Time is closing in......but it has been the best time!!

 

Friday evening
It has been a busy week to say the least. I went to LUSH which is where Erica Schonert works. Her mom, Deb Schonert and I had mini facials. I also bought a few stocking stuffers. Pat and I hit up a liquor warehouse called Spec's to see if they had a certain wine for X-mas presents. It was also full of cheeses, olives, salamis, and you could also have a sandwich made with fresh bread they bake there. Awesome place!! Oh....and Dave Brooks.....they have every kind of ale under the son!!! Pat was in another land of happiness!!

So, today ends the week of treatments and Monday will be my last day...and the bell ringing day.  Woop! I have seen the team from the last time I was radiated. I ran into the guy as he is in the same area as I get radiated on but he has his "own machine" as the say. And Danna, the lady from last April/May also stopped by to give me a hug (two separate times). It means a lot for them to do that as these guys are like "Wham, Bam, Thank Ya Mam"....and out you go as they have someone else after you and some else after that.....and the line goes on.....day after day after day. Each person with a different story....some want to converse and others just want you to bug off as they feel like POO!

I also saw Dr. Das today. This was the last time I will see him before going home. It's all a waiting game as far as whether this radiation worked or not. It will keep working for about 6 weeks. So, my last chemo in Effingham was September 30th. I will not have any until I come back in mid-January for my PET scan to see what's going on inside of me. No chemo until then......last year....things didn't look too hot and they started me on a new chemo. THEN, I went back 3 months later and it showed the tumor was necrotic in places and also showing shrinkage. So.....I will try and stay focused and positive that the cancer is not spreading or dancing around all over the inside my belly. Dr. Javle says there are still tools in the toolbox so if it didn't work, we are still hopeful something else will slow or stop this monster. I believe the radiation will work but it might take a couple 5 to 6 months to see the results that we are looking for. That is basically how it worked last time.

Saturday:

Pat and I spent the day running around....shopping a bit...hunting for gunpowder (no luck there) but we did find some bullets our pharmacist is needing. Brycen-you're the best!

We had supper at David and Rosselyn Morris' house. Oh man.....best meal we have had in a while and the cherry pie....mmmm...hmmm!!!! But best of all, they are just great people to visit with. Telling stories from their college days to me talking about my grandchildren back in Illinois. Yes, God has sent this pair of Angels front and center for us to meet on this cancer journey. I truly believe God has planted them in our life....and I do praise God for that!

Sunday:

We will get our laundry caught up...pack a little....and sometime in the afternoon, we will visit The Schonert's for a quick goodbye. They have just been fun to be with....and I am so glad we had time to spend with them.


So, Tuesday, I will see Dr. Javle at 8 am and then we will start the journey home. We will probably stop about 5 hours from home for the night and come on in to Olney on Wednesday. 
We have met some new friends, became better acquainted with old friends, and Pat and I have really had to connect with each other to keep from killing each other in such close quarters.....not really...we like each other!! :-)

I know I say it a lot but "Thank You" to each and every one of you who have thought about me, prayed for me, sent me a card (I received 39 cards as of today....and some even had a surprise inside!!), flowers, Edible Bouquet, phone calls, messaged me on Facebook....the list is endless. But most of all, my THANKS goes to God along with many praises! I am leaving you with several pictures from the past 2 1/2 weeks. Enjoy~~

NANCY & JACKIE MORRIS FROM OLNEY AND THEIR COUSIN WHO IS JUST A GEM, SHIRLEY PATTERSON

LUSH WHERE ERICA SCHONERT DOES A FANTASTIC JOB OF "DOING HER JOB!!"

DEB SCHONERT & I GETTING MINI FACIALS AT LUSH

AHHHHH......THAT'S ME!

BEFORE I SAW ERICA "IN ACTION" AT HER WORKPLACE....I HAD NO IDEA HOW WELL SHE DOES HER JOB.  SHE IS FANTASTIC AT WHAT SHE DOES....AND LOVES DOING IT!!!

ONE OF PAT'S DISTANT COUSINS THAT OWNS A BAKERY. YUMMO! THEY HAD JUST MET THAT DAY FOR THE FIRST TIME. NEILSON'S BAKERY...FYI FOR THE HOUSTONIANS.

PAT AND MARY LOU PRINCE, THIS IS PAT'S 1ST COUSIN THROUGH GENERATIONS.

OUR VALET PARKING AREA WHERE I GET DUMPED OFF FOR RADIOLOGY APPOINTMENTS AND RADIATION IN THE BASEMENT.

SMACK ME IN THE HEAD...BALD HEAD....FOR NOT KNOWING THIS SWEET GIRLS NAME. SHE IS JUST AS SWEET AS SHE IS PRETTY. THE MACHINE IN THE BACKGROUND IS WHAT ROTATES COMPLETELY AROUND MY BODY TO THE SPECIFIC AREAS I GET ZAPPED. AS I HAVE SAID BEFORE....THIS MACHINE WHICH HAS A CT SCAN AT THE OTHER END IS THE ONLY ONE IN THE WHOLE UNITED STATES.  THIS MACHINE USUALLY HAS A WAITING LIST AS IT IS NEEDED SO MUCH TO HELP PEOPLE LIKE ME.

THIS IS ANOTHER TECH THAT DOES THE RADIATION. THERE ARE TWO MORE THAT I CAN HOPEFULLY GET PICS OF ON MONDAY....THE BELL RINGING DAY! WOOP!

THIS IS SWEET DANNA, WHO RADIATED ME LAST TIME (AND SHE ENJOYED THE WAY SHE KNOCKED ME TO MY KNEES WHEN SHE RADIATED ME OVER 6 WEEKS)!  JUST KIDDING, KID....YOU KNOW I LOVE YA!  I HAVE SEEN TRAVIS WHICH WAS HER SIDEKICK BUT HAVE NOT GOT A PICTURE...HE IS ZOOMING IN AND OUT GETTING PATIENTS FOR ANOTHER MACHINE. THESE GUYS SEE THOUSANDS OF PATIENTS A YEAR....SO WHEN TRAVIS TOLD HER I WAS BACK....SHE CAME TO VISIT ME TWICE BEFORE GETTING MY TREATMENT. HOW GREAT IS THAT....THAT SHE WOULD STILL REMEMBER ME.....  :-)

THIS PICTURE IF FOR ONE FAMILY IN OLNEY.....ALTHOUGH IT IS STILL SPELLED A LITTLE DIFFERENT, IT MADE ME SMILE BECAUSE THEY ARE SUCH A GREAT FAMILY AND THEIR DAUGHTER, JORDAN IS BEST FRIENDS WITH MY DAUGHTER LESLIE. NANCY AND MIKE KUYKENDALL HAVE BEEN AWESOME AT SENDING ME CARDS...AND ALWAYS ASKING HOW I AM DOING.

I LOVE THIS FOUNTAIN EVERY TIME WE PASS IT IN HERMANN PARK.

CHRISTMAS BEER/WINE SHOPPING...I PROMISE. AND YES, DAVE BROOKS, THERE MIGHT BE A FEW SURPRISES IN THE BOX FOR YOU :-) !!!!  THE PLACE CALLED SPEC'S WHICH IS A WAREHOUSE WITH NOT ONLY ALCOHOL, BUT OLIVE BARS, A DELI AND THEY MAKE SANDWICHES RIGHT THERE....BIGGEST PLACE I HAVE EVER BEEN TO THAT HAD SO MUCH BOOZE!   AND HOW MUCH WAS FOR ME YOU MIGHT ASK?  NONE. 

PAT AND I PARKED AND TOOK A WALK DOWN THIS PATH AS WE WERE WAITING IN BETWEEN APPOINTMENTS. SO PEACEFUL...A GOLF COURSE ON THE RIGHT AND ON THE LEFT, THEY ARE BUILDING A JAPANESE GARDENS IN HERMANN PARK.......

I SAVED THE BEST FOR LAST! THIS IS ROSELYN AND DAVID MORRIS. WE ARE HAVING SUPPER AT THEIR HOUSE IN THIS PICTURE. WE ATTENDED THE CATHOLIC CHURCH LAST WEEK THAT THEY ATTEND AND WILL BE AT THAT CHURCH AGAIN IN A FEW HOURS. WE MET THROUGH SHIRLEY PATTERSON OF GALVESTON. GOD IS SO GOOD!! HE IS SENDING PEOPLE MY WAY FOR A REASON...AND I THANK HIM.  WE WILL STAY WITH THE MORRIS FAMILY NEXT TIME WE COME TO HOUSTON IN JANUARY. I MEAN...WE WERE TOTAL STRANGERS AND NOW WE ARE STAYING AT THEIR HOUSE.....THEY ARE JUST BEYOND WORDS IN GENEROSITY, WISDOM, TRAVELS ALL OVER THE WORLD, FAITH, STORIES TO THE MOON AND BACK (ALMOST). WE GENUINELY THINK THEY ARE JUST TWO OF THE MOST WONDERFUL PEOPLE.....AND DID I MENTION SHE MAKES THE BEST CHERRY PIE EVER....EVER!! SORRY MOMMA ;-)    

THANKS BE TO GOD!

Hugs!
Patty Corcoran