Saturday, November 19, 2011
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Friday, November 4, 2011
November has begun...
Monday, October 31, 2011
Halloween, talk about scary...
Today was a very scary day in the Williamson household. Barry has been experiencing excrutiating headaches for the last two to three days. Although he has pain medication, it only lasts about two to two and a half hours. He has been on his new chemo treatment (Thalomid) for five days. Barry woke today with another excrutiating headache. Later, after resting most of the morning, Barry decided to clean up for the day. During this time, he was very weak and found that the majority of the weakness was on his left side. After struggling with what are usually routine tasks for Barry, he agreed that we needed to talk to the doctor and see what our next step should be. After talking to Dr. Maher, it was off to the ER at St. Paul Hospital - part of the UT Southwestern Campus. Thankfully, they were waiting for us to arrive. They were fairly quick to get Barry back to a room to be examined. He was still in pain when we arrived, so they gave him an injection of pain medicine that they described as 10X stronger than Morphene. I was SHOCKED that he could even talk after receiving that type of medication, but he was still coherent enough to talk to me. After a short stay in the ER, he was admitted to a room following a CAT scan. Thankfully, the CAT scan did not reveal any bleeding as a result of the new tumor growth. (The new tumor is growing in the same place where the original tumor was removed.) Once in the new room, Barry decided that he was starving and had a nice "hospital" meal. We settled in for the evening knowing that our son, Brant was being well taken care of by our dear friends the Chaney's.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Barry recently had an MRI and the result were not what we were hoping and praying for. Dr. Maher, Barry's Neuro-oncologist, said that the MRI that he had on Wednesday showed that the tumor (the same one that was initially removed during surgery) has started to grow again. She said that there was some bleeding around the tumor which is causing the pressure that he has been experiencing, resulting in the return of his headaches. The headaches are not as frequent as the last time he had new tumor growth and he is only taking one pain pill a day, sometime two. Overall, he feels really good and is mentally clearer than Brant and I have seen him in a long time.
The news hit him hard on Wednesday. We both thought that it would be more of the same news, slight shrinkage, but he has accepted the news as "part of it" in his words. He has promised me that he is not going to let this get him down and will continue to fight and maintain a positive attitude. Yesterday, he talked to Dennis on the phone for a while and conveyed a very positive attitude about moving in a different direction with the new treatment. He is an AMAZING man with such great courage and determination to beat this. In fact, he and I went to our friends gym yesterday and had a great workout. It lifted his spirits tremendously to be back in a gym setting.
The new treatment consists of three new drugs (listed below with information on each). The only really negative side effect for Barry will be in the first two weeks of taking Thalidomide. Dr. Maher said that it would make him extremely tired, so tired in fact, that we may have to wake him just to get him to eat during that time. After that, the intense fatigue wears off and he is better able to tolerate the medication. (30% of patients on this drug saw the tumor completely shrink, 60% of patients, the tumor stays the same and does not continue to grow, the remaining patients did not respond)
We love you all so much and thank you for your continued prayers and support.
Love you all,
Kari
Thalidomide was used widely outside of the United States as a hypnotic/sedative agent in the late 1950s and the early 1960s, but was withdrawn from the market because of the high incidence of severe birth defects attributed to this drug. Thalidomide was never approved in the US until recently, when it was approved for use in the treatment of leprosy-related conditions. However, there has been renewed interest in thalidomide over the past several years, particularly in the treatment of AIDS-related conditions, cancer and HIV-induced wasting, complications of leprosy, and bone-marrow transplant related graft-versus-host disease. These effects were attributed mostly to specific inhibitory activity on tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) production.
Observations that thalidomide is also an inhibitor of angiogenesis (prevents formation of new blood vessels in tumors) has prompted investigations of its use in the treatment of cancer. In order for a rapidly growing tumor to maintain its growth, a tumor "signals" already existing blood vessels to sprout new branches to feed it. Without a supply of oxygen and other nutrients, tumor growth would be impaired. As a tumor continues to grow, additional blood vessels would need to be formed to sustain new areas of tumor growth.
Clinical trials of thalidomide as a single agent in malignant gliomas that have recurred following radiation therapy have shown evidence of that this drug is active and can produce responses. Thalidomide is currently being tested in combination with a chemotheraputic agent active in malignant gliomas (carboplatin), and single-agent clinical trials are being initiated in the treatment of recurrent brain metastases and in the treatment of recurrent atypical or malignant meningiomas.
Thalidomide is an oral agent. In the ongoing clinical trials for gliomas, meningiomas, and brain metastases, it is taken as a single dose at night. The dose administered is dependent on the trial and is based on body surface area. Toxicities are usually dose-dependent and include drowsiness and constipation (most common) as well as rash and neuropathy (nerve damage) in the arms and legs. The most serious toxicity is the damage that thalidomide can produce in a developing fetus. All women receiving this drug require monthly pregnancy tests (unless not medically necessary). All men and women receiving thalidomide are required to use at least two forms (barrier and hormonal) of contraception.
Dexamethasone Brain tumor-associated cerebral edema arises because tumor capillaries lack normal blood-brain barrier function; vascular permeability factor (VPF, also known as vascular endothelial growth factor, VEGF) is a likely mediator of this phenomenon. Clinically, dexamethasone reduces brain tumor-associated vascular permeability through poorly understood mechanisms
BCNU is an anti-cancer ("antineoplastic" or "cytotoxic") chemotherapy drug. BCNU is classified as an "alkylating agent." (For more detail, see "How this drug works" section below).
What BCNU is used for:
Used to treat certain types of brain tumors; glioblastoma, brainstem glioma, medulloblastoma, astrocytoma, ependymoma and metastatic brain tumors.
Other cancers treated with BCNU include multiple myeloma, Hodgkin's disease, non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, melanoma, lung cancer, colon cancer.
How BCNU is given:
BCNU is usually given by an infusion into a vein (intravenous, IV).
There is no pill form of this medication.
There is a form of this medication (Gliadel® wafer) that can be placed and left in the cavity after surgical removal of a brain tumor. The carmustine wafer allows for delivery of the drug directly to the site of the brain tumor. (See separate listing "carmustine wafer" for more details regarding this formulation).
The amount of BCNU that you will receive depends on many factors, including your height and weight, your general health or other health problems, and the type of cancer or condition being treated. Your doctor will determine your dose and schedule.
The news hit him hard on Wednesday. We both thought that it would be more of the same news, slight shrinkage, but he has accepted the news as "part of it" in his words. He has promised me that he is not going to let this get him down and will continue to fight and maintain a positive attitude. Yesterday, he talked to Dennis on the phone for a while and conveyed a very positive attitude about moving in a different direction with the new treatment. He is an AMAZING man with such great courage and determination to beat this. In fact, he and I went to our friends gym yesterday and had a great workout. It lifted his spirits tremendously to be back in a gym setting.
The new treatment consists of three new drugs (listed below with information on each). The only really negative side effect for Barry will be in the first two weeks of taking Thalidomide. Dr. Maher said that it would make him extremely tired, so tired in fact, that we may have to wake him just to get him to eat during that time. After that, the intense fatigue wears off and he is better able to tolerate the medication. (30% of patients on this drug saw the tumor completely shrink, 60% of patients, the tumor stays the same and does not continue to grow, the remaining patients did not respond)
We love you all so much and thank you for your continued prayers and support.
Love you all,
Kari
Thalidomide was used widely outside of the United States as a hypnotic/sedative agent in the late 1950s and the early 1960s, but was withdrawn from the market because of the high incidence of severe birth defects attributed to this drug. Thalidomide was never approved in the US until recently, when it was approved for use in the treatment of leprosy-related conditions. However, there has been renewed interest in thalidomide over the past several years, particularly in the treatment of AIDS-related conditions, cancer and HIV-induced wasting, complications of leprosy, and bone-marrow transplant related graft-versus-host disease. These effects were attributed mostly to specific inhibitory activity on tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) production.
Observations that thalidomide is also an inhibitor of angiogenesis (prevents formation of new blood vessels in tumors) has prompted investigations of its use in the treatment of cancer. In order for a rapidly growing tumor to maintain its growth, a tumor "signals" already existing blood vessels to sprout new branches to feed it. Without a supply of oxygen and other nutrients, tumor growth would be impaired. As a tumor continues to grow, additional blood vessels would need to be formed to sustain new areas of tumor growth.
Clinical trials of thalidomide as a single agent in malignant gliomas that have recurred following radiation therapy have shown evidence of that this drug is active and can produce responses. Thalidomide is currently being tested in combination with a chemotheraputic agent active in malignant gliomas (carboplatin), and single-agent clinical trials are being initiated in the treatment of recurrent brain metastases and in the treatment of recurrent atypical or malignant meningiomas.
Thalidomide is an oral agent. In the ongoing clinical trials for gliomas, meningiomas, and brain metastases, it is taken as a single dose at night. The dose administered is dependent on the trial and is based on body surface area. Toxicities are usually dose-dependent and include drowsiness and constipation (most common) as well as rash and neuropathy (nerve damage) in the arms and legs. The most serious toxicity is the damage that thalidomide can produce in a developing fetus. All women receiving this drug require monthly pregnancy tests (unless not medically necessary). All men and women receiving thalidomide are required to use at least two forms (barrier and hormonal) of contraception.
Dexamethasone Brain tumor-associated cerebral edema arises because tumor capillaries lack normal blood-brain barrier function; vascular permeability factor (VPF, also known as vascular endothelial growth factor, VEGF) is a likely mediator of this phenomenon. Clinically, dexamethasone reduces brain tumor-associated vascular permeability through poorly understood mechanisms
BCNU is an anti-cancer ("antineoplastic" or "cytotoxic") chemotherapy drug. BCNU is classified as an "alkylating agent." (For more detail, see "How this drug works" section below).
What BCNU is used for:
Used to treat certain types of brain tumors; glioblastoma, brainstem glioma, medulloblastoma, astrocytoma, ependymoma and metastatic brain tumors.
Other cancers treated with BCNU include multiple myeloma, Hodgkin's disease, non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, melanoma, lung cancer, colon cancer.
How BCNU is given:
BCNU is usually given by an infusion into a vein (intravenous, IV).
There is no pill form of this medication.
There is a form of this medication (Gliadel® wafer) that can be placed and left in the cavity after surgical removal of a brain tumor. The carmustine wafer allows for delivery of the drug directly to the site of the brain tumor. (See separate listing "carmustine wafer" for more details regarding this formulation).
The amount of BCNU that you will receive depends on many factors, including your height and weight, your general health or other health problems, and the type of cancer or condition being treated. Your doctor will determine your dose and schedule.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Barry's Bunch of Believers in the DFW Brain Tumor Walk
Family and Friends,
It is time to begin planning for the Dallas Ft. Worth Brain Tumor walk sponsored by the National Brain Tumor Society. This will be our second year participating in efforts to support Barry in his battle against brain cancer, and also an opportunity to raise funds for research. Research is vitally important; It will enable health care professionals to learn more about brain tumors and hopefully find a treatment that will be 100% effective.
How can you help? Join our team! Last year we had a FANTASTIC turnout and we hope to have even more people this year. This is a time to gather with Barry and show our dedication to helping him in his fight against cancer.
Click here and select"Join Us" so that you can be apart of our team.
Don't think you can make it to the walk? No problem! Support Barry in the race by donating to the NBTS here
This year the race is on Saturday November 5, 2011. The race will again be held at Trinity Park, Ft. Worth Texas. Here is the exact address to type into your GPS:
2100 River Drive, Ft. Worth, TX 76107.
Here are some fun facts from last years walk:
•Barry's Bunch of Believer's came in 22nd place... out of 139 teams!!
•We raised $2,550.00 as a team
•Total raised was $325,421.69
Awesome huh?
We are getting a late start, but I am POSITIVE we can meet or exceed our stats from last year!
If you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions please feel free to email me, call me, or get in touch with me on facebook. I am looking forward to seeing you all at the walk in support of my dad. Thank you all!!
Love,
Chelsea
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Father/Son bonding over fire...
Monday, September 19, 2011
Happiness is Lubbock, TX...
Actually, the song says... Happiness is Lubbock, TX in my rearview mirror; however, for us happiness is arriving in Lubbock, TX. Barry's Mom and Dad, my Dad and his wife, all live in Lubbock, as well as many of our other family members and life long friends. We just enjoyed a great weekend at "home". It was so great to see family. We went to the beautiful wedding of Barry's cousin, Keith to his new bride Amie. The new Pentico's. Thank you both so much for inviting us to join you. It was absolutely beautiful and we wish you both the best. At the wedding we were able to see a picture of Barry's grandparents as a young couple. 
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
August MRI..
Barry received good news concerning his August MRI. There are no negative changes over the results he received 6 weeks ago. In fact, the images looked a little better... yea!
Barry has been spending lots of time at home indoors due to the exhausting Texas heat. He can't wait to get back out and do some fishing. He has been extremely tired lately and experiencing some balance issues. Other than that, he is doing pretty good. Just getting a little stir crazy around the house. It drives him crazy to see Brant and I working on household projects and not be able to jump in and take over. His fine motor skills are challenged not only by the initial surgery, but also by the medication that he takes daily. His short term memory also seems to have decreased a bit lately. His spirits remain high and his beliefs strong.
Barry has been spending lots of time at home indoors due to the exhausting Texas heat. He can't wait to get back out and do some fishing. He has been extremely tired lately and experiencing some balance issues. Other than that, he is doing pretty good. Just getting a little stir crazy around the house. It drives him crazy to see Brant and I working on household projects and not be able to jump in and take over. His fine motor skills are challenged not only by the initial surgery, but also by the medication that he takes daily. His short term memory also seems to have decreased a bit lately. His spirits remain high and his beliefs strong.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
A message from Barry...
By now I am sure that everyone knows what has happened to me this last year. That I have diagnosed with Brain Cancer. To me, a very big shock. At that point in my life, I thought I was in the best shape of my life. I felt 20 years old. I was working out every other day, I was lifting weights, I was training for a 5K which is the equivalent of 3.3 miles. I was doing this every other day.
The next day at work, I had a seizure and did not know what hit me. Thank God that Texas Instruments had a great response team and I was taken to Medical City Dallas where they performed an emergency craniotomy. I found out about the Brain Cancer Diagnosis soon after I was released form the hospital.
Thank s to my wife and children, they have been there by my side the entire time. I have pulled through this. The last MRI has shown very positive results and hopefully will continue.
Thank you Mom for raising me as a Christian and for being by my side, supporting me mentally and sometimes financially when times were tough. I could not ask for a better Mother and Father. Chris, I thank you for your strength, knowledge and the perseverance that you taught me throughout the years. I am blessed to have you in my life.
Christy, I thank you for leading me to an amazing medical staff at UT Southwestern. Dr. Maher has been a Godsend to me and that is all thanks to you and your knowledge of the medical field and the great people in it. Christy, you are always there providing comfort to me and my family and we thank you so much for everything you have done.
Dennis, thank you brother for being there for Kari and I. It meant so much to me that you came to see me every day that I was in the hospital and have since made sure that me and my family are ok. Even though you couldn’t fix my garage door.
Jerry, what can I say, I can’t believe that you and Jake broke the speed barriers making your way to Dallas to be by my side during my surgery, wait, that was how you usually drive… ha ha. To see you standing there when I woke up was so meaning ful. I knew that you had driven all night and were exhausted, but you were there for me. Thank you brother. I thank you seventy five times a week.
I never imagined that I would have people from all parts of the world praying for me throughout this last year. I have received hundreds of cards, emails, texts and phone calls. Thank you all so much.
Don’t take anything for granted. Eat right and stay in shape.
The Lord has blessed us all. Do not take the Lord for granted. He has blessed us all.
Get back in touch with your Savior. Without GOD I would not have survived any of this. If you have lost touch with Jesus, now is the time, surrounded by family that love you, gather together and ask for forgiveness. I have experienced the Lords healing powers first hand. I feel that the Lord is working through me to bring more people into his kingdom.
The next day at work, I had a seizure and did not know what hit me. Thank God that Texas Instruments had a great response team and I was taken to Medical City Dallas where they performed an emergency craniotomy. I found out about the Brain Cancer Diagnosis soon after I was released form the hospital.
Thank s to my wife and children, they have been there by my side the entire time. I have pulled through this. The last MRI has shown very positive results and hopefully will continue.
Thank you Mom for raising me as a Christian and for being by my side, supporting me mentally and sometimes financially when times were tough. I could not ask for a better Mother and Father. Chris, I thank you for your strength, knowledge and the perseverance that you taught me throughout the years. I am blessed to have you in my life.
Christy, I thank you for leading me to an amazing medical staff at UT Southwestern. Dr. Maher has been a Godsend to me and that is all thanks to you and your knowledge of the medical field and the great people in it. Christy, you are always there providing comfort to me and my family and we thank you so much for everything you have done.
Dennis, thank you brother for being there for Kari and I. It meant so much to me that you came to see me every day that I was in the hospital and have since made sure that me and my family are ok. Even though you couldn’t fix my garage door.
Jerry, what can I say, I can’t believe that you and Jake broke the speed barriers making your way to Dallas to be by my side during my surgery, wait, that was how you usually drive… ha ha. To see you standing there when I woke up was so meaning ful. I knew that you had driven all night and were exhausted, but you were there for me. Thank you brother. I thank you seventy five times a week.
I never imagined that I would have people from all parts of the world praying for me throughout this last year. I have received hundreds of cards, emails, texts and phone calls. Thank you all so much.
Don’t take anything for granted. Eat right and stay in shape.
The Lord has blessed us all. Do not take the Lord for granted. He has blessed us all.
Get back in touch with your Savior. Without GOD I would not have survived any of this. If you have lost touch with Jesus, now is the time, surrounded by family that love you, gather together and ask for forgiveness. I have experienced the Lords healing powers first hand. I feel that the Lord is working through me to bring more people into his kingdom.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Family Gathering...
Friday, July 22nd, we all gathered at Lake Texoma for a wonderful family weekend. Kellie found us a six bedroom cabin near the lake for us to share with the immediate family and our additional family members found lodging in the same campground. It was the perfect place. There were wall to wall people, but it worked out perfect.
Barry was very tired during our stay. He had a chemo infusion the day before we left for Texoma. The cabin was set up so that we had our own room and he was able to relax throughout the day and evening. Thanks so much to everyone for bringing all the food and snacks. We had tons of food throughout the vacation. Special thanks to Mom for the hard work she put into making sure everyone had plenty of breakfast and for making her amazing sausage casserole. Thanks Norma and Guy for the great home-grown tomatoes, goodies and the cute t-shirt aprons! Thanks Ron and Christy for all that you brought and special thanks to Ron for braving the additional heat from the grill! Everything (burgers, sausages, ect.) were great. We all appreciate you so much. I know everyone brought something to eat and contributed in some way and for that a big THANK YOU to all.The next day, Barry venured out on a jet ski with Dennis. That meant the world to him. He really enjoyed getting out on the water, even if Dennis did dunk him in, hahaha. Jerry did his best to throw everyone off the tube being pulled behind the boat. To all that helped pay for the boat and Jet skis... THANK YOU so much! I know that my children had so much fun on both. That was such a wonderful addition to our trip.
Jerry and Kellie - thanks for the amazing shrip boil on Saturday evening. Everyone enjoyed it so much. I know it was so much work and just wanted you to know how wonderful it was. m.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
MRI Results...
Barry had an MRI two weeks ago. It was the news we have been waiting to hear. The new tumor growth is a bit smaller than the last MRI. Dr. Maher said that was a good sign.
Barry has been feeling a little better than around the holidays. He still gets the headaches, but he doesn't get them as frequently. He is back on the Avastin/Ironotecan combination for three more treatments (one every other week) then he will have another MRI. Your continued prayers are appreciated and needed.
With the heat exceeding 100 degrees daily, we have not been able to get out of the house much lately. Barry can't take the heat and the chemotherapy makes him very sensitive to the sun. He has been extremely tired recently, but doing better mentally.
We take each day as it comes. We pray for his health and recovery daily.
Don't stop believing.
Barry has been feeling a little better than around the holidays. He still gets the headaches, but he doesn't get them as frequently. He is back on the Avastin/Ironotecan combination for three more treatments (one every other week) then he will have another MRI. Your continued prayers are appreciated and needed.
With the heat exceeding 100 degrees daily, we have not been able to get out of the house much lately. Barry can't take the heat and the chemotherapy makes him very sensitive to the sun. He has been extremely tired recently, but doing better mentally.
We take each day as it comes. We pray for his health and recovery daily.
Don't stop believing.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Final Dose...
today is Barrys final dose of Ironotecan and Avastin. He will have an MRI very soon. We are not sure what the treatment will be after the MRI, but we are praying for positive news. Barry has been so strong through all of this and we know that he has people all over the world praying for his recovery and full remission.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Happy Fathers Day...
Barry had the blessing of having all of his children and their significant others with him at a celebration in his honor. We all gathered at our home on Friday evening and enjoyed a meal and lots of laughs. Barry said that it was his best Fathers Day ever. His gifts included a hammock for the patio, an IronMan watch, a beautiful beverage dispenser, wireless speakers for the patio and a keyboard for his Ipad. You could say that the theme of the party was COMFORT!
Barry is doing really well. He has been more tired than usual; however, he has had fewer headaches and seems to have fewer disoriented moments. HIs short term memory is still effected by the surgery and seems to be more noticeable when he is tired or late in the afternoon and evening.
We continue to pray each day for recovery and remission. Thanks everyone for your continued prayers. Don't stop believing for Barry.
Barry is doing really well. He has been more tired than usual; however, he has had fewer headaches and seems to have fewer disoriented moments. HIs short term memory is still effected by the surgery and seems to be more noticeable when he is tired or late in the afternoon and evening.
We continue to pray each day for recovery and remission. Thanks everyone for your continued prayers. Don't stop believing for Barry.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Praying for serenity...
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. Courage to change the things I can. And the wisdom to know the difference.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Fish and fun...
Barry, Brant and I have found fishing to be great therapy! We have all grown very fond of Southern Oklahoma. In only an hour and a half, we can be in what some call mountains and feel like we are far away from the stress of day to day life. On Friday, we set out for Sulphur Oklahoma to stay at the Red Top Cabins. We arrived at the cabin which was not exactly what we expected, but it was still nice. The back of the cabin overlooked a thick brushy area. There was a firepit, grill and a hot tub out back. The inside of the cabin was open with a small wall seperating the sleeping area.
The first evening, we simply unpacked and enjoyed being together. We had a nice meal and went to bed relatively early because we wanted to make the most out of the next day.
On Saturday morning, we woke and made breakfast burritos. Once breakfast was over, we cleaned up and set out to WalMart to buy last minute supplies that we needed for fishing. We noticed a sign for GUY SANDY recreational area as we were driving to WalMart. We decided that would be our first place to attempt fishing. It was the perfect setup. There was a pier that led out to another rectangular deck that was open in the middle and completely covered over the top. We were able to stay out there all day and be protected from the sun. We had Barry's lounge chair with us, so when he got tired, he simply kicked back in his chair and took a nap. It was the perfect fishing location.
It took quite a while before we caught anything. It was really frustrating because the water is so clear there, you could SEE the fish swimming below the dock. Guess they just weren't in the mood to eat. Finally, around 3:00pm in the afternoon, the fish were hungry. I caught a bass, Barry caught a crappie, I caught a crappie... and so on. In all, we caught nine fish, four of which we kept and made for dinner that night. It was a wonderful day. Barry was so excited when he caught his bass.
That evening, we enjoyed a great meal and watched a couple of movies after sitting in the hot tub for a while. It was the perfect ending to the perfect day!
On Sunday, I asked the guys what they wanted to do. Barry's first response was... let's go back to that pier and fish! We arrived over there at about 11:00am. Although we could see the fish once again, some as big as 1 1/2 feet to 2 feet long, they weren't hungry. We ended up catching two fish all day. Around 4:00pm, we were all ready to go. I had mentioned to Brant as we were driving to Oklahoma that I found kayaks for rent on Lake Arbuckle. He begged me to take him over so that we could rent the kayaks. I told he and Barry that I was tired and that I would let them get a tandem kayak and I would sit on the shore and watch. They weren't having it. They wanted me out there with them. (I have never kayaked before! Honestly, I was scared to death).
With our gear in hand and our life jackets on, we were ready for our kayaking adventure. Brant had his own and Barry and I shared the tandem kayak. I sat in the back and Barry sat in the front ( The person in the back does all the work). Needless to say, Barry and I could use some improvement on our communication when it comes to steering a kayak! The lady at the rental desk specifically told us to stay along the shore. When we got to a bend in the shore, Brant and Barry decided that we should cross the lake and continue along the opposite shore. I adamantly said NO, we should stay along the shore like we were told. Barry and Brant (the adventurers) insisted that we could make it across and we would be fine. I was terrified. The wind was up, the ripples in the water seemed HUGE to a person in a kayak. When we arrived at the opposite side of the lake, I was trying to get Barry to help me turn the kayak so that we wouldn't get beached... it didn't work. We were stuck in the sand. We got out and turned the kayak around with Brant helping push us out. I was determined at that point to get back across the lake where we belonged in the first place. As I am paddling across, with everything I've got, Brant yelled at me not to leave him. I turned to see him standing beside his kayak, unable to get back on. I quickly turned our kayak around and headed back for Brant. As I approached him, he was able to get on and he started paddling toward Barry and I. Once again, I had to turn the kayak around. Unfortunately, when I turned us back around, we were sideways in the drift. A wave came, Barry leaned right and we were over! Brant jumped off his kayak and swam to our rescue. Our mission now was to get Barry over to the shore. I wasn't going to try to get us back across the lake anymore. I just wanted to get Barry on shore and call for help. Brant and I helped Barry over to the small sandy beach area and I called the desk to explain our situation. They wanted us to paddle back across and I told them it was impossible. They soon showed up with a pontoon boat and rescued us. We were all exhausted after that ordeal and decided that we should simply spend the night in the neighboring town of Ardmore instead of trying to drive back considering the large storm that was about to hit. All of this took place on Mother's Day. Everyone would have been just fine if they would have listened to me... A MOM. Boys never learn.
The first evening, we simply unpacked and enjoyed being together. We had a nice meal and went to bed relatively early because we wanted to make the most out of the next day.
On Saturday morning, we woke and made breakfast burritos. Once breakfast was over, we cleaned up and set out to WalMart to buy last minute supplies that we needed for fishing. We noticed a sign for GUY SANDY recreational area as we were driving to WalMart. We decided that would be our first place to attempt fishing. It was the perfect setup. There was a pier that led out to another rectangular deck that was open in the middle and completely covered over the top. We were able to stay out there all day and be protected from the sun. We had Barry's lounge chair with us, so when he got tired, he simply kicked back in his chair and took a nap. It was the perfect fishing location.
It took quite a while before we caught anything. It was really frustrating because the water is so clear there, you could SEE the fish swimming below the dock. Guess they just weren't in the mood to eat. Finally, around 3:00pm in the afternoon, the fish were hungry. I caught a bass, Barry caught a crappie, I caught a crappie... and so on. In all, we caught nine fish, four of which we kept and made for dinner that night. It was a wonderful day. Barry was so excited when he caught his bass.
That evening, we enjoyed a great meal and watched a couple of movies after sitting in the hot tub for a while. It was the perfect ending to the perfect day!
On Sunday, I asked the guys what they wanted to do. Barry's first response was... let's go back to that pier and fish! We arrived over there at about 11:00am. Although we could see the fish once again, some as big as 1 1/2 feet to 2 feet long, they weren't hungry. We ended up catching two fish all day. Around 4:00pm, we were all ready to go. I had mentioned to Brant as we were driving to Oklahoma that I found kayaks for rent on Lake Arbuckle. He begged me to take him over so that we could rent the kayaks. I told he and Barry that I was tired and that I would let them get a tandem kayak and I would sit on the shore and watch. They weren't having it. They wanted me out there with them. (I have never kayaked before! Honestly, I was scared to death).
With our gear in hand and our life jackets on, we were ready for our kayaking adventure. Brant had his own and Barry and I shared the tandem kayak. I sat in the back and Barry sat in the front ( The person in the back does all the work). Needless to say, Barry and I could use some improvement on our communication when it comes to steering a kayak! The lady at the rental desk specifically told us to stay along the shore. When we got to a bend in the shore, Brant and Barry decided that we should cross the lake and continue along the opposite shore. I adamantly said NO, we should stay along the shore like we were told. Barry and Brant (the adventurers) insisted that we could make it across and we would be fine. I was terrified. The wind was up, the ripples in the water seemed HUGE to a person in a kayak. When we arrived at the opposite side of the lake, I was trying to get Barry to help me turn the kayak so that we wouldn't get beached... it didn't work. We were stuck in the sand. We got out and turned the kayak around with Brant helping push us out. I was determined at that point to get back across the lake where we belonged in the first place. As I am paddling across, with everything I've got, Brant yelled at me not to leave him. I turned to see him standing beside his kayak, unable to get back on. I quickly turned our kayak around and headed back for Brant. As I approached him, he was able to get on and he started paddling toward Barry and I. Once again, I had to turn the kayak around. Unfortunately, when I turned us back around, we were sideways in the drift. A wave came, Barry leaned right and we were over! Brant jumped off his kayak and swam to our rescue. Our mission now was to get Barry over to the shore. I wasn't going to try to get us back across the lake anymore. I just wanted to get Barry on shore and call for help. Brant and I helped Barry over to the small sandy beach area and I called the desk to explain our situation. They wanted us to paddle back across and I told them it was impossible. They soon showed up with a pontoon boat and rescued us. We were all exhausted after that ordeal and decided that we should simply spend the night in the neighboring town of Ardmore instead of trying to drive back considering the large storm that was about to hit. All of this took place on Mother's Day. Everyone would have been just fine if they would have listened to me... A MOM. Boys never learn.
Friday, May 6, 2011
A year ago today...
Last year, May 6th, was the most devastating day for the Williamson Family. This year, May 6th and beyond is a celebration of LIFE and BELIEVING! It is hard to believe that a year has passed since our lives were changed forever. Through it all, Barry has been a pillar of strength to his family, friends, neighbors and complete strangers. He has perservered through the most difficult of times, never complaining or feeling sorry for himself. Barry always cares about others and is always concerned about how is cancer is affecting everyone else. He is the most amazing husband, father and friend to all that know him. (Barry, I cherish every moment that we spend together)
Barry recently learned that the tumor that was removed last year is beginning to grow back. According to his oncologist, Dr. Maher, it is localized to the same area which is a positive. With this news came disccussion of a new regime of treatment. We are waiting on two other doctors approvals before beginning treatment. Please continue to pray for Barry and keep him in your thoughts as the doctors decide the best course of action to take. Don't stop BELIEVING!
Barry recently learned that the tumor that was removed last year is beginning to grow back. According to his oncologist, Dr. Maher, it is localized to the same area which is a positive. With this news came disccussion of a new regime of treatment. We are waiting on two other doctors approvals before beginning treatment. Please continue to pray for Barry and keep him in your thoughts as the doctors decide the best course of action to take. Don't stop BELIEVING!
Monday, April 25, 2011
Happy Easter...
Barry, Brant and I just spent a wonderful weekend with our parents and family in Lubbock. It was so nice to go HOME for a few days. Lubbock seems to have changed so much each time we visit.
I have so much to catch up on and post to the blog. I am hoping to get it updated this week. Lexi refers to it as my "marathon blogging" time.
Barry has been really tired this week and experiencing more headaches and an ongoing pain in his left shoulder. He has an MRI this, April 28th. We are praying that there are no new findings from the last MRI in early March. His appetite has been great lately. He was down to (my guess) 155 lbs and I think he is back up to a healthy 175. After watching him go through these last two rounds of Temodar without the addition of the Avastin, he and I both believe that it was the Avastin that was making him so sick. He is not having any of the symptoms that he was before other than fatigue. His short term memory seems to be a little worse recently, which we will discuss with his doctor this week.
Please add Barry to your church congregations prayer list (if you haven't already) and ask the to pray for good results on Thursday and healing with each passing day. There are so many people across the world praying for Barry and we appreciate all of you so much. Don't stop Believing...
I have so much to catch up on and post to the blog. I am hoping to get it updated this week. Lexi refers to it as my "marathon blogging" time.
Barry has been really tired this week and experiencing more headaches and an ongoing pain in his left shoulder. He has an MRI this, April 28th. We are praying that there are no new findings from the last MRI in early March. His appetite has been great lately. He was down to (my guess) 155 lbs and I think he is back up to a healthy 175. After watching him go through these last two rounds of Temodar without the addition of the Avastin, he and I both believe that it was the Avastin that was making him so sick. He is not having any of the symptoms that he was before other than fatigue. His short term memory seems to be a little worse recently, which we will discuss with his doctor this week.
Please add Barry to your church congregations prayer list (if you haven't already) and ask the to pray for good results on Thursday and healing with each passing day. There are so many people across the world praying for Barry and we appreciate all of you so much. Don't stop Believing...
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Where are the fish...
Barry, Brant and I decided on a last minute getaway and try our luck at fishing. After gathering our supplies and servicing our fishing equipment, we were off to Cooper Lake State Park just outside of Sulphur Springs, TX. Barry and I wanted to take Brant to the awesome fishing pier that we had found back in June 2010. Although we had read a report on the lake and it stated that it was 10 ft low, we were not expecting to find the pier towering above the water with only an estimated 3ft of water surrounding the beams. It was literally a 25 to 30 foot drop from the pier down to the water.
After the initial disappointment of not being able to fish from the pier, we made our way down to the bank and tried our luck there... no luck. We would catch an occasional glimpse of a fish jumping off in the distance which gave us the hope that our trip would be fruitful... no luck. It just was not our day to catch fish! The sun got hotter and hotter as the day wore on and we decided enough was enough. It was time to call it a day. We stayed at a small hotel in the neighboring town of Sulphur Springs. Brant enjoyed the pool. Barry and I enjoyed watching Brant in the pool. Neither of us were going in... it was about 55 degrees in that pool.
The next morning we set off for Lake Fork which was only 20 minutes away. First we needed breakfast! We found a local diner and enjoyed the best breakfast we have had in a long time. The restaurant was interesting to say the least. Surely there would be plenty of fish there for us to catch... right? Wrong. Although we enjoyed each others company and the shell lined bank of the lake, we did not catch one fish.
After the initial disappointment of not being able to fish from the pier, we made our way down to the bank and tried our luck there... no luck. We would catch an occasional glimpse of a fish jumping off in the distance which gave us the hope that our trip would be fruitful... no luck. It just was not our day to catch fish! The sun got hotter and hotter as the day wore on and we decided enough was enough. It was time to call it a day. We stayed at a small hotel in the neighboring town of Sulphur Springs. Brant enjoyed the pool. Barry and I enjoyed watching Brant in the pool. Neither of us were going in... it was about 55 degrees in that pool.
The next morning we set off for Lake Fork which was only 20 minutes away. First we needed breakfast! We found a local diner and enjoyed the best breakfast we have had in a long time. The restaurant was interesting to say the least. Surely there would be plenty of fish there for us to catch... right? Wrong. Although we enjoyed each others company and the shell lined bank of the lake, we did not catch one fish.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Turner Falls Getaway...
Barry and I decided, last minute, that we needed a weekend adventure. We surprised Brant by picking him up from school completely packed and immediately headed to the Turner Falls area of Oklahoma. He was so excited. We have been talking about doing something like this for a while. Our final destination was Cedar Falls Cabin #1. It was perfect. The cabin sat on a hill which overlooked Honey Creek. The creek was crystal clear! It was so pretty. Although there were cabins nearby, our cabin was on the very end and we felt secluded from all of the others.
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| Cedar Creek Cabin #1 |
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| Father and Son checking out the fish |
After unloading all of our stuff from the car, we set out to explore the area. Brant took the lead and Barry and I followed behind. The scenery was great. The foliage was new and light green. The creek water was very cold, but that didn't stop Brant from jumping right in. We enjoyed fishing for a while and playing games like ladder ball and washers. As the sun began to set, Brant was anxious to start a fire. Up on the hill, near the cabin was a great fire pit. Brant lit the fire and I worked on making what Barry calls "Wayne Burgers" which are simply bbq hamburgers cooked on the grill. I haven't mastered the art of them like my father (Wayne) but Barry said they were pretty close.
After dinner, it was time for smores. I found the largest marshmellows that I have ever seen in my life at WalMart. They were literally three times the size of a normal large marshmellow.
The next morning, I cooked breakfast for Barry, Brant and I. We decided it was time to catch some fish. We caught a couple, but none large enough to keep. It was still fun. Lexi and Joey showed up at the cab about 3pm that afternoon. They, too, set out to explore with Brant leading the way. The rest of the afternoon was spent just sitting by the creek, fishing a little, listening to music and just enjoying each others company. We had a wonderful dinner and watched a movie before bed.
Sunday morning came and we packed up the car and set off for Turner Falls. The day was extremely windy! Barry and I decided to sit in the shade and watch the kids. Lexi, Joey and Brant took advantage of the falls. They said the water was pretty cold, but that did not stop them from enjoying the natural swimming hole.
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