(Well past) Time for another update ....

No posts since January.  <sigh>  I guess I hate writing just to be writing.  Blame my college professors and Sue Terrell.  (If you know who she is, thanks for your friendship for all these years!)

 The Porters and I walked the Harbor Bridge (on the left) in Corpus Christi the first weekend of February.  Was neat to say that you've done.  As slow as we did things, really wasn't that bad.  All told, I've done it.  Don't need to do it again.

Of course, after we finished, we went to North Beach for a celebratory beer.  Yes, I know it was 10:30 in the morning.  I have a problem.


February and so far in March have been incredibly rainy.  We've had more rain this "season" than the previous two years combined.  Last year was a lot of shut in time for cold.  This year has been warmer, but been shut in for rain.

Did get a visit from Bethany and James for a couple of days in early March.  Connie and Vickie were able to take her shopping for Baby Davis while I took James golfing.  On the right is James retrieving his drive on #18.

We've been able to meet with our Heartland friends about once a week for a meal and some good conversation.

This last week of March is when the Winter Texans will start flowing out of the Coastal Bend.  Always seems to happen around this time.  Then they all get home and whine about how cold it is there.  Duh.

We met with Connie's oncologist last week and started mapping out our exit strategy.  She's going to do on more treatment in March (next Tuesday the 24th), another in April (on the 14th) then a final one in Texas tentatively on the 5th of May.  Between the 14th of April and 5th of May she'll do the scans and tests and we'll have those results read on the 5th of May.  Whether or not those show progression of the disease will determine how we proceed.  From a health standpoint, she's been very tolerant of these treatments.  Lose the night of the treatment, but that's about it.  No nausea, her weight has held pretty steady and other than some balance issues, has been going about life great.

Speaking of going about life, we decided to take a last minute cruise on April 5th.  Life's too short.

After we hear what the oncologist has to say on the 5th of May, we'll start figuring out a run to South Dakota (have to spend at least one night there every five years), then on to Ohio.  Want to be loose and free with our plans, at least to South Dakota, so that we can play the volatile weather in the Plains during May.  Do hope to be back in Ohio by the Monday after Memorial Day.

That's about it for now.  Treasure every day and the people you spend it with.

Sugar Bowl, Bethany Visits, and it was cold.....

Had a couple of spectacular weeks following the Buckeyes to a National Championship.

It started on New Year's Eve as we drove to Baton Rogue, stopping to pick up our daughter in Houston at the airport.  Not conditioned for those long drives any more, it doesn't seem.

New Year's Day we drove into New Orleans.  Our first stop was at the Mid City Yacht Club, the official bar of the OSU Alumni from New Orleans, the Cajun Buckeyes.  Was a real throw back bar, in a neighborhood, surrounded by row houses.  Had a great time there.  Met Buck-I-Guy and Archie Griffin, had a few beers then headed downtown towards the Super Dome.

Parked in our spot a few blocks away from the Super Dome and hopped on local transit to the French Quarter.  Stopped for lunch at Crescent City Brewhouse.  Nice place, filled with Buckeyes and Bammers alike.

Next was on towards Manning's where ESPN had been broadcasting.  Got there just as they were striking the set.  <sigh>  Was still a good place to stop, rest, have a few beverages and watch some football.

Continued our walk to the SuperDome where there was a Fan Jam going on outside the stadium.  Met up with an old friend college, a Bama fan we had met on our cruise to Hawaii in 2011, my cousin from Orlando and our friends from Bellevue, who's brother I went to school with.  Was a really fun atmosphere, got super psyched for the game.

We got into the SuperDome in plenty of time to see all of pre game.  We didn't have an usher for our seat, we had sherpas.  They were up there, but still a great view of the game.  Needless to say, it was the desired outcome.

Drove back with Bethany to Rockport the next day, and spent the next two days recovering from the 3 day blitz.  By Monday, we had decided the price of tickets was going to be too high, the weather in Dallas was going to be too cold, and we bailed on taking the rig to Arlington opting instead fly Bethany back from Corpus Christi.

Spent the next week indoors most of the time.  Temp highs in the 40's will do that when you're in an RV.

Had a great tailgate party with the Porter's for the National Championship game, but that afternoon our furnace didn't fire.  Turns out the circuit board was bad.  Would be till Friday until we got the part, so I got a little portable heater.  As the temps didn't clear 55 for a week, it was cold in the rig.

Again, the National Championship game had a desired result.

Started a Euchre Night here at the park on Tuesdays, and we think its going to roll.  Played twice a week at Pioneer RV Resort in the fall and really wanted to keep playing.

Finally going to get to play golf this Monday as the temps are going back to their normal mid 60's for this time of year.

Thanks for taking time out of your busy day to read our doings.  Till the next time......

No more radiation treatments....

Yesterday was Connie's last whole brain radiation treatment.  Now, its just a sit back and see how much good we've done which we won't know for another couple of months with an MRI done probably in Cleveland.

When we're sitting at home here in Rockport at Copano Bay, you suddenly realize how much time those daily runs into Corpus Christi took.  We're now pretty much going to do weekly runs now, with the next appointment with the oncologist next Wednesday, and the last Texas IV treatment the following Wednesday on the 24th.  After a followup with the radiation oncologist on Friday the 26th, we'll be done with our spring Texas doctor visits.

Because she's not having to do the whole brain radiation and using the mask (that was molded with a full head of hair), yesterday was also hair cut day.  The hair was falling out pretty steadily so Connie got it cut all the way down and now we'll see (without the radiation) how much it starts growing back.  I know she's a lot more comfortable with no hair, than with hair falling out all over the place.

A Free Weekend; Our future plans becoming clearer

We had an up and down week this week.  Connie's treatments on Wednesday pretty much knocked her down until mid day on Friday, even though we had a couple of runs into Corpus for Thursday and Friday treatments.

Monday will mark the last "whole brain radiation" treatment which will be a welcome relief.  40 minute drive one way for a 15-20 minute treatment daily gets old.  Tuesday is a meeting with the radiation oncologist,  then a break until the following Wednesday when we meet with our oncologist.

With all that news came word that Connie's last treatment in Texas will be on the 24th of April, with her first treatment in Ohio at the Cleveland Clinic on the books now for May 15th.

We have friends who would like to come to Sandfest at Port Aransas on Sunday the 27th.  If they come, we'll probably leave for Ohio on the 4th of May.  If they don't come, we'll probably leave here on the 27th or 28th depending on when we find out they're not coming.

In the meantime, we're like last rig standing here at Copano Bay RV Resort.  The program lists 146 sites; the girls and I walked around with a counter Thursday and only 43 rigs, not all of them occupied were still here.  Wasn't like this in Portland at Sea Breeze RV Resort, but was like this in Tucson at Desert Trails.

Unfortunately already hearing of tire and mechanical troubles for those who have left, and those who are going home to snow.

Easter weekend...

Good Friday was a non treatment day.  Starting Monday, Connie will do daily brain radiation treatments (save Saturday and Sunday) through till a week from Tuesday.  We won't miss that daily ride into Corpus Christi.

Hope to get some clarity from those at the Cleveland Clinic this coming week about her treatments in Ohio.  That will help us make our return to Ohio plans a little more concrete.

She's been feeling well, being active, pretty voracious appetite and really not showing any of the side effects (other than some spotty hair loss from the Cyberknife).  Her chemo pills are two weeks on, one week off.  This weekend was pretty much "drug free."

Spent Friday night watching some hoops.  Went into Rockport Saturday to look at some of the shops, then came home to watch the Buckeyes drop out of the tournament at the hands of Wichita State.

Today we started our day with a special recipe for breakfast that Connie found in a magazine while doing treatments, watched a few hoops, then off to the Clubhouse for a great carry in Easter Dinner.

Most everyone will be heading out (if they haven't already) tomorrow, and we'll start back for treatments to Corpus.

An Amazing Weekend....

We had an amazing weekend.  Our daughter, Bethany, and son-in-law, James flew to Houston and drove down Thursday afternoon to Copano Bay RV Resort.  Connie had a radiation treatment at 8a on Thursday, then tired herself out helping me clean the rig.  She was up and going again by the time the kids got to town.

After a night of jabber and remembering how the sofa bed worked, we ran into Corpus again Friday morning for a brain radiation treatment and were back by 9a.  We did a spin with the kids around Rockport, then a late lunch at Moon Dogs.  The brisket nachos were outstanding, as were the shrimp nachos.  Came back home for a day of watching college basketball, and the Buckeyes winning their first round game, while we munched on snacks and Connie's beer dip.

Saturday, we headed out to Port Aransas for lunch at Virginia's and I introduced Bethany to munzee hunting.  The view at Virginia's was better than the food, but all in all a decent place.  Drove around the town, then drove the beach.  Made the circle into Corpus Christi, then ended up at Fajitaville for a cocktail.  Bethany had a Beerarita and we all enjoyed the atmosphere.  Had steaks at the rig for dinner and it was a pretty early evening while watching our brackets go up in flames.

A word about the rig.  It performed perfectly in our first weekend entertaining guests.  Hot water tank had plenty, air mattress was OK, and all in all we were all very happy.

Carmen and Sloopy helped Bethany and James with missing their dog.

Sunday, James rolled to Victoria to golf with one of his college roommates, while the rest of us watched the Buckeyes squeak one out against Iowa State.  Afterward, Connie and Bethany shopped the shops of Rockport for a few hours.  Pizza Hut cooked dinner as we watched the tournament deep into the night.

Connie was pretty much a fireball all weekend.  Not many times we had to slow down, she was able to have a couple of Landsharks here and again.  Made her very happy.


Monday was the day we dreaded, as Bethany and James headed back to Houston for their flights back to Ohio.  Hurts a little less knowing we'll see them again in a couple of months.

Monday afternoon, back to the grind of treatments.  Had tons of leftovers for meals.

This morning, Copano Bay RV Resort had an incredible breakfast prepared by one of the guests who cooks (or runs?) at a bed and breakfast.  Delish!  Treatment afterward and a meeting with the radiation oncologist who thinks things are going along very well.

Long, Busy Day!

Today started bright and early with our wake up alarm going off at 5:30 AM.  Had to be at Christus Spohn Shoreline  by 6:30 for the registration to get new hardware installed at 8:30.  I now come with a Bard Power Port included.  Should make the injections much easier since they won't need to use me as a pin cushion anymore.

Once released from the Same Day Procedure unit, it was time to head on to the Herceptin injection appointment.  Nothing like getting new hardware and trying it out right away!  Just as advertised, it was  quick and easy.

We did see the medical oncologist today too.  Just reviewed the treatment plans and finally got the mammogram results from the hospital.  Go figure, they were negative.

After the injection, it was time to get some much needed lunch (at 1:00 PM).  Since we had another appointment in the area, we decided to go back to the Sirloin Stockade.  Perfect.

Knowing that it was going to be a long day, we had taken the dogs to Brunos again for daycare.  A quick lunch allowed us to pick them up and make our way to the last appointment.

Time for round 2 of the whole brain radiation.  Quick in and out and we were on the way back home.

Whew.  All of us are exhausted.  Time to get rested up for our company (Bethany & James).  Can't wait to see them tomorrow!

Oh, and I forgot to mention, this morning was the first evidence of the hair starting to go.

Time for rest.

Returning to the treatment trains

After a very enjoyable weekend of watching College Basketball, the Buckeyes win the Big Ten Tourney and a Monday of making sure everything is in place, we returned to the treatment train today.

This morning, we were in Corpus at 8a for a whole brain radiation treatment.  Used the same mask as the Cyber Knife, but a different more shot gun approach to the cancer that's in Connie's brain.  Whole treatment lasted about 20 minutes, then we consulted with Dr. Stewart for another 20 minutes.  There's concern about using Xeloda (chemo) to treat the body cancer at the same time as the radiation to treat the brain, but it's a risk we're OK with taking.

Tomorrow is going to be a tough one.  In at Corpus by 6:30a (talking about a 5:15a alarm!) for the installation of the mediport procedure, a 10:00a Herceptin treatment and a 2:45p whole brain radiation procedure.  I'll drop Connie off, take the girls to Bruno's for some daycare and kill the day here and there in Corpus working, walking the mall or deploying Munzees.  We'll try to get a lunch in at the Sirloin Stockade again between the Herceptin and the radiation.  We'll be dragging by evening (including Carmen and Sloopy).

The reward will be Thursday when our daughter (Bethany) and son in law (James) fly in from Cleveland after another 8a radiation treatment.

Got a big weekend planned if Connie's up to it.

Looks Can Be Deceiving

It was another beautiful day in the Coastal Bend.  Our day started very early since my stress test was scheduled for 8:15AM and we had a 40 minute drive.  The sunrise was wonderful.

There were two tests scheduled today.  The first was the Nuclear Stress Test and the second was the 2-D Echocardiogram.  When I checked in, the receptionist proceeded to tell me that insurance companies have recently started denying payments when there are multiple tests scheduled on the same day.  Really?  What's up with that?!  If you need the tests, why does it matter when you have them?  So, since I had some down time, I called to check on this.  We'll see how that all goes.

Ok, all pumped up with nuclear radiation and ready to get on the treadmill.  This is monitored by the doctor.  My cardiologist was off today, so one of the others in the group came to monitor.  A little way through the test, he asks me "What is such a healthy, in shape woman doing here?"  <Sigh>  I explained.  Maybe I should have also told him about the fractures (rib, vertebrae, etc.).  Feeling a little of the test this evening in those areas.

After all the testing, we went to the Sirloin Stockade for a great lunch.  We picked the girls up from their daycare at Brunos.  Then, we took the long road home and headed to Port Aransas to check out all the spring breakers.  Drove along the beach and enjoyed all the people watching.

Back on the home front just in time for the Buckeyes game.  Great win over Nebraska.  Let's Go Bucks!

Looking forward to a great weekend.

We know what we're facing, here's the plan.....

We met with Dr. Aponte Monday.  She did confirm that it was breast cancer, but that it was going to be a long haul.  Connie would be on chemo for the foreseeable future.  It's going to be in a pill form, while she'll receive Herceptin through an IV.  Her treatments back in 2004 did do some damage to her heart.  There is a risk that the Herceptin could further that damage.  We're going to have to add a cardiologist to the team in the near future to monitor that.

We decided that we would do our "first round" here in Corpus Christi, then transfer back to the Cleveland Clinic.  Not quite sure how that transition is going to be handled, but we've contacted Dr. Andresen's office in Cleveland, and both oncologists offices have been in contact.  Dr. Aponte requested all the 2003-04 records, while forwarding all the current records.

Connie and I decided the best plan of attack was to go back to Kister Marina in Ashtabula and stay the season.  Then, in October, we'll return to Corpus Christi to keep the continuity of doctors.  It's almost like we're snowbirds, but without a sticks and bricks house.  We contacted Kister's and they did have availability for a seasonal spot (May 1 through Oct. 15) and we sent our deposit in to hold it.

First, the brain masses which are scheduled for Wednesday and the Cyber Knife.

You need to take your wife to the Emergency Room...

Today, Connie was scheduled to be in Corpus Christi at 8:30a for a brain MRI, a mammogram and a CT chest scan.  We have a follow up visit with Dr. Aponte, the oncologist, on Monday (the 25th).  The whole process was supposed to take about an hour and a half.

Nothing I could do, so I started driving around Corpus Christi playing Munzee, which is basically a 21st century scavenger hunt with a smart phone.  I thought it beat sitting in a waiting area for a couple of hours.  Connie had forwarded her cell phone to me, so all the business calls would come my way while she was being tested.

At about 9:45a, I got a call from Dr. Aponte wanting to tell me to take Connie to the Emergency Room at Christus Spohn Shoreline. I was pretty confused.  I was only about 10 minutes away from the imaging place.  Connie was inside waiting on them to make disks up to give to her and bring with her to the ER.  She said something on the brain MRI was troubling to the technician.

We went to the ER.  (Funny story, while we're waiting they called for "Guadalupe Something" four different times for four different Guadalupe's.)  Connie finally gets taken back, and we agreed that it was time to get the dogs taken care of since the admitting process would take a while.

I came back to Rockport and made arrangements for Carmen and Sloopy to be boarded at the Salty Dog here in Rockport.  They weren't quite used to having loose ends, but we got it worked out.  Whole process took about 2 hours.

By the time I got back, Connie was in a hallway and about to be transferred to a transitional area.  She had met with Dr. Aponte who said there was a mass on her brain that needed immediate treatment.  Connie was put on steroids (to shrink the swelling of the brain) and anti seizure meds right away.

We met that night with Dr. Gleason, who was a neurologist.  He showed us the pictures that had caused alarm and was going to recommend that Connie undergo Cyber Knife treatment for the large mass, and whole brain radiation for the additional small spots that were apparent.

I went home, and Connie was moved to a permanent room.

The blog takes a turn for the nurse.....

This blog has always been about Connie and I RV'ing and our travel experiences.  It's now about to take a turn.  To those of you who have followed our travels, our thanks.  To those friends and family just finding us, welcome.

I'm going to try and recreate the posts (I should have been writing) from the time our lives got turned upside down on February 22nd to the present, then keep up from here on out on Connie's progress and our "doings".  I've been doing most writing in third person, but Connie would like to add her thoughts as time goes on, so you'll have to watch for who is entering the posts.

Background info:  Connie was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003 and treated throughout 2004 by the Cleveland Clinic and Dr. Andresen.  This past Monday, Connie finally got into a local oncologist (Dr. Emmalind Aponte) who recommended she get some imaging done to explain the pain she was having in her shoulder and the headaches she was experiencing.  Because of her past history, she had had some X-rays taken of her chest earlier and some spots looked suspicious, hence going to see the oncologist.

We were approaching the "magic" 10 year mark of being cancer free this year, as well as her 50th birthday on March 1st, our 10th year in business and our 30th wedding anniversary on April 30th.

2013 should have been a wonderful year.

Golf, Shopping, Good Friends

While Bob had a great time playing golf in Corpus Christi at the Oso Municipal Golf Course with Fred Porter on Sunday, his friend from Plano (Fred O) and another resident at the Gulf Waters RV Resort, Connie spent the day shopping with Fred's wife Vickie, and Fred O's girlfriend in Port Aransas, TX.
After coming home to Portland, we had the wild hair to take 'the girls' back out to Port A and visit longer into the night (till around 11p!)  Great times with good friends.
Monday, back to the grind, a little bit of a overcast day thinking of spitting rain.

Our Dog History

We were married in 1983, and the first thing each of us wanted to do was have a dog.  Neither of our parents would "let" us as we were growing up, and it was a goal when we got married.

We wanted a Basset Hound, just because of the looks.  Upon return from our honeymoon, we saw "free puppies" and went to take a look.  Mom was a full blooded basset, Dad was a full blooded English Setter.  (Today, that would be a 'designer breed' of some sort.)  Our love of RV'ing and camping was born about the same time as Rambi, who lived to be 10, through all of our towns we lived in.

When Rambi passed in 1993, it took us exactly one day to realize how much a dog moving about was a factor in making a house a home.  Two days later, and a trip to the Ashtabula Protective League with our then 2nd grade daughter, we got Jobu.  We thought we had gotten a black lab and, to this day, we're still not sure what breed she was.  She was high strung, very agile, and great to have on your side.

Two years later, along came Brutus, our first male.  We had been kicking around the idea of being a two dog family as our daughter was growing, and we were gone with work.  We thought a second dog would keep JoBu company.  Brutus was from a student who couldn't keep him and supposed to be a chocolate lab, but grew to be a beagle/shepherd mix.  He was a terrific dog with a tremendously loud bark.  Brutus was really, really laid back, a perfect ying to Jobu's yang.

As these two were getting on in years, and we knew we'd be full timing, we started deciding on getting a breed that we'd know what we had.  We were between a Boxer (always having large dogs) and a Boston Terrier.  Tragically, within 6 weeks of each other, first JoBu, then Brutus passed away -- they were 14 and 12 respectively. During that 6 week period, we got Sloopy, our first Boston, from a breeder.  She's funny, makes us walk and exercise and a great dog for an RV.

Having been a one dog family for four years, we were kicking around the idea of having a playmate for Sloopy.  It would definitely be a Boston Terrier.  As we were shopping next door to Two Rivers Campground, we struck up a conversation with one of the employees who had seen us walking Sloopy through the lot.  She had Bostons, in fact, had just had a litter and couldn't find anyone to take the 9th one.  If you believe in fate, just earlier that morning we had corresponded with someone from Corpus Christi (where we'll be for the winter) about getting a Boston puppy.

So, welcome to our family:  Carmen.