tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85777972001859401792024-03-12T23:28:19.545-04:00Four Leaf Clover TalesEverybody needs a little bit of luck...Leontienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15311969195332643600noreply@blogger.comBlogger99125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8577797200185940179.post-68308023735345496542013-02-25T19:35:00.004-05:002013-02-25T19:35:37.451-05:00Gone, but never forgotten: a tribute to Leontien<br />
Here is an other great article about our lovely Leontien. Written by Emily Caldwell from Progressive Dairyman.<br />
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<img src="http://www.progressivedairy.com/images/stories/2011/11/30/113011_leontien.jpg" /><br />
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<a href="http://proudtodairy.ning.com/profiles/blogs/gone-but-never-forgotten-a-tribute-to-leontien" target="_blank">http://proudtodairy.ning.com/profiles/blogs/gone-but-never-forgotten-a-tribute-to-leontien</a><br />
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Leontienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15311969195332643600noreply@blogger.com83tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8577797200185940179.post-26855709497820559822013-02-21T14:37:00.000-05:002013-02-21T14:38:31.546-05:00Leontien's memorial folder<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bhetczk9Nwk/USZ3SWn6p6I/AAAAAAAAAl0/zFTAC8z-pP0/s1600/CCF21022013_00000_picture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bhetczk9Nwk/USZ3SWn6p6I/AAAAAAAAAl0/zFTAC8z-pP0/s400/CCF21022013_00000_picture.jpg" width="317" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7-jEFarZ6jk/USZ2p67ezUI/AAAAAAAAAlk/HejtdFaRtCg/s1600/CCF21022013_00001_left.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7-jEFarZ6jk/USZ2p67ezUI/AAAAAAAAAlk/HejtdFaRtCg/s400/CCF21022013_00001_left.jpg" width="317" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vQDuySMqtVc/USZ2tlqcnMI/AAAAAAAAAls/OD8FC0Kijko/s1600/CCF21022013_00001_right.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vQDuySMqtVc/USZ2tlqcnMI/AAAAAAAAAls/OD8FC0Kijko/s400/CCF21022013_00001_right.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Leontienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15311969195332643600noreply@blogger.com45tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8577797200185940179.post-60438220927810570682013-01-14T10:10:00.001-05:002013-01-14T10:10:17.077-05:00Funeral and viewing arrangementsHereby we send you the link from the funeral home. Where you can find the arrangements for the funeral and viewing.<br />
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<a href="http://www.thomarich.com/obituaries/Leontien-Oostdijck/">http://www.thomarich.com/obituaries/Leontien-Oostdijck/</a><br />
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With Love - Bastiaan, Wim, Maria, Hanneke, Roland, Jan-Willem and Meagan<br />
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Leontienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15311969195332643600noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8577797200185940179.post-27003840092531373022013-01-10T17:26:00.001-05:002013-01-10T17:26:18.803-05:00<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NnfJAs-GCLM/TZaLVYLqJFI/AAAAAAAAANo/qxQ-NLoBL2U/s1600/Four+Leaf+Clover++0029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NnfJAs-GCLM/TZaLVYLqJFI/AAAAAAAAANo/qxQ-NLoBL2U/s320/Four+Leaf+Clover++0029.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">At 12:00 in the afternoon on January 10<sup>th </sup>the
suffering of our spirited, sweet, funny, strong, beloved Leontien ended and she
left this world for the next. It was a
peaceful passing, and she was surrounded by her loved ones when she went. We would like to thank each and every one of
you for the support and love that you have sent her and her family through this
difficult time. Words cannot possibly
express how much it has meant to her and to each and every one of us. It is safe to say that Leontien was a true
inspiration for many, and it is our hope that she will continue to be so. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6bueFPPOL9s/UHgdUPmwQRI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/ndJBnAUTsRc/s1600/Leontien.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6bueFPPOL9s/UHgdUPmwQRI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/ndJBnAUTsRc/s320/Leontien.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Funeral and viewing arrangements are pending, but we
will be sure to post the information when it is all decided upon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Thank you all so much, and God Bless.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">With Love – Bastiaan, Wim, Maria, Hanneke, Roland,
Jan-Willem, and Meagan<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-41LvPSGDi7I/UO8_Ykd5w0I/AAAAAAAAAlM/FpvYCn3txs8/s1600/Leontien+068.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-41LvPSGDi7I/UO8_Ykd5w0I/AAAAAAAAAlM/FpvYCn3txs8/s320/Leontien+068.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Leontienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15311969195332643600noreply@blogger.com116tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8577797200185940179.post-62965807788661021572012-12-11T11:30:00.000-05:002012-12-11T11:30:16.013-05:00Miracles do happen…
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">When hundreds & hundreds of people who you do not
know, still say prayers every morning <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>&
evening and keep having faith & hope when you might have lost it a little
bit…</span><br />
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When hundreds & hundreds of people that we do not all,
know sent cards, gifts & lovely surprises just to show their support and
love…</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When you are able to see your husband smiling at you each
morning and say “Hello Honey”, and when family & friends come over often to
just do, “fun things”… And look at our Alpaca's...</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WmvFQM9_2tQ/UMaorkNX8QI/AAAAAAAAAkg/Oigwo0jiFFs/s1600/Leontien+160+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WmvFQM9_2tQ/UMaorkNX8QI/AAAAAAAAAkg/Oigwo0jiFFs/s320/Leontien+160+1.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">In the previous blog post I told you all about being admitted
to the hospital and doing my “Poopie Dance”. And I have been dancing ever
since, because I wake up in the morning! The doctors gave me about two weeks to
two months to live…<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span> Yes.. <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I know..</span><br />
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It is the eleventh of December now…!!!</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">For me that is one miracle every day. Not that it this is
easy. Because you KNOW you could NOT wake up the next morning. But really that
is not even the scariest part. </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Because I believe that (hopefully) somebody saved me a little
spot up there in Heaven… so no reason to be scared about dying itself.</span></span><br />
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The more scary part is the how…</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">I am afraid that my family or Bastiaan will have bunches
and bunches of trouble with me because I’m gonna go a little crazy on them, like
talking like a crazy person, (Yeah I know, I already do that sometimes, haha) . But
it worries me, to become somebody I do not know. </span><br />
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</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Or worse that they have to take care of me 24/7… </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K9RpxlrbGPg/UMaqaRl3csI/AAAAAAAAAkw/H-izpILnKKI/s1600/Leontien+139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K9RpxlrbGPg/UMaqaRl3csI/AAAAAAAAAkw/H-izpILnKKI/s320/Leontien+139.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">I am a very independent lady (yes, stubborn.. hehe), and I
want to do things my way. It was sooooo hard to give up “control” of the farm
because, for one I love it so much and for two, It was kinda my dream. Having had
your dream and then having to give it up again is though… But I know it is in
good hands with my family and Bastiaan. </span><br />
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">And at least MY DREAM CAME TRUE… </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">How wonderful is that?!? </span></span><br />
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Last Year Emily Caldwell from Progressive Dairyman wrote
a story about me and my Family. She did a wonderful job of writing it up and
won an award! She also managed to get us to the number 1 spot on their most
read articles!!! If you click on the link below you can find the updated article and the original article! </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.progressivedairy.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7602:chasing-a-dream-one-womans-fight-for-a-dairy-farm-life&catid=70:featured-main-page" target="_blank">Progressive dairyman Article!</a></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HXx_3kqbS-Y/UMaovZj0rEI/AAAAAAAAAko/YjonW-w9GYM/s1600/Leontien+118.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HXx_3kqbS-Y/UMaovZj0rEI/AAAAAAAAAko/YjonW-w9GYM/s320/Leontien+118.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">I don’t know how many more posts I can write. I would
love too, but I just don’t know. My eyesight is not doing so well, and my “thinking
cap” seems to be lost some days. But I will promise you, if something happens I
will make sure you get an update. Please check<span style="color: #274e13;"> </span></span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/leontien.vandelaar.9" target="_blank"><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">Facebook</span></a><span style="font-size: large;">, </span><a href="http://www.fourleafcloverdairy.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;">The Four Leaf Clover Dairy</span></span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> website and of course here at my blog. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Maybe the doctors are “wrong” again and I’m still typing
away in a year from now! </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I love you all. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And miracles do happen, you know… </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">…</span></div>
Leontienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15311969195332643600noreply@blogger.com182tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8577797200185940179.post-90214799232452892412012-10-12T09:53:00.001-04:002012-10-12T09:54:32.067-04:00Doing the "Poopie" Dance<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It has been to long…</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
It has been to hard…</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
And there had to be too many difficult decisions to be
made…</span><br />
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Down the drain and/ or toilet bowl goes the “upbeat
attitude” for the fifth time that day because another set of pain killers did
not want to do their trick and since going to the bathroom and trying to
perform a solid #2 (which yes can actually be a relief for some people,
especially after 10 days…) Life just starts slipping away…</span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And it did.</span></div>
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</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k2A8iFh6YAo/UHgdSe2nzAI/AAAAAAAAAkI/o596I1IQaxA/s1600/Bastiaan+and+Leontien.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k2A8iFh6YAo/UHgdSe2nzAI/AAAAAAAAAkI/o596I1IQaxA/s320/Bastiaan+and+Leontien.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Somewhere on or around the 14<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> day of this
past beautiful September month Bastiaan “stuffed” me in the BMW. I wasn’t
really at the point of complaining anymore, I was just ready to head for the
biggest besets tree and show everybody that I was NOT afraid of dying but that
this pain & suffering and hurtfulness needed to stop. For everybody!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not just me…</span><br />
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course I did not drive, and we arrived safely at the
hospital<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>with Dr Nala, She was fast, no
crazy questions, no accusations, only understanding and a,” what are we going to
do now attitude?!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>About three weeks
before this horrible Thursdays we had started the new drug: Yeroy (Maybe you
have seen the pics on my Facebook website as well as the Love For Leontien site,
Thank you girls!) and we were feeling good about it.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yervoy is a biologic therapy so it it’s not a “chemo” and
it works differently but the main goal of course is the same:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to “kill” all the little nasty cells and live
a long and happy life. But three weeks into the therapy I had was having some
pain in my shoulder. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did not think
much of it because, me being me, I just felt the need to mow the ENTIRE yard
the day before…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> W</span>ell… we have a really
nice lawnmower and the sun was just about down , <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>it was a good day… so I thought why not…?
Besides the side effects were not that bad, a little nauseated, tired,
constipated, a little of everything but nothing really worth mentioning… I was
doing fine… </span></div>
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</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But I really did feel a little “whipped” after I got off
of the lawnmower, but no worries…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No
“little” lawn is going to bring me down!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We decided that we could start with round two of the Yervoy,
because the pain in the shoulder was pretty annoying but I still thought it was
going to be OK and the side effects were doable. The only thing that worried me
a bit was that I had all these little “spots” popping up, like, they were
everywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But Dr Nala explained that
it was a normal side effect and they had seen that happen in different patients
before.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And then the pain got worse…</span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bastiaan was on the phone every day with the doctor’s
office to see if there was something we could use to make sure the pain went
away. But it didn’t. And then I stopped eating. Well, I wasn’t going to the
bathroom no more, and everything that did go down were pills and crackers while
trying not to puke them back up… </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The really bad part was when I did not know how to lie down
anymore, that’s when you know you’re in trouble. If you don’t know how to sit,
lay, stand, hold yourself anymore that’s when your hubby says “enough is
enough” and will take you to the hospital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Even though you still think you can though it out…</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That day Dr Nala looked at me for 2 seconds and says you are
staying here with us. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
By nightfall we had done all kinds MRI’s and CAT scans,
and other tests and they had put me on some serious pain medication. And then
morning came…</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And results…</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Seven weeks ago my brain was clean/clear/empty (yes,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>remember joking about it being blond and all…) in other words it was
fine…</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is not fine anymore. They found little cherry tomato
size tumors in my head. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And not just
one, no there were five of them, besides
multiple little ones. Also the found out why I had so much pain in my shoulder,
it was because some other little tumor was<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>pressing up against a nerve in my spinal column which caused the excruciating
pain. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We did decide that day that we
were going to do radiation on the head as well as the spinal cord, because the
chance of me getting into major problems with one of those brain tumors was just to
big. Doing the radiation on the spinal cord was an “easier” decision because it
would mean, hopefully, less pain…</span></div>
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</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6bueFPPOL9s/UHgdUPmwQRI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/ndJBnAUTsRc/s1600/Leontien.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6bueFPPOL9s/UHgdUPmwQRI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/ndJBnAUTsRc/s320/Leontien.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We did 10 days of radiation (I even got my Certificate,
that I completed the treatment, whoohoo!!!)</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
We started eating again as soon as Saturday! But only the
GOOD stuff, like fresh fruit, whipped cream, fries, chocolate cake, chips, you
get the picture… </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And yes after 13 days of not being able to go to the
bathroom I have to say actually did a little “poopie” dance!!! On the toilet,
by myself… didn’t think anybody needed to see that… but I did it anyway!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bastiaan took me home</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
It was a good day…</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A lot has happened since and I am really trying to get
everything on paper, but currently I am on 20 different medicines and I sleep a
lot. If I am not sleeping we have been so blessed with family and friends that
come on over or take the time to write or call, so our house is never really
empty… </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And I do look at the</span><a href="http://www.aruraljournal.com/p/flowers-for-leontien.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span style="color: red;">Flowers for Leontien Page</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>& </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/LoveForLeontien" target="_blank"><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Love for Leontien Page</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (please go and have a look!) a lot and
that I haven’t written you does not mean I forgot about you it just means I’m
running out of time… Thank you so so much for your support,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really would have been a little bit lost
without all of your prayers and kind words…</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since getting out of the hospital and now a lot has happened yet again... And i am not quite ready yet to put that down on paper so you have to bear with me, yet again... a little bit longer...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">…</span></div>
Leontienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15311969195332643600noreply@blogger.com152tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8577797200185940179.post-80424866563958746592012-06-28T12:22:00.000-04:002012-06-28T22:09:26.785-04:00Thankful Thursday!<br />
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Yep, it sure is a Thankful Thursday </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Although we have to go to the hospital today for some new
head and body scans, at least I can look forward to the eardrum breaking noise and image
for forty minutes that I am at a rave party… </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Hl4cwYs7fr8/T-yDOOAt5uI/AAAAAAAAAgQ/U5MueVeG6_o/s1600/poes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Hl4cwYs7fr8/T-yDOOAt5uI/AAAAAAAAAgQ/U5MueVeG6_o/s320/poes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="background-color: white;">Although we have to make choices every day that an 33 year old and her husband shouldn't have to make, we still wake up together every morning and feel very blessed... </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br />
Although we don’t have any family over at the moment, and
the house seems a bit empty, I treasure all the moments from past months when
we enjoyed their company…</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Although I haven’t posted, commented on stories, seen all
your incredible pictures of flowers, texted, Facebooked or Twittered, talked or
SEEN you in what looks like ages, I still think of you all EVERY SINGLE DAY!</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Although we hadn’t had rain for over 6 weeks (more or
less) the sun is shining and my own, very first, vegetable garden is doing
AMAZING…</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Although our ladies (yes the cows!) are having a hard
time with all this heat, they know that we will do whatever it takes too keep
them as cool and comfortable as possible…</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-geqDu09eSoM/T-yDQ4OI-KI/AAAAAAAAAgY/mPVPkZjrR7A/s1600/Bastiaan+and+leontien+zoo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-geqDu09eSoM/T-yDQ4OI-KI/AAAAAAAAAgY/mPVPkZjrR7A/s320/Bastiaan+and+leontien+zoo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Although we are still getting bad news every time we go
see Dr Nala, at least I’m still here (feeling good physically besides the pain)
and can give other people the false hope things are going well… </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Fake It untill you Make It! Right?</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I hope you have a FANTASTIC Thursday and Thank You for being the best support team anyone could possibly have!!!<br />
<br />
<br />
...</div>Leontienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15311969195332643600noreply@blogger.com146tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8577797200185940179.post-22568447888732221922012-04-11T08:58:00.001-04:002012-04-11T08:58:38.476-04:00Old Hands...<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
My hands look
like the hands of an 80 year old lady<o:p></o:p></div>
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</div>
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My hands hurt like the hands of an 80 year old lady<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I sometimes feel
like a lady who has lived 80 years, just by looking at my hands…</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v_HLxywmzcU/T4TAouMEySI/AAAAAAAAAfQ/PAmVs_NZhAU/s1600/Farm+land.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v_HLxywmzcU/T4TAouMEySI/AAAAAAAAAfQ/PAmVs_NZhAU/s320/Farm+land.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
And yes, this
might have to do with the fact that we were in the emergency room for over ten
hours… Well… and the fact that they used my hands as a (several) pin cushion(s)… And,
maybe, the fact that we had to stay in the hospital (again) for over 10 days
because I had an unexplained fever… Oh… and the pneumonia that we didn't know I had…</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Good thing I that
I can open my own bottle of water again, with these old hands, it is kind of a
bother to keep asking people to open up bottles of water when you are supposed
to keep hydrated... (Thank You Mommy, Daddy, Hanneke, Jan Willem, Megan and of course my everything: Bastiaan!!).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
It is also a good
thing too that I am home. I like being home. Bastiaan and I have been throwing
this idea around to rent a big camper and to go “see” places (you know, normally
we would do this when we would be 70+), but plans have to be adjusted
sometimes... I like to be home for now.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cZJ4T94oWig/T4TAtQxngOI/AAAAAAAAAfY/BYCJfBmYOe8/s1600/Farm+land+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cZJ4T94oWig/T4TAtQxngOI/AAAAAAAAAfY/BYCJfBmYOe8/s320/Farm+land+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Besides opening
water bottles it is also a nice thing to be able to “do” things again. Like
(and this keeps repeating itself for some strange reason…) going to the bathroom
by myself without falling of the “pot”, putting socks on (I like my socks and I
have not one pair of toe slipper thingies so, I need socks…), playing with my
new phone, getting in our lovely bathtub, and more important, getting out of
the bathtub… and typing new blog posts and doing the “Facebook thing”, gosh, I hope
they don’t drop the “timeline” disaster on me any time soon…</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I can’t vacuum
the house yet, but I’m not sure if that is a good thing or a “bad” thing. Hehe…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
We are having a
hard time (not that it was not hard before) but we got quite a shock from the
horrible hospital experience two weeks ago, don’t get me wrong, the nurses and
(most) of the doctors were really nice, it was just the overall experience of
being a test bunny that got to me and Bastiaan & the family (and the pain). I do not
mind being a test bunny if it will help other people with this grueling disease
but… just don’t let me FEEL like a hurting test bunny… <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
And to be
completely honest, I do not know how many times I can crawl out of a 10 meter
deep hole (hmmm that would be 33 feet…) again…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Yes, we had to
stop the Zelboraf treatment because of the pneumonia & fever (which they never really figured out after giving me 7 different antibiotics; "which one did the trick...?", and yes the docs really like
me to start again as soon as possible, but… I just don’t feel ready yet…<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U67HV34_XRU/T4TAxOIf0rI/AAAAAAAAAfg/B7YAWVtPR2s/s1600/Farm+land+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U67HV34_XRU/T4TAxOIf0rI/AAAAAAAAAfg/B7YAWVtPR2s/s320/Farm+land+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Maybe if my hands
look like my hands again instead of the hands of a 80 year old lady and more important
they don’t hurt anymore, and I have seen me some cute looking girls (almost as
good as seeing a beautiful black stallion ;-)) at the dairy, we’ll be ready to
do round number four…</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Maybe. </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I just love being home right now.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
...</div>Leontienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15311969195332643600noreply@blogger.com155tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8577797200185940179.post-44800400867564451912012-03-02T19:51:00.000-05:002012-03-02T19:51:03.101-05:006 weeks and two days ago<br />
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6 weeks and two days ago…</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
See… I have been trying to write.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Well, I have been trying in my head really really hard
and it all sounded perfectly fine… Somehow it just didn't quite make it onto the paper, or
well, because we do live in the modern days, on my perfectly fine purple
laptop…</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Now I have so much to tell you that I don’t know where to
start!</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TQ9kcFw5ugI/T1Fnp08CEjI/AAAAAAAAAfI/0bgenfDXeq0/s1600/squirrel+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TQ9kcFw5ugI/T1Fnp08CEjI/AAAAAAAAAfI/0bgenfDXeq0/s320/squirrel+1.jpg" width="232" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
First: I missed you all very much!</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Second: We got more news last Tuesday (six weeks ago), and yes my
plan was to write this down all nice and fuzzy, reason being everything seems
much harsher on paper… like, if you tell a person that is sitting across from
you, you can tone things down with good facial expressions or smile even more
bright when you deliver sad news. When you write things down you can smile a
comforting smile but no one is there to see, and thus… much harsher…</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Not that it is really bad, it could be worse, but it was
not what we have been hoping for either.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
So, here we go: rib, breast, spine, lung and liver area are
still stable; this means nothing got bigger, and nothing got smaller. The spot
in my small intestine got smaller, which is good news and this might indicate
that the IL-2 is working, but the spot around the ovary got a bit bigger, so
were back to square one, more or less.
Because the scans don’t really indicate what it is they are seeing (they
just see something there that should not be and is bigger than a month ago) we
need to do more testing next week. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
New doctor, new procedures, new nurses, which I am sure
are going to be wonderful (the doctors and nurses, I don’t know about the
procedures…), but still it is a bit scary. We were hoping the IL-2 just would
have done its job and made everything smaller (or made it disappear all
together) but maybe it is just a bit slow and needs some more time.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8U7tk8KC5p8/T1FnSwSDcdI/AAAAAAAAAe4/-4Va6wS0AbU/s1600/squirrel+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8U7tk8KC5p8/T1FnSwSDcdI/AAAAAAAAAe4/-4Va6wS0AbU/s320/squirrel+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
And well, time is a bit of an issue</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Not that I don’t have time, I have plenty (or so I like
to think) but this “giving it time” thing is really stressful!!! And thinking about being sick 24/7 doesn’t
really make you feel better or makes you go back to work, writing, riding or
relaxing… So… it is even more stressful
to be stressful. </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Trying to be stress free is hard work.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
But my sweet friend told me in a very stern voice
yesterday, that I better get my act together and be a little selfish for a
change, stop worrying about everything that I like to worry about and GET
BETTER! She said; everybody would understand if I took a little break every now
and then to fight this nasty fight because if I didn’t, they (as in my family
and friends) would be a whole lot more upset if I didn’t take these little
breaks and not be here not more because I wasn’t a bit more “selfish” and take
the time to heal and kill some nasty cells… </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Oh well…. that was a bit of a rambling thing, but I think
you get the picture, right? Less stress, more cancer kicking in the butt and
getting to meet lovely new people (nurses in this case)… hehe...</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZB1YmMK65Vw/T1FnWbwGInI/AAAAAAAAAfA/G-zxadAyVjs/s1600/squirrel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZB1YmMK65Vw/T1FnWbwGInI/AAAAAAAAAfA/G-zxadAyVjs/s320/squirrel.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Today it has been over six weeks since I wrote this post above...</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I had to go into surgery the next day after writing this.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
They took out my left ovary.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
We did new scans.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
All the tumors grew since January.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
The IL-2 did not work.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
This Monday, and yes with this Monday I mean Monday the 5<sup>th</sup>
of March 2012 we are going to start with the new drug, recently approved by the
FDA, Zelboraf. And I am going to try my
hardest to keep writing, just because I love it. Because I love life, and
because I love you all. Yes this sounds a bit creepy, but it is meant well…</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Third time is the charm, right?</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
...</div>Leontienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15311969195332643600noreply@blogger.com96tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8577797200185940179.post-57757055438857276502011-12-19T16:26:00.002-05:002011-12-19T16:26:21.985-05:00Sometimes I wish<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sometimes I wish</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I wish that it was like it used to be, let’s say, 25 years ago…</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
No worries, playing with grandma what it would be when I was all grown up.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Well, I’m grown up all right, and it is absolutely nothing like I thought it was going to be.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Bastiaan and I went to the hospital last Friday to get the results of the scan we had the previous Monday.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wrDHttE8aUA/TlRmq3TYejI/AAAAAAAAAZA/IyjDvymqyak/s1600/babies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wrDHttE8aUA/TlRmq3TYejI/AAAAAAAAAZA/IyjDvymqyak/s320/babies.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
The good news was that nothing really got any bigger, the doc did see some “new” spots but he thought they were already there last time, before we started the IL-2 treatment. They were new to us, so I just hope the doctor is right (and yes I trust him so I shouldn't worry too much…). The not so good news was, of course, that they didn't get any smaller either...</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I know this all is actually good news and I know I should be really happy, the news that we got Friday was above all our (mine for sure, which is only proof that I still don’t know my body) expectations, but “happy” doesn’t seem to be on the menu lately.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I think that is why I’m having such a difficult time writing, I do not want to be negative (I always imagined my little stories to be positive and hopefully make people laugh) or write negative stories/blog posts, so I didn’t write at all for (what seems to me) a incredibly long time…</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Sorry it took me so long</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Your prayers, gifts, cards and above all love still give me inspiration every day. And if you can hang in there with me a little bit longer I am (almost) sure we are going to be oke and smile like that little girl again…<br />
<br />
<br />
...</div>Leontienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15311969195332643600noreply@blogger.com96tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8577797200185940179.post-78450627163560203872011-11-28T11:09:00.001-05:002011-11-28T12:00:50.986-05:00The C stands for ...<br />
When we were in the hospital something amazing happened!<br />
Well... I think it was pretty amazing, anyway...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ALRri3LDg5A/TtO6z6bJcbI/AAAAAAAAAeY/0_Fh6D5QGmw/s1600/Progressive+dairyman+front+page.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ALRri3LDg5A/TtO6z6bJcbI/AAAAAAAAAeY/0_Fh6D5QGmw/s320/Progressive+dairyman+front+page.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
It is very uplifting/humbling to see your life story written down by somebody else, it sure makes you feel very blessed! I really hope you like Emily's article!<br />
<br />
And i am sorry but you have to click the link in order to get to the article (maybe even open a new window)...<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.progressivedairy.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7602:chasing-a-dream-one-womans-fight-for-a-dairy-farm-life&catid=73:women-in-dairy&Itemid=116"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Chasing a Dream: One woman's fight for a Dairy farm life</span></a><br />
<br />
<br />
...<br />
<br />
Things are going well. Every new day is a better one then the day before. Hopefully we are going to see the girls today! And i am sure happy to be back here with all of you!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Leontienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15311969195332643600noreply@blogger.com86tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8577797200185940179.post-13952645145509226562011-11-14T08:59:00.000-05:002011-11-14T09:01:40.354-05:00Round Two starts Today...<br />
OK, today is the day.<br />
Bastiaan and I are heading back to Indy...<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qgmJagiBtwU/TsEOt5s9xxI/AAAAAAAAAeQ/2TFe8pNdFmM/s1600/kitten+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qgmJagiBtwU/TsEOt5s9xxI/AAAAAAAAAeQ/2TFe8pNdFmM/s320/kitten+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
My little sister came back from The Netherlands again for a couple of weeks to support all of us and I am pretty sure my mom, dad and little brother are going to do an awesome job keeping the farm running. Making sure the boys (our employees) and our girls (our cows) are getting the best of everything.<br />
<br />
Still incredibly scared but ready to fight again if the doctor says we are going to go for round two but since we are not quite sure what the doctor is going to say (probably "yes, let's do it") it is not only scary but also a bit nerve racking...<br />
<br />
It might be a while before I see you all again. But I am gonna assume it will be not too long...<br />
<br />
I'm gonna miss you!<br />
<br />
In case we are a little bit longer gone... Bastiaan might have given an update on<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/LoveForLeontien"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Love for Leontien</span></a></span><br />
<br />
<br />
...<br />
<br />
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<br />Leontienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15311969195332643600noreply@blogger.com89tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8577797200185940179.post-83040016551580056422011-11-10T09:50:00.001-05:002011-11-10T10:32:35.513-05:00You got to be kidding?!?<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
What I believed at some point as simply not possible, just
came with time... I can walk from one side of the house to the other,
without toppling over from lack of breath… I can even walk to my mom and dad’s house (if I really
wanted), three quarters of a mile down the road! </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Whoohhooo!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wOwYA4OFB8U/TrvshgipGqI/AAAAAAAAAeI/Pi68q7PtiwI/s1600/kitty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wOwYA4OFB8U/TrvshgipGqI/AAAAAAAAAeI/Pi68q7PtiwI/s320/kitty.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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The stress test went well. Doc says I am ready for Round Two…</div>
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<br /></div>
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I don’t think I am ready for Round Two…</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Last Thursday I was sleeping in a little bit, like I have been doing since I got back from the
hospital and I was having this incredibly annoying, please, please go away,
itch. One of the side effects is itchiness and for the last week, somehow it
just doesn’t wanna stop.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I rub myself with five different lotions but they all
seem to work a couple of hours and then I have to undress and lather up all
over again. But Bastiaan and I reason this to be a good thing, it just means
that the chemo stuff is still doing its thing and thus Kill, Kill, Kill all those
nasty cells…</div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
So while I lay in bed, scratching myself everywhere until
I am nice and red all over again, thinking by myself that I really need another
bottle of lotion, right here besides my bed, I feel something (feeling something that wasn’t there before on your body is NOT a
good thing)…</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LRgWLlcLOdI/TrvscPARsWI/AAAAAAAAAd4/Iwjr1eCIWvs/s1600/kitty+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LRgWLlcLOdI/TrvscPARsWI/AAAAAAAAAd4/Iwjr1eCIWvs/s320/kitty+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING!!!????</div>
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<br /></div>
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I jump out of bed towards the bathroom and check again.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
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It could be imagination, you know. Very common amongst patients
to feel things that are not really there just because they are scared that
something is there…</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
There was defiantly something there.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
And then I got a little angry, well and then MAD and then
even MADDER (don’t know if that is a proper English word but my spelling check
says it’s ok…) and then I got REALLY REALLY upset.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
How come that we are doing this immense-awful chemo
stuff, which almost killed me (and I thought the whole plan behind this chemo
thing was that I was NOT going to be dying any time soon) and now I am feeling a
little bump in my armpit…</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Let me tell you this is NOT very uplifting, hopeful or
encouraging while trying to Kick Cancer in the Butt.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xV3aLGWNqyw/Trvser4bvXI/AAAAAAAAAeA/jjKqIe4cNNc/s1600/kitty+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xV3aLGWNqyw/Trvser4bvXI/AAAAAAAAAeA/jjKqIe4cNNc/s320/kitty+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I called IU in Indianapolis but they didn’t pick up the
phone so I called my Dr Nala. She told me to come right away and she would have
a look (did I tell you she and the nurses over there are just little angels???).
Bastiaan and I rushed to the hospital and Dr Nala checked the little bump. Yes
it was defiantly there and no I wasn’t just in my imagination (which I of
course new, but then again I have been wrong about my body in the past…). Dr Nala
got on the phone and checked with my doctor at IU and together they looked at
my CAT-scans and discussed the situation.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Their explanation: It had been there before, I just might
not have felt it any sooner and/or because of the chemo it might have enlarged
a bit or got closer to the surface of the skin and that is why I felt it now. BUT
that it did NOT mean that the chemo is not working and/or that we are not doing
the whole kill, kill, kill thing, so we shouldn’t (never ever) give up!</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
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I am scared shitless.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
(I promised myself
I wouldn’t curse in my blog… I am promising you now it won’t happen again)</div>
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<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
...</div>Leontienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15311969195332643600noreply@blogger.com101tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8577797200185940179.post-3884802861327546442011-11-01T11:07:00.001-04:002011-11-01T22:19:40.724-04:00Back in the land of the Living...<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
My gosh…</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Cancer Butt Kicking is HARD!!!</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8YNRTehrVpM/TrAJYD6Qb1I/AAAAAAAAAdg/X1TV_lohM_E/s1600/fall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8YNRTehrVpM/TrAJYD6Qb1I/AAAAAAAAAdg/X1TV_lohM_E/s320/fall.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I remember the first day in the hospital</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I remember the last day of being in the hospital</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I remember it being so hard to breathe</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I remember Bastiaan being there… always…</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
When you gain about 7 pounds in 3 days you look like a
tomato. And no I don’t mean a cute little tomato on a little green limb but a FAT, I do not
feel happy RED ( called the IL-2 tan) I’m almost falling of off my stick
tomato! Being like a tomato is not a good thing. Especially when you keep telling
the doctor you are feeling “peachy”…</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I got 12 treatments in. They (the doctor and very sweet
nurses) say this is a really good thing cause the total you can get is 14
treatments in the first round. We started Monday the 17<sup>th</sup>. Every
eight hours they would give me the Inter Leukin, but by Thursday I had
accumulated so much fluid that my heart had a lot of trouble pumping all my
blood to my organs. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
A little birdie told me once that it is pretty important
to have your heart pump blood around too all your organs all the time...</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X_Eu-01AcWc/TrAJfeZ98bI/AAAAAAAAAdo/0Cc8Pc0VNI8/s1600/fall+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X_Eu-01AcWc/TrAJfeZ98bI/AAAAAAAAAdo/0Cc8Pc0VNI8/s320/fall+1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
So Dr Logan and his team stopped treatment and they focused
on “fixing me up” quick so my heart didn't get crazy ideas. Which I think was a super idea! We stayed in on the Intensive Care Unit until
Tuesday the 25<sup>th</sup> instead of Sunday the 23th (like normal IL-2
patients) because they wanted to make sure I was all right, that my heart was
doing fine, and the fluid was decreasing. Also I needed to get my strength back
and get of off the oxygen, (like those little old ladies you see in the movies toting
around one of those oxygen tanks… although I didn't walk at all at that time…)
and start breathing normally.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I don’t remember very much of being in the hospital, only
what my family tells me I did or didn’t do. But maybe that is better. It must
have been very hard on them though….</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Today I have been home for a week. I can shower by myself
(WHOOHOO!!!), I can breathe, read and write again (Oh Yeah Baby) and I can talk
walks outside and see Classic, Jones and the crazy cats. I have been to the
farm for the first time yesterday and seen our girls...</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Life is good.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
But this was only part one.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
In order to do the
full Inter Leukin Treatment (and kill kill kill all those nasty cells) we have
to do another round off 5 days Intensive Care… </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M7zQFf13wXk/TrAJle2jY4I/AAAAAAAAAdw/lgVxhU1gSCc/s1600/fall+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M7zQFf13wXk/TrAJle2jY4I/AAAAAAAAAdw/lgVxhU1gSCc/s320/fall+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
And, well… we are not sure my heart can take another
round. So this week were going to fuel up, get strong, get stamina back and
learn to walk to the other side of the house and not be totally exhausted… (no,
our house is NOT that big…) AND do a stress test. This stress test is to see if
my heart can take another round. They are also going to draw some blood and we
are going to see Dr Logan again.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
In the mean time I just am overwhelmed (in a GOOD way)
with your prayers, cards, gifts, presents, flowers, bears, cookies, socks, pirate games,
monkeys in a jar, lollypops, crèmes and all the other goodies you guys sent me
and continue to feel very much blessed and loved! You Crazy American’s really
do things bigger and better!!! Haha!</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
THANK YOU!!!</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
...</div>Leontienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15311969195332643600noreply@blogger.com110tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8577797200185940179.post-20899274442767061762011-10-16T22:44:00.005-04:002011-10-17T07:40:09.794-04:00I'll be back!OK...<br />
I think I'm ready...<br />
<br />
I will see you in a week or so...!!!<br />
Well... Maybe sooner if you are up for a pajama party in the hospital.... ;-)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bMCwW5VQNRU/TpuRWlEeO6I/AAAAAAAAAbQ/cAHGsPAhDTA/s1600/Leontien+and+corn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bMCwW5VQNRU/TpuRWlEeO6I/AAAAAAAAAbQ/cAHGsPAhDTA/s400/Leontien+and+corn.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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We will see how things go and I'll try to keep you updated! I hope you have a wonderful week and make sure you love every moment of it! And don't forget, I'll be thinking about you all!!!<br />
<br />
Big hugs<br />
Leontien<br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
...<br />
<br />
<br />Leontienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15311969195332643600noreply@blogger.com85tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8577797200185940179.post-33250279308190856322011-10-13T11:11:00.006-04:002011-10-13T11:11:54.024-04:00Who's afraid of heights?<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I am afraid of heights.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Not as much as I am afraid of spiders.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Well... maybe...</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JYkMt-PlDZ0/TpZA6GXgLSI/AAAAAAAAAa4/_BJ_f2dnyT0/s1600/trees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JYkMt-PlDZ0/TpZA6GXgLSI/AAAAAAAAAa4/_BJ_f2dnyT0/s320/trees.jpg" width="257" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I went to Australia a couple of years ago, and it was an
absolute wonderful experience. The country is just gorgeous. What I liked the
best was the fact that about every two days we had a different scenery. One day
we would be at the shore looking at the sea and see the sun go down, the other
day we would be in the middle of a rain forest. Well at least I thought it was
a rain forest, it sure was hot and humid!</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
We saw mountains and we saw cows (of course) and very
very disappointing, I have to admit, only ONE kangaroo, and I don’t even think
it was a kangaroo but a walibi (big difference)! But we did see some koala’s
which made up for the lack of kangaroos. </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Everything was just fantastic until the day we got the “genius”
idea to do something different…</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
This something different was us scouting for fun things to do on our
way from one destination to the other, we needed some exercise as well and since we already
walked besides the shore (where we found
out we really needed good shoes, walking gear AND drinking water) and the desert (which was just HOT again with crazy amounts
of flies, EVERYWHERE but at least we brought water that time) we were very pleased when we saw a sign that said “Tree
Top Walks” and an explanation of what a three top walk was (which is a path in the top of the trees, man made, which meant the path was made out of metal with little see true holes in the bottom and attached with cables and/or
laying on TALL round posts and SWAYING) and... some stunning pictures.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GAxiwiDhtvo/TpZA9_3oriI/AAAAAAAAAbA/xCRUrqHFSc0/s1600/trees+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GAxiwiDhtvo/TpZA9_3oriI/AAAAAAAAAbA/xCRUrqHFSc0/s320/trees+3.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Being a little naive and blown away by the great pictures
(good advertisement on their part) I thought this would help me get over my
fear of heights and so I said “Ok, let’s do it!”</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I really should have known better.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
The beginning was not so bad. The “path” started out at “ground level”, but
quickly the dirt was not there anymore and we were up in the air. Yes, as long
as I would look straight forward and went from tree to tree, it wasn’t so bad…
But of course that was NOT the only thing I did.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Nooooo I had to look down, see how those cables where
attached to those trees, and because I saw the cables I saw us moving slowly
from the right to the left and back, and I did a little calculation that those
posts on which this metal path WITH SEE TRUE HOLES was attached too was defiantly not
strong enough to keep us up there!!!
Doing all this math is not a good thing when you are up 60 feet (i don't know how high we were, it was HIGH to me) in the
air and afraid of heights….</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Half way true the “walk” I decided I didn’t get no air
anymore… “Well, and that I really was afraid and never ever should have attempt
something as dumb as this”. But of course it was a bit too late for that and I hurried
on down the half mile path… pushing
everybody out of my way and yelling to keep following me!</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Do you know how long half a mile is?</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
It's pretty far…</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c8E-9zcboGw/TpZBDtq-HGI/AAAAAAAAAbI/40aBQifTWG8/s1600/trees+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c8E-9zcboGw/TpZBDtq-HGI/AAAAAAAAAbI/40aBQifTWG8/s320/trees+1.jpg" width="218" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I got to the other end and just went on my knees and
cried like a little baby. You should have seen the looks on the faces of the other
people that came of that path, they for sure thought I lost my mind, but I just
could not stop myself! And just as a
reminder, you shouldn’t believe the people who tell you you look lovely after
bawling your eyes out for 15 minutes either. Lucky for me the whole thing was a loop and so
I didn’t have to go back over that path to get to the car and face more people.
Which would have added more shame upon embarrassment…</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
We went for some more scenery seeing in the safety of our car… which was just fine with me! I
didn’t need no more exercise anyway that day…</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I really love trees, love them in my yard, besides the
roads, in forests, in pictures or paintings, with leafs or without leafs, but I
am never going to attempt to do a three top walk again, EVER!!! There are just
some things a girl sound not attempt twice…</div>
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Monday is coming closer and closer but I don’t quite know
if that is a good thing or a bad thing… Guess we will find out soon! I did do some fun things (laying in the yard watching the cats play, called a bunch of good friends and chatted, went pantie shopping with my little sister. I worked at the farm, my little brother is getting really good at cracking those numbers. And read a lot of beautiful blogs, and i am soaking up all the LOVING you guys give me... Everything is going to be just fine...</div>
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<br /></div>Leontienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15311969195332643600noreply@blogger.com57tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8577797200185940179.post-20656171581490975742011-10-10T18:11:00.002-04:002011-10-10T18:11:38.594-04:00Problem or Opportunity<br />
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I have a little problem…</div>
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I have one week…</div>
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One week before we start the huge battle… </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vlPk9IyCTOQ/TpNsZe_h0yI/AAAAAAAAAaw/abJYjj6F2rI/s1600/Hanneke+blij.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vlPk9IyCTOQ/TpNsZe_h0yI/AAAAAAAAAaw/abJYjj6F2rI/s320/Hanneke+blij.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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One week before my life starts to look pretty grim
(seeing a list of all the side effects
and hoping<span> </span>my body doesn't decide
something that my mind doesn't want to admit could even happen) and now I don’t
know what to do until we get there…</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FnwHkYlVARY/TpNsd5kAtvI/AAAAAAAAAa0/kC3SSJaix-o/s1600/jan+willem.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FnwHkYlVARY/TpNsd5kAtvI/AAAAAAAAAa0/kC3SSJaix-o/s320/jan+willem.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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Do I spent the week by doing all the things I normally
don’t do, or do I work like normal (or a little harder) and make sure that
everything is good to go when I will be in Indy?</div>
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Maybe I’ll do both?</div>
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Leontienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15311969195332643600noreply@blogger.com77tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8577797200185940179.post-24925767447967345592011-10-06T14:07:00.000-04:002011-10-06T14:07:31.530-04:00Ready... Set... Go...<br />
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Ok, you better all get your undies and toothbrush gathered cause you get to visit!!!</div>
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The Plan (and yes “The Plan” might change a bit when we
move closer to the "starting date") but we have decided on going to Indi. Yes I know this might come (a little bit) as a shock and truth to be told, Chicago was really
nice, the people were very sweet and the doctors very knowledgeable but we felt
that we wanted to be a bit closer to home...<br />
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<br />
I really need all of you, my family, my friends, my buddies (Classic, Jones and the cats) and girls (our cows) to
beat this thing with me and I thought I would feel kinda lonely in Chicago... And yes this may seem a bit silly... But i feel stronger this way and ready too fight, so Bastiaan and I thought this would be a good reason because we need to be as strong as possible. In Chicago they told us that we always could come back if necessary, which was a good and nice thing to know.</div>
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So, while we decided on where to go, more tests were done,
more test results came back and all the treatment options were
presented to us. Out of the three options we have chosen for <a href="http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/GuidetoCancerDrugs/INTERLEUKIN-2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Inter leukin IL-2</span></a>, this is a fancy smancy name
for a shitty (yes I said it) drug, that hopefully will boost my immune system
and knock all those nasty cells out of my body. And no, I am not a nurse or
doctor so I might not have used the perfect terms to describe it but I think
you get the whole picture if you click on the link (which you don't have to cause its no fun anyway). </div>
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<br />
The Plan in Indy is as follows: We are going to go to the
hospital, I will get admitted to the Intensive Care Unit and I will stay there
a whole week. They only do five days of treatment, every eight hours, but we'll
need the two extra days to recover. Then we will go home for a week, rest...
And we will be back at the Intensive Care the following week and we'll do it
all over again, if (and this is a big IF apparently) my body (and mind) can
stand the treatment.</div>
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The side effects are pretty nasty, so I am not going to
name them (The list is too long and a tiny bit depressing…). The good thing is
that we will have all day visiting rights!!! Whoohoo... Only two people at the
same time, but well… I was pretty happy about that!<br />
<br />
Bastiaan and my family can stay most of the time and if they need to go home for a bit, (maybe to drive around in some tractors, look at the cows and talk to all the boys, which can be pretty relaxing after spending a lot of time in the IC) somebody else can come for a bit and stay with me...?</div>
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<br />
There you go, that is The Plan. Having a private party
while doing some MAJOR cancer kicking in Indy while wearing our scull panties
and new PJ’s!!! It sounds good to me…</div>
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Leontienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15311969195332643600noreply@blogger.com79tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8577797200185940179.post-37553114106410404172011-10-03T08:58:00.000-04:002011-10-03T08:58:59.310-04:00Check, check, double checkI have my horse. Check<br />
I have my sword. Check<br />
I have my skull panties. Check<br />
I have my family and friends. Check<br />
I have lot's of love and support. Check<br />
I have lot's of wonderful people praying for me (THANK YOU!). Check<br />
<br />
I seem to have all the check's in place. But for whatever reason i can't quite start fighting yet. Maybe this week is, "The Week" and we will stop waiting and start doing... I'm ready...<br />
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My new fighting buddies<br />
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"I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it." —
<i>Maya Angelou</i><br />
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<i>...</i><br />
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<i><br /></i>Leontienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15311969195332643600noreply@blogger.com73tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8577797200185940179.post-58227085094951065932011-09-26T11:25:00.000-04:002011-09-26T11:25:05.629-04:00How a girls still loves her horse!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">It was 1998 and being in a different country (Canada), speaking a different language was not easy, but manageable. A bit harder to manage is riding 15 horses a day, cleaning stalls and look after the mommies and babies. But given there are 24 hours in a day, it is doable…</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">Nice thing about working with babies and mommies there are usually daddies too! And daddies make a difference! Since i was a little girl I had a soft spot for Walt Disney movies, you know the ones that always end right, the good guy gets the pretty girl and no animals die, ever, or the go to doggy heaven.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_prWwfNT98AU/TD4_zUm8DMI/AAAAAAAAACc/0qRnSk-0zus/s1600/classic+canter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_prWwfNT98AU/TD4_zUm8DMI/AAAAAAAAACc/0qRnSk-0zus/s320/classic+canter.jpg" /></a></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">So being in a foreign county with all these beautiful horses was just fantastic! There was one in particular, a Morgan stallion named Fox Trim Classic. He was just like the Black Stallion, but sweeter! Basically he was just big pup, but nobody had the guts to compare a horse to a dog, so i just thought he was fantastic. I had the pleasure to ride him in a big show two weeks after i got to meet him and every day after that. I just loved the “big” (only 15.2 which is really not that big) boy. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">I grew quite fond of his owner as well and I told her if I was EVER going to move to The States and if she EVER wanted to sell him for whatever reason I would take him! Off course being 19 years old and very optimistic and naive about live, I thought it was a reasonable suggestion...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">And live goes on.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">When we moved to the States in 2006 it never occurred to me that Classic, would still around. He had to be in his twenties and after a full life of breeding every mare presented to him, I didn’t think it was a possibility, of him being alive and kicking… </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">I was wrong (in a very good way, wrong)!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">In April of 2008 we got the earth shocking news that I had cancer. After that news I was very lost and lonely (even with all my loving family and friends surrounding me) and it was a hectic and stress full time. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">Two weeks after I </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">received the shocking news I got another phone call. From the woman who had Classic!?! If I would be interested in having him, he was all retired and she needed a good home for him, she was getting a divorce and needed to find him a good new home.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_prWwfNT98AU/TD5CX9RqL_I/AAAAAAAAACs/OBsD3_yWCQM/s1600/Classic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_prWwfNT98AU/TD5CX9RqL_I/AAAAAAAAACs/OBsD3_yWCQM/s320/Classic.jpg" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">After 12 years I said YES right away! It was just a gift from heaven, to let me know that I didn’t have to battle cancer all by myself …</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">So he came, a little more gray, being beautiful, understanding, sweet and powerful and during chemo, every time if I felt I just couldn’t do it no more I just had to look outside the window and see my black stallion and I know I could…</span><br />
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This all happened three years ago and i STILL look out the window every ten minutes to see if he is there. If we are at the farm and i know bad weather is coming, i will run home and make sure a he and his buddy Jones are ok. And yes, i will make Bastiaan go outside, right before we go to bed, and check up on him. Just in case... And i know Bastiaan doesn't mind...<br />
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I am also pretty sure that just like us, he's ready for round two and kick some cancer butt again. He sure is my Black Stallion!<br />
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This was one of my first posts from 2009 a little bit changed (no new pictures i just didn't have the time...), i hope you liked it (again)!<br />
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...<br />
We got home from Chicago and it is decision making time. What doctor, which hospital and what treatment... All of these different decisions make my head spin... Though choices are never easy ;-)<br />
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Leontienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15311969195332643600noreply@blogger.com87tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8577797200185940179.post-82584180225472287852011-09-22T10:25:00.001-04:002011-09-22T10:25:23.864-04:00Crazy Americans that I LOVE<br />
Ok, so last Monday the 15th I got this HUGE surprise!<br />
Never in a million years i would have thought that this would happen! I feel extremely blessed and thankful and much, much stronger now too fight this thing even harder!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J5bLtDsZD0s/Tns-5mAXSfI/AAAAAAAAAaU/yOIKknVJJJc/s1600/Leontien.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J5bLtDsZD0s/Tns-5mAXSfI/AAAAAAAAAaU/yOIKknVJJJc/s1600/Leontien.jpg" /></a></div>
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The sweet ladies from Real Farmwives of America put up a special Facebook page... for me!?!... called: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/LoveForLeontien"><span style="color: red;">Love for Leontien</span></a> to give me an extra push in the right direction (as in keep fighting)! But if you have no facebook (yet) or just quit facebook because of all the (crazy) changes you can also visit the <a href="http://www.realfarmwivesofamerica.com/2011/09/its-love-for-leontien-day.html"><span style="color: red;">Real Farmwives of America</span></a> blog and meet the ladies who were so incredibly sweet to get this whole crazy "Love Bombing" started! Well, and the Power to the Panties, Kick Cancer's Butt Movement of course... Hehe...</div>
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Just know we love you all for being soo good to me, everybody who commented, sent emails, sent cards, Facebooked, hyved, called us on the phone, texted, stopped by the house/farm and prayed for us AND being fantastic friends! We could not fight this fight without all of you!</div>
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At the moment were back in Chicago, tomorrow (hopefully) they can tell us what kind of treatment we are going to try... </div>
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It'll be alright.</div>
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And just in case you missed the first Crazy Americans and you are wondering what this crazy talk is about:</div>
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<a href="http://fourleafcloverdairy.blogspot.com/2011/06/crazy-americans-public-restrooms.html"><span style="color: red;">Crazy American's and Public Restrooms</span></a></div>
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Leontienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15311969195332643600noreply@blogger.com67tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8577797200185940179.post-27262946501570029012011-09-19T11:02:00.001-04:002011-09-19T11:02:39.649-04:00Dog Whisperer<br />
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I have absolutely no idea what our Jones is thinking most
of the time.</div>
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We tried to “teach” him stuff. And yes he knows; sit,
down, come, zit (Dutch for sit), pootje (give me a paw in Dutch) and AF! (means
stop it RIGHT NOW! in Dutch). But if we are walking over to my mom and dads
house and I try to call him to come back to me, he all of a sudden looses all
the hearing senses he had two minutes before and he will just look at me with this
smarty pants grin and keeps on trotting along (from a distance... yes).</div>
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I am NOT a dog whisperer. Not even close…</div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g01cVHloWg4/TnaZ-LZz1WI/AAAAAAAAAaI/ziiOxMqAWPc/s1600/baby+calf+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g01cVHloWg4/TnaZ-LZz1WI/AAAAAAAAAaI/ziiOxMqAWPc/s320/baby+calf+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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Lately I have been having some trouble sleeping and
because we don’t have central air we also don’t have air condition. So when it
gets really really hot (like it did a couple of weeks ago) Bastiaan installed
on of those air-conditioning things in the window of our bedroom. But, you
might know, that thing is LOUD! And that doesn't improve sleeping, so we just
had the window open… hoping for a nice breeze…</div>
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It was about 3 AM in the morning and I hear Jones barking, i just (almost) fell asleep and was NOT happy with this interruption.
He sometimes barks, but normally he just goes on for 3 barks and then he is silent
again. This time it just seemed he was barking his head off… for forever…</div>
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Really pissed and worried that Bastiaan would awake I
climbed out of bed stumbled around in the dark to find a robe, couldn’t find
one so I decided to run out of the bedroom half naked… Hoping all along that Jones wasn’t barking at
some killer on the loose, didn’t really want to make some killers day by
showing up all naked!</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-szVWBLzL55E/TnaaGajVmyI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/SLPkYfSWEaY/s1600/Baby+calf+Jones.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-szVWBLzL55E/TnaaGajVmyI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/SLPkYfSWEaY/s320/Baby+calf+Jones.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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I peeked true the window and didn’t see no killers, so I even
got more pissed, that crazy dog was
probably barking because of some skunk and I would run into it and it would
spray me all over with that stinky stuff…. while Jones would be running around
with his stupid grin on its face… Great!</div>
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While I was running thru the house I kinda forgot that I brought
a new friend for Classic the day before. The friend in question was a cute baby
calf all white and gray instead of white and black, like “normal” Holstein cows
are, that i took from the farm. I was sooo impressed with this baby calf I talked Bastiaan into keeping
it. And thus I had made a little stall besides Classic’s stall and had put the baby
calf, named her Stella, in there. </div>
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I was thinking about
Jones, being such a pain in the buttocks and trying to find my slippers and a jacket, (better not to run outside naked, even if it is 3 AM in the morning and we are
in the middle of nowhere) at the same time ripping the door open and start running towards the
barn.</div>
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Jones is barking even more (if that was even possible)
and anxious waiting for me to get in the barn…</div>
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I hit the light switch and Classic is standing there,
blinking his eyes as if trying to waking up but not really succeeding at it,
and Jones goes absolutely berserk!</div>
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I think, “O my gosh! What is up with this dog…, I think I might
need to KILL HIM!!!”</div>
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And then I see it…</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Mot-mXY0BvI/TnaZ_pNQcGI/AAAAAAAAAaM/_OWGgWS2zN4/s1600/baby+calf+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Mot-mXY0BvI/TnaZ_pNQcGI/AAAAAAAAAaM/_OWGgWS2zN4/s320/baby+calf+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Stella’s newly improved stall door is open….</div>
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“OH MY GOSH!!!”</div>
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It is dark outside, and this little 4 day old baby calf got out
and I have a major big stallion here that does NOT like baby calves!… What if
he runs into the fence cause all the barn doors are wide open and he can go
everywhere!… What if the little baby
calf gets lost!…. What if the little baby calf gets hit by a car!.... OH NO, I have to take care of ONE BABY CALF and I lost it the first day I have it
at our house!….</div>
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Needles to say I was a little worried…</div>
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Jones decides to just sit in front of the open door and
stops barking all together. And there in the corner of the stall I see something
white and gray. And Jones looks up at me with this look in his face like, “Look
mommy, the door was open so I decided to make A LOT of noise so you would wake
up and make sure you lock that door so my new friend does not get out…”</div>
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I gave him three cookies.</div>
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<o:p> </o:p>And a hug.</div>
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<o:p> </o:p>And one more cookie.</div>
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And told him he was a good, good dog.</div>
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…</div>
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Bastiaan have come back from Chicago, we have no real news to share except that we have to go back to Chicago this Wednesday to talk to more Melanoma specialists... we wait, and wait and wait... No news is good news, right?</div>
Leontienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15311969195332643600noreply@blogger.com106tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8577797200185940179.post-22758483195341876262011-09-15T09:47:00.000-04:002011-09-15T09:52:49.205-04:00Ugly things...Yep, this says it all...<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hh_d2xT2Tt8/TnFDu58-2qI/AAAAAAAAAaE/T2375dUHPWk/s1600/frog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hh_d2xT2Tt8/TnFDu58-2qI/AAAAAAAAAaE/T2375dUHPWk/s400/frog.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
And do you see those pieces of dust on its body???!!!<br />
<br />
Good thing I'm not scared of ugly things (yeah, yeah except spiders...)!<br />
<br />
Chicago here we come!<br />
<br />
<br />
...<br />
And for all your sweet ladies (and gentlemen) who wanted my address, here is the link to our website,<a href="http://www.fourleafcloverdairy.com/"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Four Leaf Clover Dairy</span></a>, (www.fourleafcloverdairy.com) and there you can find all our contact info! Thanks!!!<br />
<br />
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<br />Leontienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15311969195332643600noreply@blogger.com81tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8577797200185940179.post-44475552175871704852011-09-12T12:47:00.001-04:002011-09-12T12:47:30.631-04:00Arretjes Cake = Comfort Food<br />
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I wanted to do this for a long time so, here we go! Every gal or "though" guy needs his or her comfort food every now and then to keep on going,
no matter what the doctor says!</div>
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A couple of sweet people who where brave enough try the pepper
and ice cream… This recipe is much less exciting, but still very very good and no oven needed! If
you have been reading my stories for a while you might know that I love a Big
Mac every now and then, but this cake is just right up there on the list… The only
difference is that this is a “grandma used to teach us” authentic Dutch recipe.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PgMp00qWz9Y/Tm1Fbh-_KEI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/b475ajgDmOs/s1600/Arretjescake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PgMp00qWz9Y/Tm1Fbh-_KEI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/b475ajgDmOs/s1600/Arretjescake.jpg" /></a></div>
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I promise you if you finally have all the ingredients in
house (which are not too complicated to get) this should NOT take more than 15
minutes… Oh well maybe 20, depends if you have your kids, nephews and nieces, friends, friend’s
kids or grandma herself helping you with the “smashing”…</div>
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What you need:</div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span>A bag of animal crackers (you only need about
half the bag but the rest you can eat while you are “cooking”)…</div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span>12 tablespoons of confectioners powdered sugar</div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span>1 egg</div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span>5 tablespoons of Nestle cocoa (I am firmly against
everything Hershey….)</div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span>And butter, about 12 tablespoons of it, as in normal
Imperial (at Walmart) sticks of butter</div>
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If you double everything you get a nice cake form full of
yummy sweetness...<br />
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How to make it:<br />
Break (smashing is even more fun) all
the animal crackers into two or three pieces. You don’t want to make them too
small but if you keep them as a whole they are too big. Melt the butter into a
fluid mass. You can do this in the microwave (use a lid) or gradually on your
stove. Add the sugar, cocoa and egg to your melted butter. Whip until you have
no more lumps. Then add the crackers into your mixture while it is still fluid.
Put the whole mix into a cake pan which
you have lined with aluminum foil, to take the cake out more easily after its done. You need to use
a LOT of crackers, remember every animal counts! Hehe…</div>
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You let this sit for a night, and yes this is the HARD
part because if you are like me; a little (very much so) impatient you just can’t
wait the 12 hours until the next morning… Just wait about 5 hours and it will probably be fine… </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--QWhbz2ZrjU/Tm1FigJTLOI/AAAAAAAAAaA/lW86YncqLZI/s1600/animal+crackers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--QWhbz2ZrjU/Tm1FigJTLOI/AAAAAAAAAaA/lW86YncqLZI/s320/animal+crackers.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The trick is to get it stiff/hard enough so you can slice
the pieces like you would do a normal cake. But even if it is not very slice able it still looks pretty funny and it sure tastes good…</div>
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I know you are NOT supposed to count the calories in this
cake, so I wouldn’t recommend to make it once a week… although it is very VERY addicting.</div>
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Now that I am a full time swimmer (we went twice in two
days, whoohoo…) to build up my stamina and overall physique, to be better
prepared to handle the side effects of the chemo (we probably are going to
start soon) I think it is also very important to make sure you eat your comfort
foods (yes, besides all the healthy stuff) soooo, what better way to do that with some authentic Dutch Arretjes Cake!</div>
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I hope you enjoy and please let me know the results of your Dutch "cooking"!</div>
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....</div>
Leontienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15311969195332643600noreply@blogger.com68tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8577797200185940179.post-44696328641931228442011-09-08T10:58:00.000-04:002011-09-08T10:58:49.942-04:00Rainbow colored basket case<br />
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My gosh!</div>
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I just can’t keep up! It is truly amazing what you guys
are doing!</div>
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I feel simply overwhelmed with sweetness, kind thoughts
and prayers and it sure is a good kind off “being overwhelmed” and yes I’m
going to visit all of your blogs soon! I should have some “free” time coming up…</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pzsyFUZqw-k/Tmgt-ISZXiI/AAAAAAAAAZ0/rD24qMguuQ8/s1600/Jones+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pzsyFUZqw-k/Tmgt-ISZXiI/AAAAAAAAAZ0/rD24qMguuQ8/s320/Jones+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I was planning on a funny story… I have several… But they don’t want to come out of my head.
Last week has been a roller coaster and we haven’t seen the end yet. Since I posted
last Monday I have not seen a doctor. Apparently it is really hard to figure
out what is going in my breast on so they need some more time. In the mean time
Bastiaan and the rest of the family have insisted I go get a second opinion, so
I made some phone calls and maybe next week we are going on a little trip… to a
special cancer center that is. </div>
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Which makes me very scared, because I like to stay here,
in my own bed. With our own bathroom (that is getting really pretty by the way)
and with our own animals. I don’t really want to be shipped off to a place
where there are only sick people in a strange hospital in a strange bed without
my wonderful stud and crazy Jones who keeps barking at coyotes in the middle of
the night (which drives me absolutely NUTS…)! Last time we did this (the chemo
thing) I was absolutely happy to go get “better” every other day to go and
focus on the bookkeeping, talking to Colby about the girls, and minding my
brothers business. So now I am scared that if I don’t have all these things to
keep me busy, how in the world am I suppose to get better…</div>
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But…</div>
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Maybe being away from home makes me focus more on getting
better, instead of worrying about the farm all the time (which is a common
thing for farmers, and which comes like a second nature to me, I was after all
the one with the “American dream” to milk cows in this amazing country)…. and actually
GET BETTER?</div>
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Though choice…</div>
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Today (Thursday) we go to Dr Nala and hopefully we will
find out about what the game plan is. And if she thinks that maybe we need to
go to “a special place” I think I will pack our suitcase and stuff in full of “home”,
get my scull pantie (yes I really need
some more of those) and hop on the plane with Bastiaan, see how windy the windy
city really is… </div>
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In the mean time I’m gonna make one hundred mistakes a
day at the farm (cause I just can’t focus), automatically knowing my sweet
hubby, mom & dad and little brother are fixing them behind my back, continue
being a little rainbow colored chameleon who changes color ever five minutes (just
like my emotions, by the way, this sound WAY more romantic then it really is…)
and just ENJOY and feeling incredibly BLESSED with reading your comments,
suggestions and cyber hugs!</div>
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<br /></div>
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Cancer butt kicking is going to be a piece of cake with
all of you by my side…</div>
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Leontienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15311969195332643600noreply@blogger.com70