I know it's been a few days since I've updated everyone, so I wanted to let you know that Kendall and I drove back in to Gardendale on Friday night. We got home around 3:30am in the morning. This drive was really hard to do. Traffic was terrible. We had a Christmas party at 10:00am so there wasn't much room for sleep.
Kendall is feeling really good right now. Her levels are up and she should be able to enjoy Christmas and her birthday. We have to leave on December 30 to go back to Houston. We all are going to go to experience a New Year together. Not too much going on the rest of the week. I will give some updates if anything should change and post again in a few days. I have to get ready to go back to work today. God Bless each one of you.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Thy Neighbor
There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about Kendall and her journey. How much it has affected her life...our lives...the life of others. And...life...is what it affects.
Kendall's doctor appointments this week have all been good reports. The MRI reports that the tumors are 99% gone. Her blast cells are at 3%, still good enough to be considered in remission. And the physical pain is almost all but gone, with the exception of certain procedures she is still having. Kendall's doctor said she can home this weekend and not have to return until December 30. So Kendall will be able to spend Christmas and her birthday at HOME...with family and friends. That leaves her with just two more treatment cycles to go...January and February. Hopefully after that, Kendall will be healthy enough to come home for good....minus the repeated trips back out to Houston for follow-up testing. But Kendall is ready to move forward and finish strong.
The last couple of months have been very hard, physically and emotionally for Kendall. Still she remains dedicated to get through this. Don't get me wrong, there have been some MOMENTS to where I didn't know how we were going to get through it. But we have. And we continue to fight as long as it may take.
I read some literature at the hospital over the last couple of weeks and there was one certain question that kept coming up. The question was, "Where is God in all of this?" I read the the responses in their literature but have come up with my own version of where He is. I have heard about God for my entire life. I have been to church. I have been to Sunday school. I have been to all the programs that the church has to get one acquainted with God. I have been Saved. I have been Baptised. But for some reason, God has always been to me....more like the next door neighbor that you occasionally see. They're always there, but you don't always acknowledge it like you should. Since Kendall's journey has begun, it has helped me to start a new renewed relationship with God. I have opened my doors to the neighbor. I have invited Him into my home...into my life. It's a relationship that I have wanted for a long time. Everyone deals with it in their own way and I don't know that any one way is better than another. But I for one am excited about my neighbor. Am I the perfect neighbor? Well, no. But I do enjoy trying to be better every day.
What does that have to do with Kendall's journey, well I don't know. But when I look at her, knowing what she has to go through and face every day, it helps to give me strength to be the person...the Godly person...that God wants me to be. It helps me be the better person that Kendall may want me to be.
Kendall has one more appointment this week and that is on Friday. She has blood work and a lumbar puncture that afternoon. After that, we plan on driving home for the holidays. Can't wait to see everyone and enjoy your company.
Luke 10:27
He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself."
Kendall's doctor appointments this week have all been good reports. The MRI reports that the tumors are 99% gone. Her blast cells are at 3%, still good enough to be considered in remission. And the physical pain is almost all but gone, with the exception of certain procedures she is still having. Kendall's doctor said she can home this weekend and not have to return until December 30. So Kendall will be able to spend Christmas and her birthday at HOME...with family and friends. That leaves her with just two more treatment cycles to go...January and February. Hopefully after that, Kendall will be healthy enough to come home for good....minus the repeated trips back out to Houston for follow-up testing. But Kendall is ready to move forward and finish strong.
The last couple of months have been very hard, physically and emotionally for Kendall. Still she remains dedicated to get through this. Don't get me wrong, there have been some MOMENTS to where I didn't know how we were going to get through it. But we have. And we continue to fight as long as it may take.
I read some literature at the hospital over the last couple of weeks and there was one certain question that kept coming up. The question was, "Where is God in all of this?" I read the the responses in their literature but have come up with my own version of where He is. I have heard about God for my entire life. I have been to church. I have been to Sunday school. I have been to all the programs that the church has to get one acquainted with God. I have been Saved. I have been Baptised. But for some reason, God has always been to me....more like the next door neighbor that you occasionally see. They're always there, but you don't always acknowledge it like you should. Since Kendall's journey has begun, it has helped me to start a new renewed relationship with God. I have opened my doors to the neighbor. I have invited Him into my home...into my life. It's a relationship that I have wanted for a long time. Everyone deals with it in their own way and I don't know that any one way is better than another. But I for one am excited about my neighbor. Am I the perfect neighbor? Well, no. But I do enjoy trying to be better every day.
What does that have to do with Kendall's journey, well I don't know. But when I look at her, knowing what she has to go through and face every day, it helps to give me strength to be the person...the Godly person...that God wants me to be. It helps me be the better person that Kendall may want me to be.
Kendall has one more appointment this week and that is on Friday. She has blood work and a lumbar puncture that afternoon. After that, we plan on driving home for the holidays. Can't wait to see everyone and enjoy your company.
Luke 10:27
He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself."
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Adventure's In Houston
Well those two days sure did go by fast. Kendall has been feeling really good. I've had her up and moving around and even took an exploration around Houston. I wouldn't dare say it but Kendall says we were lost. But we ended up at the Bass Pro Shops and I told her that was exactly where I was taking her. Somehow I don't think she believed me. But we had a good couple of off days anyway.
Kendall has a doctors appointment tomorrow for blood work and a checkup. I'm hoping that since her energy level has increased some over the last couple of days that she won't need any platelets. I even told her that since she doesn't have another appointment until Tuesday, that I would bring her home for the weekend. So we will be driving in late tomorrow night or by Friday, as long as everything goes well at the doctor. We meet the doctor again next week to find out our Christmas schedule and how long she can stay home for the holidays, before she starts the next round.
Psalm 105:4
Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!
Kendall has a doctors appointment tomorrow for blood work and a checkup. I'm hoping that since her energy level has increased some over the last couple of days that she won't need any platelets. I even told her that since she doesn't have another appointment until Tuesday, that I would bring her home for the weekend. So we will be driving in late tomorrow night or by Friday, as long as everything goes well at the doctor. We meet the doctor again next week to find out our Christmas schedule and how long she can stay home for the holidays, before she starts the next round.
Psalm 105:4
Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!
Monday, December 7, 2009
Monday Can Be A Good Day
Who said Monday's aren't good days. Today was a really good day for Kendall. We went to the doctor first thing this morning for blood work. We even got the results back really fast. Her counts are on the way up. Her white blood cells are coming up the fastest. She still needed platelets, but even they were beginning to improve. Kendall had a lumbar puncture scheduled for tomorrow but the doctor said she could have it done today so we can have a free day tomorrow. The procedure went really smooth and no pain. So now we don't have to go back to the doctor until Thursday. After that, if all is still good, Kendall and me are going to take a weekend trip. We thought we would pop in on Gardendale for the weekend and surprise everyone but Kendall let that out of the bag last night. But we are still excited to get a weekend trip. I know its a lot of driving for the weekend, but Kendall has had a hard week and I told her we could do whatever she wanted to do.
We didn't do much over the weekend. Kendall hasn't been sleeping well, which causes me not to sleep well. We stayed around the apartment, watched Alabama play football on Saturday and managed to clean up a little. Wow! What excitement. Who am I kidding, we had fun. We even made it to a movie.
....Somethings go without being said, but sometimes things need to be said. No matter how hard they are to say. Both parties share an equal hurt and pain. Pain that comes from having to hear the truth. Why does the truth hurt sometimes. Nobody wants to be hurt. Whether your on the giving or receiving end of it. But it doesn't mean that love is gone. It means that love is stronger, stronger than it has ever been. Some of the hardest times we are having to go through are having to say the truth. Truth knowing that it brings pain. Pain knowing that it hurts someone I love. And love....love knowing that it will always be there.
John 14:26
The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
We didn't do much over the weekend. Kendall hasn't been sleeping well, which causes me not to sleep well. We stayed around the apartment, watched Alabama play football on Saturday and managed to clean up a little. Wow! What excitement. Who am I kidding, we had fun. We even made it to a movie.
....Somethings go without being said, but sometimes things need to be said. No matter how hard they are to say. Both parties share an equal hurt and pain. Pain that comes from having to hear the truth. Why does the truth hurt sometimes. Nobody wants to be hurt. Whether your on the giving or receiving end of it. But it doesn't mean that love is gone. It means that love is stronger, stronger than it has ever been. Some of the hardest times we are having to go through are having to say the truth. Truth knowing that it brings pain. Pain knowing that it hurts someone I love. And love....love knowing that it will always be there.
John 14:26
The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Snow Is Falling
Thursday came and went so fast, I don't know what happened. We went to the doctor first thing Thursday for blood work. Kendall's counts were improving a little but still not as fast as they have been. Her white blood cells doubled to .6 which is still not very good but at least it's on the way up. Kendall had to have platelets so we were able to spend the day at the hospital. So much fun!!! Hopefully this should be the last time she receives blood for this cycle. We went back to the apartment and Kendall took a nap. She has been having some pain over the last couple of days. Kendall stayed in bed the rest of the night except when I had her watch the Gardendale Christmas Parade with me on the internet. Someone had posted a live internet feed to watch it. I really missed being there this year. This is the first parade I have ever missed. I'm usually working the parade at an intersection. I love the parades but am glad I got to see it.
So I wake up this morning to snow falling. Can you believe it, snow in Houston? Been snowing all morning and still snowing hard right now. Don't think it's sticking though, the ground is too warm. I ran and got Kendall out of bed and she was excited for about 3 minutes and then went back to bed. Maybe the snow will work its way to Birmingham. I know Dylan wants to see some snow really bad.
The doctor called this morning and we talked about Kendall's schedule for the holidays. They don't want to postpone her treatment for too long but it looks like we will be home for Christmas and most likely for her birthday. That's of course still under draft but that's what we're hoping for. Kendall is very excited about that but then she will probably be receiving chemo during the New Years holiday.
I'm gonna get Kendall out to the grocery store after while and maybe a trip to Walmart to walk around. Nothing other than that so she can be rested for the big game tomorrow.
John 8:12
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.
So I wake up this morning to snow falling. Can you believe it, snow in Houston? Been snowing all morning and still snowing hard right now. Don't think it's sticking though, the ground is too warm. I ran and got Kendall out of bed and she was excited for about 3 minutes and then went back to bed. Maybe the snow will work its way to Birmingham. I know Dylan wants to see some snow really bad.
The doctor called this morning and we talked about Kendall's schedule for the holidays. They don't want to postpone her treatment for too long but it looks like we will be home for Christmas and most likely for her birthday. That's of course still under draft but that's what we're hoping for. Kendall is very excited about that but then she will probably be receiving chemo during the New Years holiday.
I'm gonna get Kendall out to the grocery store after while and maybe a trip to Walmart to walk around. Nothing other than that so she can be rested for the big game tomorrow.
John 8:12
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Plans Are MadeTo Be Broken
One thing is for sure, that if we try and make plans....they always change. Kendall had a plan yesterday to be in and out at the doctors office and then to do some things around the apartment. Well, after spending all morning checking her blood, she was a few quarts low again. Back to the infusion center where she received another 2 units of blood and 6 units of platelets. I think everyone had the same idea....because the hospital was packed. After it was all said and done, it was about 1:30am when we got back to the apartment. We did watch a movie while we were there, but mostly listened to the tv from the other room because it was so loud. It wasn't so bad except that it was in a foreign language and we couldn't understand it.
Kendall has slept most of the day today. She has eaten a little but not much. Me, I haven't done to much except clean up. I can't stop cleaning. I know, Tammy probably wishes I was home while I'm in cleaning mode. Who knows, it may carry over a few weeks.
2 Corinthians 1:12
Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God. We have done so not according to worldly wisdom but according to God's grace.
As I continue to learn about my growing relationship with God, I strongly believe that with His help, my plans will always be changing...... for God's grace.
Kendall has slept most of the day today. She has eaten a little but not much. Me, I haven't done to much except clean up. I can't stop cleaning. I know, Tammy probably wishes I was home while I'm in cleaning mode. Who knows, it may carry over a few weeks.
2 Corinthians 1:12
Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God. We have done so not according to worldly wisdom but according to God's grace.
As I continue to learn about my growing relationship with God, I strongly believe that with His help, my plans will always be changing...... for God's grace.
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