Butch's Battle

Happy Birthday Dad!

2011-06-11T13:34:00.001-04:00

One thing Dad always hoped for was for Chris and I to have a baby. He told us all the time 'there are a lot of kids out there that need homes.' Dad loved being a grandpa. Jerzie was his pride and joy. He just couldn't get enough of her. When he found out that Kim and Tabatha were having another baby, he was so happy for them. When Dad passed away, Chris and I thought we were having a baby, but it turned out to be a chemical pregnancy. After being married for 17 years, Chris and I are going to have a baby. I am 16 weeks along right now. We are sure that Dad is very happy to be a grandpa again.

Happy Birthday Dad

Memorial Run 2011

2011-05-22T12:00:00.000-04:00

Paying respects

A moment of silence

Getting ready to ride again!

Sad News!

2011-02-26T11:39:00.004-05:00

I'm not sure how many of Dad's friends still come to this blog, but I wanted to post that on February 24th our Grandmother passed away. She was taken to the hospital for very bad stomach pains. After running tests, they put her in a room. The nurse left to get her some pain medicine. When the nurse came back to the room, Grandma was gone.

Click HERE to read her Obituary

If you would like to light a candle in remembrance click HERE

Two Years Ago Today!

2010-07-21T12:54:00.003-04:00

It is so hard to believe that two years have gone by already. Where does the time go? We miss you Dad!!!

Happy Father's Day Dad!

2010-06-20T12:23:00.002-04:00

Love and Miss You.

Happy Birthday Dad!

2010-06-11T08:04:00.003-04:00

Today would have been Dad's 62nd Birthday. It is one of the hardest days to get through without you here.

We Love you Dad and Miss you every day.

Memorial Bike Run

2010-05-02T17:20:00.005-04:00

We went to the Memorial Bike Run yesterday. 30 bikes and 50 bikers rode to pay tribute to fallen Brothers. We were part of this for the first time last year and were very happy to be there again this year as they paid their respects to our Dad.

One of these years, we hope to ride along with them.

Tough Time!

2009-12-31T14:05:00.003-05:00

I am having a rough time missing Dad today! Today is the day that we used to get together for a family dinner. For quite a few years we all went to a restaurant for dinner. After Jerzie was born, we decided that it would be easier to have dinner at our house. We made a big meal and shared family time together. We still get together on New Year's Eve and have dinner and still have a great time together, but it just doesn't seem the same with out Dad here.

I miss you and Love you Dad!

One Year Ago

2009-07-21T07:38:00.003-04:00

A year ago today, you finally had no more pain. The cancer couldn't attack your body anymore. You lived with the cruel disease for almost 8 years and enough was enough. You put up a strong fight. Although we are glad you aren't suffering anymore, we can’t say that we don’t miss you every day, because we would be lying. This year has been a roller coaster ride for all of us. Little things seem to make us sad when we least expect it, but the sound of a Harley driving by seems to put a smile on our faces and give us a little bit of peace.

We Love You and Miss You Dad

Father's Day Gift!

2009-06-23T09:13:00.000-04:00

When Mom and I went to the Hamburg craft show this spring we stopped at a booth that made cement pieces. I about died when I saw this piece. I had been looking for something special for Dad's grave and I couldn't believe what I was seeing. It was perfect.

Since Chris is taking Welding Technology in school, I knew he could make a stand for it.

We love the way it looks at the grave, and we are sure that Dad loves it.

Check out what Kim and his softball team did on Father's Day HERE.

Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-21T11:49:00.001-04:00

We Love You

Looks Better!

2009-06-17T14:44:00.002-04:00

Chris and I decided that Dad's grave site needed to be fixed up a little bit.

We went and looked for something to make it easier for us to plant around the headstone. We bought these scalloped gray bricks and went to work. Chris dug out the grass and got the edging put in. We added fresh top soil, some red impatiens and a layer of mulch.

We think it looks much better and should be easy upkeep.

Happy Birthday Dad!

2009-06-11T09:34:00.003-04:00

Picture taken June 2002

This would be your day to shine.

The stars will have to do it for you.

There's not a day that goes by that you are not thought of.

This time of year is just the hardest.

You see, it's your birthday then Father's Day

then the anniversary of your death.

All within a couple of weeks.

You were taken from us by cancer.

You fought a long and hard battle.

Now we cannot share these days with you anymore.

We can still hear you laugh.

We make sure we think of it often.

We don't want to forget how you sound.

Anyway, Dad, We just wanted to say

Happy Birthday to You.

You are missed so very much.

Today is my birthday!

2009-06-03T00:05:00.001-04:00

This is a picture of my dad and me on my first birthday. Our family was in Florida visiting my Great Grandma and Great Grandpa.

Every year on my birthday dad would call and sing me happy birthday. If I wasn't home he would leave it on our answering machine. Oh how I wish I would have saved one of those messages. The things we take for granted.

This is the last picture that was taken of my Dad and me. (June 28th, 2008) This was one of his good days. He was staying at Hopes lodge. Chris and I would drive out every weekend to visit with him and he would harass the hell out of me for bringing my camera with. I am glad I did.

I miss you Dad!

Love, Your Baby Girl

Memorial Day Weekend!

2009-05-22T21:04:00.002-04:00

Chris and I went to the cemetery today to put flowers on Dad's grave. I got these bright (Harley) orange daisies in at work today and had to buy them for Dad. While we were there we also cleaned the headstone and trimmed the grass in front of it. Dad always made sure that Grandpa's stone was cleaned and the area around it was well taken care of. We are going to make sure we do the same with his. We aren't sure who else was up there, but they left a beautiful pot of flowers and a poem written on a stained glass tile.

Part Two of An Extraordinary Day!

2009-05-06T15:57:00.005-04:00

Waiting for the bikers.

We can't describe the feeling that came over us when all of these bikers came walking towards Dad's grave site.

We noticed as soon as Uncle Randy got close enough, he was carrying a small paper bag with him. We knew what was in the bag before he even opened it.

Here is Uncle Randy doing a shot with his brother.

Here are a couple of pictures of the bikes lined up getting ready to leave.

There is nothing like the sound of a Harley. When there are 25 of them together, your insides just shake.

We would like to thank all of the motorcyclists for making Saturday a day to remember.

If you would like to leave a comment for Dad's family,

just click on the comment button below any post.

An Extraordinary Day!

2009-05-02T17:19:00.004-04:00

Click on the arrow to play the video.

Every year, a group of motorcyclists get together on a Saturday and visit the graves of fallen 'brothers' and 'sisters'. Dad used to go on these bike runs every year with his brother Randy. This year, they came to visit Dad. It is great that Dad has not been forgotten. We are thankful that we got to be there on such an extraordinary day. We took a lot of pictures and will be sharing them soon.

Gone Fishing!

2009-04-25T15:37:00.002-04:00

Kim, Chris and I got our fishing licences this year. Chris and I hadn't been fishing in a very long time, so we decided it would be fun and relaxing to go again. The past two Friday nights we have met Kim, Tabatha, Jerzie and Payton at the boat landing.

Dad used to take us fishing here when we were younger. Kim is teaching Jerzie to fish. Jerzie has her own barbie fishing pole.

I think Daddy likes to use it just as much as Jerzie.

We have been catching a lot of perch and some sunfish.

Last night we each caught a silver bass.

We think Jerzie enjoys spending the time with her daddy.

She still isn't too sure about touching or getting too close to the fish.

FAMILY TRADITION

2009-04-03T17:29:00.008-04:00

We all know how much Dad loved fishing, and since he gave me luck on opening day of hunting season, I decided to try out opening day of trout season (I have not been fishing in about 10 years)

Cousin Stoney thought it sounded like a great idea and decided to come along and spend the night so we could throw our lines in at midnight.

We got to our spot and set up camp. Of course it was suppose to rain so we wanted to at least stay dry.
Then to make sure Dad was with us we had to have "a few nips of JD"
Then we hung out by the fire and talked about the old days, ate some chicken, and waited for midnight.
Finally we threw our lines in, and after hours of wondering why we couldn't get any bites...
I finally caught the dreaded sucker fish.... YUK! Then Stoney hooked a monster, but we lost it after it snapped the line.

We finally landed our first trout around 1 pm, only 12 inches or so. We were all packed up, around 4:30, when I went to grab my pole and head home and IT HAPPENED...
The one we had been waiting for... LEWIS THE LUNKER! (as Stoney referred to it).
This is by far the biggest fish I have ever cought. 25 inches long and 5.8 pounds of beautiful rainbow trout!

I know Dad was with us for this trip. We had a great night, very little rain, and tons of fun. Not to mention that we were ready to leave 3 hours before this when 2 of our friends showed up so we hung around a little longer :) Stoney and I decided this will be a new family tradition of camping out on opening day. Thanks Dad for the reminder that you are always with us!!!

Papa Would Be Proud!

2009-04-03T16:23:00.000-04:00

One thing that Kim and I did when we were growing up was go fishing with Dad. Kim wanted to start Jerzie out early in hopes that she would love it just as much as we did when we were younger.

Kim and Tabatha bought Jerzie her own fishing pole and Daddy took her fishing over the weekend. This was Jerzie's first time out. Unfortunately they didn't catch anything.

I'm sure they will have plenty of time this spring and summer to get some fishing done.

Dad is smiling down on them, watching them proudly.

We Miss That Smile!

2009-03-21T21:44:00.002-04:00

It is so hard to believe that it has been 8 months since Dad passed away. Everyone says it gets better with time. Some days it seems as though it has, and others I can't believe he is gone. A lot has happened in the last 8 months that Dad would have been proud of, and a lot has happened that would have made him very sad. The proud would surely out weigh the sad. One of the proudest would have been the birth of another little Granddaughter, and she is so pretty, just like her big sister. Chris went back to school after 20 years and is doing very well. This would have made him very happy also.

One of the saddest moments we can not share with you, but we know he knows, and he would have been so upset if he was alive when it happened. Also, Grandma fell and broke her hip. She had to have surgery, and is now in a nursing home. This would not have set well with Dad. Last weekend his great niece was killed in an automobile accident at the age of 23. That would have upset him so much. She left behind 3 children.

We are all staying as strong as we can.

A New Granddaughter!

2009-02-21T18:12:00.002-05:00

As most of you know, Kim and Tabatha were expecting their second child before Dad passed away.

We would like you to meet.....

Payton Ann Max

Payton was born February 18th at 7:48 PM.
She weighed 7 lbs. 8 oz. and was 21" long.

Mom and baby are doing great. Payton looks just like Jerzie looked when she was born except for the color of her hair. Payton has darker hair.

Here are Dad's beautiful baby girls. He loved being a grandfather, and we know he would be very proud of his two granddaughters.

It Wasn't Easy!

2009-01-18T21:40:00.000-05:00

This picture is of a figurine I bought for Dad years ago because it reminded me of him.

It wasn't easy, but we made it through the holidays. It seemed weird Christmas day not to go to Dad's. We went at the same time every year, so when the time came it was weird to look at my watch and see that we weren't at Dads. Kim and some of our cousins made sure Dad got a drink of Glögg on Christmas. Dad loved to have a few sips of Glögg on Christmas, so the guys went to the grave site and had a drink or two with him.

New Years dinner was still at our house. It was different not having Dad at the table with his Margarita. Chris and I did a shot for Dad at midnight and sent Kim a text to show him. He sent us one back. Even though we weren't together at midnight we were thinking of the same thing.

New Years Eve Dinner!

2008-12-31T20:33:00.001-05:00

For quite a few years we had gone out for dinner on New Years eve with Dad and Sharon. It was always Dads time. He so loved being able to get together.

Picture taken New Years Eve 2005

Ever since Jerzie came along we thought it would be easier on everyone to come to our house for dinner. Kim, Tabatha, Chris and I all made dinner. We made steaks on the grill, had a couple kinds of shrimp and tons of other food. We all had a great time.

Picture taken New Years Eve 2006

This year is definitely different. Kim and I decided we still wanted to get together for dinner since we don't do it often enough. We know Dad will be with us in spirit for dinner tonight.

Hard To Believe!

2008-12-24T13:38:00.000-05:00

I can't believe that these pictures were taken on Christmas Day 2007. Who would have known that this would have been our last Christmas together. Not me that is for sure. I remember you telling us that you had another lump but never thought that it would take you from us. I can't imagine how hard it must have been to sit and tell your children that your cancer was back yet again. You fought such a brave battle Dad. We are all so proud of that. We are glad you aren't suffering any more but we all miss you so much!

Merry Christmas Dad!

We love you and always will!!

It's Finally Here!

2008-12-10T21:09:00.002-05:00

Dad's headstone was finally delivered today. For some reason Laurie decided to call today and find out how it was coming and they told her it was on the truck to be delivered today.

Before we went to pay the balance off for Sharon we drove up to make sure it was done the way we wanted it. The headstone is perfect. We think it is what Dad would have wanted. You all may be surprised that there isn't a motorcycle on it, but hunting and fishing was a big part of Dads life also.

We put a Christmas wreath with Dads favorite color bow on it on his grave today.

He Loved His Motorcycles!

2008-12-03T21:09:00.005-05:00

I found this picture today while looking back at Christmas pictures and knew I had to post it. Chris and I gave this Santa on a Motorcycle to dad last year. We went over to Dad and Sharon's house and put it up on a Saturday while they were at the Rod and Gun Club. When Dad pulled into his parking spot all he could see was Santa smiling at him. He was so excited when he saw it. I have it now and it will be put up this weekend. I just love the smile on Dads face in this picture.

We all know that Christmas just won't be the same this year, but we also know that Dad wouldn't want us to be bummed during the holidays. We are all trying to keep our spirits high for the holidays. Don't forget if you want to leave a comment or send an email it would be greatly appreciated. If you leave a comment for Sharon we will make sure she gets it.

Don't forget to have a shot of JD or a sip of Glug for Dad this holiday season!

Opening Day!

2008-11-15T07:00:00.000-05:00

Today is opening day of shot gun season. I have said over and over again that I don't know how Kim and Chris are going to do today. The truth is I'm not doing well today either. Today is a very big day for the guys in my family. As I sit and think of all the fun the guys have in the woods together I can't help but think of all the the stories they come home with. Chris would walk in the door after being in the woods all day with Kim and Dad and say "Your Dad got lost again today" or "your Dad just cracked us up over the radio today". I miss those stories already.

Watch your boys in the woods today Dad!

A Piece of Dad !

2008-11-05T20:22:00.003-05:00

I remember Dad drawing when I was younger, so when we were going through his things and found folders of drawings he did I was so excited to look at them. Some I don't ever remember seeing, but some I remember watching him draw.

I couldn't wait for Kim to see them. He was just as happy as I was to sit and look at them. We aren't sure what we want to do with them yet. There are a couple we want to get framed. In the mean time, they are in a notebook in plastic sleeves. We don't want anything to happen to them.

Dad taught Kim and I how to draw this dog but an easier version of it. It is fun to see Kim draw it for Jerzie now. What a piece of our Dad we found. We also found the pencils and chalk he used to use. I have that also. I couldn't part with it.

A Collection I Never Thought I Wanted!

2008-10-08T12:40:00.002-04:00

Years before Dad got sick, he always picked on us kids about not having much to leave to us. Sharon always told us that the shot glass collection was ours to share. I always said "what am I going to with them?"

Things sure changed after that day came.

We sat for hours looking at all of them and picked out our favorites. This is where we have ours displayed for now.

Here are some of our favorites.

Check out what Kim & Tabatha did with the ones that they chose by clicking HERE.

Moving Day!

2008-09-19T20:53:00.003-04:00

As most of you already know, Sharon made the decision to move back to California to be with her kids. She has 3 children in California and one in Texas and several grand kids. She had lived here for 30 years and we all agreed with her decision to move to be with them.

We all went down for a visit and to say our goodbye's on Wednesday night. It was nice to be able to meet Charlie and Phillip.

Yesterday they loaded the U-Haul and her son Phillip and one of her ex-husbands Charlie took off for a long drive. Sharon flew out today and should be in California by now. We all hope that it doesn't take too long for Sharon to get settled in and feel comfortable in her new house.

Day by Day!

2008-09-09T20:12:00.006-04:00

Sorry we haven't posted in a while. We are all still trying to deal with Dads passing. We all know that he is in a better place and he doesn't have any more pain, but we still miss him very much every day. Some days are harder than others. Some days we feel guilty because we are happy and some days we are so sad that we don't know what to do to make it better. We know that Dad wouldn't want us to stop living because he isn't around, but some days it is hard to even function. We want to thank all of you for lighting a candle in remembrance of Dad. Some of you we haven't ever met and never will meet but we thank you for all of the kind words you have said. It means a lot to all of us. We are going to try to keep Dads blog up and running for as long as we can. His e-mail is also still open if you want to e-mail us. Or you can just leave a comment below any post.

Thank You,

Laurie & Chris,

Kim, Tabatha and Jerzie

Special Mushroom!

2008-08-27T16:57:00.003-04:00

Have you seen these mushrooms growing on trees in the woods?

Take a good look at them next time you do.

My Dad did and look what he did with them.

I have always loved this mushroom. I always thought that it was cool that Dad drew on it and it looks so neat after it dried.

I was so excited when I found it on Dads shelf.

This is the back of the mushroom.

I have it displayed next to one of our favorite pictures from the Adirondacks. By any chance did Dad give you one of these mushrooms years ago?

Temporary Home!

2008-08-19T18:22:00.003-04:00

We brought Dads bike to our house last week. Our friend Kevin helped us get it here. He has been riding Harley's for a long time (30-40 years) and had an enclosed trailer to bring it here in.

Kim and Chris don't have their motorcycle licence yet, but both want to get their permits and start riding.

The bike doesn't seem to need a lot of work. It just needs some minor repairs and new rubber. Keeping it inside really helped keep the bike in great condition.

Even though we had to buy the bike and Kim will be buying it back from us someday, it was worth it to keep it in the family.

Our Special List!

2008-08-15T10:34:00.003-04:00

Click on the picture to enlarge.

This poem was given to us by one of the Harley riders before Dads funeral. We had the Pastor read it during the service. We knew that it would mean a lot to the guys that were riding for Dad that day.

A Special Room!

2008-08-07T16:11:00.000-04:00

In Dad and Sharon's apartment there was a special room. Dad's room! Dad couldn't ride his Harley anymore so one of the special things in Dad's room was his bike. We can't believe the things he kept and saved. One thing that just cracked us up about the room was that on this little table there was probably 100 throw away lighters. Dad never threw them away even though none of them worked anymore. There were toys out of cereal boxes on the table also. Jerzie loved to play with them.

The next thing you are going to see is Dads special shelf. For as long as Kim and I can remember Dad has had this shelf. We were never allowed to play with the stuff on these shelves when we were younger but we were allowed to look. So when it came time to go through the room Kim and I just kept looking at each other because we knew we shouldn't be touching this stuff.

If you look close you can see Dad's shot glass collection on the shelves. There are 3 shelves full of shot glasses and more in boxes.

We just kept saying "how do you pick and choose?" One thing that was said by someone was "if it is on Dads shelf it must mean something to him". That kept going through our minds as we looked at everything on the shelves.

This is his gun cabinet. We all chipped in to buy it one year for Christmas. Kim took it home with him because he has kids running around his house and we felt that he needed it more than us.

These shelves went all the way around his room. We put them up for him a few years ago because he was running out of room.

And here is his pride and joy. Kim is also taking this home with him. I know it means the world to him.

Dinner!

2008-08-05T10:57:00.004-04:00

After Dad's funeral we went back to Dad and Sharon's house and had dinner. Most of the food was catered and paid for by one of Dad's friends. We also cooked hot dogs on the grill and had some munchies.

Most of you that know Dad know that he loved to have people over for picnics and such, so that is what we did. It was great to hear all of his friends talk about the old days.

As you can see in the next picture there was a bottle of Jack Daniels going around. Kim poured at least 40 shots and we all did a shot together for Dad. JD was one of Dads favorites and that is what he told everyone he wanted when he was in the hospital.

You should have heard the noise that came out of all the guys when they did the shot.

We did as Dad asked us to do.

"Have a party for me!"

A Meaningful Ride!

2008-07-29T22:27:00.004-04:00

I took these pictures from our car so some of them aren't the greatest. Just the sound of all the bikers revving their engines made me cry. When the guys put dad in the hearse, all of Dads friends revved their engines. It was such an overwhelming sound. If you have been around bikes you know the feeling you get.

This is my Uncle Randy and my brother leading the pack.

I can't even name all of the guys and girls that were there for the ride. Every single person there has a place in all of our hearts for doing this for Dad.

It turned out to be a beautiful day. We were worried the day before because it rained most of the day.

Most of the riders don't have their helmets on. In New York state it is a law to wear your helmet but since it was funeral, most of them didn't wear them.

This car was also ahead of the hearse. One of my Dads friends drives it and wanted to be a part of the ride. Everything turned out to be just the way Dad would have wanted it.

A Day To Remember!

2008-07-26T13:00:00.003-04:00

We all had a very emotional day on Friday. Not only because we buried our Dad, but because of what Dads old friends did for him and the family. They will probably never know how special it was for us. Dad's bike hadn't been on the road or even started for at least 12-13 years, but as you can see his friends got it running so Uncle Randy and my brother Kim could ride it in the procession.

Uncle Randy and Kim led the procession and were followed by about 20 other bikes. Just the sound of Dad's bike starting and all of the other bikes made most of the people there burst into tears. Even with it being such difficult day, it made it a little easier knowing that it was exactly what Dad wanted.

Thank you to everyone that has commented, e~mailed or lit a candle in remembrance of Dad. Reading all of your thoughts and stories will help all of us through this difficult time.

When I Must Leave You!

2008-07-25T08:04:00.004-04:00

When I must leave you for a little while

Please do not grieve and shed wild tears

And hug your sorrow to you

Through the years

But start out bravely with a gallant smile
And for my sake and in my name

Live on and do all the things the same
Feed not your loneliness on empty days

But fill each waking hour in useful ways
Reach out your hand in comfort

And in cheer

And I in turn will comfort you

And hold you near

And never, never be afraid to die

For I am waiting for you in the sky

~ Helen Steiner Rice ~

Service Information!

2008-07-22T08:32:00.002-04:00

For those of you that live out of town and can't get our local paper, Dad's obituary is available to view online. Click HERE to go to the Falconer Funeral Home website and look at it. While you are there you can light a candle and add your thoughts and memories of Dad.

A Difficult Day!

2008-07-21T21:19:00.004-04:00

Dad's courageous seven year battle with cancer ended today. He passed away peacefully at noon with his family by his side. He was in no pain. We all got the chance to tell him goodbye and that we love him. We will have more information on the service tomorrow for all of the out of town family and friends.

Goodbye Dad

We love you and miss you already.

Back In The Hospital!

2008-07-20T21:46:00.002-04:00

Dad had a really rough Saturday night / Sunday morning and so did Sharon. Dad had gotten so weak that he couldn't move from his chair even with help. Sharon just didn't feel comfortable or safe trying to take care of him, so she called Hospice to see what they thought she should do. They said that they felt it was time for him to go back to the hospital. Sharon agreed with them and had an ambulance come to take him down. He is still on a morphine drip and slept for most of the day. The room was full of company almost all day. At one point there were about 15 people in his room and you could tell by Dad's facial expressions that he wanted in on the conversation. We just left around 9:30 and he was resting comfortably.

Update!

2008-07-19T22:38:00.003-04:00

You are still at Butch's Battle. We just decided that it was time for a change.

Dad is having some difficulty with his everyday activities. There are some things that we take for granted that he is struggling with. As most of you know, Dad is very independent, so it is hard for him to let others help. He has had many visitors which he really enjoys and lots of phone calls. He seems to sleep a lot, but he needs the rest. Sometimes he still joins in on the conversations even when we think he is sleeping. We have asked him if he is in any pain and he has told us no.

Thank you to everyone that has commented or e~mailed. We have made sure to read all of them to Dad.

He Is Home!

2008-07-17T20:21:00.004-04:00

Dad got home at 1:00 today. 2 ladies from Hospice came for his first visit. One was a nurse and the other one was a social worker. They talked with the family and got dad set up with the things he needed. He was very happy to be home and relaxing in his own recliner. He was really unsteady and still very weak. He still doesn't have a very big appetite and not much sounds good to him. The one thing he said he missed was Lena's pizza, so that is what we had for dinner tonight. He had a few visitors today. Jerzie got a chance to come and see Papa today which made Dad very happy. There is nothing like her saying "Love you Papa!" Uncle Randy stopped to visit and had dinner with us. Dad and Sharon's friends Dave and Terry stopped by too. He was happy to see everyone. He also had a lot of phone calls. Please leave a comment or email him. We will make sure he sees them all.

Coming Home!

2008-07-16T08:09:00.003-04:00

I got a phone call from one of Dad's nurses 10 minutes before I punched out at work on Monday. She told me that they were going to have a family meeting at 9:30 AM on Tuesday. She also asked if there was any way that someone could come spend the night with Dad to give him support. I said I wasn't sure and asked what was going on. She said she couldn't give me details. I left work. Thank God Chris was there to pick me up. We went straight to Kim's house and told him about the phone call. He called the nurse back and she told Kim the same thing. Kim decided that he would go stay with Dad. Kim didn't have a very good night. Dad was very out of it.

We had a family meeting on Tuesday. We got to Roswell at 9:00 AM. Dad was lying in the hospital bed and looked very worn down. Two of Dads doctors had a meeting with us. They told us that there was lymphoma in his liver and there was nothing else they could do for him. They said we could take him home and they would set everything up with hospice if that is what Dad wanted. Dad said that he wants to come home. We are waiting for hospice to get things all set up so we can bring him home. We are hoping to get him home before he is too weak to come home. We all told the doctor that we didn't want him in any kind of pain and that he had suffered enough. They said that we could leave him on his morphine pump so he had control of the pain. They said that he could be coming home today or tomorrow.

New Best Friend!

2008-07-13T11:05:00.004-04:00

Dad has a new best friend. Dr. Smiley has put him on a morphine button where he can get morphine every 15 minutes. He is still having his normal pain and now has more because of the liver biopsy. His liver is swelling quite a bit from the biopsy and what ever is going on with it. They have also put him on a steroid once a day and an anti-fungal medication.

He has lost his appetite. Things that used to be his favorites don't even sound good any more. He said yesterday that the thought of eating makes him sick sometimes. He is down to 137 pounds. He is getting way too skinny. The bandage on his tummy is were they did his biopsy. He told us that he isn't ready to come home yet. He doesn't feel that he is strong enough. We should get the final results of his biopsy on Monday or Tuesday. This is the worst part. We don't like the waiting. The Dr. has given us a heads up with what it could be, but they want to be positive of what is going on with him. He is at the best place to be taken care of.

Not Sure Yet!

2008-07-11T08:07:00.000-04:00

We still don't have all of the results back from Dads biopsy. I talked to Dr. Smiley last night and she said it may take a couple of days to get all of the tests run on it. For now, Dad will be staying in the hospital. He is pretty sore from the biopsy, so they have him on morphine for pain. That should help some. We will update you when we can.

Gave Us A Scare!

2008-07-10T09:05:00.001-04:00

On Tuesday night dad was having very bad stomach pains. He was having a hard time breathing because he was in so much pain. Around 8:30 they got him in the car and took him back to Roswell. He didn't have a fever, but they thought that he might have an infection somewhere.

Chris and I went out yesterday morning to be with him. He had to have a needle biopsy done on his liver and he was very nervous about it. When we got there, he told us that he wasn't going through any of this again. "This is it!" He went down to have the biopsy around 1:00 PM. He got back to the room around 2:15. We haven't found out the results yet.

By the time we left, he was feeling a little better. The doctor said that dad will have to stay in the hospital at least through the weekend.

We will keep you posted.

Picnic!

2008-07-06T10:29:00.000-04:00

We brought a picnic with us when we went to see Dad and Sharon this weekend. We cooked hot dogs when we got there. Everyone went outside while Chris was cooking them. Dad hates wearing his mask, but he has to be very careful not to get any kind of infection.

Here is a picture of him being a smart a** and smiling for the camera!!!

Sammy and his girlfriend Sue even came outside for a little while to get some fresh air.

Dad had an appointment at the clinic Saturday. For some reason all of his counts dropped. He started a new pill and they said it could make his platelets drop, but yesterday morning was the first time he took the pill. He has to go back on Monday to be tested again. He was doing pretty well other wise. He is really ready to come home. He wants to see his house. If all goes well we may be bringing him home next weekend.

What Is Missing?

2008-07-02T08:16:00.000-04:00

When you look at this picture do you see something missing? We had been on this elevator many many times at Roswell Park and it took us a while, but something is missing!!

Dad is doing pretty good. His numbers are still going up and still have a ways to go, but they are slowly going up. He is still very tired. He says the weather hasn't helped with that since it has been so gloomy. He has lost his appetite. He really can't afford to do that, but the doctor says that it is normal. He needs to eat what sounds good to him when it sounds good. The one problem with that is that he can't have any leftovers. (he can't get a fungal or a bacterial infection) Everything has to be fresh.

The number 4 is missing!!

Floor number 4 is the maintenance floor!!

Doing Better!

2008-06-29T08:36:00.004-04:00

We went to Hope Lodge to see Dad this weekend. It felt different being there with him instead of in the hospital. He was doing pretty well. He had been back to the clinic on Friday to get blood work and to make sure he was doing OK. He was a little dehydrated so he had to be hooked up to liquids. He went back on Saturday and everything in his blood work seemed to be OK. He is tired still. It will get better once his blood counts start going up. He was in good spirits. He was joking around quite a bit. Dads friend Sammy and Sammy's mother Jean are staying at Hope Lodge also. They have been letting Dad and Sharon know what to expect and how he may feel. Sammy has to stay close to the hospital for 100 days and he is on day 77. He still has bad days where he doesn't want to get out of bed. Rest is the best medicine right now. It is going to take a while before he is going to feel great.

Good News!!

2008-06-26T12:00:00.000-04:00

I talked to Dad and Sharon last night and Dad had good news to share. He is getting released from the hospital TODAY! He will have to stay in Buffalo for at least two weeks and be checked at the hospital every day. They still have to check his blood counts and platelets. They also have to make sure he doesn't get an infection or have a fever. He can't wait to take his first breath of fresh air! We will let you know how he does.

Nice Friend?!

2008-06-24T07:29:00.000-04:00

Dads friend Phil stopped in to see dad during the week last week and said to dad as they were visiting ........

"Man Butch your head looks like a Dandelion!!!!"

Do they look the same to you???
As dad was telling us the story on Saturday, his nurse (Denise) was in his room and she just started to giggle about it. Then she took a deep breath and blew at dads head. Dad was cracking up. It was good to see him laughing again.

Kaminski Park & Gardens

2008-06-23T08:39:00.000-04:00

When dad was at Roswell for his first round of Chemo we could see a garden area out of his window. We finally decided on Saturday that we were going to stop and take some pictures.

Kaminski Park & Gardens: Walk of Life and Gardens of Hope

Introduced in July 2002, the park features perennial gardens, teak benches, inscribed pavers and trees dedicated to exceptional individuals.

The Walk of Life is located adjacent to the Institute. This area offers you the opportunity to pay tribute to a beloved family member, friend, coworker or health care provider. The path is outlined with inscribed red bricks donated by patients and loved ones.

The park offers sanctuary for people to sit quietly, to read and reflect, or to join family and friends in conversation.

The gardens are beautiful and very peaceful. We really enjoyed our visit.

Weekend Visit!

2008-06-22T10:43:00.000-04:00

We went out to see Dad Saturday. He was doing pretty well. He is still somewhat tired and he isn't eating a lot, but he did eat a little while we were there. His friend Marty stopped by to see him while we were there. They had a good time picking on each other.

Sharon came home for the day to visit with a friend that was here for a visit so we said we would stay with Dad. He really didn't need us since he is in the hospital and the nurses are so good to him, but he seemed to enjoy the visit.

Dads hair started to fall out again so he decided to just have it shaved off again. We brought our clippers and Chris shaved him down. It was the first time Chris had shaved any ones head.

Dads counts are going up. Dr. Smiley said that he may be able to get released from the hospital next weekend. He will have to stay in the area for two weeks, but he said he can't imagine what breathing fresh air is going to feel like. He hasn't been able to leave the hospital at all for 3 weeks.

Update!

2008-06-18T22:48:00.000-04:00

I talked to Dad tonight and he sounds stronger on the phone. He has been doing a few laps a day. That's not as many as he was walking, but he is getting up and taking a walk every day. The Dr. told Dad that he should start to feel better by the end of the week. That is a good and a bad thing. When he starts to feel better is when he runs out of patience, and that isn't good for any of us. I also talked to Sharon tonight and the nurses told her that on paper his numbers look good and he is where they want him to be. His numbers should start going up towards the end of the week or weekend.

Dad had a surprise visitor today. All of our family that reads this will get a kick out of this. The visitor was Dave Whitehill!! He had an appointment out there but came on the wrong day. Uncle Randy had told him about Dad being in the hospital, and he stopped in to see how dad was doing. Sharon said he even had dad laughing a little bit today. Yep I said Dave Whitehill and Dad in the same room together with laughter!!!

Still Not Feeling Well!

2008-06-15T18:50:00.003-04:00

We went to see Dad on Saturday. Boy were we shocked when we saw him. He was so weak. He could hardly stand on his own. He was sitting up when we got there, but he just didn't look good to us. He was so weak that he was having a hard time even keeping his eyes open. He had had diarrhea for 2 days and he hadn't been able to eat much. His immune system and blood count are way down. The doctors said this would happen and it is where they expected him to be at this point.

This is Dad's friend Sammy. He has Non-Hodgkin’s T-Cell Lymphoma. He is staying at Hope Lodge. He just had a stem cell transplant also. The stem cells he received were donated by his sister. Since he just went through the transplant he has told Dad how he is going to feel and what to expect.

This picture is of Dad, Sammy and his mother Jean. They have been very helpful to dad and Sharon.

Dad has also been retaining fluid and has had double vision for a couple of days. They are pretty sure that the double vision was caused by one of the medications that dad was taking. He stopped taking it today and we hope that it clears up soon.

Dad and Sharon would like to thank everyone that sent cards or left comments and E-mails.

We will keep you posted.

Worn Out!!

2008-06-13T08:09:00.000-04:00

We think this is how Dad is feeling right now!!

Dad has had a rough couple of days. He threw the doctor for a loop on Tuesday (the day of his stem cell transplant). In the morning he had a fever so they had to take him for a chest x~ray to make sure that he wasn't getting pneumonia. (he wasn't) Then they started his transplant and his breathing got really shallow. They hooked him up to oxygen and kept an eye on his oxygen levels. He rested for a while later that morning, then they started another round of stem cells. He didn't do so great on the second round. He got very sick and couldn't keep anything down. On Wednesday he was doing some better. He had visitors that night for his birthday. Go HERE to see who came to visit Dad. I talked to him again on Thursday night. He is very tired, but he said "he's going to make 'er". He also said he never wants to be that sick ever again. Everything that Dad is going through right now is normal according to the doctors. He is going to be very tired because his blood counts are so low right now.

Thank you for all of the great birthday wishes!!

Today Is My Birthday!!!

2008-06-11T08:05:00.000-04:00

This picture was taken after he got his morphine shot on Saturday.

He was being a smart a** about me taking pictures of him.

Happy 60th Birthday Dad. We know this isn't how you wanted to spend your 60th, but we promise to make it up to you when we get you home.

Happy Birthday Dad.

We all Love You!!!

Today Is The Big Day!!!

2008-06-10T07:52:00.000-04:00

Dad is done with his Chemo. He had Chemo every four hours over a 5 day period (Tues. - Sat.), so the 16 rounds are done. Sunday and Monday were what they call "days of rest" (no Chemo). So today is the first day of Dads Stem Cell Transplant. I talked to Dr. Smiley on Monday to see how Dad was doing and if he was handling everything OK. She said that he is doing great. He is right where she wants him to be for the transplant. She said that he may have a couple of rough days ahead of him, but it shouldn't be too bad. Since he is getting his own stem cells put back in it should go smoother. It is usually a lot harder when you get stem cells that are donated. They are expecting his blood counts to be low for a while during this time. That is the main reason he has to stay in the hospital for so long. He will be in the hospital until his blood counts come back up to normal so there is no fear of infection. We will keep you posted.

How To Leave A Comment!

2008-06-08T09:43:00.005-04:00

We have had quite a few people say that they want to leave a comment, but can't figure out how. Hopefully this will help.

At the bottom of each post there is a "comment" link to click on.

After you click on it, a window will open that looks like this. Type your comment in the larger box at the top.

Then at the bottom, click in the circle next to Name/URL.

Type your name in the box that opens. You do not have to put in a URL.

After that type in the word verification. This is so we don't get Spam comments.

Then just hit the "Publish Your Comment" button. Your comment will show up on the blog after that.

We hope this helps you if you weren't sure how to leave a comment.

Hangin' In There!

2008-06-07T19:55:00.002-04:00

We spent the day at Roswell today and had a very nice afternoon with Dad. He was in very good spirits. We brought him a few early birthday presents. Years ago Dad used to like to do sketches, so we thought maybe he would like to give it a try again. We bought him a sketch pad, charcoal pencils, graphite pencils, colored pencils and a few other things to get him started. We also thought that it would help pass the time and keep his mind off of everything that is going on. We walked a few laps around the wing with him and he got a few ideas for drawings from the artwork hanging on the walls. Hopefully he will really enjoy it.

Believe it or not, he is almost done with the 16 rounds of Chemo. They have been giving him more than one round a day, so it didn't take as long as we had expected. We will let you know when he is done and when the next step is going to begin.

Don't forget that his birthday is on Wednesday the 11th if you want to send a card or e~mail. The e~mail link and mailing address are in the sidebar.

Traveling!

2008-06-06T21:15:00.003-04:00

We have talked to Dad on the phone all week and we finally are able to go see him Saturday. He sounds really good on the phone. We had Jerzie for a little while on Thursday so I called dad because she was talking so much. I thought she would at least say Hi. She said HI PAPA and Love you Papa which made him happy. We will give you a better update once we see him.

Update!

2008-06-04T19:25:00.003-04:00

Jerzie wanted to tell Papa Hi.

Video taken with a cell phone

Just wanted to update you on Dad. Today is day # 2 of his Chemo treatments. He sounded really good on the phone and seems to be doing good with the treatments so far. One of the things he has to do daily is Physical Therapy. Today he walked 34 laps around his wing at Roswell. 33 times around is 1 mile, so he says he already has one lap in for tomorrow. To all friends and family... dad can have a laptop computer brought to his room to check out the blog. We are sure that any comments or e~mails will help to keep his spirits up. If you have any family pictures that you would like to send to Dad and Sharon please e~mail them.

We will keep you posted on Dads progress.

Card Shower!

2008-06-02T19:35:00.004-04:00

On June 11th Dad will be 60! As most of you already know, he will be in the hospital for his birthday. We thought it would be neat to see how many cards he could get. We are asking you to send them to where Sharon is staying so we know that dad will get them.

Hope Lodge

Butch Smith room 2

197 Summer Street

Buffalo, NY 14222

or click on the link on the side bar to send an e~mail.

Thank you in advance for helping make his birthday special.

Picnic!

2008-05-31T19:15:00.000-04:00

Sharon brought Dad home for the day on Friday. We decided to have a picnic for dinner so we could all be together for a while before they had to head back to Hope Lodge. Dad is doing pretty well. He is gaining weight again, so that is a good thing. He ate everything on his plate for dinner last night. They have made some friends at the lodge. These are people that are going through almost the same thing if not the same thing. That has helped both of them. At least they have people to talk to. Dad will be going into the hospital on Tuesday and we aren't sure when he will get out. He has to stay in for up to 3 weeks and then stay around the area for two weeks after that. We will be going out to see him on the weekends unless Sharon needs us during the week. We are all going to try to work our normal hours. They are going to need us more when he gets home. He will be taken care of very well by the great nurses at Roswell.

Home For A Day!

2008-05-26T17:09:00.003-04:00

Since Dad doesn't have to stay in the hospital this trip to Buffalo, they decided to drive home yesterday after he got his shot. One of the highlights of Dad and Sharon's summer is to watch Kim and his friends play softball on Sunday afternoons.

Kim and his team had three games Sunday. Chris and I decided to go and watch a couple of the games since Dad and Sharon were home. We haven't watched Kim play ball for a very long time. It was fun to watch. Except when fly balls came at us.

I thought this picture of Kim heading to right field was neat.

Here he is at bat.

Jerzie and her mommy came to the second game. Papa had fun playing with her. She is eating gogurt (yogurt) in this picture.

She is playing catch with her mommy in this picture.

Here she noticed that Uncle Chris had the camera out.

Dad is doing well with the shots again this round. He is losing way too much weight though. Sharon told us yesterday that he has lost 14 pounds since May 1st. He can't afford to lose any more. He needs to put some on not take it off. Sharon is going to talk to his Dr. about this when she sees her on Tuesday. It was good for him to come home even if it was only for a few hours.

Back to Roswell!

2008-05-24T07:46:00.004-04:00

Dad went back to Roswell on Friday. Chris went down to Dad and Sharon's to load the car for them Friday morning. They had to be at Roswell by 11:00 for Dads appointments. Dad had to have a line put in, so he couldn't eat or drink after midnight the day before. They didn't put his line in until 1:00. By then he was starving. They started his Stem Cell growth shots again. He will have 5 of those and then they will start his collection on Tuesday and maybe Wednesday. Then he should be done with that phase. He has to have his line flushed every day, so they will just stay out that way. His admission date is June 3rd tentatively. This is when he will be in the hospital for up to 3 weeks. He has to stay in the area for 2 weeks after to make sure his blood counts stay OK and to make sure he doesn't get an infection. We will keep you updated as much as we can.

We found a website that explains the procedures he will be going through. Click HERE if you want to find out more about it.

Family Photo!

2008-05-17T21:11:00.000-04:00

We sold benefit tickets for Dad to help pay for medical expenses. Today was the drawing, so we all got together for lunch and to draw the winners. You can probably tell by the picture that we made Lymphoma shirts for all of us to wear. They say "I Wear Lime Green for" "my dad", "my husband", "my father in law" and Jerzies says "for my papa". We probably shouldn't tell you what we put on Dads shirt. The cash prizes totaled $850.00. We haven't added up all of the money yet, but we think Dad will end up with about $4000.00 to help with expenses.

Family Meeting!

2008-05-17T00:18:00.000-04:00

On Wednesday evening we got a phone call from Sharon. Dr. Smiley wanted to have a family meeting on Friday to discuss what was coming up next for dad. Dad was in Buffalo for a week having his Stem Cells collected and all of the pre-treatment testing done. All of the testing came back fine, but they weren't able to collect enough Stem Cells yet. He has to go back on the 23rd to start getting daily shots so they can finish the collection on the 27th and 28th. After that he will be admitted into the hospital for 3 weeks to start his treatment. He will have 16 rounds of Chemotherapy, then they will start transplanting his own Stem Cells back into his blood stream.

After the meeting dad got released for a week, so we all headed home.

Trouble!

2008-05-03T20:08:00.000-04:00

At 7:30 am on Thursday my cell phone rang while I was at work. I thought it was weird. No one calls me at work. When I looked at the screen it said "Mom". I thought she was calling to let me know she had time to give me a haircut. I just let my voice mail pick up the call. When I listened to the message she said you need to see the paper today. There is something in it that will make you smile. So on my first break I bought a paper and went to the section that Mom told me to go to.

Every day in the paper they have a section called "In Years Past". It is things that have happened in our little town years ago. They do 100 years ago, 50 years ago and 10 years ago.

I think we know the person from the 50 years ago story. If it wasn't for Uncle John calling mom, we might not have seen it. (thanks Uncle!)

That's my father. (the 9 year old)

We all got a good laugh out of this. Neither Mom or Sharon had ever heard this story before. I wonder what other stories Dad hasn't told anyone about.

Visiting Grandpa!

2008-04-30T22:58:00.000-04:00

We went down to Dads on Friday to put the blade back on the lawnmower. Jerzie and daddy were there when we got there. Jerzie LOVES to be outside, so we all went outside while Kim and Chris put the blade back on the mower.

I painted this little guy for dad for his birthday a few years ago. He puts him up in the yard every year. Jerzie loves his fishy.

Dad had to try the sharpened blade out to see if it was OK. Can you believe how green his lawn is?

He had a flat tire so he couldn't go too far.

Jerzie loved that she could just run and play around grandpas lawn.

Grandpa was chasing her and telling her he was going to get her.

She is gone!!!

She is trying to learn how to blow bubbles. Daddy bought her spill proof bubbles. Mommy came down when she got out of work.

Since day one Jerzie has love to be scared. If you hide from her she laughs when you jump out at her. She will say do it again. Daddy tells her he is going to drop her and she just grins at him.

He didn't drop her. I thought this picture was so funny. You should hear her giggle when daddy does this to her.

Jerzie took this picture. I sat the camera down for a minute so I could help her and she pressed the right button. Can you see her little finger? Jerzie Shea you are growing up too fast.

Back For More!

2008-04-15T21:56:00.000-04:00

We spent the day with Dad and Sharon today. They had an appointment with a new doctor today so they asked if I would go with them. The doctor wanted to talk to us about a Stem Cell Transplant. Click the link in the sidebar to learn more about this. It is a pretty interesting and beneficial procedure for cancer patients. We left home at 9:30 AM and got home at 4:30. He also had to have an E.K.G., a chest X-ray and some blood work today, so he was pretty tired by the time we got home.

He Did It!!

2008-04-02T21:19:00.000-04:00

On our way home yesterday we stopped so Dad and Sharon could eat something. He was doing a lot better than he did the first time out. He didn't look as tired. He was even laughing and picking on himself about little things, which is a good thing. He said he was ready to shave his head, so I called my brother when we got home. I asked him if he thought he could do it. He shaves his friends heads in the summer. Of course he said Yes!

This is a picture of dad getting ready for Kim to start.

This is the first swipe with the razor.

He couldn't believe he was doing it. To tell you the truth, I couldn't believe he was doing it. Dads hair always had to be perfect.

It really didn't seem to bother him.

Kim seemed to have a good time. I think in a way it made him feel closer to Dad.

I probably shouldn't have put this picture on, but it made me laugh. He was looking for a hat to wear and he came out of his room with this hat on. There is a family story about an orange hunting hat that I will have to share with you sometime soon.

If Jerzie only knew how bad her grandpa needed that hug and to hear her say "Love You" today. That smile on his face says it all. We all had dinner together before Kim cut Dads hair. I really think he needed all of us today. He had a good day! He even had us laughing so hard that we were crying!!

Coming Home!

2008-04-01T16:16:00.000-04:00

We are going to get Dad today. He had to stay a little longer this time. He had a really hard time this time. They say he has "Chemo Brain" which isn't fun. He gave the nurses a hard time but the nurses told Sharon that it is very normal behavior in cancer patients that are receiving such a high dose of chemo. We hope that he feels more relaxed when we get him home. He has to get a shot today, then he doesn't go back until Friday for blood work. Please keep them in your thoughts!!

Second Round!

2008-03-27T22:13:00.000-04:00

We took Dad back to Roswell today. He is having another three day Chemo treatment. He is in pretty good spirits despite going to his barber to have his head shaved on Monday. His hair started falling out and he just decided it would be easier to shave it off. He definitely looks different. Sharon is staying at the same place since it worked out so good for her last time.

Inside Of Hope Lodge!

2008-03-18T22:01:00.000-04:00

This is the first area you see when you come in. Chris and I loved the wood on the walls in this room.

This is the room that Sharon stayed in. She had three beds, 2 twins and a full. We told her not to bring anyone home with her just because she had the room for them to stay.

This area was across from Sharon's room. Jerzie would have had a good time here.

This is the kitchen area. There are 3 fridges and a freezer for anything you would like to bring with you. There is also a stove so you can cook anything you would like.

There are two of these tables in the room.

This is a living room. The couches are very comfortable!! Chris and I waited for Dad and Sharon in this room the day we were bringing him home.

This is in the same room.

They also have a large dinning room. The pictures came out very dark so we couldn't show them. I believe there are 12 rooms that have beds in them. It is very nice and quiet. Sharon said she would stay there again.

Update on Dad.....
He had blood work on Friday and everything was good. He will have to have blood work three times a week to check his blood count and his platelets. Dad went to Roswell again on Monday and his platelets were low so he had to have a transfusion. He will have to go again on Wednesday. We will keep you updated.

Welcome To Hope Lodge!

2008-03-14T15:55:00.000-04:00

Here are some pictures that we took of Hope Lodge. This was Sharon's home away from home for the 6 days that Dad was in the hospital.

This is the front door. It is just huge. We were shocked when we got there to check into the room. Look at the detail of the door handle. Click to enlarge. See if you can find the face.
This is where the stair case is. The windows are so pretty. We tried to figure out how old the house is but we aren't sure.

They added on to the back so they could put an elevator in. The people that work here are great. Sharon felt very comfortable, which is good since she had to stay for so long. She parked her car and didn't drive the whole time she was there. She just used the shuttle that the hospital provided for her. We will be giving you a tour of some of the inside soon.

What a Week!

2008-03-11T19:49:00.000-04:00

Sunset pictures from Monday on the way home.

Dad had to stay in the hospital for an extra day, so it made everything else a little screwy for everyone. He was supposed to get released from the hospital on Sunday. We all went out to see him. Even Jerzie got to see him for a little bit. She wasn't too sure about Grandpa being in the hospital bed with all the stuff attached to him, but it sure put a smile on Dads face. He didn't get out because he couldn't go to the bathroom, so they had to keep him in the hospital an extra day. Chris and I drove out yesterday thinking dad was coming home, but come to find out he had to be released from the hospital for one day and come back to the cancer clinic the next day to get a shot, then he could go home. So instead of driving him home just to bring him back to Buffalo the next day we got the room at Hope Lodge for one more day. Chris and I got him back to the room and settled in before we left to come back home. We drove back to Buffalo today to load up the car and to get dad back home. We finally got him home and settled at 2:00 this afternoon. He is doing pretty well. He is very tired and can't believe how it knocked him on his butt so fast. He will have to go back to Buffalo starting on Friday for blood work. He will have to go for blood work three days a week until they think he is ready to handle another round of chemo. The tumors on his neck aren't visible to us anymore and the tumor in his groin has shrunk some. We will play the next treatment by ear. At least we kind of know what is in store for us next time.

Quick Update!

2008-03-07T15:41:00.000-05:00

Dad is on the 5th floor.

He does have a pretty good view from up there.

We got dad to Roswell Park at 11:00 AM on Thursday. He was in his room by 12:00, had an iv in by 12:30 and was heading for surgery by 1:15. He had a port put in so they don't have to keep poking him. While he was having his port put in, we took Sharon to Hope Lodge. (check out Hope Lodge by clicking on the link in the sidebar) It is a house through the American Cancer Society where Sharon and Dad can stay for free. She gets a private room. On the floor where she is staying on there are 2 shared bathrooms. Any of us can stay in her room if we have to. We think that the best part is that she can get shuttled back and forth to the hospital at any time of the day for free. Dad didn't have his chemo until 8:00 PM. They like to do it at night so the patient can rest easier. He seems to be doing really good today. He is sick to his stomach a little, but he was before he had chemo. The nurse practitioner came in today and told them that the tumors seem to have shrunk some already.

Rough Weeks Ahead!

2008-03-03T15:36:00.000-05:00

Picture taken Christmas Day 2007

Dad has been fighting Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma on and off for quite a few years. He has gone through Surgery, Radiation and Chemotherapy many times. He has been dealing with a tumor in his groin for many months and has gone through 9 treatments of radiation. It shrunk a little but has still been giving him some pain. Now they have found two tumors on his neck, one on each side close to his jugular. The doctors at our cancer center decided they wanted him to go to the cancer center in Buffalo. (about 2 hours from where we live) Many of you may have heard of Roswell Park. The doctors at Roswell Park want him to have an intense 3 day chemo treatment. He is going for the treatment starting on Thursday of this week. The doctor told him that if he didn't think it would help he wouldn't put him through this. I am taking a leave from work so I can be there with him and Sharon. I am going to try to come home at night so I can sleep in my own bed. Chris is trying to get Thursday and Friday off so he can drive me back and forth to Buffalo.