My room is barren as far as rooms go.  Right now it is very quiet around here.  Everyone left so it's just me and the quiet.  A hospital room is just that no matter how much they try to spruce it up.  A journey that began three months ago now awaits a final push.  We did not write much about a relapse of cancer since there was not a great deal of time free.  Most days were overrun with going to doctors or having tests and the like.  Now there will be plenty of time available to write on my new laptop.  We can start to share the whole story from day one until we are completed.  Maybe it is good to put it down here for my emotional health and maybe it will help me learn how to use this machine.

I never did feel right during the summer.  There was always some symptom of something even if I did not know what it was.  Eating became more of a chore than a normal part of life.  At least there was somewhat of a diet going on.  My energy came and went to the point I could not even enjoy exercise.  I could go a little bit but nothing like where I was before.  My son and I went to Minnesota for a few days in July. We had a blast but it was still tough on me to keep up.  Nothing got any better upon our arrival home from the great north.  I felt worse and worse until the day of August 17 arrived.  It was that Sunday which changed the whole world.

My body became so weak that I needed the assistance of a chair to complete the morning service.  I decided it was time for something to give.  We made our way to the emergency room of our hospital.  They checked me in for what would be five days of trying to figure out what was wrong with me.  It was on the fifth day my doctors informed me that my cancer of four years ago was back with a fury.  There were two masses down in my stomach area along with other signs of the disease.  Not only was it back but it was fighting me with a violence that threatened my very being.  Chemo had to start immediately if there was to be any hope of curbing the damage.  My total hospital stay would be eight days but the journey was just beginning.

There were three chemo treatments total for me.  They lasted three days each.  I was also invited to explore the possibility of a stem cell transplant.  Yet another doctor tested me on various occasions as they worked to see if it would help.  They accepted me so another countdown began.  Now we waited for a date to begin the process.  That day was ten days ago.  I went to Baylor hospital for tests and shots until today.  They spent three days working to extract my stem cells for a transplant.  Tonight is the time for me to begin three weeks in this hospital as they attempt to cure this disease.  Some of it may be easy but some of it could get rough.  I can only pray for the best.

My doctor said the current cancer is in remission.  That is a head start as we begin.  We start tomorrow tearing down my system so the healthy cells will take over.  I get a new birthday next Saturday when those blood cells enter my body.  Most of the statistics are in my favor but no one can say what a body will do when dealing with the treatment.  There are many things I hope to say over the next few weeks and from there about all of this.  I will surely have the time to write.  It is up to God and the medicine now.  I will do my part even if limited.  We should know soon enough how all of this turns out.

Bro. Trey