Precious Friends!

Wow! What wonderful friends we have....

Your patience amazes me. I know I have lagged miserably on getting the blog updated. It's been so crazy around here. However, not one of you has mentioned my slowness, just e-mailed or called to check in and make sure we are okay.

This last round of chemo was much better for Ben. They gave him every possible anti-nausea drug out there. So, we were able to avoid the vomiting he's experienced the last two treatments. He still felt pretty gross and was sick until about Wednesday. However, he is doing great now. We go back to MD Anderson at the end of this month for the 2/3 of the way through check-up (Thank you, Lord). So, Ben has five treatments remaining (2.5 rounds). He is so ready for them to be over. If you say the word "chemo" around him he starts to get nauseated. So, we try to avoid that conversation.

On a more exciting front, Ben has finished all of the classes required to apply for dental school and got like a 3.75 or something amazing last semester while taking 15 hours and kicking cancer in the toosh!! However, applications don't come out until the Fall for dental school and that would be to start classes in the Fall of '08. Obviously, there is no guarantee that he will even get in...So, he's looking for a full-time job. He's hoping to get into pharma/dental sales. I think he would be absolutely amazing in sales. He just cares so much about people and relationships. So, if any of you know of any sales openings anywhere, let us know. He's working to finish his resume today.

I am doing okay. My doc is still convinced that this is my thyroid. However, he wants to run a lot of tests and send me to see some different specialists, etc. So, he has requested that I go on Short Term Disability at work. Could have been the hardest decision I've ever made in my life. I love my job! However, they did an EKG on Monday (last one was in July) and found that whatever this is, it's starting to affect my heart. They've given me some meds to slow my heart down a little bit. They also gave me something to help me sleep (I haven't slept in two weeks).

I still have quite a bit of paperwork to knock out before I'm really "done" with work, but today is supposed to be my first day of Short Term Disability. My hope is that I can knock it all out today and Monday will be a real day to rest and start healing. I met with my manager yesterday in Tyler to discuss everything with him. He was very supportive. My doc said at least six weeks, but my goal is to get back as quickly as possible. My manager was very sweet and said he wants to know that I am better before he'll let me come back. He's not just going to let me jump back in if I'm not better. I am so far beyond ready to feel better. As I told someone the other day, when you've been nauseated for as long as I've been (since April '06), you want a baby in the end or something to show for it!!!

Well, I need to get to my work.

Thank you all for being such precious prayer warriors and praying knowing the Lord will answer!! Thank you also for your patience with me.

Love you all!

because of HIM!!!