Hello Everyone:

Today was definitely one of those days that I would like to have a re-do on.

In many ways Monday February 4th was just not a good day for the Carlton family.

Peggy and I went back to Little Rock this morning with the hopes that Dr Barlogie would pat us on the back and tell us that the “spot” that appeared to be non-cancerous back in November/December was just that, non-cancerous. And, we had hoped that the last round of chemotherapy had done a number on the cells and the site had gotten better.

Regrettably, Dr. Barlogie had to tell us the exact opposite…my cancer has returned. In addition the original site has grown and there is also second lesion now.

We will be traveling back to Little Rock on Tuesday for a fine-needle aspirate of the lesion (for all you in Alabama this means they are going to stick me with a long, thick needle and suck stuff out of my bone marrow & it hurts) and then return on Thursday to get his recommendation for treatment options.

It’s about 9:45pm as I type this note and my brain is just now getting wrapped around what I am about to have to go through - the treatments, the time away from family and friends, missing church, missing work (hey I like my job), and the host of other “normal” activities that feeling cruddy and being severely immune-O-compromised takes one away from. If I didn’t already know that we can beat this thing, it would make me depressed.

However, my experiences tell me that this can, and will be something that can be overcome. God has allowed me to enjoy His good graces before and I must trust that He will do so again.

It will probably come as a bit odd, bit I thanked God tonight as we all sat down for dinner. Ephesians 5:20 tells us that ‘in all things we should be thankful’….so I thanked God for this terrible day. I thanked Him for the blessings that I have already received from all of you (yes, you know who you are) and for the fact that this gives Him another opportunity to show us all how great a God we serve.

We will share more as we know it, but for now I gotta go get some sleep. Tuesday is going to be another long day.

Frank