Today is off to a better start. I'm not wearing ruffles and we slept almost 12 hours last night. We ate a big breakfast at IHOP and now we are waiting. Jeff only has two blood tests today. They are 6 hours apart so we plan on getting out and about today. Maybe shopping or just driving around. I will be looking for hair styling products and or shoes, while Jeff will be looking for feed yards, ranches or land for sale. You know what they say - opposites attract!
Thanks for all the text messages you sent to Jeff. They made him smile. It is always good to know and be reassured you are loved.
Love from us,
Jeff and Leta
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
We had a "Bad Pack"
Jeff and I made it to San Antonio last night to figure out we forgot a lot of important stuff. The big thing we forgot was Jeff's drug diary he uses to document taking the trial medicine. Oops! He told the nurse, "Sorry, we just really had a bad pack." We also forgot our appointment schedule, shampoo, lotion, saline for Jeff's nose, an my flat iron. Which brings us to our first arguement of the day. It is humid and rainy in SA and I have scary witch hair. When I made that comment Jeff said, "I know." Gasp! Things have gotten uglier from there. There was a mix up on when Jeff could eat or not eat before all his blood tests and the fussiness reached a terrifying level. I suggested one of us take a pill. He took one and things are a little better. He did mention he doesn't like the ruffled shirts I've been wearing lately. Who is this man???? I calmed him down by helping him log onto facebook and read all the sweet messages his friends have sent him. Thank you friends!!
Today is Jeff's 10 hour day of blood work. The trial is gathering info on how the medicine is saturated in his bloodstream. Every two hours they take blood. They accessed his port this morning so he doesn't have to get stuck all day. It's just boring sitting around watching my hair get bigger. He will be finished around 7 tonight. If you have a minute please text Jeff to help the day pass quickly (and so I don't smother him with a pillow). 806-627-7094 I can't believe I just posted his cell on a public blog but I'm a desperate woman! I can't believe he doesn't like my shirt because I look really cute today!
We are enjoying the cool, wet weather, a good night's sleep last night and we both remembered to pack our toothbrushes and clean underwear. What else is really important?
Slowly losing my mind,
Leta
Today is Jeff's 10 hour day of blood work. The trial is gathering info on how the medicine is saturated in his bloodstream. Every two hours they take blood. They accessed his port this morning so he doesn't have to get stuck all day. It's just boring sitting around watching my hair get bigger. He will be finished around 7 tonight. If you have a minute please text Jeff to help the day pass quickly (and so I don't smother him with a pillow). 806-627-7094 I can't believe I just posted his cell on a public blog but I'm a desperate woman! I can't believe he doesn't like my shirt because I look really cute today!
We are enjoying the cool, wet weather, a good night's sleep last night and we both remembered to pack our toothbrushes and clean underwear. What else is really important?
Slowly losing my mind,
Leta
Friday, February 24, 2012
Good days/Bad days
We've had a couple of bad days. I'm not sure why but they definitely were BAD days. Cancer is not for the weak hearted. Repeat. Cancer is NOT for the weak hearted. Jeff is ok. But the toil of insomnia, bloody noses and fatigue are sometimes more than we can all bear. We think that these new symptoms are from the trial medicine but our minds wander and we think about other things. Jeff also has some pain issues. We haven't shared all the intimate details of our journey but to endure the radiation and chemo that Jeff has endured....... well it hurts. So any new pain or unmanaged pain is a concern. And then when we talk, we have to ask ourselves - Is it physical or mental? Too hard to tell. It's all that letting go that gets him down.
Today was better. We go to San Antonio on Sunday and we don't want to, but we are. I think it's the build up of that. Going out of town, being away from the kids, being away from the farm, the cost and stress of it all. Well, it's a lot. So how do we do it? How does Jeff stay strong? How do we not lose our shit all the time? How do we keep it together? How do I take care of Jeff and the kids? Endless questions but somehow all of our needs are met. One foot in front of the other and we keep going. Anyone in our situation would do the same thing. I promise you would. But I hope you never do.
My friend Connie is about to be a grandmother for the first time any moment. It got me thinking. I remember when Jeff and I had Luke - our first born. It's the moment in your life that you completely change. It's one of the best days of your life!! I always say that Jeff loved me from the start but his heart didn't change until he loved our children. It's the secret of life, the definition of true love, only understood when it happens to you. Luke and Gracie and Jake have changed our lives and we are better for it. Wow! We love them.
Jake said the other day, "Daddy is taking a new medicine that is going to get rid of his cancer." Jeff was standing right there and we locked eyes and he couldn't speak. I said, "No baby, the new medicine might help Daddy but there is not cure for Daddy's cancer. Maybe someday there will be but there's not today." Yes, I totally said that out loud. And Jeff just nodded at me. We can't lie to our kids about it. We can't. We refuse to be in denial about it even though we really kind of want to. We are facing the truth and dealing with it everyday. It's so hard. You know, the letting go.
My sister, Katie said it this morning. "Jeff will always be with us. He is everywhere." Yes, he is leaving a legacy all around him. When I look at our kids I see him, hear him and am with him. And my comfort is that he will live on through them.
Whew! Glad to get all of that out. Please pray for Jeff that his nose bleeds stop and that he can sleep. We are praying for peace and acceptance and still hope. He remains so tough.
Love,
Jeff and Leta
Today was better. We go to San Antonio on Sunday and we don't want to, but we are. I think it's the build up of that. Going out of town, being away from the kids, being away from the farm, the cost and stress of it all. Well, it's a lot. So how do we do it? How does Jeff stay strong? How do we not lose our shit all the time? How do we keep it together? How do I take care of Jeff and the kids? Endless questions but somehow all of our needs are met. One foot in front of the other and we keep going. Anyone in our situation would do the same thing. I promise you would. But I hope you never do.
My friend Connie is about to be a grandmother for the first time any moment. It got me thinking. I remember when Jeff and I had Luke - our first born. It's the moment in your life that you completely change. It's one of the best days of your life!! I always say that Jeff loved me from the start but his heart didn't change until he loved our children. It's the secret of life, the definition of true love, only understood when it happens to you. Luke and Gracie and Jake have changed our lives and we are better for it. Wow! We love them.
Jake said the other day, "Daddy is taking a new medicine that is going to get rid of his cancer." Jeff was standing right there and we locked eyes and he couldn't speak. I said, "No baby, the new medicine might help Daddy but there is not cure for Daddy's cancer. Maybe someday there will be but there's not today." Yes, I totally said that out loud. And Jeff just nodded at me. We can't lie to our kids about it. We can't. We refuse to be in denial about it even though we really kind of want to. We are facing the truth and dealing with it everyday. It's so hard. You know, the letting go.
My sister, Katie said it this morning. "Jeff will always be with us. He is everywhere." Yes, he is leaving a legacy all around him. When I look at our kids I see him, hear him and am with him. And my comfort is that he will live on through them.
Whew! Glad to get all of that out. Please pray for Jeff that his nose bleeds stop and that he can sleep. We are praying for peace and acceptance and still hope. He remains so tough.
Love,
Jeff and Leta
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Staying strong
Jeff is doing well. His weight is back up to 175 which is pretty normal for him. Yes - he's still weighs what he did in high school. (Hopefully all of our children inherited his metabolism). Dr. Patel said he looked good. Jeff's white blood cell count remains low while all his other blood counts have returned to normal. We asked why this is still going on and he said his bone marrow has been damaged by the chemo. He hopes that it will continue to heal. His blood test Monday indicated he is up from 3.2 to 3.6. He needs to get over 5. Not great but slowly moving in the right direction. This is important because it will determine whether Jeff will be able to take more chemo in the future. Please pray that his bone marrow continues to reginerate and heal.
Dr. Patel was concerned about Jeff's ongoing bloody nose so he sent us to Dr. Guttenplan yesterday. That is the dr who originally diagnosed Jeff 2 years ago when we thought Jeff had a simple polyp in his nose. As we were sitting in his office we found it ironic that it was nearly 2 years to the day that this journey began in that very office. Wow. Two years. So hard to believe. I don't think we can remember how we felt before, when we were normal. It seems that this cancer has been our life for so long. Dr. G was SO kind!! He checked ALL up in Jeff's nose and said he saw no evidence of cancer. Which is, of course, what Jeff was worried about. He said his nose is just raw from all the radiation and chemo and the littlest sneeze or blow would make it bleed. He said it should start to heal slowly as time goes by. We thanked Dr. G over and over. He was the one who diagnosed Jeff and got us into MDA within 2 weeks. His friend from medical school happened to be a Head and Neck surgeon at MDA who specializes in mucosal melanoma. That's how we got into Dr. Myers - a noted researcher and surgeon, very respected and sought out. It was a huge coincidence when you think about how rare Jeff's cancer is. Thank you God for putting Dr. Guttenplan on our path. Because of that we will never look back and question our treatment. We feel that Jeff got the best treatment that was available. We will never waste time second guessing those decisions. As we were leaving Dr. Guttenplan said, "If you need anything let me know. I will help you anyway that I can. I've been thinking about you. Even when you don't realize, I've been thinking about you and hoping for the best." Such kindness!!! I've seen it over and over. God is comforting us through His people. All of you! My friend Chris reassured me the other day that one day it will be revealed to me what His plan is in all of this. And while I am still a little too pissed to find comfort in that right now I do know, I know without a doubt, that we are being cared for and comforted and touched. That part I see everyday. I believe in the goodness of God's love and that is what I have surrounded my family with.
Jeff and I leave on Sunday to go back to San Antonio. They will be doing blood work every two hours to determine the amount of medicine in his system. This is data they are gathering for the drug study. Tedious, but part of what it is. We'll have a lot of time on our hands next week so I'll try to post often.
Staying strong,
Jeff and Leta
Dr. Patel was concerned about Jeff's ongoing bloody nose so he sent us to Dr. Guttenplan yesterday. That is the dr who originally diagnosed Jeff 2 years ago when we thought Jeff had a simple polyp in his nose. As we were sitting in his office we found it ironic that it was nearly 2 years to the day that this journey began in that very office. Wow. Two years. So hard to believe. I don't think we can remember how we felt before, when we were normal. It seems that this cancer has been our life for so long. Dr. G was SO kind!! He checked ALL up in Jeff's nose and said he saw no evidence of cancer. Which is, of course, what Jeff was worried about. He said his nose is just raw from all the radiation and chemo and the littlest sneeze or blow would make it bleed. He said it should start to heal slowly as time goes by. We thanked Dr. G over and over. He was the one who diagnosed Jeff and got us into MDA within 2 weeks. His friend from medical school happened to be a Head and Neck surgeon at MDA who specializes in mucosal melanoma. That's how we got into Dr. Myers - a noted researcher and surgeon, very respected and sought out. It was a huge coincidence when you think about how rare Jeff's cancer is. Thank you God for putting Dr. Guttenplan on our path. Because of that we will never look back and question our treatment. We feel that Jeff got the best treatment that was available. We will never waste time second guessing those decisions. As we were leaving Dr. Guttenplan said, "If you need anything let me know. I will help you anyway that I can. I've been thinking about you. Even when you don't realize, I've been thinking about you and hoping for the best." Such kindness!!! I've seen it over and over. God is comforting us through His people. All of you! My friend Chris reassured me the other day that one day it will be revealed to me what His plan is in all of this. And while I am still a little too pissed to find comfort in that right now I do know, I know without a doubt, that we are being cared for and comforted and touched. That part I see everyday. I believe in the goodness of God's love and that is what I have surrounded my family with.
Jeff and I leave on Sunday to go back to San Antonio. They will be doing blood work every two hours to determine the amount of medicine in his system. This is data they are gathering for the drug study. Tedious, but part of what it is. We'll have a lot of time on our hands next week so I'll try to post often.
Staying strong,
Jeff and Leta
Saturday, February 18, 2012
A story about Jeff
Time is going by quickly for our family. We have been very busy and we love it! The kids and I just returned from the San Antonio stockshow. We are exhausted, full of new stories and ready to jump back into our regular routine.
Jeff was home alone but looks no worse for the wear. He never went to the grocery store although I did leave several meals for him. I'm pretty sure our friends, Dean and Dawn fed him. I'm glad he didn't starve! He said he worked a lot while we were gone and enjoyed the quiet. He has been taking the new medicine for two weeks now. He takes it for 5 days on and 2 days off. The first week it really upset his stomach. The dr felt like his stomach is still sensitive from chemo. It takes a while for that to get back to normal. But this week he doesn't seem to feel as sick. I hope that continues to improve and that medicine is working!!! Jeff has also had a slow continuous nose bleed for the last month. Very annoying! He sees Dr. Patel on Monday about it. The last scans didn't show any cancer in his nose so we are not sure what the cause is. I really think chemo just jacked up his whole system. Please pray that he can get that irritating problem under control.
Jeff's friend, Derek sent us a beautiful story he wrote about Jeff. It touched us beyond belief and we asked his permission to share it. He accurately described Jeff and his tough as nails love of life. Here it is.
"One of my football teammates, a boy named Jeff Smith, lived near Happy, Texas on a farm/cattle ranch and would occasionally invite me to his home where I was again exposed to some degree of rural life. I envied his adult-like demeanor as he drove tractors, saddled horses, and bragged about "workin' cattle" or "cuttin' wheat". On one of these occasions, Jeff woke me early on a Saturday morning and informed me that we would be rounding up cattle.
I knew nothing of horses or cattle but was ecstatic at the thought of doing "cowboy" work. I don't recall their making a fuss over me but I'm sure there was some discussion about which horse to put the "town-kid" on. We were done by mid-morning and I'm certain that Jeff and I contributed very little (he even fell off his horse!), but I felt like Charles Goodnight himself. Horses, cattle, leather, ropes, rough talk, snuff ......I had discovered a new element and I wanted in!
Unfortunately, my infrequent stays at Jeff's were as close as I would get to the rural way of life for the next few years. I didn't know how to go about owning a horse, much less a ranch, and it didn't occur to me to have a serious discussion with my parents about it. Young as I was, I knew it was unrealistic to think my dad could make that drastic of a career change! I did manage to talk him into a pair of black, bull-hide, high-top Tony Lamas that I wore to school every day (pants tucked in). During my junior high years, a shared appreciation for sports and farm life made fast friends of Jeff and I. Like most kids raised in the country, he enjoyed the interaction and activities that trips to town afforded. I, on the other hand, was always looking for an excuse to spend time at his place near Happy.
Jeff took a great deal of pride in being mentally and physically tough. He was highly competitive and never missed an opportunity to test his mettle if a worthy adversary was around. I don't think Jeff liked fighting, but he would not, under any circumstances, back down from a challenge. He eventually squared off against all the toughs that the rest of us scurried from. And we celebrated him for it.
Unfortunately for me, he and I were well-matched physically, a fact of which our coaches were well aware. Whatever the sport, it seemed they took great delight in pitting us against one another. More often than not, these competitions turned into epic battles of will that left us both utterly exhausted. Looking back, I think I possessed an edge athletically, whereas Jeff was mentally tougher. Regardless, the experience strengthened our friendship and boosted our self-confidence.
Jeff like to box and, in exchange for room and board, any overnight guest was obligated to go a few rounds with him in the basement bedroom he shared with his brother, Ron. The problem was Jeff only had one set of boxing gloves. He solved this by employing a pair of discarded oven mitts. Each combatant would receive one boxing glove (to be worn on the dominant hand) and one threadbare oven mitt (for the non-dominant hand). I didn't hesitate when Jeff assured me that he was left-handed. Only after I got cold-cocked by an oven mitt did I suspect something was amiss!
The second of three boys, Jeff grew up in an environment dominated by male influence and, for lack of a better word, brutality. Daily life 20 miles ffrom the nearest town allowed for a measure of insanity to be tolerated. For instance, once, when Jeff's younger brother Ron perceived a bit of condescension in my voice, he determined to kill me with a garden hoe. Thankfully, I got a good jump and there were no obstacles in my path (I can still hear the swoosh of the blade!). Jeff, and whoever else was around, seemed completely oblivious and unconcerned during the whole fray. I filed this away and vowed not to cross anyone else as it would be easy to dispose of a corpse that far from civilization!
Hanging with Jeff further legitimized my country boy status, so much so that I began to question it less myself. That may sound silly, but as with all teenagers, it was very important that I be accepted by the right peers. Farm and ranch kids are no different from town kids in that they can be a bit cliquish and exclusionary toward outsiders. Anyway, I was grateful to Jeff and his family for treating me like one of their own, even if it did expose me to a certain degree of danger!
The constant that really bound us together; however, was athletics. Jeff was an excellent football player; not terribly fast or big, but he was all heart and refused to be bested. He played tight end and while he didn't catch a lot of passes (we didn't throw the ball much), he was a ferocious blocker. Of course, I played standing end on defense, which meant that I often had the misfortune of facing-off with him during practice.
Jeff also ran track and it's in that context that he made the biggest impression. It should not surprise anyone that his preferred race was the one most believe to be the toughest: the 800 meteres. His heart and determination were always on full display as he rounded the last curve, his body spent and revolting, yet unable to overpower his will to finish strong. We used to say that he looked like he was stomping ants as he ran the final straightaway, so strong was his determination to lift his knees.
For the most part, Jeff's athletic career ended our sophomore year when he tore a knee ligament during football practice. We remained good friends, but without the constant interaction afforded by athletics, we began to see less of one another. And so, once again, a significant relationship in my life began to fade.
Jeff is still working cattle near Happy and raising a family with his wife, Leta. He was diagnosed with cancer several years ago and has been in the fight of his life, enduring numerous surgeries and brutal rounds of chemotherapy. I hadn't spoke to him in years until a few weeks ago when I called to catch up and encourage him. He sounded good on the phone, but I know the prolonged battle has taken a heavy toll. It occurred to me that only Jeff, with his mental toughness and refuse-to-quit attitude, could have survived as he has. His heart and determination remain on full display as he rounds the final curve, his body spent and revolting, yet still unable to overpower his will to finish strong."
Thank you so much, Derek. You said it! He is finishing this race strong.
Love, Leta
Jeff was home alone but looks no worse for the wear. He never went to the grocery store although I did leave several meals for him. I'm pretty sure our friends, Dean and Dawn fed him. I'm glad he didn't starve! He said he worked a lot while we were gone and enjoyed the quiet. He has been taking the new medicine for two weeks now. He takes it for 5 days on and 2 days off. The first week it really upset his stomach. The dr felt like his stomach is still sensitive from chemo. It takes a while for that to get back to normal. But this week he doesn't seem to feel as sick. I hope that continues to improve and that medicine is working!!! Jeff has also had a slow continuous nose bleed for the last month. Very annoying! He sees Dr. Patel on Monday about it. The last scans didn't show any cancer in his nose so we are not sure what the cause is. I really think chemo just jacked up his whole system. Please pray that he can get that irritating problem under control.
Jeff's friend, Derek sent us a beautiful story he wrote about Jeff. It touched us beyond belief and we asked his permission to share it. He accurately described Jeff and his tough as nails love of life. Here it is.
"One of my football teammates, a boy named Jeff Smith, lived near Happy, Texas on a farm/cattle ranch and would occasionally invite me to his home where I was again exposed to some degree of rural life. I envied his adult-like demeanor as he drove tractors, saddled horses, and bragged about "workin' cattle" or "cuttin' wheat". On one of these occasions, Jeff woke me early on a Saturday morning and informed me that we would be rounding up cattle.
I knew nothing of horses or cattle but was ecstatic at the thought of doing "cowboy" work. I don't recall their making a fuss over me but I'm sure there was some discussion about which horse to put the "town-kid" on. We were done by mid-morning and I'm certain that Jeff and I contributed very little (he even fell off his horse!), but I felt like Charles Goodnight himself. Horses, cattle, leather, ropes, rough talk, snuff ......I had discovered a new element and I wanted in!
Unfortunately, my infrequent stays at Jeff's were as close as I would get to the rural way of life for the next few years. I didn't know how to go about owning a horse, much less a ranch, and it didn't occur to me to have a serious discussion with my parents about it. Young as I was, I knew it was unrealistic to think my dad could make that drastic of a career change! I did manage to talk him into a pair of black, bull-hide, high-top Tony Lamas that I wore to school every day (pants tucked in). During my junior high years, a shared appreciation for sports and farm life made fast friends of Jeff and I. Like most kids raised in the country, he enjoyed the interaction and activities that trips to town afforded. I, on the other hand, was always looking for an excuse to spend time at his place near Happy.
Jeff took a great deal of pride in being mentally and physically tough. He was highly competitive and never missed an opportunity to test his mettle if a worthy adversary was around. I don't think Jeff liked fighting, but he would not, under any circumstances, back down from a challenge. He eventually squared off against all the toughs that the rest of us scurried from. And we celebrated him for it.
Unfortunately for me, he and I were well-matched physically, a fact of which our coaches were well aware. Whatever the sport, it seemed they took great delight in pitting us against one another. More often than not, these competitions turned into epic battles of will that left us both utterly exhausted. Looking back, I think I possessed an edge athletically, whereas Jeff was mentally tougher. Regardless, the experience strengthened our friendship and boosted our self-confidence.
Jeff like to box and, in exchange for room and board, any overnight guest was obligated to go a few rounds with him in the basement bedroom he shared with his brother, Ron. The problem was Jeff only had one set of boxing gloves. He solved this by employing a pair of discarded oven mitts. Each combatant would receive one boxing glove (to be worn on the dominant hand) and one threadbare oven mitt (for the non-dominant hand). I didn't hesitate when Jeff assured me that he was left-handed. Only after I got cold-cocked by an oven mitt did I suspect something was amiss!
The second of three boys, Jeff grew up in an environment dominated by male influence and, for lack of a better word, brutality. Daily life 20 miles ffrom the nearest town allowed for a measure of insanity to be tolerated. For instance, once, when Jeff's younger brother Ron perceived a bit of condescension in my voice, he determined to kill me with a garden hoe. Thankfully, I got a good jump and there were no obstacles in my path (I can still hear the swoosh of the blade!). Jeff, and whoever else was around, seemed completely oblivious and unconcerned during the whole fray. I filed this away and vowed not to cross anyone else as it would be easy to dispose of a corpse that far from civilization!
Hanging with Jeff further legitimized my country boy status, so much so that I began to question it less myself. That may sound silly, but as with all teenagers, it was very important that I be accepted by the right peers. Farm and ranch kids are no different from town kids in that they can be a bit cliquish and exclusionary toward outsiders. Anyway, I was grateful to Jeff and his family for treating me like one of their own, even if it did expose me to a certain degree of danger!
The constant that really bound us together; however, was athletics. Jeff was an excellent football player; not terribly fast or big, but he was all heart and refused to be bested. He played tight end and while he didn't catch a lot of passes (we didn't throw the ball much), he was a ferocious blocker. Of course, I played standing end on defense, which meant that I often had the misfortune of facing-off with him during practice.
Jeff also ran track and it's in that context that he made the biggest impression. It should not surprise anyone that his preferred race was the one most believe to be the toughest: the 800 meteres. His heart and determination were always on full display as he rounded the last curve, his body spent and revolting, yet unable to overpower his will to finish strong. We used to say that he looked like he was stomping ants as he ran the final straightaway, so strong was his determination to lift his knees.
For the most part, Jeff's athletic career ended our sophomore year when he tore a knee ligament during football practice. We remained good friends, but without the constant interaction afforded by athletics, we began to see less of one another. And so, once again, a significant relationship in my life began to fade.
Jeff is still working cattle near Happy and raising a family with his wife, Leta. He was diagnosed with cancer several years ago and has been in the fight of his life, enduring numerous surgeries and brutal rounds of chemotherapy. I hadn't spoke to him in years until a few weeks ago when I called to catch up and encourage him. He sounded good on the phone, but I know the prolonged battle has taken a heavy toll. It occurred to me that only Jeff, with his mental toughness and refuse-to-quit attitude, could have survived as he has. His heart and determination remain on full display as he rounds the final curve, his body spent and revolting, yet still unable to overpower his will to finish strong."
Thank you so much, Derek. You said it! He is finishing this race strong.
Love, Leta
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
A blessed day
We are finishing up our week in San Antonio. Jeff takes his first dose of his trial medication tomorrow morning and we catch a flight home after lunch. All his test results came back today and it is all systems Go.
Dr. Patel finally spoke with Dr. Hwu in Houston. It was very anti climatic news. She would recommend a trial at MDA. It is a chemo trial that would require us to live down there. Dr. Patel confirmed our decision to start our trial here. The trial in Houston is not a phase I trial and Jeff is not ready to take chemo again. But at least it is another option.
We are ready to go home. It is not good for me and Jeff to sit around with nothing to do. Too much time on our hands with nothing to do but worry. Yikes! Yesterday was tough. But today was a blessing. We drove to Fredericksburg to see our high school friend, Erin. Jeff has known her since 2nd grade and she was my neighbor 3 doors down. It was such a great day, laughing and catching up. We ate lunch and got a tour of the town and beautiful country. It felt like a little bit of home to talk about childhood memories. We were entertained and left comforted. Thank you so much, Erin and Champ for taking care of us today. It was special to us. God put you on our path. He takes care of us through so many people. We are saying it everyday. We are blessed.
Love,
Jeff and Leta
Dr. Patel finally spoke with Dr. Hwu in Houston. It was very anti climatic news. She would recommend a trial at MDA. It is a chemo trial that would require us to live down there. Dr. Patel confirmed our decision to start our trial here. The trial in Houston is not a phase I trial and Jeff is not ready to take chemo again. But at least it is another option.
We are ready to go home. It is not good for me and Jeff to sit around with nothing to do. Too much time on our hands with nothing to do but worry. Yikes! Yesterday was tough. But today was a blessing. We drove to Fredericksburg to see our high school friend, Erin. Jeff has known her since 2nd grade and she was my neighbor 3 doors down. It was such a great day, laughing and catching up. We ate lunch and got a tour of the town and beautiful country. It felt like a little bit of home to talk about childhood memories. We were entertained and left comforted. Thank you so much, Erin and Champ for taking care of us today. It was special to us. God put you on our path. He takes care of us through so many people. We are saying it everyday. We are blessed.
Love,
Jeff and Leta
Friday, February 3, 2012
Start of the Trial
We leave on Monday to go back to San Antonio and we'll be there all week. Jeff has to get some routine tests to make sure he is healthy enough to start the trial. He will start taking the medicine on Thursday and we'll be home on Friday. He's ready to go!
The San Antonio Rodeo/Stockshow starts this weekend so all the hotels on the Riverwalk were booked. Luckily we found one near the hospital. I did like staying downtown though - it's so pretty down there. Oh well, I guess we're lucky to have a room!
A week from Monday the kids and I leave (ironically) to show our lambs at the San Antonio stockshow. That's 3 Monday's in a row for me to go to San Antonio. We are hauling our animals with some good friends so I won't be doing it on my own. Jeff will be staying home to feed our Houston lambs and enjoy some peace and quiet. I'm praying I have enough energy to do all of this. Thank goodness Luke is old enough to drive.
We are still waiting to hear from our Houston Dr. We've been calling her for two weeks as of today. It's been frustrating so I called our patient advocate today and "tattled" on her. I don't know if that will solve anything but maybe it will get her to call us back. We are satisfied with starting this trial but would still like her opinion. She in a melanoma oncologist and only sees melanoma patients. She is one of the only dr's to even treat a patient with Jeff's kind of cancer - it's so rare. Technically she should have the knowledge of the latest treatments. Of course we want to know what she thinks.
My Mom and Daddy are keeping the kids again while we are gone. I don't know what we would do without them. We continue to count our blessings. We got rain last night. My sister and my friend Tracey came to visit me today. We are looking forward to dinner with friends tomorrow night. We are getting through one day at a time. We'll let you know how it goes next week.
Love,
Jeff and Leta
The San Antonio Rodeo/Stockshow starts this weekend so all the hotels on the Riverwalk were booked. Luckily we found one near the hospital. I did like staying downtown though - it's so pretty down there. Oh well, I guess we're lucky to have a room!
A week from Monday the kids and I leave (ironically) to show our lambs at the San Antonio stockshow. That's 3 Monday's in a row for me to go to San Antonio. We are hauling our animals with some good friends so I won't be doing it on my own. Jeff will be staying home to feed our Houston lambs and enjoy some peace and quiet. I'm praying I have enough energy to do all of this. Thank goodness Luke is old enough to drive.
We are still waiting to hear from our Houston Dr. We've been calling her for two weeks as of today. It's been frustrating so I called our patient advocate today and "tattled" on her. I don't know if that will solve anything but maybe it will get her to call us back. We are satisfied with starting this trial but would still like her opinion. She in a melanoma oncologist and only sees melanoma patients. She is one of the only dr's to even treat a patient with Jeff's kind of cancer - it's so rare. Technically she should have the knowledge of the latest treatments. Of course we want to know what she thinks.
My Mom and Daddy are keeping the kids again while we are gone. I don't know what we would do without them. We continue to count our blessings. We got rain last night. My sister and my friend Tracey came to visit me today. We are looking forward to dinner with friends tomorrow night. We are getting through one day at a time. We'll let you know how it goes next week.
Love,
Jeff and Leta
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)