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I am still doing okay from the chemo and looking forward to my next treatment.

Anne, Ken, and the grandchildren are now visiting. Ken and the children went fishing at Chickasaw yesterday and today. They caught bream which they threw back. Anne and Ken have done some cleaning of my house. I can take care of myself but can't get the energy to do regular housework.

They will be going home tomorrow and I will miss them. I like being cared for more than I thought I would. I could get used to this treatment.

Beth and Steve have found an apartment in Jacksonville Beach that they love. They are only half a block from the beach so they are in heaven. Now they need to find jobs.

Still no nausea or other side effects of the medicine. This makes me so happy.

While I was hooked up to the IV on my left side, I was hooked to a blood pressure machine on my right arm. Every 15 minutes it took my blood pressure. I stayed steady at 120/55.

My heart rate has gone up from a usual 71 to 83 beats per minute. Probably stress. My usual is very high for my family. My mother and my brother John usually had, have rates in the low 40s.

They will also draw blood every visit from now on. They will be checking the white and red bloodcells and platelets. I am starting from very good numbers on this and hope it will not be a problem.

When I walked into the chemo room, I was struck at how Star-Trek it looked.

There were people hooked up to IVs sitting in two rows of Barcaloungers. It looked as if a substrata of society was being genetically changed into robot beings that were more stupid, more obedient, and more brutal.

I joined them.

A lot of time today was spent in conversation with the nurse and the pharmacist about what happens, the drug, and what the treatment is all about.

First the nurse tried to put the IV in the back of my hand. It hurt more than any I have ever had. Then I tensed, I did not know I did this, and it went bad. That one had to come out and she put another in the crook of my arm. This time it worked and it barely hurt.

First she connected a regular saline bag to the IV. Then she gave me two Benedryl tablets to take orally. Then two kinds of medicine to prevent side effects were given by...I don't know how to say this but it was like putting a shot into the line.

After a short time two bags of the medicine were hung up. I am getting Taxol, made from the bark of a fir tree, and carboplatin.

This was getting repetitive but they may have also given me two bags of medicine to prevent side effects.

Julia went back with me and was taking notes on all this. I had not realized how helpful this is until Julia and Ken did it for me.

I appreciate Julia going places with me. Spending three hours in that place didn't seem very pleasant but she said she would be watching television at home anyway.

The room has flat screen TVs on the wall. We watched Fox news. Also there is a big bookcase with all kinds of books there. some people spent the time talking on their cell phones. I am thinking of getting books on tape to listen to.

Afterwards we drove to Julia's house. She made me a turkey sandwich and I fell asleep on her couch.

When I woke up, I still wasn't very together. Julia drove me to WalMart to get the anti-nausea medicine. I also bought a few groceries. By the time we went back to her house I was feeling better and was able to drive home fine.

Now I am feeling very good.

I had my first chemo session today. Please disregard anything I have said about it before because it was all wrong. I will be doing one session a week, not three, and it takes 3 hours not 15 minutes.

I have tolerated this pretty well so far. No nausea. I have medicine for that if I need it and you can be sure I will take it. They don't think my hair will fall out completely. I will be prepared for that as Julia has two wigs. Now if she could only find them.

I am still optimistic. It doesn't cost anything and makes me and others happier.

More later.

Thank you for your prayers and phone calls. It has been a good experience to me as it has shown me again what wonderful friends and relatives I have.

At last, and I am so glad. I start chemo on Tuesday, August 26th, at 1 pm. It will be given at the Medical Specialities Clinic in Jackson.

I am so looking forward to this. I know it will be an ordeal but I am tired of waiting and I want to get it over with.

No news on the treatment plan today.

Julia, Beth, Steve, and I went to Memphis this morning to Le Bonheur Hospital where baby Nola had surgery to move the shunt in her brain. Everything went well. When we got there everything was over. she was in her room being rocked by her mommy Desiree, my niece.

Le Bonheur is a children's hospital. I had never been there before and found it is a beautiful hospital. There are red wagons for parents to take their children patients places.

Brain surgery in the morning, and Nola was playing with her toys this afternoon. She will go home tomorrow.

In the meantime, back home, my sister-in-law Charlotte had surgery on her rotator cup. She had surgery and was at home by noon. She is doing well also. Beth, Steve, and I visited her in the early evening.

Today I talked to Dr.Wrights's nurse and told her my decision to go with chemo first and then surgery. They will decide on doses, schedule, etc. and let me know.

I got an email from my good friend Doris Carroll. She said I am in a storm and my friends are opening umbrellas for me. I feel that.

“What a wonderful life I’ve had! I only wish I’d realized it sooner.” Colette

I have decided to use this blog to keep people up on my cancer progress.

After a Friday of talking to doctors, I have decided on what they call an agressive program to attack the cancer.

My main reason is that I am "young old" and not in my eighties. I need a cure. I am not striving for just a few more years.

Therefore I have chosen Door Number Two. This will mean chemo and then surgery.

I will have chemo here in Jackson. There will be three weeks of chemo, then a rest week, then three more weeks of chemo. Then I will be re-evaluated. Depending on the results, I will then have either have surgery at Vanderbilt or three more weeks of chemo before the surgery. Unfortunately I do not know the basis of the evaluation. The purpose of the chemo is to shrink the tumors to make the surgery easier. After the surgery I will probably then have radiation to wipe out the microscopic cancers that may be left.

I look forward to starting treatment. I am cautiously optimistic . I seem to go up and down. Fortunately I have never been really terribly down.

I appreciate every one's interest. I have underestimated people. I told my sister Janice that I have been surprised at the people's reaction. I honestly didn't think people would care as much as they do. Of course that made her cry more.

I remember that but now I am getting used to being prayed for, held, and generally I feel that I walk around with an aura of good wishes around me. It has been very nice to always feel so cared for.

The girls are not doing that great. What an unfair prospect they face of perhaps losing both parents early. I always taught them that life is unfair. But they don't deserve this.

As for as not being fair in general, I think about all the little babies born the day I was. Some died then. So what has fair got to do with that.

I don't really know what awaits me with the therapy. A long painful ordeal I understand. I will try my best to get through this with dignity and not be too much a burden on people. My wonderful sister Julia will do most of the caring.Please include her in your prayers.