UPDATE ON DIANNE APRIL 10 2009

DEAREST FAMILY AND FRIENDS:

April 9th Thursday

Dianne met with her Oncologist and her labs were good except for her hemoglobin which was 13 count, and before she started chemo in January it was 9.7.Therefore she either had to get a blood transfusion or a shot of aranesp tomorrow which will boost her red blood cells over the next several weeks. The aranesp wil be given when she has her chemo tomorrow, Friday April 10th.

April 10th Friday

Dianne went in for her 5th chemo treatment at 8:45am and we got out around 2:00pm. After chemo, we went to McAlisters for lunch because she wanted a potato with all the fixins, knowing that in a few days she will again taste nothing. It is also interesting that her sense of smell is more sensitive when she cannot taste anything. Dianne received her intravenous shot of aranesp to stimulate her red blood cell production and get her hemoglobin up. Her nurse Lynn is so sweet and does her best to not stick her more than once in order to insert the intravenouse line for the chemo drugs. Man, that adriamycin has to be administered manually by Lynn, and it is so toxic that Dianne begins tasting metal almost immediately.

We met some interesting new people while Dianne was getting her chemo as well as saw some people we had previously met. I know that the chemo room is not the place that you go on a Friday just to meet people, but I believe that people come across your path in life for a reason and that we should take advanatage of that time.

I met a gentleman named Cecil Grant who was born at Paris Mountain and grew up in the Greenville area. Cecil was born in 1925 and was recently diagnosed with lymphoma and comes in frequently to get chemo. He has a wonderful sense of humor and is such an inspiration to meet and to talk. Cecil has a passion for life even as he is the same age as my Mom at 84 years young. He remembered well the Great Depression and the tough times during the 1930's and said we do not know anything about hard times, because those were some tough times. There were no jobs, low pay, no food and on and on. It made me even more thankful for what we do have, and I already thought that I was very grateful.

We met another couple Johnny and Shelby Bowling. Johnny went to his Doctor for a checkup and a mole on his back turned into melanoma. He and Shelby were so shocked when they got the news that Johnny had cancer. Johnny is 71 years old and he is now retired but had been in the plumbing business all his life. We had some interesting conversations as I told him that both my brothers had also been in the plumbing business. Shelby worked at their church and they were members at the same church, Fountain Inn Baptist Church. Both of them are fine Christians and have a genuine faith in the Lord. It was such a pleasure to meet and talk with them.

I met another gentleman whose name is Dave. He went to the bathroom and was having a hard time getting back to his seat, and I helped him get back and then started up a conversation with him. Dave is originally from India and is an American. He graduated from College with a degree in Mathematics and worked for Zerox and several other companies. After Dave was recently diagnosed with a rare form of lymphoma he had a stroke, and that is the reason that he is not so steady on his feet.

Well, we know that Dianne has one more chemo and there is light at the end of the tunnel. You hear about how hard it is to take chemo, but you realize how hard it is when you or your wife have to go through it. Dianne is one tough girl and it really gets her down.

Through it all, we know that God's hand is on the steering wheel and he will get her through this and be well again.

God bless...Bruce