Finally got a scheduled date at MD Anderson

Our scheduled date is Oct. 11th at 6:00 AM at MD Anderson to check and see how the radiation went...Irvin is very active, tiring out, which is to be expected..but he is pacing himself well, ..we have started back to Church , and enjoying life as much as possible...at the time, we are looking forward to Regina coming to visit for a week with us, and the girls coming for the weekend that she comes in...will be good to be with our family together again, as Corene, Gary, Danny, Barbara, & Stephen will come over Sunday after Church for lunch and Family Time!

Got thru the Radiation

Irvin got thru the Radiation, and now we wait for 6 weeks to get the results...it does seem like we do a lot of waiting, but we know that is part of life...at least a huge part of our's...With God's help, we will get thru all of it..."THIS TOO SHALL PASS"

2nd day of radiation

The 2nd day of radiation, and so far, everything is going GOOD...3 days to go..as of today, Irvin has had no side effects except for fatique, and that is to be expected...A lot of prayers going up for him!..

Just a few days to go

Still on countdown to the 29th of August, and the start of Irvin's first Radiation treatment... seems like forever since it was scheduled, still praying, praying for good results...we were told that more than 400 people receive radiation each day at MD Anderson, that sounds like a lot of people, but to see each time we go there, the increase in people , it is not so hard to believe that is probably the low count...A wonderful place to be, when there is cancer, the best!

Waiting, and on the countdown

well, just counting down til the 29th of August and the start of Irvin's first radiation treatment...We will go the 29th thru the 2nd of Sept...Praying for no side effects...and possitive results...Praying, Praying, Praying..and we KNOW that prayers are answered, so many of ours have been! and God is SO Good!

Radiation Stimulation Completed

On Tuesday, the 9th, Irvin completed the Radiation Stimulation, and was marked and his pad was molded that he is to lay on while taking the Radiation when he starts his treatment, which begins on the 29th thru the 2nd of September...We got familiar with where the Radiation Center is located, which is on the First floor of MD Anderson, (Another part of that huge hospital)atho , this is a actually a prettier part, or anyway part of it is pretty...you come back thru what is called "The Park", A area with tables and potted plants, designed to give a feel of relaxation, with a coffee Bar, where you can buy , the "Starbucks type of coffee, tea, and sweets, etc...As you come into the area from the Parking Garage, (the first floor lobby), there is a piano set up in the corner area, where at different times of the day, someone is playing, this is SO lovely to hear, even with all of people rushing around to get to where they have to go , it is such a brief refreshing moment to start out with, which is much needed!..Well, that much is over, Thank God, and we wait until the 29th for the actual Treatments, and Pray that he will go thru them without bad side effects...

Radiation Simulation

We go Tuesday, the 9th for what is called: Radiation Simulation...this is actually a planning session, where theradiation oncologist locates the area to be treated , designs appropriate shielding for the healthy tissue and takes measurements for the treatment plan, this usually takes 45minutes to 1 hour...A special device will be made during this time to help keep Irvin still during the treatment..during the simulation, he will be placed on the table in the immobilization device while the imaging procedures are taking place....the therapist leaves the room while scan are being taken, and right outside behind a glassed area, and come right away if needed...the doctor studies these scans to pinpoint the exact area to be treated, as well as the healthy tissue that needs to be protected from the radiation..the therapists then mark the exact treatment area to be treated...this insures that radiaton reaches the exact area each treatment..we will be told after this when he will start the radiation treatments....wish I could take the credit for knowing what to tell you all, but I copied this from the papers that was given to us...so, we start on this differnet "journey"..We will worried so much about Irvin having to have surgery, which was SO hard on him the first time in 2006, Dr. Gomez assures us that this should be better for him to tolarate, I pray that he is right!, and I know that God is in Control of all of this, as he has been all along, so, with the very good MD Anderson physicians, and God directing them, I have Faith that all will be well.. ps...up above meant to say We (all) worried so much about the surgery..

Got The Results

We got the results today, and it is cancer, told us was a treatable kind, used the medical names, altho, we in our hearts knew it was, was so hard to hear, but God is in control, and we will get thru this ....we pray now that radiation is a option, which we hopefully will know August 4th...and also pray if that is the route we go, that Irvin can be treated in the Woodlands...so much ahead of us yet...so much

Finally got Home

Home Sweet Home!! We had to stay overnight after the biospy on Thursday, got home in the evening on Friday...the most important thing is that the lung that was biospied came back up, as it is supposed to be, very scary...God took care of Irvin, and I am so Thankful for that...now we wait til the 4th of August to see what step we take next, need prayers, lots of prayers!!

Thurs. and the bio.

Tomorrow, Irvin will have the Bio. to determine whether the spot on his lung is Cancer....I PRAY that it is not! to the very bottom of my heart!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We will not know until August 4, when we see his dr...long time, a very long time......

Sunday

It is Sunday, and we should have gone to Church, ..it seems such a effort to just do any thing now, and that is just stress and depression, I know, and I really tell myself that we both have so very much to be thankful for, we are so blessed with a wonderful family, and we have each other , Thank God!!!...well, have to go to the Grocery store, but, this down feeling will pass, I know with God's help...This Too Shall Pass

More Waiting....

We will have more waiting...due to Irvin's Dr. being out on the 28th, we will have to wait til the 4th of August to get the results of the bio. , he is having on the 21st...I know this time will go by hopefully quickly, but honestly the stress is starting to wear us both down..we are so trying to be possitive, and upbeat as much as possible, but SO hard to do sometimes...I MUST remember, "This Too Shall Pass"

STRESS

Stress is building for both of us,....I think what gets us thru this is prayer(I know God will not forsake us, he never has) and staying busy....Irvin has worked in the yard, so hard for days(I know he is not really able, but I cannot stop him, no matter how much I "nag" him to stop..and I havebeen between "watching him like a hawk, making sure , he has plenty of water, and doing whatever he will let me do to help him, and housework, stuff I have put off, like straighting out drawers, and the never ending job of closet cleaning, that is a "lost cause"...but, "THIS TOO SHALL PASS". , and the 21st will get here, then the 28th, and then we will know what the next weeks have in store for us....

Happy Birthday To My Hubby

Happy, Happy Birthday to My Wonderful Husband of almost 57 years!...He has reached the Big 80 today.. I am SO blessed with my life with him!

Tests in....A lot ahead of us

Well, the tests we were waiting for are in, and there IS a "spot" on Irvin's right lung, and it is suspicious, so on the 21sr of June, he will have a bio. to determine if it is cancer or not..We are still in prayer over this! Irvin wants to try radiation if it is cancer , if possible..we will know that on June 28th, so we wait......and Pray!