A December to Remember? here's hoping!!!

Well it has been quite awhile since I have updated Reenie's blog my only excuse is that the last update had such good news I guess I wanted to sit back and enjoy it. We are usually a little leery of the good news since we have gone through this step before yet we know that as long as the treatment is achieving good results we have hope and it is that hope that gives our fighter added strength. Now that the holiday season is here again another realization is that Reenie has been fighting this latest battle for over a year now and it takes one helluva strong person to endure ongoing chemotherapy treatment on a weekly basis, receiving this weekly has reeked havoc on her blood cells both red and white and left her with frequent bone pain. She has persevered and done so so gracefully its really inspiring. The doctors decided that the since we received good results in October we could dial back the regiment from every week to 3 weeks of treatment and 1 week of just hydration so that Reenie could have a week to recuperate. The new regiment has given our warrior the much needed break her body needs, but in November her tumor markers increased slightly which our team of doctors believe had more to do with skipped treatment than increased tumor activity, we're hoping they're right.
  Reen has tackled the upcoming Christmas season head on and wants to make sure everyone has a great Christmas. It has been great to see a different woman this year at holiday time and it is because of the renewed hope that we have found the right treatment, and it is also because of the unwavering support that the Haas family has received from our amazing friends and family. I was asked recently by an old friend who has received similar news about a loved one "how do we get through this"?  I didn't have to think too long about that question because I think of it everyday....We get through this because of our support group, our group has been there every step of the way, we get through this with prayer I think I have prayed so much this past year I may have become a deacon. We get through this because Reenie doesn't give up and when she gets down its not for long she has a way of keeping us upbeat because she hasn't lost her quick wit or sense of humor.

I titled this a December to Remember not because I have purchased a Lexus for my beautiful wife but because of more news and blessings bestowed on our family, yes we have endured alot of pain and still have a few hurdles to jump we still receive blessings each and everyday ,sometimes we have to look extra hard and sometimes they appear out of nowhere. Kristen and Josh are expecting and due May26st, we found out today that our first grandchild will be a BOY and as you can imagine our Pink Warrior can't wait to start shopping. We also found out recently that Reenie was nominated by her cousin Eileen, along with a letter from her kids to be a recipient of the Village of Tinley Park's "Tinley Wish" program. The program helps 7 to 10 families or individuals who may be suffering from various hardships, they help ease the pain and burden experienced during the Christmas season. I first thought that I wanted no part of this that I thought their has to be others that had more hardships than we have had, but I guess I was thinking of myself not Reenie initially. Yes she has had it hard, harder than most this year, yes she has stressed how are we going to get through Christmas and yes she deserves a great day just for her so on Saturday Dec. 18th the Tinley Wish foundation made up of our community, our Fire Department and our Police Department will get together for a parade and stop at our humble home to wish our Pink Warrior a Merry Christmas and help give her a December to Remember!! Love to all and again thanks to everyone for your constant support and keep the prayers coming.