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The Big C – Chapter 3

joe July 23, 2026 0 Uncategorized chemotherapy, FOLFIRI

Yesterday (Wednesday July 22nd), went to NorthBay Cancer Center in Vacaville to start a new round of chemo. In my last post, we were coordinating with NB to see if and when they could fit me in. (God at work HERE!) I did get all setup with NB Cancer Center and Laurie’s Oncologist. We can now understand why the UC Davis Oncologist wanted me to find someone closer. As it turns out, we will be traveling to Vacaville three days a week (every other week) for the next 6 weeks. The shorter drive will keep us from going crazy. Tuesday, meet with Doc, Wednesday Infusion, Friday remove pump.

I am now on a cocktail of drugs (called FOLFIRI) at the Infusion Center – 2 to 3 hours to get that done. At the end of the infusion of two of the drugs, Irinotecan and Leucovorin, they disconnect the drip from my port and hook up a pump device with Fluorouracil and send me home for 46 hours while it drips into my body. Then a trip back to Vacaville (on Fridays) so they can remove the pump and install an automatic injection device (kind of like the devices that diabetics have). The automatic injection device will be filled with a drug to stimulate the production of white blood cells. The injection occurs approximately AND automatically 27 hours after installed on my abdomen – OUCH! No buttons to press. The instructions are “Avoid traveling, driving or operating heavy machinery during hours 26 through hour 29 after application.”

In addition to the infused/injected stuff, there is a bag of four different medications to take “IF” this or that happens. Please to report that I have had no adverse effects from the three drugs so far. They did have me taking two little nasty pills today, and one tomorrow to ward off any side-effects from the chemo. So thankful that there have been no side-effects…and I will not add “YET!”

Sounds repetitious, but we are grateful for Kevin and Tim who provide transportation and assistance around the house while all this is happening. Also thankful for the time we can sit down with them for meals and face-to-face time.

The Big C – Chapter 2

joe July 3, 2026 1 Family, Uncategorized cancer, chemo, NorthBay, oncologist, tumor

Well, things have certainly changed on this journey.

In March, I had a full-body PET scan, and the Oncologist and the Radiologist saw the tumor in my colon, but also saw “something” in my neck. While I continued my course of Infusion and oral chemo, they finally were able to do a CT scan and yes, “there is something there lit up – one of your lymph nodes.”

Chemo was 14 days oral, and on day 15 came the infusion. I had three rounds of Infusion. and am continuing the course(s) of oral. Thankful that through all that chemo, there was no nausea, and we couldn’t have told if I lost any hair or not. The tumor in my colon was shrinking, but another CT scan did not show any changes to the “thing” in my neck.

Met with the Surgeon who was ready to get on with it. First a sigmoidoscopy, and then schedule the big surgery to remove the tumor, and maybe parts of the Pancreas and Spleen AFTER he finds out when the Oncologist is stopping chemo. She wanted to know what that thing was in my neck. Finally got to Interventional Radiology, and with two doctors and one technician finding the lymph node on a screen, they were able to get a sample for pathology. They were going to try to get another specimen, but because of the location, they decided to call in a third doctor, who looked at the screen and said “I wouldn’t try another sample. It’s too close to the carotid artery.”

Then the waiting (11 days) for the results, and wouldn’t you know it, it turned out to be cancer. Had a meeting with the Oncologist and she recommended that if possible I find an Oncologist closer to home who could administer a more aggressive course of infusion chemo. She said that with the new chemo, it would be on a two week cycle, with labs then infusion and a pump attached for a liquid version of what I have been taking orally, then come back 46 – yes, specifically 46 hours later to have pump removed, then a week off and repeat. That cycle would be hard it we did the labs, chemo and pump removal at UC Davis in Sacramento, since that is about an hour and fifteen minute trip each way

This all moved very fast (because God’s got this handled). Met with the Surgeon on 6/16; Oncologist on 6/17 who was waiting for pathology report. She finally got pathology report on 6/25 and we had vidoeo appointment; I messaged my PCP on the 25th and he put through an “Urgent Referral” to Laurie’s Oncologist; got a call from NorthBay Cancer Center Scheduler on 26th who said “First open appointment we have is July 30 or 31st, but will talk to the team and see what we can work out.” Monday (6/29) at 1:29 pm, got a call from Scheduler who “was trying to work something out”; at 1:43 she called back and said “We have an appointment for you at 11:30 on Wednesday (7/1)”; at 3:20 on 7/1, the Scheduler called to give me my tentative dates and times for infusion and pump. Looks like we solved the “who can take over and do the chemo.” Pending approval by “Insurance”, my first new session will be on July 20. And, since my treatments will be at NorthBay, I can go to NorthBay Primary Care right here in town and get my labs done on Mondays, travel to Vacaville for treatment on Wednesdays and back to Vacaville on Fridays to have the pump removed. BTW, the NB Cancer Center is 35 minutes from our house.

Right now, they don’t know how long the treatments will last, but I will be monitored very closely; and probably have lots of CT scans to see what’s happening in my body.

Until I know how my body will react to the chemo, I’ll have to take a break from serving on the Worship Team. Thankfully nothing is happening until after Vacation Bible School.

Last Sunday, the Worship Team introduced “Every Praise” to the congregation after I gave them an update. I can truly say that He is my Savior, my Healer and My Deliverer. To Him be all the praise, glory and honor.

Really Great Morning!

joe February 19, 2010 Family, Uncategorized

There it was – some noise as I lay in bed at 8 a.m. What was that? Oh…it was my cell phone stuffed in my pants pocket. Grabbed it just in time to see that the call was from area code 405 – Oklahoma, but too late to answer the call
It was Gladys and I missed the call!
She left a message as I stumbled out of bed to start another day. Before I could get that feeling out of my mouth and head, the house phone rang and my wife said “somebody named Jones.” I of course knew that it was Gladys not giving up in reaching me.
Thank goodness she didn’t. It has been over 40 years since we had seen or talked to one another.
Just so you get the flavor of history, Gladys was like my grandmother’s adopted daughter in Pauls Valley, OK. When I was a little kid (in elementary school), Gladys was like an older sister, and my grandmother would have her babysit my sister, brother and I. This woman was like a star singer in church, and sang in churches all around Pauls Valley. I have many memories of sitting in church (yes, kids set through church back then) and listening to her sing.
We had an absolutely amazing time talking about how we have been trying to find one another. At one time, she and her husband were even Pastoring in a church in Richmond – I just happen to find that 2-3 years ago on the internet. From Richmond, they moved to Carson, CA, and I could just never seem to make connection.
Even when we were in Oklahoma for a reunion in 2005, we tried to find anyone in Pauls Valley who knew anyone that I remembered, all to no avail.

How Did We Connect Now?

While working on the move of my blog, there was a post about Bethlehem Baptist Church in Pauls Valley, and I wanted to test the link, and got to their website. Found that there was a new pastor, and that the history of the church was still posted. While re-reading the history, saw Gladys’ name, and started searching the internet again, but wasn’t able to find anything (not even the link that mentioned her in Richmond).
Went back to the Bethlehem Baptist website and saw that there were Newsletters. Started reading, and was surprised to find Gladys’ name listed as one of the “Mothers” of the church on the list of people who were presently serving (Deacons, Ushers, etc.). Okay, that meant she was alive and must be living in Pauls Valley. Found a link for Pastor Eaton with a FaceBook address, and fired off an email to him. Asked him that if Gladys was indeed in Pauls Valley, would you please let her know that an old friend was looking for her, and gave him my phone numbers to pass on.
So, there it is in a nutshell. This has been a fantastic day! Gladys had tried to find me, but been stymied, and was so glad to connect. We spent 20-30 minutes on the phone going over (as best we could) the last 40+ years of our lives. Her kids and grand kids have done well. In fact, one of the grandkids plays for the Indianapolis Colts (after attending Stanford).
Can’t wait as we begin sharing pictures and family information back and forth. So thankful that this time, I persisted in trying to find and contact her. There’s a lot of family history to catch up on, so I’m sure we will be spending a lot of time on the phone and sending pictures back and forth.
What a way to begin a day!