This has been a busy week! I don't even know where to begin!

Christopher was Tuesday's caregiver. When he arrived on Monday night he found Joe & I cutting the grass. Yes that's what I said........Joe was on the tractor mower going at it. Tuesday went fine and after treatment they went to the Vortex for lunch in Little Five Points. The best burgers ever!

On Tuesday night Carrie Ann was back to be Wednesday's caregiver. They had one hell of a day! Carrie Ann (aka Shutterbug) came prepared to take pictures of Joe in his "Jason" mask with his 2 smiling radiation techs. You can click on to see the pictures at

http://picturesbycarrieann.shutterfly.com/6318

After radiation, Joe was scheduled for a PET scan for volunteer research but the appointment time along with the "cocktail" contrast was not ready. So the steroid medication that Joe has been taking kinda took over and Joe had a few words with the staff. Carrie Ann was attempting to apoligize for Joe's behavior only to have Joe go on another rampage. Seeee there is another side to Papa Joe! However Joe did finally have the PET scan after waiting 2 hours. The PET scan is really a good thing cause it will be able to distinguish the tumor and what the treatment results are in some ways better than a MRI. Both will be performed 3 weeks after the last treatment day (May 12th).

Then on Wednesday night Gary & Lisa (aka Snap & LJ from the Notorious Westsiders) came in and spent 2 nights in order to be caregivers for Thursday & Friday. Lisa Jan spoiled Joe with a hardy breakfast both mornings. She also prepared Thursday night her famous, delicious, homemade meatballs & spaghetti!

Lisa announced to Joe on their first road trip to Emory Thursday morning that she had never driven on I-285. Joe's remark to that was "NOW you tell me!" But the drive each way for both days was uneventful and they safely made it back to Covington. Today was lab day and Joe's blood work showed his platelets had lowered some more. So we go into another week not taking the chemo drug.

We did have Lisa running Joe all over to other doctor appts between the 2 days.

Dr Lanclos had the opportunity to show Lisa the "paper plate" demonstration for portion amounts for healthy eating. Joe had already received the visual with me on the last appt. Then Dr Lanclos gave his thoughts on Joe's "red spots" and "low platelets". Apparently Joe's platelets were slightly low at his last check up in February. When Dr Lanclos looked through Joe's records, as Joe describe it, he looked up slowly at Joe and sternly stated "I see alcohol". Apparently drinking can lower your platelets! This was news to us all!

Joe also had an appt with his dermatologist's PA who at our request performed a biopsy on one of his "red spots" that has all of us including the docs baffled. We should know something on Wednesday.

Our weekend was lots of fun!

It started Friday night with Rex, Carol, Janice & Cheryl came over and brought some huge steaks that melted in your mouth, rosemary sweet potatoes and strawberry/blackberry greens salad that was awesome!

Saturday afternoon we headed for Snap's & LJ's to hang out with the "Nortorious Westsiders" and got to see Krod & Debbie who were in town. Rocky decided to rake a place out for a make shaft fire pit in Snap's back yard woods area. Then he preceded to roast marshmellows on the tongs of the rake and a few of us actually ate them! We got to hear all about Krod's "toast" with Debbie's family by Joanie who was hysterical telling it. We loved seeing all of you..............TMT, Tank, Hippie, Bobby, Carrie Ann, Smelley & SueSue!

Oh, almost forgot.........my Joey is going to me a sexy bald man! :)

Carol