Overdue Thanks

It may be a few days after Thanksgiving but today is still a pretty big day for us as it has now officially been 365 days since Tim was rediagnosed & our world was sent spinning yet again. This time it seemed like the spinning was even more out of control than the first and we were feeling pretty lost for awhile. Today, though, we get to celebrate that Tim is still here, still strong & still fighting. It has not been an easy year for us in a multitude of ways but we've managed to make it through thanks to so many wonderful people.

I realized this past week that although we've mentioned some of incredible acts of kindness we've seen over the past year, I don't think we've really stepped back to thank everyone as we should. There have been so many people that have helped in so many different ways, some without even realizing just how much their actions meant to us. From both of our companies & the employees of each stepping out way above & beyond anything we could've imagined to our friends, family & neighbors who have made sure we are well cared for in every imaginable way to the strangers who have provided random acts of kindness through a thoughtful word or gesture and finally all of the caregivers who have become like a second family to us over these past 2 years.

There really are no words to tell you all how much we appreciate everything, I guess that's why its taken us so long to even try, we've been searching for the words to let you know how much it all means & just how blown away we've been but there really are none that do any justice. So please just know that you have changed us & our lives for the better.

We still have an incredibly long way to go, and we know there will be lots of ups & downs ahead but please know just how incredibly grateful we are each day to know how strong of a support system we have behind us.

Number 32

Let me first start this blog off by saying sorry that I havent written anything in a while. Things have been pretty quiet around my household so there really hasnt been much to talk about. But I am here currently at the Cancer Center getting a treatment and got a bit of good news here today so I thought that I would pass it along. My CEA has been dropping over the past 6 - 7 treatments and we found out today that it has gone from 4 to 3.4. Which means that I am almost normal again. We still have a ways to go but it was nice to hear such a big drop when I got here today.

This past weekend Steven got invited to play Sage Valley on Saturday and was able to take a guest with him. I was the lucky guest that got to go. This was my second trip down there and it was just as much fun as the first. It is such a great golf course and it is really fun to play with a caddy. I didnt put the ball very well but it was still a great trip. We stayed overnight Saturday after the golf in one of the cottages that they have on site and it was really nice. We were able to watch Carolina lose and then watch the Bama vs LSU game also. We got to meet some great people and had a lot of fun.

I am hopefully going to finish this treatment with ease and then will be able to head down to Columbia to watch USC vs Florida on Saturday. I hope that everyone has a great week.

Tim

New Addition

Before I even start to talk about myself and my treatments this past week I want to congratulate my brother and Haley for the newest Bright that was brought into this world. Mr. Harlan Thomas Bright was born two Saturdays ago and I might be bias but he extremely cute and Miss Lillian is very sweet to him.

Now on to me, treatment two weeks ago was pretty easy but I still felt pretty run down on Friday night.  Over the past couple of treatments I have found that I am now able to eat toast those days.  This makes the treatments much more manageable for me, I think that it is the fact that I am not letting my stomach get empty and as much as it pains me to say this, Jenny was right. This week's treatment has started out well as I received good news today when I found out that my CEA has dropped from 7.1 to 4.9.  I am hoping to get it back down below the 3's and that if I do Dr. Edenfield will give me a little bit of extra time between treatments.

We were also told that at some point I'll need to have a lung biopsy performed which is pretty scary because that will require a two night stay in the hospital and a chest-tube. It's actually a pretty standard procedure, it just makes me a little nervous because of everything involved with it. Luckily that is still awhile away.

This past weekend Jenny and I went down to Columbia for the USC vs. Vandy football game. I went down early in the morning to play golf with a family friend, Brad at Columbia Country Club in their Saturday dog-fight. We did not win but had a really good time playing. After the golf was over I went back to the hotel got a quick shower and headed right out the door for the football game. Mom and Dad's good friend Rusty got us a parking pass with him over at Carolina Walk and had a great time hanging out there with them. We then went and saw Matt and Charlotte over at Charlotte's parents condo right there at the stadium. It was good to get back down to Columbia for a game (even though we didnt play well).

Other than what is listed above we've been pretty boring, just getting good use out of the DVR Jenny's Dad made for us and doing the work thing. Jenny has come up with what she is calling a "brilliant" plan for our Christmas cards so I'm sure that will involve me at some point, I never know what she will think of next.

I hope that everyone has a good rest of the week.

Number.....Too Many To Count

I have lost track now of how many treatments I have gone through. (HaHa) This past week's treatment was much easier than the past 2 that I have been through. I still haven't found the trick as to why some are easier than others. The weekend before this past treatment I went with Steven to Crossville, TN. to play in a little golf tournament with some of his friends from Vandy. We were on Team Green and got smoked by Team Red. It was a lot of fun and I met some really cool guys.

Finally college football season has started again. Carolina didnt look too hot in the 1st quarter, and I actually remember telling Jenny that if Carolina lost that I wouldn't go or watch any more Carolina games the rest of the year. (That wouldnt have lasted too long) Thankfully they turned things around and played decently the rest of the game. Michael came over for the 2nd quarter and then we ended up at he and Megan's house for the 2nd half.

Sunday night we went over to Michael and Megan's house for dinner along with Jason and Jessica Palmer. Chef Michael made his lamb burgers again and they were just as good as the first time that he made them. Jason and Jessica brought their cute daughter Emery over to play with Michael & Megan's son Eli and it was a lot of fun to watch those two play together. (Kids are still a ways off for this guy)

On Monday we went over to Jenny's grandma's house with her family and some of her grandma's friends for lunch. She had Bucky's BBQ catered in for lunch and it hit the spot. Jenny then went with her cousin Jessica shopping the rest of the afternoon and I just laid around the house for a bit before I went over to my parents for our Fantasy Football draft. I picked up Cutler and he is going to lead "The Boyband Stalkers" to the promised land this year.

I have my colonoscopy (or technically sigmoidoscopy or something like that) tomorrow morning. Hope everyone else has started to sign up for their check-ups.

I hope that everyone had a great Labor Day and great rest of the week.

Tim

Greenville Victim

Some of you may have heard of the man who was beaten in downtown Greenville this past week and is now in a coma. If not, here is a link to the story so you can get a little more background on his situation: http://www.wyff4.com/news/28949066/detail.html.

Today we received an email from one of our Sunday school teachers telling us of the amazing background of the victim. He really is inspiring & thought more people may want to know his story, so here it is!

August 23, 2011

RE:  Jorge Jimenez-Flores

Dear Friends of Bridges to a Brighter Future:

We are writing to make you aware of a horrible attack on an amazing young man and asking for your support to assist his special family.  Jorge Jimenez-Flores was the victim of an unprovoked attack in downtown Greenville on early Sunday morning, August 21.  He was hit in the head and is currently in the ICU at Greenville Memorial.  He has sustained injuries to the front and back of his head.   Today he had surgery to relieve the pressure on his brain from swelling and bleeding.  They removed a portion of his skull to allow his brain to expand.  The police are currently working to find the attacker.  They have recently released video to the media to try to find the attacker.

Jorge Jimenez-Flores is the epitome of a young man living the American Dream.  He came to America in middle school and worked on a peach farm for a couple of years before entering school.  He and his family are here legally.  He entered in ninth grade knowing very little English.  He was accepted into the Bridges to a Brighter Future program at Furman University during his ninth grade year and began attending Blue Ridge High School his sophomore year.  He was a beloved student at Bridges to a Brighter Future and Blue Ridge High School.  He flourished in the Bridges program, being elected to the student leadership team and receiving many academic awards.  Many of us have never known a student more hard working than Jorge.  He worked full-time (40 hours per week) all through high school to support his family.  In addition, he spent several summers in high school and college going to Nicaragua on mission trips with his high school Spanish Teacher.  Jorge is a beloved part of the mission team and always connected with the Nicaraguan children.

It was a very special day and especially meaningful when we surprised Jorge at Blue Ridge High to present him his admission letter to Furman University and the news that he would also be given a full financial aid package (see attached picture)!  Jorge's college dreams were coming true!  He was the first in his family to graduate from high school and enroll in college!  Jorge had a very successful four years at Furman.  He flourished and grew into a confident young man.  It wasn't always easy, he had to work very hard as English was his second language and he continued to work through college to support his family.  During his Junior and Senior years, he started an internship with ACCH, Alliance for Collaboration with the Hispanic Community, an organization whose mission is to enrich the quality of life in Greenville by coordinating initiatives for our Hispanic community.   Jorge also studied abroad in Chile his last semester of college, getting the experience of a lifetime.

As result of his hard work and determination, Jorge graduated from Furman in May!  This was a very proud day for his mother, father, and siblings.  Perhaps one of Jorge's greatest accomplishments has been being a positive role model in his family.  His younger sister, Maria is now a sophomore at Clemson, having a very successful freshman year.  Because of Jorge's trailblazing, Maria is succeeding in college!

Currently, Jorge continues to volunteer with ACCH and work in the community to enhance the lives and opportunities for Hispanic people while looking for full-time opportunities.  He was featured in a Greenville News article in June about successful immigrants.

Those of us close to Jorge were shocked to hear of the news of the attack.  In the words of an Academic Dean at Furman, “I feel angry and deeply sad that something like this would happen to such a wonderful human being.”  Jorge is indeed one of the most exceptional human beings to walk this earth.

We say all of this to request your support.  Jorge does not have health insurance.  In addition, he was the sole source of income for his family.  His father suffers from glaucoma and is not able to work.  Jorge has always selflessly assisted his family.  

We are currently working with various State and private agencies to manage what are sure to be very high medical bills.  We are requesting your support to assist his family with living expenses. We have set up a fund through Furman University’s Chaplains Office to accept donations for his family.  The donations are not tax-deductible since they will in turn be given to the family.  Checks must be made to Furman University and in the memo:  Jorge Jimenez

Please send contributions to:

Furman University

Chaplains Office

C/O Susan Bennett

3300 Poinsett Highway

Greenville, SC  29613

Or drop them off at the Chaplain's Office (8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., M-F), located in the basement of the Furman Chapel on the left side of the Chapel if you are facing it.

Make checks payable to:  Furman University

Memo:  Jorge Jimenez

In addition to contributions, we ask for your prayers and positive thoughts.  We expect Jorge to make a full recovery.  At this time, what he needs most is for all of us to pray for his healing.

Jorge has worked hard for his family, I hope you will join us as we all come together and work selflessly for him, he deserves it!  

With a grateful and humble heart,

Tobi Swartz

Tobi K. Swartz

Director

Bridges to a Brighter Future

Furman University

Office:  864.294.3135

Cell:  864.313.6941

Visit our website at:  http://www.furman.edu/bridges

Visit our blog at:  http://furmanbridges.blogspot.com

Visit our YouTube page at:  http://www.youtube.com/user/FurmanBridgestoaBF

Changing the world, one young person at a time.

A Little Help

Hi all! This week's treatment has been a little rough on Tim so I thought I'd help him out by doing a post. Plus he likes to procrastinate which drives the OCD in me slighly crazy. I'm writing this at 12:30AM on Friday so if its a little random I apologize! I took a 3 hour nap this evening (bad, bad idea) and am now wide awake when I should be sleeping, oops! We're not really sure why this week has been so rough as he ate lunch yesterday (and a really good cinnamon bun from the Lewis's with thick & gooey caramel icing on top...yum!). Yesterday went pretty smoothly but he woke up with a pretty rough headache this morning and has been off ever since, even getting sick this evening which really has only happened once before during treatment. Luckily though there is no fever and this isn't anything that some cheerios (or in our case Joe O's), meds and some sleep can't fix (as well as getting unhooked tomorrow). We think (technically I think, didn't know about my medical degree did you?) it may have to do with hayfever as I know I've been feeling that so hopefully we can get him on some allegra & he will be good to go next time.

They did switch up the Erbitux to Vectibix in the hope that it will bring down his CEA. He's also going back to the original dosage which we are also hoping will help. Now its just a matter of keeping the rash under control so he can continue treatment at the higher dosage. We're hoping with it being summer and humid that it will be easier to contain this time but only time will tell!

He has been accepted to a Clinical Trial through Sloan-Kettering in NY that we are pretty excited to have him be a part of. It isn't anything having to do with treatment but will hopefully help someone else down the line. Its testing people with colon cancer & their parents who are cancer-free (through saliva so no traveling or bloodwork necessary!) to see if there has been a mutation in any genes after being transferred down. They are guessing the mutation may have to do with environment and although we will never know the results of Tim from this we are excited that he is getting the opportunity to participate and hopefully give a little more knowledge to the background of this disease.

We also have something we wanted to see if we could get some help with...Tim is having another colonoscopy on Sept 7th. It isn't anything to be alarmed of, just standard operating procedure to go back in & check that the portions of his colon that were sewn back together have still healed in the manner that they were supposed to. I'll try to get a video of him waking up from the drugs to put on here...its pretty entertaining :). But back to why we need help...recently a close friend of ours was diagnosed with testicular cancer. He is still at the early stages of the whole journey but it is looking as though he got lucky and it was caught early (which we are all SO excited about). Someone else who is also pretty close to us was diagnosed with colon cancer just last week. Everything is just beginning with that person and we are very hopefully for what the results may be but once again considering they had just had a colonoscopy 3 years ago it was a combination of luck and having the courage to go see a doctor when it seemed as though something was wrong.

Neither of us are really sure how to do this or what needs to be done but one of the things that is so important to us is spreading the word about prevention & early detection. There are so many solutions if things are caught early enough and one of the ways that can happen is to have a yearly physical and if you are old enough or have the family history, to have a colonoscopy on a regular basis as determined by your doctor. Neither event is complicated but it can be inconvenient to find the time to do that appointment and more so it can be scary if you suspect there may be something amiss.

This is where you guys come in...somehow we want to spread the word over the next 2 1/2 weeks to encourage people to get their yearly physicals and schedule the colonoscopy they have been putting off for whatever reason it may be. Just having a doctor ask the right questions every year could help a problem be discovered early on rather than after it has advanced and become a bigger issue. So if you all could tweet, use your status updates, blog, email, write letters, whatever it is that you do, to help spread Tim's story and encourage others to schedule & get their check-ups we would greatly appreciate it. Obviously Tim is getting his, I just had mine & came up clear & even our dog Maddy got in on the action. Apparently she is slightly overweight...guess it runs in the family! :) Plus my mom gives her treats for "being cute," pretty sure I wasn't given cookies for the same reason when I was younger (yep, that's jealousy)... Anyways, its the start of a new school year so why not start it out as healthy as possible? We're hoping to get as many people in on the action as possible but really we have no idea how to track it so any ideas on spreading the word or tracking the progress are greatly appreciated!

Thanks all for the help!

From this weekend

 The Lewis's, the people who always bring the amazing doughnuts brought something new today from the Menonite Bakery. This time it was a cinnamon bun smothered in caramel icing...yes it was amazing.

In an attempt to make it a little more interesting here are some pictures from our trip to Charleston. Click Here.

26 and Counting

I have now been through a total of 26 treatments and number 3 of this latest round. The round before this was not too rough but this round made it all up. I felt pretty good when I got home, I took a short nap and woke up not feeling good at all. And when I say that I didn't feel good I just mean that I was a bit nausious, achey, and just couldn't get comfortable. I was able to eat Cheerios this time, and that is the first time I have been able to eat anything other than smoothies and popsicles over the past 15 treatements.

Jenny and I did our normal grocery shopping on Saturday and ran 1 or 2 more errands before we headed home for the day. On Sunday we just took it real easy and had my brother, Haley, and the beautiful Lilian over for dinner. Lillian is now almost 15 months old and she is just a big ball of energy and so funny.

Jenny left town Thursday to head down to Charleston for her sorority sister Jenny Lacus' wedding. I had to work on Friday before I headed down for the weekend. Jenny stayed at another one of her sorority sisters Megan Smith's house. The wedding was great and Jenny Lacus look beautiful in her dress. After the wedding was over we went back to Megan's house and hung out for a little bit. At around 1:30 or so in the morning her friends took a circle of cake with a candle and sang Happy Birthday to me. It was great and extremly thoughful of them to do that.

Jenny and I woke up Sunday and went to Lost Dogs to eat with Megan and her boyfriend Cameron. After brunch Jenny and I walked around Charleston before making the trip back to Greenville.

It was a fun birthday weekend, but now it is time to get back to work on M0nday. I hope that everyone had a great week.

Tim

Quarter of a Century

I have now hit the quarter of a century mark having gone through my 25th total treatment since March of last year. It sounds like a lot and it is but, I am still here and still going strong. I have told numerous people that I actually feel better today than I did 3 years ago. The number of treatments that I will have in the near future is an undetermined number. I will continue to get breaks from time to time, but more treatments are in the future for me. I know that most of the time I am a positive person about all of this but I will tell you that it gets frustrating from time to time thinking about treatments coming up. Those times are few and far between and only make me that much more determined to beat this and put it in the past.

This past week's treatment was one of the easier treatments that I have had. Jenny and I left The Center Center on Wed. at close to 4:15 in the afternoon. That is extremely late for us to leave. I dont know if it was the long day on Wed. or what but come Thurs and Fri I slept for the better part of the day both days.

On Saturday evening Jenny & I went to a wedding shower for Kris and Lauren and got to see a lot of Jenny's friends from college. On Sunday I woke up and met my brother and parents at Thornblade for brunch and then dad, Steven, and I teed off at 1:40 that afternoon. As the temps got close to 97 degrees that afternoon, I made it through 12 holes before bowing out and heading home.

This weekend dad and I are going down to Columbia for a golf tournament, but other than that it should be a pretty quiet weekend around the house. I hope that everyone has a great week.

Here We Go Again

Well I have had a nice break of a little over a month, but now it is time to get back onto chemo for a little bit. I went into the Cancer Center today thinking that I was just getting my Erbitux and would head back to work, but instead I got the news that I would be starting my treatments again. My CEA has risen ever so slightly over the past month and Dr. Edenfield decided to be proactive and start the FOLFIRI again. I was hoping to get through at least one more week since I am was supposed to be leaving for the beach after work on Friday.

Since the last post I made life has been pretty quiet around the Bright household. My Aunt Rhonda and Uncle Rick came into town with my cousins Kristin and Eric for the 4th. Jenny and I also made a quick trip down to Columbia for my alumni game on the 3rd. It was good to get to see my family since we dont get to see them very often when they live up in Penn.

I am sorry that I have taken such a long break, but really didn't have too much to update everyone with. I hope that everyone had a great 4th of July.

Tim

The Happy Things In Life

After this past week's "Debbie Downer" post I felt like it was a good time to reflect on some of the great things that I have in my life. I feel like the last blog post was sad and that my life isn't always great which isn't necessarily true. I don't if I have been able to thank all of the people that have been so wonderful in Jenny and I's life. This disease hasn't been the worst thing to happen to me it has been the best and it is all to the people I wanted to thank below.


It first starts the girl that I married last April 10. I couldn't have picked a better thing to do with my life, and a better person to enjoy the rest of my life with. Jenny has been my rock throughout this process. She has had her bad days but that is expected for a person in her shoes. She has to sit and watch some crazy things that happen or have happened to her husband. And to find out this news about her fiance as we are 3 months before out wedding had to completely shock her and have her ask "Why Me?" but she never did and hasn't to this day. She has been tough and told me things that I don't want to hear and don't always agree with, but she has been by my side the whole time. I am truly blessed that she choose to put up with my stubborn self for the rest of her life and that she really did take the "in sickness" part of our vows so seriously. She keeps her smile on her face and I love her more and more everyday.


I feel that I have the best parents on this planet. They have been there for most of the good and bad times since last Feb. It is a hard thing to see your parents cry over something that is happening to you. I hear all the time that they wish they could do more. But little do they know they have don't everything they possibly can and to that I am thankful and couldn't love them more. They have been so caring and helpful to Jenny and I, and I don't know how I will ever repay them. I love you both very much.


Last May my brother and his wife Haley brought a beautiful young girl into this world. She immediately took away the attention from everything going on with me and put it on her. This has made the past year so much easier for me. And I don't blame anyone, she is much cutier than I could ever be. To have a brother like I do doesn't happen very often. He doesn't like to talk directly with me about what goes on but is in constant contact with Jenny and my parents. We have been best friends since he was born in 1984. He knows me inside and out and how to keep my mind of what is going on and does a good job of it. And to Haley I am so happy to have you be one of my sisters and I am amazed you are able to put up with Steven. Kudos to you.


The "Clanton Clan". I can remember the Friday at the hospital when we found out it was Stage III and the next day the Clantons came right up to the hospital to be with Jenny even though she kept saying she didn't need anything. They have such great family morals and I am very blessed to be apart of the "Clan". There have been times that have been pretty rough on Jenny and I and they are always right there when we need them. My brother and sister-in-law, even though they live in Columbia, constantly show their compassion and support for Jenny and I. I guess that I am saying how lucky I am to have married in to such a loving, close-nit, and compassionate family. I love the whole "Clan" dearly.

I also want to thank the rest of our families. They might not be able to to make it to every event or know absolutely everything that goes on but they try their best and have been extemely supportive to Jenny and I. They all keep in constant contact with us and have all offered to step in whenever we may need them. That includes our little pup Maddy who is always willing to distract me from whats going on in my life by just being so cute.

The Brightlife crew. When I first heard the idea I was skeptical that the idea would take off in any way or fashion, not that I thought they couldn't do it, I just didn't think there would be the interest. What this group of people has been able to do in a 5 month period is breath-taking. The help and time that these people have put into 3 different and amazing events is simply humbiling. Originally I was not really close with some of the people that are associated with this group but they treated me as a best friend and couldn't be happier to help Jenny and myself, and that can't show more of what type of people you all are. All of these people are so incredibly selfless and I couldn't be more appreciative. So thank you thank you thank you for everything that y'all have done.


Bent.....I mean Lee and Associates. The group of people that I get the chance to go to work with every day is the best group I could ask for. Even though there are a few Tigers and a Bulldog in the group they are great people. For them to understand my situation and work their schedules around mine has been such a blessing and shows the type of loyalty we have within our company. And to single 2 people out is not fair but it's my blog and I will do what I please. First to Richard: the advice and the encouragement I recieve everyday from my "office mate" and "life coach" has been a blessing to me. He has been around the block and has tons of knowledge not only about work but about life situations has helped me immensley. So Thank You. Second but not last is to Randall. I can remember walking into his room after my first Colonoscopy back in Jan. 2010 and breaking down telling him the news. He has become a great friend and mentor to me for the past few years and the look in his eyes that day made me feel like a second son to him and that has gone a long way for the respect that I have for him. They could have let me go for knowing what the road ahead of my entails but they didn't and has stuck by me throughout the process. They have all gone above and beyond and this just shows why we have such a close group and Lee. I love everyone there and I am very lucky to be able to work with y'all each day.


Jenny's company EP has done some amazing things for not only Jenny and I but for Brightlife as well. They have taken the whole Brightlife idea and just ran with it. They have put together 2 great fundraisers and I couldn't thank them more for that. They have been extremely generous to let Jenny stay at home to work with me during my 3 days of treatment. It has made the whole chemo process so much easier on both of us. Jenny's team is always willing to step in whenever she has to be away for stuff with me, even when its been a last minute thing. The HR & IT departments have made the whole process so much easier by helping her to get set up to work from home and the Senior Management team has gone above and beyond with their support and concern.

And lastly to all of our friends which we consider family. The outpouring of support has been the most humbling thing of my life. I never knew how much people cared for Jenny and I. I would love to single people out but I wouldn't want anyone's feeling hurt. Thank you so much for everything that you have done for us. We love you all so much.


Tim

A Day In The Life

So now that I am 3 days away from getting a little break in my treatments, I figured I would change things up a little and go in-depth about what it is like while going through a treatment. I hope this gives people a little bit better understanding of what happens for 3 days every other week.

On Wednesday I wake up at 8:00 and get into the shower knowing that this will be my last shower until Friday mid-morning. I don't shower only because it is way too much of a hassle to try and get a shower with a 2 foot IV chord and chemo pump hanging over the top of the shower. Jenny and I then get into the car at 8:30 (hopefully to be on time) to get to the Cancer Center by 9:00 for a treatment. Jenny 9 times out of 10 will drive because there is no way that I can drive with all of the drugs that I am on by the time we leave. We arrive and I get into my chair and set up my laptop, drink, candy, and pills that I take while there. I start with 2 different IV bags of pre-treatment drugs. These are to help with delayed nausea. These usually take around 3o minutes a piece to go through. I then will take a Claritin to help prevent an allergic reaction to the Erbitux. This is next and takes around 1 hour to go through. Then I get a drug pushed through very slowly through my IV line that will help my stomach not get upset from the actual Chemo drugs which is called Atropine which feel like someone is beating my chest with a hammer over and over again. I then will get the actual Chemo called FOLFIRI. This takes an hour and a half to go through. Once that is over I wait for the nurse from Intramed to bring my pump, get me hooked up to my portable pump and its back to the house.

While getting all of these drugs I am trying my best to keep up with work or finishing up with anything that is left over from the day before. I mentioned earlier that I keep candy next to me while I am there and that is to help with the awful taste that I get in the back of my throat. (I am gagging right now just thinking about it) I usually get a special treat of the most amazing donuts each week from the Lewis' and a couple of people that read this have gotten to have one of these amazing donuts. I try to each as much as I can from the time that I wake up to the time that I get back to my house after the treatment, because once I get home I can not eat until I get unhooked on Friday. And to clarify it is not because I am not hungry, it's because I cannot force anything down without feeling like it is going to come right back up. (This goes back to why I have candy with me at all times)

Now that I have gotten back to my house I am usually extremely sleepy from the Ativan that I took at the Cancer Center. I will take about a 2 hour nap once I get home. I keep my phone next to me just in case work calls and most of the time I can wake up to answer it. I'll wake up and try to see what phone calls that I have missed while I was knocked out cold and usually will take another Ativan because it will be way past my 4 hour interval. I try to stay on the Ativan all the way up to Friday morning and I will take one when I wake up and then try to get through the rest of the day without one. After checking the phone and my email I will usually go out into the living room and sit with Jenny for about 30 minutes (usually to watch Modern Family) before I am back in the bed laying down because I start to not feel too good. At around 7:00 she will make me a smoothie (which is the only thing I can stomach) and I will have that and lay in bed for the rest of the night.

When Thursday rolls around I will usually wake up at around 9:30 after tossing and turning all night because the 2ft IV chord I told you about earlier gets wrapped around me from turing all night long. For some reason that is one of the things that makes me gag even several days after I am finished with my treatment. Once I wake up I will check my work email and check in with work to see what I can help out with that day. Jenny will make me my 2nd smoothie of the round about an hour after I get up. Of the 3 days that I am on treatment this is the hardest. I think that it is because it is the longest day that I have to be hooked up. Once I have been up for about 2 hours or so my Atiavan usually kicks in and I start to get sleepy again, and will take about a 2 hour nap. I usually dose off about twice on Thursday from the Atiavan. I dont know if it really works that good for nausea or it just knocks me out so I dont think about it. Once again on this day I have no desire to eat anything and will feel the nausea effects even more. I have not thrown up since the first round this time but that doesn't mean that I don't gag at least 10 times during each treatment. I try to brush my tongue to get the nasty taste out of my mouth as many times as possible but the gagging keeps me from doing it too much. By the end of Thursday I can't wait for Friday morning to come fast enough, to finally have the round come to an end.

Friday is the best day every other week for me. I will wake up and take an Atiavan first thing in the morning and try to not take another one for the rest of the day. I will feel the nausea a bit but I am so excited to finally get unhooked that it doesn't faze me to much. The taste is still in my mouth and will be until mid to late afternoon on Saturday. I just try to eat foods with a lot of flavor and drink either Mnt. Dew or Dr. Pepper. These seem to help only because of how sweet they are and because they are so sweet I'll only drink them while I'm on tratment. By Saturday I have most of my strength back and on Sunday I am pretty much back to normal.

I try not to complain too much while on these drugs and not let anyone know that those 3 days are pretty rough, but the fact is that those days are not fun but it is something that I have to deal with and just move on. Now, comparing what I have to go through to some of the other people that I see on a bi-weekly basis I do have it pretty easy. I think seeing some of the other people struggling during their treatments or seeing one of the younger kids struggling to walk out to the parking lot has to be one of the toughest things about this process. Nothing is fair and nothing is easy for someone going through this. There is a constant fear of what will happen next that is always there. The mind is a very powerful thing so that is why I try to keep a smile on my face and continue to tell myself that "it's not that bad". Now to end this on a positive note since I have been a "Debbie Downer" throughout this whole blog. Learning I have this disease was one of the worst days of my life, and dealing with it everyday is a struggle but I have been so lucky to get this because it has allowed me to meet so many wonderful people. I have 2 amazing nurses at the Cancer Center in Lynn and Stephanie. They make the process every other Wed. much easier to deal with. They have become great friends to Jenny and I. Dr. Edenfield is a wonderful and such a positive person. When we found out things were starting to look a little better you would have thought he just won the lottery. And lastly, some of the other patients that I have been able to meet. I am not going to name names bc of HIPPA rules but we have started a friendship that I would have never been able to have without this disease. I still stay in-contact with some of them via Facebook and emails. I would have never thought that getting this disease would make me the lucky person.

I hope that I didn't scare anyone or provide too many details, but I figured some people might want to hear a little bit about what goes on. I can't thank everyone enough for all of the support and prayers over these past 5 months. Like I said the process is tough but support of friends and family make it all worth it. I hope everyone has a great Memorial Day Weekend.

Tim

1 To Go

I am sorry that I haven't written anything in a while. I figured that people were tired of reading my posts and they could use a little bit of Jenny in their life. I have finished with 11 treatments so far this year for a total of 23 over the past year, and will start my last one a week from Wednesday. I don't want to confuse anyone but this will just be the last treatment for a little while. I am getting a short break from chemo and will start back again hopefully in a couple of months. It will be so nice to have a break from the treatments even if it ends up being only for a couple of weeks.


They didn't give me the Erbitux this past week because the rash on my face was still a little bit too much. The treatment this time wasn't too bad and I was able to catch up on some sleep Wed. - Fri. We didn't do a CEA test this past week so I don't know how that number is doing. I talked with Dr. Edenfield and I think that we will do another CT Scan sometime in either June or July depending on what my CEA number does over the next couple of weeks.


This weekend was actually kind of busy for Jenny and I. On Saturday morning we got up and went and watched Ern's daughter Emma in her dance recital. She did an amazing job and was so cute up there. After is was over Jenny and I went out to eat with Ant before going over to Josh and John's house for John's birthday. After hanging out with them for a little while we came home and I was able to crash after a long Saturday.


Yesterday I got up and I went and played golf with Martin, David, and Drew. We headed up to Willow Creek and got stuck behind a tournament but it was still a lot of fun. It was a good weekend but it was long and tiring.

Today it was back to work and then over to Steven and Haley's for Lillian's 1st birthday party. She has gotten to be so cute and is talking a lot now. We had a great dinner and all enjoyed watching Lillian play with all of her new toys.


I hope that everyone has a great week.


Tim

We Are Slackers

We've both been more than a little slack recently. First of all, here is the link (finally) to the pictures from Tee It Up for Tim. Katie Blaker did an amazing job and actually got these to me awhile ago but please see the title of this post for a reference as to what happened with that. We'd love to add in any that you all took so feel free to send those along as well.

Many of you have asked how things are going and you'd actually know if we would've actually updated this thing like we were supposed to. The last treatment went pretty well. Dr. Edenfield gave Tim Erbitux instead of Vectibix this time to see if that would help with the rash. We thought all was good until the end of last week when his rash came raging back. We're still taking it as a good sign of the work that it is doing in Tim's body (helping mark the cancer cells so his immune system can take them out). The rest of the treatment wasn't really terrible. He slept the majority of the time but did end up getting sick enough to run a high-enough fever on Saturday night for us to have to call the cancer center and let them know (which for him is an astounding 100.5). We got lucky in that his fever broke around midnight and he felt well enough to go play golf the next day. I'm sure he would've still been desparately ill had we needed to do some yard work though...

Speaking of yard work...we did end up doing some last week and I ended up contracting poison oak on the back of one of my legs. It looks eeriely similar to Tim's rash so we used it as an opportunity to ask his oncologist if he was really sure that Tim's rash wasn't contagious. Dr. Edenfield's face was priceless as his observed my leg asking if it itched. Unfortunately Tim couldn't hold out the joke long enough to really make it worthwhile but we did get Dr. Edenfield for just a minute.

No CEA tests this week but Tim's was down enough to barely qualify within the "normal" range the last time it was checked. We are so grateful for that but are always just waiting for it to spike again. For now Tim only has 2 more treatments and will then go onto an Erbitux only treatment until his CEA starts to trend back up again. We're really praying that we can extend that for as long as possible in order for his bone marrow (and for us) to get a break from chemo that we really could use right now.

Otherwise that is about it for us, he starts Round 11 on Wed and we're planning on staying in for a low-key weekend. Hope you all are enjoying the warm weather and have a great week.

Actually it was Round 9

Jenny was actually wrong with her last post. This last treatment was actually number 9. This treatment was a little bit tougher than the last one only because I think that I was still tired from Jenny and I's trip. It was really nice to be able to get away even if it was just for a quick weekend.

We had a blast as Jenny has already told you about in the post that she made. And yes the Dumbo ride did scare me. I felt like I was at the SC State Fair and the ride was going to fall apart at any minute. We made the most of the time that we had there by going to 2 1/2 parks in the first day, and then going all day long the next. We left EARLY Monday morning with the Disney bus picking us up at our hotel at 2:25 AM after just getting back from the parks at 1:00 AM. Now our flight didnt leave until 5:00 but for some reason they thought that there would be major traffic at that time in the morning. We ended up sitting in the US Air line for 45 minutes before we were able to print out our boarding passes. At this point I just gave up on getting any sleep and just stayed up the whole time and was at work at 9:15 Monday morning. Now I did fall asleep at 7:30 Monday night on the couch with my computer in my lap doing work, but the trip was worth the lack of sleep.

This past weekend we made a trip down to Columbia to watch South Carolina play Vandy on Saturday and Sunday. It was good to be able to see my former coaches along with Coaches Corbin and Johnson from Vandy. We were also able to see some of Jenny's friends Saturday night before we went and stayed with her sister and David. We got up on Sunday and went and met Matt, Charlotte, Andi, Sarah, David, Jen, and Joe for a quick brunch before heading over to the game with Matt and Charlotte. We had a great time in Columbia and being able to see the Gamecocks take another SEC series win.

Hopefully this week will be pretty calm and I will be able to catch up on a little bit of rest. I hope that everyone has a great week.

Tim

Prep for Round 8

We're running behind on our posts but I thought I'd at least post the pictures from our anniversary trip. It was a MUCH needed vacation for us as its been a long 15 weeks of treatment and an even longer year and a half for the both of us. The wedding checks from last year were put to excellent use as you will be able to see! :)

So here is the recap, 4 parks in 2 days and an all-nighter Sunday night (we went from Magic Kingdom, grabbed a quick shower and went straight to the airport) showed us just how old we really are now. We're still recovering from all of the activity!

Day 1 was Hollywood Studios with Tim's friend Monica, Epcot and we finished out the day at Magic Kingdom. Day 2 was Animal Kingdom and back to Magic Kingdom. We finished just about every ride within all of the parks (except the ones that spin) and even managed to ride a few more than once. Everything was absolutely fantastic (well except for the dinner the night of our actual anniversary which was actually pretty terrible but that's ok :)) and it was really hard to drag ourselves back to reality this week.

Waiting for the Magical Express to drop us at our hotel!

 Dumbo - aka the only ride that Tim was scared of :)

 

 *disclaimer - I'm not a fan of the blue suede purse but I didn't plan well so when packing it was that or the Myrtle Beach fanny pack...I took the lesser of the 2 evils...although I still want fanny packs to come back in

 Tim playing in the Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground set.

 Tim & I as our future selves...still not sure what happened to his face.

 Epcot at night

 In honor of Tee it Up for Tim.

Tim made a new friend at Animal Kingdom and is thrilled about it.

We will be back soon with additional updates and pictures from the golf tournament as soon as we catch back up with life!

Happy Anniversary to My Wife

Round 7

Round 7 has been completed. This might have been the easiest of the treatments so far. I don't know why this was the case but I'll take it. I am lucky to have this be the easiest with the golf tournament being held this past Monday.

Steven's friends started coming into town on Friday and the last of them got in on Sunday. Friday I took it easy because I knew that it was going to be a long weekend, and I was correct. On Saturday Steven, Jay, and I went over to Buffalo Wings and watched the Final 4 games. While we were up there Jenny, Barry, Ern, and GH stopped by to hang out.

On Sunday Steven, Jay, Kevin, and I went over to Crosswinds and played the par 3 course to get ready for the tournament the next day. Somehow Steven and Kevin were able to tie Jay and I after 18 holes. We also went to Dick's to get team shirts which ended up being pink. Later that night my mom and dad grilled out and had all of us over for dinner. After dinner we all went downtown to the Ale House to hang out for a little bit.

Monday had finally gotten here. I started the day with a meeting at the office at 8:15 before leaving and heading over to the golf course. We couldn't have asked for a better day for the tournament. The temperature was not too hot and there was only a slight breeze (20 - 30 mph). I got there a little later than I wanted because I thought that "Team Pink" needed to show up together and show team unity. I was amazed at how many people showed up to play in the tournament and a lot of people that I haven't seen in a while. We got started very close to 11 and finished at around 4:45 which is amazing considering how many teams there were on the course.

The dinner / silent auction started right on time and even more people showed up for that. It was wild to look around and see so many people that showed up to support me and my family. I don't have the words to explain just how humbling it is to have that many people to show up to help you personally.

I wanted to take the time to thank all of the people that helped put this event on. The people that got there early in the morning and stayed until late in the night. This event couldn't have happened let alone go off with such a great success. And to everyone that showed up to play golf or come to the dinner I can't thank ya'll enought either. It meant so much to Jenny, myself, and our families to have everyone show up and support us. I had a great time and I think that everyone else had a great time too so thank you so much to everyone.

This week should be pretty normal other than Jenny and I celebrating our first anniversary on Sunday, we've got some pretty cool plans for the weekend that we will fill everyone in on next week.

As always I hope that everyone has a great week. Tim

Prep for Round 7

This past weekend was really quiet for me. I just got some errands done, did a little babysitting for a friend and made a little progress on a bench (see picture below) that I've been working on for months now. It's not exactly what I've been imagining (anyone who knows me well, knows that the wrinkle you see in the fold below is driving me NUTS! :) ) but it doesn't collapse when you sit on it and for that alone I'm proud, haha.

Tim went on a Mancation for the weekend down to Fripp Island with my dad, uncle, some of their friends and one of Tim's friends. From what I understand they had a great time although they really didn't catch anything and had to go out to buy their dinner rather than eating what they caught. All-in-all I think it was a nice little break for Tim as the 18 rounds of chemo seem to have caught up to him at this point.

Yesterday we had another doctor's appointment to go over Tim's results and the plan for this next time. Poor guy has had his rash return and its has spread a little further this time than the last although it isn't a severe as it was before. This time the worst of it is on his scalp which makes showers painful for him but it is also on his arms, legs, back, stomach, shoulders, face and within his ears and nose. He is also developing some canker sores which makes eating a difficult procedure. He applies some Canka and has about 5 minutes to eat before it wears off and he has to reapply. Dr. Edenfield prescribed the magic mouthwash for him yesterday so we're hoping that might give him the respite he needs.

Even though the rash is back we are still taking it as a great sign. I told one of our ministers today that although I think Tim's doctors have done great work and our change of lifestyle (technically more his since I've been sneaking McDonalds hot fudge sundaes and worrying about coming home with chocolate on my breath) has contributed greatly to the success so far I really think this incredible network of support that is you all and prayers from you all that we have been given is what has given us the success we have seen so far.

Dr. Edenfield was very positive yesterday but is going to hold the Vecitibix on Wednesday to allow Tim's skin to ease back down. Once that happens he is going to switch him to Erbitux which is essentially the same as Vecitbix but requires a weekly infusion rather than bi-weekly. So technically he will still get chemo every other week but we will go in every Wednesday for this additional drug. He is hoping that maybe Tim won't get the rash like we've been seeing with him (although again, it is a great thing) but will still get the benefit the drug provides.

Everything is still up in the air for what happens next but there are a couple of different options on the table right now, its still just a wait and see game at this point. We are both extremely excited for what is in store over the next week (chemo not being included in that). We both love seeing our friends and family together in one place so the golf tournament, silent auction and dinner will be such a much needed good time for us. We also have our first anniversary the following weekend to celebrate. Its so crazy that it has already been a year, time seems to be speeding by but we're enjoying every bit of it despite the current circumstances. :)

Hope you all have a great week, we will follow up later and hope to see many of you on Monday!!

Round 6 Done, Chemo - 2, Tim - 3, Tie - 1

Well I have finished round 6 and we are halfway finished with this round of treatments, well at least of the scheduled part. I was put back on Vectibix for this round. I thought that I was going to get away with the rash not coming back too bad but the past 2 days it has come back but not nearly as bad as the first time (knock on wood).

I did get some good news again this past Wed while getting my treatment and that is I will be receiving a dozen of the doughnuts from Abbeville this coming wed. We have found the location but were told we can have a dozen delivered to us as long as we let them know by Tuesday so I will be making a call.


In other news, we also found out that my CEA is now at 3.1 which is the lowest its ever been. Jenny and I are both excited about the news but I guess we're just waiting for the bad news because it always seems to come at some point.

The Brightlife crew has informed us that the golf tounament has filled up and that people are still signing up for the dinner and silent auction. Seems like things are really coming together. I am getting really excited for that monday to hurry and get here so I can see everyone again. It should be a really fun week since I don't have chemo and Jenny's & I's 1st anniversary is the Sunday after the golf tournament.

It has been a quiet week for Jenny and I with not too much happening. I played 12 holes with my dad and brother on Sunday which is the earliest I have ever been able to play golf after a treatment. I paid for it a little later that afternoon but I was good come Monday. She has been building a bench for the end of our bed so her dad and I got suckered into helping a little with that the other night.

I left late yesterday afternoon to take a short man-cation with Jenny's dad, his brother Robert, Ken, Lee, and my friend Ern. We were lucky enough for my co-worker Laurens to let us use his house this weekend down at Fripp to do a little fishing. It has been a long 12 weeks so far with treatments so this short weekend down here will be extremely relaxing and just a little of what I really need, a vacation from everything.

I am hoping that next week's treatment will be pretty smooth like last week's so I will be able to have a good Monday at the tournament. I hope that everyone has a great week this week and look forward to seeing people on April 4th.

Prep for Round 6

Almost halfway done (well with what was originally scheduled anyways). Tim's blood-cell counts are still looking good so he is still considered to be healthy. Our biggest problem has been keeping his potassium up which could be solved if he'd actually remember to eat a banana everyday. Unfortunately the Ativan keeps him from remembering anything.

Just a heads-up that if you've had a conversation with him while he is on chemo he most likely has no recollection of that conversation and actually may not remember that he talked with you at all. I've found this to be both frustrating and beneficial for myself. I'm no longer ever accused of nagging him although I'm actually having to nag him much more than I ever did before. I've actually also found that I can convince him that he has agreed to things that may not have occured such as cleaning the house, not that I've done that or anything though...

We had a great time with my cousins this past weekend staying up watching movies, walking around downtown and even doing a little dress shopping for Sarah Katherine. Otherwise we've been pretty boring recently with the highlight of our week sitting on the couch and watching TV.

Tim was able to get a half-dose of his Vectibix this week which we are so happy about and are hoping his reaction is minimal with all of the drugs, creams and other cleansers and medications he has within his arsenal now.

In other news, we went to a meeting this week the BrightLife team held to discuss the golf tournament, dinner and silent auction and I'm am incredibly impressed with all they have accomplished. They've done an amazing job with this and I'm excited to see it all come together, I'm sure it will be great! Looks like there will be some pretty incredible auction items as well. We're excited to see those that can make it out to the event!

One last thing before I head off to bed, just wanted to wish my dad, James, a very happy birthday tomorrow. The old man is getting even older! :)

Round 5 Done, Chemo - 2, Tim - 2, Tie - 1

Round 5 is now officially in the books. The every-other week treatment schedule has finally become routine again. I didn't think that I would have to say that again but here we are. The treatments aren't getting any easier but they aren't getting harder either, its just something that I am used to again. The one thing that has come back again for these treatments is the stale medicine taste that I get in my mouth. This will usually last through the weekend and it really makes eating or drinking anything really hard those days that I am on treatment.

Ok after all of my complaining and whining I will now turn to positive or happy things. While Jenny and I were at the Cancer Center on Wednesday for my treatment we were able to have one of the best doughnuts that either of us have ever eaten. Lynn told us that there is another patient that is from Abbeville and he stops at an Amish bakery in Abbeville every other Wednesday and picks up doughnuts for the people that work at the Cancer Center. Well she brought us one and it was amazing. It was a mix between Krispy Kreme and Dunkin Doughnuts. I am hoping to find out the name of the bakery next week so Jenny and I can make a trip there.

Thursday Jenny and I were lucky to have Haley and Lillian stop by for a little bit. She is getting so big so fast and it is so much fun watching her grow up. It still amazes me that she is almost a year old. Jill, Sarah Lauren & Hazel also got to stop by for a quick visit that same day. All of them stopping by really helped break up the week and seeing the babies make it move by a little faster.

The weekend went by extremely fast and nothing really exciting happened, we did our standard grocery shopping at Trader Joe's on Saturday after Jenny babysat Eli Stathakis on Saturday morning and Andrea came over to watch movies. Jenny ended up in bed all day Sunday after getting a Phenergan shot for a migraine, she ended up taking off half a day today to sleep and I think is finally feeling better. I was impressed with her sleeping though, I can't even do that when I'm on treatment.

Last night dad and I were able to get 2 tickets (thank you Glenn) to the USC vs Clemson baseball game. The game turned out to be a great game and very exciting to watch. I was able to see a lot of former teammates and friends at the game, so it turned out to be a great night not to mention that the Gamecocks won the game and the season series.

The rest of this week should be pretty standard except that 3 of Jenny's cousins are coming to stay with us this weekend. It will be me and four girls which should be interesting.

I don't know how many people know yet but the BrightLife crew has decided to put a golf tournament, dinner and silent auction together for April 4th at Green Valley Country Club. It should be a lot of fun and would love to see anyone that can make it out there. If you're a golfer, come spend the day with us and if you aren't you can still plan on joining us for the dinner and silent auction. To sign-up for either or both just click on the "Tee It Up for Tim" link on this page (on the right-hand column) which will take you where you need to go or just click here.

I hope that everyone has a great week.

Round 5

Just wanted to give a quick update, yesterday and today have been kind of crazy for me so this has been my first chance to give you guys an update.

Tim actually has been feeling kind of decent this round. Its not the best but certainly not the worst. He actually wanted a Chick-fil-A sandwich as we left the cancer center yesterday which never happens. He slept for a good bit yesterday and just wanted a smoothie for dinner, ok technically he may have been forced but he ate (drank?) it regardless.

Today he slept the majority of the day but has had a grand total of 2 smoothies and absolutely nothing solid to eat so he may be feeling a little worse than usual over the weekend. Luckily he isn't feeling it right now though.

Tomorrow is a big day as he is getting unhooked and our little beagle is having surgery to get her teeth cleaned since even with both of us pinning her down brushing is not permitted. It should be pretty easy but I'll be the only one not drugged up and sleeping the day away. I can't say that I'm not a little jealous (of the sleeping, not the drugs). She and Tim are BFFs so I'm sure she will "somehow" end up in our bed to recover with him tomorrow.

I also wanted to pass along this information. I know its a little last minute but as I'm sure most of you do not know, and neither did we, March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month. In honor of that and in order to help promote Colon Cancer Awareness tomorrow, Friday March 4th is "Dress in Blue Day" so if at all possible please wear something blue to spread that awareness. 

Here is some information about colon cancer I received from Tim's oncology nurse, Lynn, today. Make sure you pay close attention to the last one.

Information on Colon Cancer from the American Cancer Society:

- Among cancers that affect both men and women, colorectal cancer—cancer of the colon or rectum—is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Colorectal cancer also is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in the United States.

- The risk of developing colorectal cancer increases with advancing age. More than 90% of cases occur in people aged 50 or older.

- Colorectal cancer screening saves lives. However, many people who are at risk for the disease are not being screened according to national guidelines.

- It is estimated that as many as 60% of colorectal cancer deaths could be prevented if all men and women aged 50 years or older were screened routinely.

Prep for Round 5

First the not so fun stuff, Dr. Edenfield again held off the Vectibix for another week hoping that we could get his face cleared up further before the flaring up starts again. They are still trying to figure out how to walk the tightrope of giving him steroids to clear up the reaction from the chemo but not so much that they cause a reaction of their own. Unfortunately they look so much alike its really hard to tell what reaction is from each treatment. We are really hoping he will be able to get back on the Vectibix by Round 6 and continue on it for the rest of his treatments as it shows the most promise for success in treating the cancer.

We also got some news about what the future holds (well, somewhat). We do know that Tim will be on this chemo for at least 12 rounds and they may continue him on it for a little longer than that but spread out to more infrequent treatments. The hope of this is that he will not become immune to the treatment (similar to what happens if you don't take all of your antibiotics I suppose). We're just holding out hope that his CEA will continue to drop and will stay down over the course of the next few months which shows he is still benefiting from the treatment. I've never heard it explained like Dr. Edenfield did but apparently if there are 100 cancer cells and 80 have been killed there is still a plateau of how many can be killed as the other 20 may just be immune to the chemo. Continuing to treat them would just make them more resilient and keep this treatment from being an option down the line.

Dr. Edenfield also mentioned yesterday that he believes a clinical trial will be our next step. There is no way to know what that will entail as far as treatment/travel/schedule/etc until we are closer to reaching that step (most likely we will know more in May) but we are both pretty anxious/excited about what it could do for Tim. If you all could just keep him in your prayers for the CEA to continue going down and to stay that way and for him to be placed in the trial that will give him the best results possible we'd be so grateful!

On to more exciting news, This past Saturday we went up to Asheville for the day and had a good time checking out some antiques, looking for a white belt for Tim and enjoying a late lunch. We got back late in the evening but with enough time to order a pizza and rent some movies.

Tim got to play some golf on Sunday before we headed to watch the Furman game at the Drive Stadium. Monday was a regular day of work before we went on our date with Emma who is the daughter of Tim's childhood friend Ern.

Tim picked her up and after my friend Lesley saved the day with helping to change her into dance clothes we headed over to her dance class.

She did an awesome job at her class and we had a great time watching all of the little girls running around. Once dance was over we headed to Chick-fil-A for dinner and some playing on the indoor playground. She also taught Tim how to play the game she got.

We had one last stop by McDonald's for hot fudge sundaes (no the diet was obviously not followed yesterday) before we took her home. Ern called with a report a little later letting us know that he found her passed out on the floor of her parents' room. I believe we were a success.

Thanks for all of the support!