Halfway Through

Glenn is now halfway through his treatments!  His chemo doctor is really pleased with how Glenn is handling the chemo and, even though nausea has started to creep up, it has still been pretty minimal.
He went in for blood work today and everything is still looking really good.  The main concern right now is making sure Glenn stays healthy and that he doesn't catch a nasty cold, which is easier said than done this time of year.

One of the things that Glenn has been enjoying during his radiation treatments is bringing a CD to listen to and trying to stump the radiation techs by playing music they haven't heard before.  His favorite is music Brennan has written and recorded with his band.

 
Glenn also enjoyed having a four-day break from treatments over the Thanksgiving holiday, and got a lot of much-needed rest.  He and Mom also loved having the boys in town and are so grateful for everything they did- including the difficult task of putting up the Christmas lights.  Now they are ready for Christmas!

A Lot to Be Thankful For

As Thanksgiving approaches we usually spend time thinking about all that we have, and this year is no exception.  We are a truly blessed family!  This might sound odd, considering the past month and a half, but we really do have so much to be thankful for.

One of the biggest things that I have been grateful for is how close this experience has brought our family.  We were a pretty tight-knit bunch before, but this has made everyone appreciate each other more and also express that love by calling, Face Timing, texting, etc.  It's obvious we all care about each other, and I'm so happy to have such a wonderful family.

More things to be thankful for:

~Glenn's doctor visits have been going really well, which is a huge relief.  His blood-work is in a healthy range, even with the daily chemo and radiation treatments.  He also is experiencing very little side-effects, which has been another blessing. He is staying positive, and we are all so grateful that he is doing so well physically.
~We are also so lucky to know so many wonderful people who have sent really lovely emails, stopped by for short visits, brought numerous meals, and offered all kinds of service to Mom and Glenn.  It's so comforting to know that there are such great people who are willing to help in any way they can.  We are so thankful for all of you and the ways in which you have blessed our lives.
~Glenn might get the ok to drive again! At a recent visit, the doctor told Glenn not to put his Beamer up for sale just yet, which has put a giant smile on Glenn's face. 

These are just a few of the infinite things we have to be thankful for.  Mom and Glenn are looking forward to a day of celebration tomorrow as they have a quiet dinner with family and friends.  Have a happy Thanksgiving!

Meet our Crown Jewel!

Happy Birthday Lindsay!  Today is our daughter Lindsay’s 30^th birthday!  We want to wish her a happy birthday and let her know how much we love her. She does so much for us; we don’t even know where to begin to thank her for everything. She’s the daughter every parent wishes they had. We feel blessed EVERY day that she is ours.

 

When Lindsay was told that Glenn was in the hospital, she wanted to come see him immediately. She wanted to be with him and was so frustrated at being so far away. As we assessed the reality of the logistics and that our needs while we were at the hospital were being met, we felt it was best she wait to come. It was then that she came up with the idea to start this blog. What a fantastic idea it was! It truly has been a blessing for us and given Lindsay a way to help us everyday. She has been able to communicate for us to each of you in a way we would never have been able to do ourselves. We are so grateful to her. She has always been the “central command center” for our family. She is kind, compassionate, talented, a great friend, and obviously beautiful! She definitely keeps everyone together!

She has lightened our load in many other ways too. Her husband, Jared,---yes we have a son and a son-in-law named Jared, is a graduate student at Penn State. He is studying Healthcare Administration. He has provided us with information and connected us to resources we would not have had the time to research ourselves. They have both taken the time every day to check on Glenn and give him the love and encouragement he has needed.

And, they have given us the cutest grandbabies in the world…but don’t get us started on that!

Glenn and Lindsay have had many wonderful memories throughout the years. Glenn would do anything for her, and she would do the same for him. While Lindsay was a student at University of Idaho, she was president of an organization that was selling programs for the football game as a fundraiser (U of I vs BSU). We volunteered to help sell them so we could all sit together at the game. One of the requirements, however, was that we wear the black Vandal Game Day shirt. Glenn said “No problem!”  After the programs were sold, we went into the Kibbie Dome to watch the game. There were a few comments made from some of the students when we didn’t stand for the school song. At that point, Glenn stands up and takes off his Vandal Game Day shirt. Underneath he had his Bronco orange T-shirt and turned to the crowd and said, “I’ll do anything for my Vandal daughter, but I’m still a Bronco at heart!” The crowd cheered.

Glenn wore his U of I Dad shirt today in honor of Lindsay’s birthday.

A daughter holds your hand for awhile, but holds your heart forever.

There's something like a line of gold thread running through a man's words when he talks to his daughter, and gradually over the years it gets to be long enough for you to pick up in your hands and weave into a cloth that feels like love itself.
-- John Gregory Brown

Have a happy birthday Lindsay! (Even though I must say I liked it better when we were both 29!) We love you with all of our hearts and can’t wait to see you soon!

Not All Super Heroes Wear Capes

First things first. Glenn and I would like to thank all of you from the depths of our hearts for the prayers and positive thoughts on our behalf the past month. Many days have not been easy. We know if it had not been for the faith and prayers of each of you, we would not be making the progress that we are. We have so much to be grateful for. The love and compassion we have felt from our friends and family have buoyed us and we are so thankful to have all of you in our lives.

When we heard the devastating news, I called our kids from the emergency room to let them know. There were still so many unknowns as we waited for Glenn to be transported from St. Luke’s to St. Al’s so Dr. Andersen could perform the surgery. Jared said, “I’ll be right there as soon as I can.” And he was. He flew in from Portland on the next flight and I honestly don’t know what we would have done without him.

Jared stayed by Glenn’s side for the next two weeks. He worked with him to build strength in his left side, practice his respiratory exercises to keep his lungs clear, handled the nausea problems like a champ, kept the pillows propped so Glenn was comfortable and coaxed him on every day. He also took care of the things that needed to be done at home for me so that I could stay at the hospital. His "Can Do" and positive attitude is larger than life.  Just what we needed.

As Glenn progressed, Jared became his Google search engine. They would be talking about something, be curious about it, and Glenn would have Jared look it up. Has there ever been a football game where a penalty flag was not thrown? What is a diacritic? Jared would help Glenn’s mind become stronger as well as his body.

We are grateful to Jared beyond words. I have always known how much Glenn loves Jared. To watch Jared exercise such love, concern and compassion for Glenn as a son to a father has touched my heart the same as watching Glenn’s love for him.

We also know Jared would not have been able to do all of the things he has done for us if it was not for his amazing wife, Jamie. We love Jamie so much. She has supported Jared in everything he has done. Jamie and Brennan are in school and were preparing for mid-terms. They came as soon as they were finished with classes. Jamie took care of things at our home and helped the boys get everything ready for Glenn's return. It was a comfort to know we had her to supervise the manly force!

Brennan has always been my calmness in the eye of the storm. He gives us such comfort and peace. He’s my other IT guy and provided the technical knowledge and skills when it came time to move Glenn’s elaborate computer system in his office at home. We’re so grateful for everything he’s done for us, especially entertaining Glenn in the hospital. He has the same spirit of harmony that Glenn does and brings such a balance to our family.

When the three of them returned to Portland, we felt a huge emptiness. They had all stepped in and taken care of what we needed and helped us be prepared for what was ahead. Glenn said all of the “encouragement” of getting two boys to the rank of Eagle Scout had apparently paid off!

Jared and Jamie were able to come back on Friday and have spent the weekend raking leaves, cleaning up the yard, and getting us ready for winter. They also helped Glenn get his things from his office at work—not an easy day. They cooked amazing food for us. Jared loved hanging out at the house with Glenn while Jamie distracted me with some retail therapy. It was so nice to have a few days with some of the old “normalcy” to them. We, again, are so grateful for the love and compassion of our family.

Thank you everyone for all you have done for us. There are so many heroes in our life and we truly appreciate everything you do.

Love,

Glenn and Linda

P.S. I can’t wait to tell you about our daughter! That’s next…….

We Acquire Strength From What We Have Overcome

This last week has been really good and Glenn has continued to recuperate well.  He has been really busy doing radiation treatments, and although they leave him feeling tired and worn out, it is nothing more than we were expecting and he has been doing great.

The Haar Men

One thing that has really lifted his spirits has been having his brother, Gaylon, and his nephew, Ty, in town.  He has loved being around family and it has really helped him stay positive.

Besides short visits from family and trips to the Cancer Center, Glenn has been spending most of his time at home, where he has continued getting the rest he needs.  He is still very limited to the number of visitors that he can have, so please get a hold of Mom if you want to stop by for a short visit.  We're so grateful for all of you and the wonderful messages you are sending Glenn.  Please keep them coming!

It's Getting...Better

Things have been going well.  Glenn got to go home Thursday night and has been enjoying a nice, peaceful recovery.  He has been doing so much better this time around, mostly because we are giving him lots and lots of quiet so his brain can heal.  We are so grateful for everyone being so understanding and respectful of the no-visitor policy.  We know there are many people who care about him and want to stop by for a hug and a  short visit.  Hopefully, that will be soon, but for now, please continue to send your regards through email and blog comments. 

Glenn has also been doing well with his chemo and radiation treatments.  They leave him tired, but that is just because his body is busy fighting, which is what we want.  I am so amazed at everything he is willing to endure, just for the slight chance that he will have more time with us.  He is such a wonderful man!