Everyone, it is Amanda's birthday this week (April 22nd) and since I am in between chemo rounds right now we thought it would be a great time to celebrate. Obviously we would rather be with our friends and family celebrating Amanda's 23rd birthday (haha!!!, you can add a 4 to that number) but its always good to make lemons into lemonade. I am just gratefull to be here and celebrate her birthday with her this year. For those of you that have wondered what I look like these days we thought we would put a picture up from our adventure to Kemah. Yes, you can now call me "Cue Ball". As some of my colleagues have said "Bald can be Beautiful too!" I did have a little hair left before the last round of chemo but it finally gave way and became too patchy to manage. So I shaved the rest of it off and now only wished that I had my eyebrows back (and maybe my goatee). Oh well, hair can always grow back, right???
So Amanda and I went down to the Kemah Boardwalk which is about 30 miles Southeast of Houston. It isn't as big as Galveston but it has a nice little boardwalk that has 4 or 5 nice restaurants and a few amusement park type rides for the kids. It was a very nice change from the apartment we stay in most days. Honestly, I think we would even go stir crazy in our own house day in day out after 6 months. So Amanda and I went and ate at a restaurant called Aquarium, it was a great time. We got to walk around the boardwalk at sunset until I got tired and we called it a night.
As a minor update to the cancer thing, the needle biopsy last week was a success and they were able to get samples that they are running tests on to see if the spot under my left arm is cancerous or not. We should get those results on Wednesday as well as start my 7th round of chemo that night. It is our prayer that the biopsy results will be negative and that we can start looking to an end to this speed bump in our lives.
As a favor to me I would appreciate everyone to comment this week and wish Amanda a happy birthday. It would mean a lot to me and I know she would appreciate it as well. Don't worry, I can handle the Cue Ball comments, bring'em! :)
Thanks!
Brian
20 comments:
Yipee!!! I am the first to comment! Happy Birthday Amanda (on Tuesday, that is)!
Happy Birthday Amanda! I hope you have a fantastic day! :)
Amanda, HAPPY BIRTHDAY. Good to hear y'all were able to get out and celebrate. What did you wish for?
Brian, don't worry man, my hair is falling out too...albeit for different reasons.
Good luck with those test results, thinking about y'all...
Reub's
Well, I certainly wouldn't fail to tell my best daughter happy birthday! So, "Happy Birthday. Amanda." I hope you have a birthday filled with lots of sunshine and good television shows. Maybe they'll have (birthday) cake on the hospital menu when you get there and you two can really celebrate in style.
No comments about the baldness, Brian. You may have lost the hair, but you've gained a sense of humor that is far more valuable than hair could ever be. It's so good to hear you laughing and not taking life so seriously. That, in itself, is a great birthday present from you to Amanda.
So glad you had a nice day over the weekend to get out and see a little more of South Texas and do something a little different.
Praying for great test results on Wednesday. I love you both very much,
Mom
Happy, happy birthday, Amanda. Even though you are a woman now, remember that you will always be my little girl. Love you both.
Dad
Happy Birthday, Amanda! I pray God grants you peace on your birthday. 27 isn't so bad...I have managed for a few months now.
Much Love Amanda! Hope you have a great day and we are praying for you guys.
C&N&C Casteel
Happy Birthday, Amanda! I mailed you a card, but you may not get in time for your birthday. Do hope you will have a great day!
You guys are still a great looking couple, and that is a great picture of ya'll.
So glad you all got to enjoy your weekend going to Kemah.
Brian, do hope the results you receive will be good news, and I will continue to keep you in my prayers.
Take care, and again HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Amanda!
Love ya'll,
Aunt Betty Sue
Happy B-day Amanda! Have a good one!
Tom, Marla & Halie
Happy Birthday to Yooo....happy birthday to yoooo...happy birrthday, deer paaaaannnnndahhhhh...happy birthday to YOOOOO !:)
(I'm not the first, but I'm the only one singin'! ;)
Hope you guys both have a wonderful day tomorrow. The joy you both have brings joy to my soul.
No "cue ball" jokes from me either Brian, but now is an excellent time to do the "billboard on your head" thing to earn some extra cash before it all grows back (just a thought...)
Love you guys!
Lena & co.
Happy Birthday, Amanda! You and Brian brighten up the Brompton Courts and MDAnderson, so keep up the good work!
Brian, I like Lena's billboard idea! I drew a sign on my bald head once and that was kind of fun; hard to do, but fun! My hair is coming back, so I think there is great hope for your hair. Just hang in there and enjoy the baldness while you have it; no shampooing, blow drying or rooster tails! It'll help you to stay cool in the warm Houston weather, too!
We came home on April 11th and home is SO SWEET! We even went back to McKinny last weekend for a grandson's baseball tournament (they won it!). It's really fun getting back into the swing of things as much as possible. My radiation burns are still healing and I have enough hair that I get a rooster tail every now and then and have to wet it and blow it right! We have high hopes and lots of plans for the future.
Love and prayers,
Jo and Don (former residents of 442)
Happy Birthday Amanda..... I loved the pictures on the Blog from your outing.
Brian just think of the time saver of not having to was your hair or shave your goatee. That is 15 minutes you can do something else....
Amy
HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMANDA!
Wishing you a wonderful Birthday today. Sending lots of prayers, hugs & love too. GOD BLESS!
Always,
Landry,Jamie & Brooke
Hi guys!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY! I hope your day is great! I know being at the hospital isn't the greatest b-day present, but your husband being alive and getting well is an awesome one! I hope you got the card I sent you! Us April babies have to stick together, ya know!
I'm glad ya'll got to go to Kemah. We went there about 3 yrs. ago, and loved it so much! It was a blast feeding the sting rays, and eating at the Aquarium! Brian looks so cool with that bald head. I've often threatened to shave my head when we have 110 degree summers in Artesia! Well, have a great day! Have fun! I love you!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMANDA!
I hope you have a great bithday. I love Kemah, so much fun!!!
Mom and I both wish you the best!!!!
Happy B-Day Amanda... your looking good brian!!!
Happy Birthday Amanda!! Hope you had a wonderful time at Kemah.
Brian, it was really great to see you when you came into the office the other day.
You two are in our prayers.
Remember you both are loved & missed here in Plano and we cannot wait for you to get back here - we have a big "30" to celebrate on May 24.
BTW, did I send you pics of my new ORANGE tractor? Of course you know Stephen & Jay loved it because of the color. But I love it because it has an enclosed cab, A/C, 4x4 to go mudding in, and it has a front loader so I can lift those round bales over the fence to feed my horses. Steve has not gotten to drive it much since it was delivered - sorry I'm a tractor hog.
Hope you enjoyed the new foal pictures. Have two more mares due - one was due 4/13 and she is still hanging on to it - I think she is just messing w/me cause she knows once it gets here the baby will be mine. The other mare is not due until May 20 - maybe she will hold it for 4 days and have it on your bday (this is Parfait, the mare Amy rode and provided so much entertainment).
Better run - have a great rest of the week & weekend!
Love You Guys,
Kathie Combest
Happy Birthday Amanda. . . Brian is blessed to have a wife as strong and devoted as you are.
Brian, I'm glad to see you smiling Brother. You have endured this test of faith with amazing strenght. . . kinda reminds me of a man named Job.
Bronson
I know that this is late, but "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!" I would sing too but at this point it would be a little repetitive. I know you are so thankful to have Brian doing so much better. You, my girl, have grown into this wonderfully graceful, confident, strong, beautiful christian woman that I am so proud of. I wish for you a life of peace and happiness.
Brian, all I can say is that you look beautiful! You are radient and that smile is just what I needed to see from you. You sir, have been in my every prayer. I kow that God is sheltering and comforting you during this time, and has given you both the strength you have needed to get through this challenge that you have been conquering. The only thing that God's power in our lives is us.
I am so very glad that you were able to escape the boredom of being so cinfined in a small space and were able to get out and enjoy yourselves. Sometimes that is just the shot in the arm you need.
Every day is a blessing!
Love always
Pattie Z.
I've been to the Kemah Boardwalk. My mom lives right around the corner from there. Cool!
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