WOW, what a ride! I want to thank A.G. for keeping you all informed of the road we have taken.

How fragile the mind is and how reality and the imagination can become so intertwined. I want to fill in on some of the things that went on and I am the only one who can because for about a week I lived in my own little world.

I think I lost reality before those around me realized that I was not walking in the same direction they were for each step. I remember Arthur and I being given a few days off and we went home, to Weatherford. We enjoyed that time because on our return to Houston we knew that there would be some rough times ahead of us…little did we know how rough. I remember going to the hospital and getting ready for the next phase of the journey. I remember getting my stem cells back. Each time they give you anything such as stem cells, blood or platelets; they ask for your name and M. D. Anderson identification number. Two nurses must accompany the “juice” and verify that the correct person is getting the offering. We have talked about me receiving my stem cells and me receiving the chemo so I will not go into that again.

This is the last that I remember in full days but I do remember small pieces of the next few days. I remember A. G. staying with me, us talking and enjoying visiting with each other even though I had already started the trip to my own “Land of OZ”.

THIS IS REALITY and I do not remember any of it but have been told: A.G. wanted to stay with me and he was a great caregiver he was probably the first to see my decline and called Arthur on Saturday the 26th of February. Before Arthur arrived, my brother and sister-in-law became my caregivers. They arrived at 3:00 p m and this enabled A.G. to catch his flight home. By the time Arthur arrived, my condition had improved so he returned to Weatherford on the 27th of February.

THIS IS REALITY although I do not remember any of this: Marilyn filled me in on the week. She said through Thursday, I was talking, asking questions and responding to everyone. My oxygen intake was too low so I had to wear an oxygen mask and Marilyn had to replace it. She said I called her Nurse Ratchet because she was intent on me having the oxygen I needed. I had such itching that Marilyn took away my back scratcher but would try to give me relief by using my pillow to rub against my back. She said I also wanted to use the cell phone and told her it was o.k. but she told me it might not be a good idea to use it with all the machines in the room…she had to hide it in a drawer. When asked how I was doing, she said I would say fine other than my throat was very sore (I had sores in my mouth and my tongue was swollen).

She said I was given Morphine and things went down hill from there. Late Thursday things began to change and the nurses and doctors were in my room much more of the time. By Friday, I was not responding.

This is part of the story and I will continue tomorrow. I do want to thank everyone for their good thoughts, best wishes and prayers, we feel these helped bring me through.