It has been a while . More than a year, and much has happened to Dennis.  Taj now calls him grandpa. I would like you to continue to participate by looking up Dennis at his new page http://www.whatmattersnow.org/visit/dennis-neill you can contribute photos, sign the guest book, or just read. We would appreciate your thoughts, love from Faith and Dennis

Ringing out the Old Year and Ringing in the New Year

We are awaiting results of  the end of year MRI in the Cancer Center at Swedish Hospital today, after ten days of travel and enjoying a trip to Denver visiting Erin, Glen, new grand baby "Taj", Heather, cousin Bobbi, friends Gary and Debbie, Kez and Doug.... Phew, we are tired and ready to be home but very thankful for the time with friends and family, a few pounds heavier, and generally in good spirits.  Our annual eye exams went well and bleeding in Dennis's retina has subsided so that there are not the worries of last year.  Heather is off on a cruise to New Zealand for14 days, and Erin has off from teaching school so everyone except Bobbi is getting some r&r for the new year.  All is good with the world, the Broncos and Seahawks are doing great.... And well, Dennis is feeling good...
Our friends Karen and Jim are celebrating the completion of their new house in Thorne Bay with a big bash on new years so we'll hop on the ferry to celebrate with them for a day or two.
When I can post some family pictures I will.  Results from the MRI show no changes!, everything stable for another three months! Happy New Year to all, With best wishes for good health to you all, Faith and Dennis

A Mule Deer from Montana

Dennis has been busy on his six weeks down south. Besides meeting his new grand baby he was able to bag a 4 X 5 mule deer within 200 yards of the Missouri River. This hunting spot is just two miles west of the town of Fort Benton. Dennis really enjoys this spot and had friends in the area. He also replaced the engine in his truck in Dillon, Montana. THAT is a whole other story. He hunted in Montana, Wyoming, and South Dakota.  He drove the newly fixed truck home via ferry. He got home right in time for Thanksgiving and to help with the move in to the Winter Arts Faire here at home.

Please realize we have a new PO Box and Zipcode.  Wait to send holiday mail to us until you hear.  We'll be updating you all on the medical results from the last visit.

Wishing you the best for the holidays, Faith and Dennis.

Dennis becomes a Grandfather! Taharqa Israel Neill Williams born on September 27th 2012 to Erin and Glen Williams

So there's a new baby in the family!!  A 7 pound 1 ounce baby boy was born to Erin (Neill) and her husband Glen Williams.  He has been growing by leaps and bounds.  Dennis was able to see the baby on his trip south.  At the time of this picture he had grown significantly.  Check out those camo pants!!  "Taj" is his nickname-he was 7 pounds one ounce when born, and he is quite a chunk now.  Further updates as we get them.  Hugs to everyone, Dennis and Faith

The Latest MRI shows GREAT NEWS

Dennis and I recently returned from Swedish Hopsital in Seattle with good news!  Tumors that had been measured and shown in dye flares in the last MRI two months ago showed a 40-60% reduction in size AND NO NEW TUMORS WERE NOTED!  Dr. Kaplan was thrilled with the results and noted that in about three months Dennis will have been on the temodar oral chemotherapy one year. 

Dennis also had a productive meeting with the speech pathologist who is working on exercises that use the brain to help with short term memory issues and the anomia, or inability to use nouns propoerly. 

Summer has finally hit our island in southeast Alaska.  Dennis fills his days with hikes, berry picking, helping me with Blueberry festival doings, and planning fall hunts...We are both looking forward to traveling to Denver area to meet the new grandbaby this fall.  Dennis has hunting plans for Montana, Wyoming, and South Dakota this year.

Faith's comfort Quilt that went to a healing friend

Although blood tests have shown no change, at the end of a year the doctors like to take patients off the chemotherapy-it causes leukemia or blood borne cancers with continued use.  We are staying in Alaska while I work on the Forest and looking forward to Dennis's steady improvements throughout the Fall.  Many of our friends have become ill lately and we send prayers and best wishes to you to steadily improve and regain health, Faith and Dennis

20 Years Together

For the last 20 years we try to celebrate this anniversary by doing a fun trip.  Sandwiched in between this fun trip to southwest Washington and Long Beach were trips to the medical folks in Seattle.  The good news is the bleeding in Dennis's left eye has stopped, so there was no need to start treating it with anything.  One less medication is always good news. So we hung around the beach and looked at old houses for sale and went to Fort Clatsop See Dennis above and then I went to a quilt store and Dennis went to some gun stores.  We did a lot of sleeping and ate good food. Overall it was a good trip and we were glad to be home in the end despite the rain and cold weather.  Hope your summer is starting out grand, Faith and Dennis

Spring visits to Colorado and Missouri

Heather, Dennis, and Erin with a Baby boy bot in the belly!

It was sunny in the mile high city of Denver as we landed in the Plains ( of Kansas) to visit Heather after her surgery for the removal of a Schwanomma and see Erin and Glen. Many thanks to our friends The Qualls for giving us a pace to stay. We now have the great news that Heather is recovering well, out walking with her dog Charlie, and the happy (Erin and Glen) couple is expecting a boy in September. Then we were off to visit Dennis's mom Betty in Missouri and to celebrate mom's day with her. We saw lots of relatives, went to a graduation party, and enjoyed the relatively cool spring weather. Then we were back through Seattle for a visit to the oncologist and another MRI. Dennis has been feeling less pain in his hands and fists and that is good. He has been experiencing some spins in his brain that make him feel poorly. The oncologist has cut the amount of melatonin he is taking from 20 mg to 10 mg. The MRI results indicate that the rumors have not changes in size, they are stable, and some new flourescing areas are still present. So we are to return in two months. Next week we celebrate being together 20 years. We'll take a short break and go to Long Beach in southwest Wahington state. We are staying in a b&b and going to just chill for awhile. Then back north to Seattle to see the retina specialist and see if there is any more bleeding in the left eye. We really want all of you to know that the blogspot will be continued to keep you up to date. Faith has been really busy at work since March: a youth art show, a youth and educator summit on climate change, and lastly the completion of two interpretive films for the visitor centers. We hope to spend more time with each other as the year progresses. Happy summer to you all, Faith and Dennis