Through my eyes..: Fundrasiers!

May 21st was the date of his first chemo.

Chemo after affects were awful! Rich was very, very tired. I remember talking about what to expect following chemo & we both hoped he would simply be tired. We both could handle sleep, right? Well not only was he exhausted, he was flu~like sick, mixed with nausea, diarreha, and so weak that a trip to the bathroom would lead him to heavy breathing and near passing out. It was crazy mean! I remember really wishing he would wake up to eat or drink. On May 25th he got out of bed, so five days post chemo. He showered and came down stairs for a few hours. Bear & her family came over, then Ryan & Lenora, & then our Bishop. While the Bishop was here he had to excuse himself. He was in a tremendous amount of pain. I would never wish this disease on anyone, it is awful watching someone you love suffer like that. The pain meds barely helped & just caused more issues really. On the 26th he was awake long enough to watch movies, and visit with Wendi & Smash. They came with gifts. On May 28th we were able to go to a BBQ with some friends. It was SOO nice getting out, and our friends are soo nice. (his cop friends from the county) It wiped him out, but they will never really know what that friend time did for him, and for me. I loved seeing him out, in the sunshine & laughing with his friends. He needed that. May 30th Cort & his family, Susan, and Brian came over. It was nice! Friends/family really have been our saving grace! Many people had been bringing us dinners, it helped soo much. I was in a funk that I just couldn't pull myself out of. Although we were positive, I had NO desire to do the things I should had been doing. I learned to let it all go, and do what I could, when I could. Homemade dinners only came when they were delivered. I am just now getting back into the swing of things, and I am not all that great about it even still. (6 mo later) I spent a lot of my time laying in bed with him. I didn't care if he was awake, or sleeping. I just wanted to be with him. My kids were pretty good about it, and a lot of the time you could find the entire family in bed. We enjoyed just talking or watching t.v. Friends had also been planning on having some fundraisers for us.

Averi got her wheels turning and did a yard sale. It was amazing! She raised $800 from friends and family. She did it all by herself too! While her mom was in bed, she was coming up with a plan on how to help make things better. She was trying to decide if the money should go to help find a cure for cancer or to help her daddy pay his medical bills. She chose to put it towards the medical expense. Rich gave her $50 for working so hard. She had painted bottle caps, over 100 of them, and turned them into magnets. It was pretty cute! She sold her toys, and people donated items and baked items to help too! WOW! We were in shock! Rich was not able to come outside, as he was sick, but it was amazing being out there and seeing all the people that came to support us, and her. She did such a great job! Ryan Wilcox came up with the idea for a fundrasier the day we confirmed it was in fact cancer. Many others jumped in, and went with it. They ended up having a HUGE yard sale and raised $10,000. This really is where my lesson learned so early in this journey helped me. I had to remember to just say, THANKYOU.

I almost detactched myself from the fundraisers, guess that is how I accepted it all. I mean, I loved hearing about it, and spreading the news on FB, but the actual money part almost didnt exist in my mind. I would forget it was all for us... I did love seeing and feeling all of the support and none of it had anything to do with money. With that said, that $10,000 made it so that I was able to only have one summer camp session, rather than two. It also helped with medical bills, and regular ones too. We still have some, and it gives GREAT comfort knowing we will be OK & we can fall back on our savings if needed. Since I am talking about friends supporting I should mention that in the begining I was not very good at answering door bells, calls, messages, etc. I was sad. I was numb. I was strong. I was depressed. I was positive. I was all these emotions all in the same day. I didn't know how to talk to people. I didn't want to re tell the same things over and over. I didn't want to 'vent' or 'cry' on someones shoulder. I didn't want to help them while listening to them cry. I just wanted to be with my family and take each day at a time. I felt bad for not being better about being there for them, or keeping them more informed but I really needed to pull back. With that said, I LOVED knowing that people cared. I did read the emails and messages and they did matter. As time went by I got better at being able to pick up the phone, etc. I still like to stay close to home. I also created a FB page where I would update daily to keep those that really cared, informed and updated. I still do.

Showing support in any way possible!

Rich has two awesome friends that put together a soft ball tourney. That was a blast! It was so neat to be there and experience all of the love and support, once again. They had a few booths, and BBQ cooking! Everyone had a GrEaT time. Again~ It was amazing to feel all of that love and support. Thank you Cort & Steve. We can never re~pay you for the great therapy you gave! (:

Cortney & Rich

Rich & Steve

Cousin Heidi & Rich

Helping sell goodies for the Softball Tourney, along with some other adorable little girls.

Another fundrasier that our amazing friends and family did was through Anything For A Friend. WOW! The work that these people had to do to make this a success was cRaZy! I am still in awe everytime I think about it. It wasn't just the people that you 'think' would do it, it was sooo many others! Half of the helpers I do not even know! It's wonderful how good people are. I hate to toss out names because I wasn't there, I didn't really see who did what. But I did hear over and over from so many people that my two cousins were amazing! I know that my mom's friend Tammy, and our cousin Annette were mentioned in those comments too! I just know that it took everyone to make it what is was.

Jazz Bear came to the Anything For A Friend Event

They had a 5k at the Anything For A Friend Event. This is my dad and daughter crossing the finish line!

Averi designed this shirt for all 5k runners!

Rich, Chad, & Ryan BFF's

SOOO many people gave time away from their lives & family to help our lives. I can't even express what that day and all the effort behind that day did for us. My husband was able to focus on all of the love others were showing him, rather than all the pain cancer was giving him. Unless you have been there, you can't even imagine what that meant to him, and to my family. The Aug 4th fundrasier raised over $40,000 to help us with medical bills. We don't have to stress when those bills come in. The stress load that is lifted off us is more than words can express. THANKYOU to everyone that did ANYTHING at all to make that day what it was. We will always have that memory. Again, to us, it was not ever about the money. It was/is soo much more. It gave us a positive focus. THANKYOU!

AND IT WAS SUCH AN AWESOME PARTYYYY!