The Saturn has a new air conditioner compressor. Naturally, the car is now out of warranty. The compressor is almost prohibitively expensive. But the Saturn is again comfortable in hot weather -- and we've been having our share of hot.

This repair necessitated a trip to Modesto which ended up taking 12 hours. Saturn rented us a car while they were working on our own vehicle. There weren't many stops after waiting for the diagnosis and picking up the rental car -- lunch, purchase a new cell phone for Ray (He was due for a replacement anyway, but drowned his phone yesterday when he spilled a glass of water on an end table. He now understands that things electronic -- like cell phones and television remotes -- don't take baths!), the blood bank to replace another of the too-many units Ray has used in the last 6 mos (The phlebotomist, complaining that Bonnie has tiny veins, missed her mark and drew only 145 ml before the flow stopped altogether -- instead of the full pint. Bonnie gets credit for the donation, Ray gets the credit since it was a replacement unit, and we don't know what happens to the blood.), Costco, return the rental car, pick up our own car, visit with the Saturn Maintenance Manager (by now a good friend), make a stop at the Hawaiian-style plate lunch restaurant for take-out. Added to the 65 mile drive in each direction between Groveland and Modesto ....

Ray did remarkably well. He had a rough patch, getting very tired while we were exploring cell phone options, but perked up over a glass of orange juice while waiting for me at the blood bank. He walked the entire Costco store, getting plenty of exercise and commenting several times how he was forcing himself to walk even if he didn't think he wanted to and how good he feels afterwards. Now he is across the room at his own computer, happily reading emails and playing "pretend" (read "no money paid out") slot machines.

The cat and I are headed for bed!

Give thanks!!!! Keep praying!

We are still rejoicing at how good Ray is feeling, although there is always the background question, "If he is feeling good, is the chemotherapy really working?" We can only trust -- God and the doctors.

He's been upstairs daily, is anxious to get back to "real life", although he is having vision problems, and intermittent shaking in his hands which both preclude carving with the Dremel tool. We don't want him carving himself instead of a hunk of wood, and control issues wreak havoc with his precise work. Also, it's hard to draw or carve when you cannot see the detail in your work. These seems to be side effects of the current drug ....

Give thanks! Keep praying!!

I woke up at 6 a.m. today to find Ray -- upstairs and at his computer, surrounded by heaps of paper which he was happily sorting. Four hours later he is STILL happily sorting!

He still has his hair, and he is still feeling good. His blood levels are staying up. We hope the chemotherapy is working as well as the steroids!

We like the warm weather, but this really hot stuff is a bit draining. We need to take the Saturn to Modesto (60 miles away and 3000' lower elevation) to have the air conditioning fixed next week ..... Based on the weather forecasts, think we'll wait until the END of the week when the temps are supposed to be back DOWN to 100, more or less! Meanwhile, we drive the pickup which has a working air conditioning system.

Tuesday afternoon. Excuse the partial double entry on Sunday. I am STILL learning the finer points of this software.

We don't understand what's happening to Ray. He is feeling GREAT. Yesterday he went to breakfast with a friend. Afterward, they went first to the Chicken Ranch Casino in Jamestown, made a stop at Wal-Mart, then spent the rest of the day at Black Oak Casino. Yes, he came home with twice as much as he left home with! Then dinner out, and home to socialize for a couple of hours before bed. I ran out before he did.

Today we un-winterized the back deck, restoring his 'carving studio'. This involved moving stuff, dusting, blowing leaves, moving deck furniture, and then putting everything back together again. It would have been an all-day adventure when he was well. It's now 4:30 and he's still going strong -- especially since everything in more or less back in place.

Tomorrow we have more plans to socialize -- another breakfast out with friends. And tomorrow he starts his next dose of steroids, so we KNOW he will feel good!

Give lots of thanks! Keep on praying!!

Ray's next major goal after reaching his 60th birthday was to welcome the Nouillan twins, Freya and Kered into the world. Andrea (Auld) Nouillan [say NEW-lin]is a cousin of Bonnie's. She and her husband, Mark, arrived in Groveland in the fall of 2000. Now, after 16 years of marriage, they finally have a family -- and American-born children at that -- born in Sonora 6/16/2006. So today we went back to the hospital, this time as visitors; then off to lunch, and a spate of shopping before straggling home just before 5 p.m. It was a very good day!

Give thanks! Keep praying!!

Ray's next major goal after reaching his 60th birthday was to welcome the Nouillan twins, Freya and Kered into the world. Andrea (Auld) Nouillan [say NEW-lin]is a cousin of Bonnie's. She and her husband, Mark, arrived in Groveland in the fall of 2000. Now, after 16 years of marriage, they finally have a family -- and American-born children at that!

Chemo Series 3, Treatment 2 of 9 done, and this morning Ray feels stronger rather than weaker. He is back to doing a handful of household chores, giving him a feeling that he is contributing. He was able to do a tiny bit of shopping yesterday after chemotherapy, and even have a fast-food lunch. He gained back 5 of the 14 pounds lost, always a GOOD thing in the oncologist's book (but not necessarily in anyone else's!). He knows that when he goes off the Decadron today some of that stregth will go away, but he is prepared with the assortment of anti-nausea medication. He realizes that he NEEDS to socialize, and is anxious to get back to his art. So at least for today life looks up.

Give thanks!! Keep praying!

A week into this round of chemotherapy, and Ray is having trouble finding things that taste good. Until today. He had a turkey TV dinner for lunch and LOVED it. Said it was exceptionally good tasting. No accounting for taste, is there? He is looking forward to going back onto the Decadron this evening, fully expecting that he will feel as good as he did last week.

The "down" moments are increasingly more difficult to climb away from. It's hard to spend so much time being nauseous. When he is in the throes of a nausea attack, it feels like it has been constant since diagnosis. The good days between attacks are forgotten. But I found a perfect reminder in the form of a "stained glass" light catching ornament. It reminds us, "Tough times will pass. Tough people won't."

Give thanks! Keep praying!!

Ray says today, as the effect of the Decadron wears off, he is beginning to feel the chemotherapy. Everything hurts. His mouth is tender. Out comes the hydrocodone and Chloraseptic! He has a sinus headache -- who knows what that is from, probably the weather! He is resting today, hoping to be able to attend the Herb and Earth Festival at our favorite nursery in Groveland town.

Keep praying! Give thanks!!

So far, so good. Good attitude. Good appetite, thanks to the Decadron (a steroid). Ray says he is tired, but one of the effects of the Decadron is that you may have trouble sleeping. Ray is. But it is an intermittent dosasge -- start two nights before a treatment, take two tablets morning and evening through the morning AFTER the treatment. Assuming he will have chemo on Thursdays, he will begin the Decadron each Tuesday, and take it through Friday morning. It will be interesting to watch this work.

He has had a mild reaction today, similar to reactions he has had to past blood transfusions -- but not bad enough to necessitate a trip to the emergency room. So we are in wait-and-watch mode.

Give thanks! Keep praying!!!

Dr. Drakes read the radiology report to us directly. Previously, we only had an extracted version. The lung tumor is virtually eliminated -- it is described as 'minimally active'. This is VERY good news. There is no new metastatic growth. This is also VERY good news. The liver tumor is problematic. The report says it is "stable, but may have grown 1 cm". Dr. Drakes says that doesn't make sense. With chemotherapy, one tumor does not shrink while another grows. He feels that since the procedure used did not include a high contrast CT scan along with the PET scan, the radiologists were unable to accurately measure the liver tumor. Sooooooooooo ....

Tomorrow Ray begins a new regimen, this time with the drug Taxotere, aka Docetaxel. This is the drug that he did NOT get to in his initial treatment sequence. He is also getting 2 more units of blood, bringing his total since February to 15 units used. There was some talk of putting him back on Procrit, but I am not sure what the final decision was on that front.

Give thanks!! Keep praying!!!

Each day brings new strength. Yesterday (Sunday) Ray acknowledged that he is beginning to feel normal again -- whatever 'NORMAL' happens to be. He wanted to go into Groveland on Friday; ended up going to lunch and then visiting at the nursery where he normally carves -- for two hours! Instead of just running errands, we were out all afternoon. Then a friend called from Sonora and wanted to take us to lunch on Saturday, so we were out again. What a wonderful treat! But yesterday he was tired, and decided to"just rest" today in preparation for seeing the oncologist tomorrow. He is nervous about that trip, is a little afraid of what the doctor will tell him. He will have to think VERY hard if the recommendation is to continue treatment.

Give thanks! Keep praying!!

One day at a time. At my request, Ray came out and sat in the truck while I loaded twigs and small branches from off the ground as a part of the 'beginningn of the fire season' lot clearance. If I do a little bit every day, it wille ventually get done, but it is no fun to do yard work without company .... Then he rode with me to the dump where (under his direction!) I raked out the back of the truck. He commented that I missed that kind of work, and hopes he could get his strength back up far enough to at least help in the yard instead of doing all the heavy work by himself. I will be pleased, too!!

Give thanks! Keep praying!!