I guess i should let everyone know Carole is doing good right now. The Dr is stopping chemo, It is not working. We have found a Clinical trial drug called Ipilimumab. It is in Hot springs Arkansas. We are hoping this works. She will get one dose every 3 weeks. The sponsor is Bristol-Myers Squibb who pays for the drug itself. The Dr and Hospital is paid for by us. My med insurance at work is no good right now because Comcast terminated me. I do have the choice to get cobra at 1460.00 a month. Carole and I can not afford that at all. I need to keep the insurance because of the cancer. I have found a few places that will help with premium payments with different cancers but not with Melanoma. So I will keep looking. And please if anyone knows of a place that can help please let us know.

If any of you happen to own or manage a hotel or motel in Hot Springs we sure could use a cheap room:)

just letting friends and family know that we made it to Texas .. Tim and left Brunswick at 10:30pm Wednesday night .. pretty sad because we started to leave sooooooooooooooo much earlier!  anyway we finally got out of town and made it to Shepherd about 4pm Friday.   BUT you know what is really wrong with all that?  Tim left here at noon on Sunday after church (we went with the kids) and he made it back home at 2:30 in the afternoon on MONDAY!   We found out that we took the loooonnnnngggg way here.  crazy!

I have lots of new pictures and will be changing out the top slideshow in the next couple of days .. but have to remember how I did it in the first (and second) place:) lol

We all went to the Temple today. It was the most amazing thing. We all felt the spirit so strong today. Carole and I will be sealed together with our children very soon. My daughter Jan-Nell from New York is coming down to stay for a little while. Joshua is going to see his dad in California for a few weeks. It is almost normal in our house. Carole has a Dr appt on Monday. He is going to talk about treatment. We have church at 9 im going to bed now. Like mom said Hug someone. Have a good nite

Jimmie

Hey all .. just posting  a short one to let you all know that this is a good week … Carole gets one a month and it is always the week before she goes back in the hospital .. so they are busy doing family things, and living life with smiles.

I am getting ready to leave for my trip and it is great that Tim will be able to take me:)  It means I can take more crap … errrrrrr … crafts! with me:) lol    I have a couple of little doggies I will be working on when I have time there plus a yorkie pattern (crochet), plus a couple of special back packs for Leeann … so I will have a few bags, boxes, and things with me:)

We have all the animals set up:)  The dogs will be going to special resort for animals here while we are gone … we have been given a wonderful deal due to the circumstances and will be nice to not have to worry about the dogs until Tim gets back.  Now cats .. well they pretty much take care of themselves,  split a 20 pound bag of food, put out a couple of extra litter boxes, make sure the waterererer is full, make sure all flat surfaces are cleaned off (cause if not they will be when you get home!:) and they will be happy campers ..

and then there are the parrots.   Normally we over feed and water them but this time Barbara,  the lady that works at our local animal services, will be coming by to feed them .. so for the first time a trip we take we really really will not have to worry about animals left at home.

You all have a great weekend and hug the person next to you .. go on .. a BIG BIG hug

Just got off the phone with Carole. Her and I are so mad right now, We don’t understand all of this and are both tired as hell. Not knowing is a battle in it self. Then finding out some things start more battles.

When can she move forward. They still need to do a lumber puncture that was to be done today.

Ok let me start from the last post i posted.

Carole is still in the hospital waiting for the lumber puncture so we thought… She was taken down to the room where they were going to do it just to find out they cant do it because of the blood thinners. It will have to be three days after she is off the thinners. Ok fine we can see how Dr can make a little mistake. They still dont know why she is in so much pain and her blood pressure is so high now.

They did the CT today and got the results today and it was with contrast (Carole did not drink to much so they had to violate her to give more) the results suck. As you all know she has tumors on her lungs and liver and brain.

Well today we find out she has more that are getting bigger on her liver , pelvic and Adrenal gland.

We did not know of the tumors on the pelvic or Adrenal gland. The MRI from last week show the ones in the brain are getting smaller and the few in the lungs as well. We are happy about that.

Yesterday the kids and I broke Carole out to see the fire works. No im not playing we left the Hospital for a while Carole had no IV. Carole had Dakota on her lap I was pushing the wheelchair, Joshua, Chloe and Tiffani were running with me to get to a place we all could see some fire works.

We tried the top of parking  but no can do. So we went to the street and started looking up and walking we found a parking lot. We went to the top floor it was called Ben Toub I thank. When we got up we saw another family trying to see the fireworks.

Then Tiffani yelled there i see them, Then Chloe said no over their, Joshua (said ) THEIR. We saw alot of places doing fireworks. But at this time we did not see the biggest show, Till Dakota said WOW did you see that  was red my favorite. So our family Did get to be together  for the 4 th. We sat and watched for a long time and then started back to the hospital the kids were all playing and running. Carole said she had a great time so did we all.

Jimmie

‘and’ in this case well no news is just that, no news.  With the holiday they postponed the spinal tap until this week.  Might be today, might be tomorrow … oh who knows you know how hospitals are.

I talked to Carole and Jimmie both this past weekend.  Will let Jimmie post later (hmmmm wonder if he has pictures) but wanted to jump in and let you all know that Carole is ok (well you know), Jimmie and the kids are ok .. just waiting waiting tis all for now.

Ok Carole is doing better right now, She has been sitting up the whole time the kids and I were with her today. Her head is not hurting right now due to a different drug they gave her. She did her MRI but it will not get read tell in the morning. Then we should know what is going on I hope. I will give more detail when we find out what is going on…

Jimmie

that old saying of “no news, is good news” is not always true.

I am going to start this and then let Jimmie post or add to it anything that may be different or to expand on it.

Jimmie took Carole to MD Anderson again yesterday (Tuesday) morning for another blood transfusion.  This time Dakota went with them as the one the other day went ok .. very very long .. but ok.

This time .. not so much:(   Carole’s blood pressure shot up to 198 over 120 .. Carole has normally very very low Blood pressure (Tis why she can have so many things going on around her and she stays calm:) so this is pretty bad.   She was in ER all night so Jimmie and Dakota got a room in the placed attached to MDA.

They have decided to admit Carole and do a lumbar puncture to test for microscopic tumors in her spinal fluid  …if that is the case then the Bio-chemotherapy is not working.

For now we will leave it at that and let you all know what we know when or shortly after anything is known.  As always if anything is missed here or wrong then Jimmie can fix it down the road.

If Today Was Your Last Day

Ok Monday morning. Cant sleep, Last night Carole had to have a blood and platelets transfusion.   It took 13 hours. So Carole and I came home and slept tell 2pm. Thank you kids for taking care of each other. We needed it. She is doing fine now. She was awake during dinner with all of us, She did not eat but it was nice for us all to eat and talk it kind of felt normal.   Have not had that for a while.   She will go for her 3 rd treatment on 7-15. Sherrie should be here then,   Carole seen it on her appt page and got happy.   So I hope with Sherrie here Carole will never be alone in the hospital.   And maybe some good food gets cooked for dinner ( hint hint).   Anyways am going to bed now just a little update.   O ya please remember to hug your better half and let them know what they mean to you!   Even if….. Cause you never know nite

Jimmie

Well Carole, Dakota and I got home last night around 8. We sat and talked for a few min then Carole went to lay down we started her IV and she was out. She got up a few times to use the restroom. She is still asleep right now will check on her in a min. She is feeling a little different this round they found out she has a allergy to Heparin flush. They did stop 2 of the drugs sooner then should of because of her platelets being lower then they should of been because of the allergy. The treatment  should work she had the drugs more then not. We did get the mutation it is BRAF. There is a clinical  trail going on with a Mutant- Braf Inhibitor showing good results so far. Carole as of now will stay on chemo treatment unless there has been no improvement. She has a great team of Drs. So this is just a little update I will update more later after i pick up Chloe and Tiffani from church camp today at 5. I miss them so much cant wait…

Jimmie

Today:)  Even though this round of BioChemotherapy hit Carole harder and faster this time around .. she really does sound great today .. AND she would also like to show you that she looks wonderful too .. a little (ok lot!) swollen .. but wonderful none the less

First ya have to know that Carole doesn’t like hair .. no no no:)  as in hair that just seems to be all over every where as her’s was.  So she did something about it!

Carole the Rock star!

LOL  I am still laughing!

and then there  is

Carole the wife:)

ever heard how sometimes people start to look like each other:)

and last but not least,

Dakota’s momma

“Mommy now you have the same color as me”

We hope you got a little chuckle from the newest pictures .. sometimes you just have to stop and laugh.

Hug everyone

Ok Carole has started feeling the effects of chemo, She is sick. I picked up Chloe and left Tiffani. So Tonight it is Joshua, Chloe, Dakota and myself at home. We will go back in the morning. Im just so glad it is summer time so Carole is not alone. At this point she is out of it but it still feels good knowing someone is there. I need to feed the kids a late dinner, clean up, do 2 loads of laundry and look for a job on line. How do you mothers do it….. So tired. You all have a good nite.

Jimmie

Dakota and I just got home. Chloe, Tiffani and Joshua greeted us with pizza and bread sticks (Mealinda brought over to the house). Wendy is home in AZ right now, She left yesterday from the hospital. Anyways about Carole When we saw her Dr yesterday he informed us that 4 more spots are on the brain, One on the back near the spine, ( could be contaminating the fluid ). One on the right middle and two very small spots on the edge of the brain. The 2 spots they did gamma knife on look great no more spot on the left and bed of tumor. It scared him he had only the MRI from 2 days ago to look at, He needed the first MRI that was done at Memorial Hermann when Carole first had her seizure. The Dr and his team tried to get it but it would be 2 weeks. So we rushed to Memorial  Hermann but the records office was closed. When we got up this morning we went to MH and got the records, Went to MD and waited for them to read it. Her Dr was off today they told us as we gave them the CDs. We waited for a few minutes and a nurse came out and took us to a room and said the dr will see you in a min, It was Carole’s Dr he said he was waiting for the records, he looked at them and all 4 spots are on the first MRI. DO NOT cry yet finish reading first,  They are on the first MRI which sucks but on the 2nd MRI they are smaller and he says they could be blood vessels. Might not be tumors. He wants to start 2nd round hopping the first round helped. I know my detail is little but I’m trying. I am going to bed now just got off phone with Carole they have started all 5 drugs now. All 4 of the kids and I are going to spend the day with her tomorrow and Chloe is spending the night. Good nite

Jimmie

Carole, Jimmie and the kids (except Joshua) spent most of the day at MD Anderson.   You all read that an MRI was done yesterday.  This is done before treatment and then at the end of each treatment.  This way they have a ‘map’ of the brain to keep up with what is going on.

Since Carole left MD Anderson on the May 27th there are 2 to 4 more brain tumors.  They know there are 2 but will have to watch (or retest ?) and see whether the other 2 are tumors or not.  they may do another MRI . . I have no clue and Carole or Jimmie will have to tell us.

1 of the 2 known tumors is at the base of the brain at the spinal cord.  Carole is going to have to have a spinal tap to see if there are tumors in the Spinal column.   Today it was mentioned that whole brain radiation may have to be done …

We promised from the start that we would always be as honest as we could be with all of you our friends and family When it comes to Carole and what is happening when we know anything at all tomorrow /today .. time zones .. all too confusing for me right now .. someone will post.

As always if anything is wrong here or not addressed then Jimmie or Carole can fix it ..

Love, hugs, and tears

Well yesterday we went to MD Anderson, Carole had her MRI done and blood work. Today at 830 am she has a line put in and at 330 we see the Dr. We pray that the last treatment worked. She will be in the hospital for a week with round 2. Carole and I took our children to church last Sunday. We all had a great time. The visit with sister going good. I will try and post at the hospital as soon as we find out anything. Hug someone you love and have a great day

James

Posted by Carole

Well Miss Wendy has been in Texas for 48 hours and had a run in with “THE LAW” . My daughter Tiffani who is 12 had a run in with another little 12 year old and Aunt Wendy tried to solve the problem with the 20 year old older sister and the police came out to the house. But we could prove that we had done the right thing and had my daughters number changed way earlier in the day and that we were not the ones causing problems. They decided not to take Wendy to Jail. Even though the other girls older sister said Wendy was making threats…. we could prove differently. The officer even tried to arrest Jimmie once cause he said that he was obstructing justice by not telling him exactly where Wendy was at… I stepped between them and told him there is no way he was arresting him cause he didn’t do a dang thing wrong ( OMG the officer listened to me. )  Besides the entire time the Officer was standing outside of my house the older sister kept driving back and forth in front of my house and the officer said it is a public street and he could not do anything about it… UUUGGG I wanted to slap the sister of the girl that had been giving my daughter so much trouble and then made crap up and almost got my husband and sister arrested. BOY that would have been a mess:)

Wendy (Carole’s little sister) is visiting for a little while.  Yesterday was good I hear:)

A day for the kids and Aunt Wendy playing with makeup and dress up   you are never too old for that.

Miss Chloe sent me this picture last night while they were all making Wendy’s world famous taco’s .. YUMMY!!!

Chloe             Aunt Wendy           Tiffani

One thing about it .. with a phone is the girls hands I always get lots of great pictures from them:) and since they have started using mirrors to help .. well they are even better:) lol

LOVE YOU !!

I thought I would let everyone know that Miss Wendy May Day is in Texas with Carole and family for about a week .. a little longer I think.  maybe if I wish really hard and send out a cuddle ‘bear’ hug we can get a group photo of everyone for you:)

I was thinking tonight…..WOW I know thinking that one is a biggy right now I know but in any case. I thought it was important to go over the basics with y’all again and show you the pic of the mole that started this big mess one more time.

Asymmetry
Unequal or asymmetric moles are suspicious.

Border
If the mole’s border is irregular, notched, scalloped, or indistinct, it is more likely to be cancerous (or precancerous) and is thus suspicious.

Color
Variation of color (e.g., more than one color or shade) within a mole is a suspicious finding. Different shades of browns, blues, reds, whites, and blacks are all concerning.

Diameter
Any mole that has a diameter larger than a pencil’s eraser in size (> 6 mm) should be considered suspicious.

Elevation
If a mole is elevated, or raised from of the skin, it should be considered suspicious.

I know that my Mom has told all of you the importance of getting your moles and skin checked but NO REALLY you need too.

Ok I sat down to write to all of you wonderful people who have been so kind and sent all of your thoughts, prayers, kisses and hugs to my family and found myself lecturing about this preventable stage of cancer.

I love you all and thank you all so much for you thoughts, prayers, kisses and hugs:)

Hmm N-laws coming , Im so happy when I say N-laws. We lived with mom and Tim for a year they know how the kids are and know how Carole and I want them raised. They support us in every way when it comes to the kids. I am doing good right now, Its been a fun few days with Carole, She is up way more often and doing more around the house, Its almost like normal. I get to get things done around the yard. Comcast is still beating around the bush, HR has not got back to me on my transfer to Houston, I called and sent e-mails to all my contacts in comcast. Time is running out I have tell the 19th on leave. Well things are good right now I will enjoy every minute with my wife and worry about the little things later…… Like mom says hug someone you love and enjoy it..

Jimmie

I have changed the photo’s out in the slide show so be sure to hit refresh when you visit the site .. if you see the yellow & black  ‘fight for my life’ banner in the slide show then you are up to date for now.

Here it’s 12:34 in the morning as I start writing this.  The family is getting ready in many different homes.

Carole’s home is getting ready for momma to go back into the hospital for her second round of Bio-chemotherapy.  It’s sad that she is feeling better in some area’s, not so great in others:( and it’s time to go back in.  Miss Tiffani is keeping momma’s toes painted pretty and Miss Chloe helps her fix her hair.  The kids and mom and dad have been having lots of talks I am sure as ‘this’ is hitting even closer to home now.

On Tuesday morning I was at the doctors with Tim (that’s another story!) .. well I had seen a lady in probably her early 40’s .. she was dressed very beachy, capri’s, cute little top. scarf, white wide brimmed hat, sandals .. and I thought how great she looked, loved the scarf and hat!  Then just as she shut her car door I realized that she didn’t have any hair!   Later in the afternoon I was getting ready to call Carole and tell her how great the lady looked .. when my phone rang .. it was Carole .. she has started to lose her hair.  She is prepared physically with beautiful scarves from Rhonda and a Pretty wig from Angie .. but mentally, well it’s a little tough to see more than just a few daily strands that we all lose.   We have learned over the years that   “if you can’t laugh about something that you end up crying”  .. so there have been a few laughs .. like Jimmie teasing about having several wives, a blonde, a red head, short, long .. wigs.   There have been a few tears too ..

Wendy is getting ready to hop on a plane on the 13th to visit Carole and family until I think she said the 23rd might be the 21st, but she will be able to spend a while in Texas.  They are all looking forward to the visit .. Wendy’s kids aren’t going out this time, just couldn’t swing it .. but maybe a little down the road.

I am working as hard as I can to get the ‘project’ .. oh heck just say it, everyone knows it!  I am trying to get the May (yes that isn’t a misprint .. MAY) EMSI done so i can finish packing up what I will be taking with me.  Plus packing up my whole sewing room and many other parts of the house so Tim only has to worry about him and the animals while I am gone.  If he can get a job in Texas then that makes moving easier too.   I will be felting a little forever friend and hopefully be making patterns for Ellowyne and Leeann .. what a concept right!    Of course these are things that will be done when done with house work and things … going to try and give Jimmie a bit of a break when I can too.

Hug someone you love .. and if they let you do it once .. then take advantage and hug them again

Its 130 am and I can not sleep. Every time I close my eyes I thank something is wrong, My mind just wont stop working.  Is she ok, whats going to happen next,  I have been praying or talking to god I know he is listening. The Bishop from the church came by today. All 6 of us were home Chloe signed to Joshua as they blessed Carole. The kids are doing good, Dakota is hanging on to mom a little more, Still knows to ask dad for stuff. Tries to have mom get up and get milk, when mom says no he yells DAD GET ME MILK. Well im getting tired now maybe I will fall asleep. I hope everyone well and have a good day.

Night

Jimmie

Well today was a little better I guess. Carole was asleep most the day except for the 15000 times she says she got up to get sick. It was only like 14999 I told her. Slowly she is getting back to herself. I tried to catch up on some things around the house and outside. Got the mower fixed. I am trying to transfer to a new position with Comcast in Houston, I need to keep our insurance. I don’t thank she could get coverage starting new. I’m worried, tired and alone. I am used to Carole and me talking all the time, sometimes we would sit and watch a movie or just sit and drink a nice cup of coffee . Ya Ive had coffee but its the nice part i have not had. Well Her and the little ones are in bed, I better get there myself, You all have a good night I will talk to you all soon.

Nite Jimmie

3pm eastern time

Jimmie called a little while ago .. they are on their way to MD Anderson . Carole’s doctor wants to see her.  They think there may be something wrong with her kidneys .. we are not sure and neither are they until he see’s Carole .. it may be several hours before this is updated with what is happening.   Tiffani and Dakato are with Daddy and Mommy .. Chloe & Joshua are with friends and family.

I will let you all know anything and everything as soon as I know!

update .. it’s about 11pm here in Georgia and they are leaving the hospital .. Jimmie can explain much better than I can.  Carole is feeling better as of right now .. they did up her pain meds to delaudid (spelling) this is the same stuff they were giving her in the hospital right after the first major brain surgery but that was in shot form.  One of shots that they gave Carole before she left MD Anderson after her first set of bio-chemotherapy causes major physical pain (no one told them that) .. then on top of a nurse not telling her to start one of the drugs she was supposed to home at home caused it to be even worse and her blood totals to come back bad .. really really bad .. they were lower than low.  So both things combined caused her to be in much worse shape.  Of course we all know and so does Carole that she will not be in great shape after the therapy but this was worse than it should have been … BUT from now on they all know a little more about what has to been done.

So for now they are all headed home .. Jimmie can fill in any gaps or correct anything I may have wrong when he has a chance to get on in the next few days.

I thought I would post this so that those who read daily will know that Carole is home from the hospital again.  I do not know all of the details so will let Jimmie update later when he has a chance, but wanted you to know that she is home again

They are doing a CT to check for swelling on the brain will let everyone know in a while what’s up. Sometimes this happens after having the gamma knife radiation surgery.

Carole is  dehydrated because she can’t keep anything down at all.  She is and has been in a lot of pain since returning home and hasn’t been able to eat or drink anything for several days.

we will update here as time goes by or call .. which ever I need to do ..

Carole is asleep, She is very tired. Im trying to get her to drink some fluids she is very Nausea and has a headache. All this is what is expected after therapy. She does stay awake a little more each time she wakes up. Will update more in a while, I turned her phone off for today. If you need to call call the house phone or my cell.

Jimmie

We made it home lastnight around 9 pm, The girls were sitting up waiting. As we pulled up they ran out of the house to mom and gave her a great big hug. At that moment, I thought we have to beat this they need mom, I have taken care of them for the past 5 days and anyone could do it. But no one can be mom. Carole Dakota and I went to Cleveland so she could get lab work done, After we did that we started driving home and Carole fell asleep. She woke up walked into the house and went to the room to lay back down. Dakota and I are sitting waiting for Chloe and Tiffani, Tiffani just walked in and now Chloe. Im sure Carole has some words she would like to say to you all. I will talk to you all later.

Jimmie

Jimmie mentioned below about being tough … This is a video that we all watch or listen to all the time now.   Carole is tough … watch and listen

I thought I was tough by Craig Morgan

there will a little commercial first and then the video

Carole . is in great hands the Nurses and NAs are the best I have ever seen, And yes I have seen a few. They are treating Carole great, Doing what ever is possible to help her. Some things are only a smile and a it will be ok but they are doing great. Carole is sick very sick, We have been together for 16 years and I have never seen Carole so sick. I did not want to leave her tonight she has done so much for me over the years when I thought I was sick or in pain. It was nothing like this. The only reason I came home and left her was because Carole and I have talk about this and everyone that knows us knows the kids come first. I want to thank everyone for your prayers and support. We have a long way to go, And Carole has a hard fight on her hands,  To end this all I can say is Im doing everything at home she does when she is not getting every cell in her body kicked around and I have taken so much of her for granted. That song I thought I was tough fits……   You all have a goodnight

posted by Sherrie Jo

I didn’t write with an update on day 2 of Carole’s Bio-chemotherapy because it was just too hard .. today too for that matter.  But I had several emails in my inbox asking how Carole was doing … so here I am.

She is sick .. the drugs are making her very very sick inside and out.  Carole is in very good hands and they have her on constant watch and monitoring everything.  Because of school tomorrow there isn’t anyone staying with her tonight except the nurses.   I talked to her several time yesterday and today, it’s very hard to describe what it’s like .. except it hurts to hear her hurting so bad.

We all knew from the start that this would be a very aggressive procedure .. the only way that Carole will be able to make it into a clinical trial is to make sure that there is that can grow in her brain and this is the only way to do it.

After the girls go to school in the morning then Daddy and Dakota will be going down to spend the day with momma.

There will be no more pictures until less Carole decides to send one in .. so it may be a few days .. only time will tell.

I talked to Carole for along time tonight.  She was waiting for her anti seizure meds (has to take them for the next 5 months {now}).

Have we said? .. have your read? .. have you checked into how important it is to get spots checked out??

Carole was pretty sick most of the day .. what they are doing is called Bio Chemotherapy.  It is a 5 drug mix of some pretty aggressive drugs .. but then with Stage 4 Metastasized Melanoma you have to be very aggressive.  Her blood pressure dropped to 82 over 52 earlier today so they are really watching her and giving her something in the hopes that doesn’t happen again.

Have we said? .. have you read? .. have you checked into the free Melanoma screenings there are this month? Did I mention that May is Melanoma awareness month?

I have the list here of what the doctors are giving her but it isn’t at my finger tips so will just list the ones I know for now .. Interferon, Interleukin2, I will add the others later or Jimmie can jump in here and edit this post to add them.

Have you made your date with the dermatologist?  Have you set up a time to get a free screening?  Have you read This blog yet? Do you know how important that spot may really be?

Jimmie is home tonight with all the kids (oh and so you know, the girls had spent the night at their aunt Mealinda’s and uncles Jon’s house last night when Jimmie and Dakota stayed with mom .. not sure I said that before) .  They are planning for a big sleep over with Mommie Saturday night.

Carole said she looks like she is sunburned … her skin is really red, one of the other side effects of the drugs.  When Jimmie got home he read the comments to Carole from today, thank you everyone who has commented the last few days .. Carole has been read everyone of them.

J in CA … THANK YOU you have read, you have heard whats been said .. doing it early .. SOOOO much better than doing it late:(

Sleep well tonight Carole .. we love you

It was late tonight when Jimmie called and said they were done and that him, Dakota and Carole were going to go eat and then finish with admissions.  Carole was really really sore:(  first the portacath being put in and all it entails and then the stress test.

She had to do the stress test on the bike because the drug they give while doing it can cause seizures .. been a couple 2 too many of those already!  So bike it was.   12 minutes!! as fast and as hard as you can, they couldn’t get her heart rate above 145 .. no matter what they said she couldn’t push any more:(   and she had to get to 150 or the whole thing would have been for nothing.  Her legs were jello, she couldn’t breathe .. it was bad:(   so one of the nurses called for the doctor and he came into the room (they are normally very close if not right there) .. he checked things out and told her she had to go just a little harder but she had nothing else to give. But he pushed her a couple of more times and got her heart races within seconds .. and poof she was done!:)

She had a really hard time coming down and couldn’t breathe at all .. couldn’t catch her breath.  One of the nurses sat and held her hand and wouldn’t leave her side until she was breathing well again … stress tests .. they are not so fun:(

OK now to the room .. she is in P1007 and Jimmie and Dakota are going to spend the night with her tonight.  She is very very scared but with her oldest and youngest men with her then at least a little fear will be put to the side .. at least till morning.

Dakota of course took the bed .. he always does:) lol

But then he found out this bed was pretty cool too just need some nice cools sheets and a pillow or two:)

Carole and Dakota send good night Thank you’s and I love you’s

Posted by Sherrie Jo

It’s Thursday the 20th .. Carole has been to so many appointments everyday for the last 2 weeks .. Except the 18th ..

Carole will be having a port-a-cath put in.   Carole has tiny veins that roll .. so hard to find:(  She was SOOOOOOO bruised up when she can home from the hospital and a few more bruises from tests after home.  I pray they get it in and all goes well.  Once again I am sitting here staring at the phone.  Ya would think that with all I have to do and what I have to finish before going to Texas that that is what I would be working on … I am of course, but it just isn’t going as fast as you would think it would.

Carole will also be admitted today at MD Anderson.  I am not sure if she starts therapy today or tomorrow so will let Jimmie post later or I will.

THANK YOU!!!!!!! so much for your prayers and thoughts.  Jimmie receives them on his phone every time one is posted here on the blog and he reads them to Carole .. so even if you just drop in and say “Howdy ” that is great:)

Hugs and tears .. hug someone you love today .. life changes in the blink of an eye

UPDATE .. just as I finished posting this message Jimmie text-ed me.  It is in.  Carole is a little dizzy and they have to wait 2 hours then they will do an x-ray to make sure all is well with it.  There is a slight chance that a lung can be punctured so they need to make sure that didn’t happen.  I had 2 pictures but am using this one .. not sure Carole would want her bare shoulder/chest put out there for all to see:)  She tends to roll her eyes at me enough .. heck I don’t need to do something on purpose for it:) lol

that line probably earned me one anyway:)

I LOVE YOU CAROLE! 

‘nother update .. it’s 5:17 pm in Texas and Carole is still not done .. but me thinks poor Dakota is.

Hello everyone. This is just a little update on the family. Today was Dakota’s birthday, We had a little family get together.

We all had a good time. I will try and update more then I have been. Well lots of thanks and Love.

Jimmie

Posted by Sherrie Jo

Please place your prayers and thoughts here for Carole .. she starts the Chemical Therapy this week and I think she really needs to know that prayers and thought are still going up for her, the kids and Jimmie.

Posted by Sherrie Jo

Today is Carole’s only day off from doctors, and hospitals .. darn good thing too because it is Dakota’s 5th.

Enjoy little man .. WE LOVE YOU!!   he he he I can hear it now:)

Grandma & Grandpa

posted by~Sherrie Jo

A couple of days ago shortly after Carole posted, the blog went down .. broken beyond my repair.   This on top of everything else hurt so bad because it was the first time that Carole had posted.

I tried everything I knew of and everything that people on the wordpress forum suggested .. nothing would work for me.    Then a very special man came along, he goes by macmanx and all I can say is he is a wizard .. Thank you so so much!!

posted by~Carole

It would have probably been easier to start writing on this blog a few weeks ago. I felt fine certainly not like I had CANCER, no not me. I’m fine I am healthy I eat amazing healthy foods because I have learned about my Celiac Disease and the way my body reacts to gluten. I did my reading and got it all under control. I felt WONDERFUL.

I kept up with my plans that over the summer I wanted to move from Georgia back to Texas and get the kids back to good old small town livin… In February my Husband Jimmie was put on workman’s comp because of an injury. I started thinking we should go to Texas sooner. We began looking for a house back in small town America. 1 Grocery Store, 1 blinking 4 way stop light. Population 2000. So many people kept asking why Shepherd why why why. But I love it here. Jimmie flew in and found us a big house on a hill with a fenced back house 4 bedroom 3 bath BEAUTIFUL. Perfect we said yes we want it, and I started packing. They said it would be ready the first week in April. My Parents, Husband, Kids and my Friends all said ” I think it would be best to wait till the end of May ” Nothing or Nobody was going to chance my mind I was ready and it was time to leave Georgia.

I can’t even begin to tell you how glad I am that I am so stinkin stubborn and bull headed. All those time when I was a teenager and someone would call me a B**** and I would say yep and proud of it only made me stronger and more stubborn. I think I am pretty easy to get along with, But if I want something I will go after it until I have it. I have fought for everything that I have in my live and nothing has ever been handed to me on a silver platter.

We arrived in Texas just in time. We had only been in the state for 4 days when I had my seizures. Boy was that scary. I can’t even imagine the terror Jimmie felt when he came around the corner and found me lying on the floor, completely unresponsive. Now stop for a minute and thing if you heard a noise in the other room and you thought oh man what did the cat, dog or whatever knock over now, and you go around the corner to find someone that you love more than anything lying on the floor face down not moving, not responding what do you do at that exact moment when your heart has fallen all the way down to the tips of your toes….. Think about it

I was taken to the local hospital and then to the best team of doctors anyone could ask for. I only remember waking up a few times. I was so so so scared every time that I woke up. I went from being the ROCK of the family to lying in a hospital bed and had absolutely no idea why, what, when or how. That is scary. I remember a little about being told about the tumor and I remember being told that my Mom was boarding the plane and would be there in the morning. I did not remember moving so I could not wrap my mind around why my Mom was getting on a plane.  I remember my Strong  Husband and My Beautiful Children all trying not to cry and being strong for Mommy. I kept thinking ” Tumor no that’s impossible, there is no way I have a tumor…” ” Seizure are you kidding me I don’t have anything wrong with me”  Why am I having surgery again and no one could hear me, I could not get my words to come out to ask all my millions of questions.

Well today is one month since the surgery to have the tumor removed. I have asked my millions of questions and more and I have decided that I don’t like the freakin answers. I know that I am absolutely in the best place to be treated for cancer but I have also found out that there is no cure for Stage 4 metastasized melanoma. I am scared to death. Everyone has told me ” You can beat this Carole, You are soooo strong, You can do this” I feel like that is so easy for everyone to say. The doctors have been doing this a long long time and they told me yesterday that I only have about a 10% chance of living another 5 years.  I have it in my mind that I will win, I will beat this. But as God knows I am scared real real scared. But I WILL BEAT THIS CANCER.

I want to thank all of you that made the donations to me by purchasing my Moms patterns a couple of weeks ago. This has been very financially draining driving back and forth and paying for all the parking fees, Right after moving a few states…UGGG. I was able to fill up the van and pay a couple of parking fees for the doctor visits.

posted by~Jimmie

Good morning everyone. Thanks for the prayers, Chloe and Tiffani are getting ready for school. Dakota is cuddling with mom in bed. Joshua called last night just to say hi to mom. That made Carole happy, Her and I had three moments we started to fight over little stuff, We ended up just hugging and crying. We have been though a lot in our lives, This might be the hardest. But we will beat this thing. Thank you all for the support. Will talk more later

posted by~Sherrie Jo

I have been trying to figure out how to put into words the news that Carole called me with today… I can’t .. I get mad, I get sad, I punch a wall .. ok too old to do that very often so will leave that to the men.  Slap the counter, cat will probably not jump up there agian, at least not if he see’s I am upset.  Yelled at Tim .. sure and glad he loves me.  Yelled at God .. ok really glad he loves me too because I wasn’t very nice about it:(    I just want to shout at the top of my lungs “IT’S NOT RIGHT!”  wait let me rephrase that .. I DID shout at the top of my lungs …. she has 4 kids living at home (Dakota will be 5 next week, Tiffani is 12, Chloe 14 and Joshua 17)  .. she is the best mother I know, she does absolutely everything in her life for her kids, she always has .. even what she is about to go through with the chemical therapy .. tis not for her .. is for the kids.

Carole is so scared … and no matter how old she is, I want to hold her and I am too far away to do that.

From here on out on this blog you may cry with us, you may laugh with us, chuckle, giggle and sigh .. but one thing is certain .. we will keep up this blog so you will be able to stay in touch with Carole through her fight.  She (and her family) need all the prayers they can get .. this is very draining, both of the body and the pocket book as you can well imagine.

Several things came out of today’s appointment .. Carole or Jimmie can post the details when either of them feel up to it. But I can tell you that what we prayed for .. a clinical trial, will not happen.  Because 2 tumors have already metastasized in her brain then she doesn’t qualify for a trial.  So they will be starting a 4 to 5 drug treatment this week.  I say 4 or 5 drug because Carole was diagnosed with Celiac disease earlier this year so the doctors have to find out if one of the drugs will do more harm than good .. time will tell. There will be 4 treatments to start … 7 days of the treatment and then 3 weeks off, 4 times .. then a head to toe CT (pooh! she may have said MRI now I am no sure)   Carole and Jimmie were also told today that it has absolutely ran through her lymph nodes … it could not be in her liver, her lungs or her blood without hitting the lymph nodes too.   Just none of them are enlarged right now  ..

May is National Melanoma Awareness month .. if you have a site you are not sure about .. have a scaly spot in your hair that now and then bleeds, or maybe gets scaly or flaky .. so something about it!!  There are many many free clinic going on all over the USA for Melanoma Awareness .. find one even if you have to drive an hour or two, because you just never know ..

Say this with me    STAGE   FOUR   METASTASIZED    MELANOMA   .. we all know that Cancer is a dirty ugly scary word .. say it!  Cancer … it is a freaken’ scary ugly word!     Now say this .. Yes Carole for you, for my kids, for myself   I will go get checked out!   please!!

This is the site on Carole that caused the brain cancer, the liver cancer, the lung cancer

cancer in the blood .. this little tiny spot on her head.  It is 100% confirmed

posted by~Sherrie Jo

Today is Carole’s appointment with MD Anderson in Houston.  I am trying to wait patiently but as I just told Jimmie I am failing miserably.  So I sit here trying to finish up one of my late projects and even though I know I haven’ t missed their phone call I keep picking up the phone and checking …

Either I, or Jimmie or Carole will update later … I gave Jimmie and Carole both author privileges so they can posting anything that they want to update about.  ok back to waiting for me.

Jimmie said,

May 9, 2010 @ 8:25 pm · Edit

I have a update….
Carole did the gamma knife last week it all went good. Now its mothers day and she is feeling better. We ( kids and I ) took her out to dinner. She is in good spirits right now. We will not know anything for 3 months on the gamma knife if it helped or not. On the 13 we go to MD Anderson in Houston to talk with them about a treatment plan. They thank it started on a mole on the side of her head. Please people if you are not sure what skin cancer looks like please find out, and go for screenings even you guys. I will update later

***note from administrator .. this comment was left under “Carole’s fight .. the beginning”  I left it there but also put it here so you can be sure and see Jimmie’s or Carole’s note from them ***