Thought I would give ya’ll an update on my status.

I was released from the hospital on Sunday afternoon about 5:00 PM after four days of chemo.  The first two days was relatively uneventful, the last two days were not fun at all.  Although I only threw up only once, it was the mother of all barf sessions.  I pretended I was invisible when the cleaning lady showed up.  All she could say was, “Lo’d hep.”

Day 1 post chemo …. I was a little uneasy, but I functioned okay, with just an undertone of nausea.  In fact, I got a little froggy at how well I was tolerating the chemo and remember thinking to myself, “Death, where is thy sting?”

Day 2 post chemo …. Death showed up with a great big stinger.  I felt I was dying.  Literally dying.  I have never felt so sick in my entire life.  I hope that I NEVER feel like that again.  It was like my body’s version of the perfect storm.  Robin eventually had to take me back to the hospital where they gave me some fluids (I was dehydrated) and also determined that my bladder was highly inflamed.  Several hours and a fistful of prescriptions later I returned home where I have, essentially, just tried to rest.

Day 3 post chemo …. I continued my regimen of rest today.  Mollie has been my “Florence Nightengale.”  She has been so attentive to me … bringing me water …. bringing me pieces of cut fruit …. bringing me my medication at the proper time …. she has been right there and I am deeply appreciative of her loving attention.  I still have no appetite, however, and even water has a funny taste.  I got on the scale tonight and I’m down 20 pounds.  If you think that’s impossible, just ask the clean-up lady at the hospital.  She’d tell you that I should be down at least 30 pounds.

Hopefully, it will be another two weeks before round 2 of R-ICE chemo.  I am already dreading the mere thought of returning to the hospital.  I guess I just got to suck it up and do it.

Oh yes ….. I’ve GOT to tell ya’ll this.  Elizabeth has a new love interest.  Guess who? ….. Bobby Dean, Paula Dean’s son, has been contacting Elizabeth and has expressed an interest.  They met at the swanky Downtown Athletic Club where Elizabeth works part time.  I told her to be careful.  We’ll see how this pans out.

My love to all of you.

Mitch

Things are just fine.  Other than feeling a little “edgey,”  my health seems to have held up pretty well.  Day one was very nervous for me, They had to install a PICC line  from inside my inner right bicep and then feed a tube up in to the chest cavity.  Late day 1 they began Rituximab therapy, the next day, day 2, was the “I” part of the ICE chemo.  Day three I vomited up my breakfast, so I have been somewhat afraid to eat since then.  I was discharged about 5:30 PM today and I’m glad to be at home.  Tomorrow I go in for my first neur-plasta shot …. whatever that is.  I’m a little week and my brain isn’t functioning well right now.  I’ll talk later.

Mitch

It’s now official.

I just got a call from Dr. Robertson at Summit Cancer Care here in Savannah who informed me that my biopsy results from Friday, May 1st, are, indeed, positive for Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma.  Certainly, not what I wanted to hear.

R-ICE chemo begins this Thursday morning at 9:45 AM at Memorial Hospital on an inpatient basis.  From what I understand, I will probably remain in the hospital through Saturday or Sunday.

This is really REALLY hard.   Real hard.   Even though I knew in my heart that the biopsy results were going to be positive, it is a punch in the gut to hear it confirmed.  I thought I was prepared, but I wasn’t.  Before today everything was just talk and I could mentally detach myself from it.  Now it’s official and I can no longer pretend that the results just “might” come back negative.

I know there is no need to apologize for this, but I’m truly sorry for the inconvenience this entire issue presents to everyone.  It there was any way I could let this cup pass from me, I would.

I asked Dr. Robertson if I could start on Monday so that I could have time to get my head together and maybe enjoy one last weekend.  He said no, that Dr. Langston, the transplant surgeon at Emory, thinks it’s best to start right away.

Remember me in your prayers as this new ride down a very bumpy road begins.

Mitch

Dear Family,

For the most part, it’s been a good week this week.  I was actually able to work an entire five-day week.  Remarkable.  For some reason though, unlike the past,  I have been unable to totally shake the nausea and intestinal issues, but I am functioning, nonetheless.

Monday I met with Dr. Robertson.  Although my blood levels were still down somewhat, he was very satisfied and told me that “you’re right where I want you to be.”  I guess that’s a good thing.  There was another young up-and-coming doctor with him during my visit.  Dr. Robertson remarked to the young doctor that, “Mr. Riggins here, for reasons I can’t explain, appears to have the bone marrow of a teenager.”  He then went on to talk medical jibberish with the other doctor about how my bone marrow has, remarkably, shown no signs of cancer.  From what I understand, with my diagnosis, this is rare.  That’s good.

I talked with Mama earlier this week.  Her kitchen seems to be coming along, although at a slow pace.  She is still dealing with the insurance company about her stolen lumber claim.  It’s sad that you can’t leave the house without no-good bums stealing your stuff.  Perry, it makes me more and more want to get a Fila Brasileiro to patrol the farm while Mama is at work.  I suspect that would put a stop to quite a bit of things going missing, and heaven forbid anyone trying to come into the house uninvited while Mama is there.  Moving on to more romantic issues, I hear that Dr. Stephens is still trying to win Mama’s attention but, as always, he continues to strike out.  Adam …..  perhaps you should teach Dr. Stephens how to do a back flip on the trampoline.  He’s desperate, and I hear backflips are a woman-getting move.  It just might work.

Yesterday I had a craving for homemade vegetable soup, so I made some.  It started out as a small pot of soup, but ended up quite a large pot of soup.  It’s one of those situations were you put just the right amount of tomatoes, then add vegetables and left-over stuff from the refrigerator, then find out you need more tomatoes, then realize you need other stuff (it’s a balance thing), and the cycle gets repeated until you have this HUGE pot of soup.  Well, it was actually very good and satisfied my craving.  There’s nothing like hot vegetable/beef soup and cheese-toast.  In fact, I had hot vegetable soup for breakfast this morning and for after-church-dinner, too.  I suspect that I may have a bowl for supper as well.  When I eat good soup, I always think of Jeffrey because I remember how he used to love Mama’s homemade soup.  Jeffrey was always so expressive when he ate something that he really enjoyed.  Jeffrey, I have plenty of soup on the stove if you want to come over.

Today I let Mollie drive home from church.  She’s doing better with her driving. However, I continue to be traumatized.  She asked me how she did and I didn’t want to be too critical.  However, I thought back to the time when I was a deputy and had to chase a black fellow through the woods.  I finally caught him, at which time he exclaimed, “Oooooooh Law ….. my hot be bus.”   {TRANSLATION:   Oh Lord ….. my heart is almost ready to burst.)   Well, today, my “hot be bus.”  Speaking of Mollie, she reports to Valdosta State University on the 13th of August.  Trust me, that will be a tough day.  Robin is going to cry cry cry.  I just may have to move to campsite #59 for a couple of weeks until the squallin’ subsides.  Perry and David, you’ll know where to find me.

Robin has a colonoscopy scheduled for Wednesday morning at 7:00 AM.  I was trying to think of a joke to play on her that day, but I can’t think of anything right now.  Just as well.  I need to be on my best behavior since I have chemo tomorrow (Monday), Tuesday, and Wednesday.  My body has already started acting like a dog or cat that knows it’s going to the vet.  I have this distinct desire to run away, or hide behind the couch.  Tomorrow is six hours of infusion at Summit Cancer Care, followed by 48 continuous hours of adriamyacin feed at home via a port-a-cath.  YUCK!  I am getting ill just thinking about it.  The good thing is that this is #5 …… only one more round to go after this.  The next two weeks will be tough, so don’t forget me.  Please.

Well, that’s all for now.  Thanks ya’ll for being there for me.

I love all of you.

Mitch

Hello again ya’ll.

I am happy to report that I am feeling much better than I was this time last week.  I re-read the email that I sent out last Sunday and it was obvious  that I was a bit wierded out.  However, I know why.  The next day I went in to Summit Cancer Care for lab work and to see the nurse and found that my blood levels were waaaay low.  Wow.  I never realized that skewed blood levels  could effect one so dramatically.  They were so low that the nurse sent me home.  She would not allow me to go to the office. Good thing, too.  They would have probably called 9-1-1.  By Tuesday, though, I was back in the saddle.  Tomorrow I’ll go in for another lab.  The results should be much better.  Thank you for bearing with me.

Yesterday, Saturday, felt okay, but today I felt even better.  Other than stomach cramps and issues with bowelis interruptis, I can almost function.  Food tasted pretty good today.  Most of the metallic taste was missing.  We ate at  Southern Image Restaurant in Richmond HIll after church and the buffet was excellent.  They had fresh fried chicken, fresh baked chicken, meatballs, fried schrimp, barbeque ribs, mashed potatoes and gravey, fried green tomatoes, rice, green beans, field peas  w/ham, pear casserole, macaroni and cheese, potatoe salad, and several other things.  Then over to the side they had an assortment of salads and fresh dressings.  There was also a desert bar with chocholate cake, bananna pudding, pineapple pudding, and some kind of sugar free something or other.  It was all good and I enjoyed my meal for the first time in days.

I stayed close to the house this weekend.  I don’t much like to get out in the heat since it tends to bring on nausea.  Nevertheless, I do like to get out and get a little vitamin D from the sun.  I just really have to gauge myself.  Today I worked in the garage by cleaning it up a bit and servicing the garage door opener. The flies almost run me off, they were everywhere.   I oiled the screw-type opener mechanism, then installed a remote keypad on the ouside so that I can open the garage door from outside without the remote (which is usually locked in the car).  I even extended the antenna on the garage door opener so that it will receive the signal from the street, as opposed to being almost all the way up the driveway.  So, I did have a somewhat productive afternoon.  I wish, however, that I had Granny Riggins there to kill the flies while I worked.  Now SHE was a ninja-qualified fly killer if there ever was one.  I recall once, at a very young age, watching Granny Riggins shelling peas on the front porch while swatting flies.  She was a master.  Granny would keep her head down, tending to her peas, then just as the flies got brave enough to get near her she, in a flash of skill, grabbed the fly swatter and WHAT-OW, WHAT-OW, WHAT-OW, WHAT-OW! Dead flies lay eveyrwhere and if any part of the fly still moved she’d give’em another whack WHAT-OW!  Granny Riggins, after one episode of pea shelling, walked away with as many flies on the floor of the porch as she had peas in her pan.  Now that was talent!  As a boy I envisioned the flies way off yonder wearing little WWII army helmets and watching Granny Riggins through little tiny binoculars and choosing to fly way around the other side of the house  when Granny was on the front porch.  Of course dogs didn’t get too near Granny either when she was on the front porch.  They woud lay way over to one side and simply watch,   Even if Granny dropped a biscuit on the porch, nary a dog dared to ease over and pick it up until Granny had left the porch and went back into the house.  Then it was a free-for-all since they all had been watching that biscuit with one eye and a mad scramble for that biscuit ensued.

This coming week is going to be a long week for me.  I’m actually going to try to work a full week.  I haven’t done that in a while.  We’ll see what happens.

Mollie goes to church camp at Epworth beginning tomorrow, so she will be out of the house for a week.  I won’t have anyone to talk too.

Chemo round #5 begins Monday week, July 28th, but I’ll try not to think about it until I have too.

Thanks for being there everyone.  I love all of you dearly.

Mitch

Hello dear family,

Sorry for the not keeping ya’ll posted on things, but this has not been a good week.  I have been ill from the chemo earlier this week, but, even more impacting, is the fact that I just seem to have sunk into an almost overbearing sense of depression.  I am hoping that by writing this I can shake some of these cobb webs from my inner-most self.  It’s like a total sense of worthlessness that swallows you up and drags you down.  I try to be upbeat and cast a normal presentation, but, truly, I am “in the weeds” about so much.  Being confused is another issue.  I am just not clear about anything anymore.  I feel like one of those Christmas snow globes that someone has violently shaken and all of the little snow flakes (of my life) are falling randomly everywhere with no direction or organization. Everything I have read about my illness tells me that this is a normal occurrence, but, even with all of my reading, I wasn’t prepared for the impact on me.  I cannot describe it and I would never wish this on anyone.  Robin is busy tending her terminally ill mother and I dare not burden her with these things.  She has enough on her right now.  You all are all that I have right now and I just appreciate you tolerating what I see as my senseless blathering rambling.  As always, I’m sure to shake this.  Maybe next week will be better.

This past week it was chemo on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.  I felt like kissing the chemo nurse when she finally unhooked me on Wednesday, but she has a nasty looking tattoo on the back of her neck, so I didn’t.  I finally went back to the office on Thursday after lunch but probably should have stayed home.  Friday I was at work all day but, again, probably should have stayed home.  Mollie is trying to get all of her little things together for college, so yesterday I drove her into Savannah and we picked up a few items she will need.  Mollie was very attentive to my physical limitations and did not try to push me to do more than I should.  I thought that was very considerate.  When I got home I was wound-up to the point that I couldn’t sleep, so I took a sleep-aid last night which, in turn, made me miss Sunday school this morning.  I hate that.  I really like Sunday school.  It’s like a good salad before a good meal.  The worship service doesn’t seem to have as much impact without the prepping I get from Sunday school.  Oh well, I’ll try to do better next Sunday.

I was suppose to return to MD Anderson on July 23rd for another series of tests, but it appears that has changed.  When I checked my appointment schedule on Friday, all of my July appointments were cancelled.  It appears, though, that everything will be rescheduled for another week in August.  Of course, I’m not complaining.  I need a break.  I look forward to the day that I can take a week or two to myself and not have my time revolve around “chemo” or “MD Anderson.”  It seems like such a dream to do just normal stuff.  Maybe in September or October.

I know it was wrong, but today in church I found myself thinking back to a time several years ago, it was during the Christmas holidays, and Linda Gail and Mike were at home.  Peyton and Benton and Adam were ten years old or so.  Daddy was still alive…… and we roasted some oysters under the grapevine behind the house.  I recall it was a bit cold and sort of rainy.  We had a nice fire outside. Mike was suffering from a touch of the flu, or a head-cold, or something.  Benton, as young as he was, even came up with his own butter and garlic sauce for sauteed oysters which, surprisingly, was quite good.  I recall everyone had a good time.  Perry had his new souped-up shortwave radio set up outside and we were listening to some broadcasts from strange far-away places.  I love those memories.  I hope that we can do that again when the weather turns cooler.   Maybe it’s just me, but there is something about cool (or cold) weather and oysters and family that simply go together.

Speaking of oysters, I spend much of my time watching the Food Network when I am at home.  Yesterday one of he male personalities, I can’t think of his name, but it wasn’t Bobby Flay,  was roasting oysters and prepared some fresh cocktail sauce with just a few ingredients.  He squeezed one cup of Ketchup into a bowl, then added a “heaping” tablespoon of prepared horseradish sauce, then a “spash” of worcestershire sauce and a “spash” of hot sauce, flowed by the juice of a freshly squeezed lemon.  He mixed it all up real good and then proceeded to go on and on about how zesty and superior it was to anything you can get in a store.  While I certainly don’t have taste-a-vision, my brain kicked in my salivary glands and I could almost taste those oysters and that tangy sauce.  This  is something I plan on trying next time we have an oyster roast.

Since I am on the subject of cooking, does anyone have Granny Riggins’ recipe for Nut Bar Cake?  It seems that I recall someone had the original hand-written recipe.  I would like to get it if someone doesn’t mind passing it along.

By the way, I have included our first cousin, Sandra Pearce (used to be Sandra Tuten) and her husband, Tom, in this family email.  Although I haven’t seen Sandra or Tom in years, I have developed a close bond.  I accuse Sandra of having a magic wand since she ALWAYS sends me the most interesting and fun emails when I need it the most.   Sandra has so many memories of Granny Riggins and, in her emails, brings back so many strong visual images for me.  And, if not by email, she routinely sends me the most thoughtful and motivating cards through the mail.  She and Tom have been so thoughtful, so helpful, and so giving in so many other ways that I do not have the words to express my appreciation.  The kindness they have shown to me, a person who, before now, has been not much more than a past memory in their life,  has been a true ministry and has done so much to bring me back to the importance of family.  Thank you Sandra and Tom.  Welcome to my family circle and I will never forget what you have done for me.

Well, not much more to talk about.  I have been working on this email, on and off, for a couple of hours.  You know how it is, you get started on a chain of thought and the phone rings, or the cat needs some attention.  I am feeling a bit better, by the way.  Making myself think about all of ya’ll has been very beneficial.  Thanks for being such good therapists ……. send me a bill …….. everyone else does!

One more thing.  We need to remember Aunt Aliene in our prayers.  Mama called this morning and Aunt Aliene is in the hospital in Waycross.  She is not doing well at all.  (Sandra:  Aunt Aliene (Corbitt) is Mama’s oldest sister and is to my Mama’s (Benton) family what your Mama was to the Riggins family).  Aunt Aliene is such a beautiful person.  I’ll never forget recently driving her to a funeral where we had the opportunity to pass by the old Benton homeplace out on Hwy 203, going  toward Alma.  I recall her pointing out to a wooded area way in the back of the field and hearing her talk about the river that was back behind those trees.  She then proceeded to tell me that when we all get to heaven, then return to earth, that we are all going to meet up on that river bank for a fish fry.  She became very excited at the thought and I could tell she was already living it.  Me too.  I’ll be there for sure.   I suspect they will be serving cold iced- tea in those quart-sized mason jars.  Sounds like fun.

I love you.

Mitch

Hello family.

Looks like another sleepless night for me.  A good nights rest seems
like such a long time ago.  In fact, it was a long time ago.  What I
wouldn’t give for a Kings Down mattress right now.  (only the most
comfortable mattress ever, right Linda Gail?)

Well, as ya’ll know, Robin and I returned to MD Anderson in Houston
last Tuesday.  We drove.  I left Savannah at 3 AM and we arrived in
Houston about 6:30 PM.  Surprisingly, I fared quite well and wasn’t too
tired.  However, the next day was a constant sprint from appointment to
appointment.  It was an all day affair and I was not allowed to eat or
drink anything from 7 AM until 6 PM because of all the medical tests in
which I participated.  Fortunately, I had all day Thursday to
recuperate and truly needed the rest.  Friday I met with the lead
doctor assigned my case, Dr. Hagemeister, who gave me some rather good
news.  He is taking the bone marrow transplant off the table.  It
appears that I am responding so well to the R-CHOP chemo, he now does
not see a need to expose me to the harsh and tedious issues surrounding
bone marrow transplantation, at least for right now anyway.  Dr.
Hagemeister was very frank, however.  He reminded me that he fully
suspects the cancer to return in “2,3,or 4 years” and will move
directly to bone marrow or stem cell transplant at that time.  His
reasoning is this ….. each time the lymphoma occurs and I receive
treatment, my options for combating the cancer dwindles.  For example,
I can only go through R-CHOP chemo once in my life.  I can never be
exposed to it again.  Therefore, I am limited to what can be done at
the next occurrence.  In Dr. Hagemeister’s opinion, if I can get four
more years of survivability before exhausting yet another treatment
option, then that’s the best approach.  Save the big guns for last.
 Does that make sense to ya’ll?  Hope so.  I am have been having a hard
time with words recently.

This past Monday I returned to Summit Cancer Care in Savannah for round
three of R-CHOP chemo.  It was intense from the beginning.  As soon as
I entered the chemo room I became rather ill.  The chemical smell, the
plastic tubing, the chemo chairs, the chemo-bald people staring at my
chemo-bald self, it all combined to make me almost instantly ill.
 Nurse Becky was really nice and gave me time to collect myself.  She
gave me an immediate injection of some potent anti-nausea medication,
which made me feel better.  The first three hours I slept from the IV
of benadryl.  The next two or three hours I suffered.  I then had to
wear the chemo pump home for two more days with an Adriamyacin drip
which feeds directly into my chest.  I felt ill for almost all of the
two days.  I was so glad when Wednesday afternoon arrived and I got the
portable pump removed.  Unfortunately, I still continue to battle the
sick feeling.  This morning about 4 AM I became very nauseous and had
to quickly put on my Relied Band (google “Relief Band” if you want
further explanation ….. I got mine from aeromedix.com).  Within five minutes I began feeling much better.  My relief band and I are becoming such good friends.

Today I felt about 75%, which is okay.  I just wish I could be normal
again and enjoy being outside and doing things, and cutting grass, and
running in the morning, and not having to take wierd medicine, and
being able to blow dry hair, and blah blah blah.  I tire so easily now.
 I look in the mirror and feel so disgusting.  I just want it to be all
over.  I want to go for one day without thinking of cancer and just
enjoy myself.  Alright, I see myself gettting repetitive.  Next topic.

I have two new kittens, Konnee and Goldilocks, but I think I told ya’ll
about them in a previous email.  Let’s see, there’s Big Head, Gray
Kitty, Black KItty, Little Girl, Miss Fuzzy, Missy, Marla, Pearle,
Konnee, and Goldilocks.  WOW ….. I know, I know …… that makes me
an official cat wierdo.  I accept the title.  Thank you very much.

I have been thinking about Wiggles today.  I don’t know what it is, but
there is something special about that dog.  I feel better when I’m
around her.  It’s like she has a spirit that projects into you.  It’s
like she can read so vividly your emotions.  It is no coincidence that
she appeared when she did.  She’s a special dog.

Well, I’m running out of things to say.  Maybe I should lay in bed and
stare at the ceiling some more.  My eyes are tired, but my brain is in
full gear.

By the way, our first cousin, Sandra Pierce (used to be Sandra Tuten,
Abe’s sister), has been communicating with me regularly and giving me
some great support.  She battled cancer not too long ago and can relate
so well to all that I am going through.  She has been very diligent
about keeping in contact and checking on me.  I am very appreciative of
her and somewhat ashamed that I have allowed all these years to pass
without trying to stay in better contact with our kin.  We really have
some dear dear precious family members.  Uncle Edwin has even twice now
sent me checks to help pay my travel expenses to and from Houston.  How
special is that!  I have a lot of catching-up and paying-back to do,
which gives me even more resolve to beat this thing.

Thanks for listening, ya’ll.  I’ll stay in contact.  I hope to see some of you soon.

Mitch

Dear Family,

As most of ya’ll are aware, I had my first round of chemo last week.  Although things started out okay, Thursday and Friday were rough, to say the least.  I had this constant nagging sense of nausea to the point I couldn’t think of anything else.  Friday was particularly rough.  However, by Saturday I was feeling better and Sunday I was able to go to church.  I now have a couple of weeks off before the next round of torture.  Even thinking about it makes me queasy.  

Guess what my precious sister, Lisa, did for me yesterday? Robin returned home from taking care of her mom in Patterson and, before Robin left Patterson to return to Richmond Hill, Lisa brought to her a big container of macaroni and cheese,  homemade ground-up turkey soup, and a big container of bananna pudding.  It was truly a treat to set down and each such good, comfort food.  In fact, it was the first real food I had eaten and was absolutely what I needed.  Today I woke up feeling much better and was actually able to get out and run two miles.  Not bad for a chemo-laden cancer patient.

Elizabeth graduates from GSU this coming Saturday at 10:00 AM in Statesboro.  Mollie graduates from Richmond Hill High School later this month.  Both of them have done exceptionally and I am very proud.  Elizabeth indicates she want to go to DO School and become a Doctor of Osteopathy.  So she will be preparing for the MCAT exam this summer.  Mollie, will begin attending Valdosta State University in the Fall.  Imagine that …. my baby …. a college student.  Mollie is a fixture around the house and helps out so much.  I am going to be very lonely without her.  Mollie is the only one that will go with me to Lowe’s or Home Depot, or Sunglasses shopping, or to Hirano’s for a Japanese lunch, or to Dillards to buy new Daddy-sized underwear.  Mollie is always there, always the sport.

I finally got my home A/C replaced, and in due time.  I had a whole house air infiltration system installed to keep the virus issue down.  What with chemo, cats and everything, I thought it would be a good add-on.   Now if I can get my lawn mower and my car repaired, I will be okay, hopefully, for a while.  Trust me, this has been a tough, tough, 6 months, financially speaking.  Very tough; and again, my deepest and most humble appreciation to those of you who have unselfishly and generously helped me out.   I’ll have to say that I am a bit ashamed about all this, but this cancer thing completely blindsided us and has wreaked havoc on our finances to the tune of at least an additional $1200 to $1400 per month beyond our normal family expenses.  It the Fall, it will be about two to three times that amount.  All  I can do is stay on my knees and know that God will continue to provide.  My objective is to concentrate on my health as much as possible.

One more thing.  We have the best Mama in the world.  I owe her so much, and she just continues to give of herself.  She sets the standand for all Mama’s that ever was and ever will be.  Mother’s day is coming up and I am ever so reminded of what she has done,  not just for me, but  for all of us.  I love her so dearly.

Another thing.  I am not dying.  I do admit that I am chronically ill and I do understand that I have a hard row to hoe ahead of me, but I am going to make it.  Period.  Case closed.   There is no other option.  I plan on being around for several years.  So please don’t feel sorry for me.  All I ask is that ya’ll walk with me through the next coming months and give me the emotional support I need when I find myself too ill or too down.  I truly enjoy your  calls and your emails.  For sure, humor is not lost in this family.  Thank God.  

Keep me in your prayers, dear family, and I will continue to move ahead.

Love ya’ll,

Mitch  

Dear Family,

As most of ya’ll are aware, I had my first round of chemo last week.  Although things started out okay, Thursday and Friday were rough, to say the least.  I had this constant nagging sense of nausea to the point I couldn’t think of anything else.  Friday was particularly rough.  However, by Saturday I was feeling better and Sunday I was able to go to church.  I now have a couple of weeks off before the next round of torture.  Even thinking about it makes me queasy.  

Guess what my precious sister, Lisa, did for me yesterday? Robin returned home from taking care of her mom in Patterson and, before Robin left Patterson to return to Richmond Hill, Lisa brought to her a big container of macaroni and cheese,  homemade ground-up turkey soup, and a big container of bananna pudding.  It was truly a treat to set down and each such good, comfort food.  In fact, it was the first real food I had eaten and was absolutely what I needed.  Today I woke up feeling much better and was actually able to get out and run two miles.  Not bad for a chemo-laden cancer patient.

Elizabeth graduates from GSU this coming Saturday at 10:00 AM in Statesboro.  Mollie graduates from Richmond Hill High School later this month.  Both of them have done exceptionally and I am very proud.  Elizabeth indicates she want to go to DO School and become a Doctor of Osteopathy.  So she will be preparing for the MCAT exam this summer.  Mollie, will begin attending Valdosta State University in the Fall.  Imagine that …. my baby …. a college student.  Mollie is a fixture around the house and helps out so much.  I am going to be very lonely without her.  Mollie is the only one that will go with me to Lowe’s or Home Depot, or Sunglasses shopping, or to Hirano’s for a Japanese lunch, or to Dillards to buy new Daddy-sized underwear.  Mollie is always there, always the sport.

I finally got my home A/C replaced, and in due time.  I had a whole house air infiltration system installed to keep the virus issue down.  What with chemo, cats and everything, I thought it would be a good add-on.   Now if I can get my lawn mower and my car repaired, I will be okay, hopefully, for a while.  Trust me, this has been a tough, tough, 6 months, financially speaking.  Very tough; and again, my deepest and most humble appreciation to those of you who have unselfishly and generously helped me out.   I’ll have to say that I am a bit ashamed about all this, but this cancer thing completely blindsided us and has wreaked havoc on our finances to the tune of at least an additional $1200 to $1400 per month beyond our normal family expenses.  It the Fall, it will be about two to three times that amount.  All  I can do is stay on my knees and know that God will continue to provide.  My objective is to concentrate on my health as much as possible.

One more thing.  We have the best Mama in the world.  I owe her so much, and she just continues to give of herself.  She sets the standand for all Mama’s that ever was and ever will be.  Mother’s day is coming up and I am ever so reminded of what she has done,  not just for me, but  for all of us.  I love her so dearly.

Another thing.  I am not dying.  I do admit that I am chronically ill and I do understand that I have a hard row to hoe ahead of me, but I am going to make it.  Period.  Case closed.   There is no other option.  I plan on being around for several years.  So please don’t feel sorry for me.  All I ask is that ya’ll walk with me through the next coming months and give me the emotional support I need when I find myself too ill or too down.  I truly enjoy your  calls and your emails.  For sure, humor is not lost in this family.  Thank God.  

Keep me in your prayers, dear family, and I will continue to move ahead.

Love ya’ll,

Mitch  

Just a quick note to let ya’ll know I will begin the wretched “ball-head inducing” chemo therapy tomorrow (Wednesday) at 9:30 AM at Summit Cancer Care here in Savannah.  The Port-A-Chath was installed in my chest last Tuesday at Savannah Vascular and I went through Gamma Globulin infusion last Wednesday (for 5 whole hours, no less).   Robin has to work so I will see if Elizabeth can go with me.  If not, I’ll go alone.  This will be a 48-hour continuous feed chemo infusion, so I will wear the chemo pump home for two days.  Woo-Hoo!

Funny thing, I received my 100 % human “hair prosthesis” yesterday.  You should have seen it when it first came out of the box.  It was the wildest thing ever.  Although the color was spot-on.  The hair was very long and stuck straight up like I had seen a ghost, sort of a “Buckwheat” style.  It was wierd.  Then the stylist explained that the wig had to be cut and styled.  That was good news.  So then I sat in the chair for over two hours while he worked and worked and worked on my hair.  Although it’s still much better, there is still quite a bit of cutting  and styling left.  I am very fortunate.  The cost of the wig is over $1,000 retail and I got it wholesale for only $250.  They stylists told me to wear it home so the base would stretch out and conform to my head ….. so I did.  Remember, I still have a full head of hear so the wig sits up kinda tall, like a helmet.  I stopped at the gas station for gas and went inside to get an ice-cold Sprite.  I wanted to see if the cashier would stare at my hair.  She did.  Well, it was a quick stare, then she immediately looked down at the register and avoided eye contact.  I started to say something, but I didn’t.  I knew the hair was sitting high on my head because when I got back in the car I felt the top of my hair piece scrubbing the roof of the car.  Not bothering to fix it by pullinig it down, I drove on home.  On the way home I drove next to a lady who was driving in the adjacent lane.  We looked at each other and she quickly turned her head facing front, kinda like you do when you see someone terribly deformed and get caught staring.  I finally got home and went in the house.  I spoke to Robin to get her attention.  She turned and looked, but, surprisingly, didn’t notice.  I then went to Mollie’s room and sat on the bed and engaged her in conversation.  Mollie was staring at the computer screen as she talked, but eventually swiveled around in her chair and made eye contact.  She immediately became silent, then started giggling.  It wasn’t long before she was laughing hysterically.  Then both of us were laughing.  It wasn’t until I went back into the kitchen that Robin finally noticed my hair.  Then she started laughing.  There is very little sympathy in the Riggins’ household in Richmond Hill.  I never knew a hair piece could provide so much entertainment.  Well, we’ll see how this works out.  If it doesn’t, there’s always baseball caps and someone on eBay will get a nice head of human hair.  Who knows I might even give it to Mike (LeCuyer) (Cherios-diet-man) to make him look younger and slimmer.

Oh yes, I return to Houston on June 11th through June 13th for another series of tests.  I will probably drive this time.  Robin will go with me.  Maybe Elizabeth and Mollie too.  

That’s all for now.

Love ya’ll,

Mitch