September 22th, 2007

Today I wake up to JR making pancakes! I can smell them and I am SOOOO hungry. I go into the kitchen and there is butter, peanut butter and syrup on the counter... JR pulls a HOT pancake off the griddle and puts some peanut butter and syrup on the pancake for me.. I cut into it and take a small bite.. I chew and chew but ... I can't swallow... I literally have to spit out the bite... my throat will NOT swallow the pancake! WHAT IS UP WITH THAT?!?!! I take several bites and repeat the process of spitting out the bite after it's totally chewed up! I can no longer swallow! I drink some Gatorade and proceed to throw that all up!! OH GREAT...

My dad and his wife(Jan)... my 1/2 sister(Aimee) and her husband(Troy) all pull up to the house and Jan, Aimee and our daughter, Whitney, all take off for Hobby Lobby... Whitney's wedding is Dec 28th and Jan is helping Whitney pick out some decorations for the wedding... My dad, Troy and JR all hang out in the basement watching TV while I sleep!!

When the group gets home from Hobby Lobby I can tell Whitney is excited about all the purchases.. They all suggest we go to Texas Roadhouse for early dinner and JR helps me get ready... I haven't had anything to eat all day... I've been drinking Gatorade and that really doesn't fill me up much so I am really hungry.

We arrive at Texas Roadhouse and it's packed but we are early so we get seated pretty quickly. I order a huge meal of soup.. then chicken fried steak, baked potato and veggies... Everyone is eating peanuts but they don't look too appetizing.. My order arrives and I take a bite and guess what... I still can't swallow. I chew and chew and went it comes time to swallow I have to spit out the food again! I am so hungry but I can't eat... I drink the broth from the soup and that's it! This sucks!

When we get home JR makes me a shake with ensure.. and I gag!! He brings me in some chicken broth and Gatorade! That's all I've had all day!! I just realize that JR is supposed to be at work but I guess he took the day off since our family was going to be in town!

Sept 23, 2007 (Sunday),

Today I wake up today JR making biscuits and gravy... I can hear him stirring the gravy into the right thickness... it smells SOO good!! I get up and go into the kitchen and he makes me up a plate... again I try to eat but the food gets stuck in my throat... I can't swallow!! I end up drinking Gatorade and more chicken broth for breakfast... even though I have only been drinking liquid and am on basically a liquid diet for a couple of days now I still have horrible diarrhea! I am still taking 12-16 imodium a day and that barely puts a dent into it!

While I am drinking my Gatorade my dad, Jan, Aimee and Troy ring the doorbell... Whitney answers the door and they all come in... soon after Peter (Whitney's fiance) arrives and so does Danielle! We are all soon sitting in the living room visiting. They are leaving today and we are getting in some last minute conversation! After several minutes of chatting my dad's voice gets a little loud and he makes an announcement.. Troy (getting his Masters and is a pastor), Peter (soon to be a pastor) and my dad are going to pray over me and anoint with me oil!! My family gathers around me... everyone has their hands on me... and they begin to anoint me... I can feel the power of the Holy Spirit in the room!! I am in tears... everyone is in tears... everyone is praying!! Talk about an AWESOME experience!

Within hours my dad and family are back on the road to Fort Worth, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, where Troy is attending college! JR, Peter, Whitney and I are all still sitting in the front room! I am super tired so I go to bed!!

Throughout the day JR brings me Gatorade and broth... but around 3pm he comes in and is dressed for work! He tells me that Pete and Whitney are going to watch me tonight and if I need anything to ask them! I hear him leave for work!

The last meal where I actually ate food was on Friday morning! It's now Sunday evening and all I've had is Gatorade and broth! I don't have much energy to think about it and I know I have radiation in the morning so I go to sleep!!