Only two days left...

Barry has made it through three of the five day cycle of Temodar.  It has been tough on him.  The first night he was very ill.  The second night, was a little better, but still resulted in nausea and overall fatigue.  He has been sleeping most of the day and night for the last two days.  He was able to go to Brant's football game on Tuesday evening and stayed through the entire game.  He loves watching Brant play football.  Although Brant's team lost, he played really well.  At one point in the game, he was triple-teamed and still managed to stay on his feet.  I am not exaggerating when I say that he grows overnight.  I haven't measured him lately, but he is at least 5'7 if not 5'8 now.   Before long, he will tower over both Barry and I.

The weather here is finally starting to cool off.  I am hoping that I will be able to get Barry out of the house more often.  I think it will be good for him to get out and breathe some fresh air.  He has mentioned on several occasions that he would like to go over to the place where the National Brain Tumor Association walk will be held on November 6th and check out the terrain.  Maybe even walk it if he is up to it.  Hopefully a week or two after this round of chemo, he will be up to it.

Thank you all for the continued phone calls, notes of encouragement, emails and prayers.  Barry, the children and I appreciate everyone so much.

One final note worth mentioning... for all of you who have an IPhone, ITouch or IPad, I found the greatest application called Letters to God.  It allows you to put your prayer into a text format and share it with the world.  It is worth checking out.  I know that I wholeheartedly believe in the power of prayer.  In fact, through this app, I found an individual praying for positive results to come from their father's upcoming MRI.  He, too, has brain cancer.  Love to all and Don't Stop Believing...

Only two days left...

Barry has made it through three of the five day cycle of Temodar.  It has been tough on him.  The first night he was very ill.  The second night, was a little better, but still resulted in nausea and overall fatigue.  He has been sleeping most of the day and night for the last two days.  He was able to go to Brant's football game on Tuesday evening and stayed through the entire game.  He loves watching Brant play football.  Although Brant's team lost, he played really well.  At one point in the game, he was triple-teamed and still managed to stay on his feet.  I am not exaggerating when I say that he grows overnight.  I haven't measured him lately, but he is at least 5'7 if not 5'8 now.   Before long, he will tower over both Barry and I.

The weather here is finally starting to cool off.  I am hoping that I will be able to get Barry out of the house more often.  I think it will be good for him to get out and breathe some fresh air.  He has mentioned on several occasions that he would like to go over to the place where the National Brain Tumor Association walk will be held on November 6th and check out the terrain.  Maybe even walk it if he is up to it.  Hopefully a week or two after this round of chemo, he will be up to it.

Thank you all for the continued phone calls, notes of encouragement, emails and prayers.  Barry, the children and I appreciate everyone so much.

One final note worth mentioning... for all of you who have an IPhone, ITouch or IPad, I found the greatest application called Letters to God.  It allows you to put your prayer into a text format and share it with the world.  It is worth checking out.  I know that I wholeheartedly believe in the power of prayer.  In fact, through this app, I found an individual praying for positive results to come from their father's upcoming MRI.  He, too, has brain cancer.  Love to all and Don't Stop Believing...

Dr. Timmerman follow-up visit...

Rachel was such an angel today.  She took Barry for his follow-up visit to see Dr. Timmerman.  He was the doctor that oversaw Barry's Radiation treatment.  I was under the weather and worried about exposing Barry and other patients in the lobby to what I have.  According to what she and Barry were told, everything looks great so far.  The swelling in the brain has decreased and everything is moving back as it should.  Dr. Timmerman does not want to see Barry back until the end of February!  It always make Barry feel so much better mentally to talk to Dr. Timmerman or Dr. Maher.  God has blessed us with a great medical team to oversee his care. 

Barry and Rachel enjoyed a late lunch together at Olive Garden.  

Barry will begin his monthly 5-Day cycle of chemo this evening.  Please pray that he tolerates the chemo and that it is working for him.  As Barry would say... Don't Stop Believing!

Seeing is believing...

Today Barry had a follow-up visit with Neuro Opthamologist, Dr. Jones.  He repeated the visual field test which, in comparison, was a match to the one completed back in June.  The great news is that the radiation treatments did not cause any further damage or loss of sight.  Barry was disappointed to hear that there was no improvement (on paper); however, feels that he is learning to compensate for the difference in his vision.  We asked Dr. Jones about the classes that were mentioned to us.  He said that there are no "classes" that teach compensation for vision loss.  There is a program at Baylor Dallas that evaluates an individuals ability to drive with vision impairments.  This is definitely something that we will do in the future!

As we drove home, I asked Barry to be my eyes.  I asked him to let me know when it was safe to change lanes and asked him to identify things on the left side as we drove down the road.  He did really well.  He was able to see how quickly vehicles can appear on the left side. 

Barry feels much better again today and has had a normal appetite.  No nausea... yea!  He has made comments to me today that he feels better than he has in a long time.

Prayers needed... Barry begins the next 5 day cycle of chemo (Temodar) next Monday.  It is a stronger dose than the last.  Please pray specifically that his body is able to tolerate this increase and that he continues to gain strength with each passing day. 

Only two Avastin treatments left...

After today's Avastin treatment, Barry only has two more to go.  Yea!  Barry said many times today that he felt SO much better.  I LOVE hearing that.  He has had such a difficult time over the past few weeks, it is great to hear him say that he feels better.  He is also talking about his hopes of going back to work in the middle of October (depending on how his body reacts to this next round of Chemo which begins 9/27). 

Eat Mor Chikin...

Barry felt MUCH better today!  He has not had any headaches today and very little nausea.  In fact, he ate an entire Chick fil a sandwich and fries this afternoon.  It may seem a little odd that I am so excited about a simple sandwich, but Barry seriously has not had a complete meal for several days.

I think the reassurance of Dr. Maher that she and her staff could come up with solutions to everything that he has been experiencing really made an impact.  Barry seemed to be much more relaxed today and had more energy than he has had for over a week.  It was so uplifting to see the improvement. 

It was a great day and we are looking forward to a wonderful weekend.  Chelsea is in town and will be here in the morning.  We are so excited to see her and hear everything that has been happening at school.

Thanks to everyone for your prayers.  Today is proof that they are working.  Don't stop Believing! 

Medical update...

The last two weeks have been filled with many obstacles in our lives as it relates to Barry's health.  The shift seemed to begin as he was tapered off the prescription steriods, which unfortunately can cause deterioration of the thigh muscles the longer they are used.  I haven't posted this week because Barry has had a difficult week. He is battling nausea on a daily basis as well as the pressure headaches.  His mood has been subdued and the fatigue has him spending majority of his time in bed or sleeping.  When he is awake, he experiences periods of hunger, but when he tries to eat something (even very bland food) he takes a couple of bites and is finished.  He has lost 9 lbs over the last three weeks.  I have been in contact with the Dr. on a couple of occasions regarding this progression and she has been working with her team to come up with a solution.  He has experienced ringing in his ears which last only a few seconds and smells things that none of us can smell.  The Dr. has shared that this can be the indication of small seizures. 

During our appointment with Dr. Maher today, Barry and I outlined all of the issues that have  come into play over the last three weeks since we last saw her.  She ordered Barry to have a stomach x-ray to rule out any obstructions, they are changing his antinausea medications and offered other advice for getting in his calories when he does not feel like eating.  We left there with a great game plan!  The Dr. reviewed his lab work and the key components that they look for were all within the normal levels.... which is super important.

I think seeing Dr. Maher actually helps Barry and I both so much mentally.  We left there with a renewed sense that everything is going to be OK.  I should hear back from Pattie sometime tomorrow with the results of his x-ray. 

I ask everyone to maintain positive thoughts, send Barry positive message, keep praying and most importantly, Don't Stop Believing! 

If you have not had a chance to show Barry your support of him in this fight, take a moment to go to the following website, register and make your donation to either participate as part of our team as an active runner/walker or simply make a small contribution to our team - Barry's Bunch of Believers!

Click here to learn more:    http://www.braintumorcommunity.org/site/TR/Events/BTW-TX?team_id=42654&pg=team&fr_id=1592

Our Lexi is home!!!

It was great to get home from Barry's doctor visit today and find Lexi waiting for us!  She has been gone for a week and a half and we have all missed her so much.  It is good to have our Lexi home. 

Barry had a visit with Dr. Drake today.  It was his routine annual physical.  Dr. Drake decided that both Barry and I should be vaccinated against pneumonia and the flu.  We left the office with matching bandaids on each shoulder.  It is better to be safe than sorry. 

Tonight was Brant's first football game which we were all excited about. 

Too bad... the game was rained out.  They made it to half-time.  Brant was playing really well and was fired up.  We are so proud!  GO COWBOYS!

Delayed Anniversary Celebration...

Barry and I decided that we were going to celebrate our Anniversary this weekend. A great advantage of being in the travel industry are the PERKS.... Hotel NYLO here we come. NYLO Plano's distinctive urban design features loft-style rooms with exposed brick walls, soaring ceilings, polished concrete floors, and oversized windows. Modern décor and artwork by local Texas artists add character to the lobby and the rooms. Here are some pictures of our stay.

Welcoming the weekend...

First of all, I want to thank my family for their support of me and my beautiful wife Kari and our children. I don't know what we would have done without you. I can't wait until we can all be together again. I miss my Dad and I hope to see him very soon.

The garage door is still working. Thanks Jerry and Dennis for helping me. Thanks Kellie and Kari for watching and direction the project.

Thanks to everyone who continues to pray and asks for prayer requests from their families, friends and neighbors. I know that has contributed to my progress and I can't thank you enough,.

We Need Your Help!

Dear family and friends,

As you know, my family and I plan on participating in the DFW Brain Tumor Walk on November 6th 2010. We have had several people sign up and join my dad's team and that is great! Just a few reminders for others:

• If you plan on walking with us on November 6th, you HAVE to
register as a member of our team or they won't let you walk.
• It costs $50.00 to register as an adult, but this money counts as
your donation to the National Brain Tumor Society.
• If you live far away or don't think you can walk the 5K, please
feel free to donate to Barry's Bunch of Believers.
• If you need help registering or donating please email me or call
me at chelseamichellew@gmail.com or (972) 697-9994

On a personal note, this 5k means more to my dad than simply walking around a track. To my dad, this 5K represents a time to celebrate with family and friends, a time to rejoice in his remarkable recovery and a time to take in the beauty of support and love. My dad's one goal is to be someone's support and inspiration and if he has been that to you, then I ask you to please consider walking or making a donation in his honor.


Here is the website, if you want to navigate it yourself.
http://www.braintumorcommunity.org/site/TR/Events/BTW-TX?team_id=42654&pg=team&fr_id=1592

Otherwise, please give me a call or email and I will be happy to help. Also, send this message to your friends! The more money we raise means the sooner NBTS eliminates brain tumors for good!

Thank you!
Love, Chelsea

Difficult day...

Yesterday and today were really hard for Barry.  He has been extremely tired and is battling with nausea throughout the day.  He has also been extremely emotional.  When I ask him what is wrong, he just says how much he wants everything to be "back to normal".  Rachel, Brant and I talked to him and told him that we see improvement in his progress on a daily basis, but it just isn't happening fast enough for him.  We talked to Chelsea via Skype night before last and she told him how great he looked.  Lexi is still on vacation, but she sends daily messages.  It worries me when he is down because I don't want it to be a set back for him. 

He was able to muster up the strength and endurance to go 3.2 miles on our home elliptical yesterday!

Avastin Tuesday...

Thanks to Hermine, Barry and I were pummeled with torrential rain this morning as we headed to UT Southwestern...ugh.  When we arrived, we could tell by the parking lot that we were in for a long day.  They are always super busy after a holiday weekend.  Barry was SO tired today and it was difficult for him to sit in the waiting room for so long.  I tried to get him a chemo chair (which reclines) to wait for his appt, but they were all full.  We finally were called back and the first nurse that attempted to start the IV failed miserably.  Thank goodness she had enough sense to get someone who knew what they were doing.  The treatment itself only lasted 30 minutes... whew.  We were glad to be out of there.  The drive home wasn't too bad.  Not too much rain to deal with .  Looks like we are in for substantially more rain this evening.  At least we are at home with no place to be. 

Just filling space.. And I love you guys and miss you TONS!!

So... I don't see why I get in trouble for taking too long to blog when I am on vacation when you guys haven't blogged anything either, haha.

Besides that, I am having a great time up here in Ohio, but I can't wait to get home. I'd like an update on the blog to let me know what's going on... I hope that everything is well and I will keep you updated on the Ohio blog as well.

Dad - I miss you TTTTHHHHIIIISSSSS much! It is really hard being away from you and I know that you didn't want me to go, but we will have lots to talk about when I get back. Keep getting better, and Remember: Don't Stop Believing! I have worn my new necklace (Hope, Faith, Love, Believe) and my Believe bracelet everyday to remind me to think of you. Joey has worn his as well. We both love you and can't wait to see you when we get back.

Mom - I am having a hard time being away from you as well. It has been a long time since we have been away from each other for this long. I love you more than anything. By the way, what's up with the blog?? Are you going to pull a blog update marathon again soon? I'm looking forward to it. Text me anytime, I love getting them!

Brant - You probably haven't started missing me yet, but just so you know I am missing you way too much... for some reason, haha. You should check out our Ohio blog, I've taken a few pictures here and there simply because they made me think of you. I hope school is going alright and I can't wait to see your upcoming football games, I'm really excited!

Chelsea and Rachel - I love you guys and I hope you both are having a good week. I can't wait until we can all see each other again.

Sweet Home Alabama....

Jerry, Kellie and Jacob came by this morning to say "Goodbye" and head back to Alabama.  It was so sad to see them go.  They promised to be back to participate in the 2010 DFW Brain Tumor Walk on November 6th!  http://www.braintumorcommunity.org/site/PageServer?pagename=BTW_TX_Homepage
Speaking of the walk... if you have not yet taken time to donate, please take a moment and go to the link above.  It only takes a minute.  Barry's Bunch of Believers is currently 7th!  Show your support.

Happy Anniversary Barry...

The Williamson Brothers fix the garage...

Jerry and Dennis working on our garage door after I, Kari, accidentally let the garage door land on a wheel barrel, which bent it down the middle.  As you can see, Jerry and Barry are having fun goofing around as Dennis does all the work!  Thank you both so much for making it operable again!

2010 Labor Day Weekend...

Chatting with Chelsea...

Although Chelsea is away at school, she has found a way to keep in face to face contact with us.... Skype!  We had our first family "conference call"  earlier this week.  Barry loved to see Chelsea's smiling face.  He talks about her all the time.  Chelsea, we miss you!  Can't wait to see you soon.

5 Days of Chemo.....complete

Barry's first 5-day monthly cycle of chemo is over and he is on the mend.  It has been two days since he completed the last pills and he is beginning to feel a bit better.  The cumulative effect of the drug causes him to be quite fatigued, but each day is a little better than the day before.  In fact, we decided to be adventurous yesterday (actually, I decided and Barry thought I was crazy).  We took all three pups with us when we went to pick up Brant from school.  His school is right next to the greenbelt/walking path, so after we picked him up, we decided to take advantage of the 81degree weather and take a leisurely stroll with Leila, Trixie and Duchess.  Brant was in charge of Leila... who likes to run instead of stroll.  Trixie is excellent on a leash, she walks immediately in front of you at a regular pace and is not easily distracted... unless she see the ducks, then she slips into "hunting mode".  Then there is Duchess... the pretty one.  She is the type that will walk about 10 feet and stop.... 10 feet and stop..... you can see where I am going with this.  She likes to stop and smell the roses along the way.  She turns her nose up at the ducks and trots by them as though they don't exist.  (She thinks she is human).  I had to include a couple of photos of the Williamson pups.