January 3rd, 2011

Once again we are headed to Birmingham for a check up and to see if the new treatment is working on the new tumor. We got up Monday and went for the MRI and then to Dr. Nabors. Good news! The tumor was shrinking and had very little blood supply to it any more although it was bigger over all. We were very excited and thought we were on the right track. So continue Temodar 21 out of every 28 days and Avastin every other week. We will see how things are in two months. In the midst of all of this, we had bought a house(11/14/11), repainted the entire interior and made it our own, closed in the formal diningroom to make a room for Austin on the opposite end of the house from all the other bedrooms so it gives him privacy. During painting over the Thanksgiving holidays, I stumbled backwards over 3 paint cans and broke my elbow right in the joint. I was furious with myself but managed to keep it in a sling for a few days before I started just holding it close to my body. They didn't cast it because it could cause my elbow to freeze up. I learned to listen to my elbow on what I could and couldn't do which was just a blast since we were painting and then moving. Oh well at least our family finally had its own space after 4 1/2 years living with and caring for my Mom. We chose to buy instead of renting when we discovered buying is cheaper and then you actually have something to show for it. We actually moved into our house the 2nd week of December. It felt like home instantly. We also had a liter of 10 boxer puppies that were born 11/29/10. The puppies were great therapy for all of us. We sold all but 1 which we intended to keep from the get go.

November 1, 2010

Ferrell, Miranda, and I headed to Birmingham for Ferrell's doctor's appt and to tour Samford University with Miranda. We got up Monday morning and went for Ferrell's MRI and then on to Dr. Nabors. When we got to Dr. Nabors office we were blown away. Ferrell's brain where he had the first tumor(on right side) was just about completely healed but he now had a new tumor on the left side. We had no idea this was coming even though we knew it was inevitable at some point. I promised myself I would never let me guard down again after this. I didn't even realize I had let it down but boy had I ever. This new tumor meant going on Temodar(oral chemo) 21 days out of every 28 and taking IV chemo called Avastin every other week. We continued on to tour Samford and were very impressed with the university. Miranda however decieded it wasn't worth taking out the loans she would need to go there. It is extremely expensive. Maybe she will go to law school there. Who knows!

1st week of Sept.

We have settled into our normal routine at home and I am back to work teaching second graders. This week we met Dr. Nabors at UAB for the first time. We really like him. He reminds me a lot of Jeff Foxworthy. He is very southern.
Everything is looking good with Ferrell's MRI. He will continue Temodar(oral chemo) at this point. We will return on November 1st.

July 30th

I am going back 9 months and updating all the big moments. Here goes: Well we finished up treatment yesterday and are being flown home by Southern Company again. We actually had the same two pilots. It was a great trip and we are so glad to be back in Florida. Yes, we had some experiences(good and bad) in NY, NY that we would never have had otherwise but if I never go back it will be too soon. The kids and our in-laws were waiting for us when we got home.