A day full of surprises...

Saturday morning, I woke to Barry up and getting ready.  He wanted to get out of the house!  We started with breakfast at the Tortilla Factory.  As we ate breakfast and talked the subject of our former pet Labrador, Bailey, came up again.  Barry has never gotten over having to give her up.  Call me crazy, but I suggested that we go to the Plano SPCA and see if there were any Labs in need of a good home.  Barry was hesitant; however, he agreed pretty quickly. 

While at the SPCA, we met Leila.  Leila is a 3 year old Chesapeake Bay Retriever that needed a home.   Call me crazy, but after spending about 30 minutes with her, we knew she was for us.  We completed the paperwork and it was off to Bentley's Dog Wash for a good scrub. 

I know many of you probably think I am crazy to take on this additional responsibility.  You have to see how it brightened Barry up to have this beautiful dog give him her undivided attention.  She LOVES Barry and checks on him if he leaves the room.  Barry loves her so much.  I think she will help him through this healing process.

Date night!

Barry is still having to rest majority of the day.  He tires very easily; however, when he is up, he appears to be much more clear than over the past few days.  We actually went out on a date night on Friday evening.  We went to our usual spot and enjoyed a great evening.

I thought the worst was over...

My apologies to all if I have been hard to reach or a little distant this week.  I'm just worried about Barry and trying to keep the phones turned off as to not disturb him.  I thought the worst was behind us, but Barry has felt so bad this week.  He is completely exhausted and the nausea is back.  When he is up and moving, its like he is in a trance.  I am thankful for when he is asleep, because I feel that he is comfortable.  I am hoping that the additional sleep is helping him heal.  It is so difficult to see him miserable when he is awake.  Please know that we appreciate the calls, the cards and the prayers.  I promise to get back to everyone soon. 

My Dad... Radiation Man

I went to Dad's last radiation appointment on Monday of this week. The nurse let me walk back to the radiation room with Dad and there was a closet full of masks. It was a little creepy because they reminded me of "Alien vs. Preditor"... the alien creature with the super long head. Anyway, they had this huge machine that was on a pendulum. They put Dad's mask on and tightend the bolts, then they rotated the laser beam to line up with the lines on his mask. At this point, I had to leave and they closed a six inch concrete door behind the nurse and I as we walked out.

Dad walked out with a certificate and his mask. He officially graduated from Radiation! I had to try on the mask and it fit perfectly from the nose down... creepy. I told him that he should use it as a halloween cosume. He laughed...

It makes me sad that he is so tired right now. I can't wait to throw the football with him in our front yard really soon.

I enjoy praying with Dad, Lexi and Mom. Last night, I sprayed the holy water that was given to us by a friend of Christy's over Dad's head. It is from Italy and is supposed to have curing powers. Radiation complete, now recovery...

Daddy is a ferret... ha ha ha (You gotta Row, Row, Row your boat... ha ha ha)

Congratulations...

Restful Sunday...

Dear friends at HOCC, we are so sorry that we missed you this week.  Barry was just SO tired, that I felt it was better that he rest.  He slept until around 10am and woke extremely hungry, craving breakfast at our neighborhood diner - Chubby's.  Chelsea, Lexi and Brant joined Barry and I for a late breakfast.  Barry spent the afternoon continuing to rest.  It was almost too much for him to go to breakfast.  He is just extremely tired and his stomach is very sensitive right now.  Only one day of radiation left, but today, all we have to worry about is resting and recovering.

Where did Saturday go?

The radiation treatments this past week have left Barry very weak and completely exhausted.  He stayed in bed beginning Friday afternoon through Sunday mid morning.  He said that it was a tired that he has never felt before.  He really hasn't had any appetite at all over the last two days.  It is good to see him rest, but difficult to see him so tired.  His stomach has been bothering him a little since Tuesday.  It could be a side effect of the Avastin that he received on Tuesday.  Keep praying for Barry's healing.

Prayers answered...

Prayer 1 - we made it to today (FRIDAY) - the final full week of radiation.  This week has been extremely tiring week for Barry.  The intense radiation has finally caught up with him.  Thursday was the first time that he was not restless.  In fact, all he could do is rest.  I think this will do him so much good to be able to catch up on the rest he needs for recovery.  Only 1 day of radiation next week on Monday.

Prayer 2 - we were both so concerned about the large monthly payments that we were making on Barry's truck and insurance, being unable to use it.  Thanks to Brad and Ron's suggestion, we were able to make a package deal out of my Toyota and Barry's truck for one vehicle to lessen the monthly financial burden.  The General Manager - Tim Anderson of Pat Lobb Toyota- was so wonderful.  I explained our situation and asked that we work over the phone based on the way Barry felt.  He said, "No problem, we will take care of everything and have the car ready for you to sign for and pick up."  I would HIGHLY recommend Pat Lobb Toyota to anyone!  Ask for Chad and tell him Barry sent you.

Prayer 3 - we continue to receive cards, telephone calls and emails regarding ongoing prayers for Barry to be healed of this terrible disease.  So many people include the word BELIEVE in their messages to Barry.  The word is usually in italics or bolded, many time in all capital letters.  That word has such a special meaning for Barry and I want you all to know that it brings a smile to his face and sometimes a tear to his eye when he sees the word BELIEVE being used with such emphasis.  We appreciate all of you who believe in Barry and believe in a cure. 

Prayer 4 - during the past seven weeks on Monday through Friday at UT Southwestern, Barry and I have seen many people come and go during our time in the waiting room between appointments.  Many unable to walk back to the radiation room, many with small children waiting in the lobby as their mother or father are taken back for treatment, many brought in on a stretcher and taken back for treatment... This has opened both of our eyes to how cancer affects so many people in so many different ways.  As we say our prayers at night, we think of the faces of strangers, we think about our own family members faced with this disease and we pray for all.  Barry's dream is to help others as they face the many challenges brought on by cancer.  I know, someday, we can make Barry's dream a reality.

Keep praying!

Sleepy...

Barry woke tired, left for UT Southwestern tired, was tired in the waiting room and slept through most of the day.  I must admit, I , too, slept most of the day.  We woke for a brief period to eat pizza (too tired to cook). Then attempted to watch a movie.  Barry fell asleep immediately and I quickly lost interest and longed for my pillow.  Sorry everyone, just too tired to be creative today.  Love to all.  Thank you for the prayers.

A day of celebrating....

We began the day by leaving early this morning so that we could suprise his big sister, Christy, with a Happy Birthday Surprise!  We LOVE you Christy!  Today's radiation visit left Barry feeling pretty tired, but he was very excited about lunch with his friends from TI.  Keith and Laura, Dave, Eric, Tim and Sam, thank you so much for making Barry's day.  He loved seeing all of you and it really brightened his day.

Barry's new t-shirt (shown in the picture above) was quite a hit at the hospital today. The nurses and radiation tech LOVE Barry. Here are some pictures of the process that he goes through each day.

I Cherish you All and Life

Even though at times, things gets difficult, I will not give up. I keep pushing it out.Don't Stop Believing! With God's Healing Hand and my family and friends' support We will win and Beat this.

LOve,

Barry and Family

Thanks Kellie

Kellie, you are so sweet!  Thank you for the gift and the beautiful card.  I am so lucky to have such great Sisters-in-law.  I appreciate you so much.  Give my love to Jerry and Jacob.  Barry and I said a prayer for him the other night, hoping that he is ok and ready for the big race.  We love you all!

It is HOT...

As Barry and I drove to UT this morning, the temperature gauge in my car said 95 degrees! Whew... no outdoor activities today. Barry's radiation appointment was a bit delayed this morning due to some faulty equipment issues. It actually worked in our favor because we were able to spend more time with his sister, Christy. Last week, we had missed her a couple of days because of some appointment changes, so it was great to have that extra time this morning.



Barry's craving for Italian food still has not been completely satisfied, so it was off to the grocery store to buy the ingredients for gnocchi soup. We decided to go to Tom Thumb because we knew that Lexi was at work and we would have the opportunity to see her in professional mode at the Wells Fargo branch located inside.



After lunch and a short rest, we were headed for the gym. I was really worried that Barry wasn't up for it based on his eyes. He looked SO tired. He was determined and I knew it was pointless to argue the point so we were off. He completed the weight circuit and then ran 3.5 miles on the elliptical in 35 minutes. Brant was with us, so he and I ran on the elliptical for a while then lifted some weights on what we like to call the "big boy" side of the gym (free weights). Brant is pretty impressive! I think I turned a few heads when Brant was bench pressing and I quoted (in my Elmo voice) the line from the movie I Love You Man... "Everything you got". We both got a great laugh out of it. Barry, who was wearing his ear buds, listening to music even heard me and cracked a smile in our direction.



Ron and Joanne Miller brought dinner for our family. Lexi happened to be wearing a t-shirt that belonged to either Rachel or Chelsea at one point with CORONADO on the front. When Ron noticed it, he commented that he was in the first graduating class of Coronado High School in 1966. We had a nice visit with the Miller's and thanked them for the meal.

Beautifully blended...

The day began with an inspirational message from Christopher Green of Highland Oaks Church of Christ entitled, "Jehovah Mekadesh:  The Lord Who Sanctifies".  Immediately following the service, Barry and I had the opportunity to visit with church Elder and our friend, George Ashmore.  We discussed the challenging week ahead and asked for him to pray with us.  Christopher and George, thank you so much for all you do.

We enjoyed a wonderful afternoon with Dennis, Jill, Alec, Leslie and Jared.  Unfortunately, Jared and Leslie had to head home, cutting their visit short, but it was great to get to see them.  They are such a cute couple with an enthusiasm for life and each other.  (We love you both.)  Barry was so happy to have you all here.

Later in the afternoon, we were visited by Lisa, Holly, Rachel and Chelsea.  The living room was full of laughter as everyone reminisced about the past.  One funny moment that comes to mind is Dennis recalling dressing as Barney for Chelsea's birthday many years ago.  (Imagine wearing a furry purple suit in AUGUST in Lubbock, TX)  Jill mentioned that Dennis had actually rehearsed for the performance, attempting to get the jumping heal click down that Barney was known for... what an Uncle!

Stories were shared about the many concerts that everyone had attended.  Holly talked about her memory of Barry taking her and her friend to their first concert at age 14.  Lisa talked about the infamous Tornado Jam in Lubbock.  Holly actually brought a video of a concert that she and Rachel attended a couple years ago that was filmed for the bands tour... there were two full screen shots of Rachel!  Did I mention, it was Aerosmith! 

It was an uplifting day for Barry, surrounded by family, sharing memories, laughing and talking about the best moments from the past and the amazing children resulting from this beautifully blended family.

Super Saturday....

Barry couldn't wait to get out in the yard this morning.  After an hour or so of yard work, I put him to work inside.  Typical Saturday stuff.... cleaning, laundry, the works.  It took some strong coaxing on my part, but I was able to talk Barry into taking a mid afternoon nap.  It is very difficult to keep him still lately. 

I have really seen a change in Barry over the last couple of days.  He seems to have more mental clarity than he has over the last couple of weeks.  It is hard to put into specific words, but it is dramatically different.  I think his continued determination to stay active is helping him with his amazing progress. 

Two evenings alone!  We considered another date night, but we both were a little tired after the days activities, so we stayed in and watched a couple of movies.  It was a nice relaxing evening.  Early to bed, early to rise tomorrow for church.

A great day and a Bloomin' evening...

What a great day!  It started with Chelsea, Lexi, Brant, Barry and I stopping by Sonic for breakfast on our way to UTSouthwestern.  It was a fun drive as we listened to our children in the back seat, cracking jokes and discussing Brant's hair-cut.  It is always a joy for us to watch them interact.  Barry loved being surrounded by his children. (We missed you Rachel).

After treatment, it was off to lunch, then we went to  MainEvent to watch Chels, Lex and Brant battle it out at a match of bowling.  Lexi proved victorious, with Chelsea in second and Brant (obviously annoyed) coming in third.  We then were off to Sam's where we picked up some necessities and then back to the house for an afternoon of relaxation. 

Later in the afternoon we watched as Chelsea powered through two sessions of P90X.  YOU GO GIRL.  Watching her made MY muscles ache.  Barry was cheering her on.  She was a machine.  Lexi was miffed because she did not have the strength after yesterday's session of XTreme yoga to join Chelsea for today's workout. 

We each set out in different directions for the evening.  Lexi headed to Joey's house for a homemade meal by her sweetheart.  Chelsea and Brant headed to watch Russell play softball and enjoy some sibling bonding time.  Best of all........ Barry and I had a "Date Night".  It was awesome, or should I say AUSSIE-OME.  We decided to go to Outback Steakhouse for a nice dinner for two.  Not many people know this, but Outback Steakhouse in Lubbock, TX is where Barry asked me to marry him.  It was a GREAT evening.  I would not have changed a thing.  An evening with my sweetheart... priceless. 

TGIT...

Which means that tomorrow is FRIDAY!!!  Only 7 days left of "Radiation Man".  Today started off a little rocky with a slight argument about the days activities, followed by silence for most of the drive.  Oh well, we can get along every minute of every day.  I think the silence helped us reflect on our responses to each other and gave us time to regroup.  We ended up having an amazing day!

We arrived early at UT, so we were out the door before our appointment was to even begin.   We had the oil changed in our Toyota, we picked up prescriptions at Walgreens, we enjoyed a lunch at Subway with the kid (thanks to gift cards from HOCC) and enjoyed a tension relieving workout at Texins Activity Center.

Barry is such an inspiration.  He is going through a grueling radiaton and chemotherapy regimine and still INSISTS on maintaining his physical fitness.  I, being the protective type, have encouraged him to relax a little, especially since they increase the intensity of the radiation each week.  He REFUSES and gets quite persistent about going to the gym.  I was very hesitant today, but in the end, seeing him in that gym giving it everything he had with strength training and cardio, inspired me to push beyond my usual limits.  I was able to run 8.25 miles in the hour and forty five minutes we were at the gym.  Barry completed the weight circuit and ran his usual 5K in the same time limit.  He is amazing. 

We came home to Chelsea, Lexi and Brant panting in the living room as they completed the Xtreme Yoga DVD that is part of the P90X program.  Truth be told, Brant gave up pretty early in the workout, but Lexi and Chelsea powered through.  Barry, you are inspiring so many people to "get fit". 

Barry, thank you for MAKING me go to the gym.  I love you.

Barry's Bunch of Believers

Hello Everyone! Chelsea here

As I'm sure many of you know, my family and I plan on participating in the
Dallas-Ft.Worth Brain Tumor Walk. The 5k will be Saturday November 6, 2010 at Trinity Park in Ft. Worth.

I know November seems to be a long way away but I have already created our team. Our group name is Barry's Bunch of Believers and everyone is going to know our name by the time we get to the walk because we are going to raise so much money! Below I have added a link to our team's personal page. There are two ways you can help!

1. JOIN THE TEAM! Don't be scared, it's just a walk. (Although we may be eating dad's dust, he really wants to jog.) To join the team there is a registration fee, but think of it as another donation that will help us get to our overall goal of $10,000.00 . If you join the team, plan on having tons of fun walking in my dad's honor.

2. DONATE TO THE TEAM! Giving a monetary gift is so important, as all the proceeds will go to the National Brain Tumor Association. These funds will fuel brain tumor research and also help provide support services to people going through similar experiences. Any gift helps!

So I'm glad you have decided to help. I know this walk means a lot to my dad and he is really looking forward to it. So if you aren't sure if you should choose option 1 or option 2, choose OPTION ONE!!! My dad would love for all his support to be in one location on a such special day.

Here is the link:
Click Here

Thank you so much! Now go to the website and help raise the bar. (The donation bar that is).

Love,
Team Cap'n Chelsea.

Is it Friday yet...

All day Barry has been convinced that it was Thursday.  I wish it was.  He looks forward to Friday and his two days off from radiation.  Today was a good day.  Barry was a little more tired than usual and isn't quite as restless.  Hopefully he will be able to get a relaxing nights sleep this evening. 

Christy, it was great to see you today!  I look forward to our visits each day.  Jill, it was great to talk to you.  Thank you so much for calling and your kind offer.  Mom, it was great to hear from  you today. Love you all.

Only 10 Days of Radiation? Oh! Thank you.

I like to call myself Radiation Man now because it or something causes me to obsess over the smallest things lately (a little OCD) and I can't sleep the whole night through. I fall asleep ok because I am tired but I wake several times during the night and can't stop thinking bout things. So hopefully after the radiation treatments that will subside some. The Dr.s said I would be extremely tired for a while. Hopefully we can take a short vacation to Lubbock nd maybe the Arbuckle mountains in OK. I can get a lot of sleep in (yeah right).

Don't Stop Believing and Don't stop thinking about tomorrow!
Love you all.

Only 10 days of Radiation left!!!

Today was a fantastic day!  The sky was full of puffy white clouds.  It was only 88 degrees when we left for the hospital.  We saw the ususal smiling valet attendants and welcoming receptionists.  I have to say that the staff at UT Southwestern far surpass any that Barry and I have encountered in the DFW Metroplex at other hospitals.  We LOVE the people there. 

We left the hospital in great spirits and decided to do a bit of window shopping.  It was so much fun.  We went to a local rock yard and saw the most beautiful landscaping rocks (very large) called green glacial ice.  They were absolutely beautiful.  I wish I had taken a picture.  Just wishful thinking for the far future. 

So far we have not had any response to our flyers or ads for the truck.  We have decided that we may have to offer the dealership where I bought my car a package deal with both of our vehicles in hopes of getting out of that payment.  We plan to pray about it this evening and see what evolves tomorrow.  It would mean so much to get that expense out of our monthly budget. 

Betty Tolar of HOCC brought over dinner for the family and it was DELICIOUS.  Thank you so much!  My apologies, I can not remember who she said made the cake, but it was WONDERFUL.  Thank you for the cake as well.  Barry and I appreciate the meals so much.  Bless you.

It started off as a wonderful day and ended with a great evening.  I am a blessed woman to have such a great husband.  I love you Barry!

Lexi, That was beautiful

What you posted is beautiful and I don't think anybody could've have put it in words any better.

Thank you!

and Love, I'm proud to be your Father.

Love you, Dad and thanks for all you do. It means the world to us.

/don't stop believing

Goodbye Sunday...

HOCC - sorry we missed you this morning. Barry woke at 12:30 am and was up until around 5am, then fell back to sleep. He needed his rest and I was sleeping soundly as well. Please know that we thought of you all and hope to be there next week.

After resting up, Barry was off and running (around the house, that is). I can't keep him still. I knew it was worthless to try and fight it, so I got up, put some not-so-attractive clothing on and the day of work began. Isn't that contrary to what Sunday is all about? Not in Barry's world! We planted two shrubs in our front flower beds, Barry trimmed the yards edge with the weed eater. I patched two large cracks in our front walkway and now have a lovely farmers tan (or should I say, farmers BURN). Looking back at the day's accomplishments, I am very proud of what we did.

If you are thinking the day is over... think again. Barry has been craving Bratwurst and Sour kraut for weeks. He found a recipe that sounded wonderful and we cooked the best tasting Brats you could eat. Barry say's it is the German in me that makes the kraut so great. We had our German feast and retired for the evening. Barry fell asleep for about an hour, then his mom called. After their conversation was over, he watched TV with Brant and I for about 30 minutes, then decided it was time for a mile walk. UGH! Here I am, in bed, cozy as can be, and he wants to get up, get dressed and go for a walk. After protesting, I found it was a waste of words and asked Brant to go for the walk. When they returned, Brant said that he had trouble keeping up with Barry.

Calgon, take me away!

It's my life....

Hi everyone, it's Lexi. I feel terrible for not writing on here in so long, but through work and everything else I haven't made time, but that will change.

So where do I begin! I have been so blessed to be surrounded by my family and a wonderful group of people from church. This whole situation has been a real eye-opener to what life really entails and how important your loved ones are.

Dad - You are the most incredible person I know! I know I've said it before, but I will say it again; you are Superman! I have never seen a more determined and driven individual. I makes me laugh when I see you going non-stop doing anything and everything just to keep yourself moving. But it also makes me wonder if there is something going on beneath the surface that you are fighting. I love you so much and I know that whatever it is, you will overcome the obstacles.

Mom - You are so much more than a rock to this family, you are a boulder. I don't know how you manage to keep everything straight in your mind and not lose it, haha. (Mine would be long gone). I have seen you deal with difficult situations in the past, but nothing so close and so personal and draining. You have shown through with flying colors to this point, and I know you can handle anything that comes your way. I am overjoyed to say that you are my Mom.

Sibs - Haha, Brant, Chelsea, and Rachel. I cannot express how important it is for us to continue to stay strong not only as individuals, but as a group as well. I know that it is difficult, given our crazy schedules and distance, but I hope that we all make an effort to stay strong together as well as personally. This is a family's situation to bear and all the pieces of the puzzle must be glued to withstand the bumps along the way. I love you guys!

The bigger family - I am once again simply blessed, to say the least. My life as I know it just wouldn't be the same without being able to share the ups and downs with such a wonderful and caring group of people. Haha, if I were to name you each individually Mom might get mad at me for taking up the entire blog, so I will just leave it at that. I love you all and I am glad to be a part of the beautiful masterpiece that is the Williamson family.

Highland Oaks Church - There so many wonderful things I could say, but I don't think I could put everything into words. The difference you all have made in our lives is beyond words. I, as well as my family, appreciate your caring and giving. The meals that have been brought to us have been great and the homemade deserts, DELICIOUS! Haha. I know that the loving spirits of all of you have been able to raise my Dad up and have allowed him to live the life of a man driven by faith and love. I appreciate all that you have done; the cards, the prayers, and the simple check-ups to see how he is doing. We were brought to you by the highest power and you have given us the strength we needed to fight this and embrace the goodness within people. Thank you all!

Friends - It is amazing to see that so many people have been following this blog to keep updated on my Dad's journey. I know it means the world to my dad to have a following like he does of people that have only worked with him, or he hasn't heard from in years. It really brightens his spirit to hear from you all. Thank you for all of the prayers and good wishes.

To wrap up, I wanted to post the lyrics of Bon Jovi's "It's My Life" because I know that with all that is going on, my Dad is struggling to get back to normal and Glib needs to know that his ultimate goal is to get rid of it. He must live his life like there is a tomorrow and there are no obstacles in his path.

"It's My Life"

This ain't a song for the broken-hearted

No silent prayer for the faith-departed
I ain't gonna be just a face in the crowd
You're gonna hear my voice
When I shout it out loud

[Chorus:]
It's my life
It's now or never
I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive
(It's my life)
My heart is like an open highway
Like Frankie said
I did it my way
I just wanna live while I'm alive
It's my life

This is for the ones who stood their ground
For Tommy and Gina who never backed down
Tomorrow's getting harder make no mistake
Luck ain't even lucky
Got to make your own breaks

Better stand tall when they're calling you out
Don't bend, don't break, baby, don't back down

'Cause it's my life!

I love my family!

The pictures of my children are beautiful. I love you guys and thanks for going with me and all the support. It means the word to me.

Believe! Don't Stop thinking about tomorrow, it'll soon be here.

Thanks Kari, for the pix.

Love always,

Barry

Beautiful day...

We had so much fun last night. Rachel, Chelsea, Lexi, Barry and I all enjoyed an evening of reminising about the past, planning for the future and sharing some great laughs. Brant was at a Rangers game with friends. It was a great night.

This morning we all headed for the last radiation treatment of week four. Only three weeks left! It was a great day. After Barry's treatment, we took pictures in front of the huge glass sculpture by celebrated artist Dale Chihuly. It is sixteen feet tall and includes 1,100 hand-blown glass elements. After photos, it was off to Ojeda's Restaurant for a great lunch.

Yeah, I's Friday!

I feel really good today, had a great workout yesterday and a good nights sleep last night.

I got my new grass trimmer started this morning and did a little trimming. I think its going to work great after I get used to it.

LOve, to Everyone and God Bless!

Don't Stop Believing!!!

Hope...

With every wave and billow, we wish you JESUS leading you towards the shore. Trust in the One who walks knee-deep with you.

You are in our prayers!

Sandy Kniffin & Verna Majors

Thank you both so much for the great meal. We appreciate your kindness and generosity to much. Barry, Kari and Family.

Message from George and Lynn,,,

Barry,
We are praying for you & for Kari & your family as you go through this difficult time. We pray for strength, comfort & peace as well as for healing.
Godt's grace be on your lives!

Blessings,
George & Lynn Ashmore

The more the merrier...

Today was a wonderful day for Barry! Chelsea and Russell joined us as we took our daily trip to UT Southwestern for Barry's radiation. As we waited for Barry, Christy came out to visit. A few hugs and kisses later, we were off to go to Mama's Daughter's Diner for lunch. It was standing room only for about the first 15 minutes we were there. Anyone who has been there knows that means we were standing in the 5ft by 5ft area just inside the door. The wait was worth it. The food was great and the conversation was even better. It meant so much to have Chelsea and Russell there with us.

Thanks Jerry, Jacob and Brant!

Thank you so much for doing the yard before driving nine hours home to Alabama! You guys are the BEST! Kellie, thanks for everything!

Don't stop singing Barry...

As we drove home today, Barry told me to remind him to download the Fleetwood Mack song "Don't stop thinking about Tomorrow" as soon as we got home. What a perfect song! I had to include the lyrics below. We sang this all the way home... a little off key, but well worth it. It was great!

If you wake up and don't want to smile,
If it takes just a little while,
Open your eyes and look at the day,
You'll see things in a different way.

Don't stop, thinking about tomorrow,
Don't stop, it'll soon be here,
It'll be, better than before,
Yesterday's gone, yesterday's gone.

Why not think about times to come,
And not about the things that you've done,
If your life was bad to you,
Just think what tomorrow will do.

Don't stop, thinking about tomorrow,
Don't stop, it'll soon be here,
It'll be, better than before,
Yesterday's gone, yesterday's gone.

All I want is to see you smile,
If it takes just a little while,
I know you don't believe that it's true,
I never meant any harm to you.

Don't stop, thinking about tomorrow,
Don't stop, it'll soon be here,
It'll be, better than before,
Yesterday's gone, yesterday's gone.

Don't you look back,
Don't you look back.

First day of Avastin...

It was a long day at UTSouthwestern. First Barry had a visit with Dr. Ramzi and Dr. Anderson. Dr. Timmerman was out of town. Then it was radiation time. Next we were off to the lab, then placed in a Chemo treatment room. We had to wait an hour and a half for the results of the labs before Barry could begin the actual chemo infusion. Once the chemo began, it took another hour and a half for the treatment. Luckily we were out of there at 4:40pm and were able to beat the dreadful traffic. We had fun singing on the drive home.

FORE...

WaHoo could not be called a game of sophistication in our household. Barry, Lexi and I decided to play a "not-so-friendly" game of WaHoo as we waited for the family to arrive. It started friendly; however, we are all quite competitive and with "Scarber" mixed with "Williamson", voices can get quite loud and rowdy. Or as Barry called it, "you two are quite rufalous"... (only a couple of you will get that). Barry, Jerry and Dennis along with the wives and children enjoyed a late lunch at our favorite neighborhood restaurant - Tia Juanita's, followed by sharing stories about the past. (Some quite colorful and revealing about the young Williamsons) We all enjoyed watching Jacob, Alec, Brant and Lexi play Mario Cart on the WII when we returned home. At one point, Lexi was on a team by herself against all three boys and still managed to beat them by at least 10 points. Go Lexi!

After a lazy afternoon, it was off to the driving range. Father's teaching son's the correct way to hold and swing their club. Daughter's trying to knock the ball a thousand yards (I think she was imaging the ball as her mother's head... ha ha ha). Barry, looking like a pro in his new clothes that his sister bought him. Most importantly, Kellie and I offering our valuable advice. Did I mention Joey, the golf pro, making everyone look bad! After a polishing off four buckets of balls, everyone had worked up an appetite and it was off to Scotty P's. (Lexi and Joey looked so cute sharing one large strawberry milkshake with two straws...awe). We ended the evening with a few laughs, watching I Love You Man. Schlappin dat bass... hahahahaha.... It was a great day! Barry Joe.... I love you Man.

Happy 4th of July...

Today was a wonderful day filled with family, friends, food and fun! We started off at Highland Oaks Church of Christ with an inspirational message of healing from Christopher. Following church, our dear friend and church elder, George Ashmore, prayed with our family for Barry.






We enjoyed breakfast at Chubby's with Barry's Mom and Dad, Lexi, Joey and Brant. After a brief time of rest, we joined all of the family at Dennis and Jill's house for great BBQ!

Saturday... shouldn't we be resting...

I thought we were supposed to rest on Saturday! I guess not when Barry is in charge. It was early to rise for some last minute cleaning before Barry's Mom and Dad arrive then off to the gym. Barry feels great today! I, on the other hand, am dragging. What Barry wants, Barry gets. It paid off in the end. Barry completed his typical 5K on the eliptical in under 30 minutes and did the full lower body weight circuit and I was able to do 5 miles on the eliptical which made me feel much better in the end. Thanks honey!

Mom and Dad arrived mid afternoon and we enjoyed an evening out at our favorite local restaurant, Tia Juanita's. It was a really nice, stress free evening.

Hope You can keep up Chelsea

Well, since I didn't have any treatments or Dr. visits today; we had a good breakfast and then a great workiout. I did the full lower body circuit and I ran my 5k in less than 30 minutes. I want to thank Kari and my son Brant for taking me to the gym (Nobody understands how uplifting it makes me to think that just a little over 2 months ago I was on an operation table in critical condition and now I"m lifting weights and running over 3 miles.) I love it. I Love you all

Don't stop believing!

Victory! The end of week three....

We are so excited about seeing the family this weekend! It has been a long week, but a much better one than last week. Barry has had many good days. Still easily fatigued, but the nausea is under control. He is excited about the weekend.

I mentioned earlier this week (Tuesday) that Dr. Timmerman told Barry that his hair would begin to fall out. Unbelievably, it started that evening. A patch the size of a tennis ball near his incision simply wiped off with the touch of a bath towel. Barry wasn't prepared for it to happen that suddenly and in such quantity. This morning, after his shower, another patch, this one much larger was missing. I could tell that this was very emotional for Barry, so we decided to go ahead and cut it super short so that when it did disappear, it would be much less noticeable. I think it looks AWESOME!