Home, Sweet Home...

Friday morning I loaded the car at Candlewood and we headed to the hospital for Reid's blood draw.  That only took about 30 minutes and then we headed HOME!

Ashley and the rest of the cats remembered Reid.  So did the dog.  Ashley cannot understand why he's no longer allowed in Reid's room, but that's the rule for a while.  Reid is not allowed to sleep with any animals and he has to wash his hands or use hand sanitizer if he touches them.  So, Ashley stood outside his room and cried in protest.

Last night we had hamburgers and Reid topped his with lettuce and tomato.  It's funny how you really end up craving something when you can't have it for a while.  I remember when we lived in Sicily and I longed for American pizza.  It was one of the first things I had when we arrived home.  I guess that's why so many diets fail.  When deprived of something we crave it!

Tonight we had Roast Sticky Chicken.  It's one of our favorites.  I think we were all tired of eating frozen stuff that was zapped in the microwave.  Having real meals is enjoyable for everyone now.  If you've never had Roast Sticky Chicken give it a try.  There are many variations out on the Internet, but we enjoy the version I found on Real Meals For Real People a Yahoo newsletter group.  I'm not sure if you have to sign in to Yahoo to read the recipe, but joining Yahoo is no big deal and worth it for this recipe.  I didn't take a picture, but it tastes as good as it looks and makes the house smell real good for hours while cooking.

Tomorrow Keith heads back to Austin.  We will really miss him around here.  I can't help but think of how proud Jim would have been watching Keith and Troy step up to the plate to help their brother and me.  He would have been standing there smiling as Keith donated stem cells for Reid and then he would have been smiling as Reid received them.  He would have been laughing as we all learned to hook Reid up to an IV with shaky hands and do all the other things required of an "official" caretaker.

I hope as I get caught up around here and things slowly return somewhat to normal (whatever that is) I'll be able to catch up with E-mail and visit more blogs again.  Thank you for your prayers and support the last few months!

Time Marches On...

Time marches on and I'm home again until Thursday.

Yesterday was Reid's birthday.  On Saturday Keith brought a cake when he arrived to stay with Reid.  It was a delicious, moist, chocolate cake from The Cake Lady Bakery.  She always has really good cakes and we all enjoyed this tasty treat.

Yesterday when Troy arrived we ordered lunch from The Olive Garden and brought it back to Candlewood.  It was a nice change from the frozen meals we zap in the microwave.  We couldn't take Reid out for lunch for his birthday, but we did the next best thing.  Why didn't I remember to take a picture???

On Friday Reid had his regular appointment and saw the stem cell doctor.  The doctor seemed really pleased with the progress Reid has made.  He told him that his brother's stem cells are reproducing and his blood work looks really good.  In fact, his platelets are back to normal which is unusual at this point.  The PET scan that was done last Tuesday showed no cancer.  So, it was good news all around.  Reid can move home on February 15th as long as there are no changes in his condition.  We are all ready for him to move home and have things sort of back to normal again!

Reid has been playing lots of games with his brothers.  It helps pass the time.

I know the room looks full.  It's going to take us a while to pack everything up when it's time to move back home.

This end of the counter holds some of the medical supplies.  We've got more stashed in the closet.  We'll be glad when it's time to pack this all away...for good!

Doesn't everyone have an IV bag on the kitchen counter?

I try and take lots of pictures of Ashley...Reid's cat.  Reid wonders if he'll remember him.  I think he will.  He might be a little skittish at first since he was feral and usually dives under the couch when someone comes in the door.  Once he realizes who it is he'll be OK.

I was hoping to have the attic duct work replaced while Reid was gone.  Jim and I made temporary repairs to one spot a couple of years ago.  Then we decided to wait until we had the house leveled before replacing the duct work so nothing would be out of kilter.  I checked with Reid's doctor and was told we shouldn't have the work done for at least six months since it will put molds in the air.  So, that will have to be put off again for a while.  I still need to have the rest of the new floors put down when we move back home.  They weren't able to finish before Reid went into the hospital.  There's just so much that needs to be done around here now.  I've been thinking about moving, but just haven't gotten past the thinking stage.  Too much going on at once!

Thanks again for your warm thoughts and prayers.

More changes...

I'm home right now and thought I'd quickly post an update while I'm on my regular computer.  Typing things on my little Netbook at Candlewood seems to take me a lot longer, so I thought I'd take advantage of having access to my regular computer and post an update.

Reid is doing much better.  In fact, I came home for a couple of days and when I went back I could see a difference.  He's still very fatigued, but he's spending a good part of the day sitting up.  His appetite has also improved.  It's far from being back to normal, but he usually eats at least one half way decent meal a day.  And the shortness of breath is practically gone.  He coughs a lot less now.  I'm a little paranoid about all the flu this year, but he's not out in public and wears a mask when he goes to the hospital.  We've all had flu shots so hopefully no one will get sick.  I keep the hand sanitizer people in business!

Reid's got a ziplock bag full of medication.  I told him it reminded me of my father but about half of it is just medication he takes as needed.  Daily he takes the anti-rejection medication, anti-fungal, anti-viral, and probably one or two other things that I can't remember right now.  It's the anti-rejection medication that requires a daily three hour infusion to flush his kidneys.  We were going daily to the hospital, but they decided the infusion could now be done outside the hospital.  His blood work has stabilized and he will now only go two days a week to the hospital for a blood draw.  While he's there they'll give him the infusion.  He'll also see the stem cell doctor once a week during the infusion.
 
Meanwhile, we were given a pump and instructed on how to hook him up for the daily infusion.  I don't mind telling you that I find it a little nerve wracking, but hopefully in time it's won't be as difficult.  The nurses at the hospital all make it look so easy, but I feel like I'm all thumbs.  I'll be going back to Candlewood in a little while, but Keith will be starting the infusion this morning.  We're all doing it now, but Reid also knows how it's done and can prompt us when we have trouble.  We've got printed instructions to follow too.

I'll be staying tonight and then Troy will be arriving Monday morning to relieve me until Wednesday.  Meanwhile, Keith will be staying at the house taking care of the menagerie and returning to Candlewood to relieve me on Saturday.  Did you follow all of that?  Anyway, we do have everything covered so that Reid has someone with him 24/7 as required.

I was able to extend our stay at Candlewood until February 15th which is only five days short of the 60 days post transplant we're supposed to live down there.  The Houston Rodeo is cutting our stay short those five days, but I'm hoping the doctor will say it's OK to move back home at that time.

Thanks again for your support and prayers.

A little excitement...

Early Sunday morning (4 AM) Reid started coughing and couldn't catch his breath.  It went on for about ten minutes.  He told me he was dizzy and couldn't breath.  He could barely talk.  Finally, I asked if I should call 911 and he said yes.

The ambulance arrived in less than five minutes, but by then he was breathing much better.  They put him on oxygen and brought him to the ER. I got dressed and followed a few minutes later.  Fortunately, there aren't many cars on the road then and of course, I made a wrong turn and got lost.  However, I found my way and arrived at the hospital a short time later.

They decided once again that he does not need oxygen at home.  The saturation rate is good.  He only has trouble when he has a coughing fit.  So, after six hours in the ER we left so he could keep his appointment upstairs for the three hour infusion that he needs each day.  He is very fatigued, but he was after the last stem cell transplant too.  It takes a long time for the energy level to get back up again.  I've been using the valet parking at the hospital so that I can get him right in a wheelchair.  He can walk, but everything is pretty spread out at the hospital and he can't do that much walking.  So, we grab a wheelchair at the front door.

Last night went very well.  He didn't have a coughing fit, but he's learned to walk slowly and not jump up fast.  It's when he takes deep breaths that he starts coughing.  I think he also panics a little when he can't catch his breath which causes him to breathe faster and just makes things worse.

Today Troy came to stay with him and I came home.  I will go back down on Thursday and stay until Troy returns on Monday.  And Keith arrives tomorrow.  So, I have reinforcements now!  That is a big relief.  I hadn't been able to leave Reid to go to the grocery store.  Candlewood has a small pantry and I was able to buy a few things there, but before I left for home I went grocery shopping so Reid and Troy would have plenty to eat.  The little kitchenette only has a microwave and a two burner stove top, but it's sufficient and I loaded up on TV dinners and assorted junk food that I thought might appeal to Reid. He is able to eat now and hold things down, but he doesn't have a big appetite.

We were teasing Troy about this being his big test.  When Reid was little we went out one day and left him with Keith and Troy.  They were in high school at the time and got busy playing a video game.  Reid had gone roller skating with a friend, but fell and broke his arm.  He told us later that he heard it break.  Anyway, he came home and told his brothers that he had broken his arm.  It was a clean break and not visible, and they didn't believe him.  In fact, they told him to quit crying and to leave them alone.  So, he got some ice from the freezer and put it on his arm.  When we arrived home he told us that he had broken his arm and "Keith and Troy don't even care."  It's one of those family stories that we like to retell from time to time.  Reid and I are confident that Troy will do a much better job this time.

I better get back to vacuuming.  I'm trying to get the house in order before Keith arrives tomorrow.  I wasn't getting much done at all in the evenings when I got home from the hospital and the place is a mess.  I'm also looking forward to sleeping in my own bed.  If the cats allow I'll sleep a little later.

Lots Going On...

Reid's white count continued to go up and took a big jump overnight on Tuesday.  The doctor said he could be discharged on Friday.  This welcomed news took us all by surprise.  Keith wasn't returning from Austin to help me out until the 9th.  I couldn't make hotel reservations until I had an actual date and I thought there would be more notice.

Just my luck the hotel across the street had no rooms available.  I think a lot of people put off traveling to MD Anderson until after the holidays and made reservations to come after the first of the year.  I really wanted to stay close to the hospital this time, but had no choice but to quickly come up with a plan B.  I was very pleased with the place we stayed at last time, but it's a little bit farther away.  I called them anyway and was able to get in for at least 30 days.  The Houston Rodeo starts the beginning of February so we might have to leave then.  I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.  The doctor had said he'd need to be close by for 60 days after transplant, but I'm kind of hoping that might change and we can go home sooner.

Reid was pleased to be getting discharged and then on Thursday had a nose bleed that wouldn't quit.  That's not unusual with low platelets and it finally had to be cauterized.  Then he continued to have shortness of breath and was seen by a pulmonary doctor to see if he'd need oxygen at discharge.  Of course, this now had the Friday discharge date a little up in the air.  However, on Friday they finally determined that he wouldn't require oxygen outside the hospital and said he could go.  We left the hospital around 6:00 PM.  He still has trouble catching his breath when he coughs, but his lungs have developed some scar tissue from all the radiation he had a few years ago. 

He now has to return to the hospital every day for blood work and infusions for at least the next two weeks.  This all takes around five hours, but he's still glad just to be out of that hospital room he called home for three weeks.  He's lost weight and is very fatigued, but is starting to eat a little now.

Troy has offered to come to Candlewood and stay with Reid from Monday through Thursday so I can have a little break.  He's able to work remotely with his laptop and take Reid over to the hospital each day.  I also think Reid will enjoy having someone else around.  Troy got sick and had to stay away from the hospital after the first week and Keith had to return to Austin on the 30th, so it's just been me lately.  I have some things I need to get done at home too. By the time I returned home from the hospital in the evenings I was kind of worn out and not much got done.  Keith is coming back on Tuesday, so I'll have even more help and will finally be getting a little rest.

I'll try and post updates as time allows.  Thank you for your support and prayers.  Betty

Day "0"

Yesterday was Day "0" and Reid received Keith's stem cells.

They were brought from the stem cell lab frozen.

Then they were thawed.

Keith's stem cells were divided between three bags.  A bag was hung and when that one was completed the lady thawed the next bag, etc.

Reid wasn't feeling well and it bothered him to see the infusion, so the nurse slipped the IV pole behind the curtain.  The entire process took less than an hour.

Reid is very fatigued now.  He's already fatigued from the chemo and then they had to give him Benadryl and some other drugs before the infusion.  Hopefully today he'll be doing better.

Troy went down this morning to give me some time at home to get a few things done.  I've got to get busy so I can get down there before noon.  Thanks again...

Quick Update

I'm having trouble connecting to the hospital's Wi-Fi.  Yesterday I tried on and off all day.  Today I finally went down to the first floor and tried a couple of different spots and was finally able to connect.  Then I came back up to the 18th floor and stayed connected, so I guess the trick is just to connect somewhere and then you're on to stay.  Just not convenient.

Reid is very tired, but still no awful mouth and throat sores.  The nausea has been kept under control so far, so that's good news too.  He's having cookies and applesauce for breakfast.  He needs something in his stomach so he can take some meds.  The hospital doesn't have meals at scheduled
times.  Instead they have room service and patients order off a menu and call in their order.  Really a good idea since it's more important for cancer patients to eat what they want when they feel like eating.  The food is delivered by someone dressed like a waiter and usually gets here pretty quickly.

Today is day -1.  Tomorrow Reid receives Keith's stem cells and that is considered day 0.  Then the following days are day +1, +2, etc.

Last night it took me an hour and twenty minutes to get home.  I think traffic is heavier because of Christmas.  I need to leave about ten minutes earlier today because it's getting dark so early and I have no business driving at night with my depth perception problems.  I wish I could stay longer.  If only it was summer with the longer days.

Keith will be coming back for Christmas week and I'm looking forward to having him here.  Today Troy is at the house waiting for the plumber and handyman.  Thank goodness because that makes it possible for me to be here as long as possible.

It got cold overnight.  Must have been quite a storm, but I slept right through it.  They said on the news this morning that some people lost power.  I should have turned off the A/C before I left, but forgot.  I might need the heat tonight.

We won't be at the hotel until Reid is discharged, so I'll be driving both ways until then.  We're required to stay near the hospital's ER for a while after discharge.  I think how long is how quickly his counts go up and if there's no problem with Host vs Graft Disease.  I hope it won't be too long because of the animals at home.  Keith will be coming to stay at the house for a while which will be a big help.  I talked to a lady a couple of days ago who told me that they went home when her husband was discharged and let them think they were staying nearby at a hotel.  They don't check and take your word for it. but I just wouldn't take a chance.

Thanks again for your prayers.

Some more busy days ahead...

It's official...Fall finally arrived today!  It was warm when I went outside this morning with the dog, but a few hours later the temperature had probably dropped ten degrees.  I actually had to turn off the A/C this afternoon.  Still don't need the heat, but it's so nice to turn off the A/C for a while.

The squirrels are running around gathering nuts for the winter.  I'm not sure why since we don't get snow and the ground never freezes, but I guess with all the pecans falling they're in a feeding frenzy.  They love to tease my cat.  I can see this tree from the computer room window and most mornings Baby is up there with the squirrels.  Yesterday there were three squirrels having a good time teasing him.  Of course, it was kind of difficult to get a picture because they all move so quickly.  If you look closely you can see Baby and two of the squirrels. (Click on the picture to enlarge.)

Reid drove to Austin this morning to visit Keith and attend a convention.  He was going to go yesterday, but didn't feel well in the morning and decided to wait. Troy is driving over tomorrow for the day to attend the same convention.  I'm sure they will all have a good time.  Reid plans to drive back on Monday morning.

He had his infusion on Tuesday and spoke with his oncologist.  The mass continues to get smaller, but he's not in remission yet and because of that the oncologist now feels he should consider another stem cell transplant using Keith's stem cells.  He told Reid to at least speak with the stem cell doctor and see what he says.  We also found out that Reid's oncologist is moving to Sloan Kettering in January or February.  That was disappointing to hear since he's considered a leading expert on Hodgkin's, but the Fellow said that it's a wonderful opportunity for him and he deserves it.  So, I guess Reid will be seeing another oncologist in the clinic when he moves on.  It was kind of a mixed bag of information.  Good because the mass did get smaller again, but not so good because of a possible stem cell transplant and his doctor leaving.  I might have told you before, but there are many emotional ups and downs with cancer.

And Monday they begin the slab work on the house.  I think this is more a Texas thing, but the homes here are built on a concrete slab and we have a clay type soil.  Because of the clay the ground expands with moisture and contracts with drought.  Having large trees makes the situation worse.  Although we have soaker hoses around the slab and water all the time the large trees drink huge amounts of water.  Once again, the slab has cracked and our house has dropped off along the back.  So, on Monday they'll be coming in and tearing up the carpet in the den and the kitchen floor and adding some interior piers.  They come in with jack hammers and go through the concrete, take out wheelbarrows full of dirt, and then pour concrete piers to hold the house up.  The concrete will have to cure for two to three weeks and then they'll come back, open up some of the interior and exterior piers we already have, and officially jack up the house.  Then I'll have to get new floors.  Needless to say, I'm going to be busy for a while.  In fact, I've spent time this week packing up stuff in the kitchen and den and temporarily moving it into the dining room.  I'm just hoping I can get everything done before we get too busy with Reid's treatment.  This was all supposed to have been done last June, but I put it off until October after Jim died.

I'm going to be very busy in the coming weeks, but I'll try and post here once in a while.  And I'm planning to take pictures on Monday because seeing is believing!  Reid took the camera to Austin, but I got an iPhone5 last week and can always use that for pictures.  That reminds me of something and I'm hoping someone can help.  I downloaded the Blogger app but can't figure out how to read blogs with it.  It just takes me to the page where you write a blog post.  Anyone know what I'm doing wrong?

Alphabe-Thursday..."E" as in Endeavour

Welcome to Alphabe-Thursday sponsored by Ms. Jenny over at Jenny Matlock..."off on my tangent."  For a list of this week's participants and information on how you can join in on the fun head over to Ms. Jenny's blog.

This week we are studying the letter "E" as in the Space Shuttle ENDEAVOUR.

The Space Shuttle ENDEAVOUR blasted off for the final time from Cape Canaveral, Florida on Monday, May 16, 2011.  ENDEAVOUR is NASA's youngest space shuttle and this is her 25th flight into space.  Unless you've been on Mars yourself, you probably know that ENDEAVOUR is commanded by Captain Mark Kelly the husband of Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.

The Space Shuttle ENDEAVOUR has had quite a history over the last 20 years.  This excellent 9+ minute video shows some of the highlights.




As exciting as it is to see a shuttle launch (and I've only seen them on television) I've always been fascinated with the way NASA transports the shuttles on the back of a 747 aircraft.  Perhaps it was my fear of flying that made this feat seem unbelievable to me.

We live near the Johnson Space Center and Ellington Field and had the opportunity to see ENDEAVOUR on top of the 747 when NASA took delivery in May 1991.  ENDEAVOUR was built  by Rockwell in Palmdale, California to replace the space shuttle Challenger that was lost in an explosion on January 28, 1986.  (We always remember that date since our son, Reid, turned ten years old that day.)

On May 6, 1991 ENDEAVOUR made a stop in Houston at Ellington Field on the way from California to Florida.  Reid, Troy and I went out to see her.  (I can't believe how young we look in these pictures, but it was 20 years ago!)  I had to scan these photographs since digital photography wasn't even in our vocabulary back then.

I had to get the kids to cooperate.  After all this was an historical occasion and they had to be photographed.  They preferred to fool around.

Finally, they cooperated.  They look so young and I didn't even remember Troy having long hair.  He was going through his hard rock phase.

Of course, I wanted my picture taken with ENDEAVOUR too!  I haven't changed a bit.  I still look this young!

Over the years we've gone to open houses that NASA has had at the Johnson Space Center and Ellington Field and I've had a chance to get on the 747 and ask questions of one of the pilots.

Actually, that was the day I realized that fear of flying is a phobia.  The 747 was parked at Ellington Field with the doors wide open.  As we climbed the steps and walked inside I was surprised by my reaction.  My heart was pounding and I was ready to turn around and run.  I couldn't believe it since it was so obvious that the plane wasn't going anywhere any time soon.  Besides, the inside of the plane was pretty much gutted in order to cut down on the weight.  There were only a few seats in the front and the rest was just a wide open space and here I was reacting the way I did anytime I stepped on a plane to fly somewhere.  It was definitely an ah-hah moment.

The pilot who was standing near the doorway turned and surprised me by asking if I had any questions.  Of course, I did!  I blurted,  "How do you get this thing off the ground?"  He apologized and told me that he didn't understand my question.  Here I thought it was so obvious.  I said, "You have this big plane with the equivalent of another plane on top of it...don't you have trouble getting it off the ground?"  He assured me that he didn't.  He told me it was just like flying any other plane except they needed a long enough runway.  I already knew that a heavier plane needs a longer runway for take-off and landing, so that made sense.  He also told me that they couldn't fly through turbulence.  Ah...I thought I had him there.  Obviously, turbulence must be extremely dangerous just as I had suspected and NASA wouldn't want to take a chance with the expensive shuttle.  He told me, "No, it's just that the way the shuttle is mounted to the 747 they don't want to take a chance of jarring something loose."  They fly at a lower altitude and another plane always flies ahead of them to warn them of turbulence.

Eventually, I overcame my fear of flying and that day at Ellington Field went a long way in helping me.  It's pretty amazing to see that thing fly. I'm still hoping to see it one more time in person.  After this mission ENDEAVOUR is heading to Los Angeles, California and its final home at the California Science Center.  I'm hoping they'll fly it through here on the back of the 747 one last time.

Here's a short video of ENDEAVOUR on the back of the 747 in 2008.



For the latest ENDEAVOUR news check out NASA's website.

Now head over to Jenny's blog and visit some of this week's "E" posts.

Happy Birthday Troy...and what a week it's been!

Our middle son Troy turned 40 on Wednesday, but we celebrated his birthday last Saturday while Keith was here from Austin.   This post is a little late, but HAPPY BIRTHDAY TROY!

It was a simple celebration at home.  Reid has been in considerable pain and we couldn't go out to a restaurant, so we cooked hamburgers out on the grill and had some cake afterwards.  When our three sons get together there's a lot of teasing and joking and this day was no different from any other.  It was a great diversion.

Troy blew out the candles on his cake (and  hammed it up a little bit for the camera).  Reid asked him if he had made a wish.  He said he had and Reid replied, "If I get better we'll know your wish came true."  They both laughed and then Troy said, "But tonight is lottery night."  We all laughed.  I know the humor sounds a little bizarre, but the important thing is that we were all able to laugh together.

They indulged me and posed for a picture together.  L-R: Reid, Keith, and Troy.

Keith and Jim observing the festivities.  Be sure and enlarge the picture.  Jim's shirt says, "My Wife Rocks."  We joke that the shirt is a chick magnet because he always gets comments from other women on his shirt.  It was a gift from me. :)

Keith was only supposed to be in Houston for work until Wednesday, but he extended his stay until Friday with a couple of vacation days.  It was really nice for Reid to have Keith here as a diversion.  The pain had become so bad that I finally contacted the Physician's Assistant and she was able to get his appointment at the pain clinic moved up to Thursday.  It's made a considerable difference.  Although he's far from pain free the additional medication (long acting pain killer, nerve relaxer, and more Hydromorphane) has made the pain more tolerable.  He's lost 20 pounds in the last month because the pain seemed to take away his appetite.  He's eating a little more now.  His left arm has gotten very weak and he can no longer type on the computer.  He pretty much holds it in one position most of the time. 

On Friday he was seen in the brain and spine clinic.  The doctor that saw him first said that they thought the cancer was around the nerve and not in the nerve.  With regular Lymphoma the cancer can get in the nerve, but he said he had never heard of that happening with Hodgkin's.  They also think the mass is outside the spinal canal and pushing in.  At least that was our understanding. That was the case last year too.  His one pupil is larger than the other and the eye lid is a little droopy.  We hadn't noticed and no other doctor had either, but this doctor caught it and said it's also from the mass on a nerve.

The strange thing about the whole appointment was that they didn't know why Reid's Oncologist had sent him to them for an evaluation.  It was our understanding that it was to see if he could benefit from some radiation now and I'm assuming that's for pain relief.  That was not conveyed to this clinic.  They also didn't know what the treatment plan was and we told them a stem cell transplant.  We were told they would speak with Reid's Oncologist and he'd let him know something.

This coming Friday he has his biopsy and then on November 5th he'll see the Oncologist again.  All these appointments are so spread out and it's taking time to get everything done so treatment can begin.  It would not be so bad if it wasn't for the pain.  I guess in a way the pain is our friend because without it we would not have known anything was wrong until sometime in November when he had his next scheduled scan.

I know last year when he went numb from the arm pits down they were very concerned.   It was considered a medical emergency and he was put in intensive care.  That does not appear to be the case this time, so I console myself with that knowledge.

I went out to Joanne's and bought some fabric.  I've decided I need to find something to work on to keep my mind occupied so I don't find myself worrying.  I'm hoping to get some doll sewing done for Ann Estelle.  I'm going to sew together some felt jackets and then take them along to the hospital and start the embroidery on them this week.

Thank you for your interest and concern.

ALPHABE-THURSDAY - "T" as in Troy!

Once again class is in session at our TEACHER'S blog Jenny Matlock..."off on my tangent." For information on on this weekly event and a list of this week's participants head over to Mrs. Matlock's blog.

This week we are studying the letter T and it just so happens that our middle son's name is TROY.

TROY was born on October 20, 1970 in the US Naval Hospital at Naples, Italy. When he was seven months old we returned to the states and stayed temporarily with my parents in NJ. This is one of my favorite pictures taken of TROY in my parents' backyard in NJ. His hair used to stick straight out as if he had stuck his finger in an electric socket.


Unfortunately, a lot of these old pictures have become faded and discolored over the years. I believe TROY was around two in this picture.

This was his first grade picture.

This one actually had a date on the back. It was taken in November 1979. I wish I had been better about marking the backs of all my old pictures.

This is TROY in the 4th grade. I wrote 1979-80 on the back.

This is his fifth grade picture taken in 1980.

Here he is in 1983.

And his junior year in high school at Cypress Creek High School in Houston.

This was Troy's Senior picture in 1988. That year Jim had been transferred to Oklahoma at the beginning of Troy's Senior year, so the kids and I stayed behind in Houston so he could graduate with his class.

This picture was taken in May 2009 when Keith turned 40. TROY is on the left with Keith, Reid and Jim.

This is TROY and Reid. TROY is on the left. It was taken this past April when we went out to celebrate after Reid completed chemo.

TROY is a very hard worker and does computer work for an engineering firm. He's our on call computer guru. Right now he's going through a difficult time in his life, but I'm confident things will get better with time. He's another cat person and has four rescued cats.

I had a doll scene set up for this week, but I've been experimenting with trying to take pictures without a flash and using camera lights instead. After many attempts I never got a decent picture and gave up. It's back to the drawing board to try and figure out what I'm doing wrong. TALK about frustration! I'm also in the middle of taking Reid for radiation TREATMENTS each day. As we like to say, "We're busy making cancer history." That's a play on words since MD Anderson's slogan is, "MD Anderson...making cancer history." We like to think we're funny. :)

Mrs. Matlock said it's TIME to be nice to all our classmates, so I'm off to visit as many as I can.

THE DAY AFTER...

We had a very nice Christmas yesterday. Keith was here from Austin, Reid was feeling pretty good, and Troy and Deanna joined us in the afternoon for Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs...a family favorite.

We decided to get a head start on the meatballs on Christmas Eve. I also cooked the Italian sausage at that time. I knew we'd be going to the nursing home to see Dad on Christmas morning and this way we could start the sauce when we got home and just throw in the already cooked meatballs and sausage. Keith and Reid were the official meatball rollers.

On Christmas morning Jim, Keith, Reid and I headed over to the nursing home with Dad's gifts. We found him dozing near the nurses' station and when he opened his eyes we said, "Merry Christmas!" He looked up and smiled. We brought him over to a table so he could open his gifts.

He didn't have much to say, but we encouraged him to open the gifts and finally he got started. Here he is opening my sister's package. He carefully peeled off most of the tape. It was like opening gifts in slow motion. Dad used to be as sharp as a tack mentally and very physically active. This year I don't even think he knew it was Christmas until we told him and he probably forgot as soon as we left.

Then we posed for a picture, but by that time Dad was busy looking at a library book. The nursing home has a small library and there is a set of WW II Encyclopedias. He enjoys looking at the pictures, so we usually get a book for him to look through while we visit since he doesn't talk much any more. He's always enjoyed books. This is me, Keith, and Dad.

I called my sister while we were there and put Dad on the phone. He did tell her Merry Christmas, but that was about the extent of the conversation. We stayed until it was time for him to go to the dining room for his Christmas dinner. When I said Merry Christmas to the other men at his table one of them said to me, "Is today Christmas?" I told him it was and then he wanted to know if it was Christmas all day. It's sad, but this man is always smiling and my Dad always seems content, so I console myself with that knowledge.

We came home and Keith got the spaghetti sauce cooking. It cooks for two to three hours and then we add the meatballs and sausage. We double the meatball recipe so our pot is full.

After dinner Christmas Boy handed out the presents. This is a tradition with our family. When the kids were little they'd fight to be Christmas Boy, but now I suspect they secretly hope they won't be chosen. We usually all gang up on one person and they have no choice but to be a good sport and put on the Christmas Boy hat. By the way, Christmas Boy doesn't have to be a male or a boy. It can be a man or a woman, but they're still called Christmas Boy.

This year Troy was Christmas Boy. He was a good sport.

We had a lot of fun and shared a lot of laughs. It was a good day.

And then came December 26th...chemo day for Reid. I'm so glad it fell right after Christmas so he could enjoy Christmas Day. He and Jim left at 8:30 this morning for a 9:30 appointment. There was a mix up and Reid needed blood drawn. Then they needed the doctor's OK for the chemo to begin and the doctor didn't call back. Finally, they called another doctor and he OK'd the chemo. By then it was 3:00. They had some problems with his port and the chemo didn't begin until 4:00. They arrived home a few minutes before 8:00 PM. It was a long day and Reid wasn't feeling well by the time they got home. He went to bed. What a difference a day makes.

We're hoping six months of chemo will be enough. If so, he's a third of the way there. On January 7th he'll spend the day at the hospital for tests and scans. Hopefully we'll know more then. All prayers are appreciated.