Thursday, June 17, 2010

Rianne Loves Elk!




The past few days have been good for Rianne! She is actually working at Curry County Title right now and hasn’t called me to pick her up yet, so it’s a good sign that she is feeling well. She worked yesterday also and felt well the entire time she was there. Bryan Little and his father, Dave Little, her bosses, have been incredibly supportive throughout her entire ordeal. They have been wonderful to work for since she first began working at Curry County Title over 18 years ago. Her co-workers have also been great supporters - Becky Howlett, Katie Hensley, Carol Noble, Lacey Kreick and Trish Kerr. Rianne has a strong desire to contribute as an employee and will work when she feels physically capable to do so.
Her parents are here for a couple of weeks to help when necessary and to especially take her to the next couple of appointments in Coos Bay. They are the ones shown in the photo above (with Magic) looking at elk below the house. Last night her father, Don Katzenberger, decided that his head needed to be shaved to look hers, so she obliged and took the little hair that he had left on his head completely off! She also shaved Hap Flynn's head and mine down to 1/8" stubble. Her mother, Lillian Katzenberger, allowed Rianne to take a generous amount off of her head, as well.
On Monday she will receive Chemo Infusion #4 which will mark the halfway point of the scheduled chemotherapy treatments. I say “scheduled” because the oncologist cautioned us that it may take 6-8 cycles. Upon completion of the chemotherapy she will have a week or two of rest before undergoing the radiation. We are looking at radiation beginning sometime in the second half of August. It will quite possibly consist of 5 days a week for 30 days, which will commit us through the month of September.
Rianne has been doing well and her spirits are up. She has had a consistent body temperature this week with minimal fluctuations in it. In prior weeks her temperature has climbed slightly but is controlled with a couple of Tylenol. This past week she didn’t need to take any Tylenol at all, which is good as she has had trouble with it often. She is a very strong-willed woman and now knows that the only way to improve is by listening to her own body speak to her. Lately, when she is feeling poorly she rests - when she feels good she tries to accomplish something. She likes to keep herself busy to keep from thinking about things too much and it helps!
Last night Bob and Marali Bastian of Klamath Falls, Oregon stopped by to visit us. Bob is the Senior Regional Director for the Western Division of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. He was there to supervise the meeting when the Curry Coastal Chapter was formed in 2004. Bob and Marali have been amazing supporters of the foundation and especially of the people in it. Their love and support for Rianne is unbelievable and has been since the Chapter was activated. Bob and Marali are two more reasons why Rianne loves elk and they are also two more supporters in her fight with cancer. They made a special trip up to Gold Beach to pay her a visit and to give her a huge pot of flowers, which we both appreciated!
Rianne had no choice but to love elk, as her father and her husband are elk enthusiasts! She spent numerous seasons in the Blue Mountains hunting with her father and family, which is where her interest in elk began. When we met she begged me to take her elk hunting with my brother, Paul and me. In 2004 she encouraged ME to join HER in the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation as a Committee Member of the newly formed Curry Coastal Chapter and we have been part of the team since. She will never leave any opportunity to observe elk – instead the elk have to leave her sight before she will leave them. Rianne has actually sat on her quad and continued to watch a grazing herd of elk while I drove off oblivious to her whereabouts. When I double-back to find her there are binoculars stuck to her smiling face! When the resident herd of 28 elk are below our house she is the first to spot them and the last to watch them leave. When we drive by the Dean Creek Herd east of Reedsport she has to be carried back into the vehicle before we can continue on our way!
We hope you are all doing well. Thank you again for your friendship and for all of your love and support. Enjoy your summer and remember to tell everyone how much you love and care about them!

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