Good evening... it's almost midnight now. Just wanted to update before we get started tomorrow so you will know how to pray.

For day one, it was tougher than we expected. Usually we see the accumulative effect over the week ~ getting more and more tired as the days go on. But today, it was almost immediate. Frank felt it right out of the gate. He's never had this BCNU drug. He got flushed and his blood pressure dropped, headache and tingling in his face. They slowed down the rate and that helped, but after that he slept the whole day.

Getting up to go home was interesting. He could hardly walk! So much for the stairs this time. I called for help and the cute little golf cart took us through the hospital. He was more tired than I expected . But I am so thankful for the out patient system they have set up here. Getting up and walking around is so much better. He came home and slept till 7.

He's been so much better tonight. He watched some of the debate, and checked his email. I fixed him some dinner and he ate well. He's asleep again. :)

His fanny pack of chemo is so heavy this time. We put it in Zach's back pack with the padded shoulder straps. That's more convenient for him.

Having the kids here is so sweet. They each have their time snuggling with him, and me. For all the down sides of having them out of school, (they miss it terribly) none of us would trade this time together for anything. It is so special. Chandler leaves every night and drives to a restaurant nearby to sit in the parking lot and enjoy cell coverage! Crazy!

Frank is strong and he's a fighter. We feel good about this and we're glad things are rolling ~ finally. We are praying for great results! They will do a PET scan Thursday morning at 6am to find out.

Good night......and now good morning....

it is interesting to me how one's perspective can influence the way the story is written. After waking up this morning and reading Peggy's account of how yesterday played out, I thought I would add a couple comments too.

First, she was correct with how quickly the chemo "got a hold" of me, but the bonus for me has been that I am in much less pain now. For the past 3-4 weeks I have been hobbling around like I have arthitis in my hips and back . Now that I am loaded up on steroids and chemo I just about can't feel anything. I like that part.

And while I am experiancing max. fatigue, I have not yet felt the "fuzzy headed" fog that envelopes my mental processes once I take all this hard stuff. I figure it will be in the Sat-Sun time frame before I go fully under the spell of the chemo drugs.

And guess what, the goose egg lesion that is on my head is almost flat now.....

WAITER - "How do you like your goose egg cooked Mr Carlton?"; MR CARLTON, "I like them heavily fried in a mixture of chemo-coctails, on both sides of course, and then thrown away thank you very much....then I'll have some orange juice."

We are enjoying being together as a family, I am so thankful for the sacrifices that the kids have made, and Peggy too, in order for us to be together at this time.

We are going to get through this, and return with more vigor than we had before we left!

Frank