2-week Update!

Well, I'm back again!! And the shingles are still with me!! Boy, I hope NONE of you ever get these things! I know I would rather carry and deliver triplets than to have these! They haven't itched so far hardly at all--THEY BURN!! They remind me of the last contractions of a pregnacy! So I feel like I'm going to have a baby!! Wish that was it!! The nerve endings make my insides go into a spasm each time I have a pain--which is about every 15 seconds! Anyhow, they are NOT fun so make sure you don't get stressed out or get a hard bump to bring them on! Of course, a low immune system is a big help too! That's natural!! Otherwise, I have been trying to "come out of it" with the last chemo treatment--a week ago last Mon. We had to go have a bone scan and a chest xray yesterday. There's always something to keep us on the go! I hope you all have got a better start on the New Year than I have!! I guess I'll just have to start when I feel like it!! I sure don't feel like I am accomplishing anything tho!! Maybe I can when the Shingles go away! Take care, all of you! We love you!!

Our New Addition

I can't believe it has been 2 weeks (busy weeks) since I wrote in this. We had a real nice Family Christmas Party here on Sun. nite, Tues. we made the rounds to all our childrens' homes in Mesa & Gilbert, Fri. I had a Holiday Dinner & Games for 18 people, Sun. nite we went to Rbt. & Chris 's for dinner with all their children ('cept TJ ), and Sat. I spent 4 hours in the Urgent Care with my "new addition". Wed. a.m. I awoke with my right back hurting--so I thought I might be starting with a kidney infection so I drank a pint of cranberry juice that am. By Thurs. pm I went to Dr. She & I thought it could be an inside bruise or a hairline crack from the fall I took a week before on the grass--I had landed on my r. hip bone. However, I had no after effects--not any bruises anyhow, so I had forgotten about it. I had it x-rayed, and then on Fri. nite as we went to bed at 11:30 Grdpa started to give me my "body brushing" and saw all these big red spots on my r. hip. We had no idea what they were. So Marla and I went to Urgent Care the next am. Yes, it is shingles. BIG blistery shingles. Just what I've NEVER wanted. They haven't itched much--just a little iritated, but my back aches sometimes and I get tired quicker. I'm glad I have an extra week before the chemo treatment this time as I will surely need it. Aside from all this, we are doing pretty good, I think. Did you-all have a good New Years Eve and N.Y. day? We hope so. We want to thank all for coming to the Christmas party and taking part in it. Love you all very much. Grandma, or Mom

My 2-mo. "a Catch-up"

WE GOT OUR BLOG PAGE FIXED! We couldn't even get it through the internet!! That is why you haven't heard from us! Thanks to Gary and Judy--I can now que you all in on our "doings"!! Grandpa is still happy & healthy--thank goodness!==and busy in the workshop or temple. I try to use up any of his "spare time"--if I get the chance!! Since my last entry--I think I have had 3 chemo treatments. They went pretty good--like usual--except the last one! That was Mon. Dec. 10--I think my red blood corpuscles are low--that is the way I read the lab tests--so I have had a slower time getting going and finding some energy!! I hope I can talk the Dr. into giving me a shot of it on the Jan. 7 treatment!! But I am glad that I can still take care of meals and just accomplish one or two little things in a day!! I'll be "fit as a fiddle" this next Sun. nite for the family Christmas Get-together!! We will have the eats ready at 5:30 so come ready to eat um up! I would like the girls to please bring a salad or something for a relish dish. I will have everything else that's needed! I hope my 2 large English cucumbers will be good by then! Hope you are all ready for Christmas by now--I'm not quite--but will be! Love you all! Mom

Update on the Christmas Plans...

Hello, All -
Thanks for your comments to the blog. We have a few more people who have figured out how to get on and comment. Cindy doesn't know how to get on to actually initiate a post. I think we'll have to review all that with everyone so we can continue to communicate through the blog. I had a phone call from Mom (Grandma, Martha) earlier this week and she said they can no longer even get onto the blog page at all from their computer and they need some help from Gary or Judy to figure out how to even get the page.

Meanwhile, as to the suggestions from everyone, as I suspected, Mother has some strong opinions as to what will happen for the party. Particularly the food. She has some meatballs that she wants to make and she also intends to make a potato casserole. She says we are free to accessorize those dishes with whatever we choose but she feels strongly that we need a meal rather than just desserts, especially for the younger kids who don't need all that sugar. I was quite sure that was how she would feel about it. She feels strongly that she will be up to making the above two items and wants to make them. She also says she has all the paper products and wants to use what she has. She and Dad definitely intend to host the party at their house.

There will be a white elephant gift exchange among the first cousins. The entire generation of first cousins will bring a white elephant gift (anyone who wants to participate - in-laws are certainly welcome, but none of the children of Larry and Martha will participate in this.) Bring your white elephant gift - anything you choose, for this event.

There is a rotation gift exchange among the siblings - Robert and Chris have Steve, Steve has Marla, Marla and Gary have Judy and Roger, Judy and Roger have Sheila and John, Sheila and John have Penni and Arne, Penni and Arne have Cindy and Vern, and Cindy and Vern have Robert and Chris. Several people have been asking for or offering gift ideas, so check in with each other if you are in need of those. I'm also hearing lots of people who are interested in gift ideas for Mom and Dad. Dad has suggested homemade or service gifts.

Robert and Chris are overseeing the program this year and we'll be in touch with each of you for participation in the coming week. The party is scheduled for Sunday, December 23 at 6 p.m. We hope everyone possible can be there. Good luck on all your Christmas prep!

Christmas Plans...

I'm just forging ahead writing things on this blog that I hope are of general interest to the Packard Family. I know that Grandma has requested that we not interpret her feelings or talk about her responses to treatments but to let her speak for herself. I think that's fair and hope she will continue to do that. But I also think this blog can be a great communication tool for the entire family if we will all use it, contribute to it and benefit from it.

So, the plans are for the Packard Family Christmas Party on Sunday, December 23 and I understand that at Thanksgiving Dinner at Penni's the decision was made to begin the gift rotation again, different from what we've done the past couple of years. And we will begin this year with the person just beneath us which means Robert and I have Stephen and Stephen has Marla, etc. Sounds great. I also think what I understand is that all the cousins will participate again in a White Elephant exchange. There will be no white elephant exchange among the adults, just the cousins, and all the cousins no matter what age will participate in that. If they want to participate as couples they bring one gift and receive one gift and if they want to participate at individuals they bring two gifts and receive two gifts. Is that accurate? And that's it. Should make things easier. I suspect there will also be some exchanging of small gifts among all the siblings as there usually has been in the past.

Has there been any decision-making as to what time we're beginning, what we are eating and who's bringing it, and whether there is any program? Dad has usually asked someone to oversee the program and I assume he is doing whatever he wants done with that again. Are Sheila, John and girls coming? We hope so! Our kids from out of town will be arriving that morning and I'm trying to decide what I need to feed them after church at our house depending on what time we're starting the Packard party and how full a meal we expect that to be. Is there any help needed with set-up of tables or chairs? I know my need for organization and planning probably drives everyone in the family crazy, but it helps me to know what to expect. So, again, if anyone is reading this, please comment and let's make some decisions.

Thanks, gang.

Thanks to All Our Pie Bakers

Thanksgiving Pie Night was a great success - so many yummy pies. Thanks to everyone who came, who baked and who ate. We had a great time - hope you did too!



I think the final count was 13 pies - pumpkin, pecan, lemon meringue, cherry, peach, jumbleberry...pretty darn good stuff.

Hope you all have leftovers to enjoy!

Thanksgiving Pie Night

Well, judging from my last post, Shellie, Stacie and I are the only people still reading this blog. I hope that's not true...and Marla assures me she looks at it, but no one responded with a comment to my last post so I don't know whether anyone else will see this.

Robert and I would like to invite you all to Thanksgiving Pie and Game Night on Thursday, Thanksgiving night. By then you'll all have digested your turkey and your first round of pie and you'll undoubtedly be ready for the second round. We'll start about 7 p.m. Bring your favorite (or leftover) pie and your gaming spirit. We'll have whipped cream, cool whip and ice cream to decorate the pie and whatever games people want to play.

Please let us know if you're coming so we're sure to be prepared with all we need. Again, it's 7 p.m. on Thanksgiving Night and all the Packard family is invited. Please RSVP. I know Judy and Roger are coming. And Grandma and Grandpa are going to try to come. Anyone else??? We'd love to see you. Hope you can make it.