Eric asked me tonight to update the blog again because we know some still depend on it to keep in touch with how he is doing. As usual, there have been highs and lows. Eric was hospitalized at Fulton County Health Center again due to the pain that he continues to struggle with. Pain medication does a pretty good job getting him through each day but once again, it was more than he could handle with the routine medications that he's been given for pain management. He stayed in the hospital over night and left the following day feeling a bit better. Since this was the third hospital stay in 2 months, we decided to call Cleveland Clinic. We were scheduled for a consultation a couple of weeks ago. They ordered a complete body bone scan and praise God, it reported that the cancer has not metastasized in the bone. A week from Wednesday, we are making another trip to Cleveland. We were scheduled for this appointment before and it included a CT scan. When Eric was at Fulton County Health Center after the Maine trip, they did a CT scan and Cleveland was able to use that to determine that the disease is stable. We are happy that another scan is not necessary and that the cancer is stable. The doctor is considering a change in treatment from the Afinitor thinking it might be an answer to the pain. His thought is that it may be more effective on the lymph nodes that are assumed to be causing the back pain.

We celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary this past week on 10-20, 2010. It was a beautiful day just like the day we got married. Our Maine trip seems so long ago but we have fond memories of a wonderful trip. Of course we've still gone out to eat twice just to celebrate a little more. A happy couple can't celebrate too many times.

Last weekend we spent some time in our woods. It was absolutely awesome even though we worked very hard. A few wonderful friends came to help make fire wood from 3 trees. We burned up old brush piles and uncovered the wood shed from tall grass. The best part of it all was that Eric was able to be out with us the whole time. We all kept a close eye on him to make sure he didn't work too hard. When Monday came, we were both very relieved that the time we enjoyed so much didn't turn into another visit to the hospital for pain.

I'm not even sure how to close this blog. As always we say thanks to everyone for your prayers. We are forever grateful. They carry us through whatever each day brings. Struggle after struggle makes the journey more difficult than before. It's the little things that bring joy. The little things that use to just happen unnoticed now bring joy to our lives. The things that use to matter aren't even important anymore. Humbly we take whatever happens as another opportunity to understand God's unconditional love. One day at a time and every day counts... each day has to count. Eric and Gwen