I’ve known my oldest friend, Mareen Nedved, since the early ‘70s. She lives in Garner (remember Kelly and Andrew who visited this week? Andrew is her grandson) and she has recently had some health problems herself but I’m really here asking for cards for her sister Marsha. I know this request is coming close on the heals of the Lovelace request but it’s urgent and I hope you’ll forgive me. Here is Marsha’s story told by Mareen.
Marsha Johnson
1135 Allen Ave
Garner, IA 50438
My name is Mareen and Marsha Johnson is my sister. Eight years ago she was feeling sick one night – had a lot of pain and saw her doctor. The local doctor took a blood test and sent Marsha to Des Moines right away. She said she couldn’t – she would just go to our local hospital. The doctor said no, I think you have something going on. Long story short, they were going to remove her gallbladder but when they lifted it up they saw a tumor in her lower intestine. They closed her up and wanted her to heal until they got the biopsy results. When they did they found out it was cancer. She had surgery again and found out the tumor was touching her liver and her pancreas. They decided to do the Whipple procedure on her so they took the head of her pancreas out as well. Two days later she got very very sick. They found out that there was a leak in the sutures and all the bile was going into her stomach. She went in again for surgery. She was in the hospital close to a year. She came home, got sick again, had sepsis. She has had sepsis three times in eight years! She has continued to have chemo the last 7 1/2 years and four years ago she had a bowel obstruction. They put her in the local hospital and then told her to go home and enjoy what time she had left. Her family decided she needed to go back to Des Moines where she had the original surgery. They did surgery on her once again and she came home. She is a true fighter, hands down.
Recently she had her PET scan and it showed cancer in her abdomen, in her lungs and in her neck!!!! She is currently awaiting an appointment up at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota to see if she is able to be on a clinical trial. Anyone will tell you that she has determination like no other.
I know that she would enjoy getting cards from anybody who feels like they would like to write to her. She’s not a quilter, but she does cross stitch and just finished a beautiful piece for my grandson. If you feel inclined, please send her a card. I know she would appreciate it. She loves to be outdoors in the flowers as well. Thank you in advance. Her very supportive family has been at her side every step of the way.
From Mary:
So you can tell that Marsha is very sick. Mareen says she has never heard her complain but she must be discouraged. Oh, boy, that wouldn’t be me – I’d be so fed up after all this time but cards in the mail will definitely cheer her up – like I said, I’m asking again very soon after the last cancer diagnosis for the Lovelaces but help if you can. I just know Marsha will love going to the mailbox when she can pick up a greeting card from a stranger or local friend who knows she’s under the weather.
THANK YOU!!!
Reader photos
I mowed this afternoon in the heat but I will now need to wait until after we get some rain. Southern Iowa is getting storms tonight with flood warnings. Sigh. Another friend in Kansas said he got 8” rain in two days. Wow. I even started my irrigation this afternoon after I mowed, that’s how dry we are.
I’m hungry for a cold pasta salad – any good ideas?
Just watched the end of the Knicks-Spurs game and another unbelievable ending!! Wow, these dramatic endings are hard on my sleep – as well as Hazel who just would not settle down last night and when she doesn’t sleep, I don’t sleep.
Mary,
Pasta salad sounds so good! Maybe I will try to make some tomorrow. Thanks for the ideas.
I love the picture of the cat and goat on the picnic table. All the quilts are beautiful again today . Thanks for posting them.
A note to Mareen, I am so sorry for your sisters struggle with cancer. I wrote a card tonight and dropped it in my mailbox already. Sending you both hugs and prayers. I hope she gets showered with cards. Thank you for being her support.
Have a good weekend everyone. 🌻
Mary, I’ll pick up a couple cards this afternoon. What a trial! Love all the beautiful quilts and decorations. I’m so glad Barney has a new friend! He and Sarah are so cute.
Please excuse me if this starts a diverse discussion of preferences but a favorite macaroni salad is cheddar cheese cut in tiny cubes, mayonnaise, elbow macaroni, and fresh or canned shrimp.
Li, My mom used to make this! It was a nice summer salad for dinner.
Li – I love the idea of shrimp – I will love this version and I even have a bag of shrimp in the freezer.
So good if it makes it to the next day. Salt and pepper if desired. Nothing like a good cheddar cheese with macaroni.
My favorite macaroni salad recipe is on the Mueller’s macaroni box. My new favorite summer salad is the corn salad with fritos. https://www.thecountrycook.net/frito-corn-salad/
it’s so good.
Love all the vignettes, collections and quilts today. So much fun to see. Those little bowl pillows are so cute.
Marsha’s story makes me sad, but her perseverance is exceptional. Wow, what a champion she is. I will get a card off to her right away.
The oriole nest will be fun to watch. Or, do you think they have hatched and gone already?
We are back to bright sunshine this morning. No wind yet, so I should get out there. The wind comes in hard in the afternoon here on the Oregon coast.
Sue – I can’t tell if they’ve hatched and left or if eggs are still in the nest. I will keep watching.
Hello! Mary did you get a little sprinkle over night? We r suppose to have a few this morning. Less than a tenth! Oh well, better than a hot dry wind!
Oh dear, Maureen has really been through the mill! A card will be sent!
Yesterday was a good day and a frustrating day. I went to get a wheeled Walker at the health care center. My local doc said I could just go there and tell them I am having hip surgery and I could get one under Medicare! Oh boy…….red tape! Had to have an order! The AVera system is just into a new EPIC computer system with basically no training. They gave them four hours of training! Anyway, we will be going to Sioux Falls again! Jay needed a new hose for his Cpap….they had a previous order but he needed a new one! Ugh!
Thanks for the blog! Loved all the pictures ladies! Sadie and Barney we so cute! Hazel had the jitters!
Joy – yes, just a sprinkle but great for my houseplants. Wish I could loan you a walker – I think we have 3! And we have been to the dr enough that we are aware of all the red tape. Ugh. I will have to correct everybody who typed her name as Maureen – it is spelled Mareen – Mu-reen.
Joy – Our daughter is also getting her cancer treatments at the Avera Hospital in Sioux Falls. She told me they have a new system and that has been a nightmare for her as well for sending in her bills to be reimbursed. They are on a share health plan so have to send in bills to get reimbursed. This adds to the stress of all she has been going through.
Doctor practices and hospitals (blood tests, MRI’s) keep changing booking systems and record keeping systems. This third go around with one practice–called to make an appointment. Passed on to the system to screen you. This had been a request from the doctor to make another appointment. So now it is necessary to make an appointment in order to get a time for this return visit. It is ridiculous.
THEN, once the appointment has been made there is the first contact to pre-pre register, then later pre-register, then the day before, yes, register. Get to the building register again. Then at the MRI, register. Did not make this up.
People are sick AND they have to give their first born child and family history just to register.
Some Sr. Centers, and thrift shops have closet- fulls of walkers and other helpful items for free or temporary use. Easy to try them out and compare, too! Your new hip will really help you get around! I’ve had one for 22 years and another for 9. All the best to you , Joy!
In our area oftentimes a Lions group or Veterans group may have medical equipment available at no cost also.
Cynthia – yes!
I will definitely send a card to Marsha. I have been doing this from the start, and I know how much they are appreciated because our daughter and son-in-law have been receiving cards from your readers. Will let you know how many after they start slowing down in coming to them. Thank you to all that have sent them a card.
I will give an update on her since more is going on. As I told you in the past, she has been dealing with this toothache since she had a crown put on back in April I think. Anyway, she went to have her second chemo treatment yesterday, and her oncologist recommended she have the tooth taken care of immediately before it got even worse. So, today at 2:00, in Aberdeen SD, she is having a root canal done on that tooth. The dentist that did the crown sent her to another dentist in town, and he told her she definitely needed a root canal. She told her this morning she can’t wait until this is done and taken care of. Pray that she has no complications from this procedure. She is to have her second chemo treatment next Wednesday. So far, it has been quite a journey for her, and she is a very strong girl, but this pain was really getting to her. She could not sleep at night because of the excruciating pain. Thank you again for your concern.
We just had a very heavy thunderstorm hit us with a little pea size hail, but it has subsided as of now.
We would gladly have sent some of that rain up to Mary, but we know God is in control.
Jeanine – oh, your poor girl – I hope when this tooth is taken care of life will be easier for her – honestly she can’t catch a break, can she? I’m glad the cards are arriving –
Card will be in the mail today as I have to go out! Now you gals have me hungry for pasta salad! May wait until it warms up after today. Hoping we don’t get any of the bad weather. Finished piecing a backing last night of all the leftovers from the front. It’s ‘creative’ but I won’t have more scraps! Today I want to lay out some completed blocks that have been sitting on a bed looking at me for way too long! I hate when there are options! Ha! Stay safe today everyone!
We’ve had 6 inches of rain since Thursday. More coming. No happy medium.
Mary H – we watch the weather in your area and just wonder how you can be flooding and we get none.
Love all the pictures. I’ll pop and card/note in the mail today.
I’ll share what I call my lazy pasta salad recipe…….. cook your pasta (whatever shape you’d like – I recently got hooked on making this with spaghetti). I add: cucumbers cut up, olives (black or green or both – cut up or whole), feta cheese, protein: pepperoni, cut up salami, cut up grilled chicken (I use whatever I have on hand). This is great to use up rotisserie chicken. When I eat it I add some cut up tomatoes (usually the cherry tomatoes from my garden). I’ve also added some chopped up fresh spinach if I have it. I basically clean out the fridge and see what I have. I then toss it all in Olive Garden Italian Salad dressing. You can use any Italian dressing (even homemade) but I usually always have the Olive Garden dressing on hand. Enjoy!!!!
Lynette, you make pasta salad basically the same as I do. Recently I started doing rice bowls with the same sort of toppings except add blackened corn, cukes, chicken, cheese, pickled red onions, some Greek dressing I found at our Wegmans store, and I do add tomatoes or whatever else I want to use up. Buying pouches of rice to microwave makes it a quick and easy dish to make up for lunch too.
Mary – I found a small plastic box of blank cards at a recent garage sale for $1 and snatched them right up. Anything to keep a supply on hand for when you supply us a name as it’s such a kind gesture to think of someone else and gosh this poor lady has been through so much.
That sounds really good also!!! I forgot to add you can put green/red/yellow peppers in also — I don’t as they don’t agree with me. One friend adds pepperoncini also. What I love is you can make it your own or what you have on hand.
Lynette and Kathy, both sound delicious! Mine is very similar. I use Zesty Italian dressing that marinates everything nicely. I like to add Peppered Salami or Hard Italian Salami, pepperoncinis, green olives, marinated artichoke hearts, garbanzo beans, diced broccoli florets. Quinoa and Greek salad dressing if you want to go more Greek than Italian. Artisan baked garlic bread on the side.
Sally – YUM!!
Kathy – love your take on pasta salad! Yes, poor Marsha – she’s been thru hell and back and it’s not looking good going forward. Thanks for always sending a card.
Hi Mary and Blog Readers,
What an awesome group of pictures today. I am sure loving all the patriotic pictures. I’m so sorry to read about Marsha and all she has gone through with her cancer journey. I have prepared a card and it will go out in tomorrow’s mail. I know how much the value of these cards means to a person so I have been sending them when there is a need.
I am having nasal surgery next Thursday (June 18) to fix the fractured nose from my fall in January. I hope that is the last medical ‘thing’ I need to do to put that incident behind me. I am still going to physical therapy because I don’t full mobility in my neck. My therapist reminds me that it is a marathon, not a sprint! – ha!
We sure got a lot of rain in SE Iowa tonight. Lots of wind which caused the rain to blow sideways. We didn’t receive any hail but the rain hit the windows so hard it sure seemed like it was hailing. At least I didn’t have to water my flowers tonight.- ha! Hope all the other readers are doing well.
Brenda — you sure have been through it!!! Prayers for your surgery on the 18th. Please let us know that you’re ok after. Your therapist is correct, but as I say, we want it all to go faster!!!
Brenda – oh, your weather in southern Iowa has been alarming!!! We can’t get an inch and you’re flooding! We watch all the warnings on tv and our phones and just wonder how you’re all doing. Thank you for always joining in on the card drops – as you well know, they are valuable to the receiver’s mindset. Good luck with your surgery – I, too, hope this is the last reminder of your very dangerous fall!
Hi Mary, just love the cat stretched out on the sofa! More beautiful quilts today, Maureen is one tough cookie! I went to visit my friend Maureen today, she has had a clot ,now on thinners,so has to be careful but doing well. Tomorrow we are having double glazed windows put in all bedrooms,so having to clear space,thank goodness my son will do the heavy work! Take care everyone, best wishes from Sandy