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!

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!

Weekend wrap-up

Ben and SallyAnn (and Milo) traveled down to Coffeyville this past weekend to spend time with Joe & Vicki (and Willow). Willow was so relieved Milo was able to make this trip!

Since Joe's chemo treatment was on Thursday (April 30), Joe wasn't feeling the best throughout the weekend. He didn't get a headache like the last time, but was suffering from nausea. Even though Joe wasn't feeling super, we still made the most of our time together by chatting, watching tv and movies and laughing at the silly dogs! SallyAnn filled the house with the delicious smell of homemade apple pie on Saturday. Due to the nausea, Joe wasn't able to enjoy the pie on Saturday, but has made up for it since!

Joe wasn't feeling well on Sunday morning, so Vicki, Ben and SallyAnn went to church and let Joe rest at home. Thankfully, they were given communition to take home for Joe. Everyone at church has been so kind and helpful. Vicki was able to chat with Kasey who battled breast cancer and has been an inspiration. Kasey has had some of the same experiences Joe has: visiting M.D. Anderson, chemo treatments and simply fighting the cancer with everything you've got. Kasey and her husband have been so great and we are blessed to have them in our court.

Thanks for checking in with us! Don't miss the slideshow below! (If you get email updates, you must visit the site to see these pictures.)

Chemo - take two

Joe had his second chemotherapy treatment on Thursday, April 30, in Coffeyville, Kansas. This time, they were in at 10:00 am and out by 1:30 and Joe & Vicki had a room all to themselves! Another smooth appointment.

This was the second treatment of the four scheduled in Coffeyville. We have an appointment back at M.D. Anderson in Houston on June 22 to reevaluate. The same battery of tests will be performed to assess how the chemo treatments have effected the cancer. Keep those prayers coming!

The first chemo treatment

The first chemo treatment is done! Joe and Vicki arrived at the Oncology Department of the Tatman Treatment Center in Coffeyville (KS) around 10:00am on Thursday, April 16th. The chemo treatments are administered in one big room with lots of comfy recliners. There were already five or six patients there getting their chemo. Joe was seated in a recliner, his blood pressure was taken, he signed some papers and an I.V. was placed. (Small world alert: their nurse lives close to Joe and Vicki and recognized them from their walks!) Joe got started on some intravenous fluids to keep him hydrated, then nausea medication and finally the chemo "cocktail." He chatted with Vicki a bit, but mostly rested. The nurse brought him soup and crackers for lunch. They were done and out of the hospital by 1:30.

When they first got to Oncology in the Tatman Cancer Center, Vicki’s cousin Deb (who works in that area) stopped to see them. It was nice to see a familiar face, get a hug and a cup of coffee. The gentleman in the recliner next to Joe was very friendly and spoke to them right away. Mr. Ford was experienced in getting treatments and was relaxed. He had a good sense of humor, especially considering the circumstances. Mr. Ford's lymphoma is in remission and he was getting a "chemo boost." He enjoys flying kites...the fancy ones that use dual strings and can "cut didos" (tricks). How cool! When Joe and Vicki were ready to leave, they exchanged best wishes with Mr. Ford.

Joe had a bad headache after they got home, which is a common side effect of the chemo. He fell asleep in his trusty recliner and was feeling better after some rest. By the next day (Friday, April 17th), Joe was feeling much better! He was still pretty tired and a little nauseous, but that's to be expected. While he may not feel ready to run a marathon, he hasn't had the bad back, belly or headaches and he slept through the night without any pain pills, so that's fantastic!

Overall, it was quite a new experience, but we see it as the beginning of a successful journey!

Getting the show on the road

Tomorrow, April 16th, will be Joe's first chemotherapy treatment. His appointment is at 10:00 am in Coffeyville, Kansas. It's still unclear how frequently his treatments will occur and the duration. I will update you when this is decided.

Joe received a surprise from his John Deere coworkers yesterday - a Kindle 2! (The Kindle is a wireless, electronic, reading device. It's like the library and the internet had a baby!) What a thoughtful surprise!! This will be a great way to keep occupied while receiving his chemo treatments. To help get Joe started, Ben (his amazing son!) gifted him with an Amazon.com gift card to load his new toy with plenty of prose.