Update2

February 2, 2002 - Well the first round of chemo is done. Gary did great until Thursday. He went to work each day, but after returning at 2:30 am from work on Wednesday (actually Thursday morning) he was just beat. He felt awful. Now mind you, I not only could tell, he told me. That is very unusual. I scooped up both kids in the morning, so that he would not have to get up with Dallas and he could just rest. When I called home at noon, and I didn't get an answer after 3 rings, I knew he was still in bed. He ended up calling in to work, he slept until 8:00 that night. Got up and ate a little, then went back to bed. This is the first time I think I was actually scared. Scared to see what I was seeing. This is really happening. I felt so bad that he was struggling. Good thing
I had a major project with a time crunch at work, because it kept my mind...not
off of it, but busy for most of the day.
He took his last does last night instead of in the morning. I am not sure how this worked out, as he had a very hard time sleeping. But, now he will do some Leukine injections (which he had left over from a few months ago) that will increase his white blood cell count and help his body produce more cells.
Dallas woke up very ill this moring, vomiting and stomach ache. Will these kids ever get well. They have never been so sick before. Devan was up for about 2-3 hours last night complaining of stomach as well, but no vomiting. I'll bet you're wondering how I'm doing? Actually, I feel pretty good today, considering my sleep was a little on the nil side. I'm hanin' in. Rollercoaster is all I have to say.
It was 78-80 degrees most of the week, just beautiful, now today it's 40. Whatever. All I know is, I believe I am ready for spring. Monkey number 2 will not get off of me, I must go. Dallas and Gary are resting. Til next time, love and laughter, Shelly

2/6/02 Well hello, how are you? I'm well thank you. I wish I could say that for
my children...can you believe they are sick again? Both complaining, well screaming, of ear pain, and they are irritable. What next? They both head for the dr. tomorrow. Needless to say, I have cracked open a beverage, that well, Adolfo Busch and the Winder Olympic Games would be proud of!
Gary is doing better than a few days ago. Each day he gets a little better, he can't get rid of his 'chest cold'? Hmm. Anyway, seems to be sleeping better the last 2 nights. Well, just sleeping at all is better than the last few weeks. He's tough...and he's hangin'.
So I picked up another book today, on melanoma. Written by a nice gal, I'm sure, with DuPont Guerry, IV, M.D. That's Gary's oncologist. Or was, before he left on sabbattical at the National Institute of Health. Nice, huh?!! I thought so. So what did I learn? 1 in 250 people in 1980 had a lifetime risk of getting the beast. In, 2000, it's 1 in 75. Yep, 75. So maybe you don't worship the sun, but you get bad sunburns on the weekends or only on vacation, well go look at yourself in the mirror. Becuase you are at risk........Yep, go right into the bathroom/bedroom, where ever you have a big mirror. Check out your back...the back of your legs.

How can you not? Are any black? Funny looking? Asymmetrical? Are any elevated? Check'm out. I'll bet none of you want to trade places with me, so go and just look thats all. If you can't bare to look at yourself, invite someone over. But, if your married, it ought to be your spouse. But, if your're not, what a way to break the ice with a date....Linda....hey date guy, you wanna come in and check my back for asymmetrical, border irregular, color variant, diameter greater than six millimeter suspicious moles that could be melanoma? What a great line. They might take you up on it just find out what you're talking about, and you get your moles checked. Everybody wins. While your at it, check your toes.
Okay, well, the black beast has just given me entirely too many laughs this year. So, I'll go do my taxes. In case any of you are wondering, Daytona is FIVE days away, I need to get packed soon.
Thank you to all who have written on the guestbook, I had to print and delete, as it has filled up twice. So maybe you don't see an old post, thats why. Til next time, Shelly

Thursday, 2/21 Hi! Gosh, I'm busy. We had a wonderful time in Daytona. We stayed in Ormond Beach right on the ocean. It was absolutely peaceful. Our friends, John and Ann and Lance and Cindy are the best. You need to know how great and caring they are. They just did whatever Gary and I needed to do. Sit down, rest, nap, eat, go to Dodge City, whatever. Wasn't the race fabulous? The weather was perfect. Just a nice relaxing, fun, SPECIAL time. Gary was first in line for Bill's autograph, along with Ray Evernham and Jeremy Mayfield. How exciting!
We took the train, 24 hours to get there and 19 to get home. We were in this tiny little room with 2 seats that folded into a bed and a bunk that pulled down from the ceiling. Our night stand was the toliet. So cute. Our sink folded out of the wall and we had a 5 inch TV. Very bumpy on the way home, but is something you should do.
I hope you had a great Valentines Day, we did. It was very memorable. Dallas gave Gary a card that she picked out, all on her own. It was a big orange dinasour, that said for my grandson. Too cute.
We did get to the Father/Daughter dance on the friday before we left. Dallas was still pretty sick but, she went and had a super time. Look for some pictures on the site a little later. They were just precious, all three of them.
So, after all that. We had a good time, but it was hard on Gary. He is very tired, has a lot of back pain and nausea. No, it's not from the chemo, that is pretty much out of his system. His most prononced symptom now is shortness of breath. Walking in from the car, and he is short of breath. It's pretty unbeliveable. This whole thing is. I believe he starts chemo again next Monday, for five days. We head back to U Penn middle or end of March. Can you believe it't almost March? Time sure flies, enjoy your life my friend. We are home and I am very refreshed, ready to start over again. This trip did me a world of good. Pray for Gary, he doesn't feel good. I must go, I have a huge policy/procedure due tomorrow. Miss you, much love, Shelly