An Update From Home

We are definitely enjoying our time at home.  We have been able to see some of our friends and family and look forward to being at our church for all the Easter services.  Tonight we were able to spend some time with the JSU Campus Outreach students at Christy and Jason's house.  This was kinda their last time together before everyone goes there different ways for summer.  It was so exciting to see how much they have grown since we left back in October.  Some of them are going on overseas missions for the summer, a couple are going to beach project, some are going to school, and some are going home to spend the summer with their families. We can't wait to get home and be involved with them again.  Jason and Christy picked it up when we left and it has been amazing for us to see how well everything has gone.  We are so thankful for them.

Dave is doing pretty well.  He is still having a lot of swelling and retaining a lot of fluid.  This adds to the difficulty he already has walking due to the neuropathy.  We are hoping this begins to go away the further he get out from chemo.  So this is the plan.....Dave and I will fly out to Houston next Thursday for his scan and we will see Dr. Ravi on Friday and then fly back here on Friday night.  He will then present the case again and see what they say.  We are hoping to be home through Relay for Life on May 6th. 

The girls are spending some time with their baby cousins.  They have missed them so much. I have gotten use to being with the girls so much....I really miss them when their not with me.  Samuel started complaining of a sore ear this afternoon so I ran him up to the after hours clinic and of course he had an ear infection.  I cannot tell you how bad I did not want to go to a doctors office....but  I'm glad we did.  They gave him a shot so he should be feeling better soon. He and Erin both got to shoot their BB guns with my Daddy yesterday.  They got them for Christmas, but have not gotten to shoot them much in Houston.   So what have I been doing?  Soaking up every minute of just being at home.  I pulled out the crock pot today, dusted it off and cooked some chicken.  Now it feels like I'm home when I get the crock pot turned on, the dish washer on, and the washer and dryer going.  Ahhhhh how sweet it is to be home. :)

Home......it does a body good

I thought I would update since my last post was so sad. We decided late Friday afternoon to come home. Dave and I will fly back to Houston for the scan and doctor appointment some time after Easter. We knew they did not want to move the scan up but they will be able to move it forward to Monday or Tuesday of the next week. We really needed some time at home. Dave is still very weak. He is still not able to get around very well. Thank you for continuing to pray for him. A trip home may be the best medicine for Dave and the rest of us too.

Disappointment

Today we got disappointing news.  We are not going to be able to be home for Easter. The doctor cannot see Dave on Friday so his appointment will have to be Monday. After I cried and sulked for a while...I realized there is nothing I can do about it and we still get to go home Monday after the appointment.  The day has continued to get worse though. This afternoon I dropped Dave out in front of MDA for labs as I  have so many times before.  I usually circle the block a couple of times or park out front and wait on him....it usually doesn't take long.  He was feeling really weak today so I called him to make sure he made it up...when he answered he sounded terrible but said he was there.  In a few minutes he called me back and said ...help me. I was down the street a couple of blocks so I flew to the parking deck and ran inside.  Let me just pause right here and tell you that I will never take him anywhere else without getting dressed like I am going in with him.  I had to run in the hospital wearing the shortest shorts I own....you know the kind of shorts you just wear at home or maybe to the pool.  Anyway...back to Dave.  When I got to him he was laid back in the chair and had apparently passed out.  I shouldn't have let him go in by himself.  We got him a wheel chair and they wheeled him to the front to meet me.  He is resting now.  Please pray for his strength to return.  He is discouraged because he feels so weak all the time.  So that is our day so far.  I've been meaning to do a post on what I'm learning.  I'll do that soon....thank you Lord for teaching me what I need to know when I need it.

I have read these verses many times and had them memorized for years, but they had new meaning to me as I read them today.

30  Even youths grow tired and weary,

and young men stumble and fall;

31 but those who hope in the LORD

will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 40: 30-31

Fundraiser for Relay for Life

My dear friend Kim is donating her sales from her scentsy candles for our Relay for Life team.  If you go to Kim's Scentsy Page 

Look under "My Open Parties" for "Dave Swinney - Relay For Life"

Click on "Buy From Party" It's that simple! 100% of my proceeds on all orders placed here will go directly to Relay For Life in honor of Dave. Thank you in advance for your support! 

 How sweet is that?  Go check it!  I have several of these candles and I love them. This would be a great Mother's Day gift and it supports a great cause!  Thanks Kim for doing this!!

Also if you haven't gotten involved in Relay for Life yet and need a team...join ours,  Team Grace.  Just go here  and join.  It is looking like we are going to be home for the big event on May 6th and we are super excited! 

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.