Hello Everyone:

If this is your first time on the blog, I would like to suggest that you go all they way back to the very first post that was written in March, that will give you all the details of everything that happened. Read the comments too, I have been so blessed by those.

I just returned last night from a wonderful weekend at the Spring Ladies Retreat at Redwood Christian Park. We had a fantastic time, Martha, Mary, Mikala and Ashley, a friend of Mikala's that she met when she was in England a few years ago) and Vicky Murphy, a friend of Martha's from her church in Jackson. All of us led worship for the retreat. I was so blessed to be able to do this with my girls. Hopefully next year, Tara and Sheela will be able to be with us. The main speaker was Judy Hampton from So. Cal. and she was absolutely great. She had us laughing, was encouraging and also challenging. However, I am extremely tired today. In fact, I may go to bed real soon here, it is only 7 p.m.

Mikala flew back to No. Carolina today. I will miss her. She was always very quick to be right at my side if I needed assistance or help.

We met with my oncologist today and she said everything is looking good. My white blood count is good, s0 you can pray for that to continue. Love to everyone, Maxine

Hello Everyone, New news after all this time!

All is going well here at the Hooper household. We were blessed last week to have Matthew, Sheela, Annie. Breeana, Mark and Mikala here for a week. It was wonderful having them here. I don't know how much they enjoyed it since they all got sick and had to go to urgent care in Folsom. Annie was sick when they got here with an ear infection but the medicine the Dr. in So Cal gave her was not working so they took her first then on Wed. Matthew, Mark and Sheela went back to get medicing for themselves. It sounds like they are all doing better now.

Wed. after my radiation treatment, Martha, Mary, Mikala, Sheela, Tara and myself were blessed with a night of luxury at the Foxes Inn in Sutter Creek. The owners are friends of Mark and Martha and she gave this to all of us as a gift. If you ever want to go to a great B & B and be treated like royalty, go there for a night or two. I had never been to a B&B so it was great fun for me. It was awesome and the food was fantastic.

I have had 3 blood draws and so far my white blood count is good. So that is how everyone can be praying is that my white count does not go down.

I am really excited, my two brothers John (and his wife Dorthy)and Pete are coming to CA to see us the first part of May. John & Dorthy are from Tulsa, OK and Pete is from Amherst, TX which is very close to Lubbock. My mother has decided not to come. She will be 98 in August and the trip would be really hard on her.

Thank you for all you prayers, it is working. I have not had nausea, but am extremely tired all the time. God bless you and keep you in His care. We love you. Marty and Maxine

HELLO TO ALL OF YOU:

I AM REALLY DOING GREAT! HAVE HAD 5 DAYS OF RADIATION AND CHEMO AND SO FAR SO GOOD. THE ONLY THING I AM FEELING IS TIRED. FRIDAY MORNING ON OUR DRIVE DOWN TO RANCHO CORDOVA FOR MY TREATMENT, I FELT A LITTLE TWINGE OF NAUSEA AND TOLD MARTY IT FELT LIKE I USED TO WHEN I WAS PREGNANT. IT LASTED ONLY A FEW SECONDS WHICH I WAS GRATEFUL FOR. OH, THE OTHER THING I HAVE NOTICED IS THAT I HAVE A HUGE APPETITE, WHICH I DON'T REALLY NEED, I WAS ACTUALLY HOPING I WOULD LOSE SOME WEIGHT THROUGH ALL THIS. OH WELL, WHEN I AM ALL DONE WE WILL WORK ON THAT. I HAVE NOTICED THAT SOME SMELLS IRRITATE ME, MAY NEED TO STAY AWAY FROM THE ONES I CAN IDENTIFY.

I'VE HAD VISISTS FROM SOME VERY SPECIAL FRIENDS THIS LAST WEEK, WHICH WAS WONDERFUL. SHARON FRY AND BARB CURRY CAME ON FRIDAY AND STAYED OVER TO SAT. IT WAS GREAT HAVING THEM HERE.
WE KNOW THEM FROM REDWOOD CHRISTIAN PARK. BEFORE THAT, ON MONDAY, JENNIFER EASON LANG AND TWO OF HER SISTERS, PEGGY AND MAGGIE CAME FOR A VISIT. JENNIFER WAS ONE OF THE GIRLS ON MY CHEERLEADING SQUAD AT COLFAX HIGH SCHOOL BACK IN 1986-88. WHAT A REMARKABLE YOUNG WOMAN JENNIFER HAS BECOME, I WAS AMAZED.

CARDS, ENCOURAGING WORDS, E-MAILS AND PRAYERS KEEP COMING AND I AM SO BLESSED. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU ALL!!!

I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS WEEKEND AND NEXT WEEK. THE SAT. BEFORE EASTER SUNDAY WE HAVE ALL OF MARTY'S SIDE OF THE FAMILY HERE FOR A HOOPER FAMILY EASTER CELEBRATION. ALSO, MATTHEW & SHEELA, MARK AND MIKALA WILL BE HERE FOR ALL OF NEXT WEEK. THE LAST WEEKEND OF THIS MONTH, MARTHA, MARY, MIKALA AND MYSELF ARE GOING TO A LADIES RETREAT AT REDWOOD CHRISTIAN PARK IN BOULDER CREEK, CA WHERE THE HOOPER GIRLS ALONG WITH A FRIEND OF MIKALA'S, ASHLEY COROTHERS, FROM IRELAND,WILL BE HELPING WITH LEADING WORSHIP. WE HAVE DONE THIS FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS. IT HAS BEEN A REAL HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS WAY. MARTHA AND I HAVE BEEN ON THE PLANNING BOARD FOR THIS RETREAT FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS. APPROXIMATELY 400 WOMEN COME TO THIS RETREAT.

I WILL FINISH MY TREATMENTS ON MAY 12 AND BOTH MY ONCOLOGISTS SAID IF I FEEL OK, THERE IS NO REASON WHY I SHOULD NOT GO TO CHINA MAY 18-28, SO I AM PLANNING TO GO. I KNOW I WILL NEED TO PACE MYSELF WHICH I THINK I CAN DO.

MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU. I LOVE YOU, MAXINE