Go Tigers!!

Sorry we haven't updated. I was hoping Frank would. Maybe next time.

We were happy to be home so he could be sick in his own bed. Acutally, it's the couch. The couch in our kitchen is his favorite place to lay down. He ran 103 Tues and Wed. Thursday he ran about 100 and by that evening he was normal again. Yeah!!

He had labs drawn at West. White count was up a bit, because of the growth hormone factor shot, and everything else has dropped again. Platelets are 63. Please pray his blood counts will get better before going into this next treatment. He doesn't like getting transfusions.

He went to work Friday but stayed in the office. No sales calls in hospitals. There's sick people in there!! He found that out the hard way!

We watched Memphis play Friday with some youth leaders from church. Zach went out of town for a soccer tournament. Chandler's socializing tonight. Chase is hanging out with cousin Jimmy. Frank made a good soup out of the left over Easter ham.

Normal stuff!! And that feels so good.

We had an emotional week. But we've had good come out of it. We are praising God for some very specific prayer requests that we've had for our family. The kids are hurting and scared. But we are so thankful for the honesty that's started some great conversations. Who would of thought that they didn't think we were scared too? Cause we never told them we were! Oh, this journey that we're on.... we need grace, and mercy. I know I do!

I have never been more aware and appreciative of our community. I don't mean Memphis and Germantown. :) I mean friends, family, church, youth leaders, school administrators. God is using each one to minister to our needs. I know it's from Him. We are so very thankful for each one of you.

Please pray for Frank's body to get stronger each day. For each one of us to be secure in the presence of God and His love for us in our lives each day. For the kids to have a window into their own heart as we talk through things between us. That Frank and I would have wisdom and sensitivity as we deal with each one where they are.

Psalm 40:5 "O Lord my God, You have done many miracles for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list."

If you read the last page of the book to see how it ends, then here you go…
We are so happy!!

After going back and forth with everybody all day yesterday… we were frustrated to tears. Last night was rough. We both took something to help us sleep. He was chillin’ and shakin’ with 103 again. We put our ipod speakers in the bed with us and listened to worship music (and touched toes) until we fell asleep.

After the labs today, we talked with Deena and we finally got a plan.

His WBC dropped again from 1.7 to 1.2. Fever still high. So, we had an appt to see a Dr. Kiwan. I think he's the infectious disease guy. He was going to see us, determine from labs and MRI that is wasn’t disease process involved and then “petition on our behalf” for Dr. B to let us come home.

Frank and I prayed together in our room. We asked God for specific things and ask for peace about the decisions being made for us. And then headed over to see Dr. Kiwan. He still feels crummy, fever 101. .

All of the sudden, Dr. Barlogie comes in. We weren’t supposed to see him. We were thinking this was about to be a bad scene and that we’d have to beg to please go home. He came in and was as calm and sedate as I’ve ever seen him.

He looked at the chart, asked few questions and said… “what do we want to do?”
“go home”. “treatment will be after this?”
“yes”
“we could come back April 7th”
“yes, that sounds good”

Oh my! That was such a God thing!! We just stared at each other. God took the desires of our heart and just gave them right to him. No argument. No more tests.

So, Praise the Lord!! We are on our way home. We’re packing up the apt and turning in the keys. Labs at home. Special labs for tumor markers will be drawn and mailed to them.

We already have a return visit for April 7th at 9am. Yippee!!

Praise the Lord with us today!! Frank and Peggy

It wasn't too long ago, that I talked about the roller coaster of emotion, right?

We hope each of you enjoyed your Easter Sunday. Our's was a bit different, but still good.
Frank started running fever Friday just before we picked up the kids from their trip. His fever's been going up since then. He's on oral anitbiotics, antivirals, and Tamaflu. He's barely gotten off the couch all weekend. Well, he did actually sit up to watch the Memphis vs. Miss State game. :) But then he layed right back down.

I stayed home with him on Sunday. But the kids went to church.

Last night his fever went up to 103, so we made the decision to come on back and just play if safe. Best case senerio: it's the flu... come home. We gained peace of mind. Anything worse than that: we needed to be here anyway.

So, we left at 11:50 pm. We were unpacked and in the bed asleep by 2:15. Don't do the math. It'll embarrass.. um... the driver.

So, it's Monday and we're here. We got labs drawn. Good news!! It is only the flu. Influenza Type B. Whatever that is.

His white count was down to 1.7 ~ so technically neutrapenic. His platelets ~ 79. All else looked pretty good. He got a bag of fluid. His fever is still up.

Deena told us, she feels confident they would delay this next treatment until he's over this and has been fever free for at least 48 hours. She called Dr. Barlogie's nurse to let her know we were here.

We said our goodbyes and headed back to pack up the things we left in the apt for good this time. And she called back. She said Dr. B found out we were here and said "don't let them leave".

So... here I am. Frank is asleep. And we are waiting to see what Dr. Barlogie wants. Hopefully just a hug and we can come home. :)

Please pray that
*Dr. Barlogie will have perfect wisdom from God as he makes decisions about the timing of the next treatment.
*Frank's body will recover from the flu with no complications from it.
*That whatever tests they may want to run today can be done in a timely manner today so we don't have to drive back and forth so much this week. That way Frank can rest more, work some and I can get kids refocused on school and make up work before we come back for the week long treatment.

This poem was in the Streams in the Desert book I've been reading. The days devotion was saying that whining about our problems and pain doesn't get us anywhere. We can only learn and help others when we experience victorious suffering. Lord, help us today to draw strength from everything that comes to us!

He placed me in a little cage,
away from gardens fair;
But I must sing the sweetest songs
because He placed me there.
Not beat my wings against the cage
if it's my Maker's will,
But raise my voice to heaven's gate
and sing the louder still!

Good Friday

It's good Friday. It's an absolutely beautiful day here today. I just went to the web site and noticed the last entry is sort of a downer. We can't just leave that up for Easter weekend....

Frank and I did make the decision to talk to the kids over the phone on ski trip. We didn't make the decision lightly, but it has been confirmed by many that it was the right choice to make. Chandler even told me so face to face. That has given us a lot of peace about it.

It wasn't easy for them that night. There were many tears. But great good came from it. They were ministered to by the body of Christ is such a precious way. They came together as a family for each other. Not just the 3 of them, but cousins, and aunt too. And it taught them, as so many rallied around them, that they are never alone in this journey. And they did what we prayed they would do.... they had the freedom to "just let go" up on a mountain and work some things out. As a mom and dad, we want to be the ones to fix all their booboo ~ even booboo's of the heart ~ but life isn't that easy sometimes. Unfortantly at 12, 14 and 15, they know that all too well.

They are home now. And we are so happy to be together. My niece is here from DC too and we're going to cheer on the Memphis Tigers together. Yahoo.

Frank is all smiles today. He's been working, making sales calls and doing what he loves to do... be at Elliott. He's loved that job and the people he works with for 19 years. He jumped up bright and early when we got home to hurry into the office.

He got labs drawn from the our Memphis oncologist. WBC 2.3, Platelets 81. We want those to go up, so he won't have to get transfusions after this next treatment.

For the hugs, emails, comments, cards, and prayers.... we thank you.

"Cast all you cares on the Lord, for He cares for you"

It's been a hard day today. The roller coaster of emotions just seems to be the norm. We've been so excited to be coming home. Frank did beautifully during this transplant. We are so pleased with how things went.

We woke up, packed the rest of the apt and headed to get labs drawn and see Dr. Barlogie. While in with him, he looked at the MRI first. It showed no change from the last one.

Then he went to look for the gene array from the fine needle biopsy out of the new hip lesion from a few months ago. (fyi: the gene array is a detailed break down of the myeloma's DNA. Little Rock is one of few places that can do that, making it another reason it's #1 in the world for treating myeloma). He's been waiting on this for a few months. It helps them identify prognostic indicators, and determine low vs high risk, as well as aid their research in looking for a cure.

The results were disappointing for us today. They confirmed that Frank's relapse is aggressive. It's high risk and requires a more aggressive treatment protocol.

I cannot describe to you how a heart breaks for one you love dearly, and I hope you never have to find out for yourself. I love Frank so much. He was hoping to come home and just "get back to work and do normal stuff". But the treatment plan will be more than intense than we were anticipating.

He has been working on a new treatment plan for high risk patients. He told Frank he was going to put him in Total Therapy 5 research program. He was first treated under Total Therapy 2. With #5 beginning, we found out Frank will be a charter member.

We will return next Wed Mar 26th for a smaller dose of what he just had: Melphalan + VTD-PACE (all letters are a different chemo, so 8 in all). He will not need stem cell support to recover from this, so he can come home as soon as the chemo is finished. We should only be in AR for a week. We still have the same apt so that's good. (We just have to unpack the car and move back in).

He waits 6 weeks, then returns to do that again. Then 6 weeks later, goes back for another transplant like he just had. At that time, Dr. Barlogie talked about trying to harvest stem cells again so he'll have some more. Right now he has 17 million in 3 bags frozen. Then a year of consolidation chemo on a monthly basis.

This website is to keep us connected with our loved ones and friends. It's not about saying what we think sound good. We hope we're "keeping it real" as Randy Jackson would say... and on that note.... hearing all that was not easy. It hit below the belt. Frank was mad. Mad about the loss of control he feels over his life, and his ability to be a husband and father, and a good and productive employee. I am scared ~ about so many things... couldn't even begin to name them all. This was just not what we expected.

We turned off our phones and took some time. We drove home and had dinner at Bone Fish for my birthday today. (Happy Birthday to Frances, too). We called the kids. We decided to tell them even though they are skiing, and trust God's timing. They are on a church trip, on a mountain, and have the opportunity to work out their emotions there on their own, away from here. Our pastor is there, their dear leaders and best friends that love them, and family is there too. We had a real peace about going ahead with that. My prayer is that they do work some things out. Cry, scream, pray, do what ever it takes. I want God to meet them where they are in a real way for each one of them.

God's timing is always perfect. He shows us up for me all the time in ways I know are not a coincidence. 2 verses came to my heart today as we pondered all these things....

John 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

2 Corinthians 12: 9 Paul asked for his thorn to be taken away... "And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

I believe this, and claim it for Frank and for our family.... will you join me, please?

Happy Saint Patrick's Day.

We are typing this from the hospital. We drove over this morning. It felt so good to be home for a couple of days. I felt a little guilty for living so close when we entered the waiting room to see the other patients we've seen everyday since Feb 26th and remember they've been here everyday ~ some even longer than us. It was the same feeling we had during that ice storm in Memphis several years ago. People were out of power for 2 and 3 weeks. But we had power. Some lady in Kroger just lost it when she saw Frank buying steaks and pototoes. She asked Frank how he was going to cook...and found out we had electricty. Not a pretty scene. anyway......

He's here getting the daily blood work. He has an MRI at 1 today. Then we'll see Dr. Barlogie at 11:30 tomorrow. One more night in the apartment.

We are praying for wisdom and God's hand to specifically guide the next phase of treatment. Quantifying remission is a little more difficult now. We have rested in the word itself so much, that we're having to readjust our thinking a bit. After talking with a nurse about how to know when Frank is in remission, she was explaining that we'll rely on radiology now to determine where he stands. But once you have a lesion, it can take up to 18 months before you see it change or heal itself without any disease process going on. So, it's more of a subjecive call on the doctor's part. So future MRI and PET scans will guide them in future treatment plans for Frank.

Frank is back to normal. High energy, ready to get things done, perky and cheerful. The house was so quiet with the kids gone on the church ski trip. Moses, our cat is the only one making noise besides us. We cooked dinner and watched one of Frank's favorite movies last night. Let me clarify... one of his favorite movies with no killing and fight scenes. We watched Alex and Emma.

"As for me, I will call upon God,
And the Lord shall save me.
Evening and morning and at noon
I will pray, and cry aloud.
And He shall hear my voice.
He has redeemed my soul in peace
from the battle that was against me."
Psalm 55:16-18

Thank you for praying for us. We are so grateful and overwhelmed that this transplant went so smoothly. Thank you Lord!!

Hello and Blessings to all,

Today was really something. Sandy and I got up real early, stopped at Shipley Donuts, and arrived at the hospital around 7:30am. The donuts were a bribe for the staff on 7C and it worked, because we didn’t have to wait long. Before we knew it I had given blood, had my vitals checked, and was in a reclining hospital chair waiting on the results.

There was definitely a motivating factor for our actions. On Friday, my APN Deena mentioned that if my lab values were stable enough, she would let me go home until Monday. We had done all that we could, it was now up to the lab….and well, I got paroled !

I was so happy I ran out of the room and down the hall yelling “I’m free, I’m free, I’m free”. Then I turned around and went back because I had left my coat and my mother-in-law in the room. I found out later that no one had ever done that before. What can I say? I’m a trend setter.

So, today was really a good day. We left the hospital, packed up quick and hi-tailed it to Memphis. Great timing too, because we got home just in time to see the kids off as they left on our church’s Ski Trip.

After that the afternoon was filled with regular ol routine stuff, but if you’ve ever been away from home for a long time, you can relate…it just feels good to be in your own home.

So for now the plan is to rest up and report back on Monday for more tests and an MRI in the hopes that the values will impress Dr. Barlogie on Tuesday. If he likes what he sees, then I’ll be getting discharged!!!!

Frank

Yippee.... yippee.... Frank's doing SO good!

Last night his back was aching and pulsing. Zach would put his hands on his back to try and feel it. I've decided that's the man version of trying to feel a baby kick! Frank's saying.."there, can you feel it?" Zach's like, "it think so, is that it?" Very funny.
He's been aching all morning as well. That's good, because that means the bone marrow is generating cells ~ and it is!
WBC 0.61
RBC 3.33
Hbg 10.4
Hct 30.7
Platelets were 20.

She offered a bag of platelts since he was on the line of requiring a transfusion (20 is the cut off), but he said "no thank you" like he was turning down dessert at a restaurant. :)

If they drop any more he'll get some tomorrow, but Frank has a twinkle in his eye like he's trying to say he thinks he won't need them.

The CRP level we are concerned about went all the way down to 7.72 today! That's great!
That's the value that measures inflammation. So, whatever made it shoot up to 15, (which Deena admitted today scared her) seems to have been taken care of with the GI meds and antibiotics he's been getting.

We're still in IV antibiotics every 8 hours at the apt.

He's got a spring in his step. We've got the windows open, I'm cleaning, changing sheets, etc... (It sure is a lot easier to clean an apt) Frank's even making sales calls for work!

Frank's patience is tested at this point in the process. He's feeling better and ready to go home. Deena just laughed today and said, "I'm not letting you go until I'm good and ready..."
He told me yesterday he thought he's be home by the weekend. Telling him that wouldn't happen was like telling a little kid there was no Santa Clause.

We see the doctor next Tues. It would be wonderful to be home for Easter. That a great goal!

Thank you so much for your faithfulness to pray for our family. We are blessed indeed. And thanks for the comments you post and for the emails. They really do mean a lot to Frank..and me!

Have a great day.... much love from Little Rock...

We got an early start this morning. And you know what they say about the early bird.... we left encouraged!

Frank had fever last night but the meds they gave him must be working. His CRP level did drop some to 12.24. WBC went up a bit to 0.13. But the others seem to be dropping still.

RBC 3.41
Hct 30.9
Platelets 21

He got an infusor of Phosphorous and Potassium today. They were low.

We are going to do IV antibiotics every 8 hours here at the apt. I hook them up for him. He gets annoyed with the "bottle" connected to him all the time. But it's nice that he can get those meds here.

Deena was very encouraging today and said she thinks he's doing fine. She feels better about his labs.

The kids were happy to see us home by 11. Usually we don't leave for the hospital until then. We have the rest of day together now. :)

Keep praying that CRP level goes down. We are so thankful!! Have a wonderful day!

The criteria for going home is:
WBC over 2.0
Platelets over 30 for 3 days with no transfusions
CRP under 3.0
No fever

Todays "Streams in the Desert" talks about how God used strong winds to deliver the Israelites. It makes an analogy, of course, to our strong winds...

"Though winds are wild, And the gale unleashed,
My trusting heart still sings:
I know that they mean no harm to me,
He rides upon their wings."

Chandler went with us today.... We've enjoyed having them with us.

I only wish Frank was feeling better. His fever went up to 100 last night, but it broke about 3 am. No fever at the hospital today.
Chandler, Frank and I had bets on what his levels would be today.

WBC 0.06
RBC 3.56
Hbg 11.3
Hct 32.3
Platelets 27 (frank won)
His CRP shot up from 3 to 15. That got everyones attention this morning. They drew blood cultures from his arm and his port. Ordered a doppler study on his arms near his port, and put him on 3 different IV drugs. Did I mention the Infectious Disease Doctor is one the case now?

We are very thankful that they watch him so closely. Neither Frank nor I are too worried about this at this point. Frank seems to do this with every tranplant, and they never find the source. It just goes away.

His stomach is bothering him some, so they have him on IV Reglan here at the apt. Tomorrow, we'll have around the clock IV antibiotics to supplement what he gets there. His fever was high as 100 tonight as well.

They redid the CRP level before we left today and we called for the results. It went up slightly from 15.02 for 15.24. They were hoping for a decrease, but it's basically the same, so I think that's good news.

Frank is feeling pretty good despite all the commotion going on around him. The stairs are getting difficult but he seems determined... we skipped the first 4 flights today, but worked hard for the other 7.

We watched American Idol tonight and he still voiced his opinions. We are enjoying being together... all under the same roof. Chase drew pictures for him tonight put them on the bathroom mirror.

I do miss home. I miss Moses and Casey. But I feel extremely blessed. We get to snuggle with the kids whenever we want.

Psalm 33:20-22
"Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.
For our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His holy name.
Let you mercy, O Lord, be upon us, just as we hope in You."

Please join us in prayer that Frank's fever would go away. And that if there is anything to be found, they will find the source quickly. We pray for wisdom for each person that evaluates his case... from nurses, to labs, to pathology and so on.

We thank God tonight our many many blessings. The Carlton Gang

Happy Monday.

Zach went with us to the hospital today. I love it that they are each getting their own time with us there.

Frank did start running fever today. It was 99.7 at the hospital and about the same since then.

They started him on IV antibiotics to go along beside the oral ones he takes anyway.

WBC 0.05

Hct 34.6

Hgb 11.7

Platelets 39 Wow.. good transfusion.

The CRP level went up more to 3.04, so they were asking him about signs of infection other than the fever. His Magnesium was low, so he left with an infusor.

He stayed in the bed most of the day.

Neat thing... A friend of Chandler's piano teacher lives here. She's never met us, and cooked dinner for us and brouht it over. The kids loved it... we all loved it! So sweet. This is just another way that the body of Christ amazes me.

Please pray Frank's fever goes away and stays away!

Love to you all from Little Rock.... Peg

Well... we forgot to set our clocks back...did you? Chandler and I had hopes of going to the work out room this morning, but... you know what happens with the best laid plans?

Chase went with us to the hospital today. You have to be 12 years old. He was proud that he "made it".

His counts dropped a little more today.

WBC 0.03

RBC 3.86

HgB 12.2

Hct 35.5

Platelets 14 ~ so he got a bag today. Chase and I prayed with him, that there would be no reaction this time. (he had 2 last time) And we are happy to report that there was not!! Thank you, Lord.

The pre-meds they give him makes him sleepy, so that's what he's done since we got home.

His potassium was 5.2, high. And his CRP level was 1.33, a little high. That is a lab value that indicates an infection. It's only slightly elevated. If if went up, they would start looking for a source of infection. But they aren't concerned now.

We had a great evening last night. We drove around downtown to find a place called "The Flying Fish". Frank can't go in anywhere yet, but we grabbed a menu, and we hope to have a celebratation dinner there soon! We watched a movie and enjoyed looking through old photo albums I brought.

Please pray with us that:

~ Frank would stay free from infection

~ that the stem cells would begin to migrate out and bring up the counts in a few days.

We are blessed! Thank you! The Carlton gang

Happy Saturday to everybody.

Frank's doing well. Finally neutrapenic.

WBC 0.2

RBC 4.15

HgB 13

Platelets 28

It is amazing to me that he appears to be so normal looking, acting, etc... and know his blood counts look like this. His blood pressure is a little low, heart rate a little high, but all that is normal to them.

We did meet with Dr. Barlogie yesterday. He said everything was looking like it was suppose to at this stage in the game. The MRI showed stable lesions. No change from the last one. So, that's great news that they aren't any bigger. They'll do another one before we leave to check again.

Frank asked Dr. Barlogie about follow up treatment afer this, but he didn't have a solid answer yet. He threw out some ideas but said he wanted to think about it. He hugged and kissed us all, and enjoyed Frances' southern draw.

We still park in the farthest parking lot and still took the stairs... 11 flights in all.

Thursday ended up being a whirlwind of a day! Frank's mom got into town early afternoon. My plan was to go home, stay Friday to catch up on bills, etc and get kids packed up to come back here after school let out of Friday.

And then came the snow forcast.

So, I left Little Rock at 4, ate dinner, visited with friends, grabbed the kids, packed the car (thank you Kristy and Lute) and left at 8 to get back before the bad weather hit. We were back in Little Rock by 10:30. That hour and half home was the fastest hour and a half of my life!

We hadn't gotten to see the kids in over a week. It was good for us to be under the same roof. And we hope Momma got some rest. She slept late Friday morning, and loves the snow, so that's good!

And here is the picture we promised of Carrie Underwood and Chandler. Her, Alexis and Lisa had a good time.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHASE

Happy Birthday to Chase! He is 12 years old today. That is a reason to celebrate.

For Peggy and I, being away from him today is a disappointment, but we are so proud of him and look forward to seeing him and the family soon.

Yes today we are thankful. Thankful that dispite the disappointments we have faced concerning this disease, I have had many successful strides in my treatments. Chase was 6 years old when we first started this fight.

Although the effect this has on all 3 of the children weighs heavy on our hearts... many a tear has been shead, many more prayers as well...... Chase's age stands out as a milemarker for us.

One of my deepest fears has been that I would pass at such a young age that Chase would not remember "his dad". When he was 6, memories of me would have been scant.

God has given me one of the most precious gifts of all...time. Time to build memories, time to share hugs, time to celebrate....life! Frank

We are off to get blood drawn now, his levels went up yesterday.... shocker. We were stratching our head yesterday wondering what that was all about. But Dina, our APN said that can happen. Sometimes you see a slight rise after stem cells are in. That's never happened before... just when we think we know this routine like pros.... we learn something new.

We are hoping the MRI results are in today. We found out more information about why they are doing this. This, too, is a new thing. It's because his myeloma in now a non-secreting type. This means it doesn't shed the protein that is detectable by blood or marrow anymore. It's invisible in a loose sense. So, they have to look for it in other ways. This MRI is to see if the chemo was successful in shrinking the lesions that they found.

Please join us in prayer for:

* great MRI results

*for Frank to remain free from infection

*for safe travel as we get the kids tomorrow ~ we are suppose to get 1-3 inches Fri. We are READY to see them. If I have to bob sled to Memphis, I'll do it! ~ and for Frances as she comes to see us today.

* that God would give the kids a peace as we are away, and that they would surrender to let Him meet all their needs.

*keep my mom strong and energized as she cares for them

We are blessed to have the body of Christ care for all our needs so tenderly. Thank you for all you are doing.

They sang to Chase last night at Wed night dinner. Here's the picture off my sister's phone that we got just minutes after it happened. It was so sweet to see it. Love, Frank and Peg

Transplant Day

We woke up to snow this morning! It was so pretty. Our unit is in the back, so we opened up the blinds, watched the news from bed and watched it snow into the woods behind us. Refreshing.

We are overwhelmed with emotion today, no particular one ~ a potpourri really. Frank is thoughtful and reserve this morning, and sweet as can be.

His counts are coming down faster than we had expected. He'll be neutropenic tomorrow. That means he'll have to wear a mask, no going out in public, no fresh fruit or salad, etc.

White count: 2.30

Platlets 82

Potassium 3.3 (he went home with infusor)

His stem cells ran a little late, but they are in! The whole process takes about 5 minutes. 6.01 million in 54ml. That's a packed house! Standing room only.

We actually took a vidoe of it. But it was too big to upload. I tried! Dina is our APN. We adore her. We've known her for 5 years. She is precious and we are happy she is with us. She did Frank's 3rd tranplant as well.

We are thankful that the Lord has brought us to this point without complication. We are thankful for you and your faithfulness to pray for us. Love from frank and peg

Good morning,

Frank has to be at the hospital by 1:00. We have a prayer request. His port-a-cath won't let them get a return. Fluids are going in, but they can't draw back and get any. The chemo is hooked up to it now, and is infusing. But if they can't get a return on it today, they'll put TPA in it to try and unclog it. We are praying that the port will continue to work properly so he doesn't have to have a triple lumen catheter inserted.

He gets disconnected from the bag today. He feels good but he's pretty much sleeping all the time now. It's raining here and yucky, but I'm going to try to get him to walk on the treadmill since we've walked every day so far.




TV, the computer and i pod is all we have to pass the time, so if you're checking the website, click on "comments" and write Frank a note. We always enjoy hearing from you and it gives us something to do!! :)

Thank you for your prayers. Love, Peg

8:30pm Well, the port didn't preform like we'd hoped. They put in the TBA. Which is no big deal really. We want it to work though... we'll know in the morning.

Tomorrow is the day... he'll get his stem cells around lunch time!! They'll only take a few minutes to infuse. Then they'll swim to the bone marrow, work really hard to graft and then migrate back into the blood stream as red and white cells and platelets.

They said his counts should bottom out between Thursday and Sunday, and then we should see them come back up.

It may snow here tonight and in the morning, but Frank says it won't stick. The ground is too warm. It would be nice though....

Excerpted from Streams in the Desert – “March 1, ‘Consider what God has done; Who can straighten what he has made crooked?’ (Ecclesiastes 7:13)

God often seems to place His children in places of deep difficulty, leading them into a corner from which there is no escape. He creates situations that human judgment, even if consulted, would never allow. Yet the cloudiness of the circumstance itself is used by Him to guide us to the other side. Perhaps this is where you find yourself even now.

Your situation is filled with uncertainty and is very serious, but it is perfectly right. The reason behind it will more than justify Him who brought you here, for it is a platform from which God will display His almighty grace and power.

He will not only deliver you but in doing so will impart a lesson that you will never forget. And in days to come, you will often return to the truth of His mercy, yet you will be unable to ever thank God enough for doing what He has done.”


How appropriate a message for anyone that finds themselves in a desperate position.

Once again I choose to cling to Him and see where this journey leads….

"I Peter II 5:6,7 Humble yourselves under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast your worries on Him because he cares for you."

Our God is faithful; He has proven this over and over to me.

Frank

It is so pretty here today। Beautiful!! Frank and I got out and walked 1.5 miles today. He's
going to try and walk as much as he can. It helps keep you strong and muscles from losing tone.

We've had little things happen in the apt। Most of them we've tried to ignore, but the "list" is now long enough that finally went to the office. They were sweet about it. The biggest frustration is that we haven't had internet. (Well.... it's been hit or miss. We've been stealing broad band off someone near that is wireless and unsecured, but I think they got wise to us this morning.) The DSL wasn't suppose to get hooked up until yesterday, but then the modom was broken, and they said it would be another week! After talking to them today, a new modom should be waiting for us when we get home (we're at the hospital now), and new mattresses on Monday, (frank and i would roll and meet each other in the middle) and a new TV, and we already got a new set of dishes (we only had 2 dinner plates when we got here). Hopefully things will be better by the weekend.

Okay, just needed to vent! All that only leaves me with one thought: "There's not place like home!" But with all seriousness। We are thankful to be here. This is the best place we could be for Frank.

Frank and I are here at the hospital as I type। His port-a-cath is not working right. The chemo is going in okay, but the nurse can't get her blood sample. They may have to put TPA in it ~ it's like heparin but alot stronger.

Frank is feeling really good। Some fatigue, and a few other minor side effects from the Dex, but other than that, all is well. He's getting the "red man" syndrome. The Adriamycin is red and makes him look like he's been out by the pool all day. Funny thing is it actually makes him look healthy I think, rather than pale.

Chandler is on her way to Biloxi with my sister Lisa and Alexis। Lisa had an extra ticket to see Carrie Underwood concert. Not only are they on the 2nd row, they have back stage passes to meet her. I hope I have a picture to post. I am so excited for them. Frank may be turning red, but I'm as green as can be!!

I am trying to move us to a new website that is easier for me to manage. I don't know how to use HTML, which keeps me from doing things I want to.
I had to copy and paste EVERY entry from 2003 into the new blog site. Very tedious process and I've put all my spare time into it since last Sunday, but it's done now. I am trying to get help from Frank's tech guy to redirect the site so we can still have carltongang.com.

The reflection was so good for me। I have relived 5 years in a week. It's a roller coaster of a ride ~ more on paper than we feel in real life. But it was such a testimony of God's watchcare and His provision over us over all these years. We are truly grateful for all He has done, and for knowing we don't walk this alone. Thank you.

S0, it all goes right, the website will look different in a few day। If it doesn't work, we'll have a new name. You can use it now: carltongang.blogspot.com

Here's the important thing: Make comments at the end of the blog. Don't use the "guestbook". That will help out a lot in transferring info.
Love to you... Peg and Frank
Be strong and bold. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.
Deut. 31:6

It's official, we got the party started today.

We went to the clinic today and the minute we hit the door we saw the spouse of a patient that was here during our last tranplant. I didn't get to speak with her, but she can only be here for one reason. I am so sorry for them and look forward to talking to her.

Our APN is Sara. She used to be Dr. Barlogie's nurse before she moved over to the bone marrow unit. She has always been so sweet to us. There's a special bond between Sara and our family, and she is so great about taking time to teach us things by going over anything we don't understand. We love her. She'll be our nurse for a few days, but then she's on an inpatient rotation. It was really good to see her today.

One of the hurtles that we had to "jump" was that they wanted Frank to be scheduled for surgery to install a triple lumen line instead of using his port. He put his foot down on this issue and just said no. Frank gave them the, "You've used his port for the other 3 transplants and it has never been an issue before. Besides this port has never given me any trouble, etc. " speach and they gave in.

So, fast forward to today and they take him back to get his vitals. Insert needle, push saline, drawn back on the port and what do you know... his port won't budge! (funny huh Ginger?) Frank laughed as he breathed deep, rasied his hands and turned his cheek, even sat upside down for them. Finally they got it unclogged, so to speak. And I think he'll be fine.
Frank took some fluids, Melphlan, Velcade, and then got his chemo bags on; now he's good to go.

Sara took this picture for us in the waiting room. Look behind us at the picture board. There are pictures of Frank's 2nd and 3rd transplant still pinned up there.

Love to you from Arkansas.... we are peaceful, thankful and grateful.

Peg

Hello All,....

Today Peggy and I got a good bit accomplished, but we experianced even more frustration with this process. After being told (last night) that I was approved by Humana to proceed, we were asked to show up at the clinic today to get started.

However once we sat down with the coordinator we were informed that the stem cell transplant schedule was booked up. To make a long story short - I have to wait till Thursday to start taking chemo. Disappointed yes, but at least we got the schedule set and there are no questions left to ask.

So tomorrow we're putting the cancer cells on notice and we get this show on the road.
I have said it before but it is worth repeating ...thank you's go out to everyone for all the support and prayers. Just getting here has been quite an ordeal but because of all of you, we are as ready as we can be.

Frank

Good morning.... Not being a morning person, this will be quick.

It's 5:15 am.. (yawn). We are about to leave for Little Rock. Frank went down yesterday for his ECHO and MUGA scan and then came home.

We had a sweet night with the kids and friends. Frank and I went to Zach's soccer game. Zach gave us a good going away happy by scoring 2 goals! We won 2-0, so that was pretty cool.

He has a pulmonary scan at 9 and we see Dr. Barlogie at 12. I'm tired of guessing what happens next. It's been such a long wait.

We still need insurance approval. The results of these 3 scans have to be submitted. Let's pray this happens quickly.

We are going to check in to the apt, drop off some stuff and plan on coming home tonight. Then we'll pack the rest... and get the party started.

Todays K-Love verse is Ps 23:1. The Lord is my shepherd. I have everything I need.
Oh, so true!!
Peg

Amazing..... It's been a long time, but we are finally getting somewhere. The hold up was actually with UAMS. But we still don't have approval.

We leave in the morning for Little Rock. Frank needs at least 3 more tests: ECHO, MUGA and pulmonary function. I don't know if there are more or not.

And things got set up at 5:00 on Friday so we don't really know when the test are. Because of that, we are thinking we may drive back tomorrow if we can and stay one more day. If it doesn't work out, we'll just stay. We get the apt on Wednesday.

For you Memphis folks, Chandler wrote an editorial to the paper and it got printed in today's paper. Check it out.... We found out about it from Frances.. one of her friends called her. Small world, huh?

Well let you know when we know!

In His grace, Peggy

Everyone is asking if we have any plans yet. The answer is "No, not yet. We are still waiting on insurance to approve the transplant."

UAMS emailed us and told us Humana was requesting a Hep B, C and AIDS test. Ummmm, Okay? Get right on that!

Frank emailed our doctor here and told them he's always been curious as to whether he had aids or not. Now he'll know for sure!

Here a little funny about insurance while we're on the subject..... love to all.

Medical Insurance Explained:
Q. What does HMO stand for ?
A. This is actually a variation of the phrase, "HEY MOE." Its roots go back to a concept pioneered by Moe of the Three Stooges, who discovered that a patient could be made to forget the pain in his foot if he was poked hard enough in the eye.

Q. I just joined an HMO. How difficult will it be to choose the doctor I want?
A. Just slightly more difficult than choosing your parents. Your insurer will provide you with a book listing all the doctors in the plan. The doctors basically fall into two categories: those who are no longer accepting new patients, and those who will see you but are no longer participating in the plan. But don't worry, the remaining doctor who is still in the plan and accepting new patients has an office just a half-day's drive away and a diploma from a third-world country.

Q. Do all diagnostic procedures require pre-certification?
A. No. Only those you need.

Q. Can I get coverage for my pre-existing conditions?
A. Certainly, as long as they don't require any treatment.

Q. What happens if I want to try alternative forms of medicine?
A. You'll need to find alternative forms of payment.

Q. My pharmacy plan only covers generic drugs, but I need the name brand. I tried the generic medication, but it gave me a stomach ache. What should I do?
A. Poke yourself in the eye.

Q. What if I'm away from home and I get sick?
A. You really shouldn't do that.

Q. I think I need to see a specialist, but my doctor insists he can handle my problem. Can a general practitioner really perform a heart transplant right in his/her office ?
A. Hard to say, but considering that all you're risking is the $20 co-payment, there's no harm in giving it a shot .

Q. Will health care be different in the next decade?
A. No, but if you call right now, you might get an appointment by then.

Chandler with Frank at her Valentines dance.

Well, What a week this has been. But after 3 trips to Little Rock, we have a plan.

The fine needle aspiration showed 20% myeloma plasma cells in the lesion. It is a confirmed relapse as Frank said earlier.

Dr. Barlogie wants to do another transplant. But not like one he's had in the past. The other transplants are Melphalan (chemo), then stem cells to follow. This time he wants to use a combination of chemo that he's had before: VTD-PACE (all of the letters stand for a different chemo med) PLUS Melphalan, and then stem cells to follow. Sounds tough doesn't it?

Well, the good news is the he's using a reduced dose of 2 of those drugs. So, we're going to call this a Mini-Tranplant. Sort of like the 100 calorie snacks! Just enough to do the job, but not so much we wish we'd never had it!!

Dr. Barlogie is so so busy. He usually has someone on his heels that trying to learn from him or help all around him, etc. But he came in alone and no one bothered us. We had a good long time to talk about all our concerns.

We'd been told in the past that statistics show each remission shortens. Dr. Barlogie told us that was nonsense!! He said he has a patient that has had multiple relapses and she's been in remission for 5 years now since then. Frank asked him if we were running out of options ~ and his reply was "no no no no no."
So, for the first time all week, we came home a little lighter on our feet and more encouraged than we had been so far.

As soon as we hear from insurance, we'll get our schedule to return. Frank has some work things he wants to get done before we leave.

Please pray for insurance to cover this transplant. For the kids as they deal with this, for all details to fall into place as we plan to be gone 3-4 weeks.

"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask of think, according to the power that works within us; to Him be the glory in the church adn in Christ Jesus to all genereations forever and ever. Amen" Eph 3:20-21

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

Hi everybody,

We have a return date. We go back to Little Rock for testing on Thursday, Jan 31 and see Dr. B on Monday, Feb 4th.

Frank is in the middle of the VTD cycle. He takes 3 of 4 in the morning. He's doing great.

I'm mad at him right now.... He decided he's not happy with his extra holiday weight. So, he's been walking on the treadmill 3 times a day. He announced last night that he'd lost 3 pounds already. I could do the same thing and I would've gained!

So not fair..... and I'm dealing with my anger..... women: can I get a hand raised??

We'll keep you updated when we know something. Love, Peggy

Well..... we FINALLY have an answer from Little Rock....... and I won't keep you waiting any longer. It was great news! Praise the Lord for His constant mercy our family.

Now that you've exhaled ~ I'll fill you in on the details. As many of you know, we've been waiting on test results that have been conflicting. They probed some more, and then those results were conflicting. The final word from Dr. Barlogie's PA was that the new lesion seems to be pre-cancerous. The fact that is was there cannot be ignored, but it was caught early. All the digging around in the new lesion didn't result in anything abnormal (although still waiting on the gene array).

So, she said Dr. Barlogie wants him to continue the next cycle of VTD (Velcade, Thalidimide, Decadron) and come back when that's done.

They'll do a limited scan of tests to "just make sure" and maybe mix up the way he's getting the chemo or change drugs.

I'm not a doctor (although I like to watch them on TV ), but I don't think he'll get off chemo in March like they had told him he would in November. I expect they keep on something for the next 6 months at least.

We were in Little Rock the week after Thanksgiving. This is the longest we've ever had to wait on news. We've often said that it's easier to be "in the ring with your gloves on" than in the waiting room. We still agree with that!!

I'm reading a new book by Carol Kent called A New Kind of Normal. It's been good so far. I like it because it's relevant to the subject of redefining "normal" in your life without the topic being about cancer. I find myself reading her thoughts and thinking ~ "oh my gosh, I could have said that, that how I feel". As we were still waiting on news last week, I underlined these words that I could so easily identify with ....

"Some days I feel anxious, wishing God would hurry and let me see the whole picture for my life (our life), but I realize that patience and waiting and trusting Him are the characteristics that God is still working on in my life. My husband and I are practicing walking in faith, secure in knowing that God's plans are bigger, wider, and higher than we could ever imagine. He holds us in the palm of His hand, shelters us from the storms, calms our souls and brings peace to our hearts. We are living a new kind of normal, but we have found that "Jesus is enough" is not just a cliche' for us. His character, rather than our own hopes and dreams, is the bedrock of our lives."

Please pray with us that the next round of VTD will be uneventful, and that Frank'll be protected from all the crud going around town.

Thank you for keeping Frank and all of us lifted up before our heavenly Father.

Love to each of you........ Peggy

I figured that I would make an entry since its January 3rd and it is possible that a few folks are wondering what I know about the biopsies and the plan for my treatment.

Well we still don’t have any firm answers from the UAMS team that calls the shots on ol Frankie.
They have told me they would like me to return in about a month, once my current cycle of chemo is complete. (I started today)

If you took the time to log in I can’t let you leave without some reward, so I am posting these quotes.

I will keep everyone updated......enjoy!

• A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.
• A round man cannot be expected to fit in a square hole right away. He must have time to modify his shape.
• All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence, and then success is sure.
• Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest.
• Cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education.
• Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.
• I can live for two months on a good compliment.
• I was gratified to be able to answer promptly, and I did. I said I didn't know.
• It is better to deserve honors and not have them than to have them and not to deserve them.
• It's no wonder that truth is stranger than fiction. Fiction has to make sense.
• Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.
• Let us make a special effort to stop communicating with each other, so we can have some conversation.
• Humor is mankind's greatest blessing.
• Grief can take care if itself, but to get the full value of a joy you must have somebody to divide it with.”
  
  Mark Twain

Dear Family and Friends:

Many of you have already heard, but since many have not, I am obliged to type words I have learned to really, really dislike. After noticing an abnormality in some previous test results, Peggy and I were called back to Little Rock for some specific biopsies and tests.

Unfortunately they found some new activtiy n my right hip, which means I am no longer in remissioin. The ambiguity of the situation is that until the samples have been analyzed, we don't know yet that these cells are Myeloma. But I (we) am not going to kid myself, why else would a lesion show up on a PET and MRI unless the battle has begun again?

With respect to Multiple Myeloma, we do know something abnormal is going on. The severity of the situation and the treatment options will be decided after the first of the year.

Plese keep us in your prayers and specifically pray that whatever abnormalities are there, they will be easity contained and destroyed by whatever they prescribe for me.

Now, for all of you that come to this page, I must also tell you that despite the circumstances, the Carlton family ~ Peg's family and mine, plan on celebrating Christmas and experiencing JOY this year.

In the last few sermons at our church, we've been given a "roadmap" for peace and joy this season. We plan on following God's plan which includes choosing to trust in God's providence (James 1:2-3, and Hebrews 10:34) and drawing on Christ's power. (Phil 4:13)

So, as my brothers is Christ sang out in concert the other night, "Hallelujah, to the Lord of heaven and earth!"

God is with us, and no matter what the circumstances, He will meet our needs.
Always has - always will.
Frank

A funny story about vanity………..

Hello everyone! I thought I would share this little tidbit from our last visit to Little Rock.
On the Tuesday morning that Peggy and I were lined up for the latest battery of tests, we were doing the usual scurrying about.

Peg was doing her make-up. I was packing up our bags and checking out of the hotel. In the hurry, I was going to the car, loading up our belongings, and simply getting things packed away.

This “packing” required me to make several trips through the lobby of the hotel and with each pass I kept seeing various people. You know fellow guests, staff, and the like.

Well being that most of the people that I passed by happened to be female AND each of them would get a bright look about them and smile real big….. I started thinking, hey I just “got noticed”.

Of course being the friendly type I would return their smiles and say ‘hello or good morning’ and I would smugly enjoy my sense of being complimented by these strangers. (or so I thought)

In the end, when I finally sat down back in our room, waiting on Peggy to give me the “I’m ready” signal, I looked down and noticed that my fly was open!

I got noticed alright, but maybe it wasn’t for the reasons I had imagined.

At 43, I still got to XYZ.

Frank

Wow! It's December! 2007 went by very fast. And for us, it was year of remission and thankfulness!

Praise the Lord, Frank is still in remission.

Dr. Barlogie wants him to continue with 3 more rounds of what Frank calls "chemo lite" and then return in 3 months.

Thank for you continued calls and prayers and love that you've shown our family.
We'll be in touch!

Merry Christmas!
Love, Peggy

Good morning... We are in Little Rock.

Frank is in his PET scan for a few hours. We aren't allowed to be together while he waits because he's glowing in the dark apparently.
So, I'm in the library on the computer.

Hopefully Frank will do the next entry. I'm trying to encourage him. We come back to see doctor on Thursday.

Love to all... peg

Happy Saturday to you! It is so nice outide ~ I love fall weather!

We are having a low key weekend. Chandler and Zach are on a senior high retreat with the church. Chase is hanging out with the old folks. What a thrill for an 11 year old!

Everybody is doing well. Other than some fatique, Frank is doing very well. His is very glad to not be in the clinic every week. We return to Little Rock after Thanksgiving for another check up.

We receive email from the Myeloma foundation and UAMS from time to time. I read this article today and wanted to put the link on here.

I am so very thankful for God's wisdom in the area of medicine. I believe it all originates from Him. He is the author of all wisdom, and the giver of every good and perfect gift... and of course... our Healer.

This article is very encouraging. Click here to read the UAMS article.

Have a blessed weekend! The Carlton gang!

Wow, I can't believe it's been since August since we updated. Remember, when there's no news, that's GOOD news.

Frank is doing well. He gave him self a must needed break from the chemo. Sometimes you just have to do what's right for you, you know what I mean? Dr. B is wonderful, but I think he'd have Frank taking something everyday ~ including holidays. Respectfully, of course, Frank told him he would take a few months off... and he did.

He's completed 2 (of 6) rounds. He hasn't been sick, but just some normal side effects that Frank takes in stride and keeps on keeping on. He's working hard at Elliott Data Systems, traveling more than ever, training a new sales guy, and having fun. Our chuch is having their annual Men's BBQ cooking contest. He is very excited about that and plans on having his cooking team with him on Friday. Like father, like son. And of course, Halloween is around the corner. I have no idea what he'll be this year, but if I know him like I think I do, he's already been trying to think of something.

Everybody else is doing good too. Chandler's enjoying school and is proud of her straight A's. Her notes look like she typed them... those are not my genes! She's still playing piano.
Zach is loving high school. He's also doing very well. The classes are more challenging and he loves being out of middle school..... did anybody like middle school? Do I see a hand raised? He's still playing competitive soccer, which keeps us busy. We were happy to be in Ft Smith, AR for his last tournament and got to visit some of Frank's family.
Chase had made the transition to middle school (poor guy). He is going to be in the school play ~ Cheaper by the Dozen ~ in Nov. He's practicing every day. He loves being back at ECS and is enjoying everyone he comes in contact with! Chase is very social... which makes the academic process a little more challenging! I might have to take him to a doctor, he has something that looks a lot like a phone growing out of his ear. Any thoughts? All in all they are all having a great year so far. We love seeing them grow into young adults and can't to see what God has in store for each one of them.

I'm settling down into a somewhat normal routine again after a very busy September. I spent most of the month being trained in Limited Obstectrical Ultrasound. I'll be using these new skills at Life Choices where I will work every Friday. It's a pregnancy center/adoption agency that Frank and I had been involved with many years ago. We used to be a cradle care family for them until Frank got MM in 2002. It's a wonderful ministry that we love and I'm happy to be able to use my nursing skills there. I'll also continue my job in the kitchen at Hope. I feel blessed to be serve along side the people there.

We stand in amazement and wonder at what God has done in our lives, and how far He has brought us. We are so very thankful for the healing he as granted to Frank. The 5 year mark is fast upon us. That is huge for us. With the average survival rate still reported as 3-5 years, we feel overwhelmed with how good Frank is doing after 5 years. It is humbling and leaves me at times speechless.... but not tearless.....and not without deep gratitude to the Greatest Physician... our Lord.

Thank you all for praying ~ still ~ and being so faithful for 5 years... and walking this jouney with us.

In His grace, Peg

Happy Birthday to Zach and Frank!!

To my September boys:

Happy Birthday!

Frank: 9-11 Zach 9-19

We love you ~ oh so much!

Well, It's the last weekend before school starts! Sunday's early to bed time. I am so sad... really! I would like a few more weeks.

Frank started his chemo "lite", as he calls it, on Thursday. Usually he doens't look forward to the steriods they give him. But this time, he welcomed it. They gave him a boost of energy that he was long missing, and he has felt some relief from the shingles.
Other that the hiccups that he always gets when he's on Dex, he's doing really good.

These treatments will be 2 days a week for 2 weeks, 10 days off, then the same cycle repeats for 6 months. We'll return to Little Rock after 3 of them for another check up.

Things have been busy in our family. Besides our quick trip to Little Rock and getting ready for school, my grandmother had surgery today for a hip fracture.

I hope this finds you all well and happy. We love you all! Peg

Hello Everyone !

I thought I would weigh in with a few comments.

If you have been keeping up with the talk around the "water cooler" you know that this week has been pretty tense.

It all started with my developing a limp about three weeks ago.

Peggy had started getting suspicious that my problem wasn't a simple leg strain, so she called the Dr's in Little Rock to ask a few questions. Once she did that, well they freaked out, which in turn caused us to freak out, so we (Peggy and I) wound up in Little Rock all week.

They ran a bunch of tests on me and found out that MY CANCER IS NOT BACK!
Yea me! Yeah God!!

The best part is that even though we were scared, we did turn to the Lord in prayer. Some folks even text messaged prayers or called me up and prayed with me on the phone.

The whole week reminded me of the Mercy Me song, 'Bring the Rain'.
The song brings up the fact that it might take "storms" in life to bring us closer to God. Well, I wish I could tell you that I was 100% faithful and had no doubts, but I did have doubts.

I actually got real choked up one morning and prayed for just a sprinkle, I told God that I wasn't ready for the rain,.... not now....things have been just been so good lately.
Well, He delivered....it was, just a sprinkle.

Thank you for your thoughts, kind words, and especially for your prayers. God once again answered by "holding our hands" as we walked through a valley.

The only downer is that I DO have the "SHINGLES".

So please, no big hugs, no slaps on the booty, and no bumping me in the hallway to see if I'll fall over, cause I will.

I am hurting, but it hurts so good! Yes, I am so happy to have the shingles!

Frank

Praises Praises Praises!!!

We are so thankful for good news. Frank is still in remission!

Shingles is to blame for all the pain he has in his leg. Frank said he never thought he'd be happy to have the shingles, but he is!!

We were on our way to hospital this afternoon and stopped in a parking lot for a few minutes. We read the devotion for Aug 2 out of a new book I have.

Today's verse was "I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth... I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears." Psalm 34: 1,4

I love it when God does that! His words are always right on time. Thank you all so much for your love and tender care over us, and our kids. We are so very blessed.

We're going to bed ~ in our OWN bed ~ with a grateful and thankful heart..... love, peg

I took this picture a few weeks ago when I was going out to check the mail.... I still stare at it.....

The day's been pretty good.

Just the normal routine for us when we come. We could do it with our eyes closed... and sometimes do. I don't know what is about a waiting room that makes me sleepy. It's like there's laughing gas in the air vents or something. I've been yawning and drowsy all morning.

Frank had the bone scan first this morning. The tech said it didn't look like a compression fracture to her. Humm... not what we wanted to hear. So, we'll just filter that news like this..."she can't tell from that ~ lets see what the MRI shows".

He self medicated, as usual, for the bone marrow biopsy. New drugs this time. They didn't work as well. He said this one was much more painful for him than it had been in a long time. He's glad it's over. The tech was bragging on her bone sample. I was happy to hear that. Let's get some answers!

We're waiting on the MRI at 6. It's a full body, so it'll take several hours. He usually sleeps through them so that's good. Another waiting room... a nap for me too!

Frank and I are both glad we're here. It's always an adjustment, on many levels of emotions, to come back. Especially when it's an unscheduled visit like this one. But he is hurting quite a bit and he's limping. He woke up in the middle of the night needing medicine, which he's not eager to do usually. He knows we needs some answers and he's just wanting to feel good again.

Please pray these will tests will give us answers. Of course, our hearts desire is that he still be in remission. But as he and I prayed together this morning.... prepare our hearts for Your will, and give us the strength to live out in faith Your plan for us, in order to give You glory.

He's reading all this over my shoulder... (i can't get him to type) and sends his love to all..............

Hi everybody,

It's been 5 minutes since i wrote "hi everybody".

That sort of tells where this is headed. We're sorry we don't update more often. I guess when things are going well, we don't want to bore people.

We were in Greenville last weekend and one of the family's dear friends said "I check the website all the time and they're not anything new on it. Please let me know how you are doing". That made us feel good and guilty. I'm glad people are still checking on us. Because if you are, that means we are still on your prayer list. And that's a great thing... because we are asking for your prayers now.

Frank hasn't been feeling himself for about a month now. Started out just fatigue, then it moved to back and leg pain, then a rash we thought was shingles (but it wasn't), but the leg pain didn't go away. He was checked for a blood clot and that was negative. So we called UAMS to talk to a nurse. The answer was "come now, asap".

So, we are headed to Little Rock for testing to begin on Tuesday. Frank has Bone Density test 8:30, labs, bone marrow biopsy 10:45, MRI 6:00. Pet scan on Wed, and Dr Barlogie appointment on Thursday.

We are trying not to worry until we have reason to. yeah right. Anybody that's had something on their mind knows that's better said than done. Mostly, Frank is annoyed, to quote him. He had a lot going on this week at work. And being sick isn't something you just pencil into your calendar.

We'll keep you updated as we know something. We are praying the cancer hasn't returned. If it's a back related issue, we're guessing a compression fracture. He had a vetebral-plasty for another compression several years ago and has done great. It can be serious but if they caught it early, it's a fixable problem.

Someone else we saw this summer asked us to update on the kids. They are all doing great.

Chase is starting 6th grade. He'll play football for the school. He wears his pads almost daily around the house. I'm going to need to redo my door frames ~ he doesn't know how wide he is. I can relate. It can be a problem!

Zach is starting 9th grade. The low man on the pole again. I think he's excited, but he's a guy and his vocabulary has been reduced to about 10 words in his "13th" year of living. He's still playing club soccer for Lobos.

Chandler is 10th grade this year. She's still playing piano and playing french horn for the concert band. She has a boyfriend, a fine young man. And, of course, she's driving us everywhere still. She even drove us to Greenville and back on the same day. I think I'm more ready for her to be driving than she is. I NEED her!!

Chandler and Zach are taking 3 of the same classes this year: biology, geometry and computer. They have computer together in same class. They are excited about that and think it'll be fun to have a class together. They have both done mission work this summer, and taken the church conference trip to Padre. It's been eventful for all of them.

Thank you for your continued support of our family and for lifting Frank up in prayer. We knew when this started, that is would be a marathon, not a sprint.

People would tell us all the time: "I pray for you everyday." Frank would say, "please don't do that". That got a look. He'd continue, "you'll get tired of praying for me if you do that. I need you for the long haul. Pick one day week ~ trash day ~ and pray for me then."

So... go take out the trash! !

Only by His grace, Peggy

Praise God for His faithfulness and answers to your prayers!

The news is all good from Little Rock. Peggy and I met with Dr. Barlogie yesterday and he said everything looks really good.

No protiens can be detected, they did not find any new active disease or lesions, and my bones are repairing themselves.

He presecribed 6 more cycles of chemo for preventative maintenance and I go back in 3 months for another review.

Peggy and I are so thankful for all the prayers and help during these times. Without your support, making these journies would be so difficult.

Love Frank

Happy Tuesday,

Things went well today. Frank had to be at radiology by 10. We've been thinking all this time they were going into the shoulder lesion they found when he relapsed in 2005. But, they didn't.

They said that all the other lesions he has have shown some changes. These are changes that show where his body is trying to repair itself. This takes years depending on how big the lesion is but it's still a good sign to see.

But the lesion they went into today was the largest one he's had from the beginning. It's in his right hip. They said it hasn't changed over the 4+ years. So, that's where they went in today.

We did feel good about it because he said it is not a "hot spot". So, although that makes us feel really confident.... why are they doing this? We don't know.

Frank said the experience was a new one for him and strange at best. He was on his back. The went in from the front so he got to watch the whole thing..... he'd tell it better than me so I'll skip all that.....

After we left there, we drove to Hot Springs for him do some work. While he was in his meeting, I got to browse the quaint little shops there. I had a neat experience while I was alone there.
There was a veteran on an old bike decorated with more flags than he had room for. He got off his bike to go into the coffee shop that I was sitting in front of. I struck up a conversation with him but, of course, quickly noticed that he didn't talk. He had one of those black boxes that you use to make your vocal cords vibrate so he can talk. To be honest.... this one of those guys that most people ~yes, I have been guilty of this ~ would avoid eye contact with. But he had smiled so genuinely at me, and we DID catch eyes. That made me really want to talk to him. We had a nice conversation about the obvious... places he's lived, how he got his bike (not a motorcycle, a 10 speed), and why I was in AR. He had cancer of the throat in 1995 and has been using the box since then. He said everyday that he wakes up and gets out of the bed is a great day. And we talked about the blessing of healing! Then he rode off on his only mode of transportion.

But he told me I made his day and thanked me for talking to him... which, in turn, made my day.
We are in the hotel room for the night. I plan to watch Idol and vote from here. Frank has been in and out of naps...

We see the famous Dr. Barlogie tomorrow at 10:30. And we are very anxious to get home... love to all.

Well, things have gone well this morning.

The biopsy is over. Frank said the rest of the day has to go better now that it's over.

We had an MD watching the tech to learn. She's going to work in LA and the MD's there do their own bone marrow pulls. She watches 10, then does 10.

Good medical training! We were #6 to be watched. Frank and I giggled on the way out that we were going to count to people in the waiting room and then start warning people! "sir, I'd reschedule if I were you!" But we didn't.

He's in the PET scan waiting room. He's radioactive now, so I can't be with him. He'll be about 2 hours, so I came to the library to check email and talk to you guys... MRI tonight at 7 pm. Then we'll be ready for bed!

Psalm 62: 5 Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. 8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.

Thank you for praying for us. We feel it!!

Mother's Day

Well, Happy Mother's Day to all the momma's out there. I know it's great to get the homemade cards, extra hugs and kisses and special treats! For me... I had all that.... I just wish I was little enough to fit in my mom's lap without hurting her! I have tried several times these past years. She never complains about my weighing more than her and even though her legs are probably numb... she makes it work. Cause she's my mom!!

We are in Little Rock. We dropped the kids off at youth group and left from church. I think we got here in one hour!! He won't tell me how fast he was going. We were singing to the ipod and I was doing a puzzle. Next thing I know we were here. In record time. Anyway... he's asleep with the remote control in his hand.

The past month has been such a roller coaster for me. I was starting to feel anxious and nervous about coming back. I didn't really share it with Frank, but I did with some of my girlfriends. But as I prayed through it, I felt very strengthened by the Lord. I just felt like the message from God was that He was getting me ready for something and reminding me that He would be there. Just trust in Him and stay close! Well, I assumed that related to Frank's checkup and I started to worry again.... which made me pray even more.

God is so sweet to just meet us where we are. And prayer is so powerful. I know we all know that.... why it surprises us is a mystery. Different things have come up in the past few weeks. Normal life stuff... but all things that sent to my knees...you know... just throw you back for a bit... and now I feel such a peace about all that and the check up too. I know He is right here.
We had the sweetest day at church. We worked all week making food for the Mother's Day picnic lunches we sell for the youth. It is such a tiring week, but the timing was perfect. I was busy all week with little time to think about anything else. It is fun.... we sold the food this weekend.

Being with everyone there is so great. The love we feel and share with everyone there is so very special to us. We feel so blessed to have our Hope family.

The bone marrow biopsy is first thing tomorrow. He'll have ... um... pain meds for breakfast. They should kick in fast because he can't eat until after the PET scan.
Frank told people today he was planning on getting more "wholy" while he was here. Another bone marrow biopsy... and one from the shoulder this time too. He makes me laugh.

I'll be updating every day while we're here. Thank you for your prayers. We know they work!!
Love to all...... Peg

Hi everybody,
Well, Frank is pleased, and very relieved that the 6 rounds of chemo are OVER!!
Yeah!! And even more than that, God blessed him with no complications.
We are indeed thankful.

We will return to Little Rock on May 14th for testing. Dr. Barlogie has requested a fine needle biopsy of his shoulder lesion. That hasn't been done since Oct 05 when they found the "nasty" stuff, as Dr B called it. The other tests are the normal routine.... MRI, bone marrow biopsy, blood work, and PET scan.

Everything else is normal! Praise the Lord for normal! Soccer, tennis, guitar, piano, baseball, youth group and more.... and Chandler drives us everywhere we need to go!! She's a pro already ~ except that we haven't done the Interstate yet.... no hurry.

Love to you all, Peg

Hope everyone had a very blessed Easter holiday!

Happy Birthday to our dear Chandler!!! She's 15 today.... and going to take her driving permit test tomorrow. Yeah.

Frank started the 6th ~ and last ~ VTD treatment today. His platelets were above 100.

Chandler and I took lunch up to him yesterday and sat with him for a little while. It was a neat day, because we ran into people we knew... it was their first time there... they were nervous. I showed them around and took them back to see Frank in the chemo room. Frank talked with them more after we left and prayed with them. Visits like that remind us how blessed we are.

God was so sweet to give us the opportunity to meet a need for them and once again remind us that He will use this whole process for His glory. It wasn't "just another chemo treatment" ~ it was a divine appointment.

We return to Little Rock in May for a full work up. We feel good about where Frank is and how he's doing. We are looking forward to great results.

Thank you for continuing to pray for us. God is so faithful! Peg

Over the past days several people have asked me why there have been so few updates. I must apologize for "holding back".

When things are going well, (which they are) there isn't a lot to say without repeating myself. You know - like today ...I woke up, brushed my teeth, ate a sausage egg & cheese McGriddle, and went to work in Nashville and did stuff like that.....boring.

I have been taking some rounds of Chemotherapy though, which can have some interesting side effects. It isn't about being sick, but I do get to feeling wierd sometimes....
Frank....:o)

Well, praise God for good news !

As Peg mentioned in the previous post, we anticipated getting good news and that's what we got. There were no Myeloma proteins found, no new lesions, and the lesions where the cancer had attacked the bone in the past were stable.

Dr Barlogie and his assistant Aimee were all smiles and said we would continue with the consolidation Chemo treatments as planned.

The only down side to the day was that I picked up the "bug" that Chandler has been fighting and I felt bad the whole day. I'll be over it soon enough.

Thank you all for your prayers....God is still saying yes!
Frank

Frank and I went to Little Rock yesterday for testing.

Things went very well. No PET scan this time, so it saved us some time too.

The bone marrow biopsy went well. Frank's meds kicked in and the procedure wasn't as painful. (At least that's what he said... it looks painful to me) They also made him sleep the whole way home... and the whole rest of the day.. and night!!

We return to Little Rock tomorrow to see the doctor and get the results. We feel really good about things and don't expect anything but a good clean report.

That would be a great Valentine Day present wouldn't it?

We'll be in touch to share what we know soon. Thank you for your continued prayers. May God richly bless each one of you.

Chandler's been home sick this week. Please pray for her quick recovery and that Frank (or the rest of us) won't get it.

Love, Peggy