Ink

Steph has 3 small dots tattooed on her body for radiation so they can get everything lined up exactly right each time. I suggested that she cover them up with REAL tattoos when she beats this. Vote on your favorite!

Normal...I miss you.

We spent Sunday with the Phillips family at my parent's house. It was a wonderful day! Every now and then I was able to pretend that everything was normal. I wish Steph could do the same, but I know it's on her mind every second. But the day was as close to normal as we can get these days. I was quickly jolted back to reality when my dad asked Claire what she prays for at "Super Church" on Sundays. She said...and I quote..."I pray for Steph because she has cancer and has to go to chemo." So many emotions flooded my soul. I was shocked because this is the first time she has EVER said anything like that. I have told her that we need to pray for Steph because she is sick but as far as details, she has picked all of that up by listening to us talk. I was proud because she cares so much for other people. I was sad because I was looking at four babies whose lives are so affected by cancer, whether they realize it or not. I want so desperately for cancer to go away. It's a feeling I'm not familiar with. It's gut wrenching. It's almost primal. I haven't spent much time with Steph lately because of her schedule and the fact that my kids have been sick and we don't want to pass anything on. But this weekend I got to spend hours with her and I miss that. She is like a sister to me and I miss her. I miss just being normal. Just. Normal.

"We must destroy it."

My mom and I had picked Claire and Drew up from school a few weeks ago and then took them for ice cream. I don't remember what we were talking about, but Drew just said "We must destroy it." We asked him what he was talking about. He looked up and said, "Well, that's what Peter Parker says to Dr. Octavius." We aren't exactly sure what brought it up, but we couldn't agree more! In honor of Drew who LOVES superheros, check out the new poll and cast your vote!

Drew understands that Mommy is sick (even though sometimes it is hard for him to REALLY understand because she doesn't look or act sick.) and that she has an oncologist that is going to make her better. Doctors have been a part of his life since the minute he was born and he goes to the cardiologist on a regular basis. He has visited my dad in the hospital on NUMEROUS occasions and loves to go to his appointments with him. He even got to go to the doctor with my mom which NEVER EVER happens, because she NEVER goes to the doctor! (She did find out she had an ear infection, sinus infection and pneumonia!!) My point...doctors are a regular part of his life so it hasn't really worried him that Mommy goes all the time!

STEPH, is doing well. The first few days of radiation were a little rough, but she is adjusting. She got to run the bases with Drew at his first tee ball game and I will post pictures very soon, because they are priceless. They are all having a great time participating in Drew's first REAL TEAM! He told Steph that he really wished Claire was on his team. Maybe next year Drew! Which brings me to my cute story for the day.

Steph: "Drew, is Riley your new girlfriend?"
Drew: "No Mom, I'm just havin' fun with her!"
Steph: "So who is your girlfriend?"
Drew: "CLAIRE is my girlfriend! I will ALWAYS love Claire."

I'm telling you! Mark your calendars for the summer of 2028! It will be the wedding of the century!

Radiation

Steph had her first radiation treatment today at 3:30. My mom is sick (which NEVER happens) so my dad stepped in and took her to her first treatment. I haven't heard yet how it went so I'm not exactly a wealth of information today! I just wanted to post to let everyone know that she has started radiation and will do SEVEN weeks!! She will go Monday-Friday and most likely will be going at the same time everyday. So if you get a chance between 3:30 and 4:00, say a prayer for Steph. Pray that this radiation will work. We have been so encouraged by her wonderful doctor. (Dr. Helen Kim is AWESOME!) She is positive and upbeat with a great sense of humor. She has assured us that she will do everything in her power to get rid of this nasty old cancer!! So keep praying and I will post again very soon! Oh and HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all the moms out there!

Blogger impaired

I am such a nerd! I meant for the "Look Alike Meter" to be posted on my personal blog. I wondered where it went but just assumed I was computer illiterate and didn't do something right. Then I come to the blog today and here it is! I'm sure all of you really care about how much my baby boy looks like me. (3% more than daddy, read it and weep Brian!) Anyway, one of these days I will catch up with technology. Of course, then I will be 5 years behind again. Oh well, that's what kids are for.

Well....

Steph had her appointment yesterday. We didn't hear EXACTLY what we wanted to hear, but also realize it could have been much worse! The lymph nodes that have been inflamed for a while are still that way. Unfortunately, that means that there is still cancer in there. The good news is that there are no new tumors or masses. We will press on with 4 weeks of radiation, 20 minutes a day......everyday. The plan to stay on the Avastin was changed and she will now be on Xeloda. It is in pill form but can cause the following. diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, constipation, weakness, tiredness, dizziness, headache, sleeplessness, dry or itching skin, and dehydration. They also warned her that it can cause tingling, numbness, pain, redness, or swelling of the hands or feet. Sounds pleasant huh? Steph was very discouraged and asked if the last 6 months of chemo was all for nothing. Dr. Hoos said, "No, to be perfectly honest, if you hadn't done that we would be calling in hospice right now." For all of us it was a feeling much like being punched in the stomach and smacked in the face all at once. I'm not sure if ANY of us, including Steph, really grasped the severity of her illness. Part of it has to do with the fact that Stephanie Phillips is THE strongest and toughest woman I know. Just to look at her, she doesn't look sick. More often than not, she doesn't ACT sick. So to have the doctor tell us that was eye opening to say the least. SO, we need prayers now that we can get rid of the rest of this stupid cancer. I will let you all know when we get radiation scheduled so we can all take a few minutes a day to lift Steph up to the Lord during her treatment. We are praising God today that there was nothing new on the scan and thanking him for getting us through the past 6 months.

Thanks to those of you who sent birthday wishes!! I had a good one and I'm ready for my hot date tonight with my husband!

April 24th is the day!

Steph has an appointment with her oncologist on April 24th. I have a great feeling about this. You see, April 24th is the day I graced this earth with my presence just 28 short years ago. So, as you can tell, only wonderful things happen on that day. (wahhhh wahhhhh!) I mean really, Kelly Clarkson and Barbara Streisand were born on that day too. How can you go wrong? But seriously, I wish we didn't have to wait that long for the results of her scan. But as my Dad says, "you can wish in one hand and....." You know the rest. If not, then you probably don't have any Okies in your lineage.

Enjoy the warm weather and if you live in the Springfield area, hold on to the little people in your life, they may blow away. Man it's windy!!!

Flooding

OK, so I have been lucky enough (unlike my parents) to avoid any serious water getting into our basement. However, it's still like a flood around here! My good friend Jenny is now the proud recipient of a shiny new pacemaker and defibrillator. (she is 27 with a wonderful husband and a 2 month old baby) Steph had her scan yesterday. (results still pending) My Aunt Donna and our close family friend Steve both lost their mothers on Thursday. So I'm trying to keep it together....and I go down with strep. Thanks to my WONDERFUL mother-in-law I didn't have to worry about the kids while my dad took me to the doctor and Brian finished up his work day. I am still praising God for the miracle he performed in Jenny. I am praising him for healing me as I am on the mend today. I continue to pray for Steph's results and for Him to give Aunt Donna and Steve and their families strength in this difficult time. I praise Him. Without Him, I know I couldn't deal.

I will post as SOON as I know anything about the scan but we don't really know when that will be. The PET scan should show if there are any cancer cells left. This is a biggie so keep praying!!!
Love
Chrissy

No News is Good News!

It's been a crazy few weeks in my life. You know the saying..."when it rains it pours." It's been pouring!!! (Literally and figuratively!) Steph is enjoying some time off from treatment. She has gone back to school and recently went to Tampa, FL for a meeting. Tomorrow she has a scan so please be praying that everything comes back okay. I will post as soon as I hear anything about those results. She will be starting radiation in a few weeks (I think) so I will let everyone know how it goes. Thank your for your continued prayers. It seems like 50 years ago when this whole thing started but your prayers are just as important today as they were then! So thank you thank you thank you!!!

The Melton Family

I received an e-mail this morning from Ms. Holly (Claire's teacher) saying that her husband passed away at 12:45 this morning. He was diagnosed in October with Melanoma and now, he's gone. My heart is broken for Holly and their two beautiful little girls. Her blog www.nevergonnabreakmyfaith.blogspot.com sheds a lot of light on what a wonderful man he is. I have been inspired by their strength and their faith. They have changed me. I told Holly that because of them, I tend to stop before I get mad about picking up a pile of dirty clothes on Brian's side of the bed. I think twice before I get grumpy about him coming home a little late. Instead, I thank God that I had him here last night to make that mess. I rejoice because he has an amazing job that keeps him busy into the evening and provides us with a roof over our heads and food on the table. I didn't even get upset when that table that holds the food became a canvas for Cohen's recent hobby...fork carving. It puts things into perspective. The endless piles of laundry mean I have 3 other beautiful people in this house that dirty them up! The crumbs all over the floor mean we have little hands learning how to use silverware. All of the screeching and laughing means we have a sister and brother in this house who adore each other. I am thankful for every second I get with the people I love. Whether I am playing games with them, coloring, painting, working around the house, watching TV with them, shopping with them, working out with them or sharing a meal. Every person who is in my life is so valuable to me. The Melton's situation has reminded me that we are only guaranteed this very moment on earth. We don't know God's plan and we don't know when he will call us or our loved ones home. Take the time today to pick up the phone and call someone you love just to chat. Spend an extra minute in that embrace before running off to start dinner. Let them splash water on the bathroom floor just for fun. Read an extra bedtime story. Don't turn on the TV this evening. Invite a single mom out for lunch or over for dinner. Wake up each day and ask yourself, "What can I do today to make someone's day special." It doesn't matter if it is your kids, spouse, mother, father, brother, sister, friend or a complete stranger. Just do it. You may not have another chance. If you are the "prayin' kind" please pray for Holly, Ashtyn and Lauren. Pray that they feel the presence of the Lord more than ever right now. Visit their blog and send a positive thought or a Bible verse. Have a blessed day!

LONG time, no post!

So sorry! My laptop has officially earned "paperweight" status so computer time is hard to come by. I missed a few very important dates!! First of all, Stephanie turned 34! HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY STEPH!!! Second, Tuesday was her last chemo treatment for this round!!! She now gets a month off (I think) and then she will start radiation and continue with the Avastin. Radiation will be 5 weeks everyday. We are hoping that means Monday through Friday. Then she will go in for the Avastin every other week like she has been but it will only take a few hours rather than all day. She will also be getting a CT scan as well as a PET scan sometime in the near future to see what there is to see. Dr. Hoos has also mentioned exploratory surgery after treatment in order to make SURE that there isn't anything left. So that's the scoop!

We have all been busy filling out our brackets for the NCAA tournament. Drew and Claire will be participating this year. We are letting them pick their own teams. Should be VERY interesting!

Hope everyone is drying out after almost a foot of rain!!! We were thinking about starting our arc yesterday. We have plenty of scrap wood after the ice storm! Have a great day and HAPPY SPRING!!!!!

No Ordinary Season

I wanted to take a minute and say a little about the 2007-08 Kickapoo Lady Chiefs. Sadly their season came to an end last week with a loss to the Ozark Lady Tigers. I don't know anyone who is more sad than my little Claire. She LOVES watching her Lady Chiefs! (Which is funny because we live in Ozark!) This year was obviously different from any of the others. When the girls were gearing up for this season, they were preparing for a season of basketball, wins, losses, bumps and bruises. What they got was a season full of those things plus life lessons, FAITH, hope, generosity and love. These girls hold a special place in Steph's heart and they have no idea how much they did just by showing up to practice with the drive and determination that we all know and love. Their energy and spirit got her through some very difficult times. Girls, I know you were disappointed last week when your season ended so abruptly but please know that this was no ordinary season. This season will live forever in our hearts. What you did this year was so much more than a title or championship. God Bless each and everyone of you.

Prayer Request

Unfortunately so many people are touched in some way by cancer. If you have been there then you know that it bonds people for life. You find that God puts certian people in your life for numerous reasons. It may not be clear at the time, but he knows what he is doing. For example, this year when Claire and Drew started school they were welcomed with open arms (AS USUAL) by their wonderful and fearless leaders. All of the teachers knew what the Phillips family was up against and they made the transistion as easy as possible for Drew. While Ms. Holly was comforting Drew, praying for Steph and giving money at the fundraisers...she had no idea how HER life was about to change. One day we were sitting at the Fall party for our kids and the next thing she knew.....her husband, Jeff, had been diagnosed with cancer. For all of the details you can visit her blog www.nevergonnabreakmyfaith.blogspot.com (Yes, we are big fans of the REALLY long blog addresses!!) I haven't had the pleasure of getting to know Jeff really well but he and Steph have been able to talk a little about what they are both dealing with. I DO know Holly and she is a little slice of Heaven right here on earth. I am thinking that if Miss Sandy and Miss Holly could just follow Claire right on through to her senior year I would be just fine with that!!! Right now they need prayers more than anything. They are such strong and faithFULL Christians and have such an amazing attitude. Please pray that God will touch Jeff and heal him. Jeff, Holly, Lauren and Ashtyn: You are all in our prayers! Everyone have a blessed week!

White Out Cancer!

Here's story number TWO for this week in the Springfield News-Leader! These two women are so wonderful and I am so glad someone took the opportunity to do a story on them. Not only do we have dishrags around here but Mrs. Anderson took the time to make the greatest earwarmers for all the little ones! They are warm, cozy and of course they are BROWN AND GOLD!!! I haven't gotten the chance to actually thank her for them so hopefully she reads this blog!! So, here's the article and a BIG thank you from the Stephanie Phillips Foundation to the people who are doing so much for Stephanie and her family. Love and Prayers.


(Click on the title of the blog and it will take you to the actual article!)
By Sarah Overstreet



Dishrags help wash out cancer-care cost Springfield Public Schools food service worker Shannon Kinney found an unusual ally in her friend Stephanie Phillips' battle with colon cancer — her knitting needles.


If most of us racked our brains trying to come up with an idea to raise money for a sick friend, probably only one in a million would come up with "dishrags."
Luckily, that one in a million lives here and has no padlocks on her imagination. Shannon Kinney had recently learned to knit from her friend Darleen Anderson, and knitting was the first thing that came to her mind.


"When I heard about Stephanie's cancer, I thought 'Everyone else can do something for her, what can I do?'" she remembers of hearing in August the heartbreaking news that Kickapoo High School's girls' basketball coach Stephanie Phillips had been diagnosed with colon cancer.

What she could do, she reasoned, was what she knew and what other people might want. She could knit, and the sturdy, pretty dishrags she knitted for friends and relatives lasted forever. She called Anderson to bounce the idea off, and her friend thought her idea was great. She researched the colors associated with different cancers — the American Cancer Society told her purple is for colon cancer — but from out of nowhere, a slogan popped into her mind: "White Out Coach Phillips' Cancer."



White. White, long-lasting dishcloths that are easily bleached when they lose their snowy sheen.
She hung sign-up sheets for orders and started talking to friends. Soon, some of them, like Anderson, joined her with needles.


Then, she became her own marketing department, talking to co-workers and customers at her second job, even taking custom orders for rags in various holiday colors.


Anderson says the impact of the small woman, her knitting needles and her mission has had an impact way past what Kinney even knows. "She brought together all these wonderful people everywhere she worked. They heard the story and went out with a new heart for cancer. They were so touched — here was this woman with two little boys (Phillips), just like Shannon was left with two little boys" (after Kinney's divorce).


By December, Kinney had reached her goal: She'd made 400 dishrags.
"I counted every stitch," Anderson says. "There are 1,865 stitches in each dish rag ... . Shannon says, 'With each stitch goes a prayer for Coach Phillips' full recovery.' She brought in $1,000 just by herself."


As we talk, Kinney knits, 10 spools of cotton yarn surrounding her feet at the couch where she sits. As Kinney does with almost any activity that lets her sit down, she knits. One of the only places she won't knit is at one of the high school or college games she often watches with Anderson. Her sons Dre and Channing Dokes grew up playing on teams with Anderson's grandsons Shane and Spencer Laurie all the way through middle school to high school graduation, and now Dre plays in the Canadian Football League.


"I can't knit and pay attention to the game," Kinney explains. "But Darleen knits. I don't care what game she's watching, she knits. I've at least got to the point where I can watch TV and knit."


Before she committed to her rag-a-thon, Kinney briefly wondered if she'd have the time. "Then I thought, 'Yeah, I'll have the time — I'll make the time.' It's in my heart."


When I reach into my pocket to get a few bills to poke into a kettle or contribute to a sick co-worker's hospital fund, I'm sure I'll often think of Shannon Kinney. She's bought more than $250 worth of yarn herself for the dishrags and baby blankets she makes for unwed teen mothers.
Shannon's hands don't stop at her pockets. They reach for her knitting needles, then pass on her work to others who need it more.


To visit the Web site maintained for Phillips by supporters, go to http://www.stephsgonnawin.com/.

The results are in!

Dr. Hoos felt good about the scan. Nothing has changed which leads him to believe that the inflamed lymphnodes may still be from surgery. So that's good news! I didn't hear anything about the hernia. I just wanted to update everyone on the status of the scan! HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY to everyone!

Think Pink Week

Say that 10 times fast!!

As my Mom and Steph were sitting in chemo last week, Steph was contacted by a reporter for the Springfield News-Leader about a campaign that she is heading up. Here is a copy of the article and here is the link http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080211/SPORTS0102/802110343 Steph came up with the slogan and Jarad (my brother) did a great job with the shirts. They look great! I can't wait for next year because Steph has already picked a slogan and it's even better! So enjoy the article and ladies, take a minute to check your breasts! It could be fun!

Local teams join cancer fightGirls' basketball teams from area high schools to wear pink this week to promote awareness.

Michael Stacy News-Leader

It might be difficult to distinguish between different girls' basketball teams around town during warm-ups this week, because several of them will be sporting the same shirts.

The girls' teams at Central, Glendale, Hillcrest, Kickapoo and Parkview — and a handful of their opponents — will don pink gameday T-shirts in conjunction with the "Think Pink" initiative, a national effort sponsored by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer research.

Kickapoo coach Stephanie Phillips is spearheading the local effort. Diagnosed with colon cancer in August, Phillips has continued to teach and coach while fighting the disease.

When Phillips suggested the pink shirts to her fellow coaches, they jumped at the opportunity to support the cause and show solidarity with Phillips — even if, for some, it meant compromising their sense of style.

"I'll be honest with you, I hate pink," said Central coach Dan Stander, who will join his players in sporting a pink shirt. "But I can't think of a better time to wear it."
Like Stander, Parkview coach Keri Nichols was eager to support the effort. Nichols, in her first year at Parkview, said she is impressed with the way the city coaches have come together for a common cause.

"It's a true testament to how the coaches are a great group of people whose first concern is helping kids have great character and become successful people," Nichols said. "(It's) showing them that there's other things out there that we can do to help make our community better."

Proceeds from T-shirt sales will be donated to the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund.
But financial support for the battle against breast cancer is only part of the equation this week; raising awareness is just as important as raising funds. The T-shirts shed light on the significance of such awareness. Emblazoned with the slogan "Hand Checks Allowed," the shirts make a humorous allusion to a very serious subject --the importance of vigilance in the fight against cancer.

"It's really important to raise awareness about taking care of your body and getting things checked out," Phillips said. "If it causes one person to go get checked out that wouldn't have, we've made a difference." Such vigilance is important, Phillips said, because nobody is immune from the impact of cancer; everyone has been touched by the disease in some way.
Indeed, in talking about the "Think Pink" promotion, Nichols mentioned her mom, Evelyn, a breast cancer survivor. Stander spoke of an aunt whom he lost to cancer and a cousin who beat cancer and will likely be in attendance as the Lady Bulldogs don pink this week.

And then, of course, there's Phillips.

"I think it puts a whole new perspective on life and... just how valuable that is," Glendale coach Renee Temple said.

The national "Think Pink" effort was inspired in large part by another basketball coach who, like Phillips, is fighting cancer. North Carolina State women's coach Kay Yow is currently battling breast cancer for the third time.

"I can't imagine being her and being that strong and that tough," Phillips said. "She's still coaching; that's really motivation for me, because this is just my first time."
While Phillips finds inspiration in the example set by Yow, other coaches look no further for inspiration than the Kickapoo coach.

"Even though she's sick, she's still out there trying to beat (cancer) for other people," Stander said. "I get my strength in coaching from Stephanie Phillips."

Ice, Scans & Hernia's

Oooh that would be a good name for a band. "Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome...Ice, Scans and Hernia's!" Our first song would have to be, "Cold wind blows...So does cancer." I can already hear it making it's way to the top of the charts. Sorry, I've got a serious case of cabin fever and I have to find some way of amusing myself!

For those who don't live in the Ozarks, the word ice is probably reserved for that stuff you put in your drink. Here, it's that stuff that comes down in massive amounts at the begining of the year and causes pure chaos! This year was even more exciting when the ice was accompanied by thunder and lightning. "Thunder-Sleet." Hmmm. Is that a technical term? Anyway, we found ourselves at my Mom and Dad's last night because we had no power and it was getting pretty chilly in our house. Their yard looks like a war zone....again. But we are all safe and sound and that's what truly matters.

Steph was having a scan at 12:30 today so please pray for good news. They are checking to see if there is anymore cancer and also to investigate what they think is a hernia. We aren't sure if they will do anything at this point to fix it because of the fact that she is doing chemo. She is in pain and has been pretty sick lately. Please pray for even more strength to get her through. It's been tough. I will post as soon as I hear any news. We are hoping to hear something by tomorrow but we aren't for sure. Just keep her in your prayers! Stay safe, warm and cozy!
Until tomorrow!

PS Spell check still isn't working, so forgive me if I missspel. ;-)

Calling all Volunteers!

OK, my food system fell apart a little towards the end of 2007. Between Steph and Scot's crazy schedule and everyone getting ready for the holidays, things got a little wild. But, I think I have perfected my system and we have figured out the days that would be best for food to be delivered. So now I need a new list of people who want to help again. I also realize that I may have overlooked a couple of people during the last "round" and I hope you don't feel neglected! Just send me another e-mail with "dinner for Steph" in the subject line (so I don't accidently delete you!) and I will get you on the new schedule. Tuesday and Fridays will be our new "drop off" nights. If you have a preference let me know. What I will do is just assign everyone a night. If that night doesn't work for you let me know and I will move you down to the next available night. We will keep doing that until we get a date that works! We are so thankful for everyone who is still expressing the desire to help. Steph has two more treatments and then will continue on with radiation and will keep doing the Avastin for another 6 months. She has been exhausted and having a meal on hand will mean one less decision for her and Scot to make! So just e-mail me cgeorge424@yahoo.com and let me know if you prefer a day and a phone number where you can be reached would be good also in case we do have to change the location of the drop off! I would like to thank you all in advance for the gift of your time. Hope everyone is warm and cozy on this CRAZY icy day!

Poor Little Chiefs!!!

I just spoke with my mom and Steph who are in Oklahoma with the Lady Chiefs this weekend. The girls beat Jenks last night which put them in the CHAMPIONSHIP game!! Way to go girls! However, apparently the first team they played were all coming down with the flu. So between last night's game and this morning we had a little brother, a grandpa and the majority of the team come down with this REALLY BAD bug. Lucky for them it seems to only be a 24 hour thing but needless to say....they had to forfeit. So they will be returning to town with a second place trophy and probably a few less pounds among them! Please pray today that Drew, Steph, Scot and my mom are all spared because we aren't quite sure how Steph's body would handle this awful bug. Everyone has been exposed but maybe...just maybe...they will manage to avoid it. Girls I hope you are all feeling better very soon and get plenty of rest this weekend. I'm thinking Steph needs one of those masks to wear all the time. I could "bedazzle" one of those things and she could set the next fashion trend. Just a thought.

Your Cross

Sometimes it is hard for us to accept God's plan for us. The cross we bear can sometimes seem like too much. What we have to learn (and PRACTICE) as Christians is that we must trust in God with all we have. We must trust that the cross we bear just may be preparing us for the "dip" in the path that we can't see. God sees all, knows all and IS ALL. Who am I to question him? So here I sit today.......trusting in God.