Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!

Christy sent this picture of our favorite ski bum shoveling off the deck on Tuesday. WOW! Mr. Ramzee must be lovin' it! Eric is already planning a "guy's trip" to the mountains since his pregnant wife can't join him on the slopes! :-)

Daddy received a great report while in Dallas last week. Still no cancer! His blood pressure was high, but he spent the previous evening hanging out with the Ditch Digger! No telling what those two were up to!

Happy Holidays!
Wendee and family

Ski season is in full swing!

Eric, Edee and I just returned from spending Thanksgiving in Red River! We enjoyed lots of wonderful food and beautiful weather. Christy, a.k.a. Gigi, skied with Miss Edee and they both had a ball! Daddy will be coming to Dallas early next week for a scan and visit with Dr. Agura. We are so thankful for his health and good spirits!

Hope y'all had a very happy Thanksgiving!
Wendee

Big News out of Big D!

Daddy had his scans in Dallas on Tuesday morning followed by a drip of Retuxin, a type of chemo. (I probably spelled that wrong, but go with it!) Christy went with him to be sure and get ALL of the correct information. I know we were all a little worried about how much Daddy or Eric would remember! :-) Dr. Agura reviewed his scan results and he saw no cancer! He was very pleased and optimistic about the future. Daddy will also be able to stay in Austin to receive the next two doses of chemo, which are scheduled for the next 2 Tuesdays. I know he is very happy about that!

In 6 months, they will repeat the scans and 4 doses of chemo. Until then, he has a strict regimen of golfing, consuming "liquids," and preparing for his stints at the Texas and Oklahoma state fairs!
Love and thanks for all your prayers!
Wendee

Wally on the Road!

(This picture of Edee has nothing to do with the post, but I couldn't help myself! She is just too cute, and she's ready for a visit from her Poppy Wally!!!)

Daddy is coming to Dallas next week for a scan and a little chemo. He is making his way to Burleson on Monday afternoon, and then Eric will be accompanying him to his appointment at Baylor on Tuesday morning. It is my first day of school, so I can't make it. TeeLee is also starting back to teaching at a brand new high school, where she will be the drill team director. I was at a brand new school last year, so I know what a thrill it is to be a in a beautiful new building! I'm a little worried about letting Eric and Daddy loose in the big city, but I am hoping that

they behave!! ;-)

We are looking forward to a great report, so please keep Daddy in your thoughts and prayers!

Love,

Wendee

Pictures of the Birthday Boy!

Here are a few pictures of the birthday celebration in Spicewood! Enjoy!
Daddy with a few of his "children" and grand-children!

Eric was so excited about Daddy's birthday that he started the celebration Friday night. He had LOTS of fun helping Daddy enjoy his big day! (He even has the scars to prove it! :-))

You are never too old to be a Daddy's Girl!

Christy served the most wonderful red velvet cake! Daddy couldn't wait for his slice! We enjoyed it again the next night with some homemade ice cream that Webb and Sharon brought over! What a nice treat! TeeLee and her girls are heading down this weekend for a belated celebration. I think Daddy deserves an entire Birthday Month!

Birthday Fun!!

Eric, Edee and I took a trip to Spicewood last weekend. It was Daddy's birthday and we wanted to be a part of the celebration. We had lots of fabulous food and beverages, as well as some wonderful hospitality. Daddy and Eric took care of some "honey-do's," in between watching rounds of the British Open. They were able to hook up a TV on the patio, and now Daddy can watch the lake, his dog and Golf TV all at the same time. Life is good!! Edee and I enjoyed playing outside, but poor Christy had to work part of the time. I guess someone in the group had to be responsible!

We loaded up and traveled down the road to Krause Springs on Sunday. What an incredible oasis from the awful heat that is currently drying out the Hill Country! I don't know what Edee enjoyed most, swimming in the cool water or watching all of the interesting people there!!

Happy Birthday, Daddy!! Cheers to MANY more!!

Love,

Wendee

The Fourth of July With our Favorite Veteran

Well, here he is in the first annual 4th of July Parade in Spicewood....doesn't he look great!!!! Wally and the Willys were in rare form. Wally is an extraordinary man, if I may say so. Nothing can get him down....not even cancer. I am so proud of him. Thank you again, dear friends and family, for all the prayers. God does listen!

Love,

Christy

Happy Father's Day!!

Uncle Mike was able to visit Daddy at the lake this weekend! I'm so thankful that these two buddies and fabulous fathers were able to spend some time together. Eric also made it back from Orlando. He and Edee are looking sharp as they get ready for a trip to the pool.

I am counting my blessings this Father's Day! :-)

XOXO!

Wendee

Back on the green!

Daddy had his first golf outing since returning home! Doug and Bill picked him up early Monday morning so they could TRY and beat the Texas heat. They were able to complete a full round! YEAH!!

Daddy received a lovely golf frame from a wonderful friend, Pat Dipprey. She told him to take a picture the first time he returned to the golf course and put it in the frame. In honor of her late husband (Dip), Daddy wore Dip's hat, shirt and carried his golf bag to the course yesterday. What a fitting tribute on such a momentous occassion! :-)

Summer is here in a BIG way! Jump in the pool, play at the lake, drink a cold one! Do whatever you have to, but stay COOL!!
Wendee

It's good to be home (or in Red River)!

I spoke to Daddy and Christy several times over the course of the weekend. Daddy sounds terrific, but he is trying to find that fine line between enjoying his time at home without over-doing it. He and Mr. Ramzee have gone on many good walks, and he has spent some time watching Christy work in the yard. Sounds like my house, except I am the one doing the watching and Eric does all the work!

Eric, Edee, Elkee and I will be heading to Red River in a few weeks and WE CAN'T WAIT! When I told Daddy that we bought the above child carrier and that it would fit me or Eric easily, he said, "You mean you can carry Eric in that thing?" I guess that would be one way to get him home from the Bull! So, for all you Red River readers, be on the lookout for us as we pull into town with dirtbikes, Samurai, coolers, backpacks, baby strollers, wagons and everything else that is required when traveling with children, or husbands that act like children!

Happy Summer!

Wendee

On the Road Again.....

The apartment is cleaned out, the car is loaded, the pic line is out, the doctor has been by and Daddy and Christy are headed to the car as we speak! I could bore you with the numbers, but I know that all you really want to know is that Daddy is ON HIS WAY HOME to enjoy the blue skies of the Texas Hill Country with Christy and Mr. Ramzee!

Y'ALL are the best group of family, friends, and and just plain "characters" that anyone could ask for! We have never had to ask "Who IS with Wally?" because we know that you all carried him in your heart the entire time!! LOVE and HUGS to ALL of YOU!!

If I wasn't stuck at school cleaning out my room, I would SOOO be drinking a Lone Star beer right now! :-)
XOXO!!
Wendee

A Well Deserved Day OFF!!

Well, Daddy's numbers are looking great! His white blood count went from 1.2 to 2.6! His other counts look good, too. Christy gave me all the specifics, but all I needed to hear was that they were good!! He finished with his dripping early and was out for an afternoon on the town. He wanted Whataburger, so he and Christy found one and took lunch to White Rock Lake. It started to rain, but they enjoyed their lunch in the car, which was a welcome change from the apartment!

Daddy is pictured above with his AWESOME doctor, Dr. Agura! (He is a former ski patrolman, by the way, but we like him despite that!!) He gave Daddy the day off tomorrow...no bloodwork, no dripping!! They will check his counts on Friday and if everything goes as expected, he and Christy will be headed to Spicewood on Friday afternoon!! As we say in Texas...YEE-HAW!!!!

We are so thankful for the staff at Baylor Hospital, specifically the folks at the Bone Marrow Transplant Clinic! They have been nothing but top notch, and we have been so blessed by the level of care that Daddy has received throughout his time here. They have listened to his stories when he was full of spunk, and kept his spirits up on days when it was hard for him to muster much energy. We could not have asked for more!

We are also grateful for all the friends and family who continue to pray and send well wishes! I am still amazed at all the folks who love Daddy ALMOST as much as I do! ;-)

Cheers!
Wendee

Keep lookin' up!

Daddy's white blood count is up from yesterday. He was at 0.4 yesterday and was at 1.2 today. It is not a huge jump, but he is headed in the right direction. The doctor still thinks there is a possibility that Daddy can go home on Friday, so keep praying for those BIG numbers!!

We LOVE getting the emails and sharing them with Daddy. It is always such a pleasure to read your well wishes. I have to give a special "shout out" to the gang at Ski Haus Travel in Oklahoma City. They always have such creative and hilarious sentiments! Their notes just crack me up and we all appreciate the humor!! I need to make a trip to OKC and meet you guys! You sound like my kind of people!! :-)

Remember...visualize BIG numbers!!!!! :-)
Wendee

The Sky's the Limit

Well, you really find out who your friends are when something like this happens! Jerry Falkner, on the left, offered his time, his wife, Mary Kay's plane AND his plane to pick me up, take me home for a few days to get some work done and then fly be back to Dallas. I can't express how much our friends have done for us since we have been on this journey. I don't know how I will thank them all. Jerry....I had a ball in the plane....I will be your co-pilot any day!!!

Now, the gentleman on the right is John Spreen. This man and his wife, Sherri, are amazing! They have been keeping an eye on our house, our yard and our baby....Ramzee...and the babysitters we have had with Ramzee for 2 months now. John mows our yard, waters our yard and plants and trims the edges with the weed-eater. (No wonder he's so skinny!) Can you imagine having neighbors such as these!! We are so blessed!!!!!

We have such wonderful friends and family. We love them all very much! Christy and Wally

(Written by Christy)

Watch Golf, Nap, REPEAT...

Daddy received his first shot yesterday to start boosting his white blood count. His level went from 0.1 yesterday to 0.2 today, but they really didn't expect to see a change until Monday. The shot causes flu-like symptoms, so he is feeling pretty tired and sore. He also received platelets today, but his numbers look good going into tomorrow's treatment. He will continue to receive his shot each day.

Christy returned from Spicewood yesterday and rode in the really cool plane pictured above! They had beautiful weather for flying!! Daddy and I were laying pretty low in the ol' apartment. We both fell asleep watching the Colonial. I can't tell you the last time I had a nap in the middle of the day! It was fabulous!!

Daddy also received some good news about a couple of his fellow transplant patients. He hadn't seen either of them in a couple of days and was a little concerned. It turns out that one finished his treatment and was sent home to Austin. The other suffered a fall on the way back to the apartment complex, but has rebounded well. He may be going home soon, also. They were both ahead of Daddy in their transplants, and we are so thankful that they're doing well! I know it gives Daddy more reason to stay focused and positive!!

Although my day at home was a bit more hectic today, I am hoping that Daddy was able to enjoy another afternoon of watching golf and napping! He certainly deserves it!

Have a great week!
Wendee

Daddy's Girls!

Today during Daddy's treatment at the Bone Marrow Transplant Clinic, Wendee and I had a "Changing of the Guard" and photo session. I spent the night last night and Wendee came to do tonight's shift.

As Daddy and I were sitting in his apartment last night, enjoying Aunt Janie's awesome potatoe soup and watching some TV, it hit me that this time together is a true gift from God. Don't get me wrong Cancer still BITES, but it also causes us to slow down and really look at what is important in life. As you've noticed, if you follow this blog regularly, Wendee has done the majority of the blog entries lately....she's a trooper and I've been just a little overwhelmed by the everyday stresses of life. But as we were sitting last night, having a glass of wine and swapping stories I realized how precious this time together really is. How many times in life are we given an opportunity to put all the stresses and distractions of life on hold and sit and talk with someone we love, for an entire day. Daddy tells the BEST stories and every time I'm there I learn something new from listening to them. Through this experience, we've all learned the blessing of looking of the bright side in every situation and cherishing every second we are given with those we love.

So find someone you love and give them a BIG HUG! We're doing great in Dallas and Kickin' Cancer's Butt!

Love and Prayers,

TeeLee

Quick update...

I am about to walk out the door to go stay with Daddy. Christy had to return to Spicewood for a few days, so TeeLee, Aunt Janie and I are helping out. From the reports I have received, Daddy is doing great! He received platelets on Wednesday and today. His white blood count was at zero on Wednesday, but it has been 0.1 the last two days. Tomorrow, he will receive his first of daily shots that should increase his white blood count. Think BIG numbers!!

Picture to come soon! I'll take one when I get there!
Have a fabulous Friday!
Wendee

Who is that masked man?

Well, the Titleist hat and Hawaiian shirt probably give it away, huh? Our mystery man is out enjoying his daily walk to the BMT clinic. The flowers are blooming and so is his shirt! :-) Since his white blood counts are so low, he has to wear his mask when he is out of the apartment. It is also a really good disguise if you are trying to avoid the paparazzi!

Hope you are enjoying some sunshine wherever you may be today!
Wendee
**NEWSFLASH: We may be able to identy our masked mystery man. I just received new information from our buddy, JP: "I don't know his name, but that same guy stole my wallet one night when I was drunk at Sam's boat." Hmm???

Happy Memorial Day!!

Since Daddy wasn't able to enjoy his Memorial Day doing what he loves...COOKING, Eric and I took him some ribs, sausage, corn on the cob, potato salad, baked beans, and corn/bean relish. I'm not sure how much he will feel like eating, but I just coudn't imagine not sharing some great food with our favorite veteran today! :-)

His white blood counts are still dropping and he may be receiving some blood tomorrow. It will depend on how much some of the other counts have dropped. Christy is great about writing things down and making notes, but I don't remember exactly which counts we were looking at. She does a much better job than me of keeping up with the technical information!

He will receive a shot every day starting on the 30th that will help boost his white blood count. This is what helps his count go up more quickly. Remember when his count last month went from 2.5 to 9.2! We are hoping for the same this go around. In fact, Daddy has been dropping hints that he plans to be going home on June 4th. I love that he is setting goals and staying positive!

As Whiskey Bob so eloquently put it..."Wally fought for his country and now he is fighting for his life. What an appropriate weekend for our warrior to win another battle." I couldn't be more proud of my dad on this Memorial Day!

Thanks for the continued prayers and positive thoughts!

Wendee
**I would like to give a SHOUT OUT to Christy! I gave her a mini-blogging lesson on Saturday and she was able to edit this post with more detailed information! Welcome to the world of blogging, KiKi!!**

Wally and Ramzee

Post transplant: Day 1!!

The picture above was taken when Daddy was home recovering in Spicewood. Ramzee sure was happy to have his Daddy back!! I know they are both looking forward to seeing each other again soon!

I spent the morning with Daddy while he was "dripping." As I'm sure you can imagine, he was visiting with everyone and telling stories. ;-) His white blood counts are still dropping, as expected, and should reach zero in the next few days. He is pretty tired, but we will be looking forward to the quick rebound!

Take care!

Wendee

Happy Second Birthday, Wally!!

This is what it looks like when they are giving you the stem cells. And...Voila! You now have a Second Birthday! (No...really! That is what they call it!) Daddy will have to get a whole new round of childhood immunizations this year. Falcon had a good question..."Waldo, does this mean that you have to wait 21 years until you can drink again?" Let's hope not!

I love how he is sporting his SFA Dad shirt! (That is where TeeLee, Paul, Eric and I all went to school!) He is now back at the apartment resting. Christy said that the material used to store the frozen stem cells smells like garlic, so that is what Daddy smells like, too! Not bad for someone who really likes to cook, I suppose! I guess we just always look for the humor in everything. That's truly a Dobbs trait!

Have a great Memorial Day weekend!
Wendee

Going somewhere, Wally??

Here is our Man About Town on his daily trip to the clinic. His nurse, a.k.a. Christy, has been doing a fabulous job delivering his chemo treatments at the apartment. I think she has a future in nursing!

Daddy spoke to one of the doctors about what they can expect as far as his time in Big D. His white blood count will drop to zero again after the stem cell transplant. They are looking at his last chemo treatment and white blood cell response as an indicator of what they can possibly expect this go around. Based on his last "performance," the doctor said he could be going home as soon as the first week of June. It could take longer for his counts to rebound, but I know Daddy will be working hard for an early release!

Isn't it good to see that smile??

Wendee

Flight attendant in training...

No, it's not Edee who's training to be a flight attendant!!

As part of his hydration and chemo, Daddy has a nice new roller bag that goes everywhere with him. He called to tell me today that he was a flight attendant in training. I remember those days! He sounds great and we are still giddy from his news on Wednesday. OH! In his transplant orientation yesterday, the clinic staff went over some "dos and don'ts" for the next several weeks. One thing they mentioned was to be sure and drink pasteurized beer. Of course, Daddy took that to mean that he is SUPPOSED to be drinking beer as part of the treatment. Sounds good to me!

Christy has rearranged the apartment and even went to a thrift store today to buy a new TV stand. She said the other one was just too short! She walked down the street and did a little shopping this afternoon. I think they are getting comfortable with their neighborhood and new digs. They were able to meet Mike and Marti for Mexican food at Matt's in Lakewood last night. YUM! Now that Daddy has a new "friend" to tote around, he is pretty much going to stay close to the apartment and BMT clinic. At least his roller bag doesn't talk back and light up like "The Clown!"

He will spend the next few days going to the clinic for several hours each day to receive more hyrdation and chemo. He will receive his stem cells on Friday, and they have warned him that he will feel pretty "yucky" for awhile after that.

Thanks for the emails that have been sent to whoswithwally@gmail.com. I am forwarding them all to Christy and she shares them with Daddy.

Love,
Wendee
PS...I know! I know! I just had to include one more picture of Edee! She had her 12 month check-up yesterday, which included a visit to the lab to check her iron levels. There were 3 lab techs standing in front of her and it was so pitiful!! Poppy Wally, Edee wants you to know that she feels your pain!! The only thing good about getting shots and bloodwork is getting ice cream afterward!

Preliminary update...

Well...I just got off the phone with Christy and they are at the Bone Marrow Clinic in Dallas. Daddy had his scans this morning and they are moved into the apartment. He has his pic line put in already and they received GREAT news from Dr. Agura. His scans showed (are you ready for this??)...NO CANCER! The canteloupe sized tumor...GONE!! The other cancer...GONE!! He even used the word "remission!" Our conversation was cut short because a clinic employee came into the room to talk. If I find out more info, I will post it ASAP! She sent me a picture on my phone, but I can't get it to upload to the blog. Daddy was all smiles! :-) Me too!!
It's 5:00 in Texas! Go have a cocktail in celebration of Wally!
XOXO!
Wendee

Attitude is Everything!!

Every time I have talked to Daddy lately, I have been thoroughly blown away with his positive attitude! He has been in wonderful spirits and his time at home has been spent hanging out with friends, enjoying the weather, hitting golf balls in the backyard, strolling through the neighborhood, and loving on Mr. Ramzee! He and Christy are headed back to Dallas Wednesday morning for his PET scan. He will then begin the bone marrow transplant process, so he will be in the apartment for about 6 weeks.

Thank you for sending so many positive thoughts to Daddy! I can tell that he is receiving them! Please keep it up as we continue our program entitled "Kickin' the crap out of cancer!" :-)

Love and thanks,
Wendee

P.S. Please humor this sentimental mom by allowing me to share a picture of Edee celebrating her 1st birthday this weekend. Our journey to parenthood is just another reminder to keep the faith and enjoy the ride, however bumpy it may be at times.

Lookin' good!!

I went by to see Daddy on Saturday, and it was great to see his smile!! Edee and I made a quick trip while Eric was wheelin' in nearby Marble Falls. Christy took this picture Thursday or Friday, but Daddy was lookin' just as fabulous when we arrived! He was as talkative as ever! Edee had fun crawling around in the house and yard, but we didn't stay too long for fear of bringing germs and wearing Poppy Wally out! I think he is feeling pretty good, but his challenge is to not over do it or he has to spend the next day recovering. (Sounds like a night out in Red River!) I delivered some mail that came to TeeLee's house after his return to Spicewood.

He thoroughly enjoys hearing all of your well wishes!! Keep 'em coming!

Love,

Wendee

*COMMENTS: I had to suspend the comments section due to a spam-like comment I received on Sunday. If you would like to leave a comment, please send it to our gmail account listed in the right hand column. I will make sure that Daddy gets all of those emails.

Guess who's back?

Wednesday was a great day for Wally! He and Ramzee walked to the Kiely's and back, which is over a mile!! Bill and Ann were not home at the time, so no one was there to hand Daddy cups of water and Gatorade like in his old marathon days! He arrived home and did some business over the phone with Lauren in Red River. John and Jerry came over for a visit and Daddy STOOD in the kitchen telling "Wally stories" with his usual animation. Christy said she looked at him standing there and thought..."Wally's back!!" He cooked steaks on the grill and finished off the evening with ice cream. I was so tickled to get the report last night!

I'm sure Daddy is spending today celebrating the birthday of one of his favorite singers and fellow Spicewood resident, Willie Nelson! Even with the rain, it looks like "Blue Skies" are smilin' on Spicewood today! :-)
Have a good one!
Wendee

If you're checking in...

Daddy had a great Tuesday! He began the day with a trip to the big city of Marble Falls. Christy had to go to the grocery store, so Daddy rode along and waited in the car. When they returned home, he took Mr. Ramzee for a short walk down the street and was later visited by his friend, Doug. (I hear they may have even consumed beer!?!?) John and Sherri came by and delivered a batch of stew, which Daddy enjoyed for dinner along with some macaroni and cheese. He also received a special delivery: a couple of new t-shirts from Edee! (She already knows how to shop on-line.:-)) We just couldn't resist the one above! Steve-O sent some Kentucky Derby hats and party gear. He and Daddy started a Kentucky Derby party in Red River years ago, and the tradition continues!!

He was sleeping in his chair when I talked to Christy last night. Sounds like my kind of day in Spicewood!

Hope you are having a great day, too! :-)
Wendee

Lazy day in Spicewood!

I just got off the phone with Christy, and like much of Texas, they are getting tons of rain today. Daddy hasn't had much of an appetite the past few days, so he is pretty weak. He did eat breakfast today, along with some yogurt, and he has requested spaghetti for dinner tonight. Christy was busy getting that together in the hopes that he would still be hungry after his nap.

Dr. Agura called today to check in after learning that Lowell, the PA, had sent Daddy home. :-) He confirmed that Daddy could skip his appointment tomorrow and relax in Spicewood for the next couple of weeks.

We're headed down that way this weekend, so I'll be taking some mail that was sent after Daddy was released. Eric will be "off-roadin'" for a wonderful cause...Wheelers for the Wounded...where he and other off road enthusiasts will be taking injured soldiers through trails and obstacles near Marble Falls. It is going to be a fabulous event for these American heroes and their families! After watching the weather forecast, it looks like we will all be playing in the mud!
XOXO,
Wendee

A BIG THANK YOU!!

Dad and Whiskey Bob...A few years and a lot of beers ago!! Ha!

Mr. Ramzee...sacked out on the couch in Daddy's office.

Uncle Jack on one of his many adventures!

We want to give a BIG thank you to everyone who has prayed, called, sent letters, brought gifts, or came by to visit while Daddy was in Dallas. We also need to give a HUGE "shout out" to Uncle Jack, a.k.a. Dick T., for staying with Ramzee for 11 days! Ramzee is more than a dog to Daddy and Christy, so it meant a great deal to know that he was taken care of. Daddy was beyond thrilled to be home and Ramzee has not left his side since they arrived!

We also need to give LOADS of thanks to our Whiskey Bob, a.k.a Terry, for coming to stay with Daddy for 4 days this week. It was above the call of friendship for him to drive from Houston and put his life on hold to make sure that Daddy had someone with him at all times. We have state testing at school next week and TeeLee was in the midst of Secretary's Day at the flower shop, so we could not be there 24 hours each day. Whiskey Bob volunteered and was a complete life saver!!

This trip home means so much to all of us and is a wonderful boost to Daddy's spirits. As you can imagine, being told day after day that they weren't sure when he could go home really took a toll on him. Even though we all stayed very optimistic, I'm afraid he was fearing the worst. God really answered our prayers and his timing was perfect! :-) Please continue to pray for Daddy, as he has another battle ahead of him when the transplant process begins on May 12th.

Now, get off the computer and go hug someone that you love! :-)

Wendee

Preliminary Numbers!!!

Well, Wendee is at Baylor with Daddy and Christy today. The doctor has not come in to make it official but the nurse let them peek at the Lab test results and........(drum roll please)............
his white blood cell count is 9.2..........remember he only needed a 4.0 to be released to go home for a few a week or so. They are waiting on the official go ahead after the doctor comes in to look over the results, but it's looking like a thumbs up on heading to the lake for a little while. I know that Daddy is SO EXCITED to get a little freedom. We have received the new transplant calendar and if everything goes well, we will start all of that on May 14th! Thank you so much for your prayers! God Is So Good!
P.S. Don't fret because even when he is home we will keep you updated here at the good old blog. Please continue to call Christy, TeeLee and Wendee for updates. Daddy is still extremely tired and probably doesn't need to be fielding phones calls himself. We love and appreciate all of you!

TeeLee
UPDATE: As of 2:00PM today, Christy's car was loaded and they were just about ready to head to the lake! Daddy also learned that he will not have to come back for his appointment on Tuesday because his numbers were so good. They took out his pic line and he is FREE until May 12th!! I should let you know that he ate Whataburger last night before receiving these outstanding results. I think we have a new cancer treatment on our hands...Whataburger, Flintstones vitamins and endless supplies of ice cream! :-)
Wendee

Up, Up and Away!!!!

Great news! TeeLee is sitting with Daddy today while he is "dripping," and I am happy to report that his white blood count is up from yesterday, in a big way! His count was 0.4 yesterday and is 2.0 today! He said it must be from his Flintstones vitamins! If he reaches the magic number of 4.0, he will get to go home for a few days. He is tentatively scheduled to have his bone marrow transplant beginning on May 14th, but that depends on how his blood counts behave! :-)

I'm going over in the morning to hang out with him while Christy goes to the store. I told him I want BIG numbers or I will beat him with a wet noodle! By the way, "dripping" is the name that Daddy has given to his daily clinic visits. He is hooked up to an IV and just sits there for hours at a time while they give him his medication/platelets/blood for the day. There has to be a nickname for everything!

Keep praying for that 4.0!!!!
Wendee

Ice Cream Delivery!

Praise the Lord, the white blood cells have finally started to reproduce. He had a whopping 4 of the little darlings in his blood sample today.....but having any is huge progress. Dr. Agura was not happy with Daddy's continuing decline in weight. He insisted that Dad start consuming more calories and gave him the thumbs up to eat as much ice cream as he wanted. Dr. Agura also prescribed a new, cutting edge cancer medication.......Flintstone Vitamins. Is that a hoot or what? Daddy was glad to know that they now have Flintstones Gummy Vitamins rather than the old chalky ones. So this afternoon I went and picked up Ben and Jerry's, Blue Bell, Hagendaz and Flintstone Gummies.....and prayerfully we will have him fattened up in no time. I'll be going back in the morning to relieve wonderful Terry so that he can head back to Houston. Then Christy will be returning tomorrow afternoon. We hope to do a better job of keeping you updated in the next few days. Thanks so much for checking in and thanks for keeping the sweet cards and letters coming Daddy's way! We are truly humbled by your prayers and love!
TeeLee

Thank God for Old Friends!!!

What a beautiful day in the Dallas/Ft Worth area!! If you have to be in an apartment across the street from the hospital, this is great weather for trips back and forth to the clinic! It is also a great day to see old friends. I woke up yesterday feeling like I was getting a sinus infection. Daddy had been up with a fever Saturday night, so we decided not to take a chance on him possibly getting sick. Aunt Janie was able to spend the night at the last minute. She's a gem!! I went to take Daddy some food (cooked by Eric, of course), some vino, and some brownies this afternoon. Whiskey Bob, a.k.a. Terry, arrived after an eventful trip from Houston, and he and Daddy were strolling back to the apartment as I was heading home. They were also visited this evening by "The Ditchdigger," a.k.a. Mike. I would be worried about that crew, but I just heard from Mike's wife and he is home safe and sound. She said they had a great time.

Daddy's immunity is still very low and he's pretty exhausted. From a medical standpoint, I understand him not being around alot of people. But coming from a daughter who likes to see her Daddy smile, I sure am thankful for his buddies! :-)
You are ALL very important to us!
Wendee

Relay for Life totals...WOW!!!

Well, the Relay for Life was a huge success and I have to brag on my team! Our school raised almost $6000 AND we won the contest for the best decorated school in the entire district!! We were also featured on the local news last night with our "Kiss the Goat" drive. We raised $1000 on that campaign alone! Thanks to my generous supporters I was able to raise OVER $450!! YEE-HAW!! Despite the rain, everyone had lots of fun and the energy was contagious!

THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!!
Wendee

Still hangin' out in Big D!

I don't have much to report, but it has been too long since the last post! :-) Daddy's blood counts are coming back up ever so slowly. He received a couple of platelet transfusions this week to help spur that along. He is also receiving a shot each day to help boost his white blood cells. He is going to the clinic each day, and I am so thankful for the care they are giving him. I understand that it must be hard to spend that much time there, but I appreciate him being under their watchful eye!

I am heading that way on Sunday to spend the day watching sports and just hangin' out. I also get to spend the night, and I am looking forward to being with Daddy without "the clown!" Christy is going to Spicewood for a few days, so our fabulous friend, "Whiskey Bob" is coming in Monday afternoon and staying until Thursday. Look out! Daddy's apartment is real close to Deep Ellum, so we may have to put a tracking device on those two!

He still has an appetite and even brought home a cheeseburger and french fries for dinner tonight. I guess I need to whip up a good meal for him on Sunday! These are great signs, but he is still pretty wiped out. If you would like to get in touch with someone please feel free to call TeeLee (214-679-4687) or myself (817-673-2097) this week and we will be happy to pass any well wishes along. I also print out any emails that we receive and take them to him at my visits. He just really isn't up for phone calls at this time.

PS...The Relay for Life effort was incredible! I will have my school total by tomorrow morning. I went to help set-up and enjoy the festivities earlier. I head back to the stadium at 4:00AM for my next shift!

XOXO
Wendee

Masks, Naps and Mail

Well, according to Monday's blood test, Dad's white blood cell count is officially ZERO.


They assure us that this is a good thing, but it means that the masks had to come out for anyone who visits. When you have no immune system, the slightest cold germ can be a BAD thing. They have also limited him to one visitor at a time. Dad is super tired and weak and sleeping is his best friend right now.



I went by on Monday afternoon and took a nice load of mail that accumulated at my house over the weekend. Thanks to all of you who sent cards! They really lifted his spirits!!! And a special thanks to The Woerndles....the Lone Star Light was a nice touch. Daddy promises to wait and share them with you Rudi!

Love and prayers to all of you!

TeeLee

One more plea for Relay for Life!!

Friday night is the big event when my team and I will be walking ALL NIGHT to support the fight against cancer. We have activities at school all week to help raise more money, but I am sending out one final plea from those of you who are able to help. You can visit my personal web page http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFLFY09National?px=9629126&pg=personal&fr_id=17475.

I have reached the goal that was set for me, but don't let that keep you from donating! We need all the money we can get. Heck...the teachers at my school even agreed to a coin drive and the person with the most money in their bucket on Thursday has to kiss a goat! Burleson consistently has one of the greatest Relay's for a community its size, and I know this year will be no different! Please join me in "Giving Cancer the Boot!!!"
Thanks a million!
Wendee

Easter bonnets and lunch!!!

I went to visit Daddy yesterday as he was finishing up his morning at the clinic. We walked back to the apartment and enjoyed the beautiful sunshine! I made my bonnet for a teacher Easter parade at school last week and I wanted to surprise Daddy with it. I think he just thought I was a complete goofball, judging by the look on his face! TeeLee and I bought him a new Titleist hat as his Easter bonnet, and I thought he needed a little duck to match! I know I am a silly goose, but I come by that naturally! HA!

Christy and I made a trip to Whole Foods and brought back a wide assortment of foods. I know Daddy doesn't have a huge appetite, but I was thrilled to see him eat some sushi and a little carne asada. (I told you we bought a WIDE assortment! :-)) He also had a little wine, and he deserves it after the chemo marathon that he just completed!

His blood counts are still low, so he doesn't have much of an immune system right now. That is to be expected after such a strong round of chemo. He is tired but is able to rest comfortably at the apartment. Fortunately, Christy was able to get DirectTV installed, so he is taking full advantage of the Golf channel. He has a recliner and an operational remote, which is a MAJOR improvement from the hospital room!

There is still no schedule for when he can go back to Spicewood or when the transplant will begin. Dr. Agura will continue to monitor his blood and make decisions when the time is right. I know Daddy would like to have a plan in place, but he also has complete faith in Dr. Agura. We hope you had a wonderful Easter with your family! Thank you for continuing to pray for ours!

Wendee

New scenery...

Daddy and Christy have moved into the apartment and I know he is enjoying a change of scenery. They received a 2 bedroom unit and Christy has been busy moving furniture around, buying groceries, and getting settled. Daddy is resting today and will be starting his daily visits to the clinic tomorrow. Eric and I plan to go for a visit on Saturday, but we don't plan on staying long (per Daddy's request :-)). He needs his down time, and as much as I would love to be there all the time, I know that his well being depends on him getting plenty of rest.
Lots of love!
Wendee

Last Chemo Day!

Well, I'm happy to report that as of noon today, the 5 day chemo marathon is over. Daddy has lost about 1/2 of the weight he gained from all the fluids. He's really tired, but he still has his appetite to some extent. Not everything sounds good when meal time comes around, but he hasn't had any bouts with nausea, which is a blessing. The keys to the on campus apartment will be ready tomorrow morning. Dr. Agura came in this afternoon and said that he's glad that Dad is feeling well enough to move to the apartment because the ability to move around will be an important part of recovering from this much chemo. We'll give you more details about the new location, as soon as Dad and Christy are in and settled. The beautiful silver hair hasn't fallen out yet, but they said to expect that to start soon. Daddy is still in really good spirits and still willing to do whatever it takes to KICK CANCER'S A**.....as our precious friends Randall and Paulette put it. Hope everyone has a wonderful Easter. Hunt those eggs and celebrate our risen Lord....he's still working miracles every day!!!

Moving soon...

I went by this afternoon to visit Daddy and to take him some clean clothes. I was happy to find him sleeping soundly. Aunt Janie spent the day with him today and yesterday...Bless her! He has had a couple of visitors the last few days, as well. I didn't stay for long because he is very tired, and I know he feels like he has to talk and entertain. He and Aunt Janie have an understanding and they seem to do well together. What he needs the most right now is to be able to rest comfortably for longer periods at a time.

When Dr. Agura came by today he confirmed that the only thing we can schedule right now is that Daddy will move into the apartment on Thursday. He will then go to the clinic everyday. At some point, he should decrease his visits to every other day, but there is no way to know when that will take place. It is just a "wait and see" situation.

Last night was the most restful night he has had so far. They are still working to remove the extra water weight, so frequent trips to the bathroom hinder his sleep. TeeLee is planning a trip to the hospital in the morning, so she should be able to give an update by tomorrow afternoon. Thank you again for continuing to keep Daddy in your prayers!!
Wendee

Weekend Recap

Well as of today, Daddy has finished 2 rounds of different chemo drugs. He finished the 2nd and longest round shortly before bed last night, so we are hopeful that "The Clown" left him alone last night and he was able to get a good night's sleep. We are also hopeful that the medication to help shed the water weight gain will kick in today. Wendee and I had alot of help from our sweet husbands and our sweet Mother this weekend, picking up the slack with our kiddos so that we could take shifts with Daddy. Eric was with Daddy Sunday afternoon and Aunt Janie will be there today. Even though Dad is in the hospital we still feel like someone needs to be with him the majority of the time just to help him process everything that is going on. It's hard to have so much information thrown at you when you are on pain meds and not feeling well.

We would love to help Dad keep his spirits up and I know that hearing from you will be a big lift. If you would like to send a card that we could put up in his room, please feel free to send them to my house and I'll deliver them to him daily. My address is 1326 Havenrock Dr. - Forney, TX 75126.
Thanks for checking in and continuing to keep Daddy in your prayers!
Love,
T

Daddy's nemesis..The Clown

Daddy has an IV pole that he calls "The Clown." The slightest problem causes an alarm to sound and it consistently gets louder and louder until the nurse comes to reset it. Well, it was going off like crazy last night. They had it set to a very sensitive mode due to the nature of his meds, and I bet it went off every 45 minutes to an hour. He finally got so frustrated around 6:00 this morning that he "took it for a walk so that maybe it would behave!" He roamed the halls with this thing going off making all kinds of racket! The nurses finally paid attention when they realized that it was causing this usually compliant patient to get a little bossy! (I'm sure you can't imagine Wally getting bossy, huh?!?! :-))

He has been enjoying the food up until now, but he has decided to switch to a different diet. It is lighter than the standard meals, which is more like how he eats on a daily basis at home. All of the good food he has been getting just doesn't sound as appetizing right now. The steroids and fluids have caused him to gain 20 pounds in one day. He weighed in at 233 lbs. this morning, and he was at 212 on Friday.

Eric is on his way to spend the afternoon watching Nascar and golf here. He bought a new contraption called a Slingbox that is able to access our satellite at home. If he can get it to work properly, it should allow Daddy to view all of his normal channels (including the Golf channel) from the laptop. Keep your fingers crossed! We need Golf TV!!

I'm off to check on Edee! It was my first night away from her, but I think she and her daddy had a great evening and morning!
Thanks for checking in!
Wendee

Quality Time

Dad and I have had a nice day of quality time. Wendee and I were with him yesterday afternoon and then she headed home and I stayed the night. Dad ate a nice dinner and fell asleep at about 11:00. The Alert went off on his IV at about 4:00am and from then on, we were wide awake. We went for a walk around the unit, made a pot of coffee, and watched a Mercy Me (Contemporary Christian Group) concert on TV. They came in at 8:00 to start a new 34 hour chemo regiment and we are just watching a little TV and relaxing. He's not having any nausea at this point, but still having a little pain and a headache. He's still in really good spirits and his sense of humor and story telling ability are well intact.
Love and prayers!!!
T

Good spirits!!

Just wanted to let everyone know that Daddy has been in great spirits today!! They seem to have his pain under control and he has completed a round of Rituxin (sp?). Surprisingly, he has had really good food and is looking forward to his dinner tray. He has also been giving his nurse, Mercy, a hard time. He has nicknamed her "Misery" or "No Mercy," especially after he learned that she was a fellow golfer. Christy went back to Spicewood to coordinate a place for Mr. Ramzee and to collect some things that she will need for the next couple of weeks. TeeLee is staying tonight (if Daddy will let her), and I will return tomorrow.

Thank you all for your prayers and encouragement! We truly feel it!!

Update

Well, I'm not sure where to start, but today was a little stressful for us all. Dad has his PET Scan this morning and we were to meet with the Physician's Assistant to discuss the results at 1:30, as this was Dr. Agura's day off.
After a little over a 3 hour wait, Dr. Agura appeared in the doorway. This did not strike me as a good sign. Sure enough, he told us that Daddy had developed a tumor in his abdomin the size of a grapefruit/cantelope. This development makes it necessary to put off the stem cell transplant for atleast a month. He explained that the chemo used during the transplant would not be strong enough to take care of a tumor this size. Dad was immediately admitted to the hospital to undergo 5 days of 24 hour intensive chemotherapy. The chemo will be followed by 2 weeks of daily follow up visits. At that time we are hopeful that he will be well enough to go home for a week or so and then return to Dallas to start the transplant process.
We did get an amazing sign tonight of exactly who is in control. My favorite bible verse is Proverbs 3:5, as a matter of fact it is part of the automatic signature on all of my e-mails.
We were being escorted to Dad's hospital room tonight and when we got to the door, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw that someone had printed out and taped to the door, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding, in all ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path." Proverbs 3:5 I pointed it out to Wendee and we were pretty amazed at how touching it is for Baylor to put comforting verses on the patient's doors. We got Dad settled and as we were leaving we passed about 20 other hospital rooms. Not one of them had a verse on the door. I was overcome with emotion and peace, knowing that God picked out that room for my Dad because He knew what that sign on the door would mean to us....reminding of that if we just rest in Him, He will take care of everything else.
Today also reminded me of one of my other favorite verses: "The Lord will fight for you, and you must only be still." Exodus 14:14

****Also, we ask that you understand that the next few days are going to be extremely difficult, but we will try to update this blog as often as possible. Daddy has asked that we let you know that he is really not up to visits or phone calls at this time. Should you want any additional information, please feel free to call Wendee at 817-673-2097 or TeeLee at 214-679-4687 or feel free to e-mail us at whoswithwally@gmail.com Thank you so much, in advance, for your prayers and well wishes.*****

A Bend in the Road

Hello Everyone,

We are experiencing a little change of plans this week. Dad is having quite a bit of pain in his back and abdomin and the doctors want him to come in tomorrow morning for a PET Scan to see what is going on.
We will meet with a staff member tomorrow afternoon to get the results of the Scan and let you know more then. Please pray that the result are nothing negative and that we can continue on with the original plan of action. We love you and thank you for checking in on the blog!

Relay for Life

Hey everyone! I have emailed some of you already about my participation in the Relay for Life benefitting the American Cancer Society, but I wanted to continue to spread the word! This will be my 3rd year to be a part of this outstanding event! Some of you have made donations and allowed me to reach the goal that was set by my team captain. I KNOW I can raise even more with YOUR help! Please visit my participant website at http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFLFY09National?px=9629126&pg=personal&fr_id=17475.

The Relay begins on Friday, April 17th at 6:00PM and ends on Saturday, April 18th at 6:00AM. As you can imagine, this year's walk will take on an even more important focus as Daddy will have just begun his transplant the week of Relay. I greatly appreciate each and every donation!! Please help me raise EVEN MORE money for cancer research and treatment programs!
Thanks for your support! XOXO
Wendee

Calendar of Care

TeeLee has set up the online calendar to help us organize who will be with Wally! YEAH!! You will be able to access it and see what days are available to hang out with Waldo. We were hoping that we could link directly to it, but that has proven difficult. The site is www.google.com/calendar. Please send us an email at whoswithwally@gmail.com and we can give you the password. At the top of each day, you can see who will be there on that day. (We also have some dog sitters, too! Thanks, Uncle Jack!) Our goal is to have everyone arrive by 7:00PM and stay until 7:00PM the following day or days, depending on how many days you can be there. We just want to make sure that there is always someone there, so they don't kick Daddy into an ol' fashioned hospital room!



If you find the days you like, you can either enter it into the calendar or email us at whoswithwally@gmail.com and TeeLee and I can enter it for you! We can also give you our phone number if you have questions. Just send us an email!! Thanks so much!!! You will never know what your love and friendship means to our family!!

Wendee

Good News!

Hey everyone! Just thought that I would take a second to share the great report that we got from Dr. Agura during Daddy's latest appointment in February. Recent scans showed some growth in different areas, and based on this the doctor recommended going ahead with the Stem Cell Transplant. However, Dr. Agura raved about the results of Daddy's physical....and I quote "You have the heart of a 20 year old and your lung capacity is off the chart." Ofcourse Daddy reminded him that he does "work" at 10,000 feet every day. ha ha
Dr. Agura was very pleased with Dad's physical state and said that he expects excellents results from the transplant.
We can't thank you enough for the response from those of you who have volunteered to help in whatever capacity you are needed. Keep those prayers coming and we will keep you updated on how our awesome God continues to answer them!
TeeLee

We're here!!

We created this blog to keep everyone up to date on Wally's bone marrow transplant. He is scheduled to start around April 13, so keep checking back for updates. Who knows? You might get to see a picture of his cute grand-daughters in the mean time! :-)