Back after a few years !!!

After all these years...I am still in remission as of this date, November, 2014. So much has happened. I notice that one post details feelings after our daughter Anne's wedding. Since then, she had a couple of children, Ben in 2009 and Emma in 2012. And our son Neil married Molly in March, 2012, and their son Sam was born early this year, 2014. Carl is still living at home. Next year in June, Gail and I will celebrate our 40th anniversary. My parents have both passed away, Dad in January of 2012 and Mom in September of this year, 2014. They were married happily for 65 years. Dad was 86, Mom was 87. They had a good life together and left three sons, 4 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. I have now been in remission for 6 years. I am thinking that it should last even longer!! Gail and I both still work full time. We have no definite plans for retirement, but we probably will work until 2019, 2020, or 2021 if our health and our lives last that long!! It was nice to see these posts after all this time!! Craig

Great news again

Craig's 3 month check-up this week shows he is still in remission! Technology plays a new role in medicine. Craig's lab work of blood and urine was done a week early. He went down to St. Mary's ambulatory care and nurses checked his vitals. Our appointment with Dr. Venod in Sioux Falls was a video conference. We'll repeat in 3 months and then go to Mayo Clinc in April.

Three month checks are not without frustrations and humor. Blood draws are easy. Craig collects 24 hours of urine to the minute and keeps it cold. Someone cleaned the bathroom and dumped 12 hours of work. At least it's a renewable resource and there was plenty of time to get it in before the appointment. Gail

Mayo Clinic annual visit 4.6.10- Craig is still in remission

Craig, Carl, and I started the drive to Rochester on Easter Sunday. We stayed in Sioux Falls with friends and arrived in Rochester Monday. We returned to our home away from home, Gift of Life Transplant House for a 2 day stay.

Craig's tests all came back with good results. It was interesting and a surprise to see on the x-rays that the small lesions on his skeleton are circled with calcium and filling in. Doctors only told us about a few small lesions and one larger lesion when he was diagnosed. The larger lesion has filled in with bone. The body has amazing healing power. The monthly IV infusions of bone strengthener helped, too.

Several of our friends from our transplant stay were back for annual check-ups, also. It was fun to visit with them and hear they were all doing well.

Carl wore his SDPR Favorite Composer Sweatshirt from 1994 at the House. A man asked where we from when he saw Carl. It was Bruce Ley, a former Pierre resident now living in Rapid City. He was the caretaker for his wife. She was on Day 5 on her transplant for multiple myleloma. They were doing as well as could be expected. He was trying to find food that might appeal to her.

On Craig's day 5, he ate potato chips and Honey Nut Cheerios only. At the time, we thought they were miracle food.

Carl was very patient with all the waiting for appointments. We all preferred to be home than there.

We had an uneventful drive home and are back into our routines.

Today was the Destination Imagination State Tournament in Pierre. We went and watched performances in all the challenges. We enjoyed seeing the talented teams from the state and the tournament was running smoothly. Craig and I know how much hard work goes into organizing a tournament since Craig was a tournament director for several years. Kudos to Cozy and Lauri and all the volunteers from across South Dakota who volunteered! Gail

Join us for a double celebration May 30, 2010

Sunday May 30, 2010, we celebrate our 35th anniversay with an open house from 2:00 - 4:00 pm at Faith Lutheran Church in Pierre. Please join us.

Benjamin Saniuk will be baptized that morning at Faith Lutheran by Pastor Urbach who baptized, confirmed, and performed the wedding of his mother, Anne.

We're looking forward to a joyous day and seeing friends and family.

March Madness is over

March was a difficult month. Craig was in the hospital again for 4 days in Sioux Falls with pneumonia. This week he went back to work for a few hours everyday.

Craig felt really good today and we attended church tonight.

Easter Sunday we leave for Rochester for his annual check-up. A year ago today he started "killer chemo" and had the transplant April 3. Even though this year has been difficult, it's much better than last year. We have much to be thankful for. Gail

Another bump or pot hole in the road

Craig ended up with pneumonia after battling congestions and an infected tooth for a couple weeks. He was in the hospital from Monday to Wednesday. He recovered at home today and wants to head back to the office Friday.

Our lives continue as usual

Ben's growing, life's flowing--Still in Remission

Since the last post, grandson Ben has grown larger, sweeter, and cuter. He looks like his mom when she was a baby, but has his dad's blue eyes. The Saniuk family wasn't able to join the 3 of us and Neil for Christmas due to weather. They were here for New Year's Day and Anne and Ben were able to stay for a week. Craig and I loved spoiling Ben and changing diapers was even OK.

When Scott came to take them home, he brought my mother. She hadn't met Ben yet. It was a short, but joyful visit.

Craig has his ups and downs, but works through them. The biggest down is needing a root canal. If the weather cooperates, which is unlikely, we'll drive to Sioux Falls for the dental work on Feb. 9. We hope the elimination of the persistent infection, despite 3 antibiotics, lets him increase his strength.

Craig is taking another year off from Destination Imagination. That's difficult because he enjoys seeing the kids compete and benefit from the program. ( Gail told me to do this, and I agreed. My caretaker, also known as wife, tells me what to do, and I do it. She knows me better than I know myself, so I really need to follow her instructions. I am fortunate to have her, and her instructions are always worthwhile and need to be followed. I told her, however, that there are just times when I don't give her the opportunity to voice her opinion or tell me what to do. That way I do miss some instructions, if I can figure out when they are coming and act before she gives the instruction!!!!! ;-) )

Craig remains in remission and we hope that will last for many years. We head to Mayo Clinic in early April for the yearly check-up and the dreaded baby shots. Ben really hated his a few weeks ago and let his parents know it.

Carl is still on break from Taco John's. He's able to hang out with his friends more at day services at Oahe, Inc. and he still works a couple afternoons a week at Holiday Inn Express. He's taken over more of the cooking, baking bread, and it's his job to shovel the front driveway. He's great at all of those. We read together every night and he's watching the Jane Austen miniseries on PBS with me.

From my typing errors I can tell it's time for bed. Stay safe and warm during the long winter.

We will try to keep adding a few words (and pictures) to the blog from time to time.

Craig & Gail