Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter day!!!



      I hope everyone has had a wonderful Easter day!  It was definitely a different Easter for us and one I'm sure we'll never forget even though we still have so much to be grateful for and we are so very blessed.  I felt terrible leaving Warren this morning but I really did not want to miss church on Easter Sunday so I made a last minute decision to go to Joel Osteen's church, Lakewood, for the 11am service.  (I figured I may not get the opportunity again, even though I hope I do!)  I'm so glad I went!!!  It was awesome!  It was an ordeal once I found it but I just followed the traffic and then the crowd becuase I had no idea where I was walking too!  (I kept thinking while I was following everyone that you always teach your kids to be a leader and not a follower and here I am not having a clue where the crowd is leading me...I just followed.  he he he....I was thinking surely they're all going to the same place I'm trying to get to.)   All kidding aside, it was really a treat to be there.  It's the largest church in the US and it was completely packed out...all of the way to the top.  (I took the pics below before the service started so you cannot tell how many people were actually there once the service started.)  Worship there was amzaing!  It was pretty powerful being apart of such a large, upbeat congregation.  I wish Warren could've gone but we will definitely go again the next time we have to come back to MDA for check-up's and when he's feeling better. 


Lakewood Church / Houston, TX

 

     Warren is about the same he has been for the last few days.  The pain is getting a little worse and he really doesn't want to eat anything and he's drinking less.  (Don't panic y'all....I'm doing everything I can, even taking a cussing from him for trying to shove it down his throat every few hours.)  I'm sure the doctors will probably decide to give him the feeding tube this week.  (He'll deny it until he's lying in the hospital bed being sedated for it but the scale will tell on Tuesday!)  It will make my life and his a whole lot easier if they would just do it!  (Even though I can't imagine having to put everything in his tube...you do what you gotta do, huh.)  I think he would be a lot happier because I could then stop nagging him all day.  He will only have to keep it for 6 weeks and then they can remove it.  (If he doesn't want to eat or drink now I can just imagine next week and the week after that.)  Yes, he's miserable but he really is still taking it all pretty well.  He looks better than he sounds, I promise!  I think I'm going to get him to stay tomorrow morning after radiation to get IV fluids.  I think he probably needs them and it will probably make him feel better.  (They told us anytime he wants them or thinks he needs them we can just check ourselves in and they'll get him set up.)
     Well, that's our Sunday.  About to finish watching our redbox movies before they are all due back and before the storm starts, make some more bookmarks, and finish off my Easter dessert (Very appropriate for the occasion, Carrot Cake.)  I picked up at the grocery store when I went to pick up my Easter lunch from the deli. (Yuk!...hope I never have to eat that again on Easter!)

Easter Sunday pics of Maison & Aniston back home and Jarred in Des Moines: 

Clearly, I've got to hurry back so that I can start doing Ani's hair again!
What is going on with her hair, y'all???

Happy Easter!!!

 



In scripture, when Jesus was about to be crucified, His disciple Peter denied Him three times. (See Matt. 26). You would think that Jesus would have given up on Peter. But that’s not His nature. When you make a mistake, God doesn’t turn from you, He comes after you!

They crucified Jesus on Friday. Sunday morning, Mary went to the tomb to check on His body. When she arrived, the stone had been rolled away. An angel appeared and said, “Mary, don’t be afraid. Jesus has risen. Now go tell His disciples and Peter that He is alive.” (See Mark 16)

Out of all the people in the world that could have been singled out at this historic moment, the only person specifically named was Peter. It was as if God was saying, “Peter, I’m the God of another chance. When you turn your back on Me, I don’t turn my back on you. When you fall, I come running toward you.”

Today, I believe God is saying to all the people who have fallen or made mistakes, “I’m not only alive but I still love you. Come to Me and let Me make you new.” If that’s you, there’s no better time to surrender your life to Jesus Christ than today.  For more infomation click here: http://www.lakewoodchurch.com/pages/pathway/jesus.aspx#lakewood-video-player

~ Joel and Victoria Osteen

I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter!!!

John 11:25-26Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.

Romans 6:8-11Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. (NIV)

Philippians 3:10-12 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. (NIV)

1 Peter 1:3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead... (NIV)

4 Weeks Down...2 More to Go!!!

   Sorry I haven't posted in a couple of days.  Been taking a little break from the computer.  We were at the hospital all day yesterday with appointments, too.  Warren is doing ok but could be better.  His side effects are getting a little worse.  He's still taking it all very well but it's getting a little tougher each day.  He has finally stopped fighting me on taking his meds but now asks for them if I haven't given them to him in time.  (That makes things much easier for me.) 
     Every day it seems we've obtained another new medicine to counter another new side effect.  Ugghhh... (Looks like a pharmacy in here now!)  The yuckiest of the side effects right now is the thick mucus he has to spit out every second of every hour now!  Eeeewww!  (I guess it comes with the territory!)  (I know y'all really love these details, too!...that comes with the blog so enjoy!!!)Another couple we talk to daily (from Charleston) told us of a few things that helped him (he finished his last treatments Wednesday but is too sick to fly home right now.) so I went out and bought Musinex.  Let's hope that helps!  He's been sleeping ok this past week but last night he didn't because that stuff got so bad.  (It's just like constant drainage. Yuk!)


Told you it's starting to look like a pharmacy in here!

     So, Warren was eating pretty good but that's getting harder and harder now.  The new pain patch he's wearing has completely taken his appetite away and then the sore throat and tongue doesn't help matters.  A lot of things either burn his mouth or is too thick to get down.  He even says Boosts are too thick now but he manages to drink at least two a day.  He just has to!  I made an awesome soup the other night (if i do say so myself) and he said he just couldn't do it.  It wasn't too thick but there were tiny tiny pieces of veggies in it (I did puree it but they didn't completely puree) so he said he just couldn't eat it.  (Don't worry...I had enough for us both!)  I roasted veggies (carrots, butternut squash, yellow squash, onions, dill, sweet potatoe and zucchini) and then pureed them in my Vitamix Pro 200 Blender (Google Affiliate Ad)  with warm broth and then transferred that to beef broth, chicken broth and a little veggie broth with a can of cream of asparagus and cream of onion.  It was sooo good!  The doctor said if he's going to do soup all of the time he needs to do the creamy soups since it has a little more calories.  (Yay for me!!!  Like I need any more calories!)

Roasted Veggie Soup...So good!!!

  I'm racking my brain today trying to think of things Warren can and will eat so if y'all have any suggestions please comment and let me know!!!  Please!  He can't even do milkshakes or ice cream right now.  It burns his tongue.  Maybe because it's frozen...I don't know.  I can't think of anything other than soup.  And really chicken noodle soup is all he likes.  I went and bought him egg drop soup the other day but he didn't really like it.  He normally love it!

     So, I've been getting pretty bored....this was my project last night. (I made a ton of bookmarks...ha ha ha...something I saw on Pinterest and I really did need one.)  I've gotta think of something new for this week.

                                   

We had visitors today! :)

     So,  we barely made it to radiation this morning!  We normally get up around 5:45, brush our teeth and leave for the hospital and are usually in the waiting room by 6:10 every morning.  Well, this morning Warren turned the alarm off and when I looked back at it it was 6:06 and he is supposed to start radation at 6:20.  Believe it or not we were sitting in that waiting room at 6:18am!!! (And yes, we did brush our teeth.)  Don't ask how that was possible because I still cannot understand how we made it, myself.  I don't even remember which way I drove there.  They do not do "late" for radiation and you do not want to upset the lady that does the radiation for Warren.  (Her handshake alone would scare you!  Not kidding!!!)  She's super sweet, though!
     Warren has been struggling to stay awake now since about 4:30 or 5 this afternoon.  The doctor's gave him a patch to wear for pain management so we put it on this afternoon and it has knocked him out.  They say it takes a slow 8-12 hours to get into his system but he has been like a zombie.  He keeps waking up saying he is not going to use it if it keeps him this way.  He said he'd rather just take the regular pain meds and live with a sore throat.  We'll see! 
     His appointments all went fine today.  He had to meet with the gastroenterologist this morning just in case he ends up needing the feeding tube but they were pleased with his eating habits and said as long as he consumes 2,300 calories a day they will not give it to him.  (I can tell you right now that's going to be tough!...Especially if he ends up sleeping a lot more like he did today.)  I had no idea that the feeding tube was such a big deal.  I mean once it's in it's not a big deal but it's actually a surgery and he would have to stay overnight at the hospital when they do it.  Everyone around here acts like it's really nothing.  (The other patients, I mean.)  I was under the wrong impression!
    Well, we had surprise visitors today!!!  It was kind of exciting!  (Someone we actually knew to talk to in person!!  I am starting to feel a little isolated.)  Our manager and trainer for Colonial Life from Jackson flew into Houston today for work so they stopped by and brought us a nice big goodie basket.  How sweet!  It was so nice visiting with them for a little while.


Thanks, Jimmy & Trent!!!



 From Back Home: 
 Mom said that Aniston told them she really wanted to see the sunset today so she ran them to the beach to watch it.  How sweet!  I can't imagine where she came up with that unless they are talking about that at school right now.  lol...



 

 

 

...And look who I spotted today doing his grocery shopping. 

 

Hope y'all are all ready for him!!!  ;)

A good start to the week!!!

     Hi!  Warren had a pretty good day today.  He's been way more talkative today.  Maybe because we had several doctor's appointments and had to be away from the apartment most of the day so he was forced to get off of the couch and talk.  :)  He loves his radiation oncologist, Dr. Beadle, though, she always makes him laugh so I credit her for some of his good day!  :)  Love her!!  He did have two different radiation treatments today.  They had to make one up so he had it at 6am and 2pm.  Other than being a little tired when we got back he was fine.


Warren and I waiting for his next appointment.

     As far as his pain it is more apparent now but he's handling it really well.  They upped his pain meds to a patch today.  (He's about to put it on now...it take 12 hours to really get into his system and he wears them for 72 hours at a time.)  I'm really proud of how well he's taking everything.  He never just sits around and complains or acts like he feels sorry for himself.  (Well, he does sit around but not the other stuff.)  He's eating way better, too.  Mainly chicken noodle soup, jello and chocolate protein smoothies from Smoothie King.  He really wants to eat other stuff and sometimes thinks he can but then quickly realizes it ain't happening after he tries!  (Yes, I know "ain't" ain't a word!)  Dr. Beadle told him today to not even try anything you have to eat with a fork anymore.  She told him to just stick to liquids.  Last night he actually had a meal from Olive Garden.  He ate stuffed manicotti!  I was impressed!  (I believe he was trying to get in as many calories as possible before the weigh in today!!!)...Don't tell him I told y'all but he also tried to be weighed with heavy stuff in his pockets.  Yep, that nurse is sharp...she quickly realized that and made sure his wallet, cell phone, hat, water bottle and keys were accounted for in his numbers!  he he he... He really only lost about 3 lbs. this past week.  He will argue with me but he's probably lost about 6 or 7 lbs total now since we've been here.  (He'll say 3...have no idea why he's stuck on that number!)  The doctors aren't worried, though, because it's been about 2-3 lbs a week which still isn't a significant amount thus far and not a lot in a short amount of time.  That's when they would worry and probably do the feeding tube.  We are meeting with the doctor tomorrow about the feeding tube but only to just meet with him in case he has to get it in the next week or two.  (We've learned from other patients that the situation can change rapidly...like eating ok one day to not being able to eat at all the next or throwing up or severe pain.  So far so good, though.)
     Well, other than that not much interesting has happened around here.  Let's see...I did get to go sit out by the pool for a couple of hours yesterday and received my first ray of sunshine on my face in quite a while.  (I should mention that I layed out in yoga pants and a zip up jacket!  It's been chilly here the last few days but beautiful!) 

 Oh, and today while waiting for Warren in the waiting area a 3 year old little boy got his head stuck under the arm rest of a chair.  That was hysterical!  His mom, grandfather and I tried every position we could get him and the chair in to get him out.  At one point I looked up and we had a couple of doctor's and nurses that had been walking by watching us and one asked if there was anything he could do.  Bahahahaha....I think probably that was more of a mom's specialty than any doctor there!  (Getting a toddler's head unstuck from an akward position in furniture!)  I laughed all the way out the door.  Of course, that kid was laughing too, therefore I could laugh.
      Also, in the last few days I was able to get my Easter shopping done via the internet and had it shipped to my mom's for the kids baskets.  Thanks, Mom!!! I know you are going to be exhausted after Easter! :)  I probably haven't mentioned as much as I should but we are forever grateful for all of the support we have from everyone!  It's absolutely unbelievable all of the support and prayers that we have received and continue to receive each and every day!!!  We have no doubt that Warren will get through this all and be just fine in months to come and that we will be way stronger and way better people for it!!!
    

Movies & Milkshakes...

     Nothing much to blog about here this weekend.  I guess that's a good thing when it comes to Warren.  He has actually been trying to eat a little more.  Guess what he asked for yesterday???  KFC!!!  I know, KFC, really?  Out of all things I would've never expected that request so I ran out immediately to go find one before he changed his mind.  Found it and he ate half of his lunch, which was great!  I've tried milkshakes everyday from somewhere different and he's just not digging those.  He said they're too sweet.  (Whatever! That's 3 more lbs added to me over the wekend!...I'm seriuosly starting to work-out, run, something tomorrow!!!  I can't possibly just sit on this couch daily and blog and read blogs and drink his milkshakes that he won't drink!)  I have figured something out while being here...maybe we should sell our house and buy a condo or something similar.  Forget the bigger house!  I think our life would be so much easier.  It would take no time to get it good and cleaned each week!  Also, getting rid of half of what we have!  I love having 4 plates, 4 cups, 4 bowls, etc.  Yeah, I have to keep washing them but it sure beats cleaning 12 of everything and takes way less time!  I did unpack our suitcases last night...yes, just now.  Three weeks into it and I'm just unpacking our suitcases.  Give me a little slack...we did go home the first two weekends so we were kind of still living out of our suitcases.  Anyhow, we did bring entirely too many clothes!  The walk-in closet looks like we've lived here for two years.  It's insane!  I wear the same three pairs of pants everyday, too.  I dread packing it all back up.  Today is freezing, too, by-the-way.  I find that weird that everyone at home is laying out today or working in the yard and said it's hot and it's freezing and cloudy in Texas!  That just doesn't seem right.  
     So, Warren is getting better at taking his meds.  He's not fighting me on it as much anymore but then again I've learned not even to ask him, I just go hand it all to him with a drink.  I dont' even ask if he's in pain or feels nauseous, just give it to him.  He has eaten pretty good today, too.  The Campbell's old fashioned chicken noodle soup is definitely his #1 choice but he has eaten other things today, as well.

 I made chocolate pudding out of avocados earlier...it's in the fridge chilling right now.  It's actually good so I think that will be a good snack if he'll eat it.  He is eating a lot of jello, too.

Chocolate Avocado Pudding

   

     Oh, yesterday I ran to the grocery and when I was leaving I noticed they had a lottery ticket vending machine.  How cool is that!  Well, it's probably not a good thing to make it so accessible to some but I couldn't resist buying one.  (Which I'm sure is their point!)  I thought it was pretty neat, though.  I bet the future will have pretty much everything in a vending machine!  (Think people...what else could you vend?...could be the next best business!)

 Speaking of vending, I rented a few redbox movies, too, and I couldn't have gotten that more wrong if I tried!  How do you pick 3 of 3 horrible movies???  Warren doesn't even trust me anymore to rent a movie unless he sends me for a specific one!  The first one we put in wasn't even in English!!!  How does that happen in America???  It was in French! 



 

                                                                                                                                                                                          Look how stinkin cute this Little Miss is!!! Maison texted me this pic from the dressing room yesterday while they were doing a little shopping with Meme. We miss them so much!!!

 

 

Hope y'all had a great weekend! 

 

Tomorrow Warren has radiation and Chemo.  Round 4!!!

 

P.S.

And Jarred just made it back to Des Moines safely.  They drove to Gulfport last Sunday (16 hours), to New Orleans on Tuesday then to Panama City Beach on Thursday and stayed in Oxford last night (or stopped for a while) on their way back to Iowa today. 

 "You know you're old if that sounds exhausting!!!"

If you want to Subscribe to this feed...

     FYI...I've had people asking me how to leave comments or subscribe to this blog.  I'm new at all of this, too, but I think if you scroll all of the way to the bottom of the page there is something at the bottom that says "Subscribe To:     "... (on my computer it's blank next to that...I don't know why or if it's something I need to input) but if you will click on "Subscribe To:  or in the blank spot next to it another screen will pop up and you can Subscribe to this blog.  I really am not completely sure what that means other than I think maybe you'll get emails when I post a new blog post.  Or maybe you have to have a google account and you'll see the news feed.  I'm not really sure but I'll let you know when I figure it out. You can just try that.   LOL.... (I guess I need to become a better blogger, huh?)
     To leave a comment you do have to have a google account and you just click on the pencil at the bottom of each new post and you can leave a comment.  :)   If you want a Google account just go to gmail.com and set one up.  Somewhere in there you can set your profile up so that when you do leave a comment or use your account for other stuff you can set a picture up or an image.
    
Hope that helps!!!  I'm still learning all of this, too! 

3 Weeks Down...3 More to Go!

     Well, things are getting a little tougher for sure.  It's harder for Warren to eat and it's harder for me to get him to eat anything.  Or drink for that matter.  He's good drinking Gatorade, water, flat Gingerale and broth but he's even starting to fight me on the Boost and milshakes.  A lot of the juicing drinks make his mouth burn really bad because there are sores in his mouth from the radiation.  He says he feels full before he's even had anything, too.  Uggghhh...I have a feeling these next 3 weeks are going to be long ones.  He doesn't want to take medication much, either.  He's not complaining much about pain, though, even though I know his throat and mouth are hurting.  He's actually not saying much of anything unless I ask too many times if I can get him something or try and make him eat or drink something.  I think he's getting enough fluids so that he's not dehydrated but I know he's not taking in enough calories at this point.  I keep trying to rack my brain on what he'll eat or drink that's packed with calories.  A milkshake is all I can come up with but I went to the Jack in the Box today and got a large chocolate milkshake and he took a few spoon fulls (it was too thick to drink it) and asked me to put it in the freezer for later. (That's his new phrase.  You should see how packed the fridge and freezer is getting from him saying, "just put it in the freezer or fridge for later.")  Well, I'm definitely gaining every pound that he's loosing so if the doctors can figure out how I can give it back we'll be in great shape!!! 

Jack in the Box Milkshake
 

     Oh, our friend from the waiting room in the mornings brought Warren an aloe vera plant this morning.  How sweet was that!  I put it out on the balcony to get sun.  Do they need sun?  He told me just to water it once a week.  Warren told him that I don't do plants well but he assured me there wasn't anything to this that I couldn't kill it.  (He obviously doesn't know me!)  I can't wait to see if it really helps Warren.  I guess since I don't have kids to take care of right now I can keep a plant alive.  I know what my mom is thinking if she's reading this...she's thinking "Yeah Right!"  he he he...Sad thing is she's right! 



 



Our New Aloe Vera Plant



Have a Good Weekend Y'all!!!


 





http://www.etsy.com/listing/100778368/scripture-art-bible-verse-art-faith
 

This lady sells these on Etsy.  Pretty stuff!

Extra FYI...Good Reads

I've had a little extra time to do some reading these days (first time in years) so I just wanted to share a few of the books I've read in case y'all have a little extra time to get in some reading.  I highly suggest it...even if it's just a few minutes each night before you go to bed.  (These books are worth it!)

The first book, Embraced by the Light, can be read in just a couple of hours and is really worth it!
All of these books are really good.  If you get a chance to pick them up, do!

I'm almost done with this one.  It's definitely a good read for women.
Thanks, Mamaw!

Our preacher gave this one to us but we haven't had a chance to start it yet.
 Going to this weekend when I'm done with the ther book.

Week 3...Almost Over!!!

     Well, we are almost done with week 3!  That's half way, folks!!!  It's hard to believe we almost have 3 weeks under our belts.  The next 3-5 weeks will be his toughest yet but we'll get through it.  Romans 12:12
     We continue to meet super sweeet and interesting people daily while waiting in waiting rooms.  You usually see the same people everyday so you form relationships with those people that are going through the same thing.  There is always this sweet, Mexican man that is in the waiting room at 6am every morning when we arrive who's waiting for his wife.  He tells us all kinds of stories (and sometimes the same story a few times...bless his heart.  Granted, I usually walk in half asleep still, so at times I kind of feel like it's Groundhog's Day between the same repetition each morning with getting up and driving like a zombie to the hospital and then especially when it's the same story I heard the morning before and the morning before that.  We appreciate his kindness and his stories but one morning Warren said he was going to have to tell him he did tell us that story, in a nice way of course, if he told that story again.  lol...sweet man!).  This morning he told Warren that he will bring him an aloevera plant on Monday so that he can use it on his skin.  That's so sweet! (His skin is really, really dry from the treatments.) 
     This morning we met two more patients and their family members that we normally see but haven't spoken to yet.  They both were about the same age as Warren.  One maybe a few years older but he had cancer of his thyroid.  Anyhow, I think it helps to talk to others and see that they are going through the exact same thing.  Usually, the stories are very similar and the treatments vary but are usually pretty similiar. 
     It's been a pretty quiet week so far.  Warren's side effects are changing daily but he's taking it all very well.  He still hasn't had to take the pain medication much so that's a good sign but I'm sure that will probably change soon.  My job right now is to make sure he's getting enough calories every day so that he maintains his weight.  (It's tougher than I thought it would be.)  He's good about drinking Boosts (the Nutritionist said to get him to drink as many as he will in a day) but he is starting to eat less and turn things away. Most patients have to get the feeding tube by the 4 week so we'll just see how that goes.  (only if they loose a certain amound of weight quickly.)  I did make a soup last night and blended up broccoli, cheese, chicken, (left over cauliflower), carrots, onions, parsley and cooked it all in a chicken broth and he loved it. Note: if  you decide to make it...next time I wouldn't blend the broccoli & cauliflower but just steam it and then mash it with a potato masher.  (By the way...so glad we brought the Vitamix from home!  That's my new best friend!!!)

 (I think I came up with a great idea for Aniston!!!  She is such a picky eater but she loves creamy soups.  While cooking that last night it gave me the great idea of how to get her to eat veggies....blend it all up in creamy soups!)  Tonight I'm going to try homemade cream of mushroom soup with mushroom gnocchi.  (Nope, I've never made gnocchi but I'm going to attempt it tonight!)...Inspired by the gnocchi soup at Olive Garden.

   

 

 ....Still working on getting that picture of his skin.  I know y'all are anticipating that!!!

Round 3

We're baaack!!!...I was just way too tired to post last night. 


Getting back to Houston to "Git-R-Done!"

Aniston & her Bubba at Mae's softball game!

     We are back in Houston for good. (Well, not for good but 4 more weeks without another trip home...so sad!  Feels like for good.)  The traveling and going through the airports kind of wore Warren out this past weekend.  We had a great weekend with the kids and family, though!  Jarred drove in Sunday night to see us before we left on Monday morning.  That was a nice surprise!!!  (He's off for Spring Break this week and has lots of plans...New Orleans and Panama City Beach before driving back to Des Moines.  Sounds exhausting to me but I guess that means I'm old now!)  Maison & Aniston woke up with a stomach virus this morning...so sorry, Mom!  I hate not being able to be there to take care of them!!!  


Cooking with the kids over the weekend!...wonder if that's why they got sick?  I told you not to taste that batter with the raw egg in it, Mae!  Did you let Ani lick the spoon, too???

 

   Warren started to feel kind of bad this past weekend so he spent most of the weekend on the couch.  He really has dry mouth now, a sore throat is starting to emerge and the acne rash is just a big pain in the butt! (I'll see if he'll let me post pics of the rash this week...I know y'all can't wait to see that!!!...stay tuned.)  His face has actually been burning really bad today.  He's not sure exactly why.  It might be because the radiation is just breaking his skin down.  Each time Dr. Beadle, his radiation oncologist, sees him she says he looks fabulous! ha ha ha...  The worse his acne looks the happier she is because she says the worse it looks the better the chemo is working.  Go figure!  He had to weigh today (once a week) and he lost 3 lbs this past week.  They weren't happy about that but just told him to do his best with getting the calories in.  (I went and loaded up on all kinds of things I can get him to eat.)  They are more concerned with him maintaining his weight than just eating healthy.  They want him eating anything he "WILL" or can eat but they want him to pack on the calories more importantly because they know this next week it's going to get harder and harder to eat since his throat will be so sore.  (Don't worry, Glenda, I am making him drink his fruit & veggie drinks!  Promise!!!  I bought all kinds of goodies to blend up today.  I've been buying them at a health food store across the street, too.  They blend them up in front of me so they're fresh.  Carrots, beets, celery...all kinds of goodies.)

     The 3rd round of chemo was given last night.  That took forever!  We were at the hospital until 11:15pm last night and had to be back there at 6am this morning for radiation.  (They should've just let us sleep there!)  Other than radiation the rest of the week that's all we have on our schedule.  Thank goodness!  We needed a break from being at the hopital and going to appointments all day long!!!  This is definitely our job for the meantime!  :) 

 

                                                 3rd Round of Chemo...still going strong!

 

Lunch with the family on Sunday after church.

 

    

Thought I'd share what MD Anderson looks like...

Just thought I'd share a few pictures of what Md Anderson looks like for all the family and friends that don't know.  I just found these on the internet so I hope I'm not going to illegally post something here.

MD Anderson...the main building (The front view) There is also a building
 across the street (where this picture is taken from) and down the street.

Some of the skybridges from building to building.

 

 

This last picture is a view of a part of Hermann Park

(with the medical cener in the background.) 

 Our apartment over looks this park.

 

Yay...The Galleria!

     I have to say, today was exhausting for me, too!  Radiation at 6am, back to the apartment for a few more hours of shut eye and then apparently Warren woke back up feeling good because he told me to "get movin" so that we could go have lunch at the Galleria.  Yay!!!...The Galleria, finally!  Yeah, well, not sure I want to go back to that place again.  It was exhausting just getting there and it's so big it's overwhelming.  I cannot tell you how many times we went the wrong way on the freeway and had to get off and back on it again.  (Oh heavens, not the wrong way like oncoming traffic but the wrong exit.)  There is no time to think once you get on the bloody road...you better make sure that voice coming from your GPS is predicting the future fast!  She definitely wasn't fast enough today!  We had to have made at least six U turns once we exited off of the freeway.  Anyhow, I think I'll stick to Rice Village, just a few short miles from our apartment, if I feel the need to walk around and browse again.

Just to give you an idea of what we're dealing with!!!
 Houston's freeways.

    Warren was feeling good when he woke up this morning but after that journey just to get to the Galleria he was absolutely spent!  We walked around, ate lunch and decided to head back after a couple of hours even though we dreaded the way home, which didn't end up being any easier.  We started out going South on the freeway when we were supposed to go North and the traffic was horrendous.  I give up!  I'm usually really good at directions, too. 

We watched the ice skaters while we ate lunch in the Galleria.

     I picked up Olive Garden 'To Go' for dinner and we recouperated from the day.  That was our entire day in a nutshell!  No exciting Bowel Management classes to attend here!  We are heading back home to spend the weekend with the kids tomorrow so, 'Sayonara' unil Monday! (Unless something really interesting, funny or 'blogworthy' happens over the weekend that I must blog about.)  Bye the way...2 weeks down now for chemo and radiation!  Yay!!!  4 more to go.

Today Stinks!!! bahahaha...

Bet you didn't have to take this class in college!!!  Ok...unless you went to med school.

 

     And so we move on to the glorious aspects of cancer treatments...That includes classes on Bowel Management.  Warren's radiation went fine this morning.  (Again, I must remind you that it was at 6:20 AM!!!)  We were back at the apartment before 7am so we went back to sleep until we were expected back for that fine class on Bowel Management.  I really didn't learn anything knew because, unfortuantely, I had heard the speech last week in the class on 'Side Effects of Radiation', where they covered this topic in GREAT detail!  (Remember, that's where the old man called me a 'Heifer' because I said I wasn't going to give Warren an enima if he needed it so he better take the necessary meds. It was another patient, not a nurse. he he he) 

      I know y'all are loving this post but it comes with the package, folks!  You know your life is somewhat different when you walk into the class, see a basket full of goodies (Metamucil, Fiber Pills, Miralx, Citrucel, Phillips, Tums, etc.) and hope you win! (That stuff adds up!)

      Warren is feeling pretty good today other than just feeling really tired.  He has broken out pretty bad with that acne like rash but the doctor said the worse it looks the better the chemo and radiation are working. So, Yay!  (He kinda looks like a 16 year old that has a salt & pepper colored beard.)  he he he...

      Oh yeah...early this morning on the way back from radiation Warren asked how I thought the radiation was going to effect his singing. (Surely with that comment it must have already effected his brain!)  I replied, "Of course, it can only help!!!"



Alrighty, let's see if I can encourage him to visit the Galleria now, for the 5th attempt!  We still haven't been.



 



We ended the weekend with a bang...Chemo over Candlelight!!!

     Sorry, I haven't posted since last Thursday!  It's crazy how many people have mentioned it or shall I say, even noticed that I haven't posted!  Warren had radiation on Friday morning at 6:20am and then we went straight to the airport to fly home to see the kids for the weekend.  We had a nice weekend at home with the kiddos!  Dinner, the new Oz movie, church and lunch with most of the fam on Sunday!  Of course, we miss Jarred!!! Wish we could see him on Spring Break! (It makes it so much easier on us that the kids aren't upset that we are gone!  They may even be enjoying themselves a little too much!!)   Sunday, while we are lunch, Aniston (who is 4, for those of you who don't know) yelled down to the end of the table at me and said, "Mom, when are y'all leaving again?"  I replied with, "Tomorrow."  My litte brother looked at me and then at her and thought she was going to cry.  Nope...the opposite!  She looked at my dad and gave him a big grin (as if she wanted to say, "Papa, the party's on!").  And I think we may be imposing on Maison's "Social Life" when we come home and want to spend the weekend with her!  It really makes is much easier for us to leave and come out to Houston for treatment, though, and know they are happy.

 

Dinner at Bonefish

      So, we flew back yesterday and went straight to the hospital for all of the appointments scheduled for the day.  Bloodwork, radiation, meeting with the nurtrionist and chemo.  We celebrated our 7th Wedding Anniversary with all of these appointments, had a nice dinner in the cafeteria (cheeseburgers and salads) followed by chemo over candlelight while we watched The Bachelor.  he he he he...It will be an anniversary we never forget!!!  (And we have forgotten our anniversary before!) 

Chemo over Candlelight!!! Happy Anniversary!!!  :)

     This was Warren's 2nd chemo infusion so we were a little worried about how he would react this time since last week kicked his butt but all went well!  He slept all night and didn't get sick and felt fine today.  Yay!!!  (It helps that the bed and pillows in this apartment are sooo comfortable!)  He is starting to get dry mouth from the radiation and an acne like rash from the chemo.  All normal and expected side effects.  We met with the speech pathologist today and they gave us more exercises to do daily so I had to come home today and made a huge poster of everything he has to do and meds he has to take daily (most 4-6 times a day) or else I will NEVER remember!  It's a lot of suff!!!

The nutrionist said it was important to eat plenty of protein!!!

A Walk in the Park...followed by The Survivor

     Afternoon walk in Hermann Park just across the street.  The weather was absolutely beautiful today!!!  We forgot that the doctors told us he will be really sensitive to the sun and to wear a hat and sunblock when we go out.  Well, for the most part you can see the path was shaded.  We just got back and after Warren showered we noticed he got a little bit of a sunburn.  Wow...they weren't lying!  We were gone maybe an hour and shaded for most of the walk.

     Then came his post-walk drink.  The Survivor!  Ha...That's really what's it's called.  Bought it down the street from a health food store.  (Glenda, I know you'll be happy!  It's got carrots and beets and all kinds of goodies.)  :)
   

Looks like Hannibal Lecter having radiation!!!

This is what he looks like every morning for 6 weeks!!!
 

6:20 am each morning, Monday - Friday!!!
 I know, what the heck?
 Why must they scedule  us so darn early???

     3 radiation treatments down, 27 more to go!  Ha...still sounds like a lot.  It really doesn't take long.  We are in and out of there in about 20 - 30 minutes.  Wait time and all.  In here they have Pandora playing loud if they want so Warren can tell them whatever he wants to listen to and they will put it on while he's having the radiation.  This morning he told them the Bee Gees.  Ha ha ha... Yes, he's only 42!  (Don't get mad but I really don't even know who the Bee Gees are or what they sing.  I'm sure I do know their songs or song if you told me while it was playing that the Bee Gees sang it but I couldn't name a song they sing.)  Anyhow, this is how Warren is spending his time in the mornings these days. 
     I did forget to mention that we have decided to participate in a clinical study (shall I say, Warren, not "us" is participating in a clinical study...I forget we are two different people sometimes).  MD Aderson did a pilot program where they performed acupuncture on radiation (head & neck) patients to see if it helped stimulate their saliva glands to produce more saliva during and after radiation since the radiation will kill those glands for a while and sometimes forever.  The study found that it did help some patients but it was hard to really know if it was the acupuncture that helped or if some people just produced more than others or had better outcomes after the radiation.  So, now they are doing a larger clinical study.  They started about a year ago and will go maybe another year or year and a half and they asked Warren if he was interested in participating.  He wasn't and isn't real excited to do it only because he doesn't want to be at the hospital any longer than he has to each day but it's only 3 days a week and I told him if there's a chance it can help, why not?  It's free!  I think it's kinda neat to say you were apart of that study anyway if they do find that it is helpful with the side effects of radiation.  This mornig we had to meet with them for them to take a lot of saliva samples.  Yuk!!!  I think that is worse than dealing with urine samples!  Ugghhh...but that's just my opinion.  I'm not sure when they will actually start the acupuncture.  He will probably start to experience dry mouth by next week.  That's what a sweet man told me in the waiting room yesterday.  (By the way - this man I talked to for a while in the waiting room yesterday (who had the same exact cancer as Warren and even the same tumor in the same spot on the base of his tongue) is from Louisiana and he said he's a professional DJ.  He said he's done hundred's of weddings and parties for the Gator Boys' and the Swamp Peoples' daughters and family.  He said he knows all of them guys.  LOL....Ya never know who you're gonna meet, where!  (For those of you who don't live in the U.S. those are people (cajun's) that have reality shows on TV and their pretty entertaining!)
     That was our morning in a nutshell!  Now we are off for a walk in Hermann Park...and maybe I can convince Warren we need to check out the Galleria mall!  :)




Pizza Pizza Pizza...

Yum!  Luigi's for dinner.  There goes Atkins!  At least I got Warren to eat more than he has eaten all week.  He loved it!!  It's probably not a good thing I found this place so close to our apartment. 

Just an uneventful, ordinary day with a little discomfort and fatigue...

     Nothing much is going on today!  But I guess that's a good thing, right?!  Warren had his 2nd radiation treatment at 8am this mornning and it went fine.  Today he did it without taking his 'Happy Pill' (Ativan).  The doctor gave him a prescription for Ativan to take about an hour before radiation if he has problems being closed in or locked in and he did the first few 'dry-runs' but he believes he can handle the radiation with it now.  (Yay!...I think...he's kind of funny when he takes his happy pill.)  I'm going to try and get the nurse to take pics for me tomorrow on my cell during his radiation treatments so that I can post them to show y'all what it looks like.  The mask they have to wear looks a little freaky.  Kinda like a scary movie! 
     The only problem he's been having this week is just digestive issues from all the pain meds and ani-nausea medicine he's had to take.  It's actually made him feel pretty bad the last few days.  There's a class for everything at MDA (and I mean EVERYTHING) so we have to go to that class next week.  We've, also, learned that there is a medicine to help make you feel better from the side effects of taking the other medicine that was making you feel better from the previous medicine and each one takes your mind off of the previous problem becuase in turn a new problem arises.  So, to sum it up we gain a new medicine daily and at this rate he will be taking 45 pills a day at the end of treatment!!!  :)  But hey, whatever works, right!
     I did cook a really yummy, healthy dinner for him last night after that show I put on in the parking lot at Walgreens!!!  He's been eating really well this week.  I'm nerd when it comes to cooking so I've got to post a pic of how pretty dinner was.  (It's on my mind becuase we just ate the left-overs for lunch.)  Enjoy y'all!
     Guess I could post some of my recipes that I make him eat or drink from time to time.  His favorite thing thus far is a chicken noodle soup from a place called The Chicken Kitchen.  That place is sooo good!  I think maybe it's cuban, not sure, but he loves the soup and I love the roasted chicken with the mustard curry sauce. Yum!



Grown-Up Healthy Hamburger Helper!!!
Carrot pasta, spinach, butternut, turnips,
 peppers, onions, celery, curry, cinnamon and
 lean ground beef.

I can't let this go untold!..Need a laugh?

So, I figured I had to tell this quick story tonight even at the expense of me because this is really embarassing but hysterical!  After putting up with Warren's grouchiness all day I decided I need a glass of vino while I cooked dinner tonight but I couldn't find a corkscrew in this  so called "furnished" apartment.  (I'm not complaing, the apartment is great but is lacking a few things I desperately needed to use while cooking tonight.)  So, I told him I would be as quickly as I could and left to run to Walgreens up the road to buy a corkscrew.  Ran in, grabbed it, paid and quickly walked out where I then for some reason decided to lightly jog to the car through the parking lot.  Maybe to hurry even more???  What was I thinking???  A girl in a Mustang was driving slowly through the parking lot so I was going to jog in front of her to my car when out of NO WHERE my purse flew 10 feet and I skidded across the pavement landing on my shoulder and hip!!!  What the heck just happened???!!!  Bloody knee, bloody hands and tickets everywhere that flew out of my purse.  Of course it hurt but in situations like this what do you do???  All I could do was laugh at myself!  As I was picking up my purse and myself from the ground I was laughing so hard as was the girl in the Mustang.  I really hope that girl needed a good laugh and I hope I made her day then that whole spectacle would have been all worth it!  I'm still laughing hysterically while typing this.  Just thought I'd give you a little insight into the life of 'Jennifer' on a pretty regular basis.  Hope it made you laugh!

 

1st Day of Radiation...

 

So far, so good!  First day of radiation went fine.  They say he probably won't start to feel the side effects for almost two weeks so that's a blessing.  The radiation treatments only last for about 20 minutes.  Now for a good day!  Lunch in Rice Village again and maybe a new bag/purse to carry all this stuff in to the hospital everyday and we get new paperwork daily.  Mine weighs about 60lbs now!

Found an apartment!!!

Well, we were homeless for a few hours.  We checked out of the hotel not having a clue if we would have a more permanent place to stay later.  We had lunch in Rice Village, which was great!  Love that area!  There is sooo much to do over here.  I know Warren won't feel like probably doing much of it but if he does there is never a lack of things to do.  We met a guy at an apartment complex right across the street from Hermann Park in the Museum District.  In 30 minutes we saw the apartment, signed the lease and were moved in! Ha...quickest place we've ever rented!  It's really nice and cozy, too.  I think Warren will feel fine here while he's beingn treated and on the days he feels like it (which I hope is everyday) we can go right across the street to walk or jog in the park.  The zoo is even across the street.  Too bad the kids aren't here!  :(  Cheers to our new 'Home Away from Home!!'