Monday, November 10, 2014

Six Months Later

Well, I'm really kinda embarrassed that I am writing again on this blog.  It has been almost 6 months since I wrote last, that is a good thing or maybe I could have written that we were doing fine.

We really are doing pretty well.  There have been a couple of "episodes" of not doing so good but they are not related to cancer.  Roy ended up in the hospital last May due to getting overheated when he was mowing the lawn.  They did all the tests for a stroke but never concluded that he had one.  Then about a two weeks ago he passed out and when he fell he did some damage to his rotator cuff.  He has had a MRI and we go to  the doctor tomorrow to find out if he only has to do rehab or if there needs to be surgery.  Obviously we would ask for prayers for just rehab.  So, please as you pray for good test results at M.D. Anderson also ask for not much damage to his shoulder.

We will be going back to Houston for test next Monday and Tuesday.  We have been so blessed to have been told not to come back for 6 months!!  Roy was excited since he had been "negoitating" for almost a year not to have to go every 3 months.  I had mixed emotions.  I would be more comfortable thinking that the doctors were more aware of his condition every 3 months but I need to have more faith that things will be ok.  Of course the fact that some of the grandkids are in Houston had nothing to do with my wanting to go more often...right!

This has been a busy fall for us.  Justin, who plays football at ACU, has had games every week-end since Labor Day.  We have traveled to watch him play starting in Atlanta, Georgia and on into Alabama and Louisiana and around the state of Texas. There is one more game this week-end.(I timed the visit to Houston around where he was playing this week-end...close to Houston) This is his senior year and it has been wonderful watching him succeed.  We also have been blessed to have friends join us at several of the games.  There is no better feeling than watching a grandchild do what they enjoy doing.

So, if you are reading this, please keep us in your prayers.  God has a plan for us and we look forward to knowing what it is.

Linda

Monday, May 5, 2014

Houston..we are headed your way

Well, I'm almost embarrassed to even be posting this in our blog, since I only post so sporadically.  It has been 3 months and it's time to go back.  So, we are headed back to Houston on Friday for tests on Monday and Tuesday.

I'm always fine with what is going on until about the week before we go.  Then I start getting very nervous and start "planning" for the worse.  What happens to my faith the week before tests???  Have no idea.

We are getting to spend time with the Houston grandchildren while we are down there.  Tyler has a ballgame on Friday night and again on Monday night.  This will be the first time that we've been able to see him play 2 ballgames.  We feel pretty blessed to do that.  And, ofcourse, Miss Georgia Kate will be hanging around...I'm hoping she will at least acknowledge us.  She has a mind of her own and sometimes we just aren't very important to her.  Actually, she is so cute it doesn't bother me.  I love just watching her "doing her thing".

We have had a busy three months.  Between spending Spring Break with 3 out of the 4 kids in Galveston and going to all the ballgames I feel we haven't had much time to worry about cancer!  I also got to spend time with my college friends in Abilene.  We sponsor an Alzheimer's Dinner, Dance and Auction each year.  This year we were truly blessed to raise $90,000.  It was the 8th year that we have helped sponsor this event and it's amazing how much it has grown in those 8 years.

I tell myself each time I write that this is only about Roy and his journey, so forgive the personal notes.
We talked last night,  had it not been for finding his cancer when we did and having the treatment that he had, we were told that he would not be with me now.  It would have been too late.  God definitely works in our lives and I just praise Him and thank everyone for all the prayers that I know were lifted for us.

Please keep us in your prayers.  When we leave the Dr. office each time, they will tell us they will contact us with tests results.  They never do, so this last time I figured out if they don't call, that's good news.  Pray we don't get any phone calls from M.D.Anderson.  And, pray we can go 6 months before we have to go back!

God is in control and holding our hands.
Linda

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Headed South again...

We are leaving tomorrow to head to Houston for another round of petscan/endoscopy on Monday and Tuesday of next week.  It does seem like it has been awhile since we were there.  That could be because Roy "negotiated" 3 and 1/2 months instead of just 3...what a negotiator!!  Guess all those years with AT&T negotiating contracts paid off...not!

We are going early to beable to watch Tyler play basketball on Saturday.  The trip works out to where we will see 2 ballgames and get to enjoy watching the Super Bowl with the kids.  Always such a joy to spend time with them.  It makes the trips to Houston something that I've started looking forward to doing.

As most of you know I just got back from Russia two weeks ago.  What a special trip for me to make.  Most have heard the stories of forgetting to put the beef in the beef stroganoff and getting to work with 2nd generation children.  The teens that I met and Natasha helped years ago brought their children to us for "camp".  I'm so proud that the "adult" kids are stepping up and raising their children differently than how they were raised.  I know God worked in their lives through Natasha.  She has been through some much recently and I worry about her health constantly.

I did have a very heart breaking experience there that I just feel the need to share and ask for prayers.  One of the girls that Natasha has worked with over the years house burned.  On the night of the Christmas party I went with Natasha to take Christmas gifts to her two children.  Little did I realize that Nastya and her family were having to live in a partially burned down house.  They had two rooms that she and her husband and two children were living in.  In order to get to those rooms I had to walk through the rooms that had burned. I think I walked through the kitchen and maybe an entry way.  This is a young woman who one summer gave me a dress (halter..dress...I had to wear a shirt underneath...).  I'm not sure she ever understood why I needed a T-shirt also....not a pretty sight on someone my age.  But I loved the thought and she loved being able to give it to me.

I looked around her "home" and realized how very blessed we are here...no insurance...no money to build a new home..please keep her in your prayers that somehow that situation will change and the two little children will have a kitchen and bathroom for comfort.

Getting back to Roy and I.  Pray for clean tests and good negoitations for the next time!!

God is in control and holding our hands.