Discouraging News

Well, it is really hard to write this tonight because I am feeling a little down. I talked with Alyce today and Dr. Yielding had been by this morning and told them that the blood tests they did Monday showed some cancer cells in the blood again. Terry was on his 4th day of chemo today, will rest tomorrow and have chemo on Saturday. He is feeling fine and should be released sometime Sunday. He will have to go to the Cancer Center (doctor's office) every day for a shot until his blood levels get back to where they want them. The doctor told them of a fairly new procedure with Antibodies that he wants to try on Terry when he has to go back into the hospital again in 6 weeks. He says he has had some great results from that treatment. Meanwhile, he is going to schedule us a meeting with the Bone Marrow Transplant doctor at UAB in the next month or two to discuss that treatment just in case the Antibodies treatment is not effective. We may be down, but we are definitely not out!! God is still in control and we believe in the power of prayer. Please continue to pray for Terry's complete healing. Love to all, Karen

LUCKY ROOM

Alyce and John went to get lunch at Subway yesterday and when they returned, room 652 where Terry had been was empty!! They soon discovered that he had been moved into room 653. When they entered the hospital, they had asked for Terry's old "lucky room" back but it was occupied. Little did they know they would still move him when it vacated. Terry is on day 3 of chemo and is still doing great. He is getting a little bored and can't wait until this week is over. Thank you all for your concern and prayers.

Hospital Week Begins

Terry and Alyce entered the hospital around 11:00 today. They had left the port in his neck so he did not have to go through that surgical procedure again. They immediately started giving him pre-meds to help offset any nausea, etc. and began a saline drip into the port. The chemo was being prepared to start shortly after that time. He is going to be getting chemo on days 1, 2, 3 and 5. He is in Room 652 of Carraway Hospital and phone is 502-6652. We ask for your prayers that all will go smoothly and this week will pass by quickly. I will keep you posted. ****Karen

Here We Go Again!!!

Hello to all. I'll be doing the blog again for a little while. Well, tomorrow is Terry's last day of FREEDOM for a week. He will go to the doctor on Monday and then check into the hospital to begin 3 days of chemo and 4 days of recoup(also in the hospital.) We are hoping he will not have to have any blood or platelets after the chemo this time. Terry has been working up until Friday and then he took a customer fishing to Lay Lake. Today (Sat.) he and friend Mike were going fishing at Guntersville. God gave him perfect weather. Sunshine and 80+ degrees. Rick and I enjoyed being with Terry, Alyce, John and Kristina at Granny's house Friday night for BBQ. He looked Great!! They were all telling me how amazed they were at all the people that have kept up with this Blog. You have touched us with your many acts of kindness and prayers.****Get your knees limbered up and ready, we need your prayers again.***** Phil.3:13...Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on... ...Karen

PERFECT!!!!

Just in case anyone is still signing on to this blog, I got some exciting news today. Alyce called and said she had talked with the Doctor's office and the blood test results showed that "I AM A PERFECT MATCH." Which means that if Terry does need a Bone Marrow transplant, his big sister is ready, willing and now ABLE. I had prayed that I would be a match and just felt like I would be from the beginning. At least now we know!! Terry is working every day and went to church the past 2 Sundays. He will go back in to the hospital on 3/26. **** I have a special prayer request for all you Prayer Warriors. Our cousin Matt Grubbs was going to Ocala, FL to pick up a horse and had a stroke (age 54.) He is paralyzed on the right side and cannot speak. He is in ICU in Ocala and needs our prayers. Thanks for caring. Love, Karen

More Great News

Terry and Alyce went to Dr. Yeilding's office yesterday and he is just amazed at how well Terry is doing. They told him it was God and him that had gotten Terry through thus far and Dr. Yeilding said that it was really ALL God because had it not been for God giving him the abilities and talents that he has, he would not have the good results with patients that he does. What a refreshing thing to see someone in his position to show such humility and realize that we all rely on the grace of God. May God bless you, Dr. Yeilding, with many, many more success stories. They took several vials of blood and will send some to UAB to test against Butch's and mine to see if they find a match. Terry's white cell count was 11,000 which was GREAT and his red blood cell count was at 30 (still needs to come up a little.) He will have to check back in to Carraway on Monday, March 26, for 7 days of chemo. He will also have to go back three more times this year for a week of chemo. HOWEVER, the great news is that Terry can resume his normal life style of doing whatever he feels like doing. Terry says he feels better right now than he has in years (pain wise) and Alyce and I are wishing we had a dose of that "miracle blood" to make us feel years younger. HA!!!! Everyone at SCS can expect to see Terry's sweet smile and bald head next Tuesday, March 6, BACK AT WORK. PLEASE don't spoil him. Remember, Alyce still has to deal with him at home and he has been spoiled enough. No more excuses for not taking out the trash!! Ha!! The doctor gave Alyce a great compliment for being such an attentive "nurse" and said that it played a big part in Terry's quick remission. Again, I want to thank all of you for putting him on your personal and church prayer lists because we KNOW it has made a difference. His name can come off the Request Prayer list and go on the Answered Prayer list. I will not post again until the week of 3/26/07 but if you want to just stay in touch with me, please email me at work or home. Here are my emails: kdbradshaw@aol.com or bradshaw@newsouthfederal.com May God bless you all. Love, Karen