Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Sorry folks, but looks like you are going to get a water bill if you live in Olney. We had some problems with the computers, but did get them printed this afternoon...Didn't want you to feel neglected by not getting one this month. On to more serious information, Michael received his Neulasta Shot this evening and is already having some side effects from it. Aching in his back and shoulders. This started before we got to the parking garage. The nurses in the Chemo department were very much surprised as to how well the Wolfman looked tonight. Maybe it was because he had on clothes that didn't fall off him. Maybe the pain won't be too severe. We did get our appointment with the oncologist changed for next Friday, July 10. Hopefully our counts will be high enough to make a trip North. Scans will be done next Wednesday.......praying for no cancer.
Love,
Terri and Michael

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

We are officially over with the chemo for round #4. . . .nearly to the halfway point in our treatment.....Yeahyeahyeahyeahyeah!!!!!Never thought I would be so excited over a halfway marker, but this momma is. We go to the hospital the next three nights just for a bag change (fluids with magnesium, potassium, etc. only) then home. Hopefully no more than 1 hour of time. All has gone well this round so far. Tonight is the night for the Neulasta shot which sometimes has some flu like side effects. Last round there were no side effects, so hoping for the same this round. The shot is to keep his bone marrow white blood cells from falling too low. My little (big really) Wolfman is a real trooper. I sure would have hated to have been through what he has been through the past 11 months. It is hard to believe we have been at MD for nearly three months. Thank you all for all you have done during our journey here. Thanks for taking care of our dogs, mowing our lawn, praying, the contributions to the medical fund, sending cards to cheer up the Wolfman and calling just to chat. We will never be able to repay all the acts of kindness you have shown. Pray for us that our appointment with the doctor can be rescheduled June 10 so that we may make the trip home. It is scheduled for 3:30pm and we are trying to get it changed to the morning. We really want to see the doctor that day as we have scans done on Wednesday before so we would like to see the new scans to compare with the last. Michael is praying for a complete cure of the cancer.......said it would be nice if the doctor couldn't find any sign. Whatever the results, we are still praising the Lord.
Terri and Michael

Saturday, June 27, 2009(written Sunday morning)

Well, today was an eventful day. Michael had found a place "nearby" to play Yu-Gi-Oh cards. I say nearby with my tongue in cheek as it was about 15 miles according to my speedometer on my car. We made our way down Bellaire Blvd which is the main street in Bellaire and the one I travel daily and sometimes twice daily in the opposite direction to the hospital before it runs into Holcombe where the hospital sits. We arrived shortly after 11:00am and found the owner inside. One other young man was sitting at the game tables. We asked if this was the correct place and they advised it was. From the looks of the menu on the internet they served just about everything. It kinda reminded me of the No-D-Lay but a lot smaller. Of course, me being the way I am, I asked a few questions regarding where to sit as I had brought my laptop with me, which during this journey has become my side-kick besides Michael. The owners were busy getting things together to serve the customers. As the minutes went by, several boys arrived and we started the tournament. I started conversing with Kathy, the lady who arrived shortly after we did. She was busy wiping down tables, getting this for her husband who was in the kitchen preparing the standard items they use. You know how much we love mom and pop operations, since Michael works at Stewarts. He tells everyone he works for a "mom and pop" grocery store. Kathy sat down with me and we visited about our faith and cancer(she is a cancer survivor) for the time we were there. We ordered hamburgers and they were just like the ones that they served at Ben and Louise's BBQ when I was 'younger'. Only thing lacking was the peach cobbler. The mom and pops businesses are really nice having been in Houston for three months and there aren't many. This country girl likes small things. Any way, Michael played in the tournament until we had to leave for the 4:00pm appointment at MD Anderson for Chemo. I don't want to make anyone jealous, but I stopped and bought gas at a CITGO for $2.33 per gallon. Then off again to the hospital. We arrived at 4:10am and surprisingly got in to the room about 4:45pm. They are 'johnny on the spot' on the weekends. We left about 9:00pm and went by the store arrived at our home away from home about 9:30PM. Kathy and her son gave Michael some Yu-Gi-Oh cards, binder and a playing mat when he left. He said on the way to the hospital, "They didn't have to give me those things.....I know they have to pay for them and that's how they make their living." I told him it was not because they had to give them to him, but because they wanted to. Thanks Kathy and family for making us feel so welcome in your restaurant and having the tournament was "awesome" in that it gave Michael a sense of normalcy during this journey as we make weekly trips when we were home to Wichita Falls to play cards on Saturday afternoons. It was so nice having a adult woman to talk with and having walked where we are walking these days. God sent her to the restaurant as she said she normally didn't come there on Saturdays, but was needed today. We hope all is well at the "Big" 'O' and you will have some cooler days this week with some much needed rain. Blessings today and much rest after you worship our Lord at your chosen place of worship. Love to all, Terri and Michael

Friday, June 26, 2009

Day 2 of Round 4
My mom always told me not to wish my life away, but I wish it was October.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Things are going here. Nothing new to report except we have one tired Michael. Went to the Museum of Natural Science today and spent about 1 hr and 45 minutes...Michael played out, so we came home. Has been down most of the day. Round 4 starts in the morning.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Michael was up about 6:30am. What a good night sleep. We ate breakfast and decided we would go to the Houston Museum of Natural Science and History. Left the house about 10:30 am and decided we would go by the FAITH HOUSE where Ronnie and Wanda Stroud were residing. Found Ronnie on the porch while Wanda was readying their room for James Owen and Shamri to arrive for Ronnie’s surgery tomorrow. Visited with them until about 12:30 and started toward the museum when we decided we would stop at the Blackeyed Pea and eat. While there, Michael decided he just was too tired to go to the museum today and would try to go tomorrow. We will see tomorrow. Went back to the house and took about a 2 hr. nap and feel real good. We have checked our schedule for this round of Chemo and found that it is still on schedule as it should be. Maybe we will get to make another trip home at the completion of Round 4. . . I have written Dr. Ravi to see if our appointment with him can be rescheduled for Friday Morning, July 10, 2009 instead of the scheduled 3:30pm appointment. I think he realizes how important it is that we get Michael home before another round for encouragement from those at home.

Monday, June 22, 2009`

We left home this morning about 5:50am and arrived in Houston at the parking garage at 12:20pm. We did stop at Fairfield and eat a taco. Michael has had his 'gold' shot and we don't have anything to do until Thursday morning when they insert the PIK line that morning and chemo starts about 4:00pm. Means we will be home around 10:00pm. Oh well, round four and half way.

Friday, Saturday, Sunday June 19-20, 2009

Sorry it has been a while since we have updated the blog, but friends and relatives have occupied our time. We left Houston about 12:00 noon and arrived home close to 7:00pm. There wasn't much that slowed us down after we saw the doctor, except or a couple of girls in the Wendy's where we stopped and ate a quick burger at the Woodland in bikini swim suits. Thought I would never get the Wolfman unstuck from his chair. I don't know what this chemo has done to my son, then a plane crash near Midlothian, TX which has tried to land on the highway and slipped off onto the shoulder into the grassy area in our lane. Our chemo has been delayed three days for this round---Michael will be getting a $30,000 shot on Monday to keep the thrush down and the throat from swelling. When we left, our doctor was trying to get it approved through out insurance company and finally did that afternoon as it was on our appointment schedule when we arrived home. It is nice not to have to deal with the insurance company as Dr. Ravi and his staff have done all of it. Chemo will start on Thursday, so we will have to decide when the next time we will get to come home depending on lab results. Michael's platelet count was still below 100 and hopefully has rebounded above 100 since we left Houston. He spend the better part of the morning with his best buddy, our pastor, Bro. Andy making his leases in the oilfield. Michael says he is learning to be a oilfield hand.
We will leave Olney in the morning about 6:00 am and head back to Houston for ROUND 4 of Chemo and the halfway point. Will have scans done after this round to compare to the last one done after ROUND 2. We have had one tired boy, but the love and hugs we receive when we go home are well worth it. We went to don antonio's for breakfast on Saturday morning and had a ovation when we walked in from the customers and prayer warriors who meet on Saturday morning. Michael thought that was neat! Continue to pray for us and pray that our scans show another big improvement and that Round 4 will be a little easier on Michael We love all of you and hope to see you in three weeks.
Love,
Terri and Michael

YEAH----HOORAY FOR UPWARD COUNTS

We got the word this afternoon that our counts are improving and there is a big CHANCE we will be north bound tomorrow afternoon. We have blood draw in the morning at 7:45am, chest xray at 9:00am and Consult with Oncologist about round 4 at 11:00am. Then we are going to hit the road before we start FOUR--------then the downward journey.....yeah! After round one, half way seemed as only a dream.....we are nearly there.
We have been plant shopping this afternoon. Michael has wanted a hibiscus for many years and they have them on sale at the Houston Garden Center this month very cheap....So now he has a hibiscus. He is so happy.....Doesn't take much to make him happy these days.....oh well. See ya this weekend.
Love,
Terri and Michael

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

This has been an exceptionally good and God given day. Most of our counts are holding their own except for our white blood count which is down 1.0 today for some unknown reason. The cat is out of the bag we hear that a couple of 'homesick Olney folks' might possibly be heading northwest this Friday. If our counts get up before then,no one better get in our way when we leave MD Anderson after our Oncologist appointment or a little khaki colored JEEP might run over them. Just kidding. We are ready and if able will leave Houston as soon as the Dr.'s appointment is finished about noon. Depending on our counts, and we are praying they are ok, we will leave Olney after church on Sunday to head back to begin ROUND FOUR (and also the half way point) of our homestead in Houston. We are looking for a good show of the Red Devil doing its thing after round 4. I am praying that it will not have to be postponed for any low counts or fatigue. We will see what Dr. Ravi has to say on Friday. Although, I would love to be home for more than 2 days, I sure want to get this journey behind us and God willing we will stay on schedule. Pray for us as we travel and that Michael will be able to start round 4 on Monday without any problems. The last trip really played a number on him, so hopefully since we are getting to leave at noon, we will be able to stop and get out for him to stretch and walk some on the trip home and back. God Bless you all and thank you for all thoughts and prayer support while we battle this terrible disease. We are already the winners in this with God's help. Love to all, Terri and Michael