Tangboy's Blog

I was just walking down the steps from P.E. class when my phone rang. I answered the phone even though I couldn’t recognize the number. There was a kind voice on the other end that sounded somewhat excited. One of the nurses from my Oncologists office informed me that my doctor thought that we could do without the final two chemo treatments!

Yeah… big sigh of relief on my part for sure! That means no more getting stuck in my port with a giant needle the size of an I-beam! No more making the funny “goik” noise that automatically happens everytime I think of chemo. No more being sick and cranky all the time… now I get to just be cranky! But I do not have the excuse to be cranky… I might miss that part.

God is good… not because I get to not have my last two chemo treatments… but for the fact that I know that I have grown through this. I have come to realize that life is too short… that video games really aren’t THAT important to the relationships I have in this lifetime. That God IS in control ALL of the time even if I try to do what I want! My relationship with my wife is all the more strong and based more on faith in God’s love then in what we try to do for each other. My family has grown closer, realizing more and more that we need each other and mean a lot to each other. God is good because He can take ANY situation, whether its good or bad, and turn it into an AMAZING situation. There are lessons to be learned everywhere by Him if we just look for them.

I have had my tough times… where I was not very happy with what I was going through but then I realized that it’s not just me that is going through this. Everyone I know and more are going through this with me. They are there to support, cry, hug, transport raspberry ice cream from Klines, instant message me every morning before they go to sleep in Yap, take the time to make choplets or call just to tell us they love us. There are so many wonderful people out there supporting each other, it’s amazing and a blessing. Take the time to say “thanks” to someone special to you!

Today I drank about a gallon of that Barium stuff… the stuff that if you don’t get outta your system fast enough it turns into cement. I had a CT scan to check the size of my mass to double check the idea of skipping my last two chemo treatments. IV hurt and the Barium was disgusting (which I am still paying for by having to go to the “office” every 30-45 minutes) but it’s done and hopefully it will bring back some good news. I know that there is a possibility that something could have gone wrong and that I will need more treatments or that it has grown beyond repair. Unlikely… yes… but I will trust that no matter the results… God has His hands in the mixing bowl and He’s creating a wonderful experience if we just look for it.

Next step is a visit with my Oncologist on Monday to go over the CT scan results. Then if they look ok, no more chemo *waves bye bye to Oncologist* and I will meet with my Radiologist over at St. Mary’s Hospital where Amy works. Then it’s 6 weeks of radiation everyday of the week for about 15 minutes. One of the main reasons for skipping the last two chemos is that radiation will not interfere with my Masters this summer. Hopefully I will be totally done with any type of treatments and I will be on my way to recovery! Also need to figure out when I can have my port taken out so that I can start using my upper body muscles again without the fear of tearing these sutures (which HURTS) while fooling around.

Yeah I need some exercise… 197 pounds is what I am up to… most I’ve ever weighed! Amy says it looks good on me, which I appreciate but I do feel very… immobile? Gross? Lethargic? Anyway I get winded more easily and sweat for the slightest bit of exercise (which grosses out the girls at school when my head is all shiny). I will trim down a bit when I can get out more often and get more involved in my good old outdoor activities so I am not too worried.

This is turning out to be another “Islandsharkz” blog being this long So I will say goodnight for now, Happy Sabbath, and lots of hugs and kisses from us down here in Knoxville!

Yeah… it’s ITBS testing week so school is all in an uproar. Kids love changes in schedules but do not adapt well to them… so it’s like pulling teeth to get these kids on track before or after the testing is done for the day.

Had chemo Friday… sucked but good news is that since my Masters starts May 30… I might be able to have one less chemo treatment in order to have radiation sooner. Yeah so here is what it normally would be… Chemo 31st of this month, and then April 14thish. that would put radiation starting the beginning of May for 6 weeks thus ending June 15ish. That is no good since Masters starts May 30. So instead Doc says that we could possibly drop the last chemo making my last chemo now March 31 thus starting radiation April 14ish and ending radiation the end of May!

Radiation entails a 6 week period with 5 days of radiation per week. It is no worries if we cut a chemo out because MOST docs only require 8 treatments of chemo and radiation or 12 treatments of chemo and NO radiation. My doc likes to have 12 treatments AND radiation. So cutting it short 1 will not hurt things too bad.

Only downside to all this radiation stuff is that I cannot go on the class trip in May. We are supposed to go on a cruise the 7-12th but I will not be able to attend. Thats fine… more WoW for me *grins*

The twins are OK, and if you have no idea what I am talking about… read the previous post… it’ll make a little more sense. Still sore… can’t really run… or jump out of your brothers 3500 Chevy Diesel when hes down visiting for the weekend.

Other then that life is peachy-keen. Amy kicked some major booty on her GRE (thanks to some superb tutoring on my part *cough cough*) and is trying to enjoy her masters classes. “Trying” being the key word. She made the comment last night “I miss being bored… it was a lot easier then having to do homework” or somethings along that line. She is doing well with work and putting up with my WoW craving and such. I truly amd lucky to have an understanding wife who loves me and understands my needs to play games that do not help me in life, hang out with my annoyin… I mean loving brother, watch TV in bed instead of getting up and feeding the dogs… etc. I tell ya… shes the shizzle ma nizzle (some silly sayings used back in college which means AWESOME – go ahead DJScottieP… I know you’ll comment on that).

Anyway this is getting long… but I hope everything is going well… looking forward to school being done and having the chance to see family and friends soon! I must admit I miss my big younger brother… be nice to have him back in the states. Yall have a wonderful day and leave some fun comments!

Well… long story short here is how my first Monday after Spring Break went…

I, taking after Uncle Rusty, love to play softball with my students for PE. I, like Rusty, would pitch to my students for softball in PE. I, unlike Rusty, have the reflexes of molasses on a cold winters day trying to go uphill. I, unlike Rusty, cannot move fast enough to get outta the way of a 75 mph line drive by a 10th grader at wasit level. I, unlike Rusty, cannot bear the pain of being hit with a 75 mph line drive to my… nether region?

Needless to say my students had a good laugh at first until they realized that their beloved teacher cannot move and is on his hands and knees wishing he were getting chemo… cause at least with chemo there isn’t a pain so loud in his ears that he cannot hear. After many attempts of “are you ok” and “do you need ice” and “hope you dont need a catheter anytime soon” my principle came out and asked me “ok which knee did you get hit in?” for me to only whisper as loud as i could… “i got hit where no man should be hit”

She got the picture and said take all the time i need, she’ll get a game started and they will play around me which didn’t bring a chuckle from me at least. After awhile i managed to hobble into the school to fight off the feeling of passing out twice on my way to the restroom. Have you ever felt so much pain that you couldn’t hear? that the world spins? that you have to crawl part way down the hall?

Restroom for 15 to make sure all is still there… then an hour in the beanbag in my classroom where i didn’t move an inch and refused to “put ice on it!” and let the principle take over and dismiss for me. Called the wife cause i knew she was in the area… had to have her come pick me up because its a little difficult to drive manual transmission for the 40 minute drive home when you cannot sit in a seat properly.

So for your humor today… and maybe for the next week… i was hit by my student in softball (which are NOT soft at all!) in a place that guys will cringe at and woman will just say “oh yeah… you wanna feel pain, try child labor!” After that… i have experienced child labor… now leave me alone with my pain medications from previous surgerys!”
-geoff

Hey nother chemo down… 3 left. I had a heart scan the day before… got stuck 5 times required two shots and some blood work but the guy couldn’t get the shot in the vein for each shot so i have 5 holes in me now. Heart scan looked good so we’re on for the final 3 now.

Was reading my brothers blog today… and he is having a tough time. Its amazing to see how he can admit where hes falling in his spiritual life and it makes me realize that i find myself in the same boat too often. Its good to have someone like him who can smack me in the face with some of his honestness and find myself with the same questions and concerns.

One thing he struggles with is how to get out there and do stuff for God, where is his niche where he can use his gifts/abilities God has given him. Hopefully he finds it soon, or God shows him where and what it is that He wants him to do. Keep him in your prayers and keep updated on his blog… he can always use an extra prayer over there.

Joe has been working on WOW website and is still trying to get more information out of me on it which is great. I need someone to keep me going on it. I find the devil is working hard on trying to keep me from dealing with it. I have so much doubt about it right now because of so many unknowns. I have so many things to do this summer… Masters, radiation, operation to take port out, vacation with family, WOW if possible, teachers meetings, and a couple other things that is slipping my memory right now. Keep all that in your prayers because i feel it was inspired by God showing me where i can use my talents.

My brother and parents are battling the flu, or remnants of it. Tommy just got what dad had and i think mom has had some side affects of it but who knows. Tommy is coming down tomorrow to deliver a rabbit hutch to someone at SAU and he’ll stay the weekend and chill with Amy and myself. Amy has to work all weekend so it won’t be the most relaxing for her

Anyway go check out matts blog and scan around some other things. keep checking back here for more updates but right now things are just kinda blahh. Have a splendid night and keep the White families in your prayers (and all the other families attached to the Whites)