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4th Quarter 2005 October 1, 2005-November 30, 2005
Quick Jump: 4th Quarter 2005: October November December
December 31, 2005 Day +1,004 Day #702 off treatment
Where did on day end and another start. Some where in Georgia I guess. We stopped at a HORRIBLE gas station in Valdosta. We found a better one a little ways down the rd. We saw some gorgeous homes in Eufala. We saw lots of deer some where and we heard a lot of Johnny Cash. All in all it was a good car ride. The kids did great. Logan talked a lot and got loud, but never cried or got mad about being in the car. Another difference from last years trip. It only took 4 hours to get to New Orleans, but he was a pill. Not this year, he is growing up.
I have always heard that it is more crowded at Christmas than in the summer and it was true. It was so crowded. We waited in line more than we rode. We stood over an hour to ride Dumbo. Taylor acted scared of the things he loved this summer. We figured he was just too tired to care. He fell asleep anytime he was still. We ate at the good old Columbia House and had good ole sweet tea. By then we had had it and went back to the hotel to check in, nap and bathe!!!
We stopped at McDonald's for dinner. I had to wake Taylor up to eat, but he ate 9 nuggets, PIG. He has eaten like a horse. We parked at Epcot where it was so crowded that they just opened the gates and let you in. You had to park on the grass and anywhere you could get your car. We rode the monorail over to the Magic Kingdom where we rode a few and I mean few rides. The line for Space mountain was about 3 hours! Taylor was more into it now, but it was too crowded to do anything. We went to Toon Town and it wasn't too bad. We rode the little roller coaster. Logan was tall enough this time. He didn't like it though. He didn't cry, but he had an odd look on his face. He was a different child from May. He was easy to deal with and went with the flow much easier than he did this summer. Maybe it was not so hot or he is just getting bigger. I don't know, but he was mush more pleasant this trip.
Soon it was time for fireworks. Taylor had yet again fallen asleep and slept through all of it. He never even flinched and it was really loud! Logan on the other hand was petrified. He shook and cried and covered his face the whole time. After the show rung in the new year we made out way out. That was awful! There were 1,000's of people going in all different directions. It took an hour just to get to the monorail, but once we got on it was pretty smooth sailing from there. We were back in the room by 2:30AM. Of course both kids were out like a light. We were all right behind them.
I had to call Nana today. Taylor got his chicken pox shot 2 weeks ago and he has a huge knot and red spot where he got it. We came to the conclusion that he was so tense that she got muscle and that is what is causing the knot. As for the red mark, we guess it is a reaction to the band aid. I had forgotten about him reacting to them when he got GMCSF shots. He will not let you take a band aid off, it has to wear off, so I assume after wearing it 2 weeks it made a nice red spot. We are watching it, but are not really concerned about it.
December 30, 2005 Day +1,003 Day #701 off treatment
I am still shaken. I can not get the feeling of that steering wheel in my hands out of my head. Taylor has shown no signs of being upset. In fact, he told Gam maw he got in a ditch because we went round and round in the street. I talked to Terry and she said he may or may not react to it later. She said not to be shocked if he had dreams or flash backs later especially if we slam on our breaks or turn really sharp. I am to explain that it was an accident and that it was very scary and that Jesus was with us etc. I hope he will not have any problems. I just know that I am still very shaken. I guess that is because I was at the wheel and in control and I was old enough to know the "what ifs" of the situation. I think he will be fine, but just in case.....
I got so caught up in the happenings yesterday that I didn't mention that we were all in Pj's. Yes, that is correct. Logan had no shoes or socks on and a sweat suite. I was in fleece pants and a t-shirt. Taylor had son swim trunks and a t-shirt. That was his pick and since we were only going through the drive thru, I didn't care. Wrong again, we will all be in our Sunday best to leave from now on! Just kidding, I didn't care, but I felt bad he was in shorts and no shoes or socks as these strangers held him. At least it wasn't cold out.
Taylor spent the night with Paw Paw last night, so it was just me and Logan. Jim had put the car seat in his jeep, but I couldn't bring myself to go. I drove home from the accident yesterday, but today I was petrified at the thought. We just packed and hung out at home all day.
We left at about 4:30. We went to pick up Jim at work and we were on our way. The street atlas said that the trip was a little over 8 hours and we thought surely it was crazy! We decided to write down all our stops and starts and sure enough it was just over 8 hours. Not bad! We stopped for dinner at 6:00 and then we were on our way. Taylor fell asleep right away. Logan was another story. He was still up at about 11:30. He finally fell asleep, but woke up in about 45 minutes when we stopped for gas. He was up until after 4:00 that time. We got into town around 5:3o or so. We stopped at an IHOP and ate. We took a trip to Wal-mart to let the kids stretch a little. We then just parked in a parking lot and slept for a while. We all slept until after 8:00. We got ready in the parking lot. We couldn't check in until 4:00, so we revamped and headed to the Magic Kingdom.
It all seems like one day to me since we were up, but I guess I better go to the next day to keep things in order!
December 29, 2005 Day +1,002 Day #700 off treatment
"Yesterday was an adventure" that is how I started yesterday's update. Well, today topped it. I am shaking as I type this and it is has been several hours. We (the boys and I) had a wreck. There is not a scratch on the car and we are all fine, but I can not get the "what ifs" out of my head. I am still very shaken up, in fact, I get more shaken as the day goes on.
Let me start at the beginning. We left home around 11:30 or so to run to the bank and to the drive thru for some lunch. We stopped at taco bell for me since I was having a craving. Taylor wanted Burger King, so we took a trip there too. We past by Express Oil and I thought about pulling in for an oil change, but decided against it. I just wasn't in the mood. While we were in line at Burger King the car behind me bumped me. I thought great, just what I need. She was in a small car and only bumped the hitch, so it didn't hurt a thing. We headed home. Where we live is an exit right past the interchange where I 459 joins I59. There was a car getting onto 59 from 459 and he went all the way across the interstate cutting me off. I had no choice, but to get over into the next lane, however, when I did so I lost control of the car. We spun around the interstate several times before stopping in a ditch. We never hit a thing. It looked as though I had backed the car into this spot. I was right over a hole that no wheel touched. There is no visible damage to the car. Jim drove it home and it drove fine, but we will he leaving it to be checked out while we are gone just to be on the safe side. I do not remember anything. I did not see anything as we spun. I can still feel the steering wheel spinning in my hands and my mind racing. I can hear Taylor yelling in the back "why are you doing that, stop". We did not hit hard, we really did just "park". A family that saw the entire thing stopped and called 911 and held the kids. The girl climbed in my car and got my purse and registration for me. We gave them all bracelets and I hope they will stop by. If you guys are reading this, Thank you!!! I would not have made it without you. They sat with us and calmed us. They played with the kids while we talked with the fire and police folks. Logan was impressed with the ambulance and fire trucks that came.
I do not have 4 wheel drive, but Eddie does and they were able to pull my car out. I was in the perfect car. I have an Xterra and the spare is under the car and that helped stop the gas and oil from being hurt. The car has a tow hook on the front and we were backed in, so we just pulled it right out. It was a very simple wreck once it was over, but I am sure it will haunt me for a while. The police officer asked me why I didn't park closer to the road for a picnic. Really, the only spot on the car that leads you to believe anything odd happened was mud from the tires spinning when they pulled it out.
I know that God is looking over us. He brought me into this world 27 years ago at 3 pounds 5 ounces and I had to fight to live. I did, I lived and lived with no signs of any complications. He brought me through life with no illnesses or injuries. He brought Taylor into this world and then carried him through cancer. Now, today he carried us all through the wreck without so much as a scratch even on the car. The even stranger thing, I was singing along with the radio right before it happened and the song was, Jesus take the wheel. It is about a lady driving on Christmas Eve with her baby in the back seat and hitting an ice patch and spinning out of control. She throws her hands up and says, "Jesus, take the wheel". He most definitely holding that wheel. I am so thankful for that. It could have been so bad in so many ways. That is what is making this so hard. I keep seeing what could have happened or thinking about what I could have done such as gone the back road or stopped for the oil change..... I guess that is part of it. I hope that God carries me through this process quickly. I think I am more shaken now than I was when it happened. Taylor and Logan do not seem to be bothered at all. I will talk to Terry about it when I see her again. I want to be sure he has no traumatic thoughts or anything.
Please join us in thanking God for bringing us through the wreck with no injuries or damage to the car. Pray that Taylor is cured of the cancer that once lived in his body. Pray for those who are still fighting. Pray for safe travel to Orlando. I know I wont be driving!!! Oh and by the way, my magnets that I just ha to go back to get, they came out okay too!
December 28, 2005 Day +1,001 Day #699 off treatment
Yesterday was an adventure. We played here at home until about noon when we went to McDonald's. We ate and the boys played for a while. Logan wanted in the "tar" (car) that is at the top of the tunnel, but he was afraid to climb up. It was crowded with school out and I think all the bigger kids kind of spooked him. Both boys were very good about getting their shoes back on and leaving when it was time. We went to the car wash on the way to Nana's. I have some tar on the side of my car and have been through several car washes and it will not come off. I was going to do the kind where you scrub it yourself, but they were all closed, I am not sure why, but I whipped in a touch less car wash. I hadn't tried that kind yet and though I didn't think it would work, I gave it a try. We had plenty of time, so I got out of the car when all was done and was pleased to see that it had worked. I have been driving around for months with tar on the car and now it is gone. We headed on to Nana's and when I walked around to get Logan I realized that my neuroblastoma and childhood cancer magnets were gone and I knew that I had forgotten to get them off before going through the wash. I always take them off, but I guess since a car wash was not in my original plan I didn't think about it. Well, you all know I am a worrier by nature and fretted over those magnets for hours. I was ready to call off everything that was planned for the day to head back to the car wash and look for the magnets. I didn't do that, but it did eat at me all afternoon.
Play therapy was different today. He challenged me big time. When we played kitchen and he asked me what I wanted I told him what I was instructed to tell which is "you choose today" however, he did not give the answer we expected. He wanted me to choose. He did that several times. He also did some crazy counting to see how I would respond. Mrs. Terry said that was the natural progression of therapy and we should start to see some noticeable results now that he is reacting to it. I hope so. Miss Katie is on vacation, so we had no speech. We did a little shopping and then stopped by Guh's house to look at the trampoline. Taylor is ready for it to come home.
We then went to get Logan. We were later than usual and he was already upstairs, but he was being good. We headed home, but not before stopping at the car wash! Logan immediately started screaming for fear that we were going through again. He hates it. Poor baby had a death grip on my hand and his head buried in baby. He would occasionally peak out. I looked like a nut, but I was peaking into the car wash. I was about to leave when I saw one of them. I saw what I thought was a drain, but I looked closer and it was a ribbon magnet stuck to a football magnet. I thought yahoo, I get a new magnet, but it said "I'm a Bama fan". I didn't figure I needed that one! I stuck them back on and we were on our way. Lucky for me there was not one there, so only the cars that rode by saw my craziness. However, here I am telling it to the world. You know I don't care!
We took a trip to Watermark. It was nice out, so we did something different. I got a shirt, but that is all we got. The kids certainly didn't need a thing and Jim just didn't see anything he liked. We were not gone long, but it was a nice outing. I guess we should have waited to do the zoo this week when it was warmer, but it seemed like more fun to do it before Christmas.
As for today, cleaning day. The playroom that no one sees is looking pretty good. However, upstairs is awful. I have a mountain of clothes and dishes and toys spread all over the place. I know you are supposed to leave your tree up until New Years, but I am read for it to be gone, so we are getting thins picked up, so Jim can get all the boxes out of the attic and put it all away.
Now for today.... I have accomplished a lot, but you can't tell! Taylor is decorating the living room for me. He took down all the stockings and has hung his things up. He has a pants hangers on the nails. One of them has a pair of socks clipped to it, one has a piece of news paper, one has his night night and one has bean bags clipped to it. So that is hanging off the mantel. Sounds very lovely doesn't it. I have managed to get all the toys put away. We have a pile at the top of the stairs of stuff to take to the play room. It includes everything from toys to wrapping paper. I have the mountain of dishes washed, but the clothes mountain is not going away as fast. It has dwindled some, but not a lot. I don't have long to work on that seeing as I have to pack clothes to go to Orlando.
December 27, 2005 Day +1,000 Day #698 off treatment
Look at that number! Today is day +1,000. It has been 1,000 days since his stem cell transplant. Statistics say that most kids relapse in the first 365 and look where we are. Praise God, he has truly blessed us with a miracle.
Other than that little tid bit there is nothing to say. I am proud that it is 9:15 and we have only been up about 20 minutes. Well, out of bed. Logan was up at 6:45, but we gave him milk and a lot f toys and he held on until 8:30 and then I jumped in the shower, so he had to wait a little longer. Taylor woke up about 5 minutes after I got Logan up. They are playing in the living room. Poor Taylor is coughing his head off and full of snot. He has now had to rounds of antibiotics and is still snotty. UURGH! I guess I will call Dr. Larussa and try to get an appointment, that is the allergy and asthma Dr., maybe he has an idea as to what to do next.
Today we are going to play therapy. Speech is canceled, Taylor and I are going to go to Old Time Pottery and Wal-mart without you know who. I will update again soon. There is not much going on here, but I wanted to share the cool news that it was the 1,000th day. What a milestone! I remember being excited over day 100 that I just new would never come and here we are 900 later!
December 26, 2005 Day +999 Day #697 off treatment
Hello all. It has been a busy day here in Watts World. We started the day by cleaning and putting away the toys. I did the play room which wasn't too bad since it was clean to start with. I got everything in it's place. Jim cleaned up the office area and it is now looking good. We have another pile of boxes by the door that we honestly do not even know what it is. We will have plenty of time to get to that now that the train table is down stairs and we will be down there all the time playing.
Guh came over and looked at all they got and played for a while. I got some of the stuff put away up here, but by that time we had had enough of cleaning, so we stopped. Chris and Temp came over, so the kids could swap gifts. They hadn't gotten enough, so we had to get more:) We all decided to go eat and met the rest of the gang for some Mexican food. We made it back home around 8:00 and went down stairs to play. They had a blast.
Thank you to all of you who donated to Lunch for Life. A little boy named Paul won the trip and I know that made his day. It is such a great cause and will go to help so many kids with NB.
December 25, 2005 Day +998 Day #696 off treatment
Merry Christmas!
We have had a wonderful day and are so blessed to have done it with no medical worries. We were up at 5:30. Sounds fun huh! Logan was awake, but we woke Taylor up. He was not grumpy when he saw all the goodies in the living room. Our living room was FULL. Santa left a HUGE train table. It is longer than the fire place and full of trains, and track and bridges. a train car wash, an exploding mountain and much more. Logan was in heaven. Taylor got his Power Ranger gun and RV. There is a funny story to go with that. When I was in bed with him last night he said. "I have been thinking all night and I just can't get my mind off that power ranger gun with cards and NUB." He meant to say RV. I was tickled. There was tons of other stuff, but that was the big items. They played and played until we left here at about 10:00 to go to Pop's house. Thee fun continued there. Taylor got a camo gun (cap gun) that looks like daddy's hunting gun and a blow gun. It has little darts you blow out. I think daddy had more fun with that! Logan got a train and a fishing pole. They got an easel to share. We ate lunch and sat around all afternoon. We loaded up and brought everyone over to our house to look at the loot they had gotten earlier. By then it was time to head to Paw Paw and Gam maw's to do it all again.
Paw Paw was still at work, so we ate first then let the kids open a few gifts, but we mainly just hung out until he got there. Taylor got a ton. He got K-nex. legos, a new leap pad and a TON of games for it. He got Power ranger stuff including a blanket. He got Pound Puppy that walks and talks. It is real cute. He named it Paw Paw, but has changed it to Happy like his buddy Andrew's dog. Logan got a puppy too. His his Roo Roo just like aunt Anna and Uncle Dugan's dog. I am sure that the real Roo was glad to see that thing come out since Logan had driven him crazy all night. He wanted Roo covered up with his baby, but Roo didn't want to be covered up. Logan got a little chair with a table attached to it. It is cute and he was even cuter sitting in it wrapped in blankets. He looked like a little old lady. He got a Thomas blanket, some trains, a Thomas movie and much more. It was about 8:00 when we left and I think all of us were about to fall asleep. Taylor fell asleep in the car, but woke up at home and of course was raring to go. Logan went right to bed even though he had napped until nearly 7:00.
Guh called and said that Santa left a trampoline at her house. He left a note for us to get it and put it up at our house. That should be lots of fun to jump. It has been 10 years since mine got sold and I bet my fat butt can't even jump anymore.
Jim and I got lots of goodies too. Jim got me a curio cabinet to put my pottery stuff in. We have actually had that about a week since we had to pick it up, but had no where to store it other than where it is in the dining room. I got it early, but had to help get it up the stairs, that was fun! I have to say, I got him junk. I thought we had decided no gifts for us since we were low on funds, but he decided other wise. He bought himself a new x-box game, so he got what he wanted. Pop and Pippy gave us money which is always a good thing. Guh gave us money and a few goodies to go with it. Jim got darts for his dart board and pj's. I got a shirt and my seville candle stand I wanted. Gam maw and Gam paw are taking us to Orlando. Jim wanted bowl game tickets and lucky for me and the kids the game is in Orlando, so we are going to make a stop in Disney World. We are leaving Friday after work and driving. That should be very interesting. We will come back on Tuesday. It is a short trip, but it will be fun.
Well, we had a wonderful day and I will work on getting Jim to put some pictures up. I hope all of you had a great Christmas too. Remember to keep those who celebrated in the hospital in your prayers and those who were missing a loved one today. Pray that Taylor is cured of the beast that once ravaged his little body.
December 24, 2005 Day +997 Day #695 off treatment
Happy Christmas Eve!
Hi all! I am adding this later, so the bottom portion may not make since. We had a great Christmas Eve. After a day spent at home cleaning and getting ready we headed to Guh's. We left just in time to drive in a torrential down pour. We stopped at home Depot on the way to Guh's for last minute stuff for "Santa's" surprise. We made it to Guh's as the rain slacked and we were able to run in without being soaked. We opened our gifts from Guh. The kids racked up and it was just starting. Taylor got clothes and toys and Logan got toys. Logan wanted Taylor's toys and vice versa, but no one wanted to share. It was fun! We played for an hour or so and then the rest of the family came in. We ate dinner then headed down for present opening fun. The boys did the passing out and then it was time to go. Taylor got a Power Ranger camera and was able to take some photos. He got some Power ranger figures that light up and clothes. Logan got some diapers and wipes, he is still young enough to do that to:) He also got some Thomas stuff too. Taylor spent the night playing with Blakes GI Joe. I never thought he might like that, but I see he does. We went ahead and changed the boys into their pj's before heading home. We did a little light looking on the way, but not too much. There was a lot to be done at home, so we needed to go. Logan went right to bed, but Taylor of course was to antsy to go. He drew a picture of the SPD he wanted and left it with Santa's milk and cookies. I got him tucked in, but he just wouldn't sleep. Paw Paw had to come over and help daddy move the big surprise upstairs, so I got in bed with Taylor and read him a book. We had to be sure that he didn't see, hear or want to get up. He was fine, he never knew they were here. Jim finished up downstairs and then he got in bed with Taylor. I snuck to the basement to help Santa unload the goods and get them all taken out of their box and batteries in etc. Finally, he fell asleep and we got to work. It was after 11:00 and it was misting outside and here Jim and I are outside in our pj's carrying this HUGE, HEAVY table through the yard and up the CURVED front stairs. It is funny now that it is over! By 1:00 it was all set up and Santa had the nerve to leave all his trash here. How dare he!
Can you believe it is Christmas Eve? Seems as though we just had Christmas. Time sure flies when you are having fun.....This morning has been no different than any other. The boys have fought like cats and dogs over blankets and cups. Isn't it great! Logan set off the glass break function on the alarm again. He also will not stay out of the garbage can. What am I going to do with this kid?
Jim is still in the garage fixing his special surprise, well Santa's surprise. It has taken him a long time, but the boys will love it. I'm not telling you what it is, you have to wait until Santa delivers it! We are about to head to the bath tub and Mr. Logan is going back to bed. While he is sleeping Taylor has some cookies to bake and ice for Mr. Claus. We are going over the Guh's this afternoon to open gifts with my side of the family. We plan to put PJ's on at her house tour her side of town for lights then head home for bed. Last year Taylor would not go to bed for fear of Santa coming into his room. We have not talked up the whole process this year, so maybe he will not be afraid this year.
December 23, 2005 Day +996 Day #694 off treatment
**Taylor's giving code is 13837. **
You can use this code to put ornaments on Taylor's giving tree. Just log onto http://www.LunchforLife.org and donate with Taylor's giving code 13837.
Taylor has 157 ornaments!! We still have several days to get them in. Of course, you can donate to Lunch For Life anytime. Thank you to all of you who have donated!
TGIF! It has been a short week, but a crazy one. Friday also means we are 1 day closer to Santa coming. Taylor has his little Highlights calendar marked for 2 more sleeps until we get to open presents. We measure everything in sleeps.
Today we had a later start that normal. Logan just had to be mad in his bed until about 8:00. I took some Tylenol PM last night and was zonked. I could still sleep more, but I am okay. I just couldn't get up this morning. It is crazy around here. They are so wild it is insane. They are not being bad, just loud and messy. I am cleaning as fast as I can, but they are pulling out faster than I am cleaning.
I again had to look back and see what we were up to a year ago. I guess it is this time of year or the fact that all is normal and I have nothing to update you about. In 2002 we were harvesting his stem cells. He got enough in one day and we didn't have to go back on Christmas eve. In 2003 Jackie kept 7 day old Logan while Pop drove us to the hospital for Taylor's CT scan and me to get my staples out. I still can not believe I was doing a scan 7 days after I had a c-section. In 2004, we were home and Taylor had green snot and fever. HMMM... sounds familiar. I guess that is my cue to get over the worries as it is normal for him to be this way. He has one more dose of Zithromax and he is still snotty. It isn't as bad as it was, but it is still green. Logan now has a touch of green snot himself, so I guess we are just passing around whatever this is. Logan is pulling at his ear and he said "huh huh" when I asked if it hurt. We think he is getting molars in as he is gnawing his fingers and drooling. I think his ears are fine. I hope anyway, but I don't worry about him like I do Taylor. Poor healthy, 2nd child, just gets passed over:)
We are going to stay here tonight and make cookies for Santa. I may take the boys to see Christmas lights as daddy has some unfinished business in the garage. If you get my drift.....
December 22, 2005 Day +995 Day #693 off treatment
**Taylor's giving code is 13837. **
You can use this code to put ornaments on Taylor's giving tree. Just log onto http://www.LunchforLife.org and donate with Taylor's giving code 13837.
Taylor has 157 ornaments!! We still have several days to get them in. Of course, you can donate to Lunch For Life anytime. Thank you to all of you who have donated!
Hi all. We are having a grand time just being home today. I am trying to get this place clean. I don't want Santa to see it a mess. We are going to Zoo light safari tonight. The kids are so excited. I am excited to see the lights, but I am not so sure about the cold. I have them warm clothes ready and blankets to cuddle in. It should be fun.
Logan now has the pink fuzzy socks on his hands. He is very excited about the fact that he got them on by himself. He also has on Taylor's Darth Vader shoes. Taylor does not know this yet and probably will not think it is funny as Logan and I do. Never a dull moment around here.
I took a sneak peek to see what we have been up to on past December 22. In 2002 we were on the stem cell unit getting ready for Taylor's first harvest. It was a Sunday and we were to have a Christmas party at our house that night. Dr. Lucas was being a butt and wanted us to stay and do things that the other Dr's had said would not be done until the day of the harvest. Needless to say we came home! In 2003 we were just coming home with Mr. Logan and preparing for a CT scan for Mr. Taylor. In 2004 we were doing normal things and writing about the things we did in years past:) Here we are in 2005. Again, I am so thankful to write about normal things and to be able to look back over the last 3 years and see how far we have come.
We just got back from the zoo. It was cold! The boys looked so cute all bundled up, but Logan was unhappy about his mittens. He could not get them off as they are attached to his coat and they snap closed. He was mad that he couldn't point or hold baby. Taylor was asleep and I had to wake him up, but he wasn't mad since there was so much to see. He didn't like his gloves either and he took them off and now we only have one. Oh well! We had cool 3-D glasses that made the lights look like snowflakes. There were snow machines, so we got to pretend we were in a snow storm in Alabama. It was 35 degrees and it was cold, but I guess that is nothing to you northerners! After a trip around the circle, only a small portion of the zoo was open, we left for some dinner. Logan is now sitting in a booster when we go out. He does better, I guess he feels bigger that way. He ate great! Taylor didn't, but I had given him 4 chicken nuggets before we left so he wouldn't be so hungry. I guess it worked! Both boys fell asleep on the way home. Taylor stayed that way, but Logan woke up. He stood on the window seal until I came in. He looked so pitiful. I changed him and put him in bed and he was out like a light. I don't know how he is sleepy after his nap. I gave him Benadryl for a runny nose and he slept from 12:00 until 4:15.
Logan cracked me up today. They had chicken for lunch. He begged to get out of his high chair without touching his food. I thought maybe he didn't feel good and wasn't going to eat. He took off to his room and came back and asked to get back in the chair. He had went to get a plastic play screw driver and was using it to cut his chicken. He is a nut!
December 21, 2005 Day +994 Day #692 off treatment
Look at how close we are getting to day 1,000. It would be cool if it were Christmas day, but it wont be. I think it is going to be more like the 27th. It is still a huge milestone and we are so thankful to be hitting it!
Today was another day. We were up at the crack of dawn with Mr. Logan screaming "down". He was ready to get up, but no one cared and he had to stay in the bed anyway. The boys played pretty good this morning while I got ready. It was our last day of school for this year. We had a good day. I was by myself, but it was a small class. We stayed on our normal routine and that kept things semi calm. The kids played and I got all the Christmas stuff put away and the January stuff up, so we are ready to go when school starts back.
We had to go to the bank after school and Logan was begging for juice, so I made a special trip to McDonald's for milk. He fell asleep before I paid for it! Stinker, if I hadn't stopped I would have had to listen to him scream the entire trip. Oh well! We are home now and we are just hanging out. I am cleaning up. You would never know that this place was spotless on Saturday. It looks like Christmas in here. There are toys and books everywhere. I have mount Washmore sprouting up in the laundry room. UURGH...it is the never ending battle. At least I have 2 off days before Santa comes to get things cleared out for him.
Taylor seems to be feeling better. His eyes are not as red as they were. He is still blowing his nose, but not as much and it is no longer green and thick. Thank goodness! He has 3 more days on the antibiotic and then he is done and hopefully that will be the end of it for a while at least. Logan has no symptoms of cold and hopefully will not. We have tickets to go to Zoo light safari and I want everyone well to be out in the cold:)
Please pray that both boys (and us) are well on Christmas and New Years. Pray that Taylor is cured of cancer forever!!! Pray for those who are still battling or missing a loved one. Pray that those who are NED/remission can stay that way!
December 20, 2005 Day +993 Day #691 off treatment
**Taylor's giving code is 13837. **
You can use this code to put ornaments on Taylor's giving tree. Just log onto http://www.LunchforLife.org and donate with Taylor's giving code 13837.
There are only a few more days to get your donation into Lunch for Life and give Taylor a chance a trip to Disney World. He still has 149! Thank you to all of you have donated your money to such a great organization!!!
Today was a different day. I had to fix lunches since Mrs. Joy was out. It was nice to be out of the class room for a little break. Taylor did much better without me up there too. Please be in prayer for Joy's husband who had knee surgery today. Also, remember Kelli, Logan's teacher, she is inpatient with pneumonia and could be there over the weekend! Pray she gets better quick and gets to come home for the holidays.
After school we did our usual of play therapy and speech. Taylor did well in both. He did the same old thing he always does in play therapy. Mrs. Terry said I was doing real good, but he has not challenged me since he always plays the same thing. We are thinking about what to do next. Speech he is working on middle g and k. He did okay. I am not sure if he was tired or just not in the mood. He asked to go home several times during both play and speech. You all know I think the worst, but I think he just wasn't in the mood. He is a wild indian now that we are home.
He watched Madigascar last night in bed and cackled the entire time. He brought it in the car today and even Logan was chuckling. I can't wait to watch it. He thinks them saying underpants is the funniest thing. He is cracking us up now. One of my kids gave me some fuzzy pink socks and he is wearing them and they go up over his knees. He looks like Elmo. Too funny!
Well, that is the update for now. I should be back on before Christmas since tomorrow is our last day of school. If I am not, we wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New year!!
Please pray that Taylor's snot is cleared up soon. Pray that his red eyes are sinus issues too. Pray that I can learn to not be such a worry wart! Pray for all those who are missing a loved one this season. Pray for those who will be in the hospital and separated from loved ones.
December 19, 2005 Day +992 Day #690 off treatment
We went to school today in our pj's. The kids loved it and so did I! We had out party, so it was a little crazy, but fun. We took a ride on the Polar Express. The kids had tickets and we had chairs lined up to make a train and we sat on the train while Mrs. Joy read the book. After the story we had snacks and hot chocolate. It was fun. Santa was there and we got to see him again. Santa was sure to tell Taylor that he only had 6 more days to be very good and still get all his goodies. He said it is never too late to put it all back!!
After school we went to the pediatricians office for Logan's 2 year check up. He weighed in at 26 pounds and 14 ounces and he is 34 1/2 inches tall. I am not sure how tall Taylor was at that age, but I know he weighed more. He was 27 pounds at his 18 month check up, but then again he didn't gain much if any after that due to being sick. He still weighed 27 pounds at Transplant and that 7 months later. He had to get his finger poked to check his crit levels which were fine. Taylor was way too excited about it. He just kept asking when they would "pinch his pinger". However, he was excited about nothing seeing as Logan could have cared less. He was ticked at the band aid she put on him and wanted it off immediately.
Taylor has been caught up on all his shots with exception to the chicken pox vaccine. He couldn't get it last time we were there since he has a fever. I asked about it today, but wasn't sure since he was still snotty. Dr. P wanted to be 100% sure it was okay since it is a live virus, so we had to wait while he called clinic 8 and talked to a Dr. there. It was cleared and he got his last shot in the re-vaccination period. Yahoo! Although, he will get more in a month at his 5 year old check up, his first "normal" scheduled check up since his 18 month visit. Again, YAHOO!! Dr. P listened to him and though he did not last week, he does have some bronchio spasm in the lungs and of course the green snot. He went ahead and gave him a 5 day course of Zithromax. I hope this will nip it in the bud.
Taylor was not happy at all to get the shot. He was even more unhappy the way it played out. He was told it was Logan's visit and no poking would be done on him. However, the Dr. slipped in and let him go ahead and get the shot so as mom didn't have to make a special trip back to Hoover. He was so mad that he got behind the door and refused to come out. The nurse that came in had just finished up school at Auburn and did her internship or whatever you call it in nursing, under Melanie. If you don't remember, Melanie was Taylor's favorite nurse on 4 tower. She gave him special power ranger stickers and even gave extra since we were Auburn fans! He got over it quick.
It was already 3:30 when we left there. We had already been to CVS on the way to pick up asthma meds and here we go back to fill the antibiotic. I let Taylor eat some chicken nuggets from Don Don's while we waited for the meds and Logan napped. It took nearly an hour to just that little bit and it was almost 5:00 before we got home. We went to Applebee's for dinner and then came home.
December 18, 2005 Day +991 Day #689 off treatment
**Taylor's giving code is 13837. **
You can use this code to put ornaments on Taylor's giving tree. Just log onto http://www.LunchforLife.org and donate with Taylor's giving code 13837.
Taylor still has 149 ornaments. Thank you to all of you who have donated!! Keep it up!
Please remember the Courtney's today as it is the 2 year anniversary of Jake's passing. We love you guys and are thinking of you today and everyday!
Today we met Guh at our church for the Christmas Cantata. It was very good. Taylor had a little girl from school sit with him. They did very good sitting still and quiet for the service. They did talk, but for the most part they were quiet. I was very proud of them! After church we went to Don Don's for lunch and some play time. Logan was going down the slide head first, he is such a boy! When we left Don Don's Logan and I headed for home and Guh and Taylor went to the ice cream shop and then to her house for a while. He was begging to spend the night now that it is a night he can't. He was rather mopey this morning, but was fine at her house and after, so I guess it is just me trying to find something wrong. He seemed to be slowing up in the snot department, but he isn't. It is as thick and green as ever this morning. Logan has his 2 year check up tomorrow, so I will have Dr. P check him out. He has been going to the potty a lot. He has pooped several times, so I thought that was the problem earlier in the day, but he has tt'd about 6 times in an hour. He is just barely going and I can not decide if he drank a lot and needs to go or if he feels like he needs to go and then can't. He says he feels fine. I know it is me and I am making things out of nothing, but it is so hard!!! Please pray that it is nothing and I can STOP!!! Pray that he can get over this sinus thing or whatever it is and enjoy Christmas and life snot free for a while.
December 17, 2005 Day +990 Day #688 off treatment
Let me start with last night....
We went to Gam maw's work Christmas party for a little bit. The kids liked running around the little coffee shop we were at. We didn't stay a long time and we headed home. We looked at some Christmas lights on the way home. When we got home Jim had the cake baked and cooling, so we could get started on the icing. Logan went to bed and Taylor sat on a stool and watched. He talks way too much, so he got on out nerves from time to time, but it was okay. He enjoyed watching. I have to say this time things went smooth. Every year it is something, but this year all was good. The oven worked fine and the cake was done in time, the first cake turned out right and popped out of the pan without messing up the outlines. Jim says after Taylor's Power Ranger cake in January, he is done, but I think we have heard that every year! It is a very time consuming, messy project, but.....we shall see what next year holds as far as our cake making.
We were in bed by midnight which was not too bad. Of course we were up at 7:15 as usual. I had to get the kids bathed and run to the store for all the stuff I forgot. You know you have to forget something. I didn't have ice cream and I knew Taylor wouldn't have that. I out Logan down for a nap at 11:00 thinking he would get up just in time for the party, but he had other plans. He sat in there and screamed until I just got him up at 1:15. He did fine though, he wasn't in a bad mood, but you could tell he was tired.
We had a strange thing happen today and for those of you who do not know Logan, this is a good picture for you! Our alarm system went off this morning and guess who did it? Yep, Logan. No, he didn't open a door while the house was armed. He screamed so loud and shrill that he set off the glass break function on the alarm. Now that is a squeal! That is what it is like at my house all the time!
People started arriving at about 2:00. The kids were in show off mood. Taylor was literally flipping up and down the hall. Logan was dancing. I tell ya, he turned 2 and changed. He has been so funny. He has danced and sang and been a total goose. He had a ball having all his favorite people here at once plus Roo Roo! He opened several gifts then he was ready to stop opening wrapping paper and start opening the toys and playing. I ended up opening all the rest of it. Thank you everyone for all the great stuff! He had a hard time sharing. He usually does okay, but I guess he knew that today the attention was on him and all that stuff was his. He was fine with the other kids in his room, but not touching his new stuff. Uncle Dugan and Anna are dead meat, they got him a guitar. That's okay pay back is a comin'! He really has had a great time with the guitar, so has Taylor.
We had to bring the cake to the living room to let him blow out the candles, he was too busy to leave. He liked the cake, so once he saw it he stood still and let us sing to him. He shocked us all when he actually blew out the candles on the first try with no help. Then we shocked him when we all got excited. I don't think he ever even ate any cake, he was just too busy.
After everyone left we cleaned up some of the big stuff and then headed to Guh's house to see Santa. Christian and Temp went with us just as they did last year. We squeezed Christian's car seat in the middle of my back seat. It was interesting to say the least. This year both Logan and Christian are old enough to pick on people and they just went down the line. Logan messed with Christian and Christian with Taylor. Of course Taylor is mean and was sleepy, so he hit Christian. I think it is about time Jim and Chris loaded all 3 of them up and took them somewhere. Now that would be interesting! We got Guh and we all walked down the street. It is a very elaborate set up done by a man in her neighborhood. He sits on the roof dressed as Santa and he has a candy cane pipe that he slides candy down to the kids in. He has a microphone to talk to them. There is a guy walking around the crowd (I do mean crowd) and parents can whisper their kids name and what they want and he secretly tells Santa. The kids are amazed when he calls their names to come up to the front and then he tells them he knows what they want. It is so funny to see their faces!
We took the two big boys to eat dinner at the Cracker Barrel and then we went back to get Logan. Taylor was supposed to stay the night with Guh, but he changed his mind. I think he was just so tired that he was in a clingy mood. He made a tent and fell asleep shortly after coming home.
December 16, 2005 Day +989 Day #687 off treatment
**Taylor's giving code is 13837. **
You can use this code to put ornaments on Taylor's giving tree. Just log onto http://www.LunchforLife.org and donate with Taylor's giving code 13837.
Taylor still has 149 ornaments. Thank you to all of you who have donated!! Keep it up, only 10 more days until the drawing, of course you can give to lunch for life at anytime!
Happy 2nd Birthday Logan!!! I can not believe he is 2. It seems I was just pregnant with him. Thank the good Lord I am not pregnant anymore, I do not enjoy that at all! He brought a Santa cookie cake to school today. He was excited though I am sure he had no idea what he was excited about.
Taylor and Guh made a deal a few weeks ago that he could get $1 when he was good at school and he has yet to get one. Well, today when he got home from school he called Guh and asked for his dollar. He was good today and got 2 stamps!! Yahoo!!! Thank you Mrs. Karen for whatever you told him.
Taylor has not gone to the bathroom anymore. He even ate popcorn chicken last night and that didn't bother him. He ate 5 pancakes this morning and a lunchable at school. He seems to be over whatever it was. He is still snotty and I have him on Triaminic, we shall see how that goes.
I just wanted to give you all a quick update. I have to get off this computer and make this house look presentable for tomorrow's party. We are going to a Christmas party with Gam maw tonight. After that we have a Thomas cake to make. We will update again this weekend with pictures!
Please pray that whatever Taylor had is gone and was nothing. Pray that he is cancer free forever!!! Pray for those missing a loved one.
December 15, 2005 Day +988 Day #686 off treatment
**Taylor's giving code is 13837. **
You can use this code to put ornaments on Taylor's giving tree. Just log onto http://www.LunchforLife.org and donate with Taylor's giving code 13837.
Taylor still has 149 ornaments. Thank you to all of you who have donated!! Keep it up, only 10 more days until the drawing, of course you can give to lunch for life at anytime!
Today has been an interesting day. We started it fine. We got to school on time and got the day started. Taylor and his friend were hopping on one foot and showing each other tricks. Taylor went to show him how he could jump and land on his knees which I had already told him not to do. They were on the gym floor and it had to hurt their legs. Oh and ya'll remind me of this little game in a week when I am freaking out over the huge bruises all over his legs:) Anyway, he totally missed and fell flat on his forehead. He has a nice red mark that will be a lovely bruise for Christmas!
I was by myself today, so it was a little hectic, but not too bad. Taylor did okay until center time when he would not leave his friends alone and kept getting in trouble for pushing and not sharing and sitting on people. He sat in time out a few times and then refused to clean up. As you can see this is all quite normal. He jumped up from the circle and ran to the bathroom. He had not gone all day, so I just assumed he really had to go. We said the blessing, lined up, washed our hands and he was still not back. I left all 14 of them lined up and went to check on him and he was just sitting on the potty, waiting! He had a bad case of the runs. I didn't really think much of it until he went twice during lunch and twice during gym time (all of this is an hour long) and then he was asking me to drive fast on the way home.
I am just going to say I hate my pediatrician's staff! I love Dr. P, but that office staff is awful. I have said it a million times before and I guess they will never do anything to change that. I called to make him an appointment. I know as well as you do that this is nothing, but I knew I would feel better if I had him looked at plus he is still very snotty and he is only 3 days off of Augmenton. They would not see him because Dr. P is not in. What?? Is there no other qualified Dr. there? I told them our situation and his background and she said she would have a nurse call me. I have yet to hear from the nurse and that was 3 hours ago. I am glad he is okay! I finally called clinic and just got their opinion, that is who I would rather see anyway! Kandi feels it is viral as do I. He has no fever and has eaten a tad. We will keep a watch on him and try again tomorrow if he is not better. He never did act sick, just not eating.
Since we have been home he gone potty twice. Once was hardly nothing at all and the last time it was a lot. He has not gone in about an hour. He has not eaten either. He asked for his left over grilled cheese, but didn't touch it. He is currently dressed up as Goofy and playing his video game. He wants to take his Goofy suite to Disney World and he wanted Gam maw to take hers too. How funny! Can you see Gam maw walking around Disney World in a Goofy suite! You know what though, she would do it in a heartbeat if he wanted it. I will be sure to be on standby with a camera:)
We met Gam maw and Paw Paw for dinner. Chris, Temp. and Christian joined us. I think Taylor liked having a friend to color with even if he did keep all the crayons to himself. After dinner Temp and I went to good ole Wally World, for party stuff. I got home around 9:30 to find Taylor asleep in the floor. I have to say it rather scared me to see him asleep that early on his own free will. He had no fever though, so we let him be.
December 14, 2005 Day +987 Day #685 off treatment
**Taylor's giving code is 13837. **
You can use this code to put ornaments on Taylor's giving tree. Just log onto http://www.LunchforLife.org and donate with Taylor's giving code 13837.
Taylor had 149 ornaments at last count. Keep them coming and thank you to all of you who have donated!!
Here we are at Wednesday already. Only one more week of school for us and we are out!! Do I sound a little excited? We had a fair day today. Taylor was wild again and just wouldn't keep his hands to himself at circle time. He also kept bouncing around and climbing the walls, literally! He finally got popped right there in front of everyone. He didn't care!
We had to go by the post office to mail some stuff after school. Logan opened and closed every box that wasn't locked. Taylor had a blast dropping the letters in the out going mail box. It is the small things that get kids going. I remember liking to do it too! We met Gam maw for dinner tonight. Taylor ate good, but Logan really put the food away tonight. He even ate a few pieces of crawfish from my pasta.
I wanted to share with you all something that came in our church news letter. It really hits home.
Hands
A basketball in my hands is worth about $19. A basketball in Michael Jordan's hands is worth about $33 million. It depends on whose hands it's in.
A baseball in my hands is worth about $6. A baseball in Mark McGuire's hands is worth $19 million. It depends on whose hands it's in.
A tennis racket is useless in my hands. A tennis racket in Venus Williams' hands is a championship winning. It depends on whose hands it's in.
A rod in my hands will keep away a wild animal. A rod in Moses' hand will part the mighty sea. It depends on whose hands it's in.
A sling shot in my hand is a kid's toy. A sling shot in David's hand is a mighty weapon. It depends on whose hand it's in.
Two fish and 5 loaves of bread in my hand is a couple of fish sandwiches. Two fish and 5 loaves of bread in God's hands will feed thousands. It depends on whose hands it's in.
Nails in my hands might produce a birdhouse. Nails in Jesus Christ's hands will produce salvation for the entire world. It depends on whose hands it's in.
As you see now it depends on whose hands it's in. So put your concerns, your worries, your fears, your hopes, your dreams, your families and your relationships in God's hands because.....It depends on whose hands it's in.
Please pray that Taylor is NED forever. He looks a little different to me today. He says he is fine just sleepy. He has eaten and played great, so I am sure it is just me as always, but still I worry. Pray that all our cancer friends are healed, soon! Pray for those who are in the end of the battle. Pray for their families. Pray for those who are missing loved ones tonight.
December 13, 2005 Day +986 Day #684 off treatment
Happy Tuesday. We had an okay day. Taylor did fair. He wasn't just outright bad, but he was wild and not listening very well. He did great in both play therapy and speech. We will be starting new things next week in both classes on the next meeting. He did some role play in play therapy which he has not done yet. He kin of threw me for a loop, but I got into it and Mrs. Terry said I did good. At speech he was saying T like a mad man. He has now moved to Middle g such as luggage and final g such as dog. We will see if we gain ground on those without losing ground on T and ending words.
After speech we had to race into traffic to get to Amsouth to unlock daddies car. He locked his keys in. We still made it to Nana's by a little after 5:00. We were a step ahead of traffic, so we did okay. We headed home after that to sit around and do nothing. We watched some cartoons and cleaned up some. I just can not seem to get in the cleaning mood and we have a party here on Saturday. I will get it done the night before like I always do.
December 12, 2005 Day +985 Day #683 off treatment
Monday again! It was a pretty good day. Taylor was real good until he got to the gym this afternoon. The entire class was loud and wild today which led to us being behind all day. They didn't get to the gym until 12:40 and they clean up to get ready to go home at 12:45. Taylor has spent the entire time looking for a bike seat rather than just riding. He was mad that it was time to clean up, so he threw all the balls at me rather than into the closet. Other than that episode which he did sit in time out for, he had a good day. It was computer day. They love that. It is great for me to get to split them up a little bit.
We came home after school. I have cleaned a little and got the Christmas cards ready to mail. Taylor sat in his room for about 45 minutes due to his behavior at school. He is now out and watching cartoons. We baked Christmas cookies and put icing on them. Logan is still asleep. I think he needs to do some catching up due to his long weekend and short naps. The only plans for the evening are to get the stuff out for making Logan's cake and see what all we need to buy.
Please pray for Taylor's continued success against NB. Pray for all the other cancer families at different stages in the journey. Don't forget lunch for life!!
December 11, 2005 Day +984 Day #682 off treatment
Happy Sunday to you all. We went to breakfast this morning at Cracker Barrel. Taylor ate great. He ate a bowl of fruit loops and all of my eggs. We went home after breakfast and got busy cleaning up. I have a birthday party coming up this weekend. Guh came over for a while. She played until Logan's nap time. When he went to bed Taylor, Guh and I went to the Dollar Tree and Wendy's. Taylor didn't eat so well on this stop. We were not gone long. We got back in time for Logan to get up and play some more.
After Guh went home we just hung out. We ate dinner and got baths. After bath time we played photo shop. I dressed the kids 3 times in different outfits for pictures in front of the tree. We had a fire going, but didn't trust Logan to sit that close to it. We got a lot of cute shots. Christmas cards are on the way....
Our last dress up outfit was Christmas pj's, so we just left them on that and let them play. Logan went to bed at about 7:30. They were fighting and we had had enough, so he was put to bed and Taylor went to his room to play. Taylor has had a pretty good day. He has been threatened with his life to act up like he has been.
Please keep Taylor in prayer. Please keep those who are inpatient during the holidays in prayer. Pray for those who are doing without this season or alone this season. Pray for those who are missing a loved one. Be praying for the Courtney's as the 18th is the 2 year anniversary of Jakes passing. www.caringbridge.org/nc/hopefor Pray for Sophia's family as the 23rd is her 1 year anniversary of her passing. www.caringbridge.org/ma/sophiamarie
December 10, 2005 Day +983 Day #681 off treatment
I am awake now, so here is the update...
We got to sleep until a whopping 8:40! We got up and got ready. I went shopping with Guh and Jim and the boys went off with Gam maw and Paw Paw. I met back up with them later in the day. We ended up going to eat at Wings. After dinner Gam maw took the boys to her house for a few hours. Paw Paw, Jim and I went to see the movie Walk the Line. It was very good. I can't say that I am a Johnny Cash fan, but it was a great movie. The main character was the spitting image of the real Johnny Cash.
We didn't get back to Gam maw's until nearly 9:30 and Logan was still up. This is funny only because he had not napped today and should have been out like a light.
We headed on home. We were in separate cars and Taylor always wants to ride with Jim, but we kept him in my car by telling him we would race. the kids and I got there first this time. Last night Jim and Taylor won. Anyway, when he is in the car that wins he will say, "we smoked you like a thanksgiving turkey." Too funny!!
Please pray for Taylor and his continued success against NB. Pray he never again faces cancer or treatments. Pray for those who are still battling. Pray for those who are missing loved ones both young and old this holiday season.
December 9, 2005 Day +982 Day #680 off treatment
TGIF!!! I am so glad it is Friday. It has been a wild week. Taylor had a bad day today. He actually did okay until the end of the day and he got in BIG trouble. He is walking on pins and needles around here now as he knows one more time out for him and he will miss the party tonight. I plan on having a long talk with Santa about his behavior and have Santa tell him that he will not come and leave any toys if he can not behave. Maybe that will get his attention, nothing else is!
We had a little adventure after school. Logan was mad because he wanted candy and there was none. He threw his baby and I told him I wasn't getting it. He went to get it and I never paid any more attention to it. We got all the way home before he mentioned it. I thought surely it was in the car somewhere if he had not screamed for it. Nope! I asked him where it was and he pointed to the road and said "bye bye." We loaded back up and headed back to school and there is was, in the gym floor right where he threw it. We then headed on to the bank since we had already went home and left once, I didn't want to do it again. Logan fell asleep this time and thankfully, stayed that way once back home. He is asleep still and it is 3:35. I have cleaned up somewhat as we will not be here tonight and I hope to go shopping with Guh tomorrow. Taylor is playing Pac man on the big TV and watching Zoom on the battery operated TV that they take hunting. Is that spoiled or what? I stink at Pac man, it actually stresses me out. My poor heart will be beating 10,000 miles an hour if I play. My 4 year old son just WON!!! He is so excited!
We went to Wal-mart to pick up the chicken and then we drove around looking at lights until time to go to the church for the Christmas party. The kids had so much fun. They were able to run and play in the gym while everyone got dinner ready. We had to lock the doors to the gym to keep Logan in. He didn't eat nor sit still, but he couldn't get far. Santa arrived soon after dinner and boy was Logan excited. He has now befriended the jolly ole guy. He jumped up in his lap and didn't want to get down. Taylor joined him and told him what he wanted for Christmas. Guess what that was? His two front teeth! What a hoot. For those of you who may not know, Taylor does not have his front teeth. They were pulled back in 2004 due to chemo rotting them. Anyway, this was just too funny!
Both boys loved their gifts Santa brought them. Taylor got Power Rangers stuff and he sat in the same spot for nearly an hour playing with it. Logan looked at his a minute then took off to eat peppermints. He did come back for a second visit with Santa. He was so cute saying, "bye ho ho" when Santa was leaving. We didn't get home until around 9:00. Logan was not ready to go to bed even that late. We let him stay up for a while. He was out like a light! Taylor ended up being made to go to bed with no TV or toys. He got in HUGE trouble. I told him to put his pj's on. It was late, but we had no plans, so I said he could stay up. I told him not to put his jeans in the dirty clothes since he had only worn them a few hours. I don't know why I told him again, it isn't like he was actually going to put them in the hamper anyway. Anyway, I repeated myself and he gave a smart mouthed "OKAY". As I walked away I heard him mumble, so I asked him what he said. You might want to sit down to read this one! He said, "I am going to get daddy's gun and shoot you!" I was LIVID!!! Needless to say, he got his butt tore up for that and put to bed. He kept refusing to kiss us and tell us goodnight and so that led to another talk on how he has to choose the right or wrong thing and when he choices wrong he pays for it. He can not be mad at us for his actions. I don't think he much cared, but he got the lecture anyway. He cried himself to sleep. I have to say, I did not go to bed feeling guilty, he totally deserved what he got for that remark!
Please pray that Taylor is cured of cancer forever. Pray that his attitude and smart mouth are cured soon too. Pray for those who are not doing well at the moment. Pray for those who are doing well to remain on that path.
December 8, 2005 Day +981 Day #679 off treatment
Happy Thursday to you all. It was another bad day for Taylor. He is in his room for the rest of his life!!! He has back talked and pouted and disobeyed all day. He sat in time out at school and missed all his gym time and now has to miss play time at home. I am so tired of that smart mouth. My word he is only 4 years old, how will he talk at 10 or 15? It was another wild day, but that is to be expected at this time of year.
We met Jim at Jim N Nicks. The boys ate great. Logan loves Bar BQ meat. The boys also behaved nicely. Logan was soaking wet because he refused help with his cup and it was leaking all over him. He also put his entire arm in ketchup, but he was wearing red, so other than smelling funny, he looked alright:) After dinner the guys went home and I made yet another trip to Wal-mart. I had to get some stuff for the Christmas party and toilet paper and guess what I didn't get? You guessed it, TP!! Oh well, we all know I will be back in a day or two!
We came home and hung out. Taylor cleaned up his room and Logan put off going to bed by opening a sucker and actually eating this one rather than his usual few licks. He licks it a few times and then breaks the stick and throws it away and gets another one and so on. I don't mind because the more he gets out the soon they will be gone!
Please remember Amber who is getting chemo again. www.caringbridge.org/al/amber Also remember Colette who had her stem cell transplant on Wednesday. www.caringbridge.org/al/colette Remember those who are missing a loved one. Pray that Taylor is cured of the beast and will never again endure cancer or its treatments!
December 7, 2005 Day +980 Day #678 off treatment
Today Taylor got in trouble at school. He just can not stop saying "baby" "poo poo" and "butt head". I am not having that potty talk and he knows it, but refuses to stop, so he got popped a few times and sat in time out a few times. It was a rough day, the kids are so wild and it isn't going to get any better as Christmas gets closer.
After school we came home and did a lot of nothing. Taylor played and watched cartoons. Logan took a good nap. Guh came over for a while and got hooked on the pac man game. Logan was cracking me up saying "biapoo" or diaper to the rest of us. Did I tell you he has been using the potty at school. Yes sir he has! I put him on the potty tonight at bath time and he flipped out, but he sure does it at school. Maybe just maybe we can throw out all the diapers soon!!!
Gam maw and Paw Paw stopped by for a little bit too. They played for a while before leaving. It was soon bath time. No excitement there. Logan went to bed with a snow globe, a train book and a truck. He was wearing Taylor's fire truck Pj's with a sewn on pocket that we added later. As you may remember, Taylor had to have a "pock" on all his clothes even PJ's. Logan looked equally as cute in the pj's, but it is a little sad to see those old "chemo pj's" come out.
That is about it for us. Please pray that Taylor is NED forever and never faces cancer again. Pray for all the kids that are in remission to stay there and for a cure to be found soon so that no more kids walk this path. Pray for those who are still treating. Pray for those families who are missing a loved one this holday season. Pray for the Courtney family as the 18th is the 2 year anniversary of sweet Jake's passing. www.caringbridge.org/nc/hopefor Pray for Diane and Olivia as this year will be the first Christmas without Sophia www.caringbridge.org/ma/sophiamarie Pray for Emma Grace and Stanton's parents as well as they too are spending their first holidays without them. www.caringbridge.org/ar/emmagrace www.caringbridge.la/stanton
December 6, 2005 Day +979 Day #677 off treatment
Taylor did great at speech today. He cooperated with her, well, he cooperated after he stopped playing with his camp SAM bracelet. She put his "magic stick" where his tongue needed to touch to say a "T" and he said his T's perfect! He is so funny and frustrating at the same time. He can not say T, but he says "d" rather than "g". It looks like if you can say "D" you can say "T". Anyway, he did really well today with his "t". We all needed him to do good with that, it was starting to get really frustrating for us all. Jim went with us today to see play therapy again. He acted different today. We think that he was aware that we were all watching him very closely. He didn't act up, but he played different than he has. He played with lincoln logs for a long time and it was very hard for Jim and I both not to build the house he was trying very hard to figure out. It is a cool therapy, but it is hard to get used to all the rules. I let a lot of "mom" things come out today. I thanked him for cleaning up where as I should have just acknowledged that he cleaned up. We are getting there! I am not real sure it is helping, but like I have said before. It is free and he enjoys it, so we will keep it up.
We got home just in time for me to unload the cars feed the kids and head to Gam maw's house for a sorority meeting. I got a lot of goodies. It was my forst meeting as an actual meeting. I have been going for a long time, but finally just joined. It was fun. I got home around 10:00 and like a kid, had to go through all my goodies. Taylor enjoyed it too since he got to open a gift for him too.
Please pray that Taylor is NED forever. Pray for all the kids still fighting. Pray for those who are just starting. Pray for those who are missing a loved one this holiday season. Pray that Taylor will be over his cold soon and be well for a while, it seems the poor guy is always sick.
December 5, 2005 Day +978 Day #676 off treatment
**Taylor's giving code is 13837. **
You can use this code to put ornaments on Taylor's giving tree. Just log onto http://www.LunchforLife.org and donate with Taylor's giving code 13837.
Taylor had 94 ornaments last time I checked. Thank you to all of you who have donated!!!
Today was a fairly good day at school. The kids were wild and loud, but no real big problems. It was computer day, so we were a little off schedule, but no big deal. After school we went to the bank and to Wal-mart. I know I have been just about everyday, but guess what? I am done with my shopping!! Yahoo! I have to fix a few of them up before I can wrap them, but otherwise we are done. I am glad, now I can sit back and enjoy the season.
We just hung out at home tonight. It is so cold outside no one wants to be out there. The boys just played until bath time where Logan decided to poop in the tub! Never a dull moment around here!!!
I forgot to tell you some funnies Taylor has had the last few days. The other day on the way to the mall he started screaming about seeing a hunting club and a green field. I wasn't paying much attention, but I guess it was the golf course we past. Taylor made a big production Friday about not needing night night becuase he was big and he was going to leave it at home. Well, when we got to the Dr.'s office and Dr. P walked out of the room and as he did he said, "let me turn in these lab orders." Taylor looked at me and said, "what's a lab?" I told him that they would have to poke his finger he said, "oh dang, I should have brought my night night!". He also put on his coat so that his hands would be up in his sleeve as if the nurse could not get them out.
Well, that is about it for us here in the Watts house. Please pray that Taylor will soon be over this cold. He is playing, eating and acting normal. He is coughing like crazy. I am assuming that the meds are just clearing him up and he is coughing due to drainage, but you know it bugs me. Pray for the Warr family. Pray for Amber as she will have more chemo in a few days. www.caringbridge.org/al/amber Pray for all those who are still fighting. Pray that those who are in remission can stay that way. Pray for those who are missing a loved one young or old this holiday season. Pray for Colette who is finishing up chemo for her transplant. www.caringbridge.org/al/colette
December 4, 2005 Day +977 Day #675 off treatment
What a fun day we had. We started the day late. We were all able to sleep until about 8:00. We had all intentions of going to church, but with the cold rain and so much to do today we just never got ready in time. We headed to the 280 side of town for lunch and a stop at Target for an important part of our Christmas gift to the boys. We did all that just in time for the Christmas party in the Healthsouth Ballroom. It was wonderful as always. There is no Camp SAM function that is not just amazing!! We got to see many familiar faces some that we still see often and others that we have not seen in ages. We saw our stem cell neighbor, Gina, whom we have not seen since we left the unit and went back to clinic 8. I guess that was 2 years ago. She looked great and is doing great. I guess the best visit of all was with the Bohli family. Jennifer just happened by Taylor's room during his first neutrepenic stay way back in Oct. 2002. She commented on his purple frog and how she collected those same frogs. When we told her we were looking for them all over since he could not have it if it get dirty and we wanted some back ups while we washed "the" frog. She didn't say much, but she showed up a few days later with her very own purple frog for Taylor. It was such a kind gesture by another young cancer patient. It meant so much to us and was so helpful to him. Though he does not carry frog like he used to he does still have it on his bed. It was so great to see them. I think it did all our hearts good to see both Jennifer and Taylor healthy.
Taylor and Logan got to sit in Santa's lap again. Logan had no problems with it this time. He got a gift too. He got some toys and a big stuffed bear that he has fallen in love with. Taylor got an awesome bag full. He got 2 video games. He and Jim have already had a blast with Pac man, dig Doug and galactica. Taylor is pretty good at it too! Logan had such a good time that he went back for a second visit with Santa. I don't think he is stupid, he thought he would get another toy out of it! Taylor had a blast with his buddy Calvin. They are moving to Tennessee soon. We will miss them so much, but they promised not to miss camp!
We were heading out the door around 3:30 or so when Lynn stopped me and asked me to tell Taylor's story at the tree lighting ceremony at Children's at 5:00. We were planning on going, so it was no big deal. Lucky for me I am not afraid of those things or I could really have freaked out over that. I wont say I wasn't nervous, I was, my voice was shaky and as Jim pointed out, I said Umm a lot. Oh well! I did it and it was nice to leave the folks there with a positive image and happy ending. We then got to light the tree. Taylor thought he was hot stuff getting to do that. One little girl told me how pretty my tree was when we were done! Logan had a ball over at Children's harbor. He literally crawled all over the floor being a goof ball. He ate a ton of dough nuts too.
We went for a visit on 4 tower, but we didn't know any of the patients or staff, so we didn't stay long. We headed for home where we ate dinner and played choo choo until bed time. Taylor and I wrapped some gifts after Logan went to bed. He and Jim played his new game too. He finally got in bed and was gone in no time.
I was not far behind him.
Please pray for Taylor and his continued success. Pray for the Warr family. Pray for Madison. Pray for the families who are missing a loved one this holiday season. Pray for those who are still fighting their battles. Pray for those who are just starting the journey.
December 3, 2005 Day +976 Day #674 off treatment
**Taylor's giving code is 13837. **
You can use this code to put ornaments on Taylor's giving tree. Just log onto http://www.LunchforLife.org and donate with Taylor's giving code 13837.
Please remember Bailey's family as she has earned her angel wings. She was only 7 years old and very recently diagnosed with ALL. She had some severe complications including stroke that caused irreversible brain damage. I never met her nor her family, but just like many caringbridge families, they were very special to us already. Please remember them and their friends and family in Blakely, GA. as they start this next phase without Bailey. www.caringbridge.org/godsjourneywithbailey
Today I met Pop and Pippy for some shopping. After getting the boys some things I went to good ole Walmart and got some more things. I am almost done with all my shopping. I then headed to Guh's house. She was having a party at 4:00, but I didn't want to go all the way home and turn around and go back. We just hung out and snacked too much on her goodies for the party. After the party I met Jim and the kids for dinner with Paw Paw and Gam maw. I am pleased to say that Taylor ate every bit of his "rice dog". Would ya'll like to know what a rice dog is? We ate at a Mexican place and he had a corn dog. He took the corn dog off the stick, pulled the wienner out and stuffed the rice in the bread and ate it. Sounds yummy huh, wait, it gets better. He dipped it in ketchup! He had eaten and played great all day, so he is getting over whatever had him down. Logan on the other hand is kind of blah all day and I discovered that problem after bath time. He was covered in a rash all over his body and it was bad. He had one the other night, but it literally faded in seconds, so I just thought it was eczemma. Wrong! It looks as though he is allergic to the dye in Taylor's Spider man vitamins. Logan pitches a fit when Taylor takes medicine, so I have been giving him a half of a vitamin thinking I was doing him some good and keeping him quiet too. Wrong again.
Please continue to pray that Taylor is never again faced with cancer. Pray for the Warr family as they grieve Bailey. Stop by and congratulate Carter who saw a huge responce to MIBG therapy. www.caringbridge.org/pa/carterfinger Pray that the chemo that Madison gets Monday will not cause her all the complications it has in the past. www.caringbridge.org/visit/madisonbeck
December 2, 2005 Day +975 Day #673 off treatment
Well, we started this week with a bang and we ended it with one. Taylor woke up with a 101 temp this morning. I gave him Tylenol and in about an hour it was gone. I could not miss work again and miss the money or make Mrs. Karen crazy etc, so we loaded up and went anyway. He had told me his tummy hurt and his knees hurt. I figured he was hungry and his reasoning behind his knee hurting was he slept on his power ranger. Once we got to school, he was fine. He ran and rode bikes and played just as he normally does. Got in trouble as he normally does too! I left at 11:45 to go to Dr. Petelos and have him checked out. I had to after it coming back like that. He was fever free when he got there too after 4 1/2 hours since taking the Tylenol. He has a cold as expected. His white count was elevated to 19,000. I had to ask what they would look like if it were "bad news" and he showed me his counts from 10/9/02 the day before he was diagnosed. His white count that day was 6,000. WOW! He went ahead and called Dr. Berkow. It is not that I do not trust Dr. P, but when it comes to Taylor, I like Dr. B to be in on every aspect of his health. Dr. B was pleased with the labs in regard to the snotty nose and fever and he has a "left hand shift". I am not sure what that means, something to do with his labs and how they rise and fall and it is good. I felt much more at ease having both Dr's in agreement that is was just a bacterial/cold thing and some antibiotics was all we needed. I told Dr. P to give us pills rather than liquid since he hates to take it and can swallow. I opened the bottle and took out a 500mg Augmenton and showed Taylor and he said, "I have to swallow that". I laughed! We cut it in half and he did fine.
Logan is still pretty snotty himself. He did not get antibiotics, but he will take Triaminic. Both boys ears were fine and that is good. Taylor ate great once we left the Dr. and has been fine once home. I think it is just a cold that hits his immune system different that it hits ours. Please join us in prayer about this. Pray that he is just fighting a cold and nothing more!!
Pray for Bailey who has had no more movements since the other day. Her latest MRI shows that her brain is still bleeding and not getting better. She doesn't seem to have much brain function and they do not think it will ever recover much more than it is. www.caringbridge.org/visit/godsjourneywithbailey
December 1, 2005 Day +974 Day #672 off treatment
Again, I can not believe it is December. I have been saying that since April and I still can't believe it is almost a new year. That is so exciting in regards to Taylor and his health. I can not to update this 10 years from now! Do ya'll think I will still be at it then? Probably so, it is so therapeutic for me to do this. I get to let out my thoughts and get support from you all. I was putting clothes away in Taylor's room last night and when I shut the dresser drawer a picture fell over. I picked it up and looked at it. It was a picture of Taylor and Guh on the ferris wheel at Toys R Us in New York on Nov. 30, 2003. Exactly 2 years ago. He was so little not yet even 3. He was getting treatments for cancer and had no real idea that in a few short days his world would change again with a baby brother coming into the world. Wow, that seems like yesterday and a million years ago all at the same time.
Today was a good day. We had a good day at school. We came home to clean, but as you can see I am talking to you instead! I need to do laundry, but you know I will put that off. I did pick up some and do the dishes. It looks like we have already had Christmas in the living room with that train set up. They wont let me take it down.
Jim and I went to the funeral home then out to eat with NO kids. It was so quiet and quick! They stayed at Gam maw's house while we were gone. Logan has an odd rash on his belly. I really think it is his eczema acting up. I can not imagine what else it might be. Oh well! Poor Logan, he is my "oh well" baby. I guess all 2nd kids are. He can eat off the floor, go out in public looking like an orphan etc. He gets a bump or something and we shrug it off. Taylor looks at you funny and we are ready to head to the hospital. I guess that is the way it always will be.
Please remember Joy and family in your prayers. Pray that Taylor is Forever cancer free. Pray for those who are in remission to remain that way. Pray for those who are still fighting. Pray for Madison who FINALLY left the hospital. www.caringbridge.org/visit/madisonbeck Pray for Bailey. She has had some eye movement and hand movement. This all came after the Dr's said it was time to let her go. She is trying to come back to us, so keep her and her miracle in prayer. www.caringbridge.org/visit/godsjourneywithbailey
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November 30, 2005 Day +973 Day #671 off treatment
Please remember my boss, Joy, in prayer as well as her family. Her father died last night after a long battle with cancer. If you would like to leave any messages for her and her family on our guestbook, I will be sure she gets a copy of it! Joy has been so good to me as I try to adjust back into life with "normal" kids. She never questions my fears or needs to be off. Unfortunately, she understands the cancer world all to well. We are praying for you Joy and we love you all!
Today we went to see Santa after school. We met Guh at the mall which was a good thing since there was a long line and it took the both of us to keep them occupied. Logan doesn't like Santa Claus. He is not crying in the picture, but he has a horrible expression on his face. Taylor has this fake smile on his face. They are not good pictures at all, but oh well. Taylor did tell him what he wanted like a big boy. Logan on the other hand was outa there as soon as Santa let him go. I was looking at last yrs picture. Logan was smiling and Taylor's face looked so fat. I don't remember him being fat and he has gained weight since then, so maybe it was just how he was sitting, but he looks fat.
We ran into several friends at the mall. I got a few more things bought. Taylor was supposed to buy church shoes and he ended up with "Dark mader" tennis shoes. The boy is a shoe-aholic like his mom. Guh didn't get anything does. She says my kids stress her out. I can't imagine what she is talking about! I mean, we only dropped baby, night night, shoes and cups 1,000 or so times. We only went back tracking for Taylor's night night once. We only went back to the merry go round after a kid pitched a fit once. Does that sound hectic to you? No, they are awful to take out, but I guess I am used to it because I still get my stuff done.
We came home and waited for daddy then met Gam maw for dinner. Paw Paw is hunting, so we kept her company. We came home and made a fire in the fire place and just hung out.
Please pray that Taylor is NED forever!! Pray for Joy and her family. Pray for all the kids still fighting the battle. Don't forget to donate to Lunch For Life in Taylor's honor.
November 29, 2005 Day +972 Day #670 off treatment
Happy Tuesday. We went back to school as normal today. Taylor was good at school. He has a snotty nose which is nothing unusual, but it is thicker than normal, so I guess that is the stem of the fever. Logan is also snotty and he is never snotty. I guess they are sharing a cold and Taylor's immune system handled it different. Anyway, we are fine today. After school we had speech, but no play therapy. Taylor and I took advantage of not having Logan and did some shopping. We went to Fred's to look for a fire truck. We didn't find the very one we wanted, but we found a cute one. Taylor had a very traumatic experience. He had a plastic dart board in his hand and when it was time to pay I told him to put it on the counter. He walked over to look at the gum ball machines and I never thought twice about that thing. When I went to put him in the car I saw it. He was on the verge of tears asking was he going to go to jail. I didn't know rather to laugh or dry at such a thought. I told him we were going back in to pay for it. I wouldn't have been able to live with myself otherwise. Not just because we took it without paying, but I don't want him to think that is okay. He was so afraid to go in. He kept telling me to tell her. He was white as a ghost and just so scared. I bent to ask him if he was okay and he was crying. He was so afraid she was sending him to jail. I am not sure how he knows about jail. Anyway, the lady in front of us heard this and she bent down and told him how big he was to come back in and do the right thing and how it was okay because it was just an accident and we were coming back inside to fix the problem. He was on cloud 9 then! Then she sent me to cloud 9 by telling me how she admired me for coming back in and teaching him a valuable lesson. Anyway, we paid for it and no one went to jail.
After our shopping trip and some lunch we went to speech. Oh by the way, if you happen by a McDonald's, Taylor is eager to collect all the new Power Ranger Happy meal toys. He has gotten 2 so far and had yet to get the SPD one he is eyeing. Anyway, we got to go back to speech a little early since several kids didn't show up. He did not cooperate very well at all. He still can not do that T sound. She tried to focus on something else to keep his attention better and found that he is not ending his words again. UURGH! Looks like we will not be ready to stop these sessions in February as we had once hoped. It is free until Feb. then they are $56 a week! We will cross that bridge when we get there.
We went to get Logan then we met daddy at Guh's house for left over Turkey and dressing. The kids played with the new fire truck. We went to Walmart for a few needed things then Jim took the kids and I did some shopping in there. I got a few things out of the way. Poor Logan just doesn't have much. It is hard to buy for him. He is the same age Taylor was when he got sick and we got so much from friends and family that year at Christmas that we have everything that is for his age. He doesn't care, he just wants to rip into stuff. I should give him empty boxes!
Please pray that Taylor never has to face cancer again. Pray for those who are facing this holiday season without a loved one. Pray for Joy, my boss, she had to leave today as her dad is not doing well at all.
November 28, 2005 Day +971 Day #669 off treatment
Well, today didn't turn out so normal after all. I had to wake up Taylor this morning which is unusual, but I didn't think anything of it since it had been a long weekend. It is habit to feel his head first thing in the morning and when I did today I found that he was burning up. My mind immediately goes to racing. I took his temp and it was 102. Wow, well over the magic number to call clinic, but he does not have port anymore, so I didn't know what to do with him. Well, I called Meredith of course. She said unless he was just very sick and lethargic to ride it out with Tylenol and see how he is tomorrow. I gave him some Tylenol and checked him in a little bit and it was already down to 99. I checked in about 30 more minutes and it was gone. He has been fever free with no Tylenol since then. He has not been "as snotty" as usual lately and all of a sudden he is. Logan is awful today. He is goopy in the eyes and nose which means ears are next. Anyway, I guess they are just passing a cold back and forth. I will not plan on going to the Dr. unless he spikes fever again. Pray that he does not. He has eaten fine and played today, so I assume he is fine. That doesn't mean that fear isn't trying to sneak in, but I worry less.
Logan ended up getting some more Benadryl. I didn't want to send him to school and him get that sleepy, so I held off but once we knew we were here for the day I gave it to him. Just as yesterday, by 10:30 he couldn't stay awake. He slept until 1:30. He ended up throwing up in his bed. I honestly think it was from coughing so much. I pulled out some cough meds for tonight. Maybe he will sleep better. I haven't given him anymore Benadryl, but it is 4:45 and he is so sleepy. It may be a early night for him.
The kids have played nice today. They both seem to feel fine. I expect us to be at school tomorrow. I hope my help comes back. Today was only Miss Karen's 2nd day and I deserted her. I am so sorry Karen. I am sure it was fun after a 5 day break. Anyway, please pray that Taylor just has a "normal" cold and will be fine. Pray for Madison who has been doing great. She is looking at getting out of the hospital soon. Pray that will happen, it has been a month that she has been inpatient. That is enough to make anyone crazy much less a child going through all she has. www.caringbridge.org/visit/madisonbeck Also, Bailey had another CT today to see if her brain is changing at all. She is still in a coma as she has been for a week now. Pray that the CT shows improvement. www.caringbridge.org/visit/godsjourneywithbailey
November 27, 2005 Day +970 Day #668 off treatment
Happy Sunday. Logan woke up feeling kind of yuck. He is full of green snot. I gave him some Benadryl and by 10:30 he couldn't hold his head up. I put him to bed and he asked to rock. I rocked him for a while, but then put him in his bead. I had to wake him up to head to Guh's for lunch. He seemed to feel okay just kind of snotty. He ate a ton of cranberry sauce, he is so nasty! After lunch we all went downstairs where the kids put up Guh's Christmas tree. They had a blast, she made need to rearrange some things, but they had fun doing it. Logan had on a dirty diaper and no one wanted to go upstairs to get his bag, so I told Taylor I would give him a dollar if he did it. He said no until Blake wanted to do it. They went together and come to think of it I forgot to give him his dollar. Remind me Blake! Anyway, We told him where the bag was, but I was out of wipes so Guh told him where to go in her bathroom to get it. He came back with a huge can of Clorox wipes. We all laughed so hard, it was so funny. I think we hurt his feelings, but we didn't mean too. He had gotten those wipes out of the hall bathroom and when we said Guh's bathroom we meant the master bedroom's bath. Anyway, his mom told him, "we told you Guh's bathroom". Well, leave it to a kid to come up with a come back for that. He told her, "there are 3 bathrooms in this house and they are all Guh's". Oh my, what a ball of laughter that one got!
After the tree was up and Logan was changed about 3 times, we headed for home. The boys ooed and ahhed over the lights on the way. We decided that we would rent a movie and get a milk shake. We were not home 10 minutes before we were off again. Well, it turned into quite the adventure. We went all the way to Dairy Queen for the shakes then to the movie place. As we were leaving there Logan decided he was mad that his cup was empty and threw it. He knocked over my entire cherry milk shake all over the car. We were gone forever, but we finally got home and didn't even watch the movie!
The boys were fed and bathed and Logan was put to bed. He had some Benadryl, so he was tired again and gave no fight even though he was pulled away from his train. Taylor was so thrilled when he got home and saw it all set up. They both had a great time playing. Logan got mad at first that Taylor was in the middle of it, but he got over and soon they were playing well together.
I am so not ready to go back to work, but we are back to our normal routines this week. We will not have play therapy, but we will have speech on Tuesday. We are going to try to fit in a trip to the mall to see Santa also.
Please continue to pray for Taylor and his success against NB. Pray for all those who are still fighting. Pray for those who are missing a loved one. Don't forget to check out the Lunch For Life site. www.lunchforlife.org Taylor's giving code is 13837.
November 26, 2005 Day +969 Day #667 off treatment
Today was a sleep late day. Well, it was if you call 8:00 late. We got up and got ready and went to eat some lunch and do some window shopping. We went all over town, but we didn't buy anything. We were pricing things and have decided to build their big gift together. I am still not going to tell what it is..... We met Guh later in the afternoon and she took Taylor. They did a little shopping too and then went to her house. Logan, Jim and I went gam maw and Paw Paws and then out to eat. After we ate Jim and Lo Lo went home and Gam maw and I went to the Summit and Wal-mart.
I got home around 9:30 and Logan was still up. We got out the Thomas the Train set and Logan played with it until 10:30 when I made him go to bed. He was having a ball. It was Taylor's and we bought it his first trip to NYC. He never played with it at home only in NYC, so this is the first time we have looked at the thing in 2 years.
November 25, 2005 Day +968 Day #666 off treatment
Here it is, the biggest shopping day of the year. I was in the middle of it, how about you? We left at 4:30 this morning. We had the most fun at Khols. It was a mad house, but we got some great deals. I met the wife of a Children's employee. We were buying some stuff that gave part of the proceeds to Children's and we were talking about it, so she joined in. It is always nice to meet some family members of the folks that have helped us the last 3 years. We headed to the Galleria after that and we were all very shocked when Gam maw jumped the curb to park. It was so funny! It was so crowded in that mall, but we got some good stuff. We had lunch with Jim at the Olive Garden. Shhh, don't tell Taylor. Jim went back to work and us girls kept shopping. We got home around 2:30. I went home to relieve Guh who had had the boys all day. Logan was still asleep, so I was able to get about 30 minute nap in. Temp. and I set out again for a little more shopping.
Once we got home we just hung out. Taylor was playing and Logan was already in bed. I was in bed by 10:00. I could hardly hold my head up after this long day.
November 24, 2005 Day +967 Day #665 off treatment
Pictures from Taylor's Pilot for a Day trip at the Columbus Air force base have been posted. Click here to view them.
I just wanted to pass on some more info on the lunch for life stuff this year. I will be donating on pay day:) and you can donate also by using Taylor's giving code 13837 and giving up lunch for one day to raise money for Neuroblastoma Research! Each $5 donation also gives the child an ornament on his/her giving tree. The giving code (13837) you can enter and get bonus ornaments. This code can even be entered if you donate in another child's name and it will give Taylor bonus ornaments. Each ornament gives him a chance to win the Disney trip. Just log onto http://www.LunchforLife.org and you can read all about it if I didn't explain it well. Please donate and help the kids with NB. It would be great to win a trip to Disney World, but the thought of raising 1,000's of dollars for NB research is even better!!!
Happy Thanksgiving!!! I hope you all had a wonderful day. We certainly did. We went to Gam maw and paw paw's where we ate lunch. The boys had fun picking up crab apples and then playing with them. Logan tuckered himself out and took a nap, willingly. While he napped us girls went to K-mart and did some shopping. When we got back we loaded up and headed home, but not for long. Gam maw came to get us and we went to Jackie's house. Taylor acted rather shy and quiet, I was getting worried he wasn't feeling well, but he livened up. He was also wild as a buck when we got home. I think he was tired and out of his element. Logan on the other hand made himself right at home. He was fighting and bullying his away with the other kids. He also ate like a horse. This kid loves turkey! We didn't get home for good until a little after 9:00. Logan went right to bed. Taylor is playing with his new power rangers. He had asked for a PW ornament, but we couldn't find one, so Gam maw and Ghen Ghen got him a little action figure instead.
Taylor had a rough start to his day. I put the boys in the tub and he wouldn't sit down. He had been trying to poop last night and couldn't, so I knew what was wrong. I also knew that after that warm bath it was coming out and it did, but it wasn't easy. He cried and cried. I gave him some senekot and he went again later in the day and so happily told me, "it did not hurt this time." He has not eaten real good today. He ate a little bread and a few bites of green beans and a muffin. I honestly think he was just too busy to eat more so than anything else.
Well, this is not much of an update, but we really did just hang out today. I also need to go get in the bed seeing as we are leaving at 4:30 in the morning to head to the mall. I know, I know we are crazy, but we love it. Guh is coming to keep the boys. I will update again tomorrow if I am awake:)
November 23, 2005 Day +966 Day #664 off treatment
Here we are at Wednesday again. The weeks sure do go fast when you are off. Oh well! We are just hanging out at home today. Jim is out raking leaves and getting the yard ready for our outdoor decorations. He and Logan took a trip to the dump this morning. Why didn't Taylor go you ask? Well, he got in trouble. We are really trying to focus on the fact that he always has the choice to do the good or bad thing in certain situations. This morning as they were getting ready to go we asked him to take the directions to Candy Land back to his room. He threw the directions down and said no. We explained that he had 2 choices. One was to do it and get it over with and the other was to not do it and act ugly and not go with daddy. Well, he combined them. He did it, but he wadded it up and slammed the door as he did it. He did not go to the dump. He had a huge melt down, but it was not the kicking kind. He just quietly sat at the window and cried as he watched Jim leave. It broke my heart, but it had to be done. I talked to him at great length about what his choices were and what happened as a result of his choice. I hope we get somewhere with this method. He has been an angel the rest of the day. I told him he could go outside for 20 minutes then he must come in as it was too cold. He was told he could go back out when Jim took out the outdoor decorations IF he came in with no complaints when I called. Thank goodness he did. I called his name and he came running.
Since Taylor followed directions he and Logan got to go outside and play while Jim put up the train and outdoor lights. They were so cute riding in the gator together. They were even cuter sitting on their knees by the candy cane lined side walk waiting for Jim to turn the lights on. Logan, of course, loved the train when it lit up.
We went to Guh's house where the boys stayed while we shopped. We had to use the trailer to pick up a big item for Guh and we took advantage of the time and went to Toys R Us. I am so excited! We got some great things that the boys will LOVE!! I'm not telling you though, you will have to wait until Christmas!
I want to leave you tonight with a story I borrowed from Stanton's page. I have been following Stanton for some time now. He is now an angel, but I continue to keep up with his mom. She is absolutely amazing and I hope she wont mind me sharing this with you all. Please stop by and visit her at www.caringbridge.org/la/stanton Before you go on please remember to pray for Taylor's continued health. Pray for Amber as she continues to fight pain. Pray for Madison as she continues to fight her tummy troubles. Pray for her entire family as they deal with the difficult times they are facing. Pray for Bailey. Her CT did not show any improvement in her brain. Pray that she will soon respond and not have much or ANY brain damage. Pray for all the families who are at the hospital for the holidays. Pray for those who are missing a loved one.
Be sure to actually stop and realize what you are thankful for tomorrow. We have so much to be thankful for!
Thanksgiving Story
Sandra felt as low as the heels of her shoes as she pushed against a November gust and the florist shop door. Her life had been easy, like a spring breeze. Then in the fourth month of her second pregnancy, a minor automobile accident stole her ease.
During this Thanksgiving week she would have delivered a son. She grieved over her loss. As if that weren't enough, her husband's company threatened a transfer. Then her sister, whose annual holiday visit she coveted, called saying she could not come.
What's worse, Sandra's friend infuriated her by suggesting her grief was a God-given path to maturity that would allow her to empathize with others who suffer.
"She has no idea what I'm feeling," thought Sandra with a shudder.
"Thanksgiving? Thankful for what?" she wondered aloud.
For a careless driver whose truck was hardly scratched when he rear-ended her? For an airbag that saved her life but took that of her child?
"Good afternoon, can I help you?" The shop clerk's approach startled her.
"I... I need an arrangement, "stammered Sandra. "For Thanksgiving?"
"Do you want beautiful but ordinary, or would you like to challenge the day with a customer favorite I call the Thanksgiving Special?" asked the shop clerk.
"I'm convinced that flowers tell stories," she continued.
"Are you looking for something that conveys 'gratitude' this Thanksgiving?"
"Not exactly!" Sandra blurted out. "In the last five months, everything that could go wrong has gone wrong. " Sandra regretted her outburst, and was surprised when the shop clerk said, "I have the perfect arrangement for you."
Then the door's small bell rang, and the shop clerk said, "Hi Barbara...let me get your order." She politely excused herself and walked toward a small workroom, then quickly reappeared, carrying an arrangement of greenery, bows, and long-stemmed thorny roses. Except the ends of the rose stems were neatly snipped...there were no flowers.
"Want this in a box?" asked the clerk.
Sandra watched for the customer's response. Was this a joke? Who would want rose stems with no flowers!?! She waited for laughter, but neither woman laughed.
"Yes, please," Barbara replied with an appreciative smile.
"You'd think after three years of getting the special, I wouldn't be so moved by its significance, but I can feel it right here, all over again," she said as she gently tapped her chest.
"Uhh," stammered Sandra, "that lady just left with, uhh... she just left with no flowers!"
"Right... I cut off the flowers. That's the Special... I call it the Thanksgiving Thorns Bouquet."
"Oh, come on, you can't tell me someone is willing to pay for that?" exclaimed Sandra.
"Barbara came into the shop three years ago feeling very much like you feel today," explained the clerk.
"She thought she had very little to be thankful for. She had lost her father to cancer, the family business was failing, her son was into drugs, and she was facing major surgery."
"That same year I had lost my husband, "continued the clerk," and for the first time in my life, I had to spend the holidays alone. I had no children, no husband, no family nearby, and too great a debt to allow any travel." "So what did you do?" asked Sandra.
"I learned to be thankful for thorns," answered the clerk quietly.
"I've always thanked God for good things in life and never thought to ask Him why those good things happened to me, but when bad stuff hit, did I ever ask! It took time for me to learn that dark times are important. I always enjoyed the 'flowers' of life, but it took thorns to show me the beauty of God's comfort. You know, the Bible says that God comforts us when we're afflicted, and from His consolation we learn to comfort others."
Sandra sucked in her breath as she thought about the very thing her friend had tried to tell her. "I guess the truth is I don't want comfort. I've lost a baby and I'm angry with God." Just then someone else walked in the shop.
"Hey, Phil!" shouted the clerk to the balding, rotund man.
"My wife sent me in to get our usual Thanksgiving arrangement... twelve thorny, long-stemmed stems!" laughed Phil as the clerk handed him a tissue-wrapped arrangement from the refrigerator.
"Those are for your wife?" asked Sandra incredulously.
"Do you mind me asking why she wants something that looks like that?"
"No...I'm glad you asked," Phil replied. "Four years ago my wife and I nearly divorced. After forty years, we were in a real mess, but with the Lord's grace and guidance, we slogged through problem after problem.
He rescued our marriage. Jenny here (the clerk) told me she kept a vase of rose stems to remind her of what she learned from "thorny" times, and that was good enough for me. I took home some of those stems.
My wife and I decided to label each one for a specific "problem" and give thanks to Him for what that problem taught us."
As Phil paid the clerk, he said to Sandra, "I highly recommend the Special!"
"I don't know if I can be thankful for the thorns in my life." Sandra said to the clerk. "It's all too... fresh."
"Well," the clerk replied carefully, "my experience has shown me that thorns make roses more precious. We treasure God's providential care more during trouble than at any other time. Remember, it was a crown of thorns that Jesus wore so we might know His love. Don't resent the thorns."
Tears rolled down Sandra's cheeks. For the first time since the accident, she loosened her grip on resentment. "I'll take those twelve long-stemmed thorns, please," she managed to choke out.
"I hoped you would," said the clerk gently. "I'll have them ready in a minute."
"Thank you. What do I owe you?" asked Sandra.
"Nothing." said the clerk. "Nothing but a promise to allow God to heal your heart.
The first year's arrangement is always on me." The clerk smiled and handed a card to Sandra. "I'll attach this card to your arrangement, but maybe you'd like to read it first."
It read:
"Dear God, I have never thanked you for my thorns. I have thanked you a
thousand times for my roses, but never once for my thorns. Teach me the
glory of the cross I bear; teach me the value of my thorns. Show me that
I have climbed closer to you along the path of pain. Show me that,
through my tears, the colors of your rainbow look much more brilliant."
November 22, 2005 Day +965 Day #663 off treatment
I know that we have already hung our posters for Lunch for Life. I hung them in September which is Childhood Cancer Awareness month. However, this year they are doing it in December. Please look at the link below. It has some great new things this year. You can donate in a child's name. You can even have gift cards sent to whomever you gave in their name. Each child has a giving tree that will put decorations on each time a donation is made in their name. We can pull up the tree and watch our progress grow. All money is given to research for NB. This year a huge donation has been made for the kids or really one family. Each donation made in a child's name makes them eligible for a full paid trip to Disney World. Please check out the link and make a donation in Taylor's name. The site is very easy to follow and donations can be made several different ways. Do it for Taylor and his fellow NB fighters. There is just not enough out there on NB, we must get more, we must get the CURE!!! www.lunchforlife.org
Today I did not want to get up. I was all warm and snuggled in my bed, but I had too. I got up and got ready then got the boys up. Taylor looked cute in his Auburn stuff, but Logan took the cake today. He had on a red sweat suite that said "Little Devil". It had horns on the hood and a tail on the back of the pants. Too funny! Taylor didn't stay at school long. Jim came and picked him up at about 10:15. They went home and played his new favorite game, Guess Who?. They met Logan and I when school was out. We dropped Logan off and went to play therapy. Daddy has never been there before. It is interesting the first time you see it. I did the part of "therapist" again. I did better this time. It is hard to track that much, but I didn't ask questions this time. We will not meet next week as Miss Terry will be out of town. We will go back on the 6th. Taylor went to do some crafts while I talked with Terry about his session and ways to control his back talk and potty mouth. After that we headed on to speech. Taylor was not real into that today. He was being silly and not real cooperative. He just can not get the "T" sound. He can say "T" at the end of a word, but not the beginning. I think Katie is getting as frustrated as we are with it. We are going to try putting some fruit roll up in his gap to see if the absence of his front teeth has anything to do with it.
When speech was over we went to get the little devil who had been an angel, boy that was an oxymoron for ya. We went for some Chinese at Formosa (sorry Guh). Logan loved the chips and egg roll he didn't care much for anything else. Taylor ate a good bit of chicken and rice. We then went to Wal-mart where Jim asked me about 10 times if I had all I needed before we left and I assured him I did. Guess what? I didn't. I was getting the stuff I was to bring to dinner Thursday and I forgot the drinks. OOPS! Oh well, I am sure we will go to WAl-mart again before then, we always do.
I talked to Pop today and he delivered the wagons to the hospital. I am so thrilled that Taylor has wagons, that is just cool. He is ready to go back and see if he can find one of them. I am sure with Logan's love of wagons that we will come across one of them eventually.
We are now home. Logan fell asleep in the car, so I put him to bed. Taylor, Jim and I played a few rounds of Guess Who? and Candy Land. I lost at both! Oh well!! Taylor is so funny with Guess Who? You can always figure out who is person is by the questions he asks. There is one guy with green hair and when he had him and I was trying to figure out who he had. His first question to me was "does your person have green hair"? It was so funny. He doesn't fully understand yet, but he is getting there. It is so fun now to be able to play "big boy" stuff with him.
Please pray for Taylor and that he is NED forever. Pray for Madison. Last I heard she was up and talking to the nurses, that sounds like a positive step lets hope things keep moving that way. www.caringbridge.org/visit/madisonbeck. Pray for Bailey. She is still on a coma and they do not know yet if she has any brain function. This is a very bad situation for this sweet child. Pray for her family as they await a CT of the brain in the next few days. This will help them know more of what her brain is doing. www.caringbridge.org/visit/godsjourneywithbailey. Pray for all those families that will have an empty chair at the table Thursday. Let them know they are loved and supported during this hard time.
****UPDATE****
There will be a prayer service Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2005 at Pleasant Hill United Methodist Church from 3:30-6:00pm. This is for Madison Beck and family. Poor Madison has had such a rough time with her treatment and now a house fire on top of it all. This family certainly could use our prayers, so please join us. Pleasant Hill UMC is off of I-459 at exit 1.
November 21, 2005 Day +964 Day #662 off treatment
Pictures from Taylor's Pilot for a Day trip at the Columbus Air force base have been posted. Click here to view them.
I must start today's update with bad news. You all know I hate to do that. I know you all have been checking in on our new friend, Madison, as she struggles with ALL and all the set backs she has had as she endures treatment. Yesterday her family got a horrible phone call while as the hospital. There house burnt down. I can not even begin to understand why this poor family is having to endure so much tragedy and right here at the holiday season. Please remember Madison as she continues to fight the cancer and the family as they deal with the loss of their house. www.caringbridge.org/visit/madisonbeck Also, We have yet another ALL friend that has had some major set backs this weekend. Please stop by and leave them some encouraging words. www.caringbridge.org/visit/godsjourneywithbailey Also, stop by and visit Amber. She was just accepted the Southeastern Bible College. Congrats Amber!!! www.caringbridge.org/al/amber
We had a great day at school. I got a new teacher and she is great. She really got those kids under control. Taylor did much better. I hope this sticks!! We got home and saw that Jim was home a day early. He said the cold rain was too miserable and he came on home. Taylor was so thrilled. Jim hid from the kids like they do from him when he gets home from work. Naturally, Taylor goes to the bathroom to look first:) He was in the floor by the couch and when they walked around he growled. They both jumped about 3 feet then just cackled. Logan was not happy to go to bed, but he is sleeping. Taylor is gluing craft sticks to make houses. He has glued his finger to his face. Thankfully, with a glue stick it doesn't much matter, but lets keep the super glue away from him!
We have not plans for this wet and dreary Monday. We are all already in our PJ's and we plan to just hang out in the house and do nothing. I got everything cleaned this weekend, so even I get to sit and do nothing. Yahoo!! The boys and I have school tomorrow and we are out the rest of the week. Tomorrow Jim is going with us to play therapy and speech. I will try to update before the week is out, but we will be busy, so I may not. If not please have a safe and happy Thanksgiving.
Please pray for Taylor and his continued success against the cancer that once ravaged his body. Pray for the Beck family. Pray for Bailey and Amber. Pray for all those who continue to fight their battles.
November 20, 2005 Day +963 Day #661 off treatment
I think my kids are trying to kill me. I got up and got my shower then got Logan up. I fed them breakfast then put them in the tub. I got them both dressed for church then I went to finish getting myself ready. I came back to the living room to find them sitting in the floor watching cartoons and eating cheese puffs of all things. As I clean that up and luckily they just had cheesy hands and faces not clothes, I see that Taylor has a lovely circle of pen ink all the way around his face. He claims it was an accident, but I don't think so, not a complete circle. Needless to say, he is in trouble and in his room until we leave for church. He is supposed to be cleaning up the mess he made yesterday. I confiscated the pen and he is really upset seeing as it was some sort of key chain pen that he really liked. I tell ya, boys just don't think sometimes. What am I going to do?? By the time I finished typing this and got up Logan had managed to droll orange all over his shirt. You see Logan is a "saver". He holds food and drink for long periods of time. He managed to drool that cheeses puff he was holding. Guess what, he is going to church with an orange shirt! Well, gotta go. Logan has now found Taylor's cup and has tipped it over and has added tea to the mix on the front of his shirt.
Taylor's wish list is getting very long. He watches TV and every commercial I hear, "I want that" or "I want one of those", "can you put that on my list". Well, as it usually goes, Logan is catching on and yesterday he was watching TV and a commercial for an aquadoodle came on and he said, "I ont dat".
We found out today at church that several wagons have been bought and will be given to Children's Hospital in honor of Taylor. How cool is that? We know first hand just how important those wagons are. It is often times a place for a little one to sleep on a long visit. It is helpful in getting all your bags, toys, food, etc to your room for an inpatient stay. They are fun for the kids rather they are riding or pulling it. We also always enjoyed reading the messages on the wagons and seeing who they were donated by and whom they honored. We are honored to have the wonderful people of Pleasant Hill UMC to donate in Taylor's honor. Thank you!!!
We went to Guh's house for a while and went to eat at KFC. We took a trip to Big Lots where Logan and Taylor got a little prize for eating so good. We went back to Guh's and the kids played and I cleaned her house. I am her new maid. I don't think a maid it supposed to use the employer as a babysitter while she works, but I couldn't have done it otherwise.
November 19, 2005 Day +962 Day #660 off treatment
Let me start with a big ole War Eagle!!! What a game, huh! We had a good day. It started too early if you ask me. I gave Logan some milk and toys and went back to bed, but by then he had woke up Taylor and he wanted cheese toast, so we were up at 7:30. We just hung out around the house until Jim got home around 11:30 or so. I went to Wal-mart and got the stuff to make cheese dip. Everyone in town had the chili idea, so they were out of all the fixins. Anyway, once I got back and cooked it was game time. Chris, Temp and Christian came over to watch. They are Alabama fans, but we had a peaceful night:) The kids on the other hand didn't keep the peace. They, well, let me say "our" not Christian, gave us a hard time all night. It was good birth control for Temp of she ever thought of having another kid!!!
They all fought over who got to ride the fire truck even though there were 3 riding toys. They ate lots of cookies and were plenty loud, but Logan (as usual) made the night interesting. We had sent them to Logan's room since we couldn't even hear the game over them. Taylor kept telling us Lo was taking diapers out which he does all the time. Taylor hit Christian with a ball and then Logan (Taylor blames it on Logan) threw a ball and broke the light bulb in the cieling fan. Luckily, it just knocked the bulb loose from the base and there was no glass in the floor. Christian kept telling us Taylor did it which is probably true seeing I don't think Lo could have thrown it that high and hard, but then again Logan is a different breed. I also tend to believe the only child who doesn't know to blame anyone else! Anyway, we got all the handled and thought we had things under control. Wrong, Christian came to tell us something and we couldn't understand. I heard "oh my gosh" from Taylor and Logan comes running in. He has gotten in the tub of Aquaphor and has himself covered in it. He was all in his hair (he looked like the scene in " There's Something About Mary"). He had his face covered, I guess that is why he came to show us, his little eye lashes were coated. He was a mess. I had to put him in the tub there was no better way to get it off. Temp cleaned him best she could while I wiped down the bed room. Everything we touched was covered in it and I found a bunch of wet wipes covered it where Taylor was trying to clean it up (before they got caught). I scrubbed his head until he said "ouch", but he still has a greasy head. We got a picture of Logan all covered in the gooey mess. We might as well have made the best of it. At least someone else finally got to see him in action!
After the game we went to the mall. I had wanted to get Santa photos, but opted not to with the Cameron Diaz hair thing going on. We just let the kids look around and tried to see what got them excited to help us with our shopping for the holidays. Logan brushed his hair before we left and he had it sticking straight up with all his "gel".
It is now 9:45PM and I am alone. Well, not really alone. The boys are in bed. Taylor fell asleep at 8:00 in the car and never budged when we brought him in. Logan went to bed at about 8:30 when we got home. Jim left to go back to the hunting club and I am sure that will be a big disappointment for Taylor in the morning. He wanted to go so badly, but it is just too cold for him to be outside for no good reason. I am sure there are a bunch of hunters reading this and disagreeing with the "no good reason" statement, but for a 4 year old who will sleep all curled up in a ball on the floor of the shooting house, it is no good reason.
I guess that is about it for the "Wild Watts" news today. We hope you all enjoyed your Saturday as much as we did. Please continue to pray for Taylor and his success against cancer. Pray he has won his battle for good. Pray for Amber has she is very blue right now. Pray for Madison who is still inpatient and hoping to come home for Thanksgiving. Pray for those who are missing a loved one today.
Oh, and one more thing....War Eagle!!!
November 18, 2005 Day +961 Day #659 off treatment
Yahoo, it is Friday. It was a good day. I had to get mean at school, but they did good with it. They are going to learn to behave if it kills me. We did some great art that they loved, but took to long and we missed show and tell. OOPS! They were a little upset, but they handled it well.
I spray painted both boys hair orange and blue this morning. They were cute in their jerseys with orange and blue hair. There are very few Auburn fans at PDO, so not many people appreciated it, but that's okay, we still had fun. Logan thought he was big stuff getting to paint his hair like Bubba.
Just as last night, I have worked at keeping Logan out of the tree. He looks so cute, but he wants to put his toys under it and put his blanket right by it and lay. He is going to have it knocked over before Christmas day.
Please remember Taylor's continued success against the beast in your prayers. Remember all the others who are still fighting this disease and others.
November 17, 2005 Day +960 Day #658 off treatment
Hi all. We had a good day today. School was fine, the kids were good for the most part. We still have some potty talk going around, but otherwise everyone was good. Jim has started a weeks vacation today and is planning on taking advantage of the cold and going to the hunting club. However, Taylor was not pleased about this since he didn't get to go. The only way we could convince him it was okay was for Jim to get out all the Christmas stuff before he left. When we got home from school today we had a living room and hall full of rubber maid containers and a tree.
I look like I have been in a fight with a cat. I have cuts all over my arms from wresting with that darn tree. It is a prelit tree and the middle pieces are stuck together with a wire and they had to be put together to get it in the bottom part. I liked to have killed myself, but I got it up only find out that the lights didn't work. I got that figured out too! So, after about an hour of trying it was all working properly. Guh had come over to help put it together though I beat her too it. She helped decorate some before she headed out. Luckily, we were almost done when Logan woke up. He wasn't in here 5 minutes until I was ready to put him back in bed. He is all over the tree. There are a few trains and Elmo's that he loves and he just plucks them off. I can see now it is going to be a long month of keeping him out of the tree.
We ended up meeting Gam maw and Paw paw at Ruby Tuesday's for dinner. When we got home I bathed the boys and put Logan to bed. Taylor helped me put up a few more things and clean up the boxes and move them to the hall for Jim to put in the attic. He thought he was so big helping with the big boxes.
Taylor sat in the tree box and played air plane. He was wearing his nebulizer mask and had a joy stick to a video game to drive with. He learned so much at the base a few weeks ago. He was also using the button on the joy stick to shoot. Logan found a fun thing too. He loves the motion activated bow on the door. It sings Christmas songs and he will just dance when it goes off.
Taylor was begging to go to bed at 9:00. He has been a busy guy today. Logan played for a while in his bed and then went to sleep. I curled up in bed and watched TV for a while before falling asleep slap dab in the middle of the bed.
November 16, 2005 Day +959 Day #657 off treatment
Happy Hump day! The week is finally more than half way over. Yahoo! I am so ready for Thanksgiving break. I know we just had an off day, but my goodness I want another. I think caring for kids at work then doing it at home is starting to ware on me. Anyway, we had a good day today. We didn't hit anything on the way out or anything. The kids were pretty good today, Taylor had no time out today. He had trouble sitting still and he has the need to take his chair with him when he gets up from his seat, but he didn't have any kicking or ugly talk today. However, that doesn't mean that tomorrow will be another story. That is what makes it so frustrating. He has a few great days and you think you are getting somewhere then boom, he is back to his old ways.
He was not allowed to play until his room was clean today and he did it with no fuss. He is down stairs playing now. I went to check on him thinking I would find a total disaster, but I was pleasantly surprised to see only a few things out. I praised and praised and he was beaming, so maybe we will at least get somewhere on that front. Logan is still napping. He went to bed very angry with me. He got some candy from the church office and he didn't want to eat it just hold it. I took it from him to put him in the car since the last thing I needed was for him to open chocolate in the car. He was so mad at me. He cried the entire way home, he had real tears and everything. He went down easy considering he was so mad at me.
I have been up in the attic today. I have never ventured up there, but there were some things missing that I had to find. This probably sounds odd, but you all know how I remember things based on clothes. I knew that there were clothes missing that should be in Logan's size now. I was right. I found a huge box full of stuff. All kinds of outfits, coats and shoes. I found everything that I knew was missing and stuff I had forgotten about. I saw all the Christmas stuff and now I am ready to put it all up. I told Taylor if we get everything cleaned up this week then we will put the tree up this weekend. He is already asking "how many sleeps until we do the tree"? I am sure it will be fun with Logan. I may need a fence to go around it!
Logan sat on the potty today. They get gummies when they sit on the potty. She said he sits there with his feet swinging just a eating that gummie. He has no idea what potty means, but he knows what he has to do to get the goods! Hey, if it gets him out of diapers anytime soon they can feed him anything they want to get him on the potty:)
Well, that is about it for today. Just normal stuff. Guh is coming over and we have to go buy diapers and get Taylor's meds refilled. Please keep Taylor in your prayers. Keep Sean, Amber and Madison in your prayers as well as all the kids who are still fighting. Pray for those who are missing a loved one today.
November 15, 2005 Day +958 Day #656 off treatment
Today was busy that's for sure and it started with a bang, literally! The garage door didn't go all the way up and I didn't realize it in all my worries over getting out before the alarm goes off and getting the movie going and blah, blah, blah. I just ran right into it when I went out. It scratched the top of my car pretty bad and was dangerously close to my back window. Wouldn't that have been fun! The garage door is off it's track, I don't know if I did that or if that is why it didn't go up, but either way it ain't workin' right now.
We had a pretty good day at school which was good since I came scootin' in at 9:00 and in a bad mood. The kids were good and all left early which helped getting all the way to Birmingham much easier. I dropped Logan off at Nana's and headed to Children's Harbor for play therapy. Today I did the role of the therapist and she watched to see how I did. I did good according to her. I guess I should have since my degree is in that field. It is hard to stay that focused on his play without joining. The idea is to make him feel like I am playing, he has 100% of my attention without me ever leaving my chair. I can not direct the play, I can join if he invites me too, but can not direct it. That is hard too! Anyway, I passed so to speak, but we still starting at home. We will continue to work with her with it for a while longer to be sure we all understand the "rules" to make it effective.
After speech we headed to Children's South to do speech therapy. We changed his appointment time to 4:00 and that helpd a lot with getting there on time, so we actually had time to have a snack and practice his words. He did okay today. He is just not getting the "T" sound. He can end a word with T and he can say his name, but anything else sounds like a "C". He played an Old McDonald game today and he really liked it and it kind of kept him off track. He always has a "good idea" for her by moving the toys around so they are closer to him. He is so goofy!
We stopped to get Logan and headed for home. I don't like this time change, but I really don't like it on Tuesday when it is dark by the time we finish speech. Anyway, we didn't get home much sooner than daddy did. Logan fell asleep in the car about the time I was turning into the driveway. I thought he would wake up, but he didn't. I put him in the living room floor thinking he wouldn't sleep long with all the noise around him, but I was wrong again. He slept almost an hour, but it didn't stop him from going to be on time.
I found a new friend tonight. Unfortunately, she has NB as well. She had a long 9 month road to diagnosis, how agonizing that must have been. Please stop by and visit her page and keep her in your prayers. www.caringbridge.org/visit/lenziebutland Pray for Amber who finally got to come home, but is still in severe pain. She is having an MRI to check things out. www.caringbridge.org/al/amber Pray for little Sean. He was dx with ALL way back in '03 and his family was great to us during transplant. His mom and dad used to leave me breakfast outside the door of our stem cell room. Sean has recently relapsed in his CNS and will start another grueling 2 year treatment. You can visit him at www.caringbridge.org/al/sean
November 14, 2005 Day +957 Day #655 off treatment
Pictures from Taylor's Pilot for a Day trip at the Columbus Air force base have been posted. Click here to view them.
Happy Monday to you all. Don't you just love a rainy Monday (hear sarcasm). It was an early start as I had to be at work early today. Logan didn't even eat breakfast. He didn't have long and didn't like what he had, so he did without. I am sure he ate enough snack to tie him over. Taylor woke up complaining of tummy and back pains, but ate all his cheese toast. HMMM.... Guh has the tummy bug again, so I hope that he didn't get it. We went to school where Taylor played just fine. I saw no sign of a aching tummy nor back. He did pretty good today with no time outs. He had a few spells of not sitting still and wanting to talk potty talk, literally. Why do little boys think the words poo poo, butt, booty etc. are so funny?
We did a ton of art today. I get crazy at holidays and want to make all sorts of stuff and so we did. They had fun cutting and gluing. Taylor and the rest of the class were disappointed that it was raining and we didn't go to the playground. Maybe tomorrow. After school Taylor rode his bike in the garage for a while, but I guess he got tired of going in circles and he came upstairs. He is now playing his game again. He has been playing it on and off for about an hour. He will leave it for a while and do something and come back to it. He is the king of the pause button. He does it with his movies too. He will ask us to turn them on then pause it to play. He is silly!
We painted shirts tonight as we do every year for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Last year Logan did them with his feet, but this year he let me paint his hands and he did real good with it. In fact, he was mad when his turn was over and I had to put him to bed to do Taylor. Each boy made a turkey and a Christmas tree. They are so cute minus my writing on them, but it is hard to write on a shirt with a paint pen. Well, that is my excuse for my lack of artistic ability. Anyway, we have them and after they wear them 2 or 3 times they will go in the back of the closet with the others from years past. I know I will be glad I have them in the future. It is already easy to see how few hand prints it takes to make a tree for Taylor now versus the first years we did it. They are growing up, fast! That is good and bad for Taylor. On one hand I want to put a brick on his head and slow him down, but on the other I want him to hurry up and be about 50, so I know he is happy and healthy. I guess that is human nature taking over and wanting to know the future, but we can't. Blah, Blah, Blah......
Tomorrow is a busy day. We go to play therapy and speech. In play therapy I will do all the talking and Miss Terry will watch me to see how I do at it. I think I can handle it. Speech he will work on G's and with getting all his words right when he uses them in a sentence and not just when he says the word only. I don't know that that made much sense. I will update again as soon as I can. Just know that no news is good news. We are busy being normal.
Please pray that we can continue to be "normal". No more cancer!! Pray for all the kids and adults still fighting this and other diseases.
November 13, 2005 Day +956 Day #654 off treatment
Today we went to church with my Nana. My cousin was given an honorary license of ministry and we all went to see him get that and hear him speak. It was held at the church that Jim and I were married in. I never imagined that it could be hard to go in there. I don't mean it was hard, but it did spur memories and questions. I'll start with the funny first. Well, it is only funny to those of us who did it. There is no way to get to the sanctuary from the room that I dressed in other than to go outside or through the front door like the groom comes in. We had to go outside, but I was sure that everyone would see me through the windows and so we got a huge sheet and the bridesmaids walked beside me holding this sheet up so that I was hidden. As I sat in that church today and looked out those long, narrow windows I realized that they couldn't have seen enough to matter. How silly we were! I also couldn't help but think of the fact that I had no clue what my future would hold at that point. We stood there exchanging vows that spoke of sickness and health. I know that it is geared towards the couple, but we sure got our share of sickness. Do you think we would have done it had we known what was to come? I don't know. Do we regret it now? NO! I wish my child had never dealt with cancer, but I would not trade my child for the world nor the people that we have met due to his illness. We are better people due to the hand we were dealt. Anyway, that was my little pitty party for the day. After church we went to Nana's to eat. Taylor and the other boys went to play in Nana's playroom. He was not ready to go, but we had to get home. He went willingly after some nudges!
The boys played outside for a while. Jim had raked up some leaves and they had a ball playing in them and spreading them back out:) Logan had so much dirt on him it was unreal. They got put in the tub as soon as we came in. He was so dirty he had dirty snot! I think he has been blessed by the allergies as well. He sneezed and snotted all night after playing on the leaves. Taylor has not seemed any worse, so I guess that is good.
Ghen Ghen got Taylor a plug for his Vtech game and now he can play it without worrying about batteries. He got it for Christmas last year and we didn't get the plug and had to put 4 c batteries in it every time he played and they would only last about 30 minutes. Needless to say he didn't play it much. He also got so very frustrated with it when he couldn't figure it out. Well, he has played it almost no stop this weekend. We can't watch TV for the game going. That's okay though, he is having a ball. He is so much better at than he was. He is actually understanding how to move the characters and catch the prizes. He gets upset if he has to repeat the same screen to many times, but boy when he figures it out he is so happy. The game also gives him encouraging words as he goes and he will say, "did you hear that, he said I was doing good".
Please continue to pray for Taylor's health. Pray that he never again faces treatments. Pray for Amber who is home now, but still in pain. She will go back this week for more chemo. Pray it doesn't bother her like the last round did. www.caringbridge.org/al/amber Pray for Madison who is still inpatient fighting tummy troubles. Her chemo has been put on hold until they can figure out what is wrong. Pray that the Dr.'s figure it out soon and she can get on with her treatments. www.caringbridge.org/visit/madisonbeck
November 12, 2005 Day +955 Day #653 off treatment
Another early rise day. I tell ya, that Logan is not going to sleep late no matter what. We hung out until nap time and I put him to bed and hopped in the shower. Taylor and Jim got home soon after that. We just hung out at home for most of the afternoon and then we went to Gam maw's house for some football. I tell ya, it was a stressful football day for the SEC. You can imagine that the end of that Auburn game had us all going and pretty loud. It was tense for a bit, but we pulled it out. It was well after 10:00 and we were still there. Poor Logan could hardly keep his head up and he was getting very grumpy. Taylor was starting to get sleepy and was winding down. However, he had had a busy night of flirting. Uncle Dugan and his fiancé brought some friends over and Taylor took to one of them. Poor girl didn't get a moments peace all night. Taylor fell asleep on the way home and never knew we took his shoes and coat off and put him in his bed. Logan did not fall asleep. He never does no matter how tired he is. Oh well! He went right to bed when we got in and didn't give any fuss over it. He never does that either at home anyway.
Please pray for Taylor's continued success against the beast that once ravaged his little body. Pray for those who are still fighting. Pray for DJ's parent's as they learn to live without him here physically. Pray for those who are new to the journey.
November 11, 2005 Day +954 Day #652 off treatment
I hate to start an update with bad news, but today I must. Sweet DJ earned his angel wings last night. Please stop by and offer his family some kind words. www.caringbridge.org/visit/dj
Today Logan and I were out and about. We had lunch with Guh then came home and he took a great nap. I took advantage of that and got some laundry and dishes done. When he got up we went to Watermark and dinner with Gam maw. When we got home Logan went to bed, he was very tired even though he had taken a great nap. Oh well, it allowed me to just do nothing. I climbed in the bed and read a book and watched TV until I fell asleep. I love nights like that where there are no interruptions, just quiet time.
It was a low key day, but we got a lot done. Taylor called from the hunting club and he is having fun. He slept all through the actual hunting, but he had fun showing out for the other guys and playing. He is already snotty and I assume that a lot more is too come after several days in the woods, but I guess that is life.
Please continue to pray for Taylor's complete healing. Pray for Amber as she struggles with pain. Pray for Madison as she struggles with tummy troubles. Pray for DJ's family as the start this next step in the journey.
November 10, 2005 Day +953 Day #651 off treatment
Thank goodness it is Thursday which is Friday for me. It has been a long week and I am glad to be off tomorrow. Taylor and Jim are going to the hunting club tonight. They are staying through the weekend. Logan and I are going to stay here and do nothing. I have some errands to run tomorrow, but that will be short and sweet. I have done most of the cleaning, so I hope to sit and do nothing tonight.
Taylor and Logan went to a petting zoo with Pippy and Pop today. They had a blast. I went to pick them up after I got off work and they were still having a ball running all over Pop's house. I must say I had a peaceful day at school without Taylor there although his counterpart was out too:) They are so silly, I guess boys will be boys. We are currently sitting at home. Taylor is watching cartoons and telling me that he wants everything he sees on TV. Logan is still napping. He didn't go to bed until 2:30 today, so he will sleep late and that is fine by me. I hope to keep him up tonight and sleep late tomorrow. I don't think it will work, but we will try.
We went to dinner with Gam maw and Paw Paw before the guys headed for the hunting club. Taylor has been about to bust all day to get there. He is so congested I hated to send him out in the cold, but he would have been unbearable to live with if I had made him stay home. We ran into Ghen Ghen, Bob, Roberta and Jerry and Logan was passing out kisses. He got a little carried away and started towards the next table. He is very free with those kisses.
Keep praying for all our friends. Amber is having a lot of pain. www.caringbridge.org/al/amber DJ is inpatient again and the Dr. does not think he has much longer. His lungs are full of tumors. www.caringbridge.org/visit/dj Madison is still inpatient and having pain. www.caringbridge.org/visit/madsionbeck Please continue to thank the Lord for Taylor's healing and ask that he be cured forever. Pray that those that are in remission can remain that way. Pray for those who are missing a loved one.
November 9, 2005 Day +952 Day #650 off treatment
Pictures from Taylor's Pilot for a Day trip at the Columbus Air force base have been posted. Click here to view them.
Today has been interesting. We went to school, but by 9:00 it was obvious that Logan needed to go. He has that bug that is going around and he has been pooping all day. I left Taylor at school since he likes it and it was computer day and he didn't want to miss that. HE was furious with me because I made him take his air force suite and jacket off. It is 80 degrees and he was in 3 layers of clothes plus it was cup cake day and I didn't want icing all over that suite. Anyway, after a fit and an "I hate you". I left my darling son at school. I am interested to see how he behaves for another teacher.
Logan and I came home to hang out. He ate some yogurt and played in his room. He laid in his floor for a long time. He then moved his stuff to the kitchen floor. I am not sure why he does this, but he loves to lay in the kitchen. Anyway, he was rather mopey. He had several more poops and his little bottom is getting all red. I must say I don't like these little illnesses as they are far to close to Taylor's first symptoms. Now, I know that Logan is fine, but it is still a little sad to watch.
We went to get Taylor at 1:00. He had been pretty good, but did scratch a friends arm. I guess he is just going to be mean no matter what. HMMM.... I did hear when I got there that a teacher went home and 2 kids went home with this bug, so it is going around. I pray Taylor doesn't get it, that will really freak me out. Logan is now napping and I hope he wakes up feeling better.
As usual, I am doing my online time while Logan is asleep. I update and check on friends. Please stop by and visit Amber, she is in the hospital and not doing well. www.caringbridge.org/al/amber I also checked on another NB family that lost their precious little one. Anyway, it was a true wake up call to cherish every minute. Not that I didn't know that anyway from all we have been through, but this drove it home. They had added photos of her newly placed headstones. I was looking at the computer screen of photos of this gorgeous stone and beautiflu words on it as well and the fresh dirt around it. I look the other way and I see Taylor outside. He is the picture of health other than snot. A stranger in passing would never know what he had been through. He is covered in dirt as he runs and plays. He is covered in cuts and bruises, but that's okay because he has perfect counts. He is dressed like an orphan since he changed clothes. However, in all his changing his left his "Property of Jesus" shirt on. That he is, he is property of Jesus and He lets us borrow Taylor for a while. I am so grateful that he feel it necessary for us to keep him longer. We have been so blessed at how quickly and easily Taylor went through treatment. I know, it seemed awful, but really if you compare other journeys, his was an easy one. Anyway, I guess I am just saying, cherish every minute!!!! Also, pray for Madison who is back in the hospital with tummy troubles. www.caringbridge.org/visit/madisonbeck
November 8, 2005 Day +951 Day #649 off treatment
Today was another busy day. We went to school where Taylor was BAD. He had to sit in the kitchen with Joy while the rest of the class went to the playground. I hope that that will show him that he must behave at school. I am really getting beyond frustrated with him. I feel like I have no control over him and I don't know how to get control. That in turn makes me feel like I wasted 4 years of my life and a lot of money on the Human Development degree!
After school we raced to Nana's to drop of Logan. He was thrilled to be there and told me Bye in a hurry. Today we skipped play therapy so that I could give blood. I hated to do that, but I have no other option of getting things done without Logan. Taylor had to sit in the canteen area and color and eat snacks while I gave blood. We were out of there in an hour, so it wasn't a big deal. After that we headed over to speech. He did really good today. He can say his words very well just by themselves, but when he uses it in a sentence he is still doing it wrong, so we are working on that. I had a lot of stuff to cut out for school, so I was cutting while I listened to the session. They were playing a game and he had to flip over a card and say, "I found a ....." and put it in a category. He had turned over a few cards when I heard, "I found an airplane". I knew she had lost him then. He got off on the F-16 and all he had done Friday, but she had no idea he had done it and had no idea what he was talking about. It was so funny. He always gets off track if he has to say a word that triggers something. He is so silly.
We went to get Logan and then went to meet Guh for dinner. She took us all to the Olive Garden. We haven't been in ages and Taylor was so excited. He didn't eat worth a crap though. He is all snotty again. Hey, we got a few weeks free from it though. Anyway, I hope that is all it is. We came home and hung out and did a lot of nothing. The boys "camped" in Logan's room and made a huge mess.
November 7, 2005 Day +950 Day #648 off treatment
Back to school. It was hard to get up after such a fun weekend. At least it is pretty outside. We had a good day at school and we went out to the playground. The kids loved it. It is great to be in the south. It was 82 degrees today and we were talking about Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas trees. Crazy huh? Anyway, after school we came home and did a lot of nothing. Taylor played outside and Logan took a very long nap. He didn't get up until 4:45. I hope he is feeling okay. He isn't acting like he feels bad.
Gam maw came over and kept the boys and Jim and I went out for a while. We went to see the movie Prime. It was kind of stupid. It had some funny parts, but was otherwise kind of pointless. Anyway, it was nice to get out for a while with no kids.
November 6, 2005 Day +949 Day #647 off treatment
Today we went to Homestead Hollow. It was fun to walk around and see the crafts. The kids, Taylor, Logan, Christian, and Brianna, were all good and we made it out with only a few snacks and 4 blow up toys. Not too bad huh? We ate at McDonald's where the kids had a great time playing on the playground. We had to make a stop at Target to get Taylor new pants if you get my drift. I honestly do not know what to make of this. He was on a playground both days that he did this in his pants and I really want to believe it is just getting too busy, but I am beginning to wonder. I hope that is all it is and if so how to fix it? Anyway, we had a ball in Target, what bunch of women wouldn't? We all headed on home then. I had a party to go to, but the stomach bug has hit Guh too and we didn't make it. Maybe next time.
I went to the grocery store and Taylor stayed home to watch Top Gun, he is all into planes and jets now:) Anyway, I was back in no time and Taylor said "that was so quick". I thought, yeah, it doesn't take 2 hours when you aren't there begging and getting in and out of the cart. I cooked dinner again. Wow, 2 times in a week. We are on a roll! Good thing it was bath night since Logan was covered in spaghetti. He loves it, but he is not neat.
That was about it for today. We had a good time getting all the kids together. All the adults are exhausted! Please pray that we continue to win our battle against cancer. Pray for our cancer friends that are still fighting.
November 5, 2005 Day +948 Day #646 off treatment
Princess' on Ice was a great show. I didn't think it was going to hold his attention after seeing Buzz and Peter Pan, but it did. In fact he was more into this one than the others. I guess he is getting older and pays more attention. Logan was scared to death in the beginning, but he got over it as it went on. He soon was wanting to sit in the aisle on the steps and got real mad when I didn't let him. He sat in the floor at my feet and ate candy corn for a while. He didn't get too out of control. He got mad one time, but it was towards the end and it didn't last long. Luckily, we were with all Camp SAM friends who know Logan and just ignored it.
After the show Taylor went to see Chicken Little with Jeanna and Bob. He had been saying all day he wasn't going and I was ready for a fight, but when they got there to pick him up he just walked out the door and nothing was ever said about him not wanting to go. Who knows what was in his little mind. Did you all know that on November 5, 2004 he went to the movies with Jeanna and Bob too. I believe it was The Incredibles.
While he was gone Logan and Jim played upstairs while I cleaned the playroom. Yes, I finally did it! It was not a fun job, but I did it. We now have several empty spots on the shelves and empty baskets that were once full of junk. They still have plenty to play with believe me.
It was a very fun day. Taylor has had on his Air force suite all day. He loves it! Please pray that we continue to have these wonderful days full of normal life. Pray for all our little friends that are part of the cancer world.
November 4, 2005 Day +947 Day #645 off treatment
Pictures from Taylor's Pilot for a Day trip at the Columbus Air force base have been posted. Click here to view them.
I can not even begin to describe what a wonderful day we had at the Columbus Air force Base. Thank you so much to Lt. Putman, Ross and all the other behind the scenes folks that made this day absolutely wonderful for all of us. We started the day with a little excitement. Taylor woke up at 1:30 this morning with a pants full of poop. I am not sure why. He said he felt fine and once we cleaned up he was back in bed and sound asleep. I of course, was a nervous wreck. Anyway, he woke up feeling fine and ready to go. We left home around 7:30. We stopped for breakfast in which he ate fair, but he seemed fine otherwise, so I felt better. I got the giggles as I always do on road trips. We passed a place called "Kim's Gym" get it Kim's Jim, Ha!! I laughed so hard. I can't help but get silly on the road. We got stuck in some awful traffic due to road work and sat still about 20 minutes. I just knew we were going to be late, but once we got moving it was fine and we got there early. We parked at the visitor center where we were met by a limo to carry us around all day.
We started the day by going to one of their buildings, sorry I do not remember the name of it. We went into a conference room where we watched a video all about what they do and what we would do today. At the end it had Taylor's name on it and he was pretty impressed with that. Our next stop was over to the hanger where we looked at some planes. Since it was career day there were lots of visiting planes. This is the weekend to help the students choose which plane they want to specialize in. This is a teaching base. Anyway, there were a lot of planes big and small and it was pretty cool. Taylor got in several planes and looked around. There was a problem with the plane that he was supposed to be looking at and they had to tow it off to look at it, so we headed on to the next stop. The next stop was the fire dept. Sparky the fire dog was there (man dressed up). He showed us around the 911 operation center and we got to hear some of the alerts they signal out when calls come in. Taylor got to get in the truck and look around. That was cool, but he liked the next part best. He got in a big tank looking fire truck and got to shoot water. He got Sparky all wet. He then got to hold the fire hose and shoot it. It was so powerful it about knocked him down. They knew that was going to happen and they were holding him. It kind of scared him, but he enjoyed it. We hopped back in the limo and went back to the hanger. It is very loud there. The "Tweeter" planes make this really obnoxious whistling sound, but you get used to it. They towed his tweeter plane back in and it had his name on it. He got some pics made in front of it. He then got in it and got to play with the controls and make the wings and flaps move. He loved that and wasn't really ready to get out, but he did. He had seen a playground while we were driving around and was determined to get on it. That was not in the original plans, but Jeremy was determined to make it happen. However, we had some other things to do first and it didn't go over to well with Taylor. He got over it when we got to the "snack room" where they had a air hockey table that occupied him very well. This is where they fed us pizza and we talked and got to know each other. They were all so nice and easy to talk to. We felt right at home all day. Taylor let out this loud burp and that made it official, he was a member of the squadron. They say he fits right in. By the way he is a member of the Tiger Squadron, there are 4 different ones on base. Anyway, after lunch we went over to the "Sim" building where Taylor got to drive the simulator. This is where they learn basics and how to fly with instruments only. It was like a gigantic video game that moved. Taylor didn't use the motion only because he didn't want daddy to leave and let the guy shut the door and the motion wont work with it open. He still got to feel like he was flying. After he had his turn I got a turn. We had taken out the parachutes and that had the seat belts on it, so I didn't get to close the door either. That is for the better seeing as I was not any good at the game and if the door had been closed my motions would have proved that! It is hard, you barely touch the stick and you are rolling around the sky. I flew threw the hanger, did some rolls and then flew to Vegas to go through some buildings. I didn't ever crash, but I rolled all around and just could not keep it straight. I had a very hard time landing the darn thing, but I got her down. Jim took his turn next. Taylor was fit to be tied seeing as he had to just sit and wait on us and he was ready to get to the play ground. Jim did get to close the doors and use all the motions. He enjoyed that and did a very good job. Well, that is until he crashed into a casino in Vegas! We all got a chuckle when the simulator slung to the right.
After all that excitement we went out and met with the head man and he gave us some great stuff. Taylor got to hang his picture on the wall. There is only one photo between him and his buddy Calvin from Camp SAM. Taylor is on the end too, so he will always be seen. They then gave him a huge framed piece. It has his picture by "his" plane, a date plaque, squadron button and patch. It is so nice. He has already picked a spot to hang it. His room is getting full of some really cool things. He has done so many exciting things in his little life. Anyway, as much fun and as special as the above was, the important thing was that it was time to go to the play ground. He had a great time, but it was cut short when he pooped in his pants, twice! I think he may have a bit of a bug, but he just got busy. He had very little and I ran him to the potty and changed him and then he finished the job when he got back to the playground. He had to throw his undies away that time and he wanted to play some more and didn't want to wait for us to go to the car for clothes, so he went commando the rest of the day. Good info huh! He still didn't get to play more as it was time for the air show. He was a little upset, but when he got to the hanger he was thrilled. It was so cool. I was amazed. We watched an F-16 and it was amazing. It goes so fast, just under the speed of sound, so the plane is long gone before the sound comes by you. It was cool! They had a gear malfunction and had to land. We hated we didn't get to see the whole show, but seeing as those things cost 30 million I think it best they land it and check it out, don't you! We did get to go over and meet the team that flies and cares for it. They were very nice. They gave Taylor some patches, tattoos, a t-shirt and an autographed picture. He got to get in the F-16 fighter jet. Not many people can say they have done that. You have to go up this strange little ladder that hangs over the edge to get in it. He told Lt. Dax, who carried him up, that it was like a tree stand. Classic! Daddy got to go up and look, but he didn't get in. I opted out on the little ladder, so I didn't look in that one. Taylor wanted to get back in "his" plane, so we walked back over there for a while. While he played we watched a little plane do some acrobatics. I would be drunker than Kooter brown after all that. He was doing loopdy loops and going straight up and stalling then diving straight down. He flew upside down and all sorts of tricks. It was crazy!
It was time to go. I don't think any of us were ready for the fun to end, but it had to. The limo brought us back to our car and we said our good byes to our wonderful new friends. We got addresses for many well deserved thank yous. It didn't take long at all to get home. Taylor slept all most the whole way. Logan was so happy to see us. He was standing outside the playroom door waiting to say boo, but we took too long and he couldn't wait and came on out to greet us. He went to bed at 7:45 as he was real grumpy. He was playing still at about 8:30, but not crying, so I let him be. Taylor is still wearing his suite. He has changed to boots and tucked his pants legs in like some of the guys did today. He is going to wear it next Halloween:)
Now, for last night. We went to Cracker Barrel for dinner. Logan was shooting shots of chocolate milk out of creamer cups. It was so funny. In 20 years when he is on some college campus shooting real shots we will all think back to this night where he learned the art of shots. He is so silly!
Thanks again to the Columbus Air force base for a wonderful day. Please remember Taylor in your prayers and that he continues to beat his cancer. Pray for those who are still fighting and for those who are missing a loved one.
November 3, 2005 Day +946 Day #644 off treatment
I know I am so behind. We have been so busy being normal that there isn't much time or stuff to talk about. Today was better at school, but Taylor still got in trouble. He deiced he would take his shirt off in class. Why?? I have no idea what goes through his mind at times. He got in big trouble, but it didn't phase him. We planned on throwing all work out the window and going to the playground, but we found that the men were putting up the fence and that they couldn't go. Darn! We went to the play room instead and played and did art.
Again, not much to report. Taylor is outside playing again today. It is just to pretty out to keep him in. Logan is napping. I better go finish getting this picked up, so he can go outside when he wakes up.
Please keep Joy, my boss, and her family in your prayers. Her dad who has cancer, his not doing well right now. He has been sent home with a glimmer of hope seeing has his blood is now producing again, however, it is still a very difficult time for him and them physically and emotionally. Pray that he is able to rebound from his surgery and that things start to work right again and he is feeling better soon. Pray for Joy as she continues to care for her family and him. We love you Joy and you know you can call us anytime!!!
It will be a while before we update again with all we have going on this weekend. Jim, Taylor and I will be going to Columbus, Mississippi tomorrow for the Pilot for a Day program. That should be very exciting for all of us. Taylor says he doesn't want to go, but I know he will be in Heaven when he gets there. Saturday we are going to Disney on Ice. I don't think they will want to stay for the entire 2 1/2 hour show, but we will see. Logan is going and I am going to keep him up that day and hope he sleeps through it like he did the Wiggles. We are sitting up high this year and I bet it doesn't hold their attention well. We shall see though. Sunday we are going to go to Homestead Hollow and look around. Guh and I have a party to go to that night as well. So, as you can see we are going to be busy as ever this weekend and looks like we will have some great weather to go with all that fun. I will update as soon as I can on all that fun. I also am going to make Jim put up a bunch of new pictures. You wouldn't believe how big the kids are these days. Go look at all the old ones or some of them better yet:) as I bet he takes them off to have more room.
November 2, 2005 Day +945 Day #643 off treatment
Today was awful to say the least. Too much candy and the kids are off the wall. Taylor was in trouble all day, but he was not alone. We came home and he got in big trouble. I did house work and sent him outside. He didn't deserve to be outside, but I knew I didn't want to hear him whine anymore.
Guh came over to play for a while and he was ugly again. He didn't want Logan in his room, but he didn't want Guh to leave his room. He got mad when he was told Logan got to play with Guh too and he could let Lo in or he could come out. He sat in his room and sulked for a while then he came out.
We bathed both boys and again Taylor had blue and orange hair. He had all orange with blue dots this time. He was a bug.
Today was not very exciting other than it was beautiful weather. Please keep Morgan in your prayers this week. She is in NYC getting her quarterly scans. Pray she remains NED.
November 1, 2005 Day +944 Day #642 off treatment
Happy November!
I had to thank of some way to start this besides I can't believe it is November, but I can't. Can you believe that in a few short months Logan will be 2 and Taylor will be 5. Holy Cow!!!
We had a good day albeit a gloomy day. We left school a little late, so we were on a mad dash to get Logan dropped off and Taylor to play therapy. We made it though. Taylor had a good session today although I think all he learned was in one ear and out the other. We were not even 5 steps off the elevator from leaving her office when he got in trouble. I really am starting to get very frustrated with this. It is hard to talk to parents at school about their child's day when mine is going bonkers. We made it to speech right in the nick of time, but luckily things were a little behind and she wasn't ready for us anyway. I changed his apt. time to 4:00 and we will have a little more time to get there after his play therapy. It worked out better for all of us.
We went to get Logan from "Nanny's" as Logan calls her. All the 1,000's of kids that have circulated through her center and her own great grandson changes her name. Crazy thing! We came home after Nana's and the kids played and I got ready. I had a sorority meeting. I got home around 10:00 and both kids were in bed.
I packed lunches and went to bed myself.
We were contacted by the Red Cross to do a blood drive. They are really short on blood due to all the hurricanes and stuff, but with the holidays coming up they are looking at having no blood on the shelves. I have called around to several places, but again, with the holidays coming up people are getting booked up and I can't find a place to do it. If anyone has a place that may be interested let me know!!!
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October 31, 2005 Day +943 Day #641 off treatment
Happy Halloween!!!
What a busy day and it is not over yet!!! We went to school and had our party there. I had to take Logan and Taylor around. It was hard. Taylor wanted to do one thing and Logan another. Logan had no interest in waiting in line to play a game and then get candy, he just wanted the candy! He ain't in to that working for it business! When the party was over the kids were just too excited and busy to do anything, so we just colored and went to the new playground. They loved it! They are all filthy, but that's alright. We came home and Logan walked straight to his bed, he was so sleepy. He never once protested or asked for anything. It is 3:43 and he is still asleep. I am going to let him sleep until he wakes up since tonight will be a long one for him. He will love it though, he will be back to his kind of candy getting. Just ring the door bell and look cute. That he does in his pumpkin suite. Those fat cheeks are too cute in that little hat.
Taylor has his hair painted orange and blue. He couldn't find red to match his Power Ranger suite, so he settled for "go go" colors. He cracked up when he looked at himself in the mirror. I made sure they got a bath last night since I knew tonight would be busy, but looks like I will have to give at least Taylor one tonight. After playing on the playground and painting his hair. Boys will be boys!
I ended up having to wake Logan up anyway since I had to go to the bank before it closed and he was still sleeping at 4:15. We met at Gam maw's house and got the kids dressed. Logan was ready to go. He was holding his pumpkin and standing at the door just waiting. We finally got started around 6:00. Taylor was that annoying kid that rings the bell or knocks 10 times until you come. We kept telling him not to, but he got inpatient. Logan was having a ball. He wanted no help of any kind. He bag was so heavy that he was walking side ways and he was stumbling, but we couldn't help. He wouldn't let us hold him or the bag and we couldn't empty it. I did finally get about half of it out without getting caught. He is also a very sweet trick or treater, he got to where he would hug and kiss the people after they gave him candy. How sweet! We went to the fire station and got some candy and Logan loved the trucks. Taylor shot his SPD airplane gun and the plane landed in their spider web decorations and he thought that was so funny. After a visit with the Chief, we went to the church and played until the fall festival was over. Taylor had so much fun. He jumped in the monster truck bounce house and played in the big slide. Logan was content at that point in just sitting and eating candy. We played a few games then we stood in line for a balloon animal. Taylor requested an airplane. I didn't have the heart nor energy to tell him that he couldn't do that, so I just figured I would let the guy tell him that, but low and behold he made an airplane. Who knew??? Logan got a motorcycle. Taylor was ery upset when it was time to leave even when they deflated the bounce house, he was still mad. Oh well! We got home around 8:45. I put Logan right to bed with no bath, but Taylor had to have the paint washed out. He went to bed after his bath and was out like a light in no time.
We had a great time. Halloween is like a marker for me of our progress in this journey. I am happy to report that we had a great time and that this will go down as our 3rd great Halloween after DX.
October 30, 2005 Day +942 Day #640 off treatment
It was a good day. We were up at 6:30. I know that we gained an hour of sleep, but the clock still said 6:30 and I didn't want to get up. The boys and I went to church. Jim and Paw Paw had left for the hunting club at 3:00 in the morning. After church we went shopping with Gam maw and Ghen Ghen. We went back to Gam maw's and waited for the guys to get home. We ate some chili and played. We got home around 7:30. Logan was so tired and grumpy after only having about a 10 minute nap.
It was not a big day with lots of things to report. We just hung out and enjoyed this nice Fall weather.
October 29, 2005 Day +941 Day #639 off treatment
It was a wonderful Saturday. We cleaned house before Guh got there and I was done with laundry and everything by the time she got here around noon. We made sandwiches and took them with us to Tannehill. We got there about 1:00 and got a good spot if I do say so myself. I had plenty of room to pull up when Jim got there and he just parked behind us. Guh and I took the boys to jump in the bounce house and do the inflatable slide. Of course, Logan didn't do those. Taylor found a friend he played ball with and had a good time in the bounce house with him. Scooby Doo and Elmo were there. Logan was still afraid of the costumed men and Taylor was just ready to get to the play ground and was not interested in much else. They went to play on some old cannons that were there. For those of you who don't know what Tannehill is, it a historical park with war memorabilia and iron works items there. Anyway, they played on the old cannons for while. We then went over the big swinging bridge to the one of the old farm houses. Taylor was upset that he couldn't go in and look around. Logan just liked all the dirt he could dig in. Logan is also very into walking on walls and fences. He walked a long way on a wooden fence. We finally met back up with Daddy and headed to the play ground. There we found Some more friends and they played for a while there. Taylor ran and was going to grab onto a pole and swing out and he missed the pole and fell. It wasn't a far fall, but he scraped his back down the metal of the play equipment and it hurt. He was off again in no time. Soon we all went back to our spot and sat around some more. The boys had a great time. Logan thought he was as big as Will and Taylor. He was chasing them and wrestling with them. He was throwing pine straw at them. I am telling ya'll he is a mean one. Soon it was time to get dressed. Taylor put on his red power ranger suite and Logan put on his pumpkin suite. We took off towards the candy. We had so much fun. It was so crowded it was crazy. I think everyone in Bessemer was there. We ran into so many friends.
Logan has trick or treating down pat. He had his pumpkin pale over his arm and would walk right up and hold it out. He didn't say thanks, but he always said "bye bye" when he left. Taylor was a little more reserved about it. He would push Logan ahead if he were afraid. There were some very elaborate set ups. A haunted maze that scared Taylor to death. Some people had little tents and things set up to walk in to get the candy. Logan didn't care too much for those. He got tired after walking around the loop and his loot bag was so heavy he was dragging it. We tried to empty it or carry it for him, but he was having no part in it. Taylor was tired too. There was tons more to do and see, but we had been there all day and if they were ready we were too. We trick or treated our way back to the car and then we headed out. Taylor fell asleep on the way home and we are only about 5 minutes away. It did take about 10 minutes to get out of the park. He had started eating a tootsie roll and was drooling chocolate all down his face while he slept.
Guh stayed here with the boys while Jim and I went to play Bunko at Gam maw's. Mama kicked booty! I won $30 bucks. Go me! Both boys were sound asleep when we got home at about 11:30. Logan went to bed at 7:30 and Taylor at 9:30. We had night night in the back of the car and he had a little trouble sleeping without it, bit he did okay.
October 28, 2005 Day +940 Day #638 off treatment
I am so glad it is Friday. This was a long week, but I guess that is to be expected after a week off. Taylor was pretty good today. The whole class was. They are a very loud group and that is what we are trying to work on right now. We are trying to learn to use an inside voice. They all want to yell and when we are in our classroom and all 16 of them are yelling it is loud. Anyway, we had a good day today at school.
After school is when the fun was starting or so I thought. We had to go get car tags. I just knew it was going to be a long line and would take hours to get it taken care of. Last year when we went the security guard told me I couldn't bring a stroller in, but today I was prepared. I was going to tell him that Logan was going to sit in that stroller or that he could come stand in line with me and hold him. He never said a word, it was a different guy, a young one that probably has kids their ages and knows how helpful that stroller was going to be. I was pleasantly surprised when there were only 5 people in front of me in line and 2 of them left when they realized they were in the wrong line. It didn't take long at all until we were walking out. I tried to get Jim's tag personalized, but again all his choices were already taken. Maybe next time.
I was going to take the kids to the Dollar Tree since they had been so good while we stood in line, but Taylor said he didn't want to go and Logan was about to fall asleep, so we went straight home. We were back home by 2:15 and we didn't even leave school until 1:15, so we didn't have a hard time at all. As sleepy as Logan was he cried and cried for a while, but he eventually fell asleep. Taylor rode his bike in the garage for a little bit. He wants to go outside, so bad, but I wont let him with this wind and cold. He will get enough outside time this weekend.
I had to break down and buy laundry detergent, so I am doing the dreaded laundry that has piled up this week. Logan is still sleeping and Taylor is watching cartoons and playing cars. He got in trouble when I came in the living room and found him curled up in a ball pretending to sleep on the bottom shelf of my sofa table. Crazy child is going to pull some sort of furniture over on him one day. I guess that is a boy thing, everything Logan has is screwed to the wall because he loves to climb on stuff.
Please pray for My boss' dad. He has AML and has had several surgeries in the last few weeks due to complications with his cancer. He is doing better, but not great. Please keep them all in your prayers. Pray for a local family who I will not name as I do not know them personally. However, they lost their precious daughter in her sleep last night. She did not have cancer, but rather a heart defect. I am not sure of all the details, but remember them in this very difficult time. I can not even imaging the fear and pain of such a sudden loss. Pray for Davis as he takes a quick trip for some fun and then comes home for his biopsy. www.caringbridge.org/al/davishartsell Pray for Amber who has been discharged from her inpatient stay. She had some difficulties while inpatient, but she is doing well today and even went to school. www.caringbridge.org/al/amber Pray for Carter who has just done MIBG therapy, pray it kills any remaining cancer in him and cures him. www.caringbridge.org/pa/carterfinger Pray for Christi who is still bravely fighting and taking many oral chemos each day before school. www.christithomas.com Pray for Morgan who will be heading to NYC next week for her quarterly scans. Pray for safe travel and clean scans. www.caringbridge.org/nc/morganbarnes Pray for Cam who may or may not be in NYC scanning this week. He was scheduled to be there, but his home in Florida had damage from Wilma. Pray for his scans to show no cancer and that they are safe and their home can be fixed easily. www.caringbridge.org/fl/camspage
October 27, 2005 Day +939 Day #637 off treatment
I guess you are all wondering where we have been. We are here, just busy. Taylor had a horrible day at school and no hugging was fixing it. I had to take him to the bathroom 3 times and twice he got popped. He didn't care. He proceeded to misbehave, but it was when he dumped out the trash can and was playing with straws that were in it that it got ugly. I do not know what else to do. Play therapy doesn't seem to be helping anything. Her ideas don't phase him. UURGH!!!! I told him today that if he misbehaves that he will have to stop going to school. Maybe that will get his attention. He loves school, so maybe that will do the trick.
This afternoon we are just hanging out. He can not go outside since he was so bad at school. He has not been out due to the cold this week, so he is mad. Oh well. I tell ya what, if I hear "leave me alone" again I am going to scream. We have popped his mouth a million times for it. It has gotten to the point of him saying it and then covering his mouth. He knows he will get popped.
Then there is Logan. What will we do with him. He screamed all the way to school today because I wouldn't give him "dat", but I have no idea what dat was. I gave him everything in site and he threw it down. Who knows what he wanted. We had ice cream this weekend and after Logan was done and he didn't want to wait on the others, we took him to sit outside. He grabbed a cigarette butt out of the ashtray. Boy, we better be on our toes with this one!
Please pray for Taylor's continued success against the cancer that once ravaged his body. Pray for Davis. All his scans have shown NED, but there is something in his arm. He will have to have a biopsy to find out what it is. It is going to be painful, but hopefully it will reveal the answers needed to treat the problem. Hopefully, it is not cancer, but more than likely it is. Pray that it is not, but no matter what it is treated successfully. www.caringbridge.org/al/davishartsell
October 26, 2005 Day +938 Day #636 off treatment
Hi all! It is Wednesday and we are almost done with this week. I must say I feel much better after all that sleep, but I still did not want to get up at 7:00 this morning. I had to drag myself out of the bed. We had a pretty good day at school. I had a few absent and I hear that there is a stomach bug going around. I hope that it doesn't hit our house. I know even with good scans a week behind us that it would upset me.
After school we came home and put Logan to bed. He took a pretty good nap today. He plays hard in his new "big boy" class and it is good that he naps so well at home. I am bale to get a lot done while he is asleep. Today I got all the laundry separated only to remember that I ran out of detergent. Darn, I can't wash clothes! I am so sad, HA!
I left the guys with Gam maw and Paw Paw and I went to clean Guh's house. I am going to start cleaning her house for extra money. I told her I was not hand washing dishes or doing laundry! My two least favorite things! I got home around 9:00. Logan was still up, but happy. He has a new trick. He goes behind the chair and gets on his tip toes and says "Hey Baby" in a real deep voice. He is so silly. He started to get very whiney, so he went to bed. He was very mad and threw everything out of his bed then he was real mad, but he had to cry himself to sleep. He will learn to not throw it out. Knowing Logan he will learn to get out and get it and get back in bed. Taylor was in his big boy bed at this age, but there is no way in heck that I am putting Logan in a big boy bed. He can stay in the crib until he feet touch the end if he has to.
There is not too much to report these days. Please keep pray for Taylor's success against NB. Pray for all our friends who are fighting.
October 25, 2005 Day +937 Day #635 off treatment
It was a busy day! We had school of course where Taylor was not as good as yesterday. He wasn't bad, but he wasn't listening very well. We went to drop Logan off at Nana's and then we rushed to Children's. We parked on the street after driving for 10 minutes. We got there right at 2:00 and went back. Taylor played first. He stayed focused on one thing for the entire time today. He played with the kitchen set. He cooked, washed dishes and rearranged the cabinets. He is my child! He invited us into his play by serving us food. I am aloud to take the food, but that is it. I can not tell him what things are or how to do things. He asked me to open something for him and I couldn't do it, I had to tell him he could open it if he tried and he did. After his session he went out the lobby and colored with the secretary while I talked with Terry. We both feel that the best way to handle his behavior in school is for me to not be his teacher, but there is no changing that. She thinks maybe he is upset that he has to share me with all the other kids, but I am not sure if that is it or not. I am to give him a hug rather than getting on to him when he acts up to see if that will help. We shall see, but I am betting it doesn't do much.
After the play therapy we ran the 2 blocks to the car and rushed to his speech appointment. We got there right in the nick of time. We are going to try it again next week, but if the time doesn't go any smoother we will have to do another day. Anyway, he did great at speech. We will be moving on next week to "G" and "T". He has about mastered "D" endings and "C" "K" beginnings. He cooperated very well today. Katie doesn't even know she is helping with Christmas ideas. She always brings games that he can play if he gets so many words right and he really liked today's game.
After speech we went to Nana's to get Logan . He was asleep so we hung out for a bit. Nana measured Taylor for his pilot suite. I finally had to wake Logan up and that was a bad mistake. He screamed and had himself a nice fit the whole way home. It was real ugly. I just turned the radio up really loud and ignored it.
By 8:00 I could hardly hold my head up and I was not feeling real good, so I went to bed. I was almost asleep when Taylor brought his piano in my room and played some music. Soon I was ignoring it and was zonked out for the night.
Please pray for Taylor as he continues to win his fight against cancer. Pray for Davis as he tests this week to see what is going on. Pray for Amber, she is inpatient for some chemo. Pray for Madison who has had a rough go of it since her dx a few months ago. She has a brand new web site you can check out at www.caringbridge.org/visit/madisonbeck. Pray for DJ as he has been sent home and is being made as comfortable as he can be. www.caringbridge.org/visit/dj
October 24, 2005 Day +936 Day #634 off treatment
It wasn't a bad first day back. Most everyone was good as gold. Taylor couldn't sit right at circle time, but otherwise he was good. I think they all missed each other. Logan did good and told his teacher when he pooped. Yahoo! They think I have him trained! He poops several times at school. We rarely change poopy diapers at home on weekdays. Except of course, when he takes it out of his diaper! Can you believe how cold it is. It was so warm and snuggly in the bed, I wanted to stay there. Logan did stay there until 8:15. Why is it that he couldn't do that last week when we had no where to be?
We had to go to the bank after school and while I was making the transaction, Logan was holding my keys. He held up the key to my car and very seriously said "I want drive". The teller about fell out laughing. It was cute. We came home where Logan fell fast asleep for 2 good hours! He is now walking around eating Nilla Wafers. Taylor was eating them and left them on the fire place. I didn't think about them when I got Logan up and went to the potty myself. When I came out he had tried to pour the box into his fire truck. There were cookies and crumbs everywhere.
I don't think I ever filled you in on Taylor's fishing trip. He had fun. He took some cars and snacks in his tackle box. He would get tired of fishing and sit and play cars. He fell asleep in the floor of the boat for about an hour. That was the only stretch of time that he wasn't talking. They said he never shut up! Funny! He usually will tell is something has his hook and get help, but not today. They looked over and he was making contorted faces and trying with all his might to real it in. He was ready to keep it, but they got him to throw it back. He is waiting for a bigger than the one he has. He is really wanting a shark! That is unlikely at the family lake they are going to.
Guh came over for a little while. She had Taylor a Harwee shirt. It was perfect for him since he doesn't talk clear, but he can say Harley. Logan got one too and it came with a little visor, so cute. They played down stairs since it was too cold to go outside. Taylor did play outside for a little bit today and he was mad when I called him in. For the first time in month he has no snot of any color or consistency coming out and I don't want to start again. He took all the antibiotic he was given and he also took several days of Bromatan before and after he went outside a lot, so hopefully that will help keep the sinus/allergy issues away.
Tomorrow will be a busy day. We will rush to Nana's after school and drop off Logan. Taylor and I will rush to B'ham to the main Children's Hospital for a one hour session of play therapy from 2-3. We will then rush back to Hoover for his 3:30 speech appointment at Children's South. We will be burning up the roads, but that is the only way I can get it all in and not have to drag Logan along.
Please pray that Taylor can remain cancer free forever. Pray for all those in remission to stay that way. Pray for those who are still fighting. Pray for all those who are just starting the battle. Pray for those who are starting over. Pray for those who are missing a loved one. Pray for Miss Roberta who just started her chemo. Pray for Davis and Amber as they battle relapse. Pray for Cam who lives in central Fl. Pray for the Musyl family as they miss sweet Madison. Pray for a "work Fwend" of Guh's whose niece is at Children's with a strange "lump or mass" in her throat. Let us pray it is not malignant and can be easily removed or treated.
October 23, 2005 Day +935 Day #633 off treatment
It has been a good day, but not very productive. Everyone slept late and we didn't make it to church. Logan stayed up late and slept late, yahoo. It was cold too, so I think we all enjoyed staying covered up. I am sad that I can't lay around this week like we did last week. Oh well, it will be time for Thanksgiving break before we know it. I can not believe it is a week from Halloween, a month from Turkey day and 2 months from Christmas! Halloween is like a marker for me. I guess part of it is due to the fact that Taylor was DX in October and was so very sick at Halloween in 2002. At Halloween 2004, he was feeling great and he got to have his first real Halloween experience. He had so much fun at Gam maw's works carnival and trick or treating. I remember just hoping that all his Halloweens were that great. This year just as last year, I am so thankful for his continued health and the fun we will have trick or treating.
Now that I have rambled on and on let me do it again! Today Logan wore the shirt that Taylor wore on his first "real" outing since being dx. We went to the circus at the Galleria and watched over the rails of the 2nd level. It was so crowed and he didn't seem to care after waiting nearly an hour for it to start, so we left and went to Wal-mart. He was so thrilled to be in there and he just ran all over the place. Logan is 4 months younger than Taylor was and wearing his clothes. Taylor was so much skinnier. Taylor seemed so much more mature than Logan does. Heck, I guess 3 rounds of chemo can do that to you.
Okay, really I will get to the point now. We went over to Gam maw's to drop something off. Logan and Taylor played for a while. Logan has decided that he is going to be afraid of the dogs all of a sudden. He was standing on my feet and latched to my leg. I am not sure how he felt any safer there with a over weight lab and 2 golden retrievers around, but he did. Silly boy! He got over it and started bringing them sticks. He doesn't get the game of fetch. We went to San Antonio for some Mexican Food. We saw half of everyone we knew in there. They have just opened an ice cream shop in town, so we tried that out. They have little sample cones that are about 2 inches high. We got Logan that and he was so cute eating that tiny little cone. We stopped to be nosey and look at some houses being built in a new subdivision. The boys loved running in all that mud and dirt and in and out of she studs in the unfinished houses.
We then headed for home where Logan played in his bed for an hour and never slept. The boys went outside and played while Jim washed the car and I cleaned up and cooked dinner. Yes, you heard that right, cooked dinner.
It is now 9:00 and I am dreading going back to work. I don't mind work, I just know I am not going to want to get up and get ready after having 9 days off. Oh well, we all gotta do it. Taylor is so ready he can taste it. They put the playground back up while we were out and he is ready to get on it. They tore it down when we built our new sanctuary and are just now getting it back up. It will be fun for them.
Well, that is it for the Watts crew tonight. Please pray for Taylor and that he can be NED forever. Pray for Amber and Davis as they fight relapse. Pray for DJ as there is not much more they can do for him. Pray for all those who are still fighting. Pray for those who are missing a loved one.
October 22, 2005 Day +934 Day #632 off treatment
It has been an interesting day. We had a candle party, but the lady that did the show got the times mixed up, but she noticed too late for me to stop people from coming, so we hung out and ate all of the yummy food Cathy brought. She was about an hour and a half late, but we had fun. After the party we went shopping. I totally forgot I was supposed to go to a birthday party for a family member. I had the stuff out, but with the morning confusion and all I just forgot. I will see her tomorrow and tell her Happy Birthday. Paw Paw, Gam maw, Anna and Dugan all came over to watch the game. Logan loved having their dogs Kanga and Roo in our house. He chased them and held them. They loved being in the house with 2 "messy eater" kids. They found all sorts of crumbs to nibble on.
Not really a lot to tell you about. Both kids are filthy dirty and in bed now. It is cold in here and I think I will go snuggle in bed and watch TV. Have a good rest of the weekend.....
October 21, 2005 Day +933 Day #631 off treatment
I didn't sleep so well last night. I am still stressed out. I am very relieved that Taylor had clean scans, but I found out that Davis did not have such good scans. He has relapsed and he will have tests next week to see how bad it is and what treatments will be started. I feel sad, guilty, fear and many more mixed emotions. I am also stressing over $$$$$. We have gone from money being tight to non existent. It is awful. I know it will pass, but when????
Taylor is fishing today with Pippy, Pop, and Uncle Gary. He had 2 poles, life jacket and a tackle box full of toys and food. He is so funny. He has already picked out the spot on the wall to hang the one he catches today. Pippy has created a monster. He says he is going to catch a shark this time:) He is going to the hunting club tonight, so he is getting a boys sport dream come true. Fishing and hunting in the same day!
Logan and I are hanging out and cleaning. I am having a candle party, again. I can't get enough of it. Actually this one is for a friend, I am just providing a place to have it. Anyway, we are cleaning up for that. Actually, the house isn't that bad. I am going to go through Taylor's room when Lo goes to bed. I need to weed through some of the junk. I told you I would come up with more yard sale goods in no time. I still need to clean the playroom and I may do that tonight, but I wouldn't hold my breath. I want to do it, but when I go down there and look at it, I get over the desire to do it:)
We have a busy weekend. We have a candle party, an 80th birthday party and maybe a trip to the outlets in GA. I will update on Taylor's fishing trip soon. Have a safe and COOL weekend. Can you believe that we are finally getting some cool weather.
Please pray that Taylor has beaten cancer once and for all and can be NED forever. Please pray for the Hartsell family as they deal with the relapse. You can visit him at www.caringbridge.org/al/davishartsell
October 20, 2005 Day +932 Day #630 off treatment
I slept good last night. I didn't realize I wasn't sleeping good until I really slept good. That is just part of scan time. Anyway, I slept good, but I must have slept in an odd position because I have a crick in my neck and it is killing me. We haven't done much today. Taylor wanted to play outside with his cross bow. Rest easy everyone, it shoots foam balls. He is so funny with it. He gets up in the tree house part of the swing set and rests it on the side and shoots it just like I am sure he has seen the guys do at the hunting club. He also swept the front steps. I am not sure why he did that, but hey whatever makes him happy. I got all the paint out and we are going to paint there little pumpkins. Logan has never painted that I know of, so this should be interesting. Logan is not on my good side today. Let me give you the small stuff first then lead you into the kicker! He has put baby and a flip flop down the air vent in the kitchen. Luckily he just sat it in there and it didn't fall down in it. He has stuck stuff into the intake vents. He has stuck a few toy rings and small toys through. He has been wild and throwing things. He finally got quiet and kept laying down so I put him to bed. He was quiet for a bit and started yelling poo poo, so I went to change him. That is another story, he has been telling me he is poo poo or wet, so we are going to get out the baby potty soon and see what he can do. Anyway, I changed him and put him back to bed and he never made another peep. I was doing stuff, so I just assumed he was asleep. Well, we all not what you get when you assume. If you didn't believe your mama when she said "don't assume" you will now. When I heard him again, I went to get him, so we could run a few errands. Wow, what a mess I walked in on. I know you are all thinking he probably climbed out of bed and pulled out all his toys or clothes. I wish! He had taken off his diaper and played with the poop in it. It was so gross. I could have killed him. I had to clean all that up and he had the nerve to get mad when I threw away the beanie pillow that can not be washed and when I put baby in the washer. Right now he is sitting on the fire place reading a book all sweet and innocent. I am positive I will have lots of gray hair before I am 30 with this kid!
Guess when Taylor is going back to the Dr. February! Wow! We will go on Feb. 8 for a MIBG injection and Feb. 9th for the scan. We will go back for a clinic visit on Feb. 14th. The only test we are doing is an MIBG. Wow, can you say, "make mom crazy". That is good though, it is an easy test. It will take a few minutes to get injected then we will go onto school. We are scheduled for a 9:00 injection, but I will go early and hopefully make it to school on time or at least not very late. We don't start until 9:00. The bone scan is at 9:00 on the 9th, that is a Thursday and Dr. B doesn't have clinic that day that is why we will go back on the 14th. We usually see him after the injection on Wednesdays and he will have already read the CT and will call is with the MIBG, but since he has seen the CT he usually can about tell what the MIBG will say. Anyway, that is the reason for a return clinic visit. That is Valentine's day and it is party day at school. I will have to see what time the party is to decide if we will change that apt. or not. It is for 8:00, so it shouldn't put us too late. We will have to see. He had to miss the Christmas party last year due to scans. I am going to try and not make him miss besides it isn't real good for a sub to have to handle a party day. That is 4 months from now, we will deal with that later.
We have more exciting news. Taylor will be going to an air force base to be "pilot for a day". He will have his own flight suite with his name on it and he will get to look at the planes and check out the base. We are going on career day and he will get some special stuff due to that, so it should be cool. I honestly do not have very many details yet. I am expecting a phone call next week from them, so I will keep you posted.
October 19, 2005 Day +931 Day #629 off treatment
Logan learned a new word or at least it is the first time I have heard him say it. He spent about 10 minutes trying to get his socks off last night and he was doing some serious grunting and groaning. He finally got it off and then ran around showing his "docks" to us. He is one crazy kid!
Taylor and Jim left at 7:00 this morning for no reason at all. Even though we were told to be there at 7:45 to get an IV started there is no one there at that time to start one. Jim went ahead upstairs at 8:40 when nothing had happened yet. We know it takes forever to get him to drink the contrast, so he needed to get going on that. The bone scan lady came out and was ready to inject him, but couldn't since there was no IV. She overstepped clinic and got the ball moving. She had IV therapy up there in a matter of minutes and the cup filled with contrast. Guess who drank every drop in 3 minutes! Little butt! We usually beg and bribe for at least an hour to get half the cup in him. Looks like daddy gets this job from here on out. They went ahead and drew a bunch of blood for labs, I am not sure how they new what to get, but they did it anyway and they gave him a specimen cup to potty in. The clinic staff wasn't real pleased when Jim handed him the cup with no label, but that should have been handled at registration. Anyway, as of 9:30 he had done everything he could up to that point and was eating breakfast. He will have his bone scan at 11:00 and then go see Dr. Berkow. Counts should all be in since they were drawn early, but who knows where it went and if it was labeled, so it could get ugly. I hope not! I am still very confident that all will be fine, but I must say I have a pit in my stomach. I am sure part of it is due to the hassle going on and me not being anywhere near to monitor it. I am a total control freak, so it is hard to try and sit back and let it happen.
Logan and I went to get some milk and tea. We are now hanging out. I saved all my house work for today to keep me occupied, but I am too preoccupied to do it. Hmmm, go figure! Logan is being a turkey, throwing things down the stairs and then getting mad. He is going to find himself in bed soon.
Jim just called, it is 12:30. He has been done with the scan since 11:30 and Dr. b just went to tumor board and will be gone until 1:30. Great! He can call with results, but has to examine him, so it looks as though they will be waiting. I am on pins and needles! I am not this stressed when I go myself, I guess I am too busy to think about it.
1:30 and still waiting. My stomach is about to turn inside out if I don't get results soon! Taylor is happy as a pig in sunshine. He is doing arts and crafts with the volunteers. He has had several friends with him to play with, so he is content. Daddy on the other hand is getting board. We do not usually go to clinic on Wednesday, we always go on Tuesday which is slower and does not have tumor board on the middle of the day. Hopefully, Berkow will be there soon and all the labs will have gone to the right spot and got back to the right spot. Mr. Logan just woke up, so I better go get him. He was being very ugly and I put him in bed at 11:00 and I bet he is hungry. I will update again as soon as I hear anything.
1:48-I can hardly stand it. I just called to see if they had been called back yet. They just got a room and Dr. B is reading the scans. It wont be long now. I tell ya, it is too stressful to say home next time I am going.
2:05-the waiting is over and Taylor was given a clean bill of health. All scans were clean with no spots! Thank you Lord for answered prayers. He did have some spots of adelctisis (SP) or reactive airways, but they are improved from the last set of scans, so we are making headway with the asthma or so it seems. I am so relieved that this is over. I have not talked to him yet to see if we have a time frame for the next scans or check up visit. I will worry over that another day. The boys are going to the hunting store and then they will be home. We will probably go out to eat in celebration. I think these scans get harder as time goes by rather than easier. When you are on treatment things can get better or worse, but you are already in the midst of it all and it isn't such a blow. It is a blow, but not as hard. However, once you are NED it has to stay that way or you enter through hells doors again. I don't know if that makes any since at all, but that is how it feels....
Thank you all for all the prayers. We certainly feel them and God is certainly answering them! Praise be to God!
October 18, 2005 Day +930 Day #628 off treatment
Welcome back to Watts World. We had a busy day. We went to the church at 10:00 and unloaded all the yard sale stuff. I hate to say it, but we will have bagged up that much more by the time spring comes. I don't know where I always find so much to get rid of, but I do it all the time. Anyway, we then met Guh and Nay Nay for some IHOP. Taylor ate great. He ate 2 pancakes and all the eggs. Logan ate, but I wouldn't call it great. He ate 3 scoops of butter and some smarties. He didn't touch his pancake or eggs. After lunch we went to the Dollar store. I got goodies for Halloween bags and Taylor got a police set. He loves the hand cuffs. He got mad when I wouldn't let him cuff my hands behind my back. It would be my luck to be sitting in Children's South with my hands tied behind my back and him not be able to get it off. Anyway, after that little stop we went to the Galleria. I have not taken them to the mall since Logan's screaming tirade back in August. It was quieter this time, but not much more fun. I was trying to look for Christmas outfits and Logan was ripping stuff off of hangers. If I found something cute it was never in both sizes or cost a fortune. A size 24 month sweater vest was $38. No way, I could go by myself one for that. Wal-mart here we come! We walked all over the mall and in tons of clothing stores. The kids did pretty good. Taylor was kicking Logan's chair and that made him whine, but all in all it was not bad. We didn't buy anything. We saw a lot we wanted, but we are telling Santa about all that stuff. Taylor wasn't real happy about that, but he knows that Santa will not bring any of that stuff if he isn't nice, so he didn't get too upset. We finally headed to the car and when I went to take Logan out of his stroller I saw that he only had on 1 shoe. Oh my gosh, was I ill at that point. I rush back in praying to goodness that it is in Sears and not somewhere at the other end of the mall. Luckily, it was in Sears right next to the lady with 5 crazy kids who was looking at Logan as he kicked the stroller and heard me tell him to stop 10 times. I don't know that she saw his shoe fall off and me leave it behind, but I am betting she did. I am so glad she helped me out! That sounded bitter didn't it.....
We went ahead and went to Nana's even though it was too early for speech. I was going to just hang out there, but when a speech therapist came to her house to work with one of her kids I knew we better leave or he wouldn't cooperate. We went to a little strip mall by the speech office and killed some time. We ended up going a little early and she took us on back. He got a new room and he didn't cooperate as well. I am not so sure that it had anything to do with the room, but he was wild today. They didn't get much done since he kept telling her stories and messing around with stuff. We had practiced all his words before we went and he did great and he did awful for her. I am not sure if I am just not hearing the mistakes as clearly as she is or if he is putting on for her. Who knows!
We are home now. Logan is asleep. We will pay for that at bed time, but he has not napped today and he wouldn't wake up. Taylor is outside giving the neighbors dog a hard time. He howls at it and gets it all riled up.
Please remember that tomorrow is the big day. Pray that all scans reveal NED status and no mystery spots! Pray that Taylor has been cured of this beast forever! Below is a poem that I have posted in before, but it so perfectly sums up the way cancer parents feel on the days leading up to scans.
The Scan
A Sleepless Night
Tomorrow our lives could change again
Forever...Forever
Will the scan be clear, will the tumor return,
now... or never?.....
We try to smooth the ups, the downs,
Its been nice breathing calmly, nice not to frown,
But tomorrow our lives could change again,
forever...forever
Tomorrow we'll sit while the bangs and clicks,
surround us.......engulf us
staring down the tunnel, waiting for the films,
that free us..... or damn us,
The probation could last for another four months
Or find us retreating behind false fronts,
That we take out tomorrow to hide the anguish,
around us..... within us,
Tomorrow our lives could continue on course,
or falter.... get altered
It's amazing to think that one simple test has,
Such power.....such impact,
To the world around us the test date comes,
one after another......eventually numb.
To the fact that tomorrow could leave us again
bewildered.......off kilter,
Tomorrow we hope that the treatments have helped,
change things....delay things,
Are there further treatments that we can survive,
do we want them?.....can we stand them?
Has the cancer been killed: Or does it lie there in wait?
Will it show up tomorrow? Or some much later date?
Tomorrow a crossroads, or merely a rest stop,
on a journey.....to eternity
Tomorrow our lives could change again
forever...forever
Tomorrow our world could be turned upside down
tossed asunder....it's no wonder
That we dwell in the past, trying to recall the way
That we made it through "tomorrow"
when it was yesterday
And why we hope to face tomorrow again and again
forever.......forever
Steve Foss
October 17, 2005 Day +929 Day #627 off treatment
Monday again, that's okay since we are home. The go to bed late trick didn't work this time. I did give him some milk at 7:45 and ignore him until 8:15, but he was yelling at me. Taylor was up at about 8:00 too. We have cleaned up and when I say we I mean we. Taylor has wiped the living room down with a wet wipe. I am not sure how good that is, but hey it is not dusty anymore! Logan was throwing away things not necessarily trash all the time, but he was trying to help. I got all the yard sale stuff bagged up and loaded in the car. We have been hanging on to it all so that we could have another yard sale. However, we do not have time for another yard sale or room to keep hanging on to all that stuff. I am going to bring it to the church and the youth can sale it next spring at their yard sale. I cleaned out the playroom and by that I mean took out 3 bags of toys and coloring books that they never play with. I didn't clean up I just dug through the rubble. I knew it would take too long to clean and go through. I am sure I will find more, but that is okay seeing as I go to the church 6 days a week. I can bring more anytime they are willing to take it. I am not sure they knew I was serious when I said I had a TON. I have my car full, I had to call my Pop and tell him to come load up his truck too. Anyway, while I did that Taylor played outside and Logan napped.
I wanted to share with you about the New York Marathon. It will raise money for Sloan Kettering and cancer research. They played a very big role in healing Taylor and though they were not the best of times that we spent there we would go back tomorrow if the need arose. Dr. Kushner, one of Taylor's Dr's on the NB team, is running in it and has for years. You can check out his page at: Dr. Kushner's Page.
Sweet Christi Thomas' dad, Shayne, is also running in honor of Christi and the other warriors as well as in memory of those who have earned their wings. Check out this site and maybe even donate. It is so wonderful to have people like Dr. K and Shayne and the many others who will run on our team.
It is now 9:20 and we are finally winding down. Logan is in bed, he went at 8:00 tonight. He was whining and playing ugly tonight, so he didn't get to stay up late. Taylor is playing with stringing beads in the living room and watching hunting with Jim. I am thinking of the million things I need to do to get this house in order and Wednesday's scans and a million other things. Like I said last night, I have no real reason to worry it is just the fact of what scans mean. I have watched Taylor eat like a horse all day and play 90 to nothing in 3 day old dirty clothes and he is not a sick child. He is and will be healthy! Let me back up and explain that 3 day dirty clothes thing and those of you with boys will know what I mean. On Friday, as usual he changed into clothes "he liked" after school. You see, I do not have the fashion since that he does and I do not dress him the way he wants to be dressed. Anyway, he chose that lovely ensemble I told you about on Friday, you know the orange shorts and gray shirt. He wore it to dinner on Friday and changed back into it after Tannehill on Saturday. He took a bath on Saturday afternoon and put it back on and wore it to dinner with Gam maw and to the hunting club. He wore his hunting stuff for a while and put "the" outfit back on. He fell asleep in it Sunday night and wore it all day today, but he added green baseball socks pulled up to the knees today. I told him at bath time that it was over for "the" outfit. I stuffed it in the washer right then and there before he could put it back on. He did inform me that it was his favorite and as soon as it was clean he would put it back on. Boys!
Well, that about does it for today. We are going to take the load to the church tomorrow and then we have speech. We changed to Tuesdays this week. I think we have decided that Jim and Taylor will go to the hospital on Friday and Logan and I will stay here. I don't want to chase him all over the hospital. Usually Guh handles that while I deal with Taylor. I am too stressed and focused on Taylor to do it. I know that I will be crazy if I go. I refuse to watch the scans anyway. I know I will make myself at home especially if he doesn't ask Dr. B what I want to know:) However, I think it will be easier.
Please pray for us all as we go through these coming days. Pray that the scans reveal nothing but NED status and no "spots" to worry about. Pray that Taylor is indeed cured forever and will never have to face treatment again. Pray that those who are in remission can stay that way. Pray for those who are still fighting. Pray for those who are missing a loved one tonight.
October 16, 2005 Day +928 Day #626 off treatment
Howdy again. We are going to have to let Logan stay up until 9:30 more often. He slept until 9:00 this morning. It was wonderful. We went over to Guh's house and Logan ended up falling asleep and we had a girls day. Mary and Nana came over too and we hung out on the deck and talked girl talk. We got home around 4:30 and the guys were back. We all went for some dinner and then we came home and watched TV. Logan and Taylor played so well together last night. We didn't have to get onto them at all. Logan went to bed at 9:00, we will see if it works again.
I got tickled at Taylor while I was driving the other day. We were going down a hill and we were gaining on the car in front of us. We were no where near touching it, but getting noticeably closer to it. Taylor yells " hey, don't run into that car." I cracked up and asked if he was scared and he said "No, just making sure you are looking." Thank you backseat driver!
It was a nice weekend full of fun. I am so glad that I am off this week! I wish that we didn't have scans in the middle of the week. I am very calm yet at the same time I am going insane. I have no real reason to worry, but we know the nature of this beast and it can be running rampant in him and us not know it. I know that Wednesday could make or break us. It is always tense at this time. However, I am positive that with prayer and the Lord's help on Thursday we will be celebrating!
October 15, 2005 Day +927 Day #625 off treatment
Howdy! What a busy day we have had. Let me start with last night. After going to dinner with daddy the boys and I came home and played for a while. Logan went to bed around 8:00 and Taylor and I played transformers. I, being an only child never had to play boy toys and he gets mad that I don't play right. I keep telling him he isn't playing right, but he doesn't buy it. I convinced him to move to my bed where he slept to keep me company. After watching Wiggles in Space twice and part of Honey I Shrunk the kids he fell asleep at 11:30. I changed the channel and don't even remember what was on before I fell asleep too.
Logan was up at 6:45, but I threw him some toys and milk and went back to bed. Guh came over around 9:30 and we went and got picnic food and went to Tannehill for the day. We are pooped! We started with a picnic where the boys sat pretty still and ate pretty good considering they were in a new place and were ready to run and explore. We then went to the playground where they had a blast. It is a super nice playground in the shade, so it was perfect for them. After about 30 minutes there we took off towards trade days, but took the long route. We went through the camp grounds and looked at all the decorations people had set up for Halloween. It was amazing some of the stuff people had out. We ran into Miss Janice and Miss Pam, teachers I work with. Her set up was very nice except for that huge Big Al out front. War Eagle! She knows we are teasing, we like to give each other a hard time. Anyway, we kept on walking the long gravel road to the trade day area. The walk wouldn't have been so bad if we were not fighting that heavy double stroller in that gravel not to mention that we had to go back for Baby. Logan dropped it and never said a word. I just happened to notice he didn't have it. UURGH, As sad as it is to hear him cry in his new class because he wants it, I hope he gets over it soon. so we can stop keeping up with it all the time. By the time we made it to trade days were too hot and tired to care, so we spent 20 minutes in line getting drinks only to see coke machines after we bought the drinks. We went up and down a few rows and then started the walk back to the car. This time we took the road and it was much smoother. I finished the walk myself and left them waiting near the exit and just picked them up. It was tiring, but fun since we don't do it often.
We went home where Logan NEVER took a nap. I let him sit in his bed for 2 hours and he never even laid down. We met Gam maw for a quick dinner before Paw Paw got home to take Taylor to the hunting club. After they left Logan and I went to Pippy's for a little bit. Logan was showing out. He was running in circles and putting on a show for everyone there. He is so goofy. He didn't want to leave, but I drug him out at 9:30.
It was a very busy day and I am so glad that we spent it being busy. We certainly were not playing around on 10/15/02. Instead we were all pacing the halls of Children's hospital while the wonderful, Dr. Barnhart successfully removed 100% of Taylor's tumor. Oh, that was an agonizing day. We had spent the weekend looking over the 4 stages of NB and just new that he was the easy to cure stage, but little did we know that they already knew he was stage 4 and had not said for sure until after the surgery. It was like a slap in the face when they said it was stage 4, the worst kind of NB. Anyway, that is all in the past and we are here now and I am totally convinced that Taylor has been chosen to be one of the few who survive this disease. I hope that one day he is speaking at a NB conference to give hope to others.
October 14, 2005 Day +926 Day #624 off treatment
Happy Friday and happy Fall break! We are out of school all next week. Yahoo! Taylor of course is not so glad about it. Taylor will scan on Wednesday, so it will be stressful week no matter what, but boy on Thursday and Friday we are going to have some fun when those scans are all clear! Please continue to pray for the all clear, NED and no mysterious spots, anywhere!
We started the day early by going to get Flu shots. As usual it can not be easy. No one told us we were to go to the well clinic. Luckily it is just across the street from the main office. We went over there and got the 2 flu shots in record time. We were still out of there before the scheduled appointment time. Taylor went first and he was already whimpering before she did it. He wanted to cry, but never really did. He did tell the lady he didn't like her. She completely understood! Logan was next. He was still jabbering when she poked him seeing as he had no clue what was coming. He did that usual baby thing. You know, mouth wide open and you know a huge yell is coming when they catch their breath. However, it never did. We had a band aid on it and I was holding him before he ever got to the yell. He did rub it and say "OH, Oh" several times, but nothing more. What big boys we have!
We got to school just in time for both boys to make it to the birthday parties going on in their rooms. The party in my room was for a co workers grandson and she gave Logan a goodie bag too. However, Taylor did not get a goodie bag from the party that was going on in Logan's class and it is about to eat him up. We had another special treat today. A fireman came and brought his truck. I forgot all about it and didn't bring my camera, but that's okay. Taylor loved it of course and tried on the mask and held the hose. Logan on the other hand did not like any part of it. He screamed the entire time. The guy was dressed in full uniform, so I am sure that was scary to a little guy. They had fun though and it made the day go faster for us teachers.
After Logan's nap we went outside and rakes leaves to put in one of those huge orange garbage bags that looks like a pumpkin. We raked forever and it is hardly got anything in it. Oh well, they enjoyed it. We will keep filling it up. I got some cute pictures of them doing it. We went to dinner before daddy left to go to the hunting club. Taylor is upset that he went without him. He cried for a minutes, but he is okay for now. Bedtime will be another story. Paw Paw is going to bring him down tomorrow night when he gets off work. He knows that, so maybe he wont get too upset.
The kids keep excitement around here. It is maddening and wonderful all at the same time. I know that 20 years from now these will be the storied we share over dinner at family functions. I was doing the dreaded task of laundry the other night and I opened the dryer and got a wonderful surprise. Taylor had a red and green crayon in his pocket and it melted all over the dryer and most of the clothes. I got to wash that load again, but that wasn't the fun part. The fun was scraping the hardened pieces off the dryer and out of the lint trap. It was the biggest mess. We already have gum all over the dryer that wont come off from a previous incident. Today the boys were outside while Jim loaded up the Jeep and they were just playing in the driveway with chalk and a ball. He came in to change clothes and I was packing up the diaper bag and was headed out. They were out there about a minute alone. I walked out and heard Logan laughing, but didn't think a thing about it. He came around the Jeep and he was soaking wet. Taylor had turned on the hose pipe and wet Logan and himself. They were both cackling like hyenas. So, we had to go in and change before we could go to dinner. I sent Taylor to dress himself while I dressed Logan. That of course meant he went to eat looking like an orphan. He had on a pair of orange shorts that are 2 sizes to big. A gray and red long sleeved spider man shirt. He is such a fashion statement all the time. You should have seen yesterdays ensemble. He had on khaki shorts and long sleeve orange Halloween shirt. That was fine other than it is a 3T shirt that he loves and will not get rid of. It was too short in the length and sleeves. It had a hole in it where he wore a sheriff badge last year and ripped it off. It also had black paint all over it where he pained a pumpkin last year and got it all over him. He had on black socks with his new white, red and blue Power Ranger shoes. Does that sound sexy or what?
I must brag on the cute art Taylor made me today. He loves to cut and color and make things. My daddy works for a print shop and we always have a ton of scrap paper to use just for that purpose. He is my child as I spent many an hour cutting and coloring with my daddies paper as a kid. Anyway, he had a small piece of paper that he colored both sides of and then cut a piece of that pink plastic tape that we use to mark off tailgate spots and put it on the paper. He used stickers to hold it on. He brought it to me and called it a kite. That was cute, but the real funny one came next. He went back and folded the tail of the kite over and stuck it with a sticker on the other side. He cute a second piece and attached it the same way. He brought it back to me and said it was my purse. It was so funny. He then stuck band aids on it and said that was the pockets of the purse. It was so funny that he would come up with the idea to make a purse. Anyone who knows me well will know why he chose that as a gift for me. I change purses like nothing you have ever seen before. I am addicted!
October 13, 2005 Day +925 Day #623 off treatment
Royal Volvo 3010 Columbiana Rd. Vestavia Hills and Madden Volvo 2620 Skyland Blvd. East Tuscaloosa, Al. These are two local Volvo dealers participating in the Volvo for Life Days. You can go to www.volvo4lifeawards.com to see where the nearest participating dealership is in your area as well as where the money raised at that dealership will go. The two local ones I listed will give the money to Children's Hospital in Birmingham and Alex's lemonade stand.
Today was quick. I am so glad too, it was also stressful. Taylor was so proud of himself. He brought ice cream to share at snack as his show and tell. It has to be the letter I. He also brought his Mr. Incredible. We thought we did good for that tough letter. He was pretty good at school today. He got a little wild and got on the stage, but it was boy stuff not really being bad.
The pediatricians office called and the boys will get a flu shot tomorrow morning at 9:10. We were number 8 on the waiting list, I guess no one wanted that 9:00 appointment. I don't care when it is as long as they get one. Thank you to the wonderful Meredith for trying to help us get one at clinic!
We are home now where Mr. Logan is sound asleep. He is so tired. He was officially moved up this week to the two year old class. He is not 2, but he is the oldest in his class and he is too rough and tumble to be with the babies. He doesn't get his cup and baby all day and that is hard for him and he misses "TT" aka Kelli, but he is doing fine. He likes being with the big kids. He is worn out when he gets home and that is good for me!
Please pray for Taylor's scans on Wednesday. I must say I am feeling pretty good about them even though I was so crazy a few weeks ago. However, there is always a small pit in your stomach at this time. Pray that the scans reveal no evidence of disease and no mysterious spots. Pray that his lungs are clear as well.
October 12, 2005 Day +924 Day #622 off treatment
Royal Volvo 3010 Columbiana Rd. Vestavia Hills and Madden Volvo 2620 Skyland Blvd. East Tuscaloosa, Al. These are two local Volvo dealers participating in the Volvo for Life Days. You can go to www.volvo4lifeawards.com to see where the nearest participating dealership is in your area as well as where the money raised at that dealership will go. The two local ones I listed will give the money to Children's Hospital in Birmingham and Alex's lemonade stand.
We had an average day. We all went to school, it was Taylor's first day this week. I had a helper today, hooray! I don't think I will have help on Mon and Fri, but everyday that I do counts. They were pretty good today. Taylor got a little wild at snack, but otherwise had a good day. We came home after school and we are doing house work. Well, I am. Taylor is in and out and Logan is asleep. I tried to make a flu shot appointment, but got put on a waiting list. I told her we had a child under 2 and one that has asthma and had a bone marrow transplant. She didn't much care. I am on a waiting list for an appointment. I am not sure what that means. Heck, I will go in for a visit if that is all it takes. I am going to give it a day or two and then pull out the big guns and just call the Dr. myself. I guess I shouldn't do that, but sometimes if you don't take control yourself things don't get done. I have said it in the past and I will say it again, The folks at that pediatrician's office are not the smartest folks in town. The asthma Dr. was going to give Taylor one, but he is already out. Oh well! I will find one somewhere.
We are going to Guh's tonight. She is getting her furniture moved back into place. Other than that I don't know of any plans. Please pray that Taylor is NED forever. Pray he has no mysterious spots on his scans. Pray that we get a flu shot and if not that we are not effected by flu.
October 11, 2005 Day +923 Day #621 off treatment
***update***
Don't forget to read the bottom about the Volvo events to raise money for childhood cancer research.
Yesterday went by like any other day. Taylor stayed home from school since Jim was off. They went to the hunting store and he got some new, water proof hunting boots that he is very proud of. We all met for lunch and then took Logan to Nana's. Jim went to speech with us. We got tickled at Taylor in there, but he did good. We will start going to speech on Tuesday at 3:30 starting next week. No big deal for us what day we go, so the move didn't bother us. We went by Gam maw's new work and met her new friends. We then all went out to dinner. Gam maw and I did some shopping. We got Logan a sweat suite that says "little Devil" on it with ears on the hood. I can't wait until it is cold enough for the little devil to wear.
Today was a long day even though we didn't do that much. We had speech therapy at 11:00. That was interesting, you don't really think that you are doing anything, but you are. She watched him play for a while and though she never played with him, she talked about what he was doing, so he thought he had her playing. Does that make since. She would say things like "in the play room people are not for hitting" or "our feet need to stay on the floor" These are to be the rules of the play time, but soon they will become second nature for all the time. I hope that it works. We are working on scheduling a time to set up the next appointment. She taught me how to do it. He will have a set time and set toys to do this with at home. We are not to answer the door or phone etc. during this time. I have heard from several parents who have done this and I hope that it will calm him down. While we did that Logan and Guh played in the toddler play area and he was in hog heaven. After the session we went to lunch and ran into Miss Rhonda. I was so glad, we have missed her the last few times we have been there.
We took a short drive over to St. Vincent's where we saw Dr. LaRussa. He said he had yet another sinus infection. We are to keep doing the singulair and the Nasonex that I decided to give him a week ago. Seems I made a good call on that one. He gave him Cefzil for the sinus infection and Tamafed for future use. We know that there is something in nature that sets his sinuses off, but we may never know what it is. This Tamefed is for us to give him several days before when we know that we are going to be outside a lot and hopefully it will counteract the allergin before he gets all snotty. We shall see. He did not tell us when to come back, so I guess I will just call if things don't improve. He is coughing a lot, but his lungs are fine, it is all in his head.
We met daddy for dinner and a trip to Lowe's then headed home. Taylor is cleaning his room or supposed to be anyway. Logan is in the bed and I am going to be close behind him. We didn't do a lot today other than sit in waiting rooms, but that is exhausting especially with Lgoan.
Please pray that Taylor is cleared of the sinus infection soon and hopefully we can get to the bottom of this. Please pray that Taylor is NED forever and that his scans are clear, no mystery spots!! Pray for all those still fighting. Pray for those in remission to stay that way. Pray for our troops!
This is a note from Jay and Liz Scott. They are the parents of the famous Alex Scott. The following info is involving the Volvo test drive to raise $$$ for cancer research. This is important to all cancer families, so please take the time to test drive a fancy car to raise money. We are going to play therapy and the asthma Dr. today. I will update when we get home.....
It is that time of year again -- Volvo For Life Days!
Our great supporters at Volvo have expanded their fundraising program this year with a nationwide fundraiser called Volvo For Life Days from October 8 - 16th.
Here is how it works:
During this 9 day fundraiser, Volvo will donate $20 to Alex's Lemonade Stand for every test drive taken at participating retailers (about 300 across the country).
Retailers across the country are also hosting Alex's Lemonade Stands in their dealerships from October 8 - 16th.
Many dealers are also hosting other events as part of this fundraising effort.
If we can get an average of 100 test drives at each dealer, we are looking at $600,000 raised in just 9 days.
So, please... take a test drive, tell your friends, pass along this email... we think we can make this a huge success.
You can find a dealer near you at www.volvo4lifeawards.com
Or email us directly with any questions.
Also see the advertisement promoting the event in this week's People Magazine and Parade Magazine.
We personally plan on visiting each dealer in this area to thank them for their support.
As always, we appreciate your support.
Liz and Jay Scott
Alex's Parents
www.alexslemonade.org
Fighting childhood cancer, one cup at a time.
610-649-3034
fax 610-649-3038
Mailing address:
333 E. Lancaster Avenue, #414
Wynnewood, PA 19096
October 10, 2005 Day +922 Day #620 off treatment
Today marks the 3 year anniversary of the day Taylor was diagnosed with cancer. Just as I have written in the past, I very vividly remember every detail of that day. I remember the clothes we wore, rooms were in, smells etc. I guess I will always remember those details. It is upsetting to think back on that and remember the fear and heartbreak that we felt. It is also a very victorious feeling to look back. We were told he had a 30% chance of survival and a 70% chance of relapse. We said that day that he would be our 30/30 miracle baby and so far he is. He is in the 30% percent surviving NB and the 30% that has not relapsed. I certainly hope and pray that he remains in this category. We have been truly blessed by the hands of God and we are eternally grateful. We are grateful Him for the miracle has had performed in Taylor's body and we are grateful to all of you, our faithful prayer warriors. Thank you! We love you all!
more to come on the day.......
October 9, 2005 Day +921 Day #619 off treatment
I am exhausted and I know Guh is too as well as two little boys. We went to church then rushed to the pumpkin patch all the way in Hayden. The kids had a blast. It was a Camp Sam function and that means that Calvin was there and Taylor was in hog heaven with his "BUD". We jumped in the inflatable park for a while. Well, Taylor did, Logan was scared of it all. He pushed his stroller around until he got real ugly about it. He didn't want any help and he was running over people, falling over etc. We finally just put it back in the car and let him walk. Taylor got his face painted, but Logan didn't want that either. They both rode the train and the ponies. Logan had a cookie and he was not going to let it go not even to ride the pony, so he didn't hold on very tight. He just kept eating as the pony walked in circles. We took some great photos of the boys in several spots. We then took a hay ride over to the pumpkin patch. Logan loved that. He was running a and yelling "ball". I gave up trying to get him to say pumpkin. Taylor picked a nice one and we headed back to the car. It was a hard job keeping up with them in the patch. Taylor was running all over the place. He was trying to pick up pumpkins and dropping them. Logan was running and tripping. He even sat down and ate a handful of dirt.
We didn't realize until half way there that baby (Lo's blanket) was at home. He never mentioned it on the way up there and was too busy to care while we were there, but the ride home he wanted it. He did real good though, he asked a few times, but didn't have a fit or anything. We went to dinner with Gam maw and now we are at home. Logan is sound asleep. Taylor is playing in his room. He is staying home with daddy tomorrow.
We had so much fun today. As usual Camp SAM gave us a day full of memories. Please pray for all the cancer families out there. Pray for the young and old who are fighting a battle of some sort. Please remember Joy, my boss, and her family. Her father has cancer. He is having a rough time right now. Please keep him and the family in your prayers. Pray for Taylor's continued success against his cancer and that he is cancer free forever!!!
October 8, 2005 Day +920 Day #618 off treatment
We didn't do much for most of the day. We hung out at home. The kids played outside most of the day. Logan went down the slide and right through the puddle at the bottom of the slide and got soaked. He was very angry with me when I took him in to change clothes. I gave the kids a bath late in the afternoon and went ahead and put Logan in his PJ's. Guh came over to watch him while we went to a wedding. Taylor decided he would go with us. He was thrilled to be wearing a tie. He looked sharp as a tack too! He did great at the wedding which was absolutely beautiful. He really had fun at the reception. It was at the Pelham Civic Complex and he and Paw Paw snuck over to see the ice skating rink. He liked that and now is ready to go ice skating. Yeah right, that should be interesting! He ate like a piggy eating 4 chicken fingers and half each of a piece of chocolate and white cake. He stood very patiently next to the grooms cake waiting to get a piece with a big icing ball on it. Silly goose! He did the chicken dance and the bunny hop. He even did a slow dance. He was very shy on the dance floor, but if he got next to our table he would cut a rug. He was giving out his phone number too. Yes, he has learned it and he writes it and gives it away. Miss Cathy now has several notes from him. You better look out Steve, Taylor is moving in on your woman! We had a great time visiting with friends. We wish Stacey and James all the happiness in the world! We love you guys!
We had to stop by Wal-mart on the way home when Taylor realized he left his bubbles he blew when they left. He bought a whole box of wedding bubbles. He also got a few transformers, a coke and a truck for LoLo. The kid isn't dumb, he knew that more than bubbles would come out of that trip. Daddy also won both boys a ball out of the machine with the big claw in it. He was very excited about that.
Please continue to pray for Taylor's perfect health. Pray he is NED forever and will one day be pronounced CURED! Please pray for all the kids and families out there who are fighting a battle of sort.
October 7, 2005 Day +919 Day #617 off treatment
I am so glad it is Friday. Can you believe this weather. It is cold outside. I of course didn't think the weather man would get it right, so we all had on shorts today. It was cold in our class room with the air on and I am a little chilly in the house right now. Isn't that exciting! I don't really like cold weather, but it has been so hot that I am ready for the change. The only thing that would make it better was if I could sleep late tomorrow. I don't think Logan will go for it. Anyway, today was okay. Taylor behaved better, but I still had to call his name quite a few times. He is going to be the class clown. He is always getting loud and silly. He did not poop in his pants today. He did come running up the stairs at home and ran to the potty, but he made it. I talked to Meredith and she does not think his potty issues are physical since it is so sporadic. She recommended talking to the pediatrician since he would be more apt to deal with this daily. I will just ask him when we go in for Logan's 2 year check up unless it continues to be an issue. I do not like the nursing staff there that would return the call, so I will just wait to get him in person. I must say there is one nurse and she knows who she is, that is super nice and helpful, but otherwise they are not real friendly or helpful.
We have been hanging out since we got home from school. Logan took a good nap and Taylor and I played an I Spy book and then played legos. Taylor is now downstairs playing and Logan is riding his fire truck through the house and talking to himself. We have gotten our monies worth out of this fire truck. Taylor got it for his first Christmas and it is about worn out. We paid $9 bucks for it one night and kept it hidden for months. It is always that cheap present that they love the most.
I got tickled last night at Logan. He has a language all his own. I remember writing on this page one day all the strange words that Taylor use to say. I think I will put Logan's here to and we can compare it to Taylor's. I really have to decipher things around here.
Ca Ca- Jim Night Night-blanket Toot Toot-tootsie roll hi-hello or telephone
Ma mama-Pam Mine-passy My sticky-bubble tape tt- TV or bathroom
Papa-Eddie La La-Elmo car bike-riding firetruck brook- broke
Pippy-Neal Whoo Whoo-Fire truck noo noos-edible noodles or his broviac pish-fish
Guh-Janie Bob- Construction worker/equipment titichen-kitchen sit- sit or chair
Gugan-Uncle Dugan Huh Huh-oatmeal copter-plane/helicopter muck-milk
Taylor was 2 and a half years old when we made this list, so he had more words, but still didn't talk clear. Logan doesn't say as many words, but he is much easier to understand than Taylor was and sometimes is:) The car noise is funny to me. He just makes that spitting noise that little boys make when they are pushing cars. It is so funny now to read what Taylor used to call things. He has corrected most of that or changed it to another made up word. Funny boys! He does still call noodles noo noos. He can say the "F" in fish, but now with no teeth in front he can't say the "SH". He calls milk "mik" He still can't get that L in it.
Daddy-Jim bath-take a bath dog is anything with 4 legs I ride means he wants to ride the bike
Ghen Ghen-Gam maw or Jeanna spitting noise-car eph is elephant boo boo is his butt
Pop-Pop eat is just that eat ball is anything round he can say "I want', "what's dat' Taylor never did that.
Duh-Guh Paw paw is paw Paw bye bye is to actually leave or shoes
Baby-blanket hey is hello juice is any liquid in his cup
I will probably update again on Monday after our busy weekend. I hope it warms up a little for Sunday's trip to the pumpkin patch. Please pray for Taylor and his continued success against cancer. Pray that next weeks scans are NED with no mysterious spots. Pray he is cancer free forever! Pray for our dear friends from LA who have lost their precious Madison. Madison has been having a rough time in MSKCC the past few months and she went to be with Jesus Tuesday morning. You can visit her site at www.caringbridge.org/la/madison Pray for Amber as she starts 2 more years of chemo. Also wish her luck as she is on the homecoming court tonight. www.caringbridge.org/al/amber Visit Christi who had a response to her chemo, yahoo! www.christithomas.com
October 6, 2005 Day +918 Day #616 off treatment
I am so glad it is 4:00 on Thursday. That means just a few more hours until bed and then it is Friday. It hasn't been a bad week, but Friday is good anytime. I was by myself today, but it wasn't too bad. We did a lot of art which they love, so they were good. I am still floored at how well Taylor can cut. The whole class really does well. After school we came home and hung out. Taylor is in a diaper again. He told me he doesn't know he is doing it, but this time it was so big it had to hurt, I know he knew it was coming. I emailed Meredith. I am sure that this is just some sort of phase, but I wanted to be sure that there isn't anything that chemo or treatments could have done to cause this. Anyway, I am really just at my wits end about it and who do I call at that point, Meredith. I know she loves it!
We are doing nothing, but watching the rain. It is just a gloomy day. I hope that it gets cooler soon. We do weather every morning at circle time and even the kids are tired of putting the chart on sunny and warm.
I guess that is about it as far as happenings in the Watts house. I will try to update tomorrow, but sometimes Friday afternoon is crazy. I know this weekend will be busy. We have a wedding to go to and we are going to the pumpkin patch on Sunday.
Please pray for Taylor and his continued success against the beast that once ravaged his body. I am actually calm right now. I have gotten out of the funk I put myself last week. I am confident that scans will be clear. However, as time gets closer, I know that this confidence will waver, but I know with God and your prayers I will manage through. Please pray that scans and tests are crystal clear with no mysterious spots or cancer showing up.
October 5, 2005 Day +917 Day #615 off treatment
I forgot to tell you what Logan and Taylor have been up too lately. Taylor says he had nothing to do with it, but there is no way Logan did it alone. I have a big candle arrangement over my bed, it has 7 tapers in it and a bunch of little prisms that hang off of it. There is matching set of smaller ones over each night stand with prisms hanging on it. I guess they have been working on it gradually over a few days, but it was yesterday that I noticed it. I only noticed that all the candles were gone, but when we got to looking under the bed to get them we found all the prisms. Taylor had to climb under the bed to get it all. Our bed is very low in fact those under bed storage boxes doesn't even fit under it. He was a little scared I could tell, but he got it all out and found a dollar bill while he was at it. He kept that! We got it all out back together, but it was funny. It is one of those things we will laugh at 20 years from now about the little thieves.
It has been a day. Wednesday seems to be a crazy day at school. I am not sure why, but it is. I told Taylor that I was done arguing with him at school. He knows the rules and if he can not follow them then he will lose privileges. He didn't seem to care, so he has lost TV, Power Rangers, cars so far. He will soon have no toys in his room.
Jim got home and snuck around back rather than coming in the front. That threw Logan off. He was still waiting on him to come in the front door and he was inside. He is still wearing his clown hair. Did I tell ya'll that? Paw Paw bought Taylor some clown hair and he didn't like it, so we put it on Logan thinking he would just throw it down. He loves it. He wears it all the time for long periods of time. He is so nonchalant about it, like he always has a huge colorful wig on his head. He wore it out to eat the other night, that was fun! He had it on out in the yard cutting grass. It is so funny to watch him in it.
October 4, 2005 Day +916 Day #614 off treatment
Wow, I think it was harder to get up today that yesterday. I was very comfy and snuggly. We had a great day. We had a computer class today. Taylor loved it. He will start doing it regularly. It was great for us teachers too seeing as she took a few at a time and was gone for 30 minutes! It got the day all of schedule, but we will work all that out when we get a regular day scheduled and the kids did great to be off schedule.
The proofs came back today and their pictures turned out better than expected. I didn't get any of them together, but that's okay since we will do Christmas ones soon. Logan's are actually better than Taylor's. Taylor has a fake grin, but that is from her telling him to smile and not worry about what Logan was doing. They are still cute. Logan is not smiling, but he is not crying. A few are funny, you can see his arm is not in the picture, he is trying to grab baby.
We came straight home today. I smelled poop and I knew that Taylor did it. I asked him and he said no. As soon as we pulled in the driveway he decided to change his story. He said it just came out like magic when he was playing with Griffin. That was after school and I was cleaning up. Griffin is a church buddy that goes to big school and was out today and Taylor must not have wanted to take time out of his rare playtime with him to go potty. Oh well, he is still in a diaper. No, not a pull up, a diaper. He is furious! I told him if it happened again he would start wearing them everyday to school. UURGH, I don't know why he does this. Any suggestions to stop it? I told him that almost 5 year old boys who take computer classes can not poop in their pants.
Please pray that Taylor is NED forever. Pray for those who are still fighting. Pray for those missing a loved one. Pray for our troops. Pray for those in LA, MS and TX that were hit by hurricanes.
October 3, 2005 Day +915 Day #613 off treatment
Welcome back to Monday. It was an okay day. I had to call Jim at work and let him talk to Taylor who was acting up terribly. It calmed him somewhat. After school we met Jim at Subway for lunch. I tried to me a nice mom and take them to the park and play before speech, but Taylor cut that trip short. He pooped in his pants. We seem to go through spells where he will do this a lot and then he wont do it for a long time. Right now we are in a everyday period and it is killing me. We left the park and went to Nana's where I put a pull up on him. I did have extra clothes, but I am so tired of it. I thought, hoped that maybe if he was embarrassed by that he would stop. We shall see! We left Logan at Nana's and went to speech. Taylor has the best time playing at the hospital while he waits his turn. He reminds me of me. I don't remember ever going to the Dr. with my Meme or Pop often, but I recall a few trips where they had driven an elderly person from church and I went. I remember playing the same games he does. He walks on certain colors of tiles, he spies on people around corners. He plays with elevator buttons. You know, little kid games. I guess that isn't special, but just to know that he is doing normal things is special. Taylor did good as far as his cooperation and trying went, but he was not saying his words well at all. I think he gets confused. He can say tea, but when he tries to say bat he can not get the "T" sound out. He can say cold, but he can not say comb. He can say pop, but he can not say parade or prize. She uses a tongue depressor or "Magic Stick" to hold his tongue down so that he can't put it in the way. He also uses a mirror to see where he is placing his tongue and where it should go. He didn't make too much progress yesterday, but he cooperates and that counts. After speech we went to get Logan. He was laughing so hard I could hear him outside. He is so silly. We headed for home where we hung out and grilled out. Taylor and I went to Wal-mart. I had to get some meds for Logan, he has a yeast infection. I am not sure why, but he does. We also got Taylor a binder to keep all his speech stuff in. She gives him homework by copying flash cards for him to study. He loves to look at them and I thought if we made him his own book and kept it organized maybe he will cooperate more with me. He never says a word to Katie when she makes him say things, but he acts like I am killing him.
We will soon start going to speech on Tuesday. We had several options. They were to drive to Children's, come on Tuesday or change therapist. I chose Tuesday. I don't really care what day we go. I need to go to South rather than down town so that I can take Logan to Nana's and I really like Katie, so I want to stick with her. Taylor does too. It also works out because she has a 2:00 on Tuesday and that will make it easier to drop off Logan and go straight there and not have 2 hours to kill after school before we go.
Not much to report this Monday. Please pray that Taylor is NED forever. Pray that the scans have no mysterious spots. Pray that Amber is doing okay. Pray for Carter as he starts more chemo. Rejoice with Christi who saw disease decrease after 2 rounds of chemo!! You go girl! www.christithomas.com Pray for all the kids and families still fighting.
October 2, 2005 Day +914 Day #612 off treatment
What a fun day we had. We went to the zoo as it was free for Amsouth employees. We were going to go after church and Jim called to see if he needed his ID or anything and they said no, it was free for everyone not just Amsouth. The lady said come early, so we went ahead and went. We got there around 10:00 and it was not too bad. We left about 1:30 and the parking lot was so crowded that people were literally fighting over spots and parking on sidewalks. It was crazy, I am glad we went ahead and went early. It was funny to see how different Logan was compared to when we went in April. He was afraid of everything then and wouldn't hardly get out of the stroller. This time he was into it and was running all over with Taylor. They played in the playground for a long time. Taylor would do that all day and never see the animals if you would let him. He loves the spider web. He really thought it was cool when he got to the monkeys and they had the same sort of rope climbing things in their cages. In the new kids part there is an out house that has fake feet with pants around the ankles showing through the bottom. You look through little peep holes to see spiders and stuff. While Taylor loves the spiders, Logan was busy squatting down looking under the door to see who was in there. He is going to be that kid in a public bathroom that pops his head under the stall and says hey. They both liked all the animals. We rode the train. Logan just waved to the people as he went by. When it was time to go Taylor went to the gift shop to get his own prize. Logan refused to get out of the stroller. Very unlike him, but it was easier to go in with one, so we didn't fight it. Taylor picked out a truck and a snake and spent $12.75. I helped him get out $13 and when he handed it to her he said, "oh man, that's everything I got". It was very funny, but he does still have about $19 left. He likes to use my dollars instead!
We went back to Gam maw and Paw Paw's while Logan napped and Taylor played in the Halloween candy. He took over half the bowl home with him. We all went to dinner together then we headed home. I put the kids in the bathtub and then they went to bed and we were not too far behind them. I am happy to say that that all I saw Taylor do today was run! He didn't look sick or like he had any leg pain. He has not mentioned it again, so I am sure that it is just me getting all worked up. Please do continue praying for NED status with the coming scans.
October 1, 2005 Day +913 Day #611 off treatment
Wow, can you believe it is October. September seemed to linger on a little longer than the past few months have, but it still shouldn't already be October. It will be December soon and that means my baby will be 2. Oh my, can you imagine the "terrible two's" with Logan after the "ornery ones."
Just as planned Logan was up at 7:15. I was able to ignore him until 8:00. Taylor strolled into the living room at 8:30. He was already asking to go outside and he did after a breakfast of Reese Cups. It is Saturday and I let him pick his own breakfast, guess that was a mistake. Logan now knows how to get in and out of the baby swing alone and Taylor pushes him. It is very cute. The not so cute thing, well, it is cute but scare the mess out of me. Logan can climb the rock wall on the swing set, alone! That child is going to kill me.
It was a very low key day. I cleaned house and did my all time favorite, laundry. The boys were in and out playing and Jim was in and out with them and watching football. Guh and I went to the movies and Sam's late in the afternoon. I got home around 8:00 and found a mess. Ahh, the joys of living with 3 males...... I out Logan to bed and cleaned up again. I had to make Taylor clean up, but he was all for it when he earned another dollar. He now has $31 to take to the zoo tomorrow. I told him he was buying his own prize at the gift shop.
I'm going to bare all tonight not that I don't normally. I have been so scared lately. I am sure that it is due to the recent events with Taylor's leg pain and friends finding out they had relapsed or had other issues, but I have just not been able to get out of this funk I have fallen into. I am always freaked out at scan time, but I am so afraid that the rug is going to be pulled out from under us this time. I have no real reason to think this other than my own imagination and Satan getting the better of me. Please pray that I am just making myself crazy and that all will be fine. Pray Taylor is now and always will be NED.
I also ask you to pray for a friend from Children's. Amber has relapsed with ALL. She has just finished tx this summer and had her port removed and she got it put back in this week and will start all over again with her treatments. She is a senior in high school, but to read her journals you would think she was much older. She is so wise and had a Faith in God that is so strong. Be sure to pray for her and stop by and read her beautiful page. www.caringbridge.org/al/amber Also remember Madison who had a hole eaten in her stomach from the steroids she had to take. She was in critical condition the last time I heard. She has just been diagnosed and already a major set back. Please pray for her and her family. Pray she gets over this hump and soon. Pray for Carter who has been having aches and pains. Pray for Christi who is rescanning this week. Pray for Cam, Davis, Nick, Carolyn, Morgan, Jake Owen, Sarah, Harrison, Anna, Madison. These are just a few NB kids, but there are so many more. You can donate to the Lunch For Life Fund, Alex Lemonade Stand, and many other childhood cancer research projects at any time of year. Please consider doing so and maybe one day we will have a cure!
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