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.