Oklahoma Relative Visits Margaret

(9/29/2007) Above: Merle, Margaret, Karen, & Wanda gather for a photo Saturday afternoon at the Griffin Place in Glendale, Arizona.

Left: Margaret shows Merle her various artworks from the "Boobie Series," which deals with her breast cancer diagnosis, treatment and recovery last year.

Margaret had a wonderful visit Saturday when Ken's mom and sister dropped by with Aunt Merle, who came all the way from Oklahoma to give Margaret a hug. Wanda and her husband Marvin had just returned from an automobile trip across the USA, visiting grandchildren, brothers, sisters, nephews, neices, and other relatives. Merle hitched a ride for the last part of the trip, with plans to stay with Arizona family members in Flagstaff, Payson, and Phoenix for a couple of months. The three ladies had a pleasant visit with Margaret & Ken that lasted most of the afternoon, until Merle and Wanda had to begin their 2-hour drive to the cool mountain pines of Payson.

ART E-GRAM

"Interestingly, the heading of this post is an anagram of Margaret's name. Just another amazing thing about her... She visited her favorite local art museum a couple of weeks ago, which energized her and was very enjoyable. Months ago, when she was hospitalized, barely able to walk a few steps, it was difficult to visualize her returning to her interests & pursuits or being out and about like this. But there IS life after leukemia treatment! Margaret doesn't dwell on what she has had to endure. She simply moves forward and gets back to her life, slowly but steadily. Her progress the past few weeks has been wonderful to see. She is so much more like herself again. Look at that smile!"

-Ken

Art Rejuvenates the Mind, Soul, & Body

"Two weeks ago, while daughter Jessica was still in town, Margaret joined her for a visit to a favorite place: the Phoenix Art Museum. Still wary of crowded locations, Margaret nevertheless has begun accompanying friends and family members, making small excursions to public places when few people are expected to be there. This helps banish the atmosphere of confinement she has been feeling at home.

"Jessica and Margaret enjoyed this mother-daughter outing and viewed works of some of their favorite artists."

-Ken

100 Day Celebration for Margaret

On Sunday, some friends and family gathered to celebrate an important milestone in Margaret's recovery from leukemia. The first 100 days after a bone marrow transplant is normally the most critical period, and she surpassed that a few days ago. The second reason for celebrating was that the results of her most recent bone marrow test showed no signs of leukemia remaining, along with normal cell growth.

In this photo, Erin and Jessica are presenting their mom with a special ice cream cake to mark the occasion.

Margaret is definitely on the road to recovery. She continues treatment related to the transplant issues. With the love of family & friends, and the dedication of medical & nursing staff, God has given Margaret a new life.

Good Friends Celebrate

Margaret's dear friends, enjoying each other's company at the celebration of her recent good news. From left to right, Kathy, Kate, and Mary. Looking at this photograph, Margaret says, "Just imagine me with these girls when we were in our twenties, carrying backpacks and hiking down the Havasupai Trail in the Grand Canyon. We've been through so much together."

A Margarita with Good Friends

To celebrate the milestone of over 100 days since the bone marrow transplant, and the awesome results of a new bone marrow test that definitively revealed no traces of leukemia remaining, Margaret has her first margarita since beginning treatment ("Doctor's orders," she says). In this photo, her neighbor Becki (left) and long-time friend Claudia (center) join her in toasting her survival and successful defeat of leukemia.

Day +102 and No More Leukemia!

Margaret's brother Raymond celebrates the wonderful milestone along with mother Carmen and his wife Sally. These three have been strongly supportive during Margaret's illness and treatments. Raymond saved Margaret's life by donating his bone marrow, Carmen has been a loving, concerned mother who inspired Margaret during dark times,and Sally has always been there, without question, whenever Margaret, Carmen, or Raymond needed her help.

The Celebration is a Chance to Talk with Cousins

Margaret's daughters chat with her niece Crystal during the celebration on Sunday. These cousins have been companions and friends since they were toddlers. Now that they live in three different states, the opportunity to catch up on things was a nice bonus at the celebration.