Class reunion and test day

This huge stone wall in the foyer of the cancer center is typical Arkansas stone used for homes, walls, and other structures around central Arkansas. Deb and I love it's look! When we see it, we think Arkansas!

Today was Deb's big test day. She started at 07:30 and ended about 5:30pm. Her bone marrow test was especially painful for her today. That pain set the tone for the rest of her day. As a reward,we had planned to go out to her favorite restaurant tonight. By the time the day was over she only wanted to go back to the room. I ran out and got a takeout meal for her.

Classmates Don and Anita are upstairs in our old room. Don is at his low point. I volunteered to bring them supper also but someone beat me to it. We are like family out here!

As I was walking thru the waiting area of the infusion center, a gray-haired lady that looked familiar called out to me. I went over to her and she asked about Deb and me. I still couldn't recognize her until she told me she was Carol from Kentucky. The last time I saw Carol, she was wearing a doo-rag on her bald head and going home to check on her heirloom tomatoes. This wavy beautiful hair couldn't be Carol, could it? It was! She said her hair had always been straight but it had come back in with a big curly wave and absolutely beautiful!

Carol had been in remission for about six months and had been coming for quarterly checkups. She had been clean until recently when her myeloma came back suddenly and worse than originally diagnosed. She is considering a special treatment that has been designed for such situations-called 'Killer-Cell' therapy. She was so happy to talk to me and get an update on Deb.

We needed a pain killer refill and Carla the pharmacist here worked hard to get it approved by the insurance company. Her oldest and now middle sons have earned Eagle Scout. Congrats!

Of course, you can't get powerful painkillers without a prescription which Dr Nair's nurse Gina got signed for us. Gina is the person with the HS tattoo on her wrist I pictured last year. Thanks Gina!

Catching the Markham house van mid-day, staff member Julie came walking up with her rescued greyhound. All the staff and other classmates came out to meet the dog. Julie used to be a Delta Flight Attendant.

Deb was in the MRI from 2:30 until after 5 pm. It was so hard for her to remain still while lying on her bone-marrow site. But, with her usual great attitude, she endured!

Back home Deb has not spent much time in the kitchen but wanted to bake her world famous cookies as gifts for the hotel and infusion staff here. So, she did! Today we passed them out. Yummy!

Deb is crashing tonight. We see Dr Nair Thursday to get test results and find out our next steps.

Our classmate Harold lost his wife Gwen back around Christmas. Today we exchanged texts. He is lonely but doing OK.

Blessings all!