Monday evening

Evelyn is packing for her December visit to Georgia. We can't wait!

Today Deb had a nice visit with Beth Jones Sterne from Va. Beth went to college with Deb at Valdosta State and lived next door to her when they were both new teachers. She and her husband Steve were part of the Dr and Mrs Owens gang. We were guardians of each others kids in case of disaster.

Vern headed back to work and was welcomed back by the associates.

That mundane life is very good!

Sunday evening

 Monitoring Deb's blood pressure is important ! This meter was only $69 and pumps up the cuff  and takes the pulse and BP just like the larger versions used in the cancer clinic. Wow! Technology!
So far, Deb's numbers have been great!

It was a quiet day in Peachtree City. Deb slept late and when church was over some angel friends brought us a bag of burgers, something we haven't had lately. We had a picnic in the sun room and had a nice visit. Thanks friends!

For supper I fixed something else we haven't had in over a month-a salad! See, while Deb's immune system was on vacation, all produce had to be washed and peeled. Peeled any lettuce lately?  It was delicious!

After a few days of much rest, we are beginning to fell human again. Rest is a wonderful medicine.

Saturday evening-From high drama to the mundane

Let's hear it for the mundane...the everyday 'normal', whatever that is. This blog may become considerably more boring now that we are home and not in the clinic but boring can be good if it means that Deb is getting better each day and beginning to adapt to being home. The reduced meds have helped Deb feel much better.

This afternoon we each took a loveseat in the sun room and had a nice sunny afternoon nap. It really is sweet to see Deb sound asleep enjoying the sun room just like I had hoped she would.

With some seasoning tips from Deb I made her a big pot of chili for supper. She is low in potassium and magnesium so we have a list of foods high in these minerals. I keep giving her snacks with these to boost her levels.

Deb has stayed inside since we got home but if she feels OK in the morning we may try to attend church and see our friends there.

Friday

Our rest and recuperation continued today with Deb sleeping most of the day in the sun room while I occupied the den couch. I sorted meds and medical records and continued moving us back in and organizing our life again. This evening I went out to the grocery armed with Deb's list and as I was checking out my cousin Daria and her husband Bruce walked into the grocery store. What are the chances of that?

I used a turkey leftovers to make some purloo for our late supper. Soooo good!

Deb's transitioning off the large number of meds down to a more modest number. She also wants to begin tapering off the strong pain killers, but that may take a while.

This evening we enjoyed the Christmas special with Andrea Bocelli-David Foster and other musicians. Our year has been so unusual it's hard to imagine the Christmas season being upon us. Where has 2010 gone?

Thanksgiving Day

Amanda and Stephen cooked up a storm and decided to bring the meal to our house so Deb could rest in her own hospital bed when she tired. Jon, Amanda's husband brought his parents David and Linda {alias: pear angels} who were visiting from Tampa. So, for her first thanksgiving, Eliana was with both sets of grandparents. We Skyped with Evelyn,Trey, and Katka who are still in Prague with Katka's parents. That's a lot of visiting on Skype. What a wonderful tool! Of course, Thanksgiving is an American holiday, so no special day in Prague. However, for Christmas in Prague, many families have a Christmas Carp (fish).

Both sets of grandparents enjoyed looking at 70's-80's music and videos on Youtube. Watching the Carol Burnett re-runs is a hoot! We roared over the Tim Conway dentist skit.

So, how does a Lady enjoy her sun room ?

Weds-First Day Home

Deb was so tired she spent the whole day resting-moving from her powered lift chair to the sun room and back. Her hours in the sun room were spent in total relaxation while enjoying the trees, shrubs, and critters. We are both so grateful to those who helped birth the sun room while we were gone. Thanks Sun Room Angels!

Vern's day was very busy but as of this posting, meds are picked up from the pharmacies, groceries bought, all mail opened and dealt with, all bills paid, and all clothes washed and dried. Whew!!!!

We Skyped with Trey,  Evelyn, Katka, and her parents in Prague, Cz. It's so much fun to see and hear baby Evelyn! We can't wait for Eliana and Evelyn to meet and play together in the sun room at Christmas.

Tomorrow for Thanksgiving lunch we will be at Amanda's home along with Jon and his parents. Deb is so very weak it will not be a lengthy visit. Her body has been put thru the wringer and she has to rest, rest, rest.

-borrowed from VansAirForce.net

As we celebrate Thanksgiving as a holiday we continue to celebrate it as a lifestyle. This year has been tough and a number of our classmates did not make it. Deb has hovered near death several times and the Lord has given her life. We plan to rejoice in it.

May you have a delightful holiday celebration and family time!

Coming home

There are many songs and poems about folks missing their home and being eager to be home, wherever that is. Remember: 'Green, green grass of home', and 'Don't it make you wanna go home'  by Joe South. The intense desire is something we understand. Today we got to enjoy coming home in the same way as released prisoners and returning soldiers thanks to a number of angels who helped us.

Yesterday while Deb recovered from her line removal procedure Vern packed and distributed our no longer needed kitchen supplies to other classmates. Instead of using the Limo service, Don and Anita volunteered to take us to the small airport  about :30 minutes north of Little Rock that we use.

We were so glad to see Don and Jon break out of  the clouds. After refueling and loading up we took off in a wandering  zig-zag path that allowed us to miss the worst of the storms between Arkansas and Georgia. We used a larger twin engine plane, a Cessna 310, that had radar. Man, was it handy today!

When we arrived in Georgia faithful friend angels Paul and Emma met us. Emma shared her really cold hat with Deb, then drove us home where we found our son Stephen painting windows in the sunroom. Shortly after, Deb and I collapsed into our beds for a long nap. Hours later we woke up hungry and made a quick salmon salad and crackers snack.

In the days ahead we have to establish a relationship with a local oncologist to work with our doctors in Arkansas. We have more local medical tests each week and in several weeks we begin weekly chemo here. In two weeks we have to return to Arkansas for several days of testing. Tomorrow we have to pick up a month's worth of mail and work thru that as well as get the house set up for meds and groceries plus do a ton of laundry. And rest, rest, rest! We are so tired!

Deb thought coming home might be the best anniversary present ever!

We are so grateful to each of you! May you have the best-ever Thanksgiving!

Safely Home!

Very tired, down for a nap. Details and pix later.

Flight Home-http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N5019J

Track us on this link:  http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N5019J

Pilot angels Jon and Dave are on the way to pick us up in a larger twin engine Cessna 310. We are loaded into Don and Anita's car and leaving the hotel in thirty minutes. There is weather to zig-zag thru, but it should not be a problem.

Deb is exhausted and I'm running on adrenaline.

We are facing all sorts of emotions as this season ends and the next begins.

This is all a gift as TODAY IS OUR 37TH ANNIVERSARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GRADUATION-PTL!!!!

Dr Nair sends Deb on her way. Two weeks at home, then return for tests. After that, weekly labs and chemo at home for three years with quarterly labs in Arkansas.

We are so grateful!

Monday afternoon-goodbye to nurses

After we saw Dr Nair, we had to get a shot in the belly and a urine sample at the chemo clinic.That gave us one more chance to say 'thank' and 'goodby' to those who have seen us through thick and thin.

Persimmon

Deb was given this giant persimmon

Markham Staff Who've Served Us

Cheerful staff

Julie-provides our breakfast

Steve-the owner of the Markham House

Morning Labs-where classmates hoot and holler while getting stuck!

Weekdays nurses come to the hotel to draw blood samples and help classmates (patients). The hotel posts a vacant room address in the lobby so we know where to go. While waiting, we check up on one another, and hear the latest news.

FLASH: released to come home

Getting line pulled from neck.Hope to return to Ptc tomorrow. More later

Monday 1pm-Internet down at the hotel

We are in the waiting area about to go in to see Dr Nair in hopes of being released to come home. Deb is weak but feels good. We are optimistic.

Sunday results

Our fine nurse today...possibly our last day ever in the cancer clinic for treatment, we pray!

Deb's labs really have shaped up and we are so grateful! We did bring some infusers home. My best estimate is that Dr Nair will release us to come home when we see him at 1pm tomorrow. Pilot angel Jon is planning to pick us up. Due to weather systems we are not sure if it will be Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning. Prayer warriors : engage please!

It really could be our last day in the cancer clinic. Perhaps not, but it could be! Deb and I have that feeling we had when we passed significant milestones in our lives like HS and college graduation, weddings, births, etc. Deb has endured a lot to get to the end of this phase of active treatment. Her pain and misery have been great. I can see how easy it would be for someone to give up and prefer death to the fight we have endured.

There are no guarantees and we could live out our days and except for the three years of home chemo, never come back into the clinic except for testing, or we could come out of remission and be right back here battling again. Only the Lord knows!

We are so eager to get home and look forward to sitting in the yellow sun room with many of you in  the coming days. I'm doing laundry and beginning to pack.

We are so grateful for each of you!

Sunday-the bus

 The wheels of the bus go round and round! 

I thought to day that of all facets of our life in Arkansas, I have not shown you the INSIDE of our ride. So, here are a few shots of Antoinne driving us home today. The little white haired lady is from the Thomasville-Moultrie,Ga area. She is very feisty and keeps us in stitches! The folded up walker is Deb's.

Every day we drive past the smokers area. No matter the weather or time of day there is a small gathering of tobacco addicts. We have seen patients with their iv bags and hospital gowns out puffing away. Typically there are at least 8-10 present. They were scattered today so I could not get them all in one pix.

What's Thanksgiving Mimi ?

Evelyn (top) and Eliana (bottom)

Mel Bel + Classmates

Mel Bel has served us almost daily for this time in Little Rock. She is a cheerful outgoing bright young lady who works in the clinic while attending nursing school. She is a single mom raising a son named Jack. We'll miss her smile!


This classmate had a football game on her mind today. Wonder who she's pullling for?

This classmate pastors a church several miles from the clinic.

These classmates live in the nearby McDonald House. They are very serious about licking this terrible disease.

Emotions...again!

Well, here I go talking about men's weak area again..all things emotional.

Two thoughts have been with me all day

>As we contemplate completing this phase of treatment in Arkansas and begin home treatments with quarterly lab visits to Arkansas, I will miss these classmates and those who treat us!
We have been through war together! They have been with us through our darkest hours,our greatest weaknesses, our fears and doubts. That makes us like war buddies who could hardly describe their experiences to the friends and family at home but could spend hours at reunions and VFWs chewing the fat about their travails together.

Hopefully we will never have to undergo the stem cell/chemo process here again, but if the cancer came back, we would. Otherwise, perhaps Monday will be the end of this season of life.

>

Plans

Today we were confirmed for a 1 pm appointment with Dr Nair on Monday. At the rate Deb is improving we think we will be able to be picked up on Tuesday to return to Ga. We can't wait!

Then in 2-3 weeks we will return to Arkansas for 2-3 days of testing, then back home. After that, for three months we will take weekly chemo and then after three months we'll come back for repeat testing. We repeat for three years.

Remember: multiple myeloma is incurable but treatable. We are seeking full remission, which Deb has, but for a long time...hopefully for the rest of our lives.

Friday night-getting better!

We had labs in the room this morning and after breakfast I began washing the dishes in the kitchen sink. For the third time since we've lived here the kitchen sink and both bathroom sinks backed up and filled up with yuck. Yuck! Here I am trying to keep Deb with her pneumonia away from all things germ and suddenly we were attacked by the germ squad! Not yet having bathed/shaved, I helped Deb dress and get to the clinic while the staff called out a plumber. We headed into the clinic greeting our friendly nurses and classmates expecting to have the plumbing fixed and the room cleaned by the time we returned. How wrong we were.

Labs showed that the numbers were improving and Deb's feeler said the new anti-biotic was really doing a good job after using the other one 12 days.

When we got home, the plumber was still plumbing and Deb was on her last legs as well as starving. The front office got us another room for Deb to crash in while I used car-angels GM to pick up Deb's cravings. She had several lists of things that she had to have. In an hour or so I returned with the must-haves and by then the plumber was gone and the maid had cleaned up. Since killing germs is so critical, I then re-sanitized the areas just to be double sure.

Then the food angels arrived with a beautiful supper meal which we enjoyed so much. Thanks food angels!

A concern is that in Deb's tummy where she has had repeated growth factor shots, an internal round knot about one inch has formed. We must get it checked out.

On another note, our pharmacists have been so central in Deb's care. Carla has stood out in being concerned and helpful to us. She's determined to get the insurance approvals and meds Deb needs. Thanks Carla!
The Wyatt Earp quote on the wall behind her is interesting. "Fast is nice, but accuracy is everything."

Thursday-pneumonia again

We see the doc in an hour. Chances of coming home tomorrow seem slim as the APN just gave us the cat scan report showing some pneumonia. The sample was sent to a specialty lab in Utah and will take up to a week to ID.

Deb has been resting and got a liter of saline. We are going home with four infusers. We also are getting a lung exercise device. More after we see the doc.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Dr Nair says get tests,change meds,come back Monday. So,we are back in the cancer center again.

We really wanted to come home tomorrow but are glad to stay here until Deb is in better shape.

Nurses-a blessing to us!

Deb got the cath out today and things are going well so far. We came home with 4 infusers. We have to go back for a CAT scan to search for reasons for the lingering fever she has had all week while on intensive anti-biotics.

We are so grateful for the wonderful nurses here! Here are a few of them.