8-25-2006 Vancouver, WA
Hello to all my personal and Misty River & Misty Mamas friends! I last posted an update to this website regarding my health in December 2005!
Wow – how time flies when you are having fun – and I am. However, the down times, the times with what seems like uncontrollable back pain, the weakness of my body at times all come and go and still, with the good Lord's blessing and LOTS of help from oh so many people, I am always thinking and planning for whatever wonderful event is just around the corner.

Whether it is a gig with Misty River or my music pals in the Misty Mamas, I always have a reason to get out of bed every morning. Grateful doesn’t even begin to define how I feel about all of you out there that continue to pray for me, be there as my caretakers, donate money regularly (some anonymously) to my Leukemia Treatment Fund and many other uplifting care-giving acts. I am a very lucky gal to be blessed with so much support while living with, fighting and treating this terminal illness.

It is Friday late afternoon on August 25, 2006, and I am back at my computer now after a nice nap this afternoon. I am stretched out in my recliner in front of the monitor, the office window is open as is the deck door and the warm breeze crossing my face feels so good. Right at this moment, I am very happy with very little back pain (at the moment)thinking about how so many of you have been so supportive and kind to me. Thank You! From the bottom of my heart!
HEALTH UPDATE
I am currently in remission with my CML Leukemia! Hallelujah! That means that there is only one cell in a million that is a CML Leukemia cell. It is barely detectable in all the tests. It is a life-long commitment to keep me cancer-free. However, if I should stop taking or responding to the Gleevec (OHSU miracle experimental drug) the CML Leukemia does come back, and rather quickly I must say. So, I am very faithful about getting my dosage every day.

I have also chosen to stay on the treatment regime associated with the clinical trial that I participated in the first year – 2004 – of my cancer diagnosis. So, I take Interferon 3 days a week. It is a shot I administer to myself (or some lucky person who is nearby - usually a band mate) that is rather painless but has some negative side effects. I also treat & manage my side effects with natural remedies & supplements, diet, as well as prescription drugs. The side effects of Gleevec are weight gain (it slows my metabolism to a crawl which is already slow because of my back injury) and muscle cramps and a few other things I decline to describe here. Some of the side effects of the Interferon are no fun either. It gives me “chemo-brain” where I can’t remember simple things (like the words to a song) and I get confused sometimes. Also, my balance is a bit off and I have been known to fall now and then but with no serious injuries. And, there are some other side effects that I won’t mention as well. NEVERTHELESS – I am so grateful to be alive and I know there are people who are way worse off than me and so I don’t dwell on the negative. Thanks to all of you for being there for me – especially my daughter and all my band mates.

MISTY MAMAS
Most of you know that when Dana (Misty River accordion player) was pregnant with her second child, Edie in the spring of 2005, I started up another band. Kind of by accident but kinda not. I realized one day last spring (20050, that many of my bluegrass jammin’ buddies are VERY talented singers and musicians. One day I thought “Hey, if we were a band we’d be called the Misty Mamas”. So I rounded us up and asked everyone if they wanted to be in a band with me called Misty Mamas, and they all said “yes”. So here we are over a year later and going strong. The members are: Katherine Nitsch (my college and band buddy at U or O in the sixties); April Parker (new jam buddy at Ridgefield Wed jam) and Eileen Rocci (great singer and bass player in Northwest Passage). At first we thought we might just want to do local benefits and gigs for fun and not worry about the business end too much. We didn’t want to take ourselves too seriously. But as we performed here and there we began to see that there was a very appreciative audience for what we love doing – bluegrass harmonies. The praise we received fueled us to continue further.

I love the Misty Mamas because I get to do a lot of my favorite bluegrass songs as-well-as Gospel songs too. We are finding that there is a niche out there for middle aged women who sing Gospel music. I guess it’s because we don’t mind getting up early on Sunday morning at a festival and hittin’ the stage. We have all researched and dug out some great old songs for our set and the audiences love ‘em saying things like “I haven’t heard that song in decades!”

The Misty Mamas first goal is to make a demo CD. We have chosen Dale Adkins in Salem to record us for a 5 song demo. We are almost done with it and should have it ready by October. Don’t know what we are going to do with it other than use it to try and get a few gigs here and there - and, of course, posterity. But in the meantime, we are enjoying the learning process of being in a band, having fun, meeting new people and learning new songs. We are all songwriters as well and currently perform 2 of Eileen’s originals. And there are more to come!

MISTY RIVER
Misty River is alive and well. We are actually booking into 2008 – can you believe it? We recently showcased in Nashville, TN for a convention of talent buyers looking to find acts for their performing arts centers. We had a lot of interest from people in Texas, Maryland, Massachusetts & South Dakota. The band continues to perform at various music festivals, community concerts, theaters, private and corporate venues. We are also spending time learning new material for our live shows.

Misty River band members aren’t letting any moss grow under our feet. Dana is staying very busy with 2 toddlers at home in Eugene. With help from her family she is able to continue to perform with Misty River and also handle all the band's financial business. Laura continues to excel as a musician, performing with 2 other bands; the Old Time all-girl band from Portland called The Flat Mt. Girls and the 30’s music band, The Midnight Serenaders. Chris is a full time fiddle teacher and a guest artist to a bluegrass band called McKenzie Crossing. I stay busy with my favorite hobbies which are Misty River and the Misty Mamas.

That is all for now. Again please know how VERY grateful I am to all of you who help support me in my fight with cancer. We are winning!!

Love & blessings to all!
Carol