5th Sunday - Last partial week of October 2023 - Mark joins Mom & Dad and Mary

My baby brother, DOB 8/11/1958, age 65, went to his heavenly home on Thursday, October 26, 2023 after a hard-fought battle with bladder, lung, liver and brain cancers.  He was in the hospital starting October 18 with pneumonia and an infection in his kidney area and was moved to the Hospice House on October 24 after he was moved to comfort care on Sunday.  He fell asleep at 11 a.m. on Sunday and never woke up.  We are so thankful we went to visit and told him we loved him on his last day awake here on earth.  Joe and Tom spent the entire time with him in the hospital and hospice - he was surrounded by love in his last days.  He was very confused but knew us when we visited for the weekend.  Although it is extremely sad, he was not going to improve to have any sort of quality of life, so it was a blessing he was released from this world and is happy and healthy in Heaven.  He never knew a stranger and was the life of the party.  His boss said he was his best sales engineer and well respected in their company and with all his customers.  

We were shown love following his passing - flowers were sent by Jennifer and Jamie Kiely, Mike and Roberta Edgett, Gloria Miller (cousin) and Melissa, and the Siegers.  Susan Elkins visited and brought a delicious pumpkin roll.  Debbie Sieger took me out to breakfast and brought us a green bean casserole and cheery fluff salad.  We are blessed with wonderful friends.  

We went Monday to the JV Football game and watched Peyton cheer.  She wore her breast cancer month pink bow with my name on it in honor of me surviving breast cancer.  

Peyton had a band competition on Saturday - it was COLD and rainy, but their band received a I rating and an all around 2nd place.  They marched in the parade in the morning and on the field at 7 p.m.  Amanda, Garrison and Chad traveled to Independence, Kansas (2 1/2 hours away) to watch her and sit through the bad weather.

The shingles on my inner leg are healing - slowly.  Arghhh.

God promises us an eternal home - Mark took him up on that this past week.  I will miss him terribly but am happy he is no longer struggling with cancer. 

We are blessed - God is good.

 

4th Week of October 2023

 It was decided the blisters that turned to sores on my leg are shingles.  It will be 4 weeks Thursday.  They are healing, but they have sure been sore.

My brother, Mark Mintun, fell on October 18 and could not get up.  He had received chemo therapy 5 days in a row the week before.  It made him sick and very weak.  He was able to call his son, Joe, who took him to the ER, and he was admitted.  Blood tests were very unfavorable, and it was determined he had pneumonia and a bad infection which they could not locate but felt it was in his kidneys.  We visited him in the hospital Friday and Saturday.  He was very subdued and confused.  He has not asked for a cigarette yet (a week) which is very unlike him.  We stayed with him until bedtime then went to his condo to sleep - Joe slept in his room with him.  We went back Sunday morning.  He was more alert and talkative - cussing which was a good sign.  However, he was still very confused.  Tom flew in from Florida Sunday morning - Joe picked him up.  Mark was alert and able to visit with us, Joe and Tom, however, after we left to drive home around 11 a.m., he went to sleep and has not woken up.  Joe, Tom and I decided prior to us leaving in conjunction with the doctor, Mark should be moved to comfort care, as he cannot recover from this - the cancer progression, pneumonia and infection will not allow him to regain any kind of quality of life.  The doctor said he could make it 2 days, 2 weeks or 2 months - hard to tell.  After meeting with hospice, it was decided after he is no longer able to stay in the hospital, he will be moved to DeGraff Hospice House which is next door to the hospital.   So hard - we love you, Mark.

Garrison had a big weekend - guest played on the other ABA 12U team and pitched a shut out - 100 pitches for the weekend and had a lot of strike outs.  His ABA Piper team sold beads at the Chiefs game on Sunday during tailgating time as a fundraiser - made $2,200.  So proud of him.

Peyton had a good weekend too.  Finished her driving classes and qualifies to get her restricted license when she turns 15!  So proud of her.  She marched at the Glow Show with her band - see picture.  We were unable to attend, but I hear it was cool.   

Garrison is practicing the euphonium which he plays in his 6th grade band.  He also takes guitar lessons.  Peyton continues to play clarinet in the high school band and takes piano lessons.

We are blessed - God is good!

First 2 weeks in October 2023

It's been a whirlwind couple of weeks.  It is popular belief that the blisters on my leg are shingles.  I think they must be after reading about shingles.  Almost 3 weeks in, they are still sore and scabbed over, but they are improving and aren't as red looking.  Ouch.

Garrison has had two baseball tournaments - one it was very hot - the last one it was VERY cold and windy, but we had a blast both times.  At the tournament in Belton this past weekend, Garrison's bat was on fire!  He had 3 triples and a couple of singles, RBI's, pitched great, played catcher flawlessly and played the outfield some.  They won the championship.  He was very proud of his "championship ring" all the players received.  

On Friday night, we started the weekend off under the Friday Night Lights watching Peyton cheer and march in the band.   It was very cold there too.  The cheerleaders honored October Breast Cancer Awareness Month by wearing pink bows in their hair and using pink pom poms.  Peyton brought tears to my eyes when I realized she honored ME by having Peggy printed on her bow.  She's so sweet.  The band did their entire Top Gun halftime show which was fantastic.  

We had fun sitting with Amanda at the tournament on Saturday - trying to keep warm - it was WINDY and COLD.  Peyton was with her band at K-State for a Band Festival where they received a I rating and did a great job.  Amanda drove to Manhattan to see her and drove her home at 1:30 a.m.!!!  They were both at the tournament the next day.  We stopped to get Hawaiian Bros (Peyton's choice) to eat before the games together.  It is so much fun to hang out with them.  We love them all so much.   

We took Chad his birthday card as he turned 45 today, Monday, October 16.  We will celebrate with all of them for his birthday soon with traditional dinner out.

Mark had a full week of chemo this week - will have 2 weeks off then another full week.  He will stay with us in Clinton November 14-22 while his elevator is being replaced and Joe is on vacation.  

Ron had a kidney stone procedure at Advent Health in Shawnee Mission this morning to break up a stone.  It was outpatient.  He's taking pain killers and is doing pretty good.  Hasn't yet passed any of the stone particles.

We are blessed - God is good.

Sports week to end September 2023

The final picture is Peyton in her Homecoming Dance Dress - isn't she beautiful.  Not sure I had posted it and didn't want to miss it.

Last week had us going to Overland Park/Lenexa 3 times - first time on Thursday night to see Peyton cheer at the soccer match - we stopped by the house and picked her up to take her - everyone else met us there later.  It was so HOT - it was like sitting in a tin can in the blazing sun on the metal bleachers - but we were happy to be there to support her.  When I got home, I thought I had a sunburn on my leg, but I believe after a shower I was bitten by 3 blister bugs - big blisters and sore - even 6 days later (first picture).  Pants irritate them, but I believe they are healing.  

Saturday started early - leaving Clinton at 6:15 a.m. for an 8 a.m. baseball game for the tournament.  The team didn't play very well at the first game but should have won it.  They regrouped and won the 10 a.m. game.  They played the same team again on Sunday but lost - not their best showing.  Garrison had a great tournament personally - not as a team though.  He pitched - played catcher and outfielder - and had some good hits.  The 6 of us went to lunch at Zarda BBQ for a great Sunday family meal before we came home.  

On Monday, I practiced with Marnie and with Gene Henry as he is leading the songs on Sunday.  

Our washer and dryer still isn't operational.  Hopefully Palmer's come this week to get it fixed.  

We are blessed - God is good!!!!