The M&M Story

The prayer walk on Saturday was slightly chilly, but a beautiful morning overall. Brother Andy pushed me in the wheelchair, and people prayed and talked and sang. I would guess there were about 100 or so people there. Thanks to all those who showed up, and who prayed in their own homes. It's always good to see God's people come together in prayer, and such a visible picture on Saturday was inspiring.

This week represents cycle #2 of chemo. SO far, so good. Yesterday I was infused with adriamycin over 24 hours, and tomorrow is taxol. Steroids and super nausea drugs help out this week, and we've also got new strategies for the next few weeks. Last cycle I crashed pretty hard for the twwo weeks following treatment, partly due to dehydration and lack of nutrition. This time, we're starting with TPN tomorrow, which is intravenous nutrition and fluids. It's about a 10-12 hour infusion, I think, that I'll do overnight. That will take some of the pressure off eating, and will help me stop losing weight. I'll also get steroids twice a week on the off weeks. It's not good to take them constantly, but this regimen should help out with energy and appettite without doing harm. These are both things that we prayed about and were ready to argue for, and the doctor brought them up himself. He was very open to our concerns on Monday. So we're optimistic about my response...

Here's information on the Prayer Walk this Saturday, put together for us by our friends. Come on out! If you can't come out, please pray with us at the same time: This Saturday, October 22 at 8:15 a.m. at Kircher Park, CTA Cares (an organization devoted to assisting with medical costs for those in medical crisis) will be sponsoring a walk to benefit the medical needs of Brian Maynor and family. For more information about how you can be involved, please contact Amy Darr at 314.578.2280. DIRECTIONS TO KIRCHER PARK: From Big Bend, take I-44W (go 13.9 mi)…Take exit 264 & turn left on MO-109…Take I-44E (go .7 mi)…Take exit 265 to Williams Rd…Kircher Park is at I-44 and Williams Rd.

Here I am up coughing once again into the night. Please pray that these coughing fits go away....argh!

I had a hard day yesterday throwing up, mostly in the night, and Peter had to take me into the hospital today to be rehydrated. I am home now, and feeling a little better--Im not nauseated, and I'm drinking fine--I'll see about eating in a little bit--I have had some snacks today. I've got to really be on guard for dehydration as we go forward--I think mild dehydration has been part of my fatigue, et al. So please pray against that, and pray that we have some wisdom in knowing how to combat it. All my blood levels are good, so that's a good sign for overall health. But that means we can't blame all the fatigue on chemo--that it must be some dehydration and other things like the shortness of breath. The shortnesss of breath is another question--some of it can be blamed on the lung damage, some on dehydration, some on the disease. Not much of it can be blamed on the chemo right now, according to the nurse who did the bloodwork today. But chemo can affect breathing, so...

bald andy Originally uploaded by Maynor .

Last night Becca and her kids were over, and Millie is three, the same age as M. Millie was seated, eating her gingerbread, supposedly minding her own business. M was trying to get Susan's attention, but Susan was ignoring him because she was in the middle of a conversation. M was persistent, but unsuccessful: M: Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. From across the room, Millie had some golden three-year-old advice. Millie: YOU NEED TO PULL HER SHIRT.

I've been hit pretty hard with fatigue and shortness of breath this week, but it seems to be getting better. It was expected. We also got oxygen delivered a couple days ago, and that has helped me catch my breath more easily. Chemo damages red blood cells, which carry oxygen, so that combined with my already damaged lungs has not made it easy. But perhaps today we're on an upswing. From Isaiah 43: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. 3 For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

IM000319 Originally uploaded by shmeliot . And the New Yorkers have joined in. I love you guys.

maynor boys Originally uploaded by kwparker . There's a whole hilarious set of shaving photos by Kelly on Flickr. Just click this picture and you'll go to her set.

Head Shaving 010 Originally uploaded by Maynor . My hair's going to fall out this week, so we decided on a pre-emptive strike. We had dinner at the Parkers' on Friday night, and I planned to have Todd shave my head while we were there. The other guys then decided to join in for support. You'll never find a more dedicated group of buddies. (picture by Melanie)

Post-shave Originally uploaded by Maynor . That's Andy, Todd, Peter, me, and Aaron. And yes, they all have jobs.

Infusion #1 is complete (the Adriamycin), and I'm headed into the hospital in a couple of hours for infusion #2 (Taxol). It's going to be a good day--my buddy Mike Smith is taking me to the hospital and hanging out for a while, and then my brother Peter is coming to watch the beginning of the Cardinals playoff game (it's a four hour infusion). Between visits, I'll listen to my new iPOD as I reread The Chronicles of Narnia to get ready for the big movie this Christmas-- The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe looks like it's going to be a good one. So far, I'm feeling pretty good--better than I have in weeks--but I am pretty hopped up on drugs, so that helps. The drugs are just for this week of infusions, so the nurse says I sould enjoy this while I can--next week will be worse. But it's all part of the process, and I'm learning (slowly) to embrace the process, all its ups and downs. For now, I'm adding songs to my iPOD, so I've gotta go. Thank you ...

So the IV nurse showed up about 7:00 pm, so I've been on chemo for about an hour and a half. My hair hasn't started falling out yet. It's still luxurious. Male pattern baldness doesn't run in my family--luxurious hair does. So I'll be the second bald guy in our family--my brother Allen shaved his head once in college. He looked pretty good, but at the time he weighed about 60 pounds more than I do now. I remember when I had long hair in college and cut it before graduation. I got a little weepy. Back then I NEVER cried, so it was a big deal. But for the last ten years or so, I've been a little more in touch with my emotional, sensitive side, and I tear up in church, or at a good story, or when my 3-year-old goes poop on the potty. I haven't cried at a Hallmark commercial yet, or at least I'm not going to admit it. Some of those Volkswagen commercials, though--you've gotta admit they're poignant. All the Men's Men writers I've read, though...

Well, it's almost 5:00, and my "hour-long" appointment was set up for 8:15 this morning. I'm at home, but I still haven't received the actual chemo drug. The Home Infusion nurse should be sometime soon to hook me up. This morning I did get lots of pre-drugs (for nausea and red blood count) along with antibiotics. They just weren't ready with the chemo for some reason. God provided the best nurse possible this morning--Renee. We were there for about three hours and she spent quite a bit of time encouraging us and explaining the process in depth. She explained why I would feel fatigued, for example, and gave us more details on what to expect over the next two weeks. Overall, she was bright and knowledgable and a good teacher--just what we needed today to feel confident. So we still wait for the big drug thiss evening--I'll be hooked up to a fanny pack for the next 24 hours, then on Thursday I go back in for a four hour infusion of the second drug. I've ...

Please pray for us as we start this new type of chemo tomorrow morning. I'm still pretty fatigued from the pneumonia, so this may just add to it. Pray that side effects are mild and that we stay hopeful. Pray that we feel God's hand in our treatments. He promises that if we pray for it, he gives us wisdom and he lights our path. We feel like this is the right thing to do, but it's still a little scary. Finally, keep praying for complete healing, and that God be glorified through the process. Love to you all....