Merry Christmas

May the Love and Peace of Jesus Christ be with each of you this Christmas Season. Thank you all for your love, encouragement, support, and prayers during the past year. It has truly been an incredible year, even if not in the way we had anticipated 12 months ago. Please continue your prayers for us, as this journey is not over, but certainly headed in the right direction.

Praying that this is a truly Merry Christmas for everyone.

Joe & Vicki

Chemo 16

I guess it's getting to be too hum-drum. I forgot to post about my chemo treatment last Friday, December 18. I did this one on Friday because doing it on my regular Thursday would have meant getting chemo right before my boss's Christmas party. That didn't seem like a good plan, so I had to do the chemo Friday morning for CRMC schedule reasons. Then I just took the rest of the day off. Good thing I did. I hope it was because I was a little run down from travel, and being out both nights before chemo, but this one was tough. Usually I feel fine the next day, but not this time. I felt pretty bad all day on Saturday. I was still able to do Christmas shopping, and some other stuff, but never felt good. Even today (Sunday) I haven't felt really good. I get to take another chemo on December 31. That ought to really start the New Year off with a bang!

Houston and back

We got home from Houston about 11:30 Tuesday (12/15/09) night. I got a good report again, praise God. The tumors continue to shrink and Dr. Abbruzzese is still impressed by my progress. He said I am doing so much better than most that he doesn't know exactly what the next step should be. He has to rely on oncology principles to determine my treatment rather than basing his decisions on what usually works. I will continue the same Chemo treatment until the week of February 22. Then I will get another CT scan and should be scheduled to meet with a radiation oncologist. After that I will probably spend about 6 weeks getting radiation treatments focused on the tumor area of the pancreas. It doesn't sound like a terrible thing to experience, just time consuming since it would be a daily treatment. I think being away from home that long will require some prior planning.

Snow

This week we traveled to Waterloo, Iowa for a business trip. I was travelling alone, so Vicki was able to come along. I didn't think the weather forecast was all that bad until we got here. Then we saw how much snow and cold was predicted, and the predictions came true. It snowed all day Tuesday, and was really snowing hard by late afternoon. Driving back to the hotel in the dark & heavy snow was an experience. I made it OK, but sure wished I had 4 wheel drive. It snowed all night and most of Wednesday. I ended up not even trying to get to the factory. Instead I tried working via the internet from our hotel room. Man, was that slow! I kept forgetting what I was trying to do.
The temp started dropping last night and continued down all day today (Wednesday). Right now, Wed evening, it's only 4 degrees, headed for a -7. It's not going to warm up much before we leave on Friday, but at least the snow is over after about 12-14 inches.
Tomorrow morning I will have to shovel the car out and go to work. Friday we head home, then Sunday we head south for Houston. That's going to be quite a change going from being snowed in, in Iowa, to the balmy temperatures of Houston.
I'm getting another checkup in Houston. Pray that the reports continue to be good. We will be home late on Tuesday the 15th.

Thanksgiving weekend

Sorry it's been so long since the last post, but somehow time just seems to get away. After the last chemo treatment I was able to start preparing the trailer for the weekend, but we didn't leave home until Thanksgiving morning. We got to Burlington, set the trailer up, then went out to eat with my family who were in town for the holiday. We enjoyed our weekend since we were able to spend some quality time with each other and with our families. The weather was beautiful on Friday and we spent time with Vicki's family decorating her parents house for Christmas. After we got home Sunday, I was able to get the trailer ready for cold weather.

Thanksgiving

In just a few hours, we will be at the hospital getting Joe's 15th treatment. Then, if he's up to it, we'll come home and start getting the camper ready for our Thanksgiving weekend in Burlington. It amazes me how well Joe does after treatment.... but then he's awesomely positive!

We are Thankful for the love of God and for the great support from all of you... both have kept us moving forward with great hope.

Have a Safe and Happy Thanksgiving!

Vicki & Joe

Chemo 14 and other stuff

Chemo 14 is now behind me. It wasn’t really any different from the others except they had a student nurse try and put the IV in my arm. She didn’t quite get it in the right spot so the oncology nurse had to move up my arm and do it over again. They have to learn somehow.

It’s really hard to explain how I feel after a chemo treatment. They give me 2 kinds of anti-nausea medicine in the IV, but I still have some nausea, especially if I eat very much. I also tend to have some acid indigestion. I’m usually tired but I don’t really want to nap so I can sleep at night. The thing that bothers me most is a feeling of not being able to concentrate. It’s not that I can’t concentrate, but I can easily get off track.

Knowing how well the chemo has been working certainly makes it a lot easier to deal with any of the side effects. Praise God!

I had a unique experience after we had attended church in Kansas City with Sally & Ben. A woman walked up to me, shook my hand and told me how glad she is that I am doing so well. I immediately knew she had been reading this blog. Maybe because I had seen her talking to Sally, but I was not totally surprised and amazed that a stranger would walk up and know about my battle against cancer. Neither one of us said the word “cancer”, but we knew. My amazement came later when I realized a stranger cared enough to not only read the blog, but to speak encouragement when she saw me in person. I continue to be amazed at the reaction of Ben & Sally’s friends to the condition of Ben’s dad.

Obviously the prayers of friends, family, and strangers have had a tremendous effect. Otherwise, how could I be doing so much better than medical science could have predicted or expected? I am truly blessed!

Joe

Here's To....

... a fantastic weekend in Kansas City!

Beautiful weather, Kansas State Football,
and a great meal prepared by Team Gray!(B & S).
It was the perfect opportunity to open a special
bottle of wine from last years trip to SD. We had

so many good things to toast to.

Vicki

Learning can be fun!

Play the memory game at http://www.knowitfightitendit.org and learn more about pancreatic cancer and how we can all help end it.

Pancreatic Cancer Awareness

Pancreatic Cancer Action Network is the only national organization creating hope through research, patient support, community outreach and advocacy for a cure.

November is National Pancreatic Awareness Month. Please consider visiting the website below to learn about the disease, to help raise awareness and get involved with the fight.

http://pancan.org/

Thank You,
Vicki

THANK YOU

As you read in Joe's blog, he received a great report in Houston... the tumors keep getting smaller! Tomorrow starts another round of chemo, #13. Joe has really appreciated his two week reprieve, he has felt great. Our Houston doctor has already scheduled us to return for scans on Dec. 14. Dr. Abbruzzese will decide then if the treatment should change. We will likely be facing radiation treatments at some point. 

Thank You to everyone who Prays for Joe. His continued improvement is proof that there is power in Prayers and our good Lord listens. Thank You to our Son for making this trip with us, he is a source of great strength and support. Thank You to Sally for such positive and loving text messages. Thank You to our dear friends Mark and Karla Meyer who took time to drive to Houston from College Station to spend an evening with us... we had a Super time talking and laughing about old times! And, Thank You to our family for all the love and encouraging words.

 

Vicki

Back from Houston

Got home about 9:30. It was a good trip home, mostly because we got good news from the doctor, again. God is answering our prayers: the tumors continue to shrink, and the ones on the liver are almost gone. The doctor said I was doing excellent and fantastic, better than 99.999% of typical pancreatic cancer patients! I will continue another 8 weeks of the same chemo treatment, then possibly transition to radiation because only the original mass on the pancreas will remain. That will be determined when I return to Houston, probably in December. The doctor said my treatment will be somewhat difficult because they are not sure how to treat someone who has responded so well to chemo treatment! Thanks to everyone for their prayers!!

Hello from Houston

We woke up this morning to rain and cool temperatures. It's supposed to last most of the day. No appointments scheduled at M.D. Anderson until tomorrow, so we're just lounging around this morning. Ben is taking some time to log into his work computer to keep up with emails. What dedication! We plan to get out later to do some (indoor) sightseeing. 

The picture is from Saturday evening.  Perfect meal with football! We watched Texas beat Missouri. This is our only digital picture so far which Ben took with his iphone. I forgot the charger for our camera and of course it was DOA! We bought a disposable camera with old fashioned film, so our other pictures will be posted later.

Vicki

MYS!

Back to Houston

It's that time again. Another trip to Houston for scans and a visit with the doctor. We'll leave Saturday morning (Oct 24) and the scans will be on Sunday. We don't see the oncologist until Tuesday morning, so we have a whole day to do tourist things on Monday. Monday evening we will meet up with friends from College Station.
Ben is traveling with us this time, but Sally couldn't get the time off from her new job. He plans to be here early enough Friday evening to have dinner with us.
Hard to believe this will be our 4th trip to MD Anderson. Lots of time traveling and not that many hours at the hospital. Being familiar with the hospital and how to get around makes it less stressful, but I still have to go through the tests. They're not all that terrible, but still not something I'd do just for fun.

Weekend in the Little Apple

Click here to view these pictures larger

Wildcat Football

Kansas State vs Texas A & M

This weekend Joe and I will be in Manhattan for the game and RVing at Tuttle Creek with Ben and Sally. We'll be meeting up with some friends before Saturday's game to do some tailgating. Two of our friends are coming from College Station, TX. Even though one of their sons attended Texas A&M, I assume they'll be wearing Purple since they are Kansas State Alumni!

Saturday is Harley Day at Kansas State. Just before the game, there will be 100 bikes that come roaring into the stadium and circle the field with Willie the Wildcat in the lead. It is super exciting and super loud! The sound of the bikes is awesome and the fans go crazy!

Go Cats!
Vicki & Joe

Gift to help us go green

I got a package in the mail a week or so ago that contained a John Deere lap robe. It was from Vicki's cousins in Edgerton, KS. It has pictures of old John Deere tractors on one side and old JD logos on the other side. It's going to be great for keeping my feet warm when they are propped up watching TV while we go "green" by keeping the thermostat down!
Thanks Tawnya & Darrell!

Chemo reprieve

I am being given a short vacation from Chemo. I asked my doctor in Texas if I could skip this week because I had a lot going on at work, and get my chemo next week. Since next week is right before I get another scan at MD Anderson, and I visit the doctor on Oct 27, he suggested I could wait until after my visit. He didn't have to ask me twice. I'm just worried that I will feel so good for a couple weeks that it will be really difficult to go back for chemo.

Back to full time work

It's official now - I am a full time worker. I had my doctor sign a release stating I can work full time without restrictions. That was faxed to John Deere and now I'm a "normal" worker.
My single biggest concern about going full time was getting up and getting around in the morning. It had been so difficult to get over the fatigue after getting out of bed, but that had improved much the past few weeks. For a while I was having to eat as soon as I got up, then eat again an hour or so later. I've gotten over that, too. Vicki has been fixing me good breakfasts that I eat after I get ready to go.
I have actually gotten up and been to work early 2 days this week. It's still not easy getting out of bed, but it never has been for me. As my Dad used to say, "There ought to be a better way to start the day than getting up!" I'm pretty well back to my old "get ready for work" routine, except I'm not drinking coffee. Well, I had a tiny bit this morning. It seems like the caffeine really affects me and gives me the shakes.
Working full days hasn't been difficult. I've been busy and time doesn't seem to drag as much as it did when I was only working part time. Maybe it's because I'm more in rhythm with the workplace. I haven't really felt tired until I get home, but at least I feel like I have a reason to feel tired.

SallyAnn & Benjamin

TO A BEAUTIFUL COUPLE
HAPPY THIRD ANNIVERSARY
on Oct. 7

LOVE, MOM AND DAD

A special surprise gift in the mail.

A couple of weeks ago, I received a surprise gift from Vicki's cousin, Ken Decker. It was a flag that had been flown on August 17, 2009 aboard a Missouri Air National Guard C-130H aircraft on a combat mission over Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The co-pilot was Ken's daughter, Janelle Decker, Cpt, USAF. Included with the flag was a certificate with a picture of a C-130 in flight, the information above, my name, the aircraft numbers and signed by each of the crew of 6.
August 17, 2009 also happened to be my mother's 90th birthday. Pretty cool!

Chemo #12

Maybe it's just my attitude, but these chemo treatments are starting to seem like such a drag. Three hours of sitting there with an IV in my arm seems like a long time even though I know some people have to sit there a lot longer and lots of people have done it many, many more times than I have. I think maybe my arm is starting to get more sensitive to the IV and the chemicals, or is it mostly a mental thing? Because of the clots from the port in my right shoulder before we even got started, I've taken all 12 chemo treatments in my left arm. Of those 12, 10 have been in the same vein, and one of the other veins is still inflamed from a treatment several weeks ago.

On the positive side, I am completely free of pain killers, specifically narcotics. I had tapered off and finally stopped them several days before Chemo # 11. I had a lot of problems with fatigue that week but since then the fatigue has improved. Generally, I have felt pretty good, some nausea which is controlled by meds, still not as much energy as I'd like. I hope to start working mostly full time next week. As long as I continue to do as well as the last couple weeks, or better, full time shouldn't be a stretch.

Today's trip to the hospital didn't start well. When Vicki tried to start the car, nothing happened. The battery was dead. The car had sat for a week, but unless something was wrong, sitting shouldn't have killed the battery. Since Vicki plans on a trip to Burlington on Friday, I spent my "Chemo time" thinking about how to fix the car if I felt rotten. Fortunately, I didn't feel too bad to work on it. I jump started the car and drove to the dealer so they could do a load test on the battery. Found out they have been having a rash of bad AC Delco batteries. Mine was no exception; it failed the load test. Took the car home, removed the battery, then went and bought a new one. This definitely wasn't what I planned for the afternoon, but Vicki can drive the car.

Chemo # 11

Well, Chemo #11 was not as smooth as previous. I felt rotten pretty much all day - headache and nausea. Maybe it's because this is the first Chemo since I totally quit taking narcotic pain killer (about a week, now). Finally got better this evening. I went out and mowed some grass for exercise, then supper and some TV. Had to catch the season opener of "The Office". Let's pray I fall asleep quickly tonight so I'm ready for work tomorrow.
(sorry no neat pictures like Vicki added below)

Joe

Celebrations

I couldn't resist catching a snapshot of Joe before he left for work today. He has been doing so well working 5 to 6 hours in the afternoon. Mornings are still difficult for him with the fatigue. Tomorrow is our 11th chemo treatment. No reason to believe that it wont go as well as the past ten!

While I'm here, I'll post some photos from August.

Vicki

On his way to work today 9/16




Racing Ben to the bike shop 8/29


Celebrating! Where, Tasso's in KC.... wonderful Greek food!
Why, Joe's great test results at MDA and Sally's new job!
8/29






"Cheers"... Joe's first beer in 5 months! Dr. A said it was OK!


Joe was left "holding the bag" on this walk


90th Birthday Celebration. Ben's grandma does not look
her age! 8/15


A new baby in the family! My brother's first...Kyra Dawn.
Ben and SallyAnn are her Godparents. 8/15

Today

Aside from taking several tries to get the iv cath inserted, today's treatment went well. Right now... Joe is having a good evening!

Vicki

More from the doctor's report and Photos from Houston 8/24/09

We got the impression that Dr. Abbruzzese was even more encouraged with Joe's tests results this time than last. He even used the word "remission." Not that Joe is there, but that it could be possible. The reaction to the chemo gives Dr Abbruzzese an idea of what type of caner cells that we are fighting, which also gives him clues as to alternate treatments should Joe reach a point of immunity or physically not being able to tolerate the current treatment, long term . The doctor did not speak of radiation or surgery. Joe will probably always take some sort of chemo, even in remission, to keep the cancer at bay.

Vicki & Joe


Getting some great food after a long day
on the road and before a day of testing at
MDA.This place is now one of our favs...
(thanks again, Kasey and Kevin!)


Looking good in scrubs!


Just waiting...


All smiles after the great news from
Dr Abruzzesse!


Celebrating on our way home!

Home from Houston

We made it home from Houston about 8:45 pm yesterday (Aug 25). The doctor's report was GOOD, again! The tumors have continued to shrink and Dr. Abbruzzese was impressed. He said Pancreatic cancer doesn't usually react so well to treatment, but my cancer has been an exception. I will continue the same treatment regimen for at least another 8 weeks, then back to Houston for another checkup on Oct 27. We plan to post more info soon.

Joe

Here in Houston

Our trip down went well, we made good time. We checked into our hotel, then headed to Pappadeaux's seafood kitchen for dinner. It was so good!

Joe is already fast asleep. Tomorrow, we'll catch the 11:00am shuttle to MDA to begin our two days of tests and doctors. It's hard to believe that we have been through this same routine twice before! I know there are many Prayers being said for Joe.... we can "feel" them here in Texas!

Vicki

Back to Texas August 23, 2009

After a total of 10 Chemo treatments, it's time to head back to MD Anderson in Houston, TX for another checkup. That means we drive down on Sunday, have a CT scan on Monday, August 24, and a visit with Dr. Abbruzzese on August 25. Then we'll drive home Tuesday afternoon/evening. Since I still seem to be dealing with a lot of fatigue, I am hoping we might be able to change my treatment somewhat to reduce the fatigue. I don't know what that means, but I have gotten hints from the doctors that my treatments might be modified. I guess we'll know in a couple days.

Thanks to all who continue to pray for me. I am convinced we will get more good news. Special Thanks to SallyAnn for the candle and prayer at St. Elizabeth's.

We haven't kept up on the blog, but there have been some things going on with the Grays. We celebrated my mother's 90th birthday last weekend (Aug 15-16) with a Gray family reunion. There should be more about that in a separate blog. We also welcomed a new member into Vicki's side of the family. More about her later, also.



First things first. I have to fill out my lunch order before Chemo starts.

Joe

Chemo #9

Yesterday, August 6, was my 9th chemo treatment. All went well, but I was very tired in the afternoon and suffered more nausea from this treatment than I've had in a while. I went to bed early, and this morning I feel much better, even ready for work this afternoon.

Since I have been having a lot of trouble with Cancer Related Fatigue, I had a good conversation with the oncology nurse about managing it. She gave me some printed information and a couple web sites about dealing with the fatigue. Mostly, it appears to be a mental fight, but part of CRF is inability to concentrate. Unlike normal fatigue everyone has, CRF can actually be made worse by resting or sleeping too much. Moderate exercise has been shown to help CRF. So, when my greatest desire is to lay down and take a nap, I need to force my lazy butt out of the recliner and exercise. What fun!

One more chemo (Aug 20) and we head back to MD Anderson on August 24 & 25. Of course we pray to get good news again. The question in my mind is just how good of news can I pray for without setting myself up for a letdown?

Joe

Bitter and Sweet

Joe returned to work this afternoon, the first time since the end of March. He hopes to work half days... as tolerated. He continues his daily chemo pill and chemo treatments every two weeks, so he realizes there will still be days of fatigue ahead.

My mood,
Bitter, because I will miss him not being here as much. I will miss doing things for him to help him feel better, getting him things when he needs them. I will miss our chats and watching movies in the middle of the afternoon, our random strolls through the yard.

Sweet, because Joe is able to go to work, even if it’s just half days. I know he’s getting back to doing a job he loves at John Deere, and will feel productive again. He will see his co-workers and friends that he has really missed. Sweet, because at the end of the day I can welcome him home.

Vicki

He looks great doesn't he?

Cancer, Chemo and Chocolate Ice Cream

7/23/09















Joe had his 8th chemo treatment today.
I am so proud of him. From the beginning
of this journey, he has remained strong
and positive. The diagnosis of cancer
really shakes up your life. All the tests,
doctor appointments and treatments
really wear on a person. But, you
learn where to find your strengths....
I find mine in Joe.


A Yahoo Moment...

Joe gained 3 pounds! Must be from
chocolate ice cream and
marshmallow topping!

Vicki

Joe Gets A Gold Star

When your Oncologist says "you get the gold star for the day," you know that means Fantastic news when you're fighting cancer!  Joe's post tells the story!

Vicki

                                           

Today we visited our local oncologist. He seemed to really enjoy delivering good news, saying I had an "excellent response" to the treatment. He shook my hand and said I got a Gold Star. He also said my tumor marker, which they follow in the blood tests each week, had started out at 47 and today it is 3! That is back in the normal range!

In the written report of the CT scan results, relative sizes of a couple tumors are given. By my calculations, one of the tumors on the liver was reduced by 78% and a representative area on the pancreas was reduced by 67%. That is after 5 Chemo treatments.

I have now had 6 treatments and tomorrow (7-9-09) will be number 7. I have improved enough that I no longer notice dramatic improvements in how I feel. I just know the treatments are working and I need to work on my stamina so I can get back to work. My appetite has been good for the last couple weeks, so that should help even though I haven't gained any weight back.

Joe

4th of July Wishes and Thank You

We hope all of you celebrate an enjoyable and safe 4th of July. Joe and I will be spending ours in Burlington... a reunion of family, and certainly with reason to celebrate!

To those of you who have been saying Prayers, phoning us with “well wishes,” stopping by to visit, sending cards, letters, and e-mails... Thank You! None of them have been considered small gestures of kindness. Each and every one has been significant in helping us get through this journey with strength and hope. 

                                          Love, Vicki & Joe

6/26 Chemo and the morning after

The Kindle is amazing... Joe can listen to music while reading a book or, he can listen to music and shop online! He placed an order during his chemo!

Joe's chemo infusion went as scheduled this morning, in at 9:30 out at 1:00. We were a bit on pins and needles because two of his (much needed) medicines were not delivered until mid afternoon. Without one of them, he can get pretty sick. Nothing but lots of rest helps the fatigue, most of Joe's day was spent sleeping.

6/27

Joe is up early getting started on his morning meds. He's feeling good but taking it slow. It's amazing how much better he feels the day after chemo since being prescribed some strong anti-nausea pills....

Vicki

More Chemo

Second verse, same as the first...
In spite of the good news from Houston, the tumors still exist. Our doctor recommends more of the same chemo, so Joe will endure four or five more treatments. In eight weeks we will return to Houston again for follow-up scans. While we are very thankful that treatment is available for Joe, the side effects from the chemo make it difficult to look forward to. The first treatment of this round will be tomorrow morning.

Aside from tests and doctor appointments, we enjoyed being in Houston with our kids. They always make for a good time, they keep our spirits up and keep us laughing! Thank You Ben and SallyAnn... you two are a blessing! The cancer button and cozy were great gifts for Dad!

Love, Vicki and Joe

Great News

We received a fantastic report from our Houston doctor... Joe's tumors have decreased significantly in size! In fact, Dr. Abbruzzese used the adjective "impressed!" He said that Joe was responding to his treatments better than most! Our sighs of reliefe were pretty loud and our smiles very broad!
Thanks to all of you who were "there" with us!
Love, the Gray's

Quick update - good news!

Hello again! It's almost midnight and the crew (Joe, Vicki, Willow, Ben, SallyAnn and Milo) are back in Coffeyville and ready for bed. We had a good (long) day. Today we saw Dr. Abbruzzese to review Joe's tests. As it is late, I will give you the Readers Digest Abridged version: good news! There is no new cancer. The cancer spots in Joe's liver are greatly reduced and the cancer mass (tumor) on the head of his pancreas is smaller also. Even the doctor said he was impressed with how the cancer has reacted to the chemo treatments! We will give you more details soon, but for now we need to recoup! We made the 9ish hour drive immediately following the doctor appointment. We scaled 3 states today!

Thanks to everyone for all your support. As you can tell, it's working!

checking in

Today Joe underwent a CAT scan, blood tests and x-rays. Everything went really smoothly and we were actually ahead of schedule! Today was spend at the Mays Clinic, a building within the M.D. Anderson network. It was really nice - which is not surprising....everything and everyone we have met associated with M.D. Anderson has been great.

Tomorrow we will meet with Dr. Abbruzzese to go over the results of today's test and begin our journey home. We appreciate all of your prayers, thoughts and wishes. Keep 'em coming!

Hello from Houston

Hello from Houston! The Grays (Joe, Vicki, Willow, Ben, SallyAnn and Milo) are here! We arrived on Saturday night around 7:30. The drive was really pleasant - Texas is truly beautiful country. We stopped at a roadside stand and got some fresh peaches and blackberries. When we got to town, we checked in, let the doggies stretch their legs and headed to dinner at Pappadeaux'. Thanks for the recommendation, Kasey!

Today, Sunday, was our shopping day - the big reason why we came down to Texas early! We spent five hours at IKEA! Keep in mind that we drove one car....we are going to have to do some fancy packing to get everyone and everything home!

We had lunch at the IKEA cafeteria. Everyone enjoyed Swedish meatballs and yummy desserts. We need that break to refuel for the rest of our shopping excursion.

It is just after 6:00 now and we are resting our weary bodies before dinner. We have picked Pappasito's for Mexican food tonight. Mmmmmm!

Tomorrow, Joe has many tests at M.D. Anderson. Please pray for comfort and patience as it can be a long, arduous day. Tuesday we will meet with Joe's oncologist, Dr. Abbruzzese.

Thanks for checking in! We will be back with more updates and, of course, pictures - including a special Wildcat shout-out! Stay tuned...

Houston Bound

Joe had his final chemo treatment before we go back to MD Anderson. We will be leaving for Houston on Saturday, and our great "support team," Ben and SallyAnn are coming with us. On Sunday, we are planning a trip to IKEA... we're pretty excited about that! And we'll do some general "hanging out."

Monday, we will be at MD Anderson for Joe's scans. Tuesday we will meet with our Oncologist to go over the scans. Needless to say, we are very anxious! God is the only one that knows what the results will be, but with constant prayers from our family and friends, and our prayers for each other, we have the strength to face it.

Thank You to each and everyone of you that has been a part of this journey!

Love, Vicki & Joe

Eureka Springs and the Fedora

We had a GREAT time in Eureka Springs, Arkansas over Memorial weekend! The company of Ben and SallyAnn, (and our pups), beautiful scenery, great shopping, a nice RV park, and a travel trailer with all the comforts of home! Ben, thanks so much for doing 90% of the driving, you’re a super navigator!

If you’ve never been to Eureka Springs, it’s totally worth a visit. It’s an eccentric little town tucked in the Ozark mountains. It was selected as one of America's Distinctive Destinations. Some describe it as an extraordinary place, where there is much to see and do. (Check out our slideshow to see some of things we did.)

There is a trolly system that stops at most every place of lodging and it’s a good idea to take it wherever you want to go. The streets in Eureka Springs are very narrow and parking is at a premium. Plus, it’s a fun ride through a scenic town. There are shops galore and I think we may have stopped in every one of them, going up one side of the street and back down the other.

This was SallyAnn’s first visit. We told her she would love it, and we were right... she was silly excited over all the little shops, especially the ones with clothes! Sally, that was a darn cute dress that you bought at a bargain price!

One of the shops that we strolled into sold hats of all kinds. Joe started trying some of them on, and when he came to a beige Fedora, we all told him he should get it. It looked great on him and it beat the heck out of ball caps! We weren’t convincing enough, and he put it back on the shelf. SallyAnn really thought her father-in-law should have that great looking Fedora, so the morning before we were to leave Eureka Springs, she and Ben made a quick run back to the store. Sally purchased the hat, and she and Ben gave it to Joe for his Father’s Day. He was pretty darn impressed! He’ll certainly be wearing his new Fedora when we go back to Houston!

This was another family trip filled with great memories that will last a life time. Enjoy our photos!

Love, Vicki & Joe

Chemo Five

Our last treatment is over! Joe felt the usual fatigue and lack of appetite, but his meds kept the nausea mild... thank goodness! Our next step is the follow up appointments and tests at MD Anderson in a couple of weeks. Ben and SallyAnn are going with us and our plans are to go to IKEA while we're in Houston!

Vicki

BubbleShare: Share photos - Play some Online Games.

Fifth and Final Treament

We are ready, and expect it to be the
"kick in the butt!" treatment!

Vicki

Today and every day we Pray
to know and accept God's will.

Chemo #5, June 11, 2009

Another chemo today. This session was added to the original 4, but is the last one scheduled. The doctors decided that since I had time before our scheduled visit to MD Anderson on June 22-23, and I have tolerated the treatments well, it would be good to have another chemo. I am happy that the treatments have been working, but not necessarily thrilled to take another treatment. I will be fine as long as I have my nausea medicines. I have 4 different anti-nausea pills, and they will give me a couple more in my IV today. Just think, only a couple months ago I couldn't even spell nausea.
Well, time to go get ready . . .

Joe

Tumor Markers Are DOWN! *as of 6/3 lab

Revision: A week ago today, we were told by our Oncologist that Joe's Tumor Markers were down. It was Awesome news...we practically did cartwheels on our way out of the hospital! It was so good to learn! Even though we knew things were improving, this was medical proof. Praise God!!

What are Tumor Markers?

Tumor markers are substances that can be found in the body when cancer is present. They are most often found in the blood or urine, but they can also be found in tumors and other tissue. They can be products of the cancer cells themselves, or made by the body in response to cancer or other conditions. Most tumor markers are proteins.

Determining the effectiveness of cancer treatment

One of the most important uses for tumor markers is to watch patients being treated for cancer, especially advanced cancer. If a tumor marker is available for a specific type of cancer, it is much easier to measure and track it to see if the treatment is working rather than often repeat chest x-rays, CT scans, bone scans, or other tests. It also tends to be less expensive.

If the tumor marker level in the blood goes down, it is almost always a sign that the treatment is working. On the other hand, if the marker level goes up, then the cancer is not responding and the treatment may need to be changed. (One exception is if the cancer is very sensitive to a certain chemotherapy treatment. In this case, the chemotherapy can cause many cancer cells to die and release large amounts of the marker into the blood, which will cause the level of the tumor marker to rise for a short time.)

Helpful Inspiration

This book is small but mighty! We read it daily and it has helped us through some tough times.

Thank You Mom.

Love, Vicki & Joe

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY JOE

CHEMO FOUR

(plus one more)

This week is winding down, I wish it would have lingered a little... Joe has been feeling so good. His appetite has increased, so has his energy level. He’s had a happy whistle, was motivated to do some work at his desk, and got out for "movie night" with some of the guys from work.

Today has come and gone. Hard to believe that just this morning, Joe had chemo! Even though fatigue set in, he stayed awake to watch a Red Box movie with me!

I jumped ahead to blog about today, but I’ll be back shortly to blog about our holiday weekend. We took bunches of photos and there’s so much to tell that I didn’t want to rush the post!

A t the advice of his doctor in Houston, Joe is going to have a fifth treatment. Between today's infusion and his return visit to MD Anderson in mid June, there is time for Joe to get more chemo. We think that's a good plan!

Love, Vicki

Just Checking In

FYI from Eureka Springs

We've been having an awesome time here camping, sightseeing and shopping. Best part... Joe has been feeling good! We'll be back on the blog next week with lots of pictures and stories!

Love to All,
Vicki & Joe
Sally & Ben

Chemo # 3 and much more

I hadn’t planned to be away from the blog this long, but after Joe’s treatment, we got busy and life went on. It turns out that my absence was a good thing because I was able to get some great “Kodak Moments.”

Chemo treatment 3 went smoothly and the days following were good, very good. Joe didn’t experience the dreadful nausea or discomfort that he did after the first two treatments. He still had the fatigue, but we can deal with that.

It was just us for the weekend. With Joe doing so well, we encouraged Ben and SallyAnn to stay in the city and enjoy some time at home. They are such great kids, and have been here with us after the other treatments. They are both so uplifting.... We are blessed and thankful!

Life can be so spontaneous and random. When you’re fighting cancer and ill from chemo, you grab ahold of the moments that might otherwise seem meager, or “every day.” These things are no longer either of those; phone calls from family, enjoying music, a tiny cup of coffee, greeting cards and emails, pouring down rain, yard work, planning a camping trip, ice cream, the Sunday paper, silly photo ops, relaxing with your beloved puppy, beautiful flowers, rides in the truck, and visits from friends and family.

We are anticipating a fantastic, long weekend with Ben and SallyAnn in Eureka Springs, AK. We’ll be staying in a nice RV park with beautiful trees and a pool. We’ll be cooking on the grill, roasting marshmallows for s'mores, and just “kicking back” and enjoying the good life....

Be sure to check in after the holiday, and PLEASE, we’d love for you to leave comments... tell us about YOU and your lives!

Love, Vicki & Joe


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Three treatments down!

Last Thursday, May 14th, was Joe's third chemo treatment. Prior to this treatment, Joe discussed his chemo side-effects (headache, nausea and lethargy) with his doctor. The doctor added an anti-nausea medication to Joe's regiment to aid in combating this side effect. Joe was also given a few more tips to prepare his body for treatment, such as hypo-hydrating 24 hours before chemo. The new prescription and helpful tips seem to have help alot, as Joe tolerated this chemo treatment so much better! Treatment started at 10 am and Joe ate a meal of roast beef, mashed (masked?) potatoes and green beans while undergoing treatment. When he and Vicki returned home from the hospital, they were even able to enjoy a short walk together. What an improvement!

Joe has one more chemo treatment in Coffeyville on May 28th. On June 22nd and 23rd, he will return to M.D. Anderson Cancer Clinic in Houston to evalute his progress. As always, we will keep you updated all along the way!

Memorial Day weekend will be here in just a couple short days and the Grays will be hitting the road, Jack! Ben, Sally and Milo will be traveling with Joe, Vicki and Willow to Eureka Springs, Arkansas for the long weekend. We will be staying in the camper-trailer. This will be the first trip of the year for the trailer and we are ready to roll! The weather should be beautiful and Eureka Springs is sure to be an experience!

We hope you have a super, spectacular weekend! Stay safe and have fun!

A weekend full of celebrations

Okay, it's almost the weekend again, but I wanted to tell you guys about last weekend. Friday, May 8th was Joe's birthday and Sunday was Mother's Day. So, we had some serious celebrating to do! SallyAnn's mom, Susan, was able to join the Gray's for a weekend in Coffeyville. This was Susan's first trip to Coffeyville, so we showed her around town a bit. She got to see both Taco Bell AND Walmart! I'm sure she was impressed!

Ben, Susan, SallyAnn and Milo arrived on Friday night. Saturday included a trip to Country Time Antique Mall and Walmart for the out-of-towners and our chaperon, Vicki. We thought Joe might rest while we were gone, but maybe he was just enjoying the silence! That afternoon we all enjoyed the BEAUTIFUL spring day with a field trip to the back yard (also known as the back 40) where the camper-trailer is just waiting for a long weekend! We brought dogs, music, snacks and beverages and sat in the camper with the shades up and the windows open - it was SO nice! Joe, Vicki, Ben, Sally and the doggies will be taking the camper to Eureka Springs, Arkansas over the Memorial Day weekend, so this was just a preview!

We made the quick trip back to the house to make dinner. The boys fired up the grill and the ladies got the sides ready - it was time to enjoy our Omaha Steaks dinner! The Illinois Gray's (Steve, Nancy and Jennifer) sent Joe an entire meal from Omaha Steaks: 4 big, beautiful steaks, roasted potato wedges and sweet corn. Oh. My. Gosh. Everything was delicious! The steaks were grilled to perfection (good job, boys!) and the sides were amazing! Once we digested a bit and loosened our pants, we enjoyed the carrot cake made by Vicki for Joe's birthday. Wow.

Sunday morning we all attended church together and came home for lunch. Both Susan and Vicki received potted geraniums for Mother's Day from Ben and SallyAnn. Let's hope Sally didn't jinx the plants with her black-thumb just by touching them! Later that afternoon, the Kansas Citians headed back north after many hugs and pictures! (Click here to see pictures from our weekend!)

Thanks for the great weekend!

Sweet Rewards

These are Joe's reward for gaining weight!
I know, that sounds crazy, but I was so happy that
he put on 2 pounds this week, that I had to get him
one of his favorite treats! Only two requests.... don't
get white powder all over and HIDE THEM FROM ME!!!


Eat up Joe!

All Things Good

There was much to celebrate this weekend...

Today is YOUR Day

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Happy Birthday Joe!

Happy Birthday Joe!
I hope you have a great birthday today!

Faith of a Child

Guatemalan Worry Dolls

According to legend, Guatemalan children tell one
worry to each doll when they go to bed at night and
place the dolls under their pillow. In the morning the
dolls have taken their worries away.

These little dolls were sent to our Aunt by a
Nun from South America.

Aunt Punky, Thank You for this precious gift.
These little dolls will surely help us sleep peacefully!

Love, Vicki & Joe