Six Months

Today, April 10th, marks six months since we packed up the Jeep and made the long drive to Houston.  We arrived at the Marriott at around 8:30 on Sunday night October 10th for what we thought would be a week long stay.  Well we know that's not how it turned out and we find ourselves six months into Dave's treatment.  Today was the first day in  many days that he didn't run fever.  We went down to the pool area around 6 and sat and talked while the kids swam.  How nice it was to just sit and have a conversation.  There have been so many days when he was so sick we haven't even been able to talk.  I have become so very thankful for little things like a cool night,  grilled hot dogs, talking to Dave, and watching the kids run and play.  This was a good night.  We are hopeful this will be a good week too.

Dave's fever continued to rise and he started having trouble breathing around 1 am.  We went to the EC....Sarah and Ron met us there and took the kids home with them.  The x-ray looked clear and all the other test looked good.  His white blood count was a little elevated.  Of course we have to wait on cultures but they went ahead and started him on antibiotics last night.  We are home now and his temperature is normal as of 10 minutes ago.  He still has a bad cough.  Please pray with us that he will be well enough to get chemo on Monday.  He usually has a hard time with the taxotere which he gets Monday. It's hard watching him like this. 

His next scan is Thursday April 21.  He will see Dr. R on Friday April 22 to get scan results.  Then we will leave on our long drive home.  We are so excited to be coming home for Easter.  We aren't sure how long we will be home.  Dr. R will present Dave's case again and let us know what the surgeon says.  I hope Dave is feeling much better then so he can enjoy his time at home.

BLOG UNDER CONSTRUCTION

I am working on our blog. If you have popped in for an update and have seen strange children at the top.....it's because I am not a computer expert and I am trying to do this on my own. I have literally been working on this for hours.  Ughhh!!!  So....stop back tomorrow and see how it turns out.

Dave is running fever and feeling yucky.  We are watching the temp and hoping not to have to go to the EC tonight. 

a few bad days

The last few days have been hard for Dave.  He is having flu like symptoms.....achy, bad cough, fever.  So far his fever has only gotten up to 100.5.  They want him to go to the EC (that's what Dave call it) or ER (that's what I call it) , anyway they want him to go there if his fever goes above 101.  Hopefully it will hold on below that and go back down tonight.  He is still having swelling in his legs and feet.  He had blood work labs done today and they all look good.  Please pray that he will begin to feel better before he has to go back Monday for the 2nd part of this chemo.  I hope the chemo is working.....but I also hope he never has to have chemo again.  It is just horrible what it does to him.  

my cupcake baker

Abby loves watching TLC. She watches 19 Kids and Counting, Cake Boss, and DC Cupcakes. There are probably other shows I just can't think of them right now. Every time I go to the grocery store she asks me to pick up some cake mix. Today she picked out green icing...maybe for Easter.  She has become quite the little baker. She mixes and bakes the cupcakes and then she lets Erin help her ice and decorate them. They look good and are quite tasty.

Dave had a lot of nausea during the night.  He said it was of the worst nights he has had since he began chemo.  He has slept a lot today.  I'm fixing him some yummy chicken n' dumplings for supper so maybe that will make him feel better.

Round 8 of chemo today.....well actually its round 6 of gem/tax, but he had 2 rounds of some other chemo first.  So this is what 8 rounds of chemo looks like.....not bad, huh?

He is doing ok today. He was having a little nausea but has taken some meds and is napping now. We saw the doc today. It was just a visit to make sure Dave was doing ok and address any problems he was having. Now we've got to get through this next three weeks of chemo and he will have a scan. Dr. R will take it back to the surgeon and see what they say then.  Dave will also be seeing a Urologist sometime in the next couple of weeks. The surgeon wants them to be involved since the tumor is in that area. We are super duper excited that we will probably get to go home for a week? or so after the scan. The kids are closing in on finishing English and Spelling. YAY!! Math will take a little longer. Science and History will probably take a little longer too. Our goal has been to get as much completed before Dave's surgery. Boy oh boy am I ready for summer!! Not quite ready for the Houston heat....but oh to be done with school!!!

Happy Birthday

Today, April 3rd, my Daddy turned 60 years old. Tomorrow. April 4th, my Mama will be 58......should I have typed that....oh well, she doesn't look old so I guess it's OK. They have been a good mama and daddy. Tracy, Lori, Giny, and I have always known we were loved well taken care of. We know that that they would drop whatever they are doing and come to us no matter where we are. They worked hard to always give us what we needed. They still work hard. Their jobs are just different now. They do a lot of babysitting :) We often say we don't know what we all did before Daddy retired. They have spent a lot of time here with us in Houston. We know they are only a phone call away....and they would be right back out here. I think we all would say some of our best memories are from our family vacations. Every year we go somewhere. It started with the 6 of us...then we added Bradley...then Dave... then Chloe and Abby...then Emma and Erin and Samuel....then Ryan...then Ricky...then Andrew, Ruthie, Brady, Katie, and William. now we all go...all of us...all 20 of us. and it is so much fun. Thank you mama and daddy for giving us a good childhood and good memories to cherish forever.



me and daddy...I think I'm his favorite :)

Proverbs 20:29
The glory of young men is their strength, but the splendor of old men is their gray hair.




4 little girls

mama and her girls....I'm  probably still the favorite :)

Proverbs 31:28-30
Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
“Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all.”
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

Proverbs 16:31
Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life.