UPDATE!

Kelly's last dinner before chemo...

Hello to all of Kelly's loyal subjects (she loves her public),

This is the lucky guy that calls her wife! (Eric)

Kelly wanted me to update everyone on her day, and first round of chemo.

We were the loudest people in the Chemo area for sure. (Ok, I was the loudest, Kelly was the most embarrassed) We laughed and talked. Apparently, people getting chemo aren't in the mood to laugh... I'm not sure why...

They administered two chemo drugs, Cytoxan, and Adriamycin. One looked like red chalula sauce (I was hungry), and the other was clear like the saline. about ten minutes into the second drug, Kelly got a massive headache. once we got home, she went into our room and there she stayed. she came down for about ten minutes to say hi to our offspring as they came home, and also to her mom and dad, then again after the kids ate dinner. That lasted about 5 minutes before nausea sent her running for the hills. 

Kelly during her first treatment.

She is currently resting in bed with some hot tea and Chicken Noodle Soup! As for me, well, it is exhausting being both Eric and Kelly Joppa. We are going to be needing lots of help. Below is an email that was sent out via Megan Marcroft, our cousin. She and I are coordinating all help, from childcare to Kelly care, fundraising and family meals. please read the message below and respond to Megan, or me at eric@ericjoppa.com if you can help in any way. 

Hello Everyone,

Let me introduce myself. My name is Megan Marcroft and I am Kelly's cousin-in-law (I married her cousin). As you all know, Kelly is starting chemotherapy today, October 3rd, for breast cancer. You are receiving this email because you are either friend or family or both and she will be needing us in this time of uncertainty and not feeling good. I have volunteered to be Kelly's personal secretary (for lack of a better term) and will be coordinating all the meals and help that will be coming her way. There are many different ways to help and this email is your invitation to do so. In times like these, we all feel a need to give and to help in any way we can, but we are busy. It's a fact of life. Please feel free to do only what you can and understand that it is a blessing. Kelly and Eric have expressed many times that they have felt loved and encouraged by all of you for the support that you have shown. 

Listed below are various ways to get involved. 

• Bring them a meal. We are using the website LotsaHelpingHands.com to coordinate meals. Please respond to this email saying you would like to be on the meal calendar and I will send you an invitation to the website. You can then sign up to bring them something to eat. If you don't cook, but would like to help, you can send them a gift card for a restaurant or grocery store (you can do this even if you do cook, it's nice on the off days). 
• Offer to do housework/yardwork. We are using LotsaHelpingHands.com for this also. Please respond to this email letting me know you would like to be added to that website. 
• Babysitting services. If you would be willing to babysit in the instance that the regular day care people are not available or Kelly and Eric need babysitting at other times, please respond to this email with your name, phone number and your availability (i.e., afternoons on Mondays and Wednesdays).
• Financial Assistance. Last but not least, if you cannot help in any of these other ways but would like to do something. Eric and Kelly will be losing some income and have many medical bills to pay, so if you are able to give in some way financially, it would be greatly appreciated. There will be some fundraisers or you can just send something to Eric and Kelly directly (address below). 

To sum it all up, let's love on the Joppa's in the many ways that they will be needing it. Please respond to this email letting me know if you want to be a part of the website for meals/work and if you want to be on the babysitting list. Pleasedo not contact Kelly as she will not be able to get back to you in a timely manner. To hear from Kelly about what is going on, please visit her blog at www.myhonestwalk.blogspot.com. On that site, you can sign up to receive an email every time it is updated by clicking on "follow by email" on the right hand side of the page. 

Sincerely,

Megan Marcroft

mmarcroft@yahoo.com

P.S. We talked with Kelly's oncologist regarding her stage/grade/prognosis. She has Stage 1/Grade 3 Ductal Carcinoma. Her 5 yr. survival prognosis is between 60-80 pct. If she makes it beyond 2 yrs. her prognosis goes up to 98%. This is why her chemo is so aggressive. We are not worried at all about those numbers. The fact is, God is bigger than cancer. And Cancer cannot steal our joy. 

Also, Kelly's oncologist shared with us that he is a believer, and even prayed with us and for Kelly before her treatment. Pretty cool if you ask us. More soon.

Eric