Sunday (December 28)

Well, Christmas is now over, and we are preparing for the next phase of our life. We had a wonderful Christmas. We were able to travel to Brevard to spend Christmas Eve and Chrismas morning with Jodi, Matt, Chloe and Ethan. And, yes, we still believe in Santa. We are so blessed to have children, grandchildren, family and friends.

We are now starting the final week of Joel's 10 week regimen of chemo IV's at Baptist Hospital. His final one will be this coming Friday, January 2. He will then have a 2 week break and start the next phase on January 20th. That drug is one of the "bad" ones, as we call it, that he received in the hospital in September. He will go to Baptist for 3 days in a row for this treatment. He may lose his hair again and his counts will go down which will result in fatigue and some other side effects. He will then get about 6 weeks of rest before starting the final 3 day treatment in March. If his bone marrow test is clear at that time, he will only have to take chemo drugs by mouth. He should finish that phase in April 2010. It has been a really tough 4 months, but, we are grateful that he is alive and is doing well. This was the best Christmas present I could ever have.

Joel actually had to get a hair cut yesterday. Joel's personal barber, aka brother-in-law Tony, came over and buzzed him.

God has been so good to us. He has allowed us to celebrate our 37th wedding anniversay on December 18th and to spend another Christmas with our grandchildren. We know his hand in on us at all times.

Jodi and Matt are in Costa Rica this week and next on a much needed vacation. They went last year and enjoyed a week of beautiful warm weather learning to surf while I was here babysitting 2 kids, 2 dogs, 1 cat and snow! This year, Matt will not be able to surf since he broke his leg in Septmber and consequently had to have surgery. He is doing better and is using a cane now instead of crutches. Matt's mother and father are babysitting this time.

We would still appreciate your prayers for us and we continue on this journey.

Monday (December 15)

Well, here we go again. Joel has now finished 2 weeks of the 2nd 5-week phase of chemo. He is feeling good and we have started going back to church. We missed 3 months and really missed our friends. Joel's white counts are still up and his doctor says he can go back to work. He will be going in every morning and work until I come pick him up to go to Baptist for treatment. He is able to drive himself and has several times when I have not been able to go. He likes me to be with him if my schedule allows it. I am still working and still trying to take care of my Mom, too.

As Christmas nears, we are so blessed that Joel is still with us. When he was first diagnosed, I honestly did not know if he would be here at Christmas. We are so grateful for the wonderful doctors and nurses as they take care of him. And, for the Lord's gift of Joel's life.

We now have more appreciation for our lives and the things that we used to take for granted. We are blessed beyond measure with the best family and friends anyone could ask for. Joel and I have learned not to sweat the small stuff. We try not to let problems bother us and just appreciate the fact that we can be together.

This coming Saturday, December 20th is our granddaugher Chloe's 7th birthday. She is such a miracle child herself, and we love her and our grandson Ethan so much. We will have a chemo treatment early Christmas Eve morning and then travel to Brevard for our tradition of being with the kids on Christmas morning. After brunch, we will come home to spend Christmas evening with Joel's family. A lot of traveling, but so worth it.

Thank you again for all your prayers, cards, phone calls and concern for us. We love you all.

Thursday (Thanksgiving Day)

I am sitting here at the beach, watching our daughter and son-in-law prepare our Thanksgiving meal. What a joy to be able to see them and our grandchildren. In September, we did not know if we would ever have this opportunity again. But, by God's Love and Grace, He has made this precious time possible. We decided to rent a condo at the beach so Joel and I could just get away from hospitals, doctors and my job. The kids arrived last night and from that moment on, the tranquil vacation ended. There are the sounds of kids having fun, the sounds of dinner being prepared, the TV is showing the parades and we are feeling so blessed.

At the end of the first 5 week treatments, Joel started experiencing some minor side effects, such as tingling in his hands and white lines on his fingernails. His doctor says this is indeed minor and can be taken care of by reducing the strength of the chemo drug. He will start the 2nd 5 week phase on December 1.

Yesterday was my birthday and the kids gave me a beautiful pair of reading glasses. What does that tell you? I am getting older, but so thankful that I can get older.

The best birthday present of all was from the Lord, giving me the gift of life for Joel. I could not ask for a better present, just to have him here with me.

We wish for you a wonderful Thanksgiving. Please continue to pray for Joel as he starts this next phase.

Love to all.

Nov. 11 (Tuesday)

Thursday of this week will mark the end of the first 5 weeks of chemo at Baptist. We have been going every day, Monday thru Friday, and, quite frankly, we are glad to see this part end. We will have 2 weeks off, then return on December 1 to begin the 2nd phase of another 5 weeks. We have several doctors appointments scheduled for the week of Nov. 17th. Then, we are going to the beach to spend some time alone and get away from Judi's work and the hospital. Jodi and her family are coming the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and staying through Sunday. We cannot wait to see Chloe and Ethan. The last time we saw them was the first weekend after Joel was admitted to the hospital in early September.

Thank you again for your prayers, cards and concern. We are very blessed to be in as good a situation as we are in. God has blessed Joel with good health during these treatments, He has watched over us as we drive back and forth every day and we still pray that this hard time for us will be a ministry to someone else.

Love to all!

Nov. 1 (Saturday)

We have now finished the 3rd week of this phase. It has been pretty uneventful and Joel is continueing to improve daily. He has developed some itching on his neck and we are trying to eliminate things that might be causing it. The doctors are not concerned about it at this point, but, we will need to pay close attention to laundry detergent, softener, etc. His white blood counts are staying in the normal range and all other counts look good too.

Please continue to pray that he will not have developed an allergy. We want to get through this first phase with no set backs.

Thanks again for all your prayers and cards.

Oct. 25 (Saturday)

Yesterday ended our 2nd week of chemo treatment. Joel is continuing to improve day by day and so far has still not had any side effects. He still has to limit his exposure to crowds or places where he knows someone may have a cold or virus. He has escaped getting a cold so far. We still have 3 weeks to go in this first round of treatments. These will end Nov. 14 and he will then have 2 weeks of rest before starting the 2nd phase, which will begin in December. We are planning to see the grandchildren during the week of Thanksgiving (provided everyone is well) and we cannot wait! We have missed them so much. We talked to them this morning on the phone and Ethan told us he was going to be Elliott, the little boy from the movie ET. Jodi bought him an original ET doll on E-bay. He will ride his bike and carry ET in the basket on the front. He saw the movie and decided that's what he wants to be. Chloe will be Ariel, the mermaid princess.

Thanks again for all your prayers. We are blessed every day by the progress Joel is making, by the new friends we are making at the hospital, and for the wonderful care each person is giving us. We have met so many Christians who share our feelings about prayer and the blessings God has bestowed on us. Please keep praying that not only will Joel continue to improve,but, through this, we may be a ministry through our faith and our lives.

October 18 (Saturday)

Yesterday (Friday) marked the end of the first week of 5 weeks of chemo. Joel did very well and did not have any side effects. They left the needle in his port-a-cath the whole week and, after the first day, it did not bother him very much. He just had to be careful not to touch it or let anything or anyone get too close. They removed it and his stitches yesterday and now he can take a full shower and be a little more free to move around. We will start again Monday for the 2nd week of treatments. His brother, Jeter, will be taking him since I have training classes for the upcoming elections. I work for the local election precinct and I feel this is something I really need to do.

We received word this week that a very dear friend of ours who serves on the Association of Christian Schools International board with Joel has been diagnosed with cancer. He has a very good attitude about this and we all pray that God will also touch him as He has touched Joel.

Wednesday evening, our church held a blood drive in Joel's honor. They had a goal of 50 pints and reached that goal. We appreciate all the donors and volunteers who helped make this successful.

We are so grateful for our pastoral staff and friends who have lifted us up in prayer during this time.Please continue to pray for Joel. This is just the beginning of a very long process that will take him until April of 2010 at which time he should be finished with all of the chemo. We are so optomistic that his treatments will be successful and that through all this, God will be glorified and that lives will be touched.

Through these next 4 weeks, I will probably only post once a week unless something changes in the routine. Again, thanks for all your prayers. Joel and I really enjoy reading the comments you are leaving on the blog. Please keep this up as it really brightens our sometime routine days.

October 13 (Monday)

Today Joel and I went to Baptist for the first day of Phase 2 of his chemo treatments. It took a little longer than it will later so that he could get lab work done and see the doctor. He was a little anxious about the procedure but has since calmed down. The nurse had to "stick" him in the port-a-cath area and that hurt him some. She asked him if he wanted to just leave the needle in and not have to be stuck again and he agreed to try it. He is a little uncomfortable with it, but we'll see how it goes. They would remove it each Friday and then re-insert a new one each Monday. He will continue to get blood drawn and have an EKG every Monday and Thursday. He will see the doctor every Tuesday and Friday.

This chemo should not have many side effects. So far, so good. He is beginning to grow a little fuzz on his head and beard. His weight is continuing to improve and his appetite is too.

We still need a lot of prayers. He still has a long way to go before he can be declared cured. Please continue to pray that he will have little to no side effects and that these treatments will result in his complete remission. We thank all of you for your prayers and support. We really need them.

Oct. 4 (Saturday)

Joel had a little minor surgery yesterday at Baptist to insert the port-a-cath that will enable the IV to be inserted so he will not have to be stuck every time. He did just fine and is a little sore today. He has several stitches that will have to be removed in a week or so and we are now waiting for his first IV chemo treatment which will begin on Monday October 13. We will go to Baptist Monday through Friday for five weeks and then have 2 weeks off before the next 5 weeks of treatments. He is gaining weight and eating much better. I am back at work and he rides with me to get out of the house. Please continue to pray for us as we travel and that his treatments will have no side effects.

Oct. 2 (Thursday)

What a wonderful God we have! Joel went to Baptist on Tuesday for a bone marrow test and we received the results yesterday afternoon. The doctor said he is cancer free and in remission! She said their job for the next year is to make sure he remains cancer free. He will still start Phase 2 around the middle of October and will continue to take cancer drugs for the next year. After that, if there are still no cancer cells, he will be considered cured. He is regaining his strength every day and is eating just about anything he wants. Thanks for all your prayers. They really do work!!!!!!

Sept. 30 (Tuesday)

Joel has had several good days now that he is home. He has been walking around the house, in the yard and in the street. He has gained 6 pounds now and is feeling quite good. He went back to Baptist today for lab work, a bone marrow test and to meet with Dr. Powell. The lab results were very good and we should hear from the bone marrow test tomorrow or Thursday. Depending on the results from that test will determine if he has to continue on the chemo by mouth while taking the IV treatments. He will return to Baptist on Friday of this week to have the "port" put in so they will not have to stick him whenever he gets his IV's. Dr. Powell said he will probably start his IV treatments about a week and a half from now. He can take these next few days until then to rest and regain strength. We are very grateful to the Lord for his continuing care and love and also to our friends and family who have been so faithful to keep us in their prayers.

Sept. 26 (Saturday)

We have been home 2 days now and Joel is feeling stronger each day. He has gained 4 pounds in 2 days (he had lost 30 pounds) and is looking much better. We took a ride today through the school grounds. He wanted to see the new fencing on Eastchester and the new playground. He is resting during this brief respite until he starts his 2nd phase of treatments on Tuesday. We will be going back to Baptist for lab tests, a bone marrow test, and a doctors visit. From then on, we hope he will be able to get his IV treatments in High Point. Please keep praying that the bone marrow test will show no cancer cells and that he will have minimal if no side effects from the new treatments. Thank you all for your continued prayers. I will post to this blog every few days instead of each day just to let you know how he's getting along.

Sept. 25 (Thursday)

If you ever doubted the power of prayer, then you need to hear this. WE ARE HOME!!! The doctors released Joel today and said he was in good enough health to go home. His blood counts are going up steadily, he has no infection or fever. He will go back to Baptist next Tuesday to have a bone marrow test, and a port put in his chest so that they will not have to stick him every time they give him an IV. He will start the 2nd phase of his treatment then, with IV's every day for 5 weeks, then 2 weeks rest and another 5 weeks. During that time he has to minimize areas where he might pick up a cold or virus. In order to keep him as healthy as possible during this 2nd phase, visitation will have to be limited to immediate family and pastors. We would still appreciate your prayers that the treatments will be successful.

Thank you for your prayers. They worked!

Sept. 24 (Wednesday)

Today is a great day! Joel is feeling much better and we are so excited about that. He has been walking around the halls today, eating much more than before and is slowly getting his strength back. His doctors are encouraged by the rate in which his cells are rebuilding and we can see the light at the end of the tunnel!

Sept. 23 (Tuesday) Well, we have been here 3 weeks today. There have been a lot of ups and downs but it looks like Joel is on the upward move. He feels better today and actually walked 5 laps of the entire hall today. He ate a good sized lunch and is regaining his strength slowly. He has not received platelets in 2 days or blood in several days. That means that he is on the mend. We will not know whether the chemo killed all the cancer cells for another 2 weeks or so. They need to wait until his bone marrow starts producing more cells before they can test it. But, we are hopeful, through God's grace, that the bad cells are gone and only good ones are rebuilding. His hair is about 2/3 gone. He sends his love and appreciation to everyone.

Sept. 22 (Monday)

Each day is getting a little bit better. Joel is eating more and walking around the halls. His voice is very weak because of hoarseness and sores. His hair is now falling out fairly quickly. We have such wonderful nurses and staff here and one of the nurses told me she thought he looked cute! So, between my big fat "chick" suit and his balding head, we really make a weird looking couple. But,as long as we're still a couple, I'm happy with that. Every day he improves gets us that much closer to going home, which still may be another 2 weeks away. All that will depend on his counts rising to close to normal. We are praying for the earliest release possible. Thanks again for all your prayers.

Sept. 21 (Sunday)

Today has been a good day. Joel is feeling better and his appetite and taste are beginning to come back. I went to Panera's today and got him a bowl of chicken noodle soup and 1/2 turkey sandwich. He ate all the soup and almost all the sandwich, then had Cheetos for dessert. He walked around the halls twice today and his gastric problems have also seemed to improve. The doctors say he will be up and down with his white cell count and platelets this week and they hope he will experience very slow progress soon. His hair is just beginning to fall out. So much for our hopes that he got his buzz cut for nothing! (And, Patti, I did not wear my "chick" suit to Panera's to get his chicken soup!) He still cannot have visitors so you have no idea how much your cards and prayers mean to him. Thank you all.

Sept. 20 (Saturday)

Joel is still feeling a little better. However, his platelets and red blood cell counts are down and he is receiving whole blood and platelets today. His color is much better and the swellling seems to be slowly going down. His voice is weak today and he says its because he has a lot of sores in his mouth, which, again, is one of those ugly side effects of chemo. But, each day brings us closer to getting well and going home. Thanks again for your prayers.

Sept. 19 (Friday)

Joel is feeling a tiny bit better today. I am now having to wear this beautiful, large yellow gown and gloves. The gowns only come in one size XXXXXXL. I look just like a big fat yellow chick. But, everyone has to do this since his resistance is so low and this is a precaution so that no one brings any germs in. We will have to do this until he goes home. Do you realize how hard it is to type with latex gloves on? He walked a little today around the floor and is eating slightly more than before. I have to make a Chic-Fil-A run every day because he does not like the chicken in the Food Service dept. Today he ate yogurt for breakfast, a half a chicken breast for lunch and yogurt for dinner. He still cannot have any visitors especially during this critical time. I bought him a personal CD player and he has been listening to his favorite Southern Gospel group Signature Sound. He still hasn't lost much of his hair and he was commenting yesterday that wouldn't it be a hoot if he didn't lose his hair after we gave him the buzz cut. I still think he looks great with short hair. But, whatever comes his way, he never complains.

Sept. 18 - Thursday

Joel had a better day today. His feet and legs are still terribly swollen but his jaundice is subsiding. He felt more like talking today. In fact, he was using my cell phone and I couldn't get him to stop talking long enough to use it myself. He is still very weak, but hopefully he will be able to walk some tomorrow. He is beginning to eat just a little, mostly yogurt and still says nothing has any taste. We are now past the 2 week point, which we hope is the halfway mark. He is no longer bleeding but still has gastric problems. His doctors say he is right where he should be in the treatment period and say that the swelling and gastric problems will ease up with time. He has received over 250 cards. We have taped about 150 on his walls and I have at least another 100 + that we cannot find room for. He is reading every one and really is encouraged by your many prayers and concern. Keep praying.