We are HOME!!!!!!!!

We were able to come home yesterday, but were not internet connected so we could not update the blog until today.
Last Monday lightning played havoc with our phone and some of our electrical lines. Consequently, our internet was affected as well.
I had to locate a computer in order to finish this - the last of the daily blog for 3 weeks. We are home for 3 weeks now. He has finished all radiation (He said that he is "done" from the inside out). He has completed 9 chemo treatments and only has 3 more to go. However, we don't go back to Nashville until July 6 and then will not be able to come home until July 9. Hopefully, that will be our last treament (prayerfully EVER!).
What a great feeling. We have spent the day buying a freezer - since our 30 years model is on its "frosted over" way out. We have had to replace our phones, answering machine, and are on our way to Jackson to price computers and printers. The lightning took "no prisoners" last Monday. I hesistate to try anything electrical since I might find yet more casualties to the lightning.
He improves each day, has gained back about 10 pounds, and is looking forward to working on my "honey do's" list. Well, not really the last one, but he will be when we get started doing something constructive and manly!

Thank God for all of yours and ours many blessings.
Cathy

Yahoo!!!!!!!!

Just one more chemo treatment tomorrow and we are through for 3 weeks.
He has to take an amino acid shot on Friday that will allow his bone marrow to produce more white blood cells, which will in turn keep his blood count up. Consequently, he will not end up in the hospital again with his counts in the basement. He couldn't take it before because he was still having radiation treatments. The radiation would have destroyed the shot's effect.
We were going to have to stay until Friday since the shot has to be administered at least 24 hours after the last chemo treatment in a round. However, Dr. Keedy is going to let one of our 5 nurses (in our family) give him the shot. That means we are going to come home tomorrow after our treatment at 8:30. Yippeeeeee!
We are back at the lodge and trying to find some place to eat. Imagine having that kind of problem in Nashville, TN. However, he still does not want to waste money on really good food at this point. He has a problem with not having good taste buds and not knowing what will or will not stay with him. He would rather spend a little money on food at this point.
Thank you Lord for your many blessings and all those wonderful folks who have lifted us up to you in prayer.

Have a glorious day,
Cathy

NEWS

We had a CT and lab results today before we met with Dr. Keedy, the oncologist. His counts were good and he could continue with chemo this week. The tumors have shrunk 25% - Wow!!!!!! We are so excited. However, we won't probably have the true picture until several months from the last treatment.
We have chemo tomorrow and Thursday. Then we should be homeward bound for three weeks. We will then return to Nashville July 6 for 3 more chemo sessions.
James, told Dr. Keedy that the only reason that she wanted him to have more chemo is "to keep him bald all summer and to keep him from being more tan than she will be".
Dr. Keedy also brought a student in with her today. She announced that he was a Ph/D to which JG replied "post hole digger"? Dr. Keedy knows Mr. G for the prankster that he is, but she had neglected to warn the student about "this" patient- to which she apologized profusely.
"God love him!!!"

Hugs and bunches of kisses from Nashville (almost blown away today),
Cathy

Stormy Monday

We are back in Nashville. We had many things to take care of in Milan so decided to come back up here late afternoon Monday. However, the weather also hindered us from leaving any sooner. We tried to wait the storms out, but finally decided to leave between them. Wow, what a messy, scary day. The lightning came in on our electrical and we know that we have lost phone service, answering machine, computer, and printer - thus far. We may find more as we use more appliances.
We go tomorrow morning for a CT scan at 7:00, and then on to Dr. Keedy (the oncologist) for a followup. We start round 3 chemo at 11:00 (I think).
He continues to improve now that radiation is completed. He does have some nasty burns on his back - since they "cooked him from the inside out" as he said. Thank goodness for aloe...
We arrived in Nashville to a pretty sunset. Hope all has settled down for the night in Gibson County. Stay safe!

Love,
Cathy

Saturday in Milan

It sure is a pleasure to be at home today. We began the day with James G. getting to go back to Methodist Men for breakfast-nothing like a little male bonding to improve the day. I on the other hand got to stay in my pjs and drink coffee at leisure.
Today was spent watching Kendall play softball in a tournment at City Park; watching the grandchildren and some friends' children swim in the pool; eat lunch with the girls, grandchildren, and Amy's mother-in-law at Dean's; visit with family and many friends who dropped by to check on us; and rest. Our Adult Sunday School class even chose to cater our supper to us today. We felt like "King and Queen for a Day".
He was so excited to talk and see everyone who called or came by. He ate from early this morning to the current. These are such improvements over this time last week.
Enjoy God's Day of Rest,
Cathy

Last Radiation

Friday, June 12 was our last radiation treatment. Yeah!!!! They were even nice enough since it was the last treatment to let us come in this morning at 7:15 (not 1:30). There are some wonderful folks in radiation from the nurses, techs, and doctors down to the office staff. It was a bittersweet farewell, but it sure was a great feeling for them to say, "God bless and be with you!".
Hence, this day on the blog is being sent from my very own home computer at 11:07a.m.
We will be here all weekend and will not have to return to Nashville, Vandy, and Hope Lodge until Monday night. We have a 7:00 appointment at Vandy on Tuesday, June 16 for a CT, doctor's visit, and start round 3 of chemo.
Life is sure good!!!!!!

Have a great blessed day,
Cathy

Counting Down to One

Only one more radiation treatment left and then home for the weekend. We met with Doctor Josh. (Dr. Lu is still in China on vacation.) All looks well. Just one more day and then sign off on radiation. We will return in one month, then three, then one year. With the three month check up we will do a CT scan to make sure of the tumors' status.
JG continues to improve and has gained a pound back after losing 27 (16 in the last 2 weeks).
After the horrible storms that we had this morning, it has turned into a beautiful, but blustery day.

Hugs,
Cathy

Hump Day

Just 2 more radiation treatments to do. We just finished radiation and back to the Lodge for a little nap. We had lunch at the Elliston Place Restaurant which just happens to be the oldest run restaurant in Nashville. They still make all foods from scratch (including all pies, cakes, and cobblers) and have since 1939. We had lots of great tasting vegetables and still warm, banana pudding (probably would be off the point charts for Weight Watchers).
He continues to improve each day and is able to eat a little more each time he tries. He's beginning to gain a lot of his strength back. We meet with Dr. Lu tomorrow and get a "sign off" on radiation. We will return for a followup visit in one month.
It rained this morning, but now it is partly cloudy and extremely muggy. It is a good thing that we don't have outdoor plans.

Hugs and kisses,
Cathy

Tuesday Testing

He went for labs this morning and then met with Dr. Keedy. JG is so much better and it really shows. He is able to eat and not get sick. His counts are back to normal. Yahoooooo!!!!!
We made the decision today with Dr. Keedy to continue chemo for 2 more rounds . He will still have the CT scan on Tuesday. Unless it shows something different, we will begin round 3 on Tuesday, June 16 through Thursday, June 18. That will leave us one more 3-day round the week of July 6. Then we should be through with chemo.
We've just gotten back from a late lunch and are in need of a siesta. We continue to knock the days in the head - one by one.
Thanks be to God for helping him recover from his ordeal last week.

Love to all,
Cathy

Monday - Week 6

We had a very restful weekend in Milan. However, he really did not start feeling better until today. That dreaded sore throat with not feeling like eating or drinking and all of the treatments have really taken their toll on his health this past week. We had a pile of cards and letters awaiting our homecoming, some encouraging phone calls, and wonderful visitors to stop by - Phillip, Josh, Don Farmer, the Webbs, and Brother Dan. It sure was nice to be able to go back to church on Sunday and see all of our wonderful church family, Maybe next week he will feel like going and seeing everyone himself.
We had 1 of the last 5 radiation treatments. Hoorah!!!!! After that he wanted to eat spaghetti. (Go figure??????) We couldn't find exactly what he was looking for so he settled on Cracker Barrell and had hamburger steak, turnip greens, corn, rolls, and sweet tea. We had a leisurely 1 1/2 hour late afternoon meal, but he was able to eat most of his meal and keep it down. This is such an improvement from the last two and a half weeks.
What a beautiful day this has been!

Enjoy God's pleasures,
Cathy

TGIF Week 6

Thank goodness! In several hours we will have finished week 6 of radiation. This has been an interesting, challenging, but enlightening week "living with cancer". The folks at Vanderbilt are top notch from the nurses, doctors, and down to the cleaning staff. They all have a very caring, loving, and uplifting spirit and are so willing to help their patients return to their lives outside of Vanderbilt Hospital/Clinic.
At 2:00 p.m. today, if God is willing, we are on our way home to Milan. Hoorah!!!!!!!!!!

Prayers for a safe trip-------------

Love to all,
Cathy

We are home!!!!!!

We made it. I sprung him from Vandy Hospital at 1:00, took him to radiation at 1:10, saw the radiologist and had xrays, and we were ready to go back to the Lodge by 1:45. We did make one small detour to Sonic for a chocolate shake. He still has issues swallowing, but many of the meds that they now have him on are helping. He has to eat a lot of small snacks instead of meals. He has to take his meds before and take his time eating. Other than being extremely weak and tired, he is doing great! -----Another scary crisis is over.
He is upstairs sitting in his recliner in his pajamas and watching tv with his eyes closed. Life is good!!!!
We have one more day of radiation this week, then a weekend break. There are only 6 more treatments to go.
We hope to be able to come to Milan over the weekend. He may not be able to be around many folks just yet, but he is anxious to sleep in his own bed, talk on his own phone, watch his own tv, and eat whenever he wants.

God's blessings to all,
Cathy

Good News

The doctors are impressed with his recovery and think that he should be able to come back to the Lodge (equivalent to "going home") tomorrow afternoon. His blood counts continue to rise and he feels so much better each day. He still has that terrible sore throat and the "yeast" buildup which prevents him from eating and drinking like he would like. Hopefully, it will be better tomorrow as well.
Jerry Collier lives in Hendersonville, a suburb of Nashville, and had had an email from Brooks. Brooks had told Jerry about us. So, after he got off work today he came for a visit at the hospital. It was so nice to see a familiar face.
It is storming on Charlotte Avenue at the Lodge, but Mr. G. is high and dry at Vanderbilt Hospital.
Continue to pray for his recovery. Thank God for our many, many blessings which he showers us with each day.

Love,
Cathy

Baby Steps

His blood counts are coming up. If they continue he will get to leave the hospital tomorrow or Thursday. Today, he got showered and got dressed by himself, went for radiation, and we stopped in the cafeteria for me to get a bite of late lunch/early supper. Later he felt like strolling to the waiting area on eighth floor and we sat there for about 30 minutes.
To let you know how well he feels, he wanted to go to McDonalds for French fries and a fish sandwich. Guess what? We went; he got; he tried to eat; but he couldn't. Oh well! He's getting better.
Just left him at the hospital and I returned to the Lodge for the night. He was tired and ready to go to sleep. (Me, too!!!!!!)

Love,
Cathy

Monday

What a glorious, yet hot Monday. The temp here (according to Beth and the news was 85. )
James G. is much improved today. He was more able to eat today, no fever, had some stomach issues of another kind, most of his IVs now are for anitbiotics only, and he finally asked the doctor when he would be getting out of the hospital. I consider this good news. (He had not mentioned leaving the hospital until today. He knew that he did not feel well enough to go before. )
He had another radiation treatment today. They have changed the direction of the treatment since they are sure that the tumors have shrunk. This fact should help relieve the sore throat.
The doctor said that by Thursday we should be able to go back to Hope Lodge. Keep your prayers going that we get to go home from the hospital and come home (to Milan) over the weekend. It seems like ages since we were there.
We had some nice surprise visitors today. Jane Fields came by while Jack was having a CT scan. Kay and Alan Rainey came by after Kay had had some testing done. Nashville folks are sure nice, but those Milan faces were such a treat.

Hugs and Kisses to all,
Cathy