Hey!!!

Just wanted to drop a couple lines...

We're still cruising along... Joe seems to be doing better with his treatment/infusion one week and his chemo pills/Xeloda the next. Kind of gives him a continuous feed of cancer killer vs it all at once. Today's his last day of the Xeloda for another week, and tomorrow is treatment day. His hands are getting a bit sore and he really has to watch his finger tips and toes... They'll just split right open and he'll be bleeding with no warning. It's weird... doesn't just split the skin, it'll split right down the finger nail as well.

The Erbitux has a possibility of causing acne like spots on the face and chest... Joe got it on his legs and arms the other week (he's weird... never gets the sides like anybody else). He'd had a boo boo the other week... walking into one of those produce scales at the grocery store and got a big knot on his head... it got all scabby and ucky. Then he got more spots on his head... not really acne like, just got red bumps, then they scaled and seeped... They're all healing up now, but he looked a bit scary there for a few days.

Our insurance turned over on the 1st, so we're having to do like we did last year... first treatment has to be at the hospital so we can avoid owing the good doctor $3000 out of pocket. The hospital has charity programs that will cover what we end up owing for our deductible. Thank goodness! Just what we don't need is more debt.
We'll owe them some, 'cause he has to see the doc and have labs before we go over, but it won't be near the full amount.

Since we're not going to be staying there for treatment, I won't be making cookies this week. Joe had kind of promised the girl who's the doc's assistant something for her birthday, but it's just not going to happen... We were so short this week, no room for treats for anybody.

I'm taking a week off of decorating stuff (Mamaw may be down the end of the month, so I'm on a push to get her room done. Well... not really HER room, but it's Mamaw inspired... It's my craft/guest room. It was the kiddies' room before I moved them over a room. This room is going to be all vintage/antique... purty...). Got to get some deep cleaning done on the house so I can put out my Fall/Halloween stuff out. I don't have a lot, but I want to put out what I do have, and not in a bunch of dust/cobwebs. LOL! Next week, it'll be back to patching holes, then painting... Depending on how far I get, Peanut may need to go spend the weekend with his cousin, Lil' Buggie/Lochlynn next time. I'm sure that'll really hurt his feelings. He loves that girl to pieces! And her him too.

This past weekend with him was pretty awesome. Joe was feeling really, REALLY good, so he was able to get out and spend some time with him... making memories... Joe jumped the lawnmower for him, so he rode around for awhile... then they mowed a bit, until they ran out of gas. That was okay tho, 'cause that meant that Poppaw got to take his boy with him in his "new" truck to get gas. Joe had traded his Ranger in on an Explorer... straight across this time, thank goodness. Chase was super impressed with his Poppaw's new truck. Joe was letting him hang out in the back cargo space... Told him he (Chase) and Nannan could actually put blankets down and camp out in it in the back yard. HAHA! I think that sounds like more of a GUY thing! They came back and did some more mowing... We'd had us a picnic lunch out back... It was just a super good weekend! Joe keeps saying we need to just keep Chase here. I told him watch it, 'cause Chase always ends his visits saying, "I just wish I could come back here and live with you forever and ever..." He's fixing to get his new sister soon, tho. And I think he'd miss his Momma, Daddy, and Sissy after awhile. I would take him in a heartbeat, if needed, but I have to tell you, I love being Nannan. I love being able to have the grands, love them, enjoy them... then send them home to their parents! LOL! I managed okay when Chase and Krissy were here that year/year and 1/2, but I'm enjoying the heck out of being just me again... Joe and I have the run of the house. I can work on projects without getting hung up trying to juggle kids... Joe's not been deathly ill for months now, so we're not having to spend tons of time at the doctor's office or the hospital... It's just so liberating!

Well, if I'm going to get my cleaning done... I guess it's time to say bye for now... I reckon' we'll be getting Joe's CEA done again maybe 2 weeks from now? I'll be back then to post results, if not before, if something exciting comes up... Keep on prayin'!!! We're on the right track! (*"*)