Another update to let you know how my surgery went...all is well and I am right back at it (so to speak!). Surgery was on the 1st and had to stay in Portland until the 3rd for a check up. Dr. Claytor thought everything looked "fabulous"... which is what he always says to me!!!... and that I just needed to take it easy for awhile. I am in a little pain, but have not taken one pain med since the surgery! I do have one more surgery (which I did not realize there would be another one) on Dec. 29th. The FINAL one for sure.
Joey has his 1st 6mo. CT scan coming right up, so we are looking forward to that. He looks good, but he just wants some answers as to why he feels like he does. He leaves for FL in the morning and I leave on Sun. for a little R&R at our friends place in Venice.
After we got home from Portland on Wed. we got to celebrate Cam's 21st birthday. That was an experience to say the least! He is still living at home with us, but he is in the process of buying a home in Brewer. Hopefully the closing will take place when we get back from FL. He is really growing up!! Caleb wants to know if he can move in with his brother, thinking this is a great idea...I think NOT. We are just glad our boys are around and keeping our minds off ourselves. They are more entertainment than you can imagine!!
I probably won't be posting much until after Joey's scan so I'll fill you all in then.
Until then...God Bless and {{hugs}} to all...

It's been 2 months, so you'd think I'd have a lot to say...but acutally things are going pretty steady and uneventful here. First I'll tell you about Joey: He is doing great! He has gained almost 15lbs... only another 10 to go!! He is getting stronger every day. We go to the gym 3 days a week, so that has helped in many different ways. He has been doing a lot of work around the house and has mastered the laundry!! When I hear him complain to Caleb about getting his clothes down to the laundry room or the fact that he does not put away the clean clothes, it just kills me. Welcome to my world Joe!
My turn: I am scheduled for my final surgery on Nov. 1. I cannot wait to get this over with. It will require a couple of nights stay in Portland, but I am going to do my recouperating in Florida. Joey is headed down there on Nov. 5 and I am going down on Nov. 7 for a week. I think the sunshine and a little tan will help me get back on my feet for sure!! A friend needs some help decorating his new home, so I figure the shopping can be my exercise while I am gone!!
Dec. will bring the first 6 month scan for both of us. Please keep your fingers and toes crossed on this. It has been a long waiting period, so there is a little aprehension going along with this, especially for Joey. Positive thoughts, right??
Until next time, God Bless and {{hugs}} to all...

It has been awhile because there is nothing exciting to post really!! We are plugging along, taking one day at a time. Joey is getting stronger. He actually built an addition onto our deck with our friend Chris for my birthday! That was a present I've been waiting for. Who would have thought this would be the year that would happen!! (This is all part of the landscaping project we've been working on since June. It is lookin' good!!) However, that little incident left him totally under the weather for about a week.
I am doing fine. One more trip for my expansion, then we will plan for my next surgery. Nothing too exciting...out patient right at the office in their surgical center. Will require a night's stay in Portland though. Thinking maybe end of Sept., first of Oct.
I guess you could say no news is good news.
So until next time, God Bless and {{hugs}} to all...

Sunny and 80...ohhhhh yeah! Was a busy week, but a good one. Wed. night we went to our friends home in Bar Harbor for a cookout. Great time with lots of great friends. Thanks Greg and Julie!! Friday, (brother) Lee and Rose invited us up to their boat on Moosehead Lake for the day. The weather could not have been more perfect and the company was wonderful. Rode up with Mom and Dad...just a great day all around. Love the fam!!
Everyone has been so good in trying to get us out of the house and trying to keep us busy. Joey's stamina is still not where we'd like it to be, but he is trying every day to do some type of activity. Sometimes after we have had a really busy day (like Friday) the next day is a total wash. I try to get out and do the errands that he cannot tolerate on those days!!
We are almost at a completion point on the new gardens and walkway to the water. It is so beautiful. I just cannot imagine when I look out the window that this is our yard!!! Joey's nephew Larry, who owned his own landscaping business when he lived in Las Vegas, has done all of the work on his own. He is one talented guy! I cannot wait to post some pictures when it is complete. We are waiting on Joey right now to design the new landing off the deck and new stairs. Keep you posted on that part!
Another busy week ahead for me. Appointments every day for one thing or another and it's back to Portland on Thursday night for a Friday morning Dr.'s appt. Being busy keeps me sain!!
Will keep you posted as exciting news arises, so until then:
God Bless and {{hugs}} to all...

I know it has been awhile, so I probably should pass on an update...
Joey is plugging along. Just need to get him eating better so he can get his strength back. Trying to find projects for him to do to keep his mind off the fact that we no longer have Lynch Construction. Still very hard for him to digest. If I could just convince him that we were interested in selling this business 2 years before we got sick anyway, plus we were lucky enough to find a buyer (and a mighty fine one at that) in times like this and that it is all good. Joey has taken a hit in every aspect of his life that most of us cannot even comprehend so he is just trying to get one foot in front of the other. He has improved everyday. His health report is great, so with that said, I see brighter days ahead.
As for me, it has now been 1 week and counting on my new meds. I have seen no side effects what so ever, but that doesn't mean the guys haven't!! I don't think I have had any major mood swings yet anyway :D! I have noticed a little more hair in the sink in the morning, but I think after a couple of weeks, it is pretty much going to be a non-issue. Now, if I could just loose a few of those extra pounds the same way, I wouldn't complain one bit!! I am also having my last expansion the week after next. What a birthday present...I think :) Looking at my final surgery at the end of September. We are planning on heading to FL for some R 'n R in Oct, so that will be perfect timing for my recouping on that one.
So far this has been a wonderful summer with good weather and great friends stopping by to see us. We do get out in the boat just about everyday. We also just bought a jet ski, so the boys command our "spotting abilities" when they wake skate on a regular basis. That is always good for a few laughs!!
I posted this news on facebook, but for those of you who know our neighbor's daughter Casey (she is the one who created this blog, by the way), she and her husband Dave became parents for the 3rd time on Thurs. afternoon. His name is Jake Joseph (notice the name!!) and he joins big brother Luke and big sister Reese. These kids keep me sane as they are constantly swinging on our swingset and just hanging out around the house. I love our conversations. Life is always wonderful thru a childs' eyes, don't you think? Anyway, thanks Casey and Dave for adding to our sanity!!
Not much other news for now, so until next time, God Bless and {{hugs}} to all...

The verdict is in.....................NO CHEMO FOR ME!...only the drug Tamoxifen. This is a hormone therapy drug that is used to treat my stage/type of tumor. Because they removed my tumor and no lymph nodes were invaded, no radiation is needed either. That is certainly the good news. The not so good part of all of this is the fact that the dreaded "menopause" may come on sooner than later. My boys were horrified when they heard the words ... mood swings... I just don't understand. Everything will go just smoothly if everyone will just listen to me. I see no problem with this avenue we must all travel :D
As for Joey, he is doing well. Been out swimming during these hot/humid days plus he was seen flying across the lake a few times over the weekend on the jet ski! We've been taking the boys wake skating, too. (This is the new version of wake boarding. Just no boots to put your feet into. Only a board with a foam top that they just stand on. Pretty cool, actually). Joey's activity level is getting busier by the day. We've been walking almost every night, too.
All 'n all, doing pretty well here. Still working on the reconstruction, but that will be a work in progress for awhile. Finishing up the expansions, just in no hurry for my next surgery. Will keep you posted on that one.
Until next time...God Bless and {{hugs}} to all...

Update from our trip to Portland...actually still here! Decided a night away would be in order, so we decided to stay overnight and we just took in dinner and a movie. This has been a first!
Joey got a good report from the Doc. She does not want to see him for 6 months!! He will have another CAT scan then, but unless something unforseen happens, he's done here. Couldn't ask for more than that now could we!!
I had another expansion today, so now it is decision time. One or two more visits??? Gel or Silicone??? Decisions, decisions. Still have the treatment ahead of me so this will give me something to think about.
So, to sum everything up: It's All Good!
Until next time, God Bless and {{hugs}} to all...

A good weekend was had by all. Girls overnight in Hancock for me and Joey got to enjoy the peace and quite (for a little while!) at home. Many of the boys friends joined in for some swimming and a cookout for Cameron's girlfriends' birthday. Love a full house!
Joey is looking better everyday. Cannot wait until he gets his staples out tomorrow and gets his updated report from the Dr. Thank God for good weather. It is so nice to be able to go out in the boat and just float around with friends. Especially when they bring dinner!! Sunday I got him out to go grocery shopping...he is finding that this task is not as fun as it looks! Especially the part where you have to put everything away. Perfect time to say "...Man I am tired. I think I'll just go sit on the porch and rest for awhile." I'd like to be able to use that excuse sometime!!
Our trip to Portland on Tues. will be busy. Joey is meeting again with Dr Rutstein and I have another appt with the plastic surgeon. Looking into finishing up sooner than later. Maybe a couple more injections, we'll see. Still waiting on the final report from my oncologist her in Brewer so we can get going on my treatment. July 8th is my day. I feel I've been waiting long enough and want to get this thing going. My future expansion injections and surgery kind of depend on the results of this report, too.
Will let you all know how Joey makes out in Portland. Going to be a long day, so we'll probably spend the night and I will get back to you on Wed.
Until then, God Bless and {{hugs}} to all...

Hi all. Just a quick note to let you know Joey is doing great!! He has been in the office every day this week. We are actually closing on our business tomorrow morning, so we are trying to get all of our end closed out. Been out in the boat almost every day, so I'd say things are looking up.
I am heading to Portland in about 1 hour for my next expansion appt. in the morning. Wish me luck on that. I think the more I go, the more uncomfortable I am going to be. I also got my appointment for my treatment...FINALLY! July 8th is my big day. Dr. Garrett will have my treatment plan in line and hopefully will start then. Will keep you posted!
Until then, God Bless and {{hugs}} to all...

Not so good on letting you know the good news am I...We made it home Tues. night at 10pm. Made a deal with Joe that he had to eat crackers and drink a whole bottle of water by the time we got home and he agreed. Told the nurse our plan so she phone the Doc to see if we could leave...she said no :( A half hour later the nurse came in and said the Doc called back and had changed her mind! Didn't take long to pack the car and head out. Joe slept most of the way and was very glad to have his own bed back. We won't discuss how he kept his promises though...
Work has been crazy busy, but all for a good reason. We are hoping to close within the next couple of weeks. WHEW!!!! The new owner is wonderful to work with and I love who he put in the office with me. Between the two of us, we are trying to get all of the nitty gritty work done and leaving the big stuff up to Pat (the new owner) and Joey, when he is ready. Next week at this time I am sure Joey will feel much better and want to get into the office to clean everything out. That is going to be tough, but hopefully he will be right back working for them real soon.
So, in a nutshell, we jump over one hurdle and then another one is fast approaching!! That inner strength that everyone talks about can only last so long...
Until next time, God Bless and {{hugs}} to all...

We thought we'd be home today, but it looks like one more day might be necessary. Joey is still not eating at all or drinking much. He is very nauseous which in turn scares him to the point that he thinks he is slipping backwards. He has been sitting up all afternoon and we've been out walking, but the idea of food just turns him pale. Thank God for TV Land!! However, The Andy Griffith Show is getting a little old after 3 hrs of it. Let's hope for a sudden change in appetite so we can hit the road north.
Until then, God Bless and {{hugs}} to all...

This one is going to be short and sweet...Looks like Joey is going home tomorrow! He is officially free and clear of all IV's and weird things coming out his back!...his epidural.
He spent the day with sister Jenny while I booked it home to work at the office. His day consisted of many walks and lots of changes in his pain control. Aside from the constant nausea, he is lookin' good. Once that is under control, we are headed north. The kids and Sandy (our dog) are so ready for us to be back home.
Me? Well, it is back to Portland again next week for another expansion. I don't mind the trips at all. It is my time alone plus I have become very fond of this place!! It will be the week after that before I find out about my "treatment," so the posts will be less frequent. But still check...You never know what I might have for news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! By the way, looks like the weekend is going to be Sunny and 80!
Until then, God Bless and {{hugs}} to all....

The past 24 hrs have not been especially good for Joey. He has had two incidences where his epidural line was blocked and he was not getting any of his pain meds. OUCH!! He said it feels like his ribs are broken. His pain level was as bad as the night we admitted him in Bangor. He is not a fan of this feeling at all :( Had to call in the anestheologist both times to come fix the darn thing. They did replace the filter the second time, so hopefully this was the problem. His other IV line beeped because it was empty and he went right into a panic thinking it was this line again and I had to reassure him it was not!! He has been up walking (twice) and felt great doing so. This is a great sign. He looks great, just feels like crap :( !

Been a very low key day sitting on the side lines, but trying to keep the scene upbeat. He has been sleeping A LOT, so I sneak out then to chat on the phone.

I will be doing a quick trip home tomorrow morning after I see Dr. Rutstein. Still have many things to take care of so we can wrap things up in the office. It is going to be bittersweet these next few weeks as we wrap things up for good. Don't know the closing date yet, but we are planning on 3-6 weeks. Just know it is all good.

I also cannot wait to get home to see what our nephew Larry has done to our yard! When we left, it was entirely torn up, but when I called him tonight, he said he's been working hard and it is really taking shape. I guess the boys are loving it! We are making a more formal walkway starting at the driveway and going all of the way down to the water with it. We are going to do low key garden lights along the way with a new light post highlighting the entryway. He is creating a dry rock river bed along side the walkway that is going to be beautiful! We also ripped off the raised beds and putting in lower ones. Plus we are putting stone along the foundation so you won't be seeing that ugly concrete anymore! It is going to be so nice when it is done. Ya'll are going to have to come visit to see our renovated digs!

Enough of that. Joey is progressing along as well as expected. Rest is the only thing on the menu for now. As I look up at him right now, he must be dreaming. He is moving his hands around and he is mumbling (and snoring! which he claims he never does. Blames me for that!). Hope the dream is a good one :)

Until I have more news tomorrow about when his drain and epidural will be removed...

Good night, God Bless and {{hugs}} to all...

A new day brings another new drain for Joey, but only for the time being. He will get it out before he heads home!! His surgery last night went as well as expected, however, his pain is worse than ever. Thank God for the epidural! His surgery was only about 1 1/2 hrs, but he ended up in PACU until well into the night. I was in his room waiting for him around 9:45pm and he still was not here. Nurse Mikee came in to tell me PACU had called and said I could come see him there because he would not be leaving there anytime soon. They could not control his pain and he was incredibly uncomfortable. When I got down there, he was wide awake and we talked about many things...I am thinking (hoping) anesthesia is like a truth serum for him. He said MANY nice things to me! When I asked him about it this morning, he said he doesn't remember even seeing me last night! Should I tell him now about the big new diamond ring he promised me when this is all over?????? :)
Looks like we are going to be here a little longer than expected. At least 'til Mon., so the Doc says. He is on some pretty heavy duty pain meds, so he needs to be right here.

Well..., when it rains it pours. We have some pretty heavy, but good news to pass on to you all. As of yesterday morning at 7am, Lynch Construction Inc. is now known as Lynch Construction, a division of R.F. Jordan, in Ellsworth. They are an incredibly well known and respected construction company. This has all happened in just a couple of weeks and it has certainly been a whirlwind to say the least. Especially with everything else that is going on!! Let me tell you all how yesterday alone went...
7am Meeting at our home with the new owners
8am Meeting with our men. (To explain to them how this was a good thing for them and we care about them so much! We had them in mind through this whole process. This wasn't just for our benefit, it was for theirs too.)
9am Met with new owners and our guys as a group
10:30am My consultation at Cancer Care of Maine to figure out my path of treatment
12pm Hit the road for Portland
3pm Maine Med for Joey's surgery
Funniest thing of all is that at my 10:30 appt they took my blood pressure and it was great! How could that possibly be?????
I know this is a lot to consume in one post, but it is all for the good. Many tears have been shed, but in the long run, it is best for all. This is also going to be a great healing tool for Joey, just knowing the ship is now sailing in smooth waters. They have even offered Joey a position when he feels up to it. Another huge load off his back. Now, with all of this said, it is truly time to "LET THE HEALING BEGIN!"
So, until next time, God Bless and {{hugs}} to all...

I just realized that I had not informed you all of our next escapade! Sorry about that...
Lots of news out of Portland this time. Joey had his appt with Dr. Rutstein on Tues for his gallbladder situation. She took one look at him and said "...that's gotta come out!" Joey thought the next day would suit him just fine, but she had other plans. Friday...yes, this Friday, as in tomorrow!! So, here is the schedule: My consult at Cancer Care of Maine at 10:30 am for me, then straight to Portland from there. He is scheduled for surgery at 3, but that means nothing on a Friday afternoon. It could be 3, but more likely 5 or 6. Maybe even 10. Who knows. We just know it is coming out and it is a good thing!! The boys are going to hold down the fort here with promises of a clean house when we get back. Wonder what that means?????
Anyway, I will post with the outcome of my appt and Joey's recovery stories on Sat. so until then, God Bless and {{hugs}} to all...
PS...Forgot to tell you that my first expansion when really well. Didn't even know they did anything! Probably 4 or 5 visits will do for me. Only time will tell!

We are off to Portland tomorrow. Joey is in a lot of pain from his gallbladder drain, so I hope we get some answers as to when his next Maine Med visit will be...sooner than later would do us just fine. My appt for my first expansion will be Wed morning. Thinking it might be a little painful because they have to "stretch the skin" in order to make the size just right!! That bigger is better theory will go right out the window as soon as I have my first "Oh My God this HURTS" moment!!
Will let you all know what the results of Joey's appt is. Let's pray for relief for him real soon.
Until next time...God Bless and {{hugs}} to all...

Today has been on of the busiest and most productive days yet. All started with a great nights sleep for Joey and a horrible one for me. I wake up anytime between 12:30 and 2am, toss and turn 'til about 5 then fall back to sleep only to hear the boys getting ready for work/school at 7. This morning my day was planned by 4:30am, so we ended up hitting the road early. Had to drag Joey out of bed, but he was glad I did. We did a few errands, visited with a few friends, worked for a couple of hours, then had our dear friend Fa. Bockus come to the house to give us communion before he heads off for his operation next week. Whew!! (He came down to give us communion before both of our operations, so it was only fitting he did it before his!!:))
Did get some news yesterday...finally got my appt with my oncologist here. Next Fri. at 11. Looking so forward to getting the answers we've been waiting for for so long. What type of chemo will I get, when do I start and how long will it be for?? All questions that have been filling our minds. We head to Portland Tues & Wed for Joeys answers and my 1st expansion. Busy week coming up!
With a couple of graduation parties to attend this weekend, I think I'll make this short and sweet. We need our rest, so off to watch the Red Sox in bed!
Until next time...God Bless and {{hugs}} to all...

I know I am slacking, but now that I am feeling better, it is off to the office for me so my time is stretched a little more!! I do have an update, but I am sure it is not what you want to hear...
Last Friday's news from Portland was so positive,but unfortunately, for Joey, it did not pan out like we had hoped. His drain for his gallbladder had to be hooked back up on Monday. This means another operation (in Portland) to have his gallbladder removed. Because of the chemo he had, he has to wait a little while longer and it will probably require a couple of nights stay at Maine Med. They have to take it out the old fashioned way, which means another incision and a longer recouping period. Joey looks at me and sees me doing (somewhat) normal activities after only 2 weeks and he knows how he feels after almost 2 months and it just doesn't seem fair to him that he is still not feelin up to par. Thank God for the nice weather though!! Over the weekend, he could be found laying in the party boat in the sun...soaking in the rays. He does take a walk up to our baseball field most days, so that is good, but he needs some nice uplifting news to get him refocused. Got any to share???????????????????????????
Me?...I am doing well. Still waiting for contac from my oncologist here to get the chemo thing set up. Hurry up and wait. That seems to be our life's motto right now. I head to Portland again on Tues. and it looks like Joey will be going with me to meet with Dr. Rutstein to set the plan in motion for his surgery.
Will let you know if anything new and exciting happens sooner!! Until then, God Bless and {{hugs}} to all...

I know you have been waiting to hear, but we had such a busy day yesterday, just didn't have the energy to post. Soooooooo......
We had our Portland appts. yesterday and I must say, probably the best visits yet. First thing in the morning Joey finally got to meet my plastic surgeon and watched as they removed my last two tubes!!!!!! I am set up to start my expansions a week from Wednesday. This will be the start of bi-weekely trips to Portland for me, but that OK. Joey and I are together 24/7, so neither one of us complain when it is time for my trips ::))
In the afternoon, we both met with Dr. Rutstein. Her comment to Joey was "I can see you are not sick anymore!" Joey was a little taken back, but she said that to remind him that he is in the recovery stage still, not in the "sick" stage anymore. He is still thin (to be expected by everyone except Joey!), but he is taking small steps in the right direction. Not only did she tell him how good he looked, but she also suggested that the gallbladder tube be stopped for the weekend. Little scarey for Joe, but she felt the gallbladder has healed on its own and he probably does not need it out!! This weekend will tell. If it does not work, I can hook him back up and we will proceed as planned before. I certainly know what I am hoping for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dr. Rutstein took one look at me and said "oh, you're fine." That was it! There was more to it than that, but she is that confident of my prognosis. She is setting me up with Dr. Garrett here at Cancer Care of Maine and she will take over my oncology appts. My reports came back in the range that I qualify for the pill form of chemo so that means NO HAIR LOSS! I really am not that vain, but if I had my choice, I'd like to keep it, thank you very much. That regimine should start within the next two weeks. I'll keep you posted.
Until then, God Bless and {{hugs}} to all...

Finally something new to tell you all...
Today I went to the plastic surgeon and he took out 2 of my 4 drains!! My friend Shelley took me to Portland yesterday and I stayed at Donna's. We decided with all of my "hardware" stuffed under my shirt that I probably shouldn't go shopping anywhere because it looked like I was shoplifting something!! Now that I am down two drains, I can probably do some errands now and not look so suspicious :)
Joey had a relaxing time while I was away. Brother Don came to spend the day yesterday and Jenny was here when I got home today. They both take such good care of him!! He felt so good this afternoon that he drove me intown to see Caleb at his tennis match. We went for a little ride after to see my brothers new boat and over to check on our camp. (Place looks great Bobby and Brenda!!) Felt good to just hang out but by the time we got home, we were both done for the night.
We are both doing great, just need to get this healing thing down. We are headed to Portland on Thursday (with Chris and Michelle at the wheel, not Joey!) as I am getting the other two drains out on Friday morning and Joey and I both have appts. with our surgeon in the afternoon. Should find out the plan of attack with the chemo for me and what Joey can expect between now and his MRI in 6 mos. I cannot tell you how good he looks, but all he can think about is gaining some more weight. All in due time.
Will keep you up to date once we return from Portland with HOPEFULLY more good news.
Until then, God Bless and {{hugs}} to all...

It really is "Sunny and 80!" Home is where I needed to be. We both had a wonderful night's sleep last night, but my usual 5am rising came around as expected. I am still on the Dr's visit time, but hopefully tomorrow morning I can sleep a little later:) Joey and I were both up at 5 taking meds and having a light breakfast so we wouldn't feel sick. What a change in lifestyle! We've gone from which job to go to next to which med we need to take ::))
Last night, we were talking about going to the BHS awards ceremony this morning, knowing Caleb was going to be receiving "something," and had decided that it would be too much for both of us and that we were going to stay home. When I got up (for the second time) at 8, I felt great and made arrangements with Joanne to take me in town to see it, thinking I could sneak out without Joey knowing. The next thing I know he is coming down over the stairs all dressed and ready to go himself! Well, that agreement went really well, don't you think?? We did make it in time to see Caleb get his award, but we were quick to make a break for it, and out the side door we went. That was it for both of us for the rest of the day. It has been a gorgeous day, but most of it has been spent in bed (for me) and on the couch (for Joey). He is ahead of me on the walks thought! Jenny stayed overnight last night but, tonight we are going it alone. Thinking it is time for the boys to take care of the 'rents! We are both feeling better, but still going to be taking it easy and laying low. Even thought we are home, we are both still get extremely tired very easily. I am actually admitting this, so you know how I must feel!!
Well, here is to a weekend filled with great weather! Headed back to Portland (for me) on Sunday. Early Mon. am appointment, so my friend Shelley is taking me this time. I have all of these wonderful offers and what a great way to spend some 1 on 1 time!! Joey is all for staying home until we have to go back on Friday.
I will try to keep up on my posts as much as possible, but I am thinking there will not be much news to share, except for the fact that we are plugging along taking one day at a time.
So, until next time, God Bless and {{hugs}} to all...

Home Sweet Home

Kerri arrived home at around 1:30ish today!!!! She was up early getting herself ready for the trip north. The trip did make her nauseous and very tired.

Joey is super excited to have Kerri home. Both Joey and Kerri missed each other very much; it was really tough to be apart the last couple of days. They were quick to reconnect and just take some time alone together resting side by side.

Resting and healing is the key for the next little while. Kerri has a doctor's appointment next Monday and then they both have one the following Friday. Kerri has drains (I think 4) and my understanding is these will be removed at these appointments.

The boys will be home tonight and the family will all be together- here's to wishing them some great family time, restful sleep with sweet dreams, and of course quick healing.

The latest from Portland is that Kerri had a great night last night, with the exception of one instance of nausea (which she attributed to all the anesthetic agents). She was up and had breakfast, washed her hair, and even blew it dry. When the docs came in this morning apparently they indicated she was doing so well she actually could go home today. After consideration though, it was felt that the extra day of rest and monitoring would be good for Kerri.

She has been up and walking around today, sitting in a recliner, and visiting with company. Joanne says in general, you would never know Kerri had a major surgery yesterday with the exception being when she is up and walking her pace is just a little slower than usual. Clearly the woman is tough as nails :)!!!!

Kerri does have a little pain, but it is manageable, and her pain meds aren't making her at all loopy, which is wonderful.

I haven't spoken to Joe personally today, but Joanne reports that he is tired today, but still doing well. He did lots yesterday and it seems that after a day when he feels great, the next typically has a little more fatigue involved.

All and all, the Lynch gang is doing great! GO TEAM LYNCH!!!! We love you!!!

Update.

Howdy! News from Portland...

So if any of you had any doubts... well, Kerri pretty much is super-woman. Although Kerri awoke with "a freakin' elephant on her chest", Kerri has been doing great. It didn't take her long to recover to the point where she realized that it wasn't an elephant; rather it was her new sexy bra that she'll be wearing for the next few weeks... I think it has a little more material than she is used to...

She is with Joanne and Donna and is up chatting away. She has already had some dinner- soup, grilled cheese, and a coke. She has also been up and used the bathroom already. Later this evening the nurses will come back and she will be going for a walk.

There were absolutely no complications so as of right now it is looking like Kerri will be throwing elbows for couch room and fighting over the remote with Joey on Wednesday.

Will post again tomorrow... until then, over and out.

Goodbye girls, Hello Ladies...

Great news folks! Joanne called from Portland and said Kerri's surgeon just came out and said the procedure went great. The best news being that all of the lymph nodes were negative for cancer as well! Apparently, they took samples of the cancer they removed and some more info on the cancer type, etc will be known in a few days.

Kerri is still in surgery... but not with the cancer doc at this point, she is over that hump and is now in the reconstruction process. Alls well so far. My news came in at about 3:30 and they expect her to be out of surgery and into recovery at around 5ish. I'll be hearing from Joanne again then... hopefully we can all hear what Kerri has to say as she wakes... since she was kind enough to tell us that Joey spoke of being sexy and having hamburgers...

News on Joey... just saw him. He is sitting in a rocking chair on his front lawn with his sister Joey. She was just resting from cleaning the dryer vent which she reported likely hadn't been done in 6 or so years!!!! Joey looks amazing. The best I have seen him so far. He reports this is his best day yet as well.

Good day folks, good day!
We love you Kerri and Joey...

The countdown is on...I guess I should call it the second countdown, right?? My time leading up to my departure on Sunday is pretty much booked. Tying up loose ends at Lynch Construction, meeting up with friends and (my vanity has to step in at some time...) my morning of pampering to have some waxing done and a manicure & pedicure! I wish I had thought of that all important massage as little sooner, but that is too late now.
Joey is home with the boys resting comfortably and is looking great! He still needs his down time, but he is doing much better at eating and getting around. I suspect that when I get home, he will be in a much better place both physically and mentally. I really do see him getting stronger by the day. One reason I know this is because of all of the "projects" he keeps drumming up...things we need to do this summer. If I were any of you, be careful when you offer to help us with things around the house...we just might take you up on it!! We have great plans for new gardens and perhaps even another dock for the kids boats. This will make our dock-in/dock-out seasons even more interesting don't you think??...(Tom, Ray, Bobby & Rick??) I promise, this one won't be a puzzle and no fingers will be lost!
With everything that is going on right now, we had one more unfortuate event take place yesterday. We had to put down our "special" dog Nike. He had yet another infection in his mouth and with all of the care and medication it would require to help him through, plus this being the third time this year alone, we decided that it was his time. He would have been 15 in June, so he certainly had a good ride. We are going to miss that goofy little guy. No dog was happier than Nike! Sandy (the stray we found 5 years ago) really doesn't get where he is, but she will adjust soon I am sure. I am not trying to be a downer here, but so many of you all know Nike and I am sure you would keep him in your heart for me.

Remember...ALL DOGS GO TO HEAVEN!

This will probably be my last post before my surgery. I thought of having the boys post for me, but God only knows what they might say, so I will be having my friends post for me, giving you all the latest. Joanne will be calling in from Portland and Casey will be typing away in Hampden! How lucky are we anyway?? Our friends just never cease to amaze me. They are always coming up with another way to make our lives easier. We (the 4 of us) thank them from the bottom of our hearts ::))

So, until the next time...

God Bless and {{hugs}} to all.

Talk about a good night's sleep! Our bed has been calling to us and we finally found it!! All is well now that we are home. We had a great time last night watching Caleb and his friends receiving their honor. Of course many friends were there, so we had to shuffle Joey out the back door so he would not be bombarded with everyone wanting to see him. I gladly took that role and it was so wonderful to see everyone. I felt like a Wal-Mart greeter standing at the door except I gave out hugs!!
Back to reality today. Joey is home with his brother while I head to the office to catch up on...well, just EVERYTHING! My friends Joanne and Shelley are going with me to catch the boys tennis match at Erskine Academy this afternoon, so a girls road trip never hurts. Joey has plans of his own which I hope does not consist much more than watching the loons and the eagles!! He has something up his sleeve, but I am not sure what it is. He does need to lay low, but he feels so good about being home, he just cannot sit still!
All is good and Sunny and 80!
God Bless and {{hugs}} to all.

We woke up today and the sun was shining through our window just as bright as can be! Now it may really be cold outside, but today is my "Sunny and 80" day...we are going home!!!!! Last night before dinner, Joey got the last of his tubes out, well at least the ones that he is not going home with :) He was free to move about so we ate dinner in front of the window, like a real dinner table, and then we went in the family room to play cribbage. Did I let him win? Nooooo. He did that all on his own!
We plan on heading up the highway sometime late morning. Donna is going to come over to help us get packed up and out the door. Times like this are bittersweet. We cannot get home fast enough, but it is hard for me to leave my friends here because they have been so incredibly wonderful. I guess you can say they have spoiled me rotten, so why would I want to leave them??
When we do get home, however, we are going to try to keep Joey's visits to a minimum for awhile. Last time it was just so good to be home ... he wanted to see everyone and rightly so!! But we did learn our lesson. He gets so tired so easily. We actually just spoke with Dr. Rutstein and she reitterated that he does need to take it easy and REST. He can get out, but he needs to keep it at a minimum. The decision has also been made between the 3 of us that he will not be coming down for my surgery. He needs to stay home and stay strong for when I get home. This was news he did not want to hear, but he understands. My parents and my friend Joanne will be with me, (plus of course my "Portland team"!!) so I will certainly be in good hands. I will only be here for 2 nights, so no worries. Jenny will be staying with Joey at home. That means GREAT care will be given to him! When I get home, she will stay on for the rest of the week to help us with our care. How lucky are we?????
Enough of that. We are just happy to be going home to be with our boys. After Caleb's ceremony tonight, I feel a great nights sleep coming on ::))
God Bless and {{hugs}} to all.

Thank you all for your warm Mother's Day wishes and certainly the birthday wishes sent to Caleb. I was able to make it home for the afternoon and had a great time with the boys. They certainly spoiled me, too!! It was hard on Joey to have me leave and miss my day and Caleb's birthday. He spent the day resting and had a visit from brother Don and sister-in-law Patty as they were coming back through from Kari's graduation from nursing school in Boston!! We are all very proud of her! I also want to send out a special thank you to those of you who sent me Mother's Day cards. One in particular made the tears flow, "...this one is for the girls..." It was beautiful and I thank you for your kind words. (you know who you are!!)
I am looking forward to getting back home to some normalicy soon. Joey is getting better and we hope by mid week he will get sprung from here. It was kind of funny this morning because after his shower, he decided to come and sit beside me on my cot. He wanted to "check it out" and layed down for a few minutes. Next thing I know, he is sawing off some heavy ZZZZ's! 2 hours worth!! He really and truly thinks my bed is better than his. Knucklehead! So anyway, I was laying in his bed when the nurse came in. He looked at me and was rather confused. I pointed to the corner and he still could not figure out why Joey would be there! Whatever works, right?? Hopefully today he will get one of his drains out. He also started eating solid food again. All major accomplishments towards going out that front door. He is so looking forward to getting home and being with our boys. Just being away from them is harder than you know.
Tomorrow night brings me home again for Caleb's NHS indoctrination, but it may be just a quick trip up and back, not an overnight. We live each day as it comes and will know tomorrow how it will all work out.
We are off for a trip around the block, so will post later. Until then...
God Bless and {{hugs}} to all.

Good afternoon!! Today has been a nice quiet day. Jenny has been here and we have had the best visit. Joey gives us our cue when he wants to take a nap and she and I head to the family room next door for our girl time. She is just so easy to have around and I must say I love having her here!! Joey did have a couple of visitors, but they were just passing through town and they just stopped by long enough to say "Hi!". Just enough for Joey to see them, but then I got to visit with them in the other room. Thanks guys!!
Joey is doing well, but is still very weak. It takes him a fair amount of time to get up the energy to either go for a walk or get cleaned up for the day. He can never do both one right after the other, so we make our plan as to what to do first. Tonight I am going out for a quick dinner then off to the movies. This will give him a nice quiet night alone which he secretly relishes I can tell!! Not much new news, just know he is where he needs to be.
God Bless and {{hugs}} to all.

Finally getting to you all with the latest! As I had said last night, Joey ended up getting another drain tube in his stomach area to drain out all of the "stuff" that is not suppose to be there. This was suppose to happen last night, just got done this afternoon. He also has a new picc line in his arm so now his is getting all the nutrition he needs. HE LOOKS LIKE A NEW MAN because they took away the infamous NG tube at around 3pm. He probably looks better than he feels, so we need to be careful with his movements.
Yesterday he did get out for his first walk since we've been here. Saw a lot of the old nurses from before and they greeted us with open arms. We officially have a new family down here. They are even looking ahead on their schedules to see who will be working when I am here!! No joke! We played a game of cribbage yesterday too and I have been told I was very mean because I didn't let Joey win. His Doc told me that, too. Now I am feeling guilty, so a rematch has been set for tonight.
Headed home on Sunday for Caleb's birthday and Mother's Day with the kids. My friend Donna is going home with me so I will have company for the ride...plus she heard what we were having for dinner..Frank's Bake Shop Prime Rib. There is nothing like it!
Doing better for now. Still have to keep it low, but we are headed in the right direction :)
God Bless and {{hugs}} to all!

This morning brings a few answers. Joey's CT scan last night showed that he has "sprung a leak" in his intestinal area. So, what does this mean...another drain has to be inserted. This is the official count: NG tube draining his stomach, a second one draining his gallbladder and now this third one to drain the crap from his intestine...no pun intended!!! He cannot talk because the NG tube is really bothering him, so I am teaching him sign language. He has one comment down quite well with just one small jesture!! Just kidding. He is being a great patient.
Once again I can report that he LOOKS GOOD, he just feels like...oh I guess...what is in his intestines! Portland is certainly where we need to be. As you can tell by my report, he is not up for anything or really seeing anyone, so I guess it is up to me to keep you all informed a little more regularly.
You all are very concerned about me, but I am doing fine. I must tell you that I have my own support system down here and they are great. I do have my times where I get out so Joey can have a break from me and rest alone. I am sleeping a little better, too. His room this time is half the size but really cozy. I have a room right next door that I can go to anytime to talk on the phone, just sit and read and even has an ongoing puzzle (yes Chris and Michelle, the same one, but I am working on it!!). Plus, I can watch the Sea Dogs games from there. It is quite the view!! Tonight I am headed out for a little while to go to the Old Port for a bite to eat. Joey is so good to not worry about me, he just knows I have to be able to talk with others, too. My friends come here just to sit with me or take me out for a break. It is always what works for me. They are angels and I don't know what I would do without them! Do you hear me Donna, Steve and Chris??
I must say is different not having Cameron here all of the time. He is home now, has moved back into his old room and starts his new job tomorrow. Considering he has not even been home 24 hours, that is pretty good I'd say! Caleb celebrates his 17th birthday on Sunday (He was actually born on Mother's Day, so this is only the 3rd time we've been able to celebrate together!!). I plan on being home either Saturday or Sunday during the day. It will be a quick round trip, but he understands where I need to be. If Joey is not home by Tuesday, I will be coming back up again for the night because Caleb has his induction into National Honor Society at 7pm! Can you say "Proud Parents"?!?!?!
Joey is sleeping sound right now, so this is my cue to head down to the cafe' for a little breakfast.
For now, God Bless and {{hugs}} to all.

Where is my sunny and 80???? We got to Portland at around noontime. Joey came by ambulance and I was VERY close behind. All settled in to our "old diggs" and as usual, everyone is being wonderful. Trying to find the cause of the high fever. Had to have the NG tube put back in early this morning (2:30am) so that is taking away the pressure in his belly. Not to be gross, but it is draining constantly! As is the one going to his gallbladder. You could pretty much say he is a hurting duck. Again, the no visitors thing still stands until he can find some kind of relief. He needs sleep bad...I think I do too. I have 12 days left to my count down, so we have to get him better. Let's hope for a much better night tonight.
God Bless and {{hugs}} to all.

He is resting as comfortably as possible...He has a huge gas bubble in his belly that won't relieve itself. They have talked about putting another NG tube into his stomach, but that reception was not a pretty one. They got a big fat NO on that one!! The transfer back to Portland is still a huge possibility. Will know for sure in the morning. I am staying the night with him tonight, so I will be able to speak with Dr. Starks in the morning. I'll say it again, he is a wonderful Dr. I just feel he needs to be in Portland where Dr. Rutstein is. I have so much confidence in her, as does Joey. He just does not want to endure the trip. I've promised it will be painless:)
Hey guess what... My car has an automatic pilot and I didn't even realize it!! It is so funny...I get behind the wheel and she just drives herself right down I95!!!! Amazing! I wonder how much I paid for that feature?!?
I will let you know how we make out tomorrow. For now, Good night, God Bless and {{hugs}} to all!

Good morning everyone. Joey is still at EMMC, but we do have a special request:

We are asking for absolutely no visitors at all at this time.

Joey has had a small setback so he just needs to get his rest and get stronger. The problem is he looks so good, so you think he is doing well. Unfortunately his insides are telling him different. I am the biggest offender of this myself!! Dr. Starks has been in this morning and they talked of their "plan". His Dr. in Portland knows of the situation and the lines of communication between Bangor and Portland are getting better. We are in very good hands in both places, we just need to do what is best for Joey. Just to ease your minds, he is OK, again, he needs to get his strength back and get his rest. When blue stuff comes out, it is never an encouraging...right Jenny?!?!
I am still in Portland, so this makes the equation a little tougher. You need to know that my friends here have been helpful beyond words as far as making things happen when I need them. I am so lucky to have them!! (Thank you Donna, Chris and Steve. You were awesome when I needed you last night:)
I usually like to keep the blog postings a little more light and upbeat than this is today, but I know you all understand what we are going through and we feel your prayers and postitive thoughts.
Thanks for understanding our needs and I will post tonight once I get back home.
God Bless and {{hugs}} to all.

Joey is a little frustrated today...He wonders "why is it that after all of these years he's taken such great care of his liver and now they take exactly 30 seconds to drive a tube straight through it!! And yes, by the way it does hurt!!" Joey offered to pay for the extra tube to go around his liver instead of through it, but you know medical costs these days, they instisted on stabbing it instead! The tube is doing it's job by draining the gallbladder, but what a pain! He has started to drink little sips and has had small amounts of popsicle and jello. They taste just OK to him. He wants to take it extremely slow this time. Still looking like it will be at least Tues. before getting out.
Finally got the private room last night at around 9pm. This alone will help the healing.
Might not be able to blog for a couple of days. Headed out tonight for Portland and won't be back until Tues. I will try to keep you all posted.
God Bless and {hugs}} to all!

Well, we are still here. The drain that was placed in Joe's gallbladder has been extremely helpful. It is draining well and relieving Joe of his pain. The only thing he feels now is the tube itself, which was inserted between his ribs. They told him he will get used to the discomfort...right...they are not the ones with it sticking out of 'em!! He has to have this in for about 6 weeks, but the considering the alternative, he's accepting this well. :) Waiting on the plumbing to start working again so he can slowly start eating. No food and water makes Joey a very unhappy man!! Looks like he will be here at EMMC for at least 2 if not 3 more days, so send us comments to read on the blog to help pass our time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We like it when we get to laugh, too!
The guilt lasted for about a minute, but last night I had a chance to go out with "the girls" and totally stepped into a different world for about 5 hours!! Thanks to my "Breast Friends" for a wonderful night out! Laughter is truly the best medicine, so the way I figure it, I'm now probably set for at least the next month!! I LOVE YOU ALL.
Caleb is with all of his buddies at SAT's today. Once he's out, it is off to the lake to put in the dock with the neighbors. How funny is this...the adults doing the work and Caleb supervising ::))
He is the only other person aside for Joey that knows the system order, so I guess we are at his mercy. After SAT's, I guess he deserves a little enjoyment, don't you think??
Here is to an uneventful couple of days for Joey so he can get better. I am off to Portland Monday and Tuesday for my pre-op appointments, so if he is sprung during that time, I guess I am leaving it up to brother Don and sister Jenny to take over. They are my rock(s). Do not know what I'd do without them.
God Bless and {{hugs}} to all!!

Joey spent the night with constant nausea. I got in here this morning and he was white as a ghost! Dr. Starks was in (of course I could never get up in time to see him because he is here at like 6am!!) and told Joe that around 2pm they are going to take him in and drain his gallbladder through a tube. As I had mentioned last night, they do not want to operate on him as it is too soon after his last operation with the chemo. He has not been up much since he has been in here because he has been in so much pain. I am hoping once they drain his gallbladder, he will be able to move around a lot more. After that, they will have to see if he will be able to take on food again. If that happens, maybe we could get him home tomorrow. Only time will tell.
I am letting him sleep for now...headed to the shop to get some work done. His room is nice and peaceful. He gets to look out over the river, which really makes us ache for home!! Cameron surprised us last night by coming home for the weekend :) I plan on spending as much time with him today as possible. Next Friday, he will be home for good!!! Just in time for me to go to Portland haha!! My stay will be short and sweet, so I would rather he be home with this Dad anyway.
I will let you all know how the procedure goes this afternoon and hopefully know more about the length of his stay here. Until then...
God Bless and {{hugs}} to all!

I know I posted that Joey was not feeling very well, but I guess even I underestimated super Joe! 9pm Wed. brought us to EMMC because his pain was so severe. For EMMC's Emergency Dept to move him from my car to a ED critical care room in 15 minutes from start to finish, you know how bad he looked and felt. They were absolutely wonderful here (meaning we are STILL here) and we are certainly lucky to have Dr. Starks as Joey's Dr. in Bangor.
It is now Thursday night at 7:45 and we are still waiting on 1 more test...CAT scan. They feel his gallbladder has a blockage, but they do not want to operate on him so soon after his chemo treatment. Dr. Starks and Dr. Rutstein (in Portland) are conferring and will make a decision HOPEFULLY tonight as to what and where they are going to do his treatment. Please do not be alarmed, as right now Joey is as comfortable as he has been in 2 weeks!! They have finally found a pain med that does not make him nauseas and that keeps his pain away. Has been quite the dance to find the right med partner for him!! Not only is this new med working, many outragious things have been coming out of his mouth! He will be sound asleep and he will wake up with a start and break right out in full conversation. Not sure who he is talking to or about, but we play right along and he is happy as a clam :)
I will let you know as soon as his scan is read and the next plan of action takes place. If we have to return to Portland, then so be it. We've really missed the staff down there anyway. If we can stay right here, then happy with that, too! Whatever it takes!!! Will probably be in the hospital a couple of days because he is back on IV's.
God Bless and {{hugs}} to all.

Yesterday has officially taken its toll on Joey today. He has been extremely tired and the nausea is back. He had his Reiki session this morning and he thought maybe that was what was making him so tired. As the day has gone on, it seems to be getting worse. He did make it a point to get outside for his walk in between rain drops though!! All he talks about is that he wants to get up to the office just so he can go over things and maybe do a little work. I am doing my best to hold him back, but maybe he just needs to spend an hour there just to get it out of his system. This is normally the time of year we hire back all of our men, so it seems a little weird right now.
We have had a couple of visitors this afternoon, which really breaks up the day. Joey's "mentor" John Peters, who was diagnosed with lung cancer about two weeks before Joey was diagnosed with his disease, stopped by today and that really boosted his spirits. John is the one we hired when we decided to expand Lynch Construction and started doing the earthwork. He ran that part of our business until we decided to stop building and just focus on the earthwork part. He and Joey are like father and son!
A friend came over the other day and got all of our dock furniture out and cleaned, so now I have to get it off my front lawn! Not a very pretty site right now. This weekend, we have some neighbors who are getting together to put in our dock. Can't wait!! Now I can get my front yard organized!! I hear the weekend is suppose to be warm and sunny, so I know where you'll be able to find us!
A friend of my brother always used to have a saying every time you asked him what the weather was going to be. His reply was always "Sunny and 80!" no matter what time of year. That is now my new theme. No matter what we are going to be facing in the up coming months, in my head I need to be thinking...Sunny and 80! That does wonders for me right now anyway!!
Well, not much news on the home front. Just love the fact that you are all still following the blog. Keep those postings coming! (For those of you that are still having problems, try to sign in under anonymous then post your comment. If you sign up for a google account, you can also post. Good Luck!)
Until tomorrow, God Bless and {{hugs}} to all.

We are in Portland and Joey is now staple free...Yeah!!  He is felling good enough to turn around and head back home.  Joey's appt went really and Dr. Rutstein told him she did not need to see him until the day after my surgery.  This will make it easier on our schedule, too.  We talked with her about Joey's pain and she has put him on the track to get him comfortable.   We are with Cameron right now and grabbing something to eat before hitting the highway.   Talk to you all once we get back home!

I know it has been a couple of days, so we need to play catch up here...
Saturday and Sunday were fun days with lots of visitors. We especially like it when we get to watch the little ones playing in the stream trying to catch the fish. Joey had lifelong friends Greg, Joe and Bill come to visit on Sunday. They laughed for hours while talking about their old escapades. By the end of their conversations, I realized two things: They are all very lucky to be alive and I am amazed they never spent any time in jail!! But one thing is for certain, they stuck up for each other back then, just as they still do now. It was wonderful to see these guys having so much fun! (Russ, I think maybe these are some of John Bapst finest that you were curious about!)
Yesterday Joey finally got a chance to "go for a ride!!"...we went to Caleb's first tennis match of the season aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand he WON! We had a chance to see quite a few friends, which was really nice. Even the boys that were on the team and some of them just watching made it a point to come up to Joey and me to give us some hugs. Love that!!
Today is a big day. We are off to Portland to hopefully get Joey's staples out. He is still in tremendous pain, but if you all know Joey like I do, he is a man of incredible strength! We will be discussing his pain situation with the Doc today. Am worried a little about the traveling part, so we are going to bring our overnight bags just in case. We have to travel back down on Monday and Tuesday for two pre-op appointments for me. Joey really wants to come along, so today will be a good trial run for him. Good think we like Portland and have great friends there to visit! Plus, Cam is still there so we get to spend time with him today, too.
I will let you all know how our trip goes, so until then...
God Bless and {{hugs}} to all!

Having a great day today. We've had several visitors and each time we've gone down to the brook to watch the suckers run. (For those of you who do not know what suckers are, they are bottom feeder fish that swim up the stream beside our house to spawn.) It has been fun to watch the kids that have been here to get in the stream with rubber boots on and try to catch the fish with their bare hands. We were hoping that the blackflies and mosquitos were going to miss us this year, but they are already out in full force. We are hoping that they don't like our chemo or radiation so they won't bite. If you look outside and see glowing mosquitos, you'll know they've been at our house and that we are inside itching profusly!!
Joe is starting to get more energy and eating a lot better...looks like his sense of humor is returning too!! Going to Joey's follow up on Tues. Hopefully he'll get his staples removed. He is healing great and he is looking forward to standing up straight soon!! Will keep you posted.
God Bless and {{hugs}} to all!

We finally have my surgery date: May 17. I guess I have a lot of cleaning and organizing to do before anyone comes to help us around the house!! My friends Bronwen, Shelley and Joanne did a lot of cleaning out while we were in Portland with Joey. After taking a look at our pantry and all of the food they took out, I was on a mission to "get organized." They even found a package of food dated 1997!! Anyone want me to cook dinner for them?? Caleb keeps going to the basement where they stored the "bad stuff" and sneaking it back upstairs to eat it. He feels starving to death will a lot more painful than eating what they took away! (Just kidding Bronwen!!) Joey and I are really trying to change our eating habits to enhance our immune systems. I have stepped outside of the box more than once these past few weeks and tried things I've never thought would pass through these lips. And the funny thing is...it was really good!! Joey is still real cautious as to what he eats right now, so he hasn't experienced some of the things I have yet. You just wait until he gets better. He won't know what has hit 'em!!
Joey is eating a lot better now and sleeping though the night. He is also very vigallant with his daily walks. He hardly even watches TV...imagine that!! Many phone calls have come through from old friends and you can see how it brightens his day! He writes, reads and sits on the screened porch watching the ducks, loons and otters in the cove. He's starting to talk to them and give them names, so I think he is getting ready to see more visitors!!
Here is to friends and family and hopefully a beautiful summer on the lake!
God Bless and {{hugs}} to all!!

Sorry this is so late, but between getting home really late last night and a very busy day today, we are now finally getting to you all!
Update on Kerri: Yesterday's appts. with the surgeons went extremely well. Dr. Lisa Rutstein (same doc as Joey) is my cancer doctor. She will be performing the double mastectomy then Dr. Brandon Claytor will be the surgeon doing my reconstruction. There were a couple of things I learned yesterday that I was not planning on, but realize needs to be part of the plan...I will have to have chemo...YUCK!!...and the reconstruction will take about a year to complete. I guess if I want 'em to look good it is going to take time, right?? My brother made me feel great about the chemo part...He told me that all I needed was a nice wig and a set of "Billy Bob" teeth and I would be good to go!! Thanks Lee!! Love your support LOL!!
My surgery will be taking place the week of May 17. This is good because that puts Joey 6 weeks out from his operation, so it looks pretty good that he will be able to be with me throughout my "ordeal." I know how I felt about being by his side the whole time he was in the hospital, so I can relate to his wants and needs to be with me. It is certainly a comfort zone.
Now, a word from Joey:
"Thanks for all of the posts and cards. They mean a lot to ALL 4 of us! I just got a card from a group of boys that I have coached from all different sports in the past and it really warmed my spirits. It was so touching to think these boys had such kind words for both me and Kerri.
It was hard not being able to be with Kerri in Portland yesterday, but between my brother Don and sister Jenny, they made sure I was pampered just fine!! I also had to endure a night without her, so Caleb decided he'd come lay with me and we just talked about everything. Caleb and Cam always make fun of me with my "life lesson" stories, so I tried not to make the conversations too deep!! We have always been able to talk to our boys about anything and this situation is no different, which makes it a little easier moving forward.
I am starting to eat better and went outside today for 3 walks. My goal is to gain some weight here, even though I've never been on the large side, but with all of the great food people are sending our way, it looks like I am well on my way!! I am still quite sore, but it is feeling a little better every day. Only on Tylenol for pain and am just getting my digestive system going again. Even got to have a whoopie pie before Kerri ate them all! Delicious!!
Our spirits are high and we wish you all well. God Bless."

WE ARE HOME :) Joey says "hi" to everyone! He says..."It was nice finally getting out of the hospital and a little more emotional than I thought it would be, because as I left, all of the emotions of the past 3 weeks started rolling forward like a freight train! From finding out about myself, then Kerri, going through the two operations so far, it has all seemed like a blur. I thank you all for the cards and nice words; and I can feel the power of your love and prayers. Kerri and I know we are still at the beginning of this, but because of friends and family like you it makes it easier to continually be moving forward and not looking back. One thing that we cannot forget is that we are travelling this journey with our wonderful boys by our side. They have been so strong, but we cannot forget what it must be like for them.
We are receiving blessings everyday. A neat one was upon my arrival at home I noticed how the road had been freshly graded up into the neighborhood baseball field. As we drove up to see all of the hard work (Mark!!!) that had been done to prepare the field for this years Little League practices, I saw my little friend Addison playing in the sand box. This brought back a flood of memories and reitterated the reason why we built that field in the first place. Thanks again to everyone."
My turn..."It does seem nice to be home, but unfortunately I am turning around this afternoon to go back to Portland for my appts. tomorrow. It will be too long of a day to do it all at once, so my Mom and I opted to go down today and spend the night with my friend Donna. I probably won't post anything tomorrow, because it will be too late when we return. (my appts are spread out from early morning to late afternoon :( ) However, I will post on Wed. with my new findings! Joey is lookin' good...he just needs a constant reminder to go sit down and DRINK LOTS OF WATER!...maybe he really is listening to me and the reason he is getting up a lot is to go pee!! On the way home yesterday he had me stop at Irving to get him banana bread. OK, this guy has not eaten anything for 12 days, except for a half piece of toast and a couple of popsicles, and he wants banana bread!! He did eat quite bit for his first time and it seemed so good! This just proves he is on the mend. We like that.
I will post again on Wed. and until then, God Bless and lots of {{Hugs}} to all!

It is absolutly amazing what a shower can do for one's soul. Joey had his first one this morning and a new man emerged from the bathroom!! Because he is feeling much better and they decided to remove the IV 's, it looks like we may be coming home this afternoon!! He still is not eating, but has gone back to liquids and the doc feels that is all he needs. Food will come in time. We are getting ready to go for a walk then we will make our plan for later.
We'll keep you posted!

You are probably wondering why I have not updated you today...I actually headed home for the day to get some work done at the office. We thought Joey might be able to come home either today or tomorrow, but that has been postponed until probably Tues. The wall he hit was a little bigger than we thought. He is now back on IV fluids and not drinking or eating. Kind of back where we started from...except for the actual operation! When I got back my first reaction was as to how good he looked!! He is actually DREAMING of food...very unusual for Joey Lynch!! The plan is to get him hydrated enough so they can slowly ween him off the IVs and then reintroduce him to clear liquids then onto solids.
Joey's brother Donny came down to stay with him while I was "up north" and I thank him for that. It has been nice to have the blog for our correspondence so Joey is able to get your messages and get his rest at the same time. This way when we come home we'll be able to see you all with a well rested patient!
Hopefully we'll be home soon, so until then keep those messages of hope and good cheer coming!!

Well Jenny, his oompa loompa blue day is now only a bad memory. He was put back on an IV today only to replenish the fluids he missed yesterday. They decided to pull back the solid foods for now, but I must say, he looks great. I think his biggest problem now is the reflux. Again, thanks to nurse Jenny, we got a fix on order and he should get his first dose within the hour. He never has really explained the reflux feeling to the Dr., only the fact he felt the nausea. I think that is now under control. The Dr. assured him that he would have bad days and not to let this get him down. I think he totally understands this now. When we do get home, I am going to have to be careful as to not let him get too overtired. I am going to keep the blog going all of the way through to my surgery date, so stay tuned!! :)

From the man: "Hi guys. I really enjoy it when Kerri reads your posts to me. I really am not in much pain anymore, just the worst part is that I feel like I have an extreme case of integestion. Once the meds for this kick in, I am sure I will be leaps and bounds closer to coming home. Maybe tomorrow, but probably Sunday."

Had a good nights sleep...probably the best yet, but having a problem keeping the food in. They are going to put him back on IV fluids for the day, just to get him back to where he needs to be. Dr. came in this morning and reassured us that he really is doing great. Also reminded Joe that these "walls" will appear every now and then and not to get discouraged. If he needs to take a break from the regular food, that is perfectly acceptable. Joey also made the decision to for-go the oral meds for now (i.e.: tylenol, ibuprofen) because his stomach is so raw. His stomach wasn't very tolerant of these before his surgery, so really no issue there. Doc agreed with him as long as he can tolerate the pain...which he is doing very well.
Note to sister Deb: I know it is tough being so far away, but please know he is in great hands here and believe me, they have tried many things to ease the nausea. The chemo he received was 40x stronger than a regular dose would be, so we do have to take that into consideration. I promise you he is doing great! When you get here this summer, rest assured he will be spending lots of time with you because he won't be going anywhere for quite a while!! Love you!!

Good evening to all. I wish tonights blog could be as positive as the ones in the past, but do have to say that Joey has had a rough day today. He felt real tired this morning, but wanted to get up and going, so even before I went down to breakfast, we went for 2 1/2 walks around the loop! This tired him out, so he took a nap while I went to get something to eat. The nausea never seems to subside and it is really getting to him. His Mom and Charlie came to visit (along with his Aunt Cynthia and Uncle Arthur) which was a very welcome site!! But after they left, he started sinking fast. I won't go into detail, but let me just say it was "blue!" I don't think he will ever be able to look at a blue Powerade bottle the same again!
I left him alone for most of the evening: went to dinner with Cam, then a friend of mine met me and we went out for a walk. When we returned, he looked a little better, but was ready to call it a night. I wish when he went to bed that he wouldn't be bothered until HE decided to wake up...but the nurses do have their job to do. I will tell you this...the nurses and CNA's here are unbelievable. Even if they are working and don't have Joe, they sneak in just for a quick visit and to check up on us :)
Pray for him to have a good night sleep tonight and here is to a better day tomorrow.
Good night and love to all.

The night went well as we transferred from frightening dreams to very productive ones!! Joey has us expanding our business and even has our new staff hired...some of you just don't know it yet!!! :) It was probably because I pulled my bed over beside him so we could be side by side that he had such a good nights sleep...what do ya think?!? The nurse came in and just went "awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwe!" I think a picture was even taken!!!
This morning he was given the OK for a normal diet, so he had cream of wheat for breakfast :) then after breakfast, he went for a walk all on his own. I wish you could see him stopping by the different rooms and talking or just waiving to the patients. He really should be a politician!!
Oh, forgot to mention this one...they took out all of his IV's!... but if we could just get this nausea think under control. It is a constant and it really p*#@%* him off!!
We are still hoping to break out of here either tomorrow or Saturday. Hey Danny...Got that motorhome ready for us??? Don't worry though, I'll drive :):) You can still pay the tolls if you'd like. (Joey even mentioned you could pay for the gas!)
Joey is so looking forward to getting home and seeing everyone, so until I have some more earthshattering news, which will probably be this afternoon, I am signing off for now.
{{Hugs and Kisses}} Kerri

After the news on this morning's post, could things get any better? Well, yes they can! Joey got to eat a slice of peanut butter toast and pudding!! You would have thought he was eating at a fine restaurant. He savored every bite. Caleb was here to witness this milestone event, too. Not only did he get to eat, he practicly ran down the hall everytime we went for a walk.
No news is good news as far as the ultrasound goes, so I guess we can set that worry on the back burner. His feet are still quite huge, but that too will subside.
We did have a few visitors today, which was a wonderful distraction to our otherwise quiet day. Caleb really needed a "Dad day", so he took some time off from school. Cameron stopped by a couple of times, as did Bry. We love this family time! Talk to you all tomorrow. Hopefully more good news!!

Didn't get a chance to write last night as it was pretty busy...for Joey, more tests, for me it was a more social...so hear goes it:
They finally ended up taking him in for his ultrasound for the fluid at around 8:45pm. Still no word yet on that.
He had an awesome nights sleep! The first thing I noticed this morning when I got up was how good he looked. Doc came in around 6:30am to tell him she is going to ween him off his IV meds, so that means he has to drink enough on his own to support oral meds. Another hurdle to jump!
Everyday he looks better and better. I must say that we've had a few moments where we just break out laughing because his humor has certainly come back!! It is amazing what running water and singing "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" will do to make someone pee!!! I guess you probably needed to be there!
I don't know what I would do without this blog. The outpouring of love and support is incredible! We've had messages from all over...My next door neighbor from growing up, Joey's buddies from growing up, cousins from out of state and even from our friends we met on our cruise back in January!! Not to mention our dear friends in our everyday lives. I know there are a lot of you who read the blog, but don't post anything (and that is certainly OK!!) but just knowing you are all there is support enough.
Last night Joey and I had a discussion about when I am here and he needs to do the updates. He's a little apprehensive about this, so we may be looking for a secretary!! It looks like I will be 2-3 weeks out for my surgery. I'll know more on Tues. 4/20.
Well, all for now. Caleb is coming down today, we are so looking forward to that. We miss him soooooooo!!!!! It is strange not having him here with us. Plus we are not used to seeing Cam, but now we are seeing him on a daily basis! Love that part! It will be a Good Day when we are all together again.
{{Hugs and Kisses}} Joey and Kerri

Guess what...Joey's eating a popsicle!! He also has green jello to enjoy. That's the good news. Now for the not so good...He still is full of fluid. His right side seems to be puffier than the left, so he is going for another ultrasound later this afternoon. His blood cultures did show some signs of bacteria, so they are continuing with the antibiotics. It's only 3:30 and he has been on two walks and in between has been sitting in the chair...so by my math, he has been up since 10:00!! This is unbelievable. Have no idea when they plan on springing him, but assume Fri. or Sat. He still has some hurdles to get over, but if you know Joey like I do, he will give it his all to beat the odds. As Darlene says: {{hugs to everyone!}}

The morning has started off really good...the NG tube is GONE!!!! Yeah!!! Gave him an ice cream freeze headache though, so he is laying quite right now. His fever is also down. They started him on an antibiotic last night and it must be working :) Today will bring more milestones for him I am sure of it.
Interesting tidbit...I counted 30 staples yesterday...His stomach really does look like a railroad track!! Looking good though. The only thing that is still getting to him are his dreams. They are so vivid and real. Once that subsides during the night, he will truly get a good nights sleep. I guess I must be feeling more comfortable here because I slept though the night last night. Have been up since 6 and feel like a new woman! Here is to a good day!

Joey is tucked in for the night...unfortunately with a fever again. They are giving him an antibiotic, but they still cannot find the source . He is still retaining a lot of fluid. Up 23lbs from when we came in here. He did a lot of moving around today which was great. He walked "the loop" 3 times, plus sat up in the chair for a couple of hours. It was nice and sunny so he wore my sunglasses :) My parents came for a quick visit today. Joey is like one of their own and it was killing them to stay away. They had lunch with me, so we were able to have a nice visit. It also gave Joey some quiet time after all of his morning activities.
Tomorrow morning is the big day...the tube (NG?) going to his stomach is coming out!!!!!!!!!!! He was actually getting a little ugly about it when Cam, Bry and Bry's dad Brian came to visit tonight. I think that spunk is proving to me that he is on the mend!! Tomorrow is going to be a good day, I can just feel it.
Good night and God Bless.

This one is going to be very short and to the point:
...epidural out...check! catheter out...check! bowels moving...check! WHEW. What a day!!! One more tube to reckon with and all will be good. Pain and nausea still an issue, but he tells me he can deal with that...its that stupid tube that goes through his nose to his stomach that really ticks him off. Hopefully that comes out tomorrow morning. Toes and fingers crossed?...check!

This is from the man himself:
"Hi everyone! Thank you for your posts. I am tired today but I am really not hurting that bad. My body has been through a lot and it is just draining me. I truly am letting people help me. It was nice having my boys beside me this weekend along with the rest of my family. It made me feel good. Jenny has been teaching Kerri a lot and now she is pushing me. I do know to get better I will probably get sicker, but I will keep moving forward. It is a beautiful day today. Can see Mt. Washington from my room. I am looking forward to getting out in the fresh air soon and to hear those loons calling to me. I got my epidural out this morning and perhaps the catheter later on today. These are all good signs. I've gained 17 lbs. because of all of the fluids that have been put in me. I guess I won't be playing professional sports anytime soon. I just might fail the drug test!! I can hardly wait to get home to just sit and watch the boys fish. I am actually looking forward to enjoying the summer on the dock and resting. Thanks for all of the encouraging words. They mean the world to me."
Love, Joe

Joey actually got his bath in the bathroom last night! He washed his hair in the sink and even asked me to blow dry it :) I think he just liked the warm air blowing on him. He is so funny. He's sitting in the chair just smiling away. You would have thought this was an everyday event for him. Let me tell you, with all of the crap that is going through him and all of the stuff we make him to, he is just incredible. He hates to complain. Everytime he does, he's apologizing to us. You talk about inspiration, he is mine. Now I have to live up to his toughness!!

Joey's night was a little better. His sleep was so sound during the day yesterday, that the nighttime was more in and out. I, however, had the best nights sleep (here) yet. I slept 4 hours in a row! That felt like a whole night's sleep!! We got Joey up at 3 and moved him around. His left arm is so swollen that I asked what they could do about his IV. They moved it to his right arm (Don't worry Jenny, it went really well, unlike the past efforts to find a vein!!). They decided he needed a sonogram on his left arm because of all of the fluid build-up. So, when do they decide to come get him for this test? 5am! Yup, my thoughts exactly! I didn't even hear them come back they were so quiet. Dr. Rutstein came in at 7 and made the decision to remove his epidural to hopefully "wake up" his bowels. Once they wake up, the tube that runs through his nose to his stomach will be removed. That will be a day to celebrate...could be tomorrow even...Keep those fingers and toes crossed for us!! With the removal of the epidural though, this means constant movement for him and less pain meds. Not sure how this will go, but if he keeps in his mind that this tube is going to be removed, you just might see him dancing down the hall!!
Will post more this afternoon.

He is sleeping so sound. Didn't get to spend much time with the kids. I can only imagine what 2am is going to bring!?! Certainly a big turn from this am.
I want to thank you all for understanding us when we asked for peace and quiet. Because of that, I do believe it has put Joey on the fast track to being up and about.
Tomorrow hopefully brings more answers for me. Dr. Rutstein's office is suppose to be coordinating my appointments so they all happen this week while I am here...her office, the plastic surgeon, etc. I cannot tell you how pleased we all are with the care Joey has and is receiving. Hopefully my experience will be the same. I told the nurses that we are being really nice because we have to be back here to do this all over again soon. I want the same nurses and the same room Joey has! It is so nice. I wish the Sea Dogs were playing right now...looking out over their field. Beautiful sunny day here.

I know I am getting to you all a little late, but as my brother put it, we are kind of "upside down" here. Joey was up most of the night, he actually went for his first walk at 2am!! Wide awake and still quite nauseous. His fever finally broke early this morning. The pain meds are sending him on a trip that he's quite uncomfortable with. He's seen a christmas tree in the room, a nice fireplace that was quite warm...????????????...When we were watching the Nascar race last night he thought his bed was racing with the cars. His eyes were quite wide open too, so he really must have been feeling like he was really moving!!
He is looking really good today, but still the nausea problem. He can take the pain but this nausea thing really sucks! He is sound asleep and has been since I got back from running an errand this morning. While I was gone he went for a long walk and sat up looking out the window for awhile. Caleb and Delaney drove down to visit today. That put a sparkle in Joey's eye!
I don't know if I have mentioned this, but Joey's brother and sister (Jenny and Donny) have been by my side since we got here. However, they are headed home today. They have been great and I am going to miss them. Thank God I have Cam and Bry (and Donna!) here with me!!!! I'll talk with you all later.

Update: Joey is quite feverish and nauseous today. Trying to find the source. He has had chest x-rays and blood drawn, but on a good note he had his central line removed!! He did sit up in a chair today for about a half hour and got a lovely sponge bath :) from a very cute girl...his nurse wasn't bad either LOL! He even got his hair washed. That did make him feel better...for a while...then back to sleeping most of the day. We are trying to keep him moving from side to side so he does not get fluid build up. Unfortunately, our efforts have failed here. He does have fluid build up, but I think we can manage this without him getting worse. Please pray for a peaceful night for him. Nighttime seems to be his worst.
Keep those posts coming. It's helping me as much as Joey. Love to all.

Good Morning. I would love to say we had a wonderful night together, but unfortulately, that was no so. Joey had a rough night. They set up a bed for me beside him and I was so glad they did. He is in a lot of pain today, but they changed his meds, so hopefully, now we can get him up and he won't feel nausea. Thanks for understanding our need to keep him quite. Hopefully by the beginning of the week, he'll feel up to seeing you. Love to all.

News From Kerri!!!

Howdy folks! I just heard from Kerri and she wanted me to put up a post for her. Two things we talked about are 1)her day and 2)visitors in Portland.

First off, her tests and appointments went well today in Bangor. She made the decision to be treated in Portland by the same practice who Joe has been using- hopefully she will actually have the same surgeon. She is hoping to get an appointment this week and solidify dates and such for her surgery and course of treatment.

Secondly, with regards to visitors, Joe and Kerri are requesting that folks please hold off on visits to Portland. Joe is doing great, but with the magnitude of the surgery he just had, he is exhausted and has some pain (which they are managing well). Both Kerri and Joe are very, very tired given all that has happened in the last couple of weeks and want to take this time in Portland to rest and build up as much strength as possible before returning to Bangor and embarking on the next stages of their treatments. They will keep us posted on when they are ready for visitors.

Joe and Kerri will also keep us all posted via this blog on what's going on in their world. They would love to see everyone, but need to have a little "Lynch-time" right now. What we can do is keep posting messages and sending our love and support. It means so much to them and they are loving hearing from everyone.

Thanks so much.

I guess there is no rest for the wary...off to Bangor I go for my "big" appointment today. Cam is driving me up there (because his boss is so wonderful and just so happens that he needs a vehicle delivered to Bangor and one to come back to Portland...saves the miles on my car!) so we will be there in time to see Dad and Zachary (and Nicole!!) get off the plane. I cannot wait to see him!! Dad has no idea I'll be there so may be a little emotional :) Mom and Cam are going to my appointment with me so I have my support team. Then we turn around and head back to Portland. I will be going to see Joe this morning and Cam will pick me up at Maine Med. I've been up since 6 just waiting for a decent time to be able to go see him. Maybe I'll pick up that hamburger he wanted to bad last night LOL! I'll post my results and an update on Joe later tonight. Love you all, Kerri

Cam and I were able to give Joey kisses goodnight and I must say he was pretty funny!! With a very hoarse voice he told me he was really hungry and wondered if he could have a hamburger. I told him I would check on that!! Then when Cameron went to speak with him, he might have mentioned something about Joey's shaved chest...Joey said "Don't ya think I look pretty sexy?!" Cam and I walked out of recovery laughing our butts off. I am certain Joey is going to be OK now 'cause his sense of humor is baaaaack!
I also want to send out a very special "thank you" to both of our families. We are the luckiest people alive to have the love and support you've shown to us, not only in our everyday lives, but especially these past two weeks. We love you all!

6pm...Joey is out of surgery and did FANTASTIC!! Dr. was very impressed with how things went. Now he goes to recovery for 2 hrs. I will let you all know as soon as I have more information. Talk about TOTAL RELIEF! Now we are officially in the recovery period. Love to all.

Casey, you are my rock when I least expect it!! This is amazing what you have done. You know how much we love you:)Joey is up and ready for his big day. He says "Hi" to everyone, thanks for the encouraging words and friendship. A good nights sleep was had because we had such a great evening with our family and a few friends! Joey is confident and excited about moving forward. We know this is not going to be easy for any of us, but have accepted the challenge in front of us. Love to all.

Big Day #1

Tomorrow is Joey's big day in surgery at Maine Medical and I am thinking of him, Kerri and the boys non-stop. They are in Portland tonight and are accompanied by some beloved family members- Joe's brother, sister, and Kerri's mother. (There could be more folks, these are just the ones I know of.)

I was lucky enough to give Joey and Kerri a hug yesterday and the strength they have is amazing. Joey was so poised and calm; I found that he was making me feel so much better. I suppose this is just another example of how the Lynchs help people...Joey and Kerri are the ones with cancer and facing the treatments and they are the ones providing comfort and calming for all that love them and are so devastated by this situation.

Joe, Kerri, Cam and Caleb I am thinking of you and sending you all my best, best thoughts. I may not be in Portland right now, but I am with you. I love you guys so much. I know Joey is going to do great tomorrow.

****Please everyone- as you read this site for updates, leave comments of your thoughts and prayers for the Lynchs to read as they check the site and update us on Joe's surgery tomorrow. There was a bit of a glitch with leaving comments earlier that I think I have fixed. Here's how you do it... just click on comments at the bottom of one of the posts, type your message, and click to post it. If you are not familiar with blogging, and an option comes up asking you how you want to post- choose "anonymous" (one of the bottom choices) and it should work. If you have problems with this email me and let me know at caseymonnier@gmail.com. Everyone's thoughts and prayers are really, really meaningful and appreciated by the Lynchs.

Ways to Help

The outpouring of support from all of the Lynch’s friends has been heartwarming. A few of us are trying to coordinate the efforts of all of you that want to help. Kerri and Joey may be too busy to ask for help when they need it, so here are some people you can contact that will extend your offers of help to them:

MEALS: Shelley Burgess has offered to store meals in her freezer and give them to Kerri and Joey when they need them. Her number is 735-5731 or e-mail at spalmerburgess@yahoo.com .

FOOD: Joanne Awalt will be helping with grocery shopping/cooking. If you have fresh food you would like to give them (we love veggies from an organic garden!), you can call Joanne at 843-5960 or 944-3301, or e-mail her at livestrong03@wildblue.net .

ERRANDS, RIDES, VISITING: If you have time on your hands you would like to offer, contact Bronwen Pierson and she will make sure your offer gets passed on. Her number is 479-3777 or e-mail at btpierson@roadrunner.com .

Kerri and Joey are going to try to follow the most nutritional diet that they can. Of course, Cameron and Caleb will appreciate any home cooking, but here are some of the foods that Kerri and Joey like that will be beneficial to their recovery:

Whole grains like brown rice and barley, whole grain pastas, soups, lasagna, shrimp, scallops, chicken, beans, mushrooms, asparagus, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, avocados, yellow, green, red, yellow peppers, onions, garlic, shallots, green onions, beet greens, fiddleheads, swiss chard, squash, summer squash, zucchini, nuts, fruit. Basically, keep the meat to a minimum, and stay away from the “white” stuff like white flour and sugar. Organic food is going to be the best for them while they are recovering.

Thank you so much for trying to make the next several months as comfortable for the whole family as possible.

What you can do

We've created this site as a means for everyone to stay in the loop. With the medical treatments Joe and Kerri are looking at in the near future they are going to have some rough times ahead. Their roads won't be easy, only worth it.

Joe and Kerri have reached out to so many people in their lives, each of them separately and together as a team, they are always willing to help and give in any way they possibly can.

Now it is our turn to help. Through this site we would like to organize a help system for Joe, Kerri, Cam, and Caleb. Right now support, encouragement, and prayers are what is needed. There will be a time when meals, rides, other help may be needed. Please in the comments section leave the help you would like to donate, the time you are available, etc, etc.

Planned postings for this site include, first and foremost updates, and additionally, what the Lynch family would appreciate and enjoy for food, what help they may need around the house and town, and contacts to persons coordinating help.

Da Boys...

Joe and Kerri's biggest concerns are for their boys and of course for each other. Both have expressed worries about how their illnesses will impact the boys and I think Kerri is more worried for Joe and Joe for Kerri (I suppose this is what makes their marriage and family so wonderful).

After spending some times with the boys, I think both boys have been shocked and scared, a little numb, and now are gearing up for the battle that their family will be fighting for the next couple of months. They both have caring girlfriends in their lives and they both have lots of hobbies (Cam- skateboarding, Caleb- mudding in his jeep) that help keep their minds at ease and give them nice outlets.