Sunday, September 30, 2012

Oops,  Saturday came and went and I forgot to publish the weekly blog. 

It has been a great week here even though it was gut shot week for me.  Again, blood counts are so good that the doc says he will not take another reading until 11 Oct.  The only side effect is a sore tummy which heals in a few days.

This great week included a visit from Taylor and Anne Manley and friends.  Jane and I had lunch Monday in Brevard with Taylor, Anne, Mike, Nancy, and Carol Anne.  Great fun, food and conversation that one does not get in the hospital. 

Taylor and Anne returned on Wednesday and stayed with us until Friday.  We hiked to Skinny Dip Falls but did not.  Taylor and I played 18 holes of golf on Thursday while Jane and Anne went shopping in Hendersonville. After that we had cocktails at Joyse's new home and then had dinner out.  Thanks for the visit, we enjoyed it.

NGC friend, Larry Stover, called.  I hope we can visit againg soon. 

Jim Melton made his periodic check which I appreciate.  I'm doing well, Jim.

All I can say is that I feel and act normal as I have always been.  This has been verified by Jane who states that I am as much of a pain as in the past.


"Doing nothing is very hard to do--you never know when you're finished."  Leslie Nielson

Friday, September 21, 2012 Once again all blood count numbers are excellent and the docs are amazed. Next week I start another round of gut shots which are designed to continue to reduce the leukemia cells. It might lower the other levels for a while but so far this has not happened. Lewis Brewer, old high school friend, and his wife Judy, stopped by Brevard this week to visit. It was fun to see them. I am humbled by the number of old friends that have expressed their care and prayers. I do not feel sick enough to deserve it. We are having a great week. Yesterday we visted Amy and Kevin in Huntersville, NC and watched Julia as a cheerleader for her middle school football team. She is impressive. WE are very proud of her as she is an excellent tumbler and the team is exceptional. Sara also is excelling in her first year of middle school and is very enthusiastic. We are proud of both. Sara is excelling at horse back riding and works at the stables to earn points to save her Daddy money. We are now in Commerce, GA near the arena where Laurel and Clay will compete in riding competion tomorrow. It is a great event in Homer, GA which we all enjoy. Laurel is an up and coming rider and so is Clay. Marsha and Ron go to a great deal of effort to offer this opportunity to these two. Thanks to them. "It is great to be on the road again" Willie Nelson

Saturday - 15 September 2012

All is well.  My blood count numbers remain excellent i.e. ANC, the immunity score, is above  average.  I also had to go to Ace Hardware to buy a leather hole punch in order to modify all belts.  Hell of a diet.

We are headed to Asheville to celebrate Joyse's birthday at the Grove Park Inn,  Ike and I will then go downtown to the Brewgrass Festival (that is not a typo).  Ike got 2 free hundred dollar tickets from his work as they did all the signs and shirts for the event.  It should be interesting.  In Asheville, tattoos are acceptable substitutes for clothing which sometimes is not pretty.


"The way I see it, if you want the rainbow you gottta put up with the rain."  Dolly Parton

Saturday - 8 September 2012

Happy Birthday, Ike!  32 years ago today we were blessed with a baby boy who has been mostly a joy ever since.  We are very proud of you.

It has been a great week.  Jane and Ike harvested 4.5 gallons of honey from our hives. It must have been my good supervision.

Also, all my numbers, blood counts. are in the normal range which made the Doc and me very happy.  If they continue to remain up over the next 3 or 4 months he will do another biopsy to see if a a marrow transplant is in order. He believes the chemo is still working because it is too soon for an impact from the current rounds of Vidaza to be reflected in the blood counts.  This is good news so we are cautiously optimistic.  We still will not know anything for certain for several months but for now all is good.  Chemo head is gone as some of it was caused by low blood pressure.  I am now off most all high BP meds.

We are headed to the Mountain Song Festival today at the Brevard Music Center for some good bluegrass sounds, beer, and bar-b-que. 

Had a great visit with Jim and Sandy Melton who drove up from their new East Coast home in Cumming, Ga.  What a great visit.  Thanks for driving up guys.  Also, had a call from Bobby Briggs.  It is wonderful to hear from friends.

"Doubt has never changed anything, belief changes things." Amish Proverb again,

Saturday Update - 1 September 2012

As of today, I have finished 5 days of Vidaza gut shots with no side effects except sore abs.  Also, I am off of all blood pressure medicine and lost over 10 pounds but I am not sure I would recommend this diet or regimen.

The new meds given by shot to the gut are designed to knock blood count down and then allow them to build back up to a higher level.  Shots will be given for the first week of the next six months. 

Cam, Scott, Laurel, and Clay are coming over for Clay's fourth birthday today.  We plan to take him to the big toy store Brevard, O.P. Taylor's, his request, and then go on a waterfall hike.  Transylvania County where we live has over a 1000 waterfalls in the national forest surrounding Brevard.

I had a great surprise when I arrived home from the hospital.  Amy, Cam, Ike, Ali, and Joyse had all pitched in and bought me a large screen TV for the back deck of the house.  It was a perfect homecoming gift as football season is here.  Thanks to every one.  Now Jane can watch NCIS inside while I view the Redskins or Panthers outside.  I have had to switch some allegiance to NC but cannot quit the Redskins after living near them for 25 years. 

Thank you all for your prayers and support.

"Short hair is quickly brushed." - Amish Proverb