Lisa 's Blog

8.23.11

2011-08-23T11:50:36Z

Hello all. Schools about to start and the kids are almost as excited as I am for them!

I am still going to physical therapy and working on my shoulder. I usually go twice a week. I have been trying to get myself into a workout routine so I don't have to go to PT much longer. It's been hard with the kids at home. It's just like when you are on the phone, when I work out the kids always want something!

I am not sure if I will have to have my shoulder surgeon go back in and cut scar tissue or not. It depends on how much range I can get after I have strengthened the muscles. I can almost get my arm straight up and down but moving it outward with my elbow stuck to my side is another story! I can get it out with help, to about thirty degrees. About fifteen degrees less than the other arm. It may not seem like much but it really does make a difference. Not sure if I will ever be able to throw a ball, which is something I would really like to do with the kids again. But, I am here and I may not end up in perfect shape, but it won't be the worst either!

I also would like to say it was great to see my friends at the meet the parents nite at the kids schools. So many of you had me with tears in my eyes at your kind and supportive words.

Here are just a few comments that my dear friends have said:

My one friend said 'Its great to see you smiling!' it's hard not to smile with God smiling down at me!

Another friend told me 'you are a true inspiration!' I said 'thank you' humbly.

Then another friend (a doctor) said, 'My friend was just diagnosed with breast cancer, and I told her about your positivity and strength as you went through your chemo treatments. I always use you as an example to my friends and patients when they are faced with a difficult situation. You're my inspiration.' that's when I said, 'I am happy to hear this. It makes me know that I didn't go through this for nothing.'

I have been told by others I am an inspiration, a tower of strength, a remarkable woman. But sometimes though I am smiling and saying thank you, it just doesn't sink in. Lately I have been going through a very tough time as my shoulder is healing slowly, and my right hip needs replaced and is deteriorating rapidly. Everything is just snow balling. I have really needed to hear those words.

Anyone who is going through a tough time if it cancer or something else in their life, let them know how much you care. I know that hearing all of your kind words has given me a renewed sense of strength.

Thank you all my dear friends and God bless.....

Love,
Lisa~

4.18.11

2011-04-18T21:45:00Z

Well the blog is back up and running for one more year! So let me catch you up on what's been going on with me!
It's confirmed. AVN in the shoulder now. I have to find a doctor that specializes in AVN of the shoulder and go from there. Unfortunately, the treatment is a total shoulder replacement. Not looking forward to this. But I do remain cancer free!

Let me just add this...I have not stopped undergoing cancer treatment since my diagnosis February 09. I know it seems like things have moved forward and that all is well. However, with the AVN in my hips and now my shoulder life has just seemed to come to a stand still. I am not asking for sympathy. That helps no one. Prayers are welcomed always. But what I am saying is that look at the people in your lives who have gone through something tough. Whether it be cancer treatment or surgery or something that seems to have come and gone, look at that person and know that though they look like all is well on the outside, things may not be that way for them on the inside. Patience and understanding are needed. It is frustrating! However, having recently found a LIVESTRONG bracelet in my kids playroom I have taken on a new attitude. Though this diagnosis is frustrating and I am tired of everything seeming to go wrong, I have decided it's not enough to be strong. I have been strong. But that is going about it all the wrong way. I know this may sound corny but I have decided to LIVE-STRONG! Everyone should look at their lives and ask themselves, how are you living? Be an inspiration: LIVESTRONG!!!!

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2011-03-23T20:58:00Z

test test test....is this working?

2.21.11

2011-02-22T21:50:00Z

Hello everyone! We are closing down our www.grizbabesteam.com website. The site was not free and the cost to keep it is too great. So, all of my updates will now be posted on facebook, www.facebook.com/lisa.griewisch#!/group.php?gid=77876341925. I will use this page as my personal leukemia blog page. Feel free to leave your comments and write me messages as I will be checking it frequently from now on.

Thank you for your support and continued prayers. You have no idea how much it means to me especially to know that you still think of me as I continue to pray and fight everyday to stay healthy. May God bless you with excellent health and love.

If you can't find the site by the link, go to facebook and type in ALL Leukemia Sucks! You'll find me there in my orange shirt and black turbin.

Love and hugs,
Lisa~

2.16.11

2011-02-16T05:49:00Z

Hello all. I hope you had a nice Valentine's Day whatever you did! I am doing pretty well with my hip surgery. Of course I am not dancing yet but in a month or so I hope to be walking without a limp! Or a cane for that matter!

I really want to thank everyone who was able to help us with meals during my recovery. You have no idea how much that really truly helps our family. Being able to sit down to a home cooked meal as a family is so important and because of your help we were able to do that. Thanks again.

I also want to thank all of you for your cards and messages. I wasn't able to respond when I got them but know that I did get them and I appreciated all of you keeping me smiling with your kind words!

I also want to thank my husband's boss Tom for recognizing me during "Livia's Leapers 5th Annual Batter Up! Snowball Softball to benefit the American Cancer Society. The people as his work have been very understanding and words can not express how much I appreciate them.

So now that my "grammy award" speeches are done. Sincerely, thank you from the bottom of my heart. God bless.

Love and hugs,
Lisa~

1.31.11

2011-01-31T18:03:00Z

Hello everyone. Just a quick update! I had my hip replacement on Wednesday, January 26th as expected. I was happy to hear and am happy to report that everything went as expected. The old came out well and was soft from the AVN right on the weight bearing area. Mark was able to look at the bone to see exactly what the AVN caused. My new replacement parts went in without complication and fit perfectly. I am happy to have this out of the way and moving forward with the healing process. PT isn't so bad. I actually feel better when I am moving then when I have been laying or sitting for too long of a time. Then I have to remember not to over do it! I am happy to report that so far, all is well and I am so grateful for my friends and families help. Thank you to everyone for supporting me and my family through this tough time with all of your thoughts, prayers and help!
God bless-
Love and Hugs,
Lisa~

1.25.11

2011-01-25T21:35:00Z

Good day all! Tomorrow is the big day for me. I will be under the knife getting a new left hip. Well, ball and socket anyway! But it is called a full hip replacement. I have talked to a few friends and friends of friends who have undergone the procedure and all are very pleased with the outcome. I have been told that the pain is well worth it and it doesn't last as long as my imagine has it lasting! Like a broken bone it will take 6-8 weeks to fully heal. Because they are going through the front, Anterior approach, the healing time will be cut dramatically! So please keep me in your prayers and in your thoughts.
God Bless with lots of love and hugs,
Lisa~

1.11.11

2011-01-11T14:11:00Z

Happy 2011 everyone! I hope you are having a wonderful and prosperous start to your new year! Mine is going...I mean the last time I posted was in December when I was still waiting to find out if I was doing better or worse with my AVN in my hips. Well, the results came back and it looks like I will indeed be getting a full hip replacement in my left hip January 26th. I have a 75% collapse on the weight bearing area of the femoral head. My ortho said that the next step is a full hip replacement. The bone is too compromised to heal itself at this point. I can wait to have the surgery but it would be a matter of months not years and my mobility would only continue to decrease and become more painful. Not to mention the deterioration that would continue regardless. So the ideal time is now so I can heal up for the summer.

Now I was having pain in my right hip and I still am. But the MRI didn't show any bone involvement only some swelling and irritation in the surrounding tissue. So, now what? It's a wait and see situation. We'll take care of the left now and keep an eye on the right one. At least that's what I was told by my ortho. If it does start to collapse like the left one, then it too will need replaced.

I wasn't too concerned or should I say worried about the surgery when I found out I would need it in December. I mean I was busy with Christmas! Making sure my kids had a wonderful winter vacation. And I am happy to say that they did! But, now that January is here, the reality is set in that they are going to be cutting out a large area of my hardest, strongest bone in my body and replacing it with a "metal" type of thing they pull out of a sterile bag. Hammering and sawing while I lay deep under anesthesia. Then when I wake, I just have to concentrate on baby steps. Literally!

I know that there are many people much older than I that have had a full hip replacement and they have done well. That is comforting. Though I guess I am just angry that I have to have it done at all. I have always been happy never to have broken a bone in my body. I have been in so many situations where I should have broken an ankle here or there. But I never did. I have sprained my ankles, I have torn my ACL and meniscus in my knee and had it repaired. I have sprained my thumb and I have had goose eggs so huge on my shins from falling off of bikes and out of trees! (When I was a kid of course!) But never have I broken a bone. Now they're going to take one. Or part of one. So I guess I have to put my pride in my back pocket and move forward.

I hope all of you are doing well. Stay healthy and happy this new year. I look forward to seeing and hearing from you my dear friends.

God bless,
Lisa~

12.6.10

2010-12-06T21:20:00Z

Hello and Happy Holidays everyone! Life has been, well, uneventful for the most part. Which I am very happy about! Thanksgiving has come and gone. I hope you all had a great time and enjoyed family and friends no matter how far.
I have made some new friends through this blog recently and I am happy to help anyway I can with my words of wisdom! I have to say that when you go through such a life altering event such as fighting your own battle with cancer, life changes you. And if you are wise, you change your life.
For some reason, none of which anyone will figure out for years to come, if ever, something happened at some specific time in my life that allowed my body not to recognize one single leukemia cell. Suddenly, I have cancer. Living day to day. Helping my kids with homework, being a loving attentive wife and mother and then out of nowhere-cancer.
Why? Well, I stopped asking that long long ago. Sometimes things just are. Sometimes. Some things we can control. Somethings we think we can control but really we are just fooling ourselves. Cancer is one of those things. Though we can take action to do things that may, MAY, help prevent this deadly disease.
My sister in law Angie, gave me this incredible book titled,"Anti Cancer: A New Way of Life" By David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD. I am not trying to push a book and I get nothing out of it except sharing information that I believe to be very valuable. I think that if you are active in your own healing process, then you are more likely to be healed. You have to want to help yourself. That is the only way one can truly be helped. Anyway, if you want to be more informed on cancer and diet, then this is a great book to read. It can't hurt! Right?
Okay. So if you were wondering how my avascular necrosis of the hip is doing, it is okay. I had an MRI done a week ago and I see my ortho tomorrow. I am not sure what the next step will be. I guess I find out tomorrow.
Good news is that my leukemia is still in remission! Thank the Lord for big favors and little ones!
Love and hugs and God Bless,
Lisa~

11.11.10

2010-11-11T12:51:00Z

Hello all. It has been way too long since my last post. Though not much has changed in terms of my Leukemia. Which is good and bad. My hips are still healing and I am still on the crutches. That's the bad. The good is that I am still in remission. Always the good.
The kids are doing well. Grace is playing basketball and improving every week! Jack just started hockey and has moved up to play with the kids older than he is. He'll be playing with them in the spring anyway so he was okay with joining them early. He is most definitely good enough that he won't have any problems!
I just wanted to give you a quick update. Not that there is much to talk about but it's great to know that no news is sometimes good news! God bless and keep praying.
Love and hugs,
Lisa~

Happy Veterans Day to all of you who have served our country and given us the freedom to live and love in the USA!!!

9.30.2010

2010-09-30T09:45:00Z

Good morning everyone! I hope you are enjoying your start of this very nice fall season. This is my favorite time of year. The cool air, the smell of leaves and the warm soups that start to simmer! However my sinuses beg to differ! OH well, you can't win them all!

So I am still in remission. Doing well on the chemo medications. But am finding that the necrosis in my hips is doing worse. Though last mention it was getting better, the left side was, now the right side is having problems. I am seeking a local doctor to handle my problem. Though my other doctor was very nice, I just wasn't comfortable having him do surgery if that came to be. The more research I do, surgery seems inevitable.

Back in 1998, I had knee surgery so I could not have to worry about my torn ligament causing me problems when, someday, I had kids. I just wanted to be able to enjoy my kids and do things with them. Now here I am, wishing the same thing, again. I am using crutches and doing water therapy to try to help myself once again. Taking the calcium chews and electronic stimulation too. Whatever helped me the first time, hopefully will help again. God willing.

I found some interesting articles on the subject. Here are the links to the pages: http://www.orthosupersite.com/view.aspx?rid=64876
/>and the other one: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/(SICI)1096-8652(199607)52:3%3C184::AID-AJH8%3E3.0.CO;2-P/pdf
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I hope none of you have to go through this part of the "side effects" of the treatment as well. It just adds to an already long journey. The road seems never ending. Though the drugs are amazing now at how much them can help a person, they can also do harm. I have prayed the harmful part doesn't affect me and those going through this journey as well. But, as we know, there are some things we just aren't in control of.

God bless with Love,
Lisa~

9.7.2010

2010-09-07T09:52:00Z

Good morning everyone! Well, school has started and I finally get some "free" time and the kids get some "friend" time! I think they have missed their school mates and overall are happy to get back to it!

I saw my hip doctor and he said that my hip was on the mend! YEAH! I had a stress fracture that has healed itself and the area of necrosis is becoming denser as it is healing itself!! I am so happy to have that mending without the need for surgery! I still have to take it easy but the crutches are no longer needed. Now the taking it easy part, well that is not easy! But I am trying! I can tell when I have done too much. By 3:00pm I have trouble moving when I do too much during the day. Then my evening is so very slow and painful. SO, I just have to take the doctors orders and follow them to the letter!

Thank you everyone for your continued prayers. I find myself praying multiple times a day. God listens to many prayers and answers all he can as best he can. Thank you Lord!

Love and hugs,
Lisa~

"Say a prayer for you, for someone you know or someone you don't know. After all, it can't hurt and you just might be the one to make a difference in someone else's life!"

8.26.2010

2010-08-26T13:31:00Z

Good evening all! We have just had a crazy fun vacation and today, sent the kids off for their first day of school! It has been super crazy the last few weeks and thank God my hip has been doing great. Not perfect, but so much better! Especially for all the walking around we did in California! Speaking of which I would like to thank my sister in law Angie and her husband Brain for their incredible generosity and hospitality. If they hadn't been there we never would have been able to even take a vacation anytime soon. Thank you both!!! We love you!

Also I wanted to send a special thank you to a good friend of Angie's for her generosity. She wants to be anonymous, so you know who you are, but without your generosity we wouldn't have even done everything we did on our vacation! Thank you for giving us a great vacation! You are loved and blessed.

So back to the reason for this blog, my leukemia. I have been doing well with the maintenance phase. So far, so good. Taking a ton of pills everyday hasn't been the highlight of my days but I think of the end goal and I keep on going. Never let life get you down. I know that sometimes that is impossible not to do, and it's okay to cry. It's okay to let your emotions take over sometimes. But always remember that there is light, there is good, somewhere in your life. Sometimes we just have to look for it. Sometimes it's just not easy to look beyond the crazy of our lives. But it's there.

Love and hugs,
Lisa

"Give someone a smile and a hug today. You'll feel better and make someone else feel better too."

8.4.2010

2010-08-04T10:38:00Z

Hello everyone. Sorry I haven't updated in awhile. Not much going on. I saw my oncologist yesterday and so far everything is right where it should be.

The only problem I have had is the hip. However, the hip is feeling so much better with the measures I have taken to help it heal. Thanks to a very sweet friend who is a physical therapist, she gave me some exercised to do to help with strength and motion of the hip. Which helps increase blood flow to help heal the area.

Using the crutch, my least favorite, but a very helpful tool. Taking the weight off of the leg allows the swelling to decrease and allows the bone to concentrate on healing and not preventing more damage. At least that is how I understand it.

Plus calcium chews, for the obvious reason. And electrical stimulation, like your chiropractor uses, to help stimulate the blood flow, decrease the fluid and stimulate the muscle around the injured area.

So something that I am doing is helping the bone to heal. That is the goal! Now, I have to go back to the ortho doctor and see what he says. I won't be going back until September. So in the mean time, I will continue to pray that something is doing the trick and will do so until the leg is completely healed! AMEN!!

I am getting ready to visit my sister in law, Angie, you may know her from reading my website. She is the one who has taken care of all of the web production and the donations that so many of you have generously given to help with the costs of this illness. I am so excited to be able to get away and relax. I'll be sure to take pictures and post them on the Grizbabes-team website.

I do hope you are all in good health. I know we all know someone who is battling cancer. Please take a moment and say a prayer for them. Pray that as they look into the face of the unknown, they know that they do not walk alone. Whatever the reason they walk this path, God has a plan. I believe that. We may not like the plans he has set forth for us all, but he has his reasons. Stay strong and keep your heart full of love and hope.

God Bless-
Love and hugs,
Lisa~

"Is your glass half full or half empty? Is it time to re-evaluate?"

7.19.2010

2010-07-19T16:44:00Z

Good summer afternoon all. I can't believe summer is over half way through. Soon we'll be back to school and things will be back to "normal" again. I am still on my crutches and feeling better. I am not sure how long i have to stay on them or how long they expect a full recovery if indeed that is what is happening! "Pray Yes Lord!" I have found it a challenge to stay on the crutches. Hopefully what I have done is well enough to heal the bone.

I will be off to visit family at my family reunion this weekend and friends as well back home in PA. I really want to take time to thank Bev and Terry Yoder for donating the proceeds from their daughter Teri-Ann Yoder's memorial tournament to the Grizbabes Team fund. I just can't say how much you have touched our hearts.

God Bless and please pray for those around you. Everyone faces their own demons no matter the size, big or small, life or death everyone could use a prayer or two, or three.

God Bless,
Lisa

"Turn and give someone a hug today! If you can't do that, just smile. It's infectious!"

7.13.2010

2010-07-13T13:27:00Z

Good morning all. I hope your summers are going great. Mine is not bad considering that I am still on the crutches. I have managed to still take the kids to the pool and the movies a few times.

I had my vincristine shot last week and it threw me out of whack for a few days. Now I am not on the steroids any longer because they caused the necrosis in my hip-so it seems that this time, the vincristine hit me differently. The day I got it I ended up with a migraine and then I was aching and sore for three days. I felt like I had done yard work for a week straight! Then it took another couple of days before I didn't have a backache. I had to look up the side effects again to make sure what I was feeling was normal. Of course it was and now I am back to normal.

So while I was feeling so icky, a great thing happened! First, let me start with a short story, how I met my husband. I worked at a Corey Creek golf course while I was attending college and my husband was a member. I had never seen him though I had seen some of his golf friends from time to time. Long story short, they set us up on a golf date and the rest is history! Those guys were Terry Yoder and Curtis Moore. Thanks guys. Okay, the point, Terry and his wife Bev lost their daughter a few years ago. Teri-Ann was her name and she was a sweet cheerful young lady that touched the lives of all who came into contact with her. In honor of her memory, they set up a golf tournament to raise money in her name. This year they have decided since Teri-Ann and I were friends that she would have wanted to help my family and so this years proceeds are going to the Grizbabes fund! Thank you so much Bev and Terry! I am sorry that we will not be able to attend the tournament but we will be thinking of you all on August 14th. I am still teary eyed thinking of how generous a gift this is. We have always thought a lot of you as you are the reason we are a family of four today! God Bless!!

Love and hugs,
Lisa~

"Never underestimate your own strength! We can move mountains when we put our heads to it!"

6.30.2010

2010-06-30T14:56:00Z

Hi everyone! Just a quick note to say that I am still plugging away on the crutches! It is not the best way to spend a summer that's for sure. Not easy either. I just want to get things done around here and what I thought I was going to be able to accomplish this summer, I am not evening going to be be able to attempt. But at least it's not my cancer returning!

So on that note, HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY EVERYONE!!! I hope you all have a glorious holiday with family and friends. God Bless.

Love and Hugs,
Lisa~

"Hope is a necessity for normal life."

6.23.2010

2010-06-23T21:31:00Z

Hello all! Just a quick update about my dr's appointment. I was lucky enough to see not one, not two, but three dr's in the last twenty-four hours! First, my oncologist. Everything is looking good! I am right where I should be and he said keep doing what I am doing! However, upon having hip pain and then getting the MRI, I do have avascular necrosis in my left hip. The second doctor I saw, actually didn't do anything! He just sent me to a third doctor. The third doctor knew what to do and explained the hip problem and what I needed to do to solve it. Instead of just cutting and trying to fix the problem that way, he suggested that I use crutches for the next 6 weeks and see if the bone heals itself. If not, then I have to have a type of core decompression done. The techniqe they use now is different than the one they used to use. But he thought the best thing was to see if my body could heal itself. It is trying to do just that. Like a broken bone heals itself. I will use the crutches in hopes of avoiding the surgery and praying that the lord makes me strong again! He does many miracles if we keep our eyes open!
Love and hugs,,
Lisa

When the world says, 'Give up,' Hope whispers, 'Try it one more time.' Anonymous

6.15.2010

2010-06-15T14:00:00Z

Hello all! Thank you everyone for the birthday wishes! I truly appreciate all of you and am so happy to be!!!!! Yes, I mean be here, be healthy (somewhat!) and to have my family and friends! God bless!!!
So I also must apologize for not getting on here sooner. Though the reason is because I was trying to figure out what is going on with my hip before I went on about it. I had an MRI done last Thursday and it confirmed that I do have necrosis of the hip. It is in the early stages and not yet affecting the outer structure of the bone. It is on the inside of the femoral head. From what I have read, This is where it starts and then the head collapses. Eventually, I don't know how soon, but I was told that I will need a hip replacement. I have to see an orthopedic oncologist next week to get a more in-depth exam along with the MRI information so we know what we need to do next. Just getting back to normal once again would be great! I will keep you updated as I know more. In the mean time I will l continue to hobble around and do as much as my body will allow!
Love and hugs,
Lisa

"When we have hope, we are showing that we trust God to work out the situation." Barbara Johnson

5.24.10

2010-05-24T22:03:00Z

Hello everyone. I hope you are all doing well and enjoying this (if you live in the North East) rain then sunshine, rain then sunshine, etc....I know we are! It seems like when you want to go outside and do something, God has other plans! I guess we just have to give in to him and let him do his thing!
I had a good doctor's appointment a few weeks ago and then soon afterward I find myself having problems. Hip problems to be exact. last July I had the necrosis of the bones from a strong chemo treatment. The chemo did it's job so well, it killed leukemia and all of my blood and bone marrow as well. Thank God that He made us the way he did because the bone marrow grows back! However, with the necrosis and the steroids I may have sustained some bone damage. That brings me to the current hip problem. Hopefully it is just some inflammation and with ibuprofen and rest will subside. Four days into the ibuprofen and it is still hurting. So I guess we'll see what's next!
Everything else is going okay. Mark is home from a long hiatus in Chili for work. The kids are busy with soccer and baseball. Grace's soccer team is still ahead in wins than loses and Jack's baseball team has only lost two games out of seven putting them in second place. So they are both having fun.
Take care and God bless~
Lisa~

"We are made to reach out beyond our grasp." Oswald Chambers