Chemo: Round VII

I'm a little behind on the blogging, work has picked up with clients trying to spend the rest of their budgets for the holiday season. Christopher had his seventh round of chemo on Tuesday (I had it marked down for Monday, but they fooled me and changed dates on me). Dr. Kirby said Christopher had great coloring (sometimes people look pale and weak the longer they are on chemo) and that he also looked well rested.

Christopher also told the doctor about his new job and what it would be entailing and Dr. Kirby told him "more power to you." My personal thoughts are that every time Christopher goes in Dr. Kirby expects Christopher to have hit rock bottom, that the chemo will catch up to him at some point - and yet Christopher amazes him every time. (thank you everyone for your prayers)

Everyone keep those prayers up - October 16th Dr. Kirby has scheduled another CT scan to see how the shrinkage is going. We are hoping for some more good news! Christopher has said these past few days that he has had allot more energy - I don't know if it is from the excitement over his new job or that the cancer is leaving his body and helping him feel better!

Speaking of his new job, Christopher had his first week at it and he loves it so far. The people are great and they are very understanding of his situation. Christopher has met two people at this company who both fought and beat some form of cancer, a true inspiration for him. And I can't help but this that this job path had been played out for him from the get go - God works in wonderful ways.

Sorry this posting is so random and all over the place - I need to get back to work, but I wanted to let everyone know that chemo went well this week!

Ethan's Running with the Bull (*hum* Longhorns)

This past weekend Christopher and I took Ethan out to Seei Circle, and for those of you that don't live in Frisco - it's a little park that celebrates the cattle drives that went through our fair city. There are rather large Longhorn statues, Cowboys on horses and a little path that meanders in one great big loop around it all. We thought Ethan would enjoy the Longhorn...umm, not really. As you can see, Ethan was a little more than hesitant. But once "Daddy pet the longhorn statue" - it was a cake walk!


Ethan sat down for a few seconds only to want to take shoes off, and then he was off and Running with the Bulls - *umm*, sorry the longhorns.


The Longhorn statues are so life like and we really had fun out there chasing Ethan around and playing.





So a while back I was tagged and I now I have to tell you eight things about me. Well it was hard coming up with eight things, but this is what I got!

• I don't make first impression, I think they steer you wrong 80% of the time. You never know when someone is having an off day.
• I love and can't get enough of Harry Potter - yes I have all the books and movies.
• Tinkerbell and Audre Hepburn are my idols.
• I was once told by my economics teacher in high school that I was an economics genius - I went into art instead (guess that's what you get when your the product of two CPAs - an economically sound artist) :}
• I'm a lefty, but I paint with my right hand - (sorry, it was hard coming up with eight things)
• At the end of every night, Christopher and I say a prayer and thank God for everyone in our lives.
• I think every thing in life can be laughed at, when the time is right.
• I personally feel that tis better to bit the tongue than to muster up the words, "I'm sorry".

This coming Monday is Chemo day. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

Christopher's New Gig

Back in April Christopher left his job at the Bakery; while he enjoyed working there, it was time for him to move on. He went to work with a friend at his Internet based company as a whole sale rep. However, the company wasn't doing so well and they told Christopher about 2 months ago that they would not be able to keep paying him. So the job hunt was on again.

Christopher and I talked in depth about what he wanted to do, the bakery left a bad taste in his mouth, but he was ready to get back into the game! He interviewed only at 3 places and as they always say - third times a charm! Christopher now works for a company named Spring Creek Barbecue as one of their managers. He will have about nine weeks of training to go through and he's excited about the new challenge this job will bring him.

From the get-go Christopher and I both felt like this was the path that we were being lead on. The guy that Christopher interviewed with had just fought and beat Throat Cancer and we both thought we needed to look at this company more closely. It's a medium size company with allot of growth potential (they would like to open 10 new stores this year) and I couldn't be happier for Christopher.

I know allot of people have been asking, "How is he going to handle it?" Well in the words of Christopher, "There is nothing to handle - you just do it."

Ethan the Engineer

So the cat is out of the bag, Christopher starts his new job on Monday...well sorta on Monday. He starts his new job, but Monday and Tuesday are his two days off, so he really doesn't go in for his first day until Wednesday. So this week Christopher had a mini vacation in which he did some things around the house and spent some time with Ethan.

On Friday, Christopher called me and let me know that the house was hit by a tornado named Ethan, I laughed and thought "oh what am I in for when I get home". Then Christopher asked how much longer till I got home, my first thought was - he needs a break, Ethan was a handful today. Until I was informed that our little munchkin played engineer and created a mini version the Empire State Building by stacking several blocks, one on top of each other, and I had to hurry home to see it before King Kong Ethan climbed the tower and brought it down to a crashing masterpiece of destruction.

I laughed and told Christopher I was just a few minutes away and that I couldn't wait to see this great feat! Low and behold, this was a marvel of great ingenuity. Ethan stacked eleven blocks one on top of each other - I snapped a photo right before he brought the wrecking ball through and destroyed his little Empire State Building. :}

On another note, I've been tagged - which means I'm suppose to write eight things about me that I don't think other people know. Hmmm....I'm going to have to think about this one (I don't think I can even think of eight things to say, but check back in - I'll be working on it.

Chemo: Round VI

Yesterday, Christopher went in for his sixth round of chemo and all I can say is how he amazes me. He never complains that he has to go or grumbles about how long he has to sit there - he just goes, takes his treatments and calls me to let me know how everything went.

Dr. Kirby told him that everything is looking great so far, his numbers are normal for his situation and there are no worries. The doctor also told him that they want to see how much shrinkage he has in the next two months. There is always a chance that the cancer gets tired of shrinking and figures out a way to fight the chemo back.

While we won a little hurtle with this first round of shrinkage, the docs won't be throwing a party till they see shrinkage again. And as long as Christopher's body is handling the chemo so well, they are going to keep him on it as long as they can. He might get a break around Christmas, but we should see sometime around Thanksgiving if there is more shrinkage!

Honk, Honk...

Today, over 550 TGI Friday's stores will be opening boxes of their new menu and getting them ready for the start of business. Now I know what you are thinking, "Uh, and why are you excited about this - Friday's has not started serving gumbo or something?"

No TGI Friday's is not serving gumbo (heaven help them if they did), today the menu they use is mine. Designed from the cover to the back page, twelve pages in all, my creation. Almost a year in the making, my menu won out over 50 other menus, including those from some top New York and LA design firms. Now while the original concept was for the menu to look like a record album in shape and size, some things did need tweaking to make it restaurant ready. This is a huge step for me as a designer and for the small ad agency I work for. What can I say, I have to toot my own horn!

I took a stroll down memory lane and pulled out my photos from college. Had anyone told me over 10 years ago, "hey d, like in ten years or so, your going to do this huge project for some place called Friday's." I think I might have laughed and told them they were sniffing too much developer or spray mount and to possibly get a life.

More so it got me thinking have I changed as a designer/person or am I still the same "d" from ten years ago. And while Christopher likes to remind me, the world is ever changing therefore we on some level must change with it. I couldn't help but think how I have changed, but even though I've changed slightly, there are still some things drawn and tied to my core:

I still wear my sunglasses on top my head (otherwise I would lose them).
I'm still the quite one that sits waiting observing and taking in everything.
I still love cracking the music up while I work.
I still love my other fine arts that makes me a good designer; photography, painting and drawing.
I still love to draw the same thing over and over again (except in school it was vases - now it's pears).
I'm still the person people run to when they need to let off steam.
I still love getting a great idea in the car and scrambling for a scrape of paper to jot it down on (however this was easier in school, I always had my back pack).

So today or any time you're in a Friday's; you can look at the menu and say, "Hey, I know the person who did this!"

Live Strong for Ms. Brenda

When Christopher was in the hospital my mom let me talk to one of her clients who was battling with cancer. Her words of advice were, "don't let this get to you". Such a powerful statement. She sent some words of encouragement to Christopher in a card and he proudly displayed it on our mantle during the time of his recovery.

Today I got an email from my mother about Ms. Brenda's health:

"Just an fyi . . . just talked with Neil, her husband, and learned that Brenda is home, in a hospital bed in the living room.

She weighs 96 lbs and can't keep anything down. Currently, they are feeding her iv fluids.

The last time I saw her; she had indicated her numbers weren't good and the doctor found some spots on her stomach and intestines. She was so thin at that time and the lack of 'meat on her bones' was an impediment to treatment."

Ms. Brenda and her family needs our thoughts and prayers right now. If you would like to send her a card or just some words of encouragement, just let me know and I will send you her address.