anyway. Of course there had to be reminders on occasion. We went to Florida. Had a beautiful beach house on St. George Island. The ocean was less than 50 yards from the back door. The sunrises were absolutely amazing. I sat on the deck every morning watching the sun rise. Feeling the warmth on my face while listening to the waves crash on the beach. If you have ever seen the movie City of Angels then you know the scene when Seth falls. When he "feels" the sun for the first time. Yeah, that was me every morning. Let's not forget the sunsets, the sunsets were works of art. There isn't one thing I would change about our vacation, except, I wish it hadn't ended.

Aaron
He has been in jail now for 9 months. He will get out on the 15th. His attitude about drug court is completely different this time. I'm taking it as a good sign. He isn't dwelling on it like he did last time. He isn't constantly saying the program sets you up for failure. This time he doesn't talk about it much. He has however made a huge statement. In the years the drug court program has been in our town, nobody has completed the 18 month program without being sent back to jail as a punishment for one thing or another. Aaron has set a goal of being the first to do that.  I will keep the faith that he will accomplish this goal.

Wyatt
In 10 days the little 2 pound 3 ounce miracle baby will be 1. It seems impossible that a year has gone by already. How does that even happen so fast? So what can I say about Wyatt? Well of course like any other grandparent I could go on and on about him all day but instead I will just park a little video right here and spare everybody.

Click here for video because it won't let me do what I want.

Tasha

She's one tough little momma, but life has been taking a toll on her. Physically and mentally. She started having gall bladder attacks during the vacation. Of course we didn't know if it was gall bladder or the cancer causing her problems. She ended up in the ER Sunday a few hours after we got home. On Monday they removed her gall bladder and she was discharged on Tuesday evening. 

She has been fighting this dragon for over a year now. Seven kinds of chemo have not done what they are supposed to do. The dragon continues to take over. It has invaded her liver. We have known it was on her liver since March. Her liver enzymes are extremely high. The surgeon that removed her gall bladder said her liver is hard. He had a tough time working around it to get the gall bladder out. He also took pictures and gave them to me to take to her oncologist. 

New treatment

There aren't any other chemo options left. She has now started immunotherapy. She had her first treatment on Wednesday. If you have heard about former President Carter and the treatment of his cancer, this is the treatment she is now on. We hope and pray this works. 

The surprise

Tasha and her husband have been married over a year now. They were married at the court house with a judge and no family or friends involved. We surprised her with renewal ceremony while on vacation. 

The officiant

That is her big brother Shane. He became ordained just for this moment. 

Devastating news

The chemo has not done the job that it was supposed to do. The cancer has grown and spread into her breast bone. She is being referred to the University of Louisville in hopes of getting her into a clinical trial.

Sentence

10 years. 10 years will hang over his head as he once again has been accepted into drug court. He will do 6 months first. His time starts Monday.

Sentencing coming soon

Aaron had been offered a plea agreement of 33 years. He turned it down. Friday he was interviewed for drug court. Friday afternoon my husband was contacted by the drug court rep. He was asked to confirm that Aaron is an addict and if he felt Aaron could complete drug court. Of course his answers were in Aarons favor. I wish she had called me instead. If Aaron is accepted into drug court he could be out in as little as 3 months. He has been in jail for 3 months now. I for one feel he should be in jail longer than 6 months. I know everybody says jail is not the place for an addict that rehab is what they need. I agree with that also but I also feel Aaron should serve some time for the crimes he committed. I don't feel 6 moths is enough time. I feel he should do a minimum of 2 years. My thinking process right now tells me that 6 months is nothing more than a slap on the wrist. It's only 6 months of clean time before putting him back on the streets. I think, for Aaron anyway, he would benefit more by having  more punishment and more clean time before doing the drug court program. He has already been in drug court once.  He did 6 months. Was put back on the streets. Used immediately. He was kicked out. I might sound extremely selfish right now but the peace that comes with him being in jail, I'm not ready to lose that peace yet.


Tasha update
She only has 2 more chemo treatments left. Once that is complete another PET scan will be done. If the cancer that came back after surgery is still seen on the scan she will have surgery again followed by radiation. If they don't show up then she will go on to radiation. Of course that is subject to change as we move forward. Otherwise she's doing great!

Wyatt update

He's 5 1/2 months now and over 14 lbs. Smiling and cooing! Growing like a weed. His last Dr. appointment he actually made it onto the percentile chart for size. I can't get enough of this little boy!!!

Wyatt 11-1-2015

Daddy, mommy and Wyatt 11-1-2015

Blah blah, repeat, Blah blah and then the good stuff

Aaron

Six felonies so far. Two possession of a firearm by a convicted felon charges, one burglary 2nd, one burglary 3rd, one receiving stolen property (firearm) and one theft by unlawful taking over $500. Possession of a firearm carries a ten year sentence, burglary carries five.

I went to visit him yesterday for the first time. It's always the hardest. I waited to visit so he would have finished going thru withdrawal and to give him an idea of what it's gong to be like in jail without your family visiting every week like we did last time. He is not mad that I called the sheriff and called it a blessing. Although calling and reporting him breaking into our house, along with the proof in text messages, was one of the hardest days in my life, I feel no guilt or remorse for making the call. I wish I had done it long ago. He will be indicted next month. I have not went to any of his court proceedings. I will admit I have wanted to. 

Tasha

Chemo had to be stopped because it was killing the cancer but taking her skin with it. She had a double mastectomy in July. In the few weeks between stopping chemo and having the surgery the cancer almost doubled in size. They did however get all of the cancer!!! They removed 21 lymph nodes on her left side. Cancer was found in 6 of the 21. Chemo restarts this week. It will take 12 weeks to finish the chemo and then she will have 5 weeks of radiation five times a week. At that point the hope is to be deemed cancer free. Her oncologist balked at calling her cancer free after the surgery because although the PET scan showed no cancer anywhere else in her body she couldn't say there wasn't any microscopic cancer floating around in her. The chemo and radiation is  meant to take of that if there is.

Wyatt

He's growing like a weed!!! He is now 3 1/2 months old. I'm sure he is well over 9 pounds now. His last weigh in he was 8.7. That was two weeks ago. He's putting the weight on quickly going from 6.11 to 8.1 in the two weeks previous. There were only 2 days between the 8.1 and the 8.7. He's making up for lost time lol! Truth be told.... I can't get enough of this little boy! I can't stop kissing on him when I hold him. The "real" smiles are starting to happen more often. He is an extremely good baby, pretty laid back. 

And the best for last!!!!

Tasha and Wyatt now live across the street from me!!