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Wednesday, June 29, 2011

MD Anderson – Chemo # 4


No details, just the facts!

Felicia and her mother left early, 5am on Monday, so they could be down at MDA before her blood work at 6:45am.  They did a little running around and went to see the oncologist at 8:30am.  The oncologist decided her blood count was low, so she was going to give her two pints after the chemo.  She was starting the chemo by 10:30 or so.  She finished the chemo by 2:30pm, but had to wait for the blood to be delivered.  Seems there was a mess up somewhere, so around 6pm, they finally started her blood.  They really had to pump it in, because each bag takes two hours and the Mays Building closes at 10pm.  They finally finished the blood a little after 10pm.  By the time they stopped and tried to get meds…they got home at 11:45pm.

That, folks, is a really long day!  From 5:00am to 11:45pm it seems my bride was her usual charming self, laughing and joking with the nurses! 

She is a little tired today, but she usually is after a chemo treatment.  From what I have seen so far, chemo is a mixed bag of side effects.  Sometimes you get them; sometimes you get different ones….everybody reacts different.  So we shall see what bag she gets this time!

What I have seen from my bride is this:  She doesn’t want to be a burden on anybody.  She continually does things for her family, even when she doesn’t feel good (heck, it’s hard to get her to slow down!).  She still has the same sense of humor she had from the start, so (I say selfishly) we (her family) have been blessed!

Not one of her favorites, but it is one of mine!
                                                               

From the start she has not looked at this as six months of chemo, it is 6 treatments.  So now she is ¾ of the way through!  Yay!  Only two more to go!

Consider Hebrews 12:1-3. 
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.  And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.  For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider him who endured such opposition from the sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

Keep your eyes looking forward to Christ!  Rely on your brothers and sisters in Christ to lift you up in prayer!  Know there is an end to the race you are in!  Thank you all for the continued prayers!

Cory

Monday, June 27, 2011

A Nine Foot Anaconda


I was thinking yesterday about a snake we had at the barn one day.  He was a nine foot long anaconda and bigger around than my body.  I know you generally don’t find Anacondas in South Texas, but trust me that’s what it was!  I have seen them on TV!  It was a snappin’ and a snarlin’ and a foamin’ at the mouth!  I think he was there to eat horses and in order to protect my family and horses, I jumped into action.  I got a shovel and fought it to a standstill!

                                                                       

Thursday, June 9, 2011

A Stinker of a Tale

With this drought we are going through on the gulf coast right now, I got to thinking’ about the last time it really rained.  I’m talkin’ about a cow peein’ on a flat rock, frog stranglin’, turd floater type of rain!  This brought to mind one that happened about two years ago, I’m not saying we haven’t had any rain in two years….this is just the one that came to mind.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

MD Anderson – Chemo #3


Since we pretty much follow the same routine every time we go to MD, I will not bore you with the details.   Monday the 6th she showed up the for blood test, went to see the oncologist, checked in at the chemo suite, went to get port accessed, took the chemo and then we went home.  Doesn’t look like an eight hour days, does it?  The only difference this time was our friend Amber came down and sat with Felicia while I went to see Doogie (I have got to quit calling him that, one of these days he might read this!). 

Nothing going on except he wanted to check my cholesterol levels.  He noted that I had lost five pounds and asked me what I was doing to lose it, I told him it was supernatural.  I don’t change my eating habits, I just go in there expecting a miracle!  HA!

Good news for our family though, Felicia only has three more chemo treatments.  Praise the Lord!  She is halfway way through and for the most part all has gone well.  She is feeling pretty good today, just tired.  So she works for a while and takes a nap, then she works for a while and takes a nap.  Pretty much her day for the last two.  Generally the side effects don’t hit until end of the first week/start of the second week.  So by Friday or Saturday the chemo should knock her down a little.  I pray that it doesn’t but, God is in control and has a plan. 

Her Dad re-shaved her head yesterday morning, so her fuzz is really close to the skin.  One thing about her being bald is that we are saving a lot of money on shampoo and other hair care products.  She also said that it doesn’t take near as long to get ready!  Who knew there would be benefits to this! HA!

I was told to expect some grumpiness, well actually I was told to expect meanness.  I haven’t seen anything like that, but if she wanted to….I understand.  Through all of this, my bride has shown her grace, faith and style.  She has been a real blessing to me!

Psalms 4:3-4
Know that the Lord has set apart his faithful servant for himself, the Lord hears when I call to him.  Tremble and do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

21 Years and Counting

The title of my blog has always meant to be a shout out to my wife.  I truly believe that I married above my station in life.  Through all the hills and valleys of our marriage, the one constant has been her faith in Christ.  I was not a Christian when we got married, but God watches out for us....sometimes even when we are not aware of it!

I remember our wedding day pretty clear.  It didn't start out to very good....

Since I didn't have a lot to do early, my buddies and I decided to go to a horse sale that morning.  I know I know...what was I thinking?  To be honest, I thought I had plenty of time.  We only had one chore and that was for my brother (Cully) and one of my friends (Marc) to try on their jackets.  Easy breezy, right?  Turns out their jackets did not fit.  Did they tell me?  NOOO!  They just came out and said, "All is good, let’s go!"  So of course we left to go to the sale.  We were probably at the sale for two or three hours, not long considering we got there about eight in the morning. 

As soon as I got home, Felicia called me.  She was upset and asked me, “Do you want to get married?”  What….what are you talking about?  After we got through the tears and anger, she told me the story of the jackets.  Turns out Cully’s wife (Kim) and one of her friends (Gina) ended up going into Houston to exchange the jackets that didn’t fit.  They went into a city they were not familiar with to a store they had never been to, to help out a friend.  That’s friendship, not like mine….who left me hung out to dry!  I’m kidding of course, but they did cause me some grief!

Once we got to the church, my nerves kicked in.  I must have walked around that church 50 times.  Of course we looked like a bunch of penguins, me with the long tails and all my buddies following me around in a line!

Once we got started though, the nerves all went away.  Felicia walked through that door and took my breath away!  I had never seen a more beautiful woman!  Still to this day, there isn’t a more beautiful woman in the world!

The preacher must have thought I was still nervous though, because we went through the vows…two words at a time!  He said, “I, Cory” and I just stared at him (I was waiting for the rest of the line!).  My best man (Rod), poked me in the side and said, “Say something!”  And so it went through all of the vows!

Preacher:  I, Cory…
Me:  I, Cory…
Preacher:  take you...
Me: take you...
Preacher:  Felicia
Me: Felicia

That’s how it went, all the way through!  It seemed like the longest vows in history.  I could feel Felicia’s hand shaking in mine…I like to think that it was her emotions.  But looking back, I think those emotions were laughter! 

At 4:16pm we were announced as Mr. and Mrs. Cory Johnson.  Finally I had trapped her and she couldn’t get away!

God has truly blessed me though the years!  First He gave me a beautiful wife, who loved me into a relationship with Christ.  I went to church with her for five years, not because I cared about the Lord, but because I just wanted to spend time with her!  Like I said, sometimes the Lord watches out for you…even if you don’t know it!  The Lord blessed us again when he gave us two beautiful girls (thank you God that they take after their Mom!).  

This latest chapter has been a struggle!  Felicia’s attitude, faith and strength have helped me through.  It’s hard to feel sorry for yourself, when the one who has had all of the hard things happen to her is showing such strength!

All I can say is…God bless you Felicia!  I love you more now more than I ever thought possible!  Thank you for 21 awesome years!  I cannot promise forever (only God can do that), but as long as I am here on this earth…you own my heart!

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Practicing Self Control…or Not!


Have I mentioned how little I think of the way I used to “break” horses?  This is a story of a past sin, when I used to lose my temper and how I used to break ‘em.

When Felicia and I first got married we bought a stallion from her cousin.  He was out of a horse called Barbazon Yogi, I think he was a race horse down in Louisiana.  I don’t recall what his registered name was, but he had some really long hair (he looked woolly) and Felicia said he looked like a teddy bear.  So the name stuck, we called him Teddy.