Happy 6th Birthday Emilee Hope!

"You gonna use that spoon?"

Great News

Mikey's bone marrow biopsy results were "perfectly normal". I can't think of a better Christmas present than that, can you? The procedure was very painful as unfortunately, the doctor did not relinquish her current rein as Pain Control Nazi. (Jeez!) Mike will have to have this procedure repeated in the future and I hope that she comes around on this issue. We will just cross that bridge when we get to it.

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers in getting Mike and Melisa through this recent event. As more information regarding his treatment becomes available I will definitely pass it along. For now, we sit...and wait...and pray...and pray some more.

Happy Birthday to the Beaner!

We miss ya good buddy!!

BMB #3

I wanted to get on here today and let you all know that Mike is scheduled to have a bone marrow biopsy today. He has been having some swelling and pain in his legs that has been bothering him lately. He told the doctor about this and she decided to go ahead and do a BMB to check whether or not the cancer has come back. Mike has had two of these performed - one at St. Mary's during his initial diagnosis and a second one at Vanderbilt Hospital immediately following his induction therapy. The first BMB was extremely painful. The second was somewhat more bearable. We concluded that Vandy just has more experience with this procedure and the pain management process that comes along with it. Of course it could have been any other number of reasons why the second BMB went a little smoother. Either way, Mike expressed his anxiousness to his oncologist via his nursing staff. Dr. Zigler seemingly dismissed his fears and thus far has refused to administer any more pain medication that the standard, again via the nursing staff. Needless to say, he is NOT looking forward to this procedure. He or Melisa is hoping to speak to her directly and come to some sort of a resolution. Surely, something can be done, right???

So if you will, please pray for this situation. Please pray that Mike or Melisa is able to convey their fears and that the doctor can help alleviate his pain. Please pray that the procedure goes quickly and smoothly and that the results come back clean. Thanks a lot you all.

Change of Plans

Mike will begin his last round of chemotherapy on Monday instead of today. His blood counts aren't where his oncologist would like for them to be so she decided to postpone the treatment for a few days. Hopefully with the little extra time and a blood transfusion his body will be par for the course to be able to receive this treatment. Normally, his counts would be on track to receive treatment but with each additional round of chemo. the body takes a little longer to recuperate.

This will be his LAST round of his consolidation therapy. As I mentioned before, this process can be repeated up to 4 times. Mike will have undergone 3 treatments total. Dr. Zigler made this decision recently citing that the long-term effects of chemotherapy are rough. I'm not exactly sure what all procedures will follow this last treatment but I am sure Mike will be monitored closely to make sure those leukemic cells are still at bay. Will you please pray that this disease has left his body once and for all?

Again, we thank for you for your continual love and support of our family during this time. I can't imagine what we would do without friends and family.

Have a good weekend. My wish is that everyone totally finishes all of that Christmas shopping. Wouldn't that be nice???

Happy 8th Birthday Hailee Hope!!

Platelets While You Wait

Hello all! I do hope everyone is embracing the 1st day of December and is looking forward to this upcoming Christmas season. You don't have to be a numerologist to determine just how many shopping days are left until Christmas. Frightening isn't it???

Mike is doing well and is resting at home. As you know he finished his 2nd round of consolidation therapy last week and will begin his 3rd round on December 14th. This will be another inpatient stay and will last about 6 days. I guess his body has been likened to that of a work horse due to the repetition and frequency its being subjected to for this treatment plan. He has taken the treatment well and we just ask the Lord that He allows Mike to be able to continue to do so.

As the subject line eludes, Mike's blood counts always drop after chemotherapy (which, unfortunately, is the point of chemotherapy) and that requires him to receive both blood transfusions and platelets from time to time. This typically isn't that big of a process and he usually hangs out somewhere in St. Mary's while he watches television. The last time he was there, however they were out of platelets and he had to come back the next day when the supply was replenished. When I first heard this news, I was like, "What do you mean 'out of platelets?'" You can be out of potato salad or out of key lime pie, but platelets??? Can that happen? I guess the better question is: Should that happen? Thankfully in Mike's case, receiving platelets wasn't a life threatening situation. However, it easily could have been for someone else, in another situation. So this Christmas, please send up a word of thanks to the Man in charge for your health and stop by the Red Cross and give a pint or two, would you? Almost anyone can donate and it's no big deal to do so. Probably the biggest "side effect" that you will suffer is receiving a phone call once every couple months asking you to come back. Plus if you go on your lunch break and get the "I donated blood" sticker, you may even be able to get out of a task of two later that afternoon or evening. It's amazing just how many Spider Solitaire games you can eek out of a "I'm feeling a little light-headed; I think I'll sit down and eat some peanut butter crackers." ((Not that any of US would ever do anything like that...)) So grab a buddy who will donate with you and hit the ARC, will ya? Attached is the link to the Red Cross which outlines the procedure.

http://www.redcross.org/donate/give/

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I hope everyone has a wonderful, relaxing Thanksgiving Day!! Mike is out of the hospital and is happy to be back at home. He said this was his worst hospital stay thus far due to the lack of rest he was able to get. Apparently, the doctors and nurses were hovering a little too often and lingering a little too long. But now, thankfully, he is able to be at home with Melisa and Casey and can relax. I think he is looking forward to the long holiday weekend as well. Again, I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday. We have so much to be thankful for!

Today marks the completion of Day One of Round Two of Mike's consolidation therapy. Right now he is at St. Mary's hospital receiving his chemotherapy and will be until Monday. Yesterday he checked in without a hitch and was able to begin his treatment later in the afternoon. I spoke with Melisa and she said that all is well, so far so good. We were worried that Mike would have to spend Thanksgiving in the hospital but as he will be getting out on Monday that is not the case. We are really happy about that. Now we are hoping that he feels well enough to enjoy the meal on the big day! With the wonderful cooks of our family (Mom, Mei-Mei, and Sherry) I really can't imagine anyone, well or sick, not able to enjoy such wonderful food. Heck, even my Mom's iced tea tastes like gourmet so you can only imagine her homemade yeast rolls, hot out of the oven, and dripping with butter! One could really hurt themselves on them seriously. Usually about 3-4 hours AFTER the meal and we all have resorted to watching the Cowboys in a comatose state, I have to warn myself, "Put down the yeast roll and no one gets hurt!"

Anyway, I am reminded of the prayer warriors so often who are out there really rallying and lifting up Mike and Melisa in their thoughts and prayers. I thank you so much for that and ask you to please keep it up! We never get tired of hearing it nor do we get tired of hearing how the Lord is working in your heart. Love it!

It's almost Friday ya'll! Have a good one!!

Falling Back and Falling Out

Hello. I hope everyone had a nice weekend. I don't know about you, but I am having a very hard time adjusting to the new time change. And really, does anyone truly KNOW why the time changes twice a year??? Don't give me that "so the kids can get on the bus in the daylight" load either. I wish the powers that be would just pick a time and leave it alone!! And those of us with kids, i.e. toddlers, fully understand that 'falling back' just means that instead of getting up at 6:30, the kids are bright eyed and bushy tailed at 5:30! Great. As some of you can attest, I've never been much of a night owl, so by 9:00PM I'm about to fall out. I hope you all are adjusting to this time change better than I am. Well that's my little rant for the day...

Onto better things. Mike is doing well. I spoke with him yesterday and he was feeling good, ribbing me about UK's loss to Gardiner Webb. (Who???) My son Trey, who is already a die hard UofL fan, informed me, "Mom, I think Gardiner Webb is a boy at my school." So funny... Anyhow, Mike will be having a new pic line inserted on Tuesday (his other one had to be removed as it was causing some irritation and inflammation in his arm). The pic line allows the nursing staff to check his vitals daily without Mike having to be stuck every time. So it is really nice. Then, he will begin Round 2 of his consolidation therapy on Wednesday. This will be an inpatient stay of 7 days and will basically be a repeat procedure, same as last time. He did experience some sickness for the first time after his first round of consolidation therapy. His oncologist, Dr. Zigler, said there is no magic number as to how many times the procedure must be repeated for it to be considered a success. She just knows the more that leukemia is exposed to chemotherapy, the better the chances of success. This procedure can be repeated up to 4 times, depending on how well a patient responds to it. Other than the previously mentioned sickness, Mike has responded very well to the treatment so far and we just pray that his body is able to tolerate as much as necessary to fully rid itself of this illness. Will you please pray for that as well? I will post more later in the week as Mike gets his treatment underway.

Have a great Monday everyone!

Boooooo.....Pats!!!

Well, the undefeated Colts were toppled by the Patriots this weekend in what turned out to be a close finish. BOO!! I know Mikey and the rest of the tri-state area is not happy about that.

Hope everyone had a good weekend. I am able to spend the next few days in Henderson visiting with Mike and Melisa and hopefully can help out with anything they may need. Big Hope and Scott are there right now mowing the grass, which is such a help. Mike had a pretty rough week last week - not feeling well in general. But over the course of the weekend, he has made sort of a comeback. We hope that as he body recuperates itself from this last round of chemo, he begins to feel a little better.

As you know Home Health has been involved in Mike's care at their house. While it is nice to have someone come to their home to provide care, there has been quite a bit of confusion between them, the oncologist, and St. Mary's. It seems like there is massive amounts of miscommunication and no one appears to be on the same page. We hope this is able to work itself out over time as well.

Thanks for the thoughts and prayers. Have a good week everyone, and of course I'll post more later on.

Rachel

Happy Friday!!

Happy Friday everyone! The weekend is just around the corner. Hang in there and if you can't, justify it by telling the boss it's 5:00 somewhere! Well, Mike hasn't been feeling very well the past few days. He's been nauseous, dizzy, and running fever. Dr. Z seems to think it is caused by the chemotherapy (yuck!) and there's not much that can be done about it (double yuck!). His body just to has to work those toxic substances out of his system...over time of course. I talked to him last night and he was feeling a little better than he was on Wednesday but still not great. Please pray for him. Please pray that his nausea subsides and his energy recoups.

As I was driving around town today, I got in behind this old lady driving this old lady car. You know, the navy blue Buick Skylark with the velour interior. Anyhow, she had a cigarette hanging out of her mouth and looked about as mean as they come. And on the back of her Granny-Mobile was a bumper sticker. It read: Jesus Loves You...But I Don't! I cracked up!! Once she saw me laughing, she grinned back at me - she knew what I was laughing about. Then as I went on my way, I couldn't help but reflect on her "words of wisdom", and realize how shockingly accurate they are. There are people in this world that don't even like us, much less love us. (They should but that's a whole other soap box that I may crawl up on in the future! ) However, it is true, Jesus does. He loves each and every one of us...even the mean old lady in her Buick. Christ's love for us in unending, unconditional, and uninterrupted...always there! It may be hard to grasp that concept, but it is the truth. All we have to do is ask for Him to come into our hearts, our lives, and our homes so we may feel what that kind of love consists of. So before I sign off today, I want to ask each of you today a question. Has Jesus been calling your name? Have you had a "coincidental" situation occur in your life, that makes you scratch your head and wonder if He's real? Has he been knocking on the door of your heart asking to come in? If so, let Him in!! Too many times, we assess our lives from our flawed and erred point of view and dismiss the idea that we are worthy of that kind of love. Or on the other hand, we may think that we are too good, too smart to buy into that concept. Take down those walls of pride, shame, fear, control and let him in! Just see what He's all about. After all, He loves you no matter what and He always will. You have nothing to lose!

10/29 Update

Hey everyone! I hope everyone had a nice weekend and enjoyed some of the cooler temps we are having today. Our mums and pumpkins had frost on them this morning! I LOVE it!! As you all know Home Health has been coming to M&M's house to perform vitals on Mike. Yesterday his blood count was lower than they care for it to be so he went to St. Mary's to receive a transfusion. He got to St. Mary's late last night and by the time the procedure would have been finished, it would have been about 3:00 in the morning so he just stayed the night in the hospital. I haven't had a chance to speak with them today but I did get to talk with Mikey on Saturday and he was feeling really good. He says that he feels so much better now than he did before his diagnosis, that it's hard for him to believe that he actually has leukemia and is receiving chemotherapy. I am so happy for that!

I am sure the next step during the coming week or two will be another BMB. This will determine the amount of leukemic cells that are present and will also be a good indicator of how many times Mike will undergo his consolidation therapy. As you all know, he's already had one. He will definitely have at least one more. Please pray, as I know you are, that this cures his body once and for all and that he can return to some normalcy. Thanks everyone!

Back Home

Mike wrapped up round one of his consolidation therapy last night and is comfortable being back home. Melisa was able to determine which Home Health nursing company is able to provide Mike's care and that will begin either today or tomorrow. He goes to Dr. Zigler's office this afternoon for a neupagen shot - the WBC booster - at 4:00. I don't think that injection is pain free, so please pray that goes well for him.

The consolidation therapy phase of his treatment has to be repeated. I am assuming this will depend on the presence (or hopefully absence) of leukemic cells. This is best determined via bone marrow biopsy. In the past a BMB was done one week following chemotherapy. Please pray that this treatment fully knocks out those cells and the next round will leave them wishing they never entered his body in the first place.

Happy Birthday to the coolest 2 year old on the block!!

Gifts

Tomorrow is my baby's birthday. As difficult as it is to believe Houston will be 2 years old tomorrow! Almost immediately after conception we (rather my husband) decided to name our baby, should it be a boy, Houston. "Now that's a man's name...Houston," he would say. Having been on this journey previously with my oldest son, it has become more than apparent to me that the inequality in "All things Boy" and "All things Girl" is colossal. Just take one stroll through the Gap or Target or anywhere else that carries childrens' items and you will know what I am talking about. It makes me want to scream, "It's not fair!!" when I have to purchase the umpteenth long-sleeved T brandishing either a ball, boat, or truck as I reluctantly pass by that chocolate brown corduroy jumper with the hot pink gerber daisy on the front, coordinated with matching striped tights, brown leather mary janes, and adorable hair bow! ((It's really not fair.)) "Fine," I say, "we'll name him whatever you want." With boys it's all about functionality and Z-E-R-O frills.

It seems like yesterday that we were in the hospital laboring around waiting for that glorious 10 cm to arrive. During that time, we also happened to be watching the Astros whip up on the Cardinals in the NLCS to go to the World Series. Houston, my husband's most favorite name in the whole wide world, was about to diminish his even more beloved St. Louis Cardinals' hopes at a World Championship. Could he do it? Back and forth all night he paced, claiming, "Honey, I just don't think I can pull the trigger and name my son Houston of all things!" "But sweetie," I gently reminded him, "it's a man's name." Well, Houston did win that game and our baby's name did indeed remain Houston and neither of us could imagine it any other way. Besides, the Cardinals redeemed themselves with a championship after all the following year.

So anyway, here we are 2 years later preparing for the big day. The invitations have been sent, the decorations have been purchased, the menu planned. And today I went on the search for his birthday present. Both of my guys love sports and while the good Lord knows we need another sporting paraphernalia in this house like we need a hole in our heads, My Mike and I have had our heart set on getting Houston his own basketball goal. You know the small, adjustable, plastic one. The first two places we went, they were sold out and sold out. "Don't tell me people have gotten a jump start on their Christmas shopping," I muttered under my breath. I debated on getting him something different, something that he would like but probably not like as much. No, I decided. He will LOVE the goal and the goal he shall have! Well, all over Louisville I went and FINALLY found what I just was looking for. "I'll take it!" I said. I loaded it up in the back of my truck and off I went.

Driving home, I couldn't help but laugh at myself. Here is a child, a two year old mind you, and I have spent all of my morning looking for the perfect present to go along with his perfect party. Will he remember either of them on Sunday? Maybe. Will he remember them in a week from now? Doubtful. How about in a year from now? Definitely not. So why all of the trouble? Because he will LOVE it and more than that Mike and I will remember the look on his face 20 years from now. That's why. Also as I was driving I couldn't help but recall Max Lucado's Book "He Chose the Nails" and make a connection between my gift for my son and ALL of God's gifts to us. Lucado's book touches on this concept with both great humor and simple eloquence and if you get the chance, this book is phenomenal. Anyway as Lucado points out, the Lord doesn't have to give us anything, much less go above and beyond the call of duty just to put a smile on our face. In the book of Matthew it says, "If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" Amazing when you think about it, isn't it? It's all the little extras, the sugar on top if you will, that He provides simply for our pleasure. Here's a poem from that book that sums it all up nicely:

He splashed orange in the sunrise
and cast the sky in blue.
And if you love to see geese as they gather,
chances are you'll see that too.

Did he have to make the squirrel's tail furry?
Was he obliged to make the birds sing?
And the funny way that chickens scurry
or the majesty of thunder when it rings?

Why give a flower fragrance? Why give food its taste?
Could it be
he loves to see
that look upon your face?

Mike has Day One of chemo. under his belt and all is well. There was a little bit of mix up regarding when he was scheduled to be admitted into the hospital but all of that was worked out yesterday. He checked into St. Mary's at about 1:00 in the afternoon and received his chemo. last night. He will receive chemo. every day for 3 hours per day for 6 full days. Melisa stayed at the hospital with Mike last night as they attempt to familiarize themselves with new and different surroundings. I think they slept as well as one could expect, considering they are not in the comforts of their own home. I just got off of the phone with them and Mom & Hope and Bret & Mei-Mei were there visiting. Although we were under the impression that he would undergo his consolidation treatment at Vanderbilt, being able to receive treatment close to home is wonderful!

Mike is in Room 6407 at St. Mary's and his direct line is 812-485-6421. I'll post this over on the right hand side of the blog so that it doesn't get shifted down too quickly.

Thanks again for all of the thoughts and prayers. Keep 'em coming!

Definitely Worth Repeating...

Hey all! Don't know if you were able to read Sherry's comment from 10/13 (her birthday) or not but I had to post it here in its entirety. She was able to hone in on our Hadio (Les) and relay a message from him. As I was reading it, I could literally hear his voice in my head! Can't you just hear him saying all of that too??? If those aren't some of the finest words I have ever read, I don't know what are. All you Smithharts have your tissues ready, especially you Aunt Beanie!! Whoo-Whee!


Message received 10/13. Passing it on........
Testing. Testing. 1-2-3
Come In Henderson, KY
Howdy! Howdy! Howdy!

Sakes alive, Mikey, we've been ridin' against that cold, blustery wind for weeks now, haven't we, son? Sure hope you don't think that any of us up here are ever too far away to reach you. No way! Back there at St. Mary's, for instance, when we first got wind of that upcomin' Nashville trip. Wally, John and myself hatched up a plan to recruit a bunch of the old-timers, and some of the young cowpokes, too (Jeff, Ben and Brent: settin' on ready and rarin' to go!) and form a posse to hunt down and take out every last one of those good-for-nothin' varmints that recently reared their ugly little heads.

Didn't even have to think twice about fining a good lead man, 'cause Jesus already had you safely secured in one arm and was flat makin' tracks! The rest of us just took a flyin' leap, swung our legs over, and held on for dear life! Picked up lots of other riders along the way, too. Relatives. Friends. Bloggers. Fine, fine people....a bunch of extra legs under our prayers. And together, we flat tore up that ole Henderson/Evansville/Nashville route to get you exactly where you needed to be. Before it was over, He had us all beggin' for mercy. Whoo-Whee, what a ride!!! Haven't felt so alive since I was a kid!

By the time we stormed into Nashville and were within easy earshot of the Ryman, we were hollerin', screamin' and kickin' up dust! Runnin' on faith, and a big ol' dose of adrenaline, that's when we really kicked it into high gear! Made a mean right onto Broadway, held the reins tight, and caught sight of ol' Hank; passin' us up just like we were sittin' still! Thunderin' into the final stretch and travelin' at breakneck speed, an unexpected surge of endorphines kicked in, and that's when we all squalled out in unison: "JESUS SAVES"...and man, you talk about awesome! That was something else!

Pulled into Vanderbilt just in time to see Our Best Friend firmly press His hand against the small of your back, and personally walk you, Melisa and Weesie straight through that Door. Lord, honey, we were absolutely overcome with gratitude at that moment 'cause we knew that, no matter the outcome, your life was gettin' ready to change for the better! Oh, mercy, Mikey, remember how He lit up the faces of every person in that place! How they were all drawn to you. Well, take it from me, sweet boy, that was no coincidence. And Mikey, if you thought your hospital room was crowded with only four or five people in there, I'm here to tell ya that you have absolutely no idea! We were all there. Never left your side.

Well, you get some rest now, pal Kiss that gorgeous wife of yours and give little Casey a big ol' hug for me. Oh, and if you should need us, we'll be hangin' out at the Fiddle Shop. Don't bother to knock. Just come on in. Most likely, we'll be chowin' down on some country ham, cat-head biscuits, red-eye gravy, joop toast....and sippin' some strong, black coffee. Smokin' a little homespun. Cuttin' down on the Orange Blossom Special. Playin' some checkers. Tellin' some tall tales. And havin' a ball!

A BIG HEADES-UP HERE, PAL-O'-MINE, SO LISTEN UP: When the next big "shoot-out" comes around, we'll mosey on over and pick ya up. All you have to do is saddle-up, ride across the Mighty Ohio with all the rest of us, and follow His lead....'cause He's been leading, guiding and directing this rodeo for more years than you could ever imagine, and He's got ya covered!

May Miss Universe continue to testify and blog, blog, blog! May Ida Rubicin forever run wild and free! May the feathers continue to fly! May all those good folks out there keep those cards, letters and blogs comin'! And may we all continue to ride this thing out together....'CAUSE DON'T YA KNOW WE'RE RIDING WITH THE KING??!!!"

:) XOXOXOXO :)
Hadio

JESUS SAVES! YEE-HAW!
and
LET THE COWBOYS RIDE!!!
October 15, 2007 2:31 PM

Tx Plan for Mikey

Mike met with Dr. Zigler, the oncologist at St. Mary's yesterday. He will begin treatment as an inpatient beginning tomorrow. He will receive 6 full days of chemotherapy and an additonal strong dose of chemotherapy every other day. After that he goes home and recuperates. During his recuperation, Home Health will come to his home for blood work. He will also return to St. Mary's to receive a neupagen shot (this is the injection that stimulates bone marrow growth and increases WBC).

As we are faced with a new circumstance of unknowns we are trying to be patient with the process, obedient in following the Lord's lead, and ultimately hopeful for Mike's healing. Hope...Hope is a funny thing. Mom came across a great quote the other day:

Hope is the power of being cheerful in circumstances which we know to be desperate. - Gilbert K. Chesterton

Hope. We will not even for a second hang our heads and become dejected, not even for a second. I can't say that it's always easy to remain hopeful, but with the Lord in our hearts and by our side, we cannot be anything but.

Happy and Sad

Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Erik Fredrickson on their wedding this past weekend. Mrs. Frederickson is the former Angela Moman. Angela is the daughter of Frank and Debbie Moman who is our mother's first cousin - just Debbie is the first cousin, not Frank. Being from Kentucky, I felt this needed some clarification. :) We are sorry that we missed out on the festivities but please know that you all were in our thoughts that day. Your website was so clever! I love the concept of an early wedding along an evening dessert reception. The trampoline pictures were my favorite. Neat! Neat! Neat! Congratulations to you both!!

Please you all, if you will, keep the family and friends of Jackie Buckman in your thoughts and prayers. Jackie fought a short but strenuous battle with cervical cancer. Jackie was a mother, grandmother, and good friend. She will be greatly missed.

Happy Birthday to Sherry Eades!!

"Go Sherry...it's your birthday...gonna party like it's your birthday...gonna drink Tequila like it's your birthday!!"

Hoosier Hysteria

FYI...Mike's bone marrow biopsy came back clear! Wonderful news!

Big day in B-town! Yesterday marked the first official day of college hoops practice and IU definitely got into the mix. Friday morning they kicked off the day with an American Cancer Society Coaches versus Cancer breakfast at Assembly Hall. Coach Sampson is one of the council members for this foundation and this was the first time this event was held at IU. Coach's mother is a cancer survivor herself and this cause is one that he is very passionate about. Along with the breakfast a silent auction was held. Many keynote speakers participated in the event as well, which included other coaches, former IU players, and cancer survivors. All monies received go directly to fighting cancer. What a terrific way to raise awareness about this disease! Since its inception in 1993 this foundation has raised over $40 million to help aid the fight in cancer research. (((sigh...))) I guess IU isn't SO bad after all.

Later that evening the first official practice, "Hoosier Hysteria" was held. Considering the amount of talent the Hoosiers are boasting this year along with a preseason 11th ranking, I'm sure the atmosphere in Assembly Hall was out of control! It looks like Sophomore Armon Bassett won the 3-point contest and freshman Jordan Crawford won the dunk contest. Also DJ White was just named pre-season All-American. I wish Mike, Scott, Garrett and Mike's father-in-law Darrell could have gone. I don't imagine there are many fans that are more rabid about some Hoosier Hoops than those guys! If you have ever had the (dis)pleasure of watching an IU game with one of them you would know what I am talking about. Well I am just glad IU has a good shot at having a decent season this year because I can't take too much of Garrett's and Mike's belly-aching when they face the Wildcats on December 15th. Although this time the game is in Bloomington so UK will definitely have its work cut out.

Have a good weekend!

Terrific News!

Thanks everyone for all of the thoughts and prayers in getting Mike through this latest BMB. The procedure went off without a hitch at 8:00 this morning and we should have the results from that sometime tomorrow. Prior to the test, Mike had some blood work done. The pathology reports from this showed NO leukemic cells in the sample!! Dr. Stein said that while anything can happen, he feels pretty certain that "we have this thing licked." Praise the Lord for His grace and mercy! Following induction therapy, which was the initial chemotherapy round Mikey went through at Vanderbilt, a patient's bone marrow is considered clear and in remission if less than 5% of leukemic cells are present. As you all already know, Mike received the all clear sign after his initial therapy. Because this type of cancer cell can be elusive and may still be present and undetected by common blood or marrow tests, a final treatment, called consolidation therapy will also still be performed. Dr. Stein said this type of treatment is very common and he feels comfortable allowing Mike to undergo this next round of chemotherapy at St. Mary's. Dr. Sheryl Zigler, who was the original oncologist that was treating Mike in Evansville, will be overseeing this process. She is absolutely wonderful - highly knowledgeable with a great bedside manner. In addition to being treated by Dr. Z, as Jodie pointed out, Mike will get the flat screen TVs and the hardwood floors that he originally got accustomed to! WhooHoo! We're not exactly sure when this treatment will begin, probably in the next week or two. Of course I will post these details as they progress.

It is at this time that we have to stop and give this glory to the Lord. We have prayed relentlessly that His will be done and that Mike's healing was included in that plan. We promised that all blessings will be credited to God and that is just what we will keep doing. Please continue to lift up Mike and the rest of our family in your prayers. Please pray that this next stage of chemotherapy completely cures his body of this illness and he is able to "get on with it" and make the Lord even more proud to call him His.

Jesus Saves!

Happy Birthday Mei-Mei Eblen!!

Bret, Mei-Mei, Garrett, and Luke are all down in Destin for fall break. They are having a great time - soaking up the sand, surf, and sun!

Monday Report

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend. Mike is doing well and continues to adjust to being back home. He got into a regular routine down at Vanderbilt and tries to maintain that same consistency at home. One thing he enjoyed was exercising - both walking and riding the stationary bike. Well apparently since the hubs of hell have decided to take up permanent residence here in Kentucky, walking outdoors hasn't been too much of an option. They considered getting a treadmill so he could continue his exercising and were looking into this over the weekend. As the Lord works in mysterious ways, Karen Hunter from Accuride just so happened to be replacing her old treadmill with a new one and offered hers up to Mike and Melisa! How great is that? So Mike has been walking on that a few times each day. Mike said Scott cranked it up as high as it would go and since Scott can run like a deer, the treadmill could definitely keep that pace. So should Mike decide to go all Marion Jones sans the 'roids on us, he can.

He had a good weekend all in all, mainly just relaxing and had a few visitors. Big Hope and Scott came over and mowed their grass, which was very nice. Mike was also glad to see the Colts win big yesterday. Another funny note: Melisa wasn't feeling so hot yesterday and was lying down on their bed. Mike yelled in there at her, "Hey, do you think you're going to be sick??? I have leukemia in here you know!" heehee

Please continue keep Mike in your prayers. This Wednesday he will be having that BMB, or as he likes to call it, "having the bone pulled from my ass". Please pray that this process goes as smoothly as possible and that those pesky leukemic cells are still at bay. Please pray for his physicians and nurses down at Vandy, the ones that he will visit on Wednesday and the ones that will be taking care of him for his consolidation therapy the following week.

Take care and have a good week!
Rachel

October Sunshine

Mike and Melisa made it home safely and all is well on the home front. While Casey was excited to see his Momma and Daddy, it was Toby, their little pekingese dog, who was the happiest to see Mike. After much begging and pleading, Mike broke down and got Toby for Melisa as a Christmas gift about 8 or 9 years ago. Along with the new puppy, came many rules..."He will not be up on the furniture, he will not eat from the table, he will not do this, he will not do that..." One look into that sweet face and you can only imagine how quickly all of those rules went out of the window. What's worse is that Mike leads the way in Toby's indulgences. He is a very sweet dog with a great disposition. I think he's the only dog that is allowed into the Hope household too, which speaks volumes! Even Poppy thinks Toby is sweet, and Poppy isn't exactly what you call a "dog person".

[Sidenote: Mike, do you remember when Poppy kept Courtney for Jodie one day and she had to go outside in the cold??? He said, "I let that dog out, but I did not put that sweater on it." Oh Lord. That's the funniest thing...ever. Whoo...can't breathe.] For those that just read the sidenote, you have to really KNOW big Hope to appreciate that story. Mike and I can get into hysterics recalling Poppy's past antics. The things that are the funniest are the things that are not intentional...it's just HIM, his behavior, his mannerisms! Kills me.

Anyhow, back to M&M. Mike was very happy to be back home but was a little unsure leaving the hospital. He grew accustomed to his safe, controlled surroundings and was a little nervous heading back home. He went with Melisa to run some errands around town yesterday and I'm sure he'll be back into the groove in no time.

Next Wednesday, October 10th, he heads back down to Vandy for an outpatient bone marrow biopsy (BMB). This will basically check the status of the leukemic cells and help the oncologists map out a plan for his consolidation therapy, which he will begin somewhere around October 17th. That treatment is an inpatient stay and we're not sure if it will last 2 or 4 weeks. I am sure we will know more on the 10th.

I hope everyone is having a good day and enjoying more of this great weather. It won't be long until we are groaning over the freezing temps and asking ourselves, "HOW many shopping days are left until Christmas???" Yuck. Anyhow, if you will please pray for Mike. Please pray that he is able to adjust to being back home. Please pray that the Lord comfort him and bring peace of mind to him as he awaits the next BMB and treatment.

Thanks Everybody!

Home Sweet Home

Hello everyone. I hope you all had a great weekend and enjoyed some beautiful weather. It sure was gorgeous again here in Kentucky. Great news! Mikey gets to come home today!! After spending the month of September in the hospital, he is so excited he can hardly stand it!! Mom and Sherry are currently in Nashville and Melisa is on her way down to pick him up. I can only imagine how sweet it will be for him to walk out into the fresh air and get back home to some normalcy. While we continue to praise our Lord for the many blessings we have received during this process, I have to give a little extra praise for this one. Amen!

I don't know the exact specifics on his next treatment process but as they surface, I will be sure and pass those along. Basically he will spend a couple of weeks at home and then go back to Nashville for his consolidation therapy, or curing phase. Please be praying for this next process as well. Please pray that this upcoming therapy completely rids his body of this illness.

Hopefully, when he goes back to Vanderbilt, he is able to return to his same unit. He formed some really great friendships with several of the staff members and he would like to finish out his stay along with them. Here are some pictures of his favorites:


Dr. Scott English - Being a resident, I don't think he ever left the hospital. At least he was there every time I was. Super cool guy. Over the course of the past month, he and Mike concocted this big story of what English was going to be for Halloween. His costume is to consist of Mike's velour blanket, some platform shoes, and a cane - Dr. Dolemite. It became such an involved epic that most of the time it was way over my head. But they sure did laugh at it...every time!

Nurse Paula - Hands down, this was Mike's favorite person on the floor. I will say she definitely possesses Saint-like qualities. Not only did she take excellent care of Mike, she went out of her way to ensure his comfort. The two of them really seemed to have an obvious connection. Thanks a ton - We Love You Paula!

Mom was able to celebrate her 50th birthday in style in Nashville along with Poppy, Sherry, Bret, Mei-Mei, and Luke. They ate at Maggiano's, this fabulous Italian restaurant and she also got some really nice gifts. I think having her son home is the greatest gift she could ask for though.

Thanks yet again for all of the thoughts, well wishes, and prayers. Please continue to pray for Mike's healing. It means so much!

Happy 50th Birthday to our Moppy, Lisa Hope!!

We Love You Very Much!!

The Fave

Well I've been here less than 48 hours and it is abundantly clear who the favorite patient on the floor is! The nurses here LOVE him. When we are walking on his "rounds" everyone goes out of their way to say hello, pat him on the back, ask how he's doing, etc... His nurse today is Paula and she is his favorite and vice versa. She was actually called into work today to take someone's place and said that she could deal with being called in if she got to be Mike's nurse. She's very sweet and nurturing. Mike said that having Paula here is like having Melisa and/or Mom here. While I'm sure Mom and Melisa are both grateful he's receiving such exceptional care, there may be a just a tiny part in each of them that raises their eyebrows, snaps their fingers and says, "Oh no she didn't!" We're all pretty much your typical mother hens around him. It's hard not to be.

Mike is doing exceptionally well today! He hasn't had any fever in a few days and all around feels good. Once his WBC count reaches an acceptable level he is free to go! Dr. Stein said he is progressing "perfectly" and looks for Mike to go home early next week. WhooHoo! Sherry worked like a dog making homemade vegetable soup for Mike last night and he really enjoyed that! It was delicious - thank you Momma Sherry! Between cooking and doing Mike's laundry she joked, "Hell, I do more here than I do at home!" I don't know how happy Jerry will be about that but I know Mike sure does appreciate it! :)

Also at this time, if you will, please keep Jackie Buckman in your prayers. She is Niles and Angie Buckman's mom from Henderson and came down here to Vanderbilt to be treated for her illness. Sherry and I went and visited with Jackie and her friend Kathy Craig yesterday and she seemed to be having a good day. It was really nice to meet with her too. Please pray that these doctors down here can put their renowned experience to good use and she can be healed.

It's pretty quiet down here and boring is good. Please continue to keep Mike and Melisa in your prayers. Please pray that his WBC comes on back up and he can go home for a while.

Thanks Everybody!
Rachel

Straight from the Horse's Mouth

Alright, today we're gonna do things a little differently. Mike wants to say a few things and I'm pretty sure he didn't take typing in school so I'll relay the message. Here goes:

First off, I would like to thank everyone for everything they've done from the bottom of my heart. Thanks to everyone at Dana and the Hospital for raising money. You don't know how much that has helped us and is literally going to keep our heads above water. I should be coming home in a week and I hope to see you fellas soon. If there is ANYBODY that wants to leave a comment on the blog or call me, please do so. Even if you're not sure whether or not you're bothering me, I would to love to hear from my friends.
Now for the good stuff:
To Mike Hall and Dave Muse, maybe Louisville should have stayed in Conference USA.
To Scott Hope, Looks like the World Series defending champions can't even get a wild card berth; some organization you've got there.
I know I picked Michigan to win the National Championship this year and I'm sticking to my guns because I still think they can do it.
Josh Gaines, the Tennessee football program is looking pretty mediocre this year, but what separates that from any other year? I heard they were gonna trade Smokey for Humphrey if the season keeps going like it is. Now I know why they're called the Volunteers. Hell, even Robards has Volunteers.
Jarrod Morris, Looks like your Bears were a fluke last year, just like I thought they would be. Rex Grossman could possibly be the worst quarterback in the history of the NFL. And the best part of all, the only back up you've got is the Tin Man Brian Griese. Enjoy the season.
Rudishill, I'm sure you're somewhere doing something sick and depraved. Have you found that hunky stud you've been looking for, that beefcake of a man? If not keep trying, he's out there. You're a sick maniac.
Jason Haire, See Scott Hope's message up there. That one goes for you too. Thanks for calling and checking in. I really appreciate it.
To Everyone, Call me anytime preferably at night at 615-343-9306.

See ya'll soon. I'll be home in a week for 2 weeks.

Sincerely,
Your Buddy Mike

Greetings from Nashville

It is so good to be down here in Nashville and to see Mikey. Although we talk everyday on the phone, there is no substitute for the real thing. My mother-in-law Kay is staying at my house this week and helping out with the kids. Upon entering his room, I noticed that he has acquired quite a bit of stuff! Melisa bought him 2 of the softest blankets you've ever felt; he has a new small table lamp, some Manning stuff, etc... Also, he's received many cards and has them all hanging in his room. Mom said she thinks we're going to have to get a UHaul to get all of his belongings home and I think she's right! Although, the only UHaul Moppy knows is Poppy's truck, which definitely will get it all home safe and sound. This ain't Poppy's first rodeo in relocating one of us...and probably won't be his last! HAHA! Sherry and Josh are both down here as well. Sherry came down on Saturday and is staying through to the weekend and Josh drove over from Knoxville on his day off. Mom and Melisa both went back to Henderson and are holding down the home front this week.

Mike continues to do well and remains in good spirits. He's been a little more tired lately and understandably so. I mentioned earlier that his ankle was swollen. The swelling has subsided although now there is a sore on his ankle and what looks like some inflammation on his shin. On Sunday the physician performed a biopsy on the site. The results still aren't back on that, but hopefully they will come back soon and let us know what's going on. His fever continues to come and go. Perhaps this place on his leg is the cause of it? Poppy knows all about that leg pain and we know Mike will receive an extra dose of prayers from him.

Yesterday Dr. Stein, his oncologist, said that his goal is to have Mike go home sometime next week. You know he's looking so forward to that! He can't wait to see Casey Pace and be with him and Missy at home. He will be able to stay home for a few weeks and then will come back for the consolidation therapy part of his treatment. When we know more details, I'll pass them along. Here at Vanderbilt, Mike is on the 11th floor and has a great view of downtown Nashville. I brought him a pair of binoculars from home and he's really been enjoying them. Of course, we've had some laughs at some innocent passer-byers' expense; hopefully no harm no foul. Also, we've been quoting Ben Stiller in Zoolander and about crying in the process. That movie is ridiculously funny. "Merman, Dad....Merman!!"

Thanks again for the calls, visits, thoughts, and prayers. I can't tell you how much they mean to us. Please keep them coming. If you will please pray for Mike's biopsy results on his ankle and that his fever subsides. Please pray that his able to go home next week. And lastly, definitely keep praying for his full recovery.

Jesus Saves,
Rachel

Big Shout to Dana!

Last week the boys and girls at Dana held a bake sale on Mike's behalf. They worked very hard preparing all of the goodies. All in all, they raised over $700!! Amazing! That's $700 worth of baked goods folks, not T-Bones. That's a lot of cookies and brownies! Mike has so many friends at Dana and he really misses you guys. Thanks to everyone who was involved in this effort. The kindness of everyone involved in this so far is truly overwhelming. Mike and Melisa say, "Thanks!"

My Brother, My Hero

Good Saturday afternoon to everyone. Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend so far. Mike is doing pretty good today. For the last few days he has been fighting a fever, especially in the night. There doesn't seem to be any blatant, logical explanation for his fever - no signs of infection, isn't sick, etc... It doesn't seem to bother him too much; he is able to continue with his normal routine. The fever will go down but it just won't go away. Right now, his immune system is next to nothing so a fever at this stage is not uncommon at all. Hopefully as his White Blood Count comes back so will his ability to ward off whatever is causing his fever. Right now he is able to receive nupagen injections which aid in stimulating the production of WBCs. He'll have a couple of weeks of recuperating, so please pray that his body is able to mend itself properly. He is looking forward to some good football games this weekend. Other than that he is doing surprisingly well.

Mom and Hope went down last night for the weekend. Mike wants Melisa to go home and stay home for a while. No, I don't think he's sick of her (emphasis on think :), he just wants for her to be with Casey at home and to give Debbie a bit of a reliever. Also, Melisa's BFF Tobi is getting married next Saturday and Melisa is in the wedding. Mike wants for her to be able to participate in the festivities. Good luck to Tobi on her big day next weekend! She is so beautiful anyway. But I am sure when she is all decked out in her wedding dress, she'll be ridiculously gorgeous! (Note to self: if you have any self esteem issues what-so-ever, you may want to stay away from Tobi next Saturday.)

Last night Mom scouted out a fantastic restaurant called Rotier's. It is this small, hole-in-the-wall dive downtown close to Vandy. I think it has been around since the 40's or 50's and next to a couple of flat screen TVs mounted here and there, the decor hasn't changed since too much it's inception. Melisa has impeccable taste and Rotier's didn't pass her initial impression test. However, once they ordered their food I think she became a fan. They are famous for their cheeseburgers and Mom said that it was the best she has ever had in her life! Considering she'll be 50 this coming Friday, that's a long damn time to sample some burgers...shoot! (Sorry Mops, had to do it!) Anyhow, she commented on the fabulousness of her burger to one of Rotier's staff members and they told her that they have been voted the best burger in Nashville for the past 19 years. Now that must be one tasty burger! I think Mikey and I will sample it next week.

Mike continues to remain extremely positive through this negative experience and that is without a doubt helping aid in his treatment. Initially I thought that I would have to help Mike "get to that place", whatever place that is. But as this has progressed, it has been just the opposite as he has been helping me get to that place. He is so amazing to me - his attitude, his faith. It's really unbelievable. He told me yesterday, he said, "I feel so lucky that God chose me, me of all people, to go through this so that His power can be revealed." LUCKY! Can you imagine being in his situation and truly feeling lucky? That is the power of the Lord being revealed right there. Also, Mike said that he knows that God is with him during all of this. He said, "I feel more at peace right now with cancer, right here in this jail cell of a hospital room, than I have ever felt in my life." Again, can you imagine?? It goes back to being faithful, being thankful and Mike knows that more than anyone.

As tomorrow is a new day, a new day of unknowns, it is important to stay the course in prayer. We thank the Lord for the bright spot that we were given on Thursday, yet we continue to pray without cease that the Lord's will allows for Mike's ultimate healing and his ability to return to function.

Have a Good Weekend Ya'll!
Rachel

"Good News"

Dr. Stein knocked on Mike's door just a few minutes ago. He walked in and said, "We have good news...your bone marrow is clear." He said that Mike will continue to stay at Vanderbilt for about 2 more weeks, allowing his body to heal and after that he can go home for a while. Praise the Lord for those are the sweetest words that I've ever heard!!

I don't know when I cried more, when I heard the diagnosis or when I heard "Good News". I'm pretty sure I am crying more now. We have prayed without ceasing - in the car, in the shower, in Commonwealth Stadium, you name it - and let the Glory be to God for hearing our prayers, comforting each of us, and providing a healing that only He can provide! Please do not let up in your prayers and keep lifting up Mike and Melisa.

The results that he got today provide about 90% of the total testing that was performed. The other 10% should come soon. As with any unknown, there is a chance that the 10% could change everything. We will not allow ourselves to dwell on this. Instead we will look at the positive result that we were just given and keep our hearts with the Lord. As always, Mike and Melisa have continued to place their faith in God and trust that He will lead them the right way. Their job is to follow His lead and they have been diligent in doing just that. They are both such a great example, a great inspiration for all of us and I am so lucky to have them both in my life!!

Thanks for your prayers! Keep up the good work!
Jesus Saves!
Rachel

Testing, Testing

Sorry for the delay everyone. Brief summary: the bone marrow biopsy went well. More details: I talked with Mike before the procedure and he was in good spirits and didn't seem overly anxious about it. As I mentioned he had a very rough time with this originally at St. Mary's so if anything he was worried about the pain. I don't think it is possible for this procedure to be pain free, but I do think he was able to be in as little pain as possible throughout the process. Both Mike and Melisa were hoping that the "fellow" at the hospital would do the procedure. Her name is Dr. Im (pronounced just like the letter 'M'). She reminds us of Dr. Yang, Sandra Oh, from Grey's Anatomy. I think she is as tough as Yang but I think Im's cuter, for what that's worth. Anyhow, Im wasn't present during rounds this morning and wasn't there to do the procedure. Instead, another oncologist performed the procedure. As Vanderbilt is a teaching hospital, Dr. Stein was there too, overseeing the procedure. Melisa said he was teaching the whole time, providing a play by play of the events occurring. She said that the doctor was very compassionate to Mike and that he continually asked Mike how he felt. The nurse also was very kind too. She made sure that Mike was comfortable too during the process, "loading him up" as she called it. All in all, the procedure lasted approximately 15 minutes and went fine. We thank you for your prayers in getting Mikey through this process.

We should know some preliminary results soon, hopefully 24-48 hours. Please pray, if you will, for Mike and Melisa while the waiting game plays out. Please pray that they are comforted and are not overly anxious. Please pray that they are able to be reminded that the Lord is in control of this situation and that they will be fully taken care of. Next, please pray that the results of this test produce positive results for Mike. Please pray that Mike's healing is part of the Lord's will and His grace is shown along the way.

Tuesday

Talked with Mikey today and other than his head still hurting, all is well in Nashville. He talked with Dr. Stein about his head pain and Stein said that chemo. can do some weird things to a person's body. I think everyone has a different reaction to it. Mike is able to get a little relief with some medicine. Please pray that his head quits hurting; it's inhibiting him from smiling and laughing, and well frankly, we just can't have that.

Mike also got some peace and "quite" yesterday too, which he seemed to enjoy. Yesterday was the 1st day in over 2 weeks that he hasn't had someone down in Nashville staying either with him or close by. Don't get me wrong, he definitely enjoys his company but also enjoyed a few hours by himself too. Poppy and Lindsay went and picked up Moppy yesterday and I think she slept the whole way home. She was glad to be home and slept really well last night. She said it's a little weird being home and not being with Mikey. Gosh, it's hard being a momma, even when your baby is 29! I think Mom is going to go back to work for the next few days and head back down to Vandy this weekend.

Last night also Jarrod and his dad came down from Henderson to visit with Mike. He said that they just hung out and watched the football game. With the exception of a few minor vices, that is probably the same thing they would be doing had he been at home any other Monday night.

Debbie is on the mend and is staying with Casey as Melisa is heading down South right now. I know Mikey will be happy to see her and will be pleased to share the remote. Melisa has really been able to navigate around both the city and the University. She enjoys walking and is able to see some nice scenery on the campus.

I know you all have been hard at work praying but if you have an extra gear that you are able to tap into, now is the time. Tomorrow at 1:00 PM CST Mike will be having another bone marrow biopsy, which was a very painful procedure when he had his first and only one at St. Mary's. We are hoping that Vanderbilt's experience with this test will provide for less pain and a quicker process along the way. The results typically take about 48 hours and will tell us just how effective his treatment has been so far. Of course we are praying for full on remission but any decline in blast cells will be positive too. Please pray that Mike is pain free during his procedure, that he is calm and comforted while waiting for the results, and that those results produce a positive outcome! We know the Lord hears our prayers and it is at this time that we turn to Him to quiet our fears and heal our brother!

Jesus Saves!
Rachel

Weekend Update without Tina Fey and Jimmy Fallon

Yet another weekend behind us and Mike is doing pretty good, as well as can be expected. With his first round of chemo. over, he has been resting and recuperating. He feels pretty good and has a little of the expected fatigue and nausea but nothing too bad. He said that his head hurts though. Not a headache necessarily but more on the outside on his scalp. He said that he feels like someone is pulling his hair. Yesterday he went on his usual rounds, walking around the floor and even was able to get on the stationary bike. He did a mile before he even knew it and said, "I don't think I've ridden a mile cumulative in my life!" HA! In spite of a little nausea, his appetite continues to be good. Although being a descendant of the Smithharts, I can't imagine anything deterring that! Ya'll know we love to eat!

It was a great football weekend as well, unless you're team just happened to go all Tropicana Extra Pulp style on you even though you have been unyielding in your pursuit to convert unsuspecting hospital patients to your cause. I'm not saying any names here but if you happen to be a dentist in the Eastern Tennessee region, you may have just an inkling to what I'm talking about. It was a big weekend in the Commonwealth as well. My Mike and I went over to the game with our friends Patrick and Hilliary and had an awesome time. We were treated to a 1st class tailgate by the Holbrooks & the rest of their clan. It was all fun and games until one of those rednecks, God love 'em, broke out the "shine" as they refer to it. It reminded me of one of those science projects you did when you were little. You know, the one in a bottle that looks like a tornado when you shake it up. "Come on Rachel, it'll put hair on your chest!" Yeah, and that's just what I need. I will say those boys from "Paintsvul" sure know how to have a good time! And how about that game??? It looks like our super-scientific poll correctly picked the winner. The game was unreal! The atmosphere leading up to the opening was so thick and real, you could almost reach out and touch it. I don't know why but both the National Anthem and "My Old Kentucky Home" always get me a little misty eyed but this time I just couldn't control the emotion. Just like with everything I do these days, it is so bittersweet. I just wish so much that Mikey could be here too, enjoying it right along with me and Saturday was no exception. So there I stood, tears just streaming down my face. The lady beside me just kept looking over at me. No doubt she was thinking, "Hey Fruit Loop, it's just a football game." The game continued, one touchdown after another and until the last 28 seconds, I just knew Louisville was going to pull it off. Then came the touchdown that will ensure Andre Woodson a career in public office in the state of Kentucky until he dies. Being in the Louisville section, you could hear a pin drop, but around the perimeter of the stadium was a total eruption. I am sure you could hear the roar all the way to Waddy. It was really an unbelievable game. Now that I think about it, maybe it was best that Mikey not see all of the blue bloods going buck wild. You all know how he feels about UK. Also the Colts had a huge win over the Titans yesterday. That's always a big game for both teams. I know Mike was pleased with that win. That game was only blocks from where he is right now. I sure wish he could have gone.

As you all know Melisa was able to go home and be with Casey, Mom stayed in Nashville, and Big Hope and Bret came down for the weekend. Melisa said Casey is doing really good but he is asking to go see his Daddy "at the doctors." Hopefully Mike will be able to go home in a few weeks and be with him at home too. Debbie, Melisa's mom, came down with a stomach bug over the weekend. Hopefully she gets better soon so that Melisa can get back to Nashville in the next day or two. Mom is planning on going back home for a few days once Melisa gets down there too. She has been down there the whole time and I am sure is a little homesick.

Today please pray that Mike's body is able to properly heal and fully recover. Thanks again to everyone for their prayers, emails, calls and visits. It does help tremendously.

Love,
Rachel

Faith

We have come together and prayed relentlessly as a family for Mike's healing and today we were given some good news. If you all will remember he had a bone marrow biopsy during his first few days at St. Mary's. I apologize for not knowing all of the proper terminology but basically there were 3 separate tests that were performed on that sample. The biggest test was the cytogenetic testing of his cells. This test in particular represents the single most important prognostic factor for predicting remission, relapse, and overall survival. We were told by Dr. Zigler, the oncologist in Evansville, that these results are either deemed good, intermediate, or poor. Dr. Stein told Mike today that this test was "normal" and that was a "good thing". Having 2 different oncologists means having 2 different forms of communication. I wish I could say that Dr. Stein came right out and said, "Mike, you have a good prognosis" but that was not the case. However, what Stein said was some good news for us.

Mike's white blood count is being brought down next to nothing and should reach its lowest point by the beginning to middle of next week. I talked to him today and he said that he feels pretty good...not as good as he has but not horrible either. He has experienced some nausea and some fatigue. His nausea doesn't seem to hinder his appetite too much and his fatigue hasn't stopped him from doing his walking so we are very thankful for that. All in all he's hanging like a trooper, taking all in stride.

Melisa was able to go home today and see Casey. She is planning on staying at home at least through the weekend and I know Casey will be so happy to have his momma home! Mike will have more visitors down there this weekend as Big Hope and Bret are heading down to Nashville for the weekend. Mom is still down there too. I think they are planning on hitting up the Mellow Mushroom once more at Mikey's request. Seriously ya'll...that is some good pizza!

While we more than likely will never know why Mike has been placed on this journey, we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Lord chose him for this mission. We accept His command, trust that His will shall be done, and the countless blessings that are a direct result of this situation will only be credited to Him. I read a good quote today. It said, "Faith is not believing that God will do what you want. Faith is believing that God will do what's right." This rings so true to me. Being obedient under the Lord and trusting that He knows, in a capacity more than we could ever fathom, what is BEST for us is truly stepping out on faith. I'm not saying that it is always easy but with God, it's always feasible. As 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 instructs, "Be joyful always; pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." If that is His will, then that is exactly what we will do!

Jesus Saves!
Rachel

More Than Just a Job

If you all have the privilege of knowing my mom, you more than likely know that she works at Methodist Hospital and has since the dawn of time. Anytime I mention my mom to anyone, 2 common identifiers are typically asked. #1"Isn't she Les Smithhart's daughter?" (which, sadly, is becoming somewhat less common of a question as our generations are further handed down) and #2"Doesn't she work up at the hospital?" (because ya'll know you can't just work AT the hospital, you have to work UP at the hospital) Mom, I believe, has been there for 27 years, which for a career is an eternity! She is that one person who says, "I love my job." When I was a little girl I used to think she was just saying that, as everything she told Mikey and me was, and still is, eternally optimistic. Then, when I turned 16 and started working at Sureway, I got my first taste of having a job. At that point, I just knew she was covering her tracks! I mean come on, who really LIKES their job??? But as I have become an adult and our relationship has matured, not only does she still tell me she loves her job, but SHE REALLY MEANS IT!! I have more than hinted around (albeit somewhat selfishly) about her retiring and she will just not hear of it.

Mom has worked with Rita, Judith, Pam, Lisa, Melanie, Robin (and others I am forgetting at the moment) for as long as I can remember and together, they have formed sort of a family away from family. They have witnessed births, marriages, deaths, and illnesses as a family together. When Mikey was initially diagnosed with leukemia, it was no surprise for me to look up and see Rita and Robin walk in the door with half of Super Wal-Mart, only to be followed up a little while later with Judith coming in with the other half of Super Wal-Mart. "The girls" have all come through for one another over the years. However, when I heard what they pulled off yesterday, I was moved to tears. "The girls" all got the word out about Mike and Melisa and decided to host a soup and sandwich benefit for them. Melanie headed up the effort and people from Administration, Accounting, HR, Radiology, and Nursing all combined forces and made soups, sandwiches, and desserts of all kinds. They hosted the luncheon in one of the classrooms near the cafeteria. Rita said the cooler temperatures made for a perfect day for soups and sandwiches. They had an overwhelming response and took in over $1500.00 and were still counting donations!! It was a huge success! Mike and Melisa (and of course Mom) will be so grateful and surprised by this overwhelming gesture. I keep saying I wish there was another way to express our gratitude. It is unbelievable. Mom has said how lucky she is to have "the girls" in her life. It is no wonder she loves her job so much! With co-workers like that, who wouldn't??!! Huge thanks to "The Girls"!! We Love You!

Promise of Change

I spoke with Mike this morning and all is well at Vandy. He really enjoyed visiting with Josh yesterday and for the most part is still feeling pretty good. As I mentioned before, today is the last day of his first round of chemotherapy. So far he has tolerated it like a champ and we pray he continues to do so well. Melisa said all is good on the home front too; Casey is warming up a little more to his new school and making it a little easier for Debbie to drop him off. I think he has a hard time at night without his Momma and Daddy there. Please pray for our little sweet pea so that he is also comforted during this difficult time.

I'm not sure about you all, but here in Louisville, today just might be the most beautiful day we've had all year. Cooler temperatures and lower humidity makes the sky seem bluer and the grass seem greener. All of the colors just seem to pop. Fall is my all time favorite season and today we are able to get just a taste of what is to come. Football games, homemade chili, jeans and sweaters, fall festivals, apple cider...throw in a few of my favorite people's birthdays and I'm as happy as a pig in...mud. We are lucky to live in Kentucky, we really are. It is the perfect location to fully witness all of the seasons at their peak. Sure, you can go swimming in Michigan in the summer and as Jamie, God love her, likes to tell me, "We wear sweaters here in Florida too." Just not the same to me. Our summers leave us praying for a reprieve while our winters leave us begging for mercy. For me, I don't know what I enjoy more, the seasons themselves or the promise of the change that is yet to come. As I have gotten older, I tend to lean toward the latter. There is something very appealing about the hope and promise of a new day, a new season. And without fail, that change inevitably comes. It is no coincidence that today, the first day that has provided us with a hint of change, is also the last day of my brother's initial treatment. I pray that this beautiful day provides him with the reassurance that even though he is currently in a season that has us all begging for His mercy, a promise of change is right around the corner. A promise of hope, a promise of change, a promise of healing. Hang in there Mikey, the best is yet to come. I can just feel it in the air!

9/11 We Have Not Forgotten

Hard to believe that 6 years have passed since those terrorist attacks on the US. Don't you remember that day just like it was yesterday? Remember EXACTLY where you were when you heard of the tragedy? Remember how blue the sky was that day? Remember what the rest of your day and night consisted of? Definitely hard to believe it was 6 years ago. As I was taking my boys to school this morning, everywhere I turned there were reminders of that day. Bumper stickers on cars, marquee signs on restaurants, flags at half mast in the school yard...all tributes to those who lost so much that day. Please keep the victims' families in your thoughts and prayers as you go about your day today. I can't imagine the grief that this day must bring for them.

I spoke to Mike this morning and he sounded as good as ever. Josh made it down last night and he was in the room with him this morning. I think Josh brought Cameron's PSP and a Madden game for Mike to pass some time. I know he'll put that to good use. Thanks to Josh and Brandi for that! He said he had a good night, ate a good breakfast, and he and Josh went on his walk. It is so reassuring to hear his upbeat voice and know he is in good spirits. I think I posted yesterday that this was his last day of chemo. Actually tomorrow is his last day. I know you are, but please pray that this treatment cures his body of this illness and his spirit is comforted at the same time.

Yesterday while grocery shopping with my youngest child I got to witness a very sweet scenario. For those of you who don't know Houston, or 'Tootie', as he calls himself, he is as rough as a cob...definitely all boy! He would just as soon pounce on your head than give you a hug or a kiss...just ask his big brother who by far takes the bulk of Tootie's abuse. You know those parents who say, "If we had this child first, he would be our last." Well that's us with the Toot Monster. Anyhow, we had just gotten inside the store and I was trying to bribe him to ride in the cart, offering up everything from Oreo's to balloons to no avail. What? Mr. Rambunctious ride peacefully in the cart when there are both employees AND patrons of Kroger to be terrorized??? I don't think so. "OK," I warned him, "but if I have to tell you ANYTHING, ANYTHING at all, you're back in the cart." From the smirk on his face, I knew he understood. I was carefully selecting my oranges as well as keeping a close watch on Houston, who by this point had identified another small child across the store. She appeared to be about his age and had spotted him too. All of the sudden, out of nowhere, they take off running towards one another. Both her mom and I kind of followed along, watching how this was going to unfold. Was he going to take her down, Ray Lewis style? Bite her? With him it's all a possibility. Instead, much to my surprise, rather shock, they met in the middle and just hugged one another...for quite a while too. It was one of the sweetest things I've ever seen. From what we could gather, they didn't know each other, didn't go to the same school, didn't go to the same church, probably the first time they have ever even seen each other, but it didn't stop them from hugging one another. It was the sweetest, most honest, most natural act these two kids could have done at that time. They didn't think anything of it what-so-ever. How liberating it must be to be 2 years old!! Her mom remarked how sweet it was was that they aren't inhibited from doing something like that. I said that we should be more like that. And we should. Maybe we don't need to go up and hug a complete stranger but being a little kinder, a little more gentler sure couldn't hurt either. Because who knows what that person on the other end is going through at the moment.

Feathers, Feathers Everywhere...

Happy Monday All! I talked to Mike early this morning and he said that everything was going good. No nausea, has a good appetite, and just finished his morning walk. He only has 1 day of chemo. left! (little whoop-whoop!) Then for the next 7 days he will basically be resting, allowing his body to recuperate and rebuild its blood supply. Please pray again that this chemo. knocks out all of those little sons-a-bitches and he is back in the saddle at Dana in no time! Please also pray that his body continues to tolerate his chemo. as well as he has thus far.

Mikey had a good weekend; had lots of visitors. Big Hope, Mei-Mei, and Casey all went back to Henderson last night. Mom and Melisa stayed in the Nash at the condo and were headed back over to Vandy this morning. Our cousin Josh is kindly taking some time away from his practice of "fighting cavities for freedom" to hang out with the patient for a couple of days. I hope Brandi and the boys manage get along ok while he is gone. Go Gaines!! Oh how Mikey wishes the Beaner were there too. He does miss him terribly, as we all do. Somehow though I believe he is there. Go Vols!! Please pray today that during Josh's visit Mikey doesn't laugh so hard that he knocks his pic-line out of socket and has to have it redone. It is a possibility.

As I said in one of our previous posts, Psalm 91 has been such a strong and comforting verse for everyone in our family. Specifically it states that the Lord "will cover you with his feathers and under his wings you will find refuge." Many of you have kindly endured my telling (and re-telling) of my experience with the feather. Even more so, many of you have been finding feathers everywhere!! Aunt Beanie at her home, Mei-Mei in the hospital, Bart in his office, Mom at the condo. last night, and Scott on the ball field of all places. Sure it would be easy to dismiss an event as small as this. However, just ask any of us who have found a feather lately whether or not that is a coincidence. We'll gladly tell you the answer! Each of these feathers hold so much meaning to us as they are concrete reminders of that scripture that promised protection. I love hearing each of them! Please keep sharing your stories. They are so uplifting!

More to come...
Rachel

P.S. Emilee could have SO taken that girl at 3rd. I don't know who's the toughest of the grandkids - Her or Houston? It's probably a toss up.

Happy 18th Birthday Garrett Hunter Eblen!!

We Love You!
The Griswalds

P.S. Josh Eades - Garrett wanted for me to tell you that his truck don't run on 'Happy Birthday!'

Happy Grandparent's Day to our Moppy and Poppy!!

We Love You!

Trey, Hailee, Emilee, Casey, Houston, and Lane

Coincidence? Hardly.

When Mike was diagnosed with leukemia, each of us were (and still are to some degree) placed on an emotional roller coaster of sorts. I don't know how its possible, but it's not uncommon for each of us to experience fear, anger, peace, comfort, and joy almost simultaneously. When we are faced with a situation as drastic as this, the only place we can turn to calm our fears, squash our anger, rejuvenate our peace, fill up our joy, and receive our comfort is to the Lord. Along the way we have all dropped to our knees asking for His immediate presence and have received His Holy Spirit in abundance! Some of us have had more spiritual experiences, while others have witnessed more concrete examples of His presence. Either way, we KNOW that He is with us every step of the way and we are eternally thankful for His grace.

During this journey one major doubt that I have been feeling in particular is that perhaps our sins, maybe even Mikey's wrong-doings brought on this disease. Even worse, I felt that the Lord was just sort of throwing His hands up in the air as if to say, "Hey, you brought this on yourself," and was turning His back on us. I have been struggling with this for a while, partially not wanting to believe this but still feeling myself give into that realization. I mean, why not? After all God has done for us and this is how we repay Him? Come on! I'd probably turn my back too. But as I am human, I am in no way God and I can't fathom the type of love He feels for each and every one of us.

Those doubts were put to rest once and for all last night when Bret called me. Together we discussed 2 passages of scripture that the Lord placed on his heart. The first one is in the book of John, Chapter 9, Verses 1-3. It reads: "Jesus went along and he saw a man born blind from birth. His disciples asked, 'Jesus, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?' (Which is exactly what I thought...what sin brought this in to Mikey's life?) And Jesus answered, 'Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happned so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.'" How awesome is that??!! With this we know that we are not alone AND that this is the work of God. As the old saying goes: Everything happens for a reason and such is the case in this instance.

The next scripture that we discussed is in the OT in 2Kings, chapter 5, which talks about our old buddy Naaman. Basically Naaman was a man who was a leper and was sick. No one would go near him nor touch him as they were fearful of him. Naaman went to the King of Isreal and took him tons of material items: money, gold, silver, and clothing. He offered them to the King and asked to be healed. The King turned him away, wisely telling him that he is not God and he doesn't have that kind of power. During all of this, Elisha, a prophet of God overheard all of this and said, "Tell Naaman to come to me." So Naaman went to his house. Elisha told him, "Go wash yourself 7 times in the Jordan River and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed." But Naaman didn't like what he heard. He thought that Elisha could just call on God, wave his hand over him and he would be healed right there on the spot. Besides there were 2 rivers that were a lot closer to him than the Jordan. Why couldn't he just wash himself in either of those? So Naaman left angry. After a while, his servants talked him into taking Elisha's advice. He went and did as he was told and was ultimately healed. As Bret pointed out there are too many likenesses to Mikey in this story and this is not just some fluke of a coincidence. Just as Naaman noticed that there are 2 rivers near him, there are 2 hospitals that are near Mikey. But just like Naaman had to travel to be healed so must Mike. Just as Naaman had to endure this as a process, so does Mike. Just as Naaman had to wash himself 7 times, Mike's body must also be washed for 7 days with the chemo. Coincidence? Oh no my friend.

Both of these scriptures are so very reassuring. The Word of God is very real and is as pertinent today as it was 2000+ years ago. There is a reason the Good Book is the most read book in the world, year after year - everyone can relate to its scripture.

I'm sorry - I didn't mean to go all Billy Graham on you today but this was very moving to me and I just wanted to share it. Besides, it is Sunday after all and by a show of hands, how many of us missed this morning's service??? That's what I thought.

Don't feel bad. I didn't go either. :)
Rachel