Sunday

Harry is getting better everyday - food has done more for him than anything else lately. He is looking forward to Wednesday with Benny Grunch and finishing the new Christmas video. I am going to Miami for work until Saturday. So call him up and stop by to visit. Have a great day and I will continue to post during the week...

Thanks for all the holiday wishes...

Mona

Thanksgiving Day

Thank you to all who shared this lovely day with us..

Mona & Harry

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Shopping & Cooking

After Harry & I had lunch yesterday he went to the Thrift Store and Grocery Store - he calls it exercise - I call it fantastic - he's been inside so long. I then got home from work to a cooked dinner, he was a little tired after all that. Today is a day of rest and tomorrow is a day of Thanksgiving, we surely have a lot to be thankful for.

Happy Thanksgiving everybody..

Mona & Harry

Dr. Black Visit

Harry saw Dr. Black yesterday and he is doing great he even gained back a couple of pounds. The CT Scan he had a week ago Monday showed that the tumor and lymphnodes are markedly reduced (some have been reduced by half). They did find something they want to look at on his liver - so he will have an MRI in a couple of weeks to find out what it is.

So after many months I am happy to report. Harry is starting to feel like himself again. Yesterday we walked all over the hospital - dropping off little Thanksgiving gifts. Harry cooked our steaks last night and he is going to the thrift store today.

We are so looking forward to the holidays and more continued good news.

Mona & Harry

Weekend & More

Harry's eating is not a fluke... He has even asked for a steak dinner tonight!. Harry has an appointment with Dr. Black today his medical oncologist. I'll post about what he says later.

Harry is even talking about going to the thrift stores - one of his favorite pastimes. I am hoping that he will start playing the drums at home so he can build up enough energy to play some gigs.


There are sometimes very unintended consequences when this kind of illness strikes, Harry & I are closer than we have ever been. Our family and friends have showed us such love and support. And in the medical community we have been graced with great doctors and caretakers.

I know how lucky Harry and I are to have so many loving and caring people in our lives but I would like to let my sister's and their husbands and my brother and his wife know just how much they have meant to us. You've been constant sources of strength and support for both of us. Karen, Mac, Missy, Raymond, Mike and Michele - I hope you know what you mean - even though I sometimes forget to say thank you. BTW Raymond your tub handle has come in very handy this week as Harry has changed from showers to baths.

To Harry's Cousins - Mike & Joyce and Mike & Jan and their family - Harry is so happy and proud that you are in his life.

To Harry's Mom - Joycelen - I am so happy that the two of you have been re-united.

May God grace all of you with the same gifts he has given us: Harry eating, and family and friends like ours, you are all worth your weight in gold.
Happy Thanksgiving..

Mona

Friday was another good day

Harry had pizza, ice cream and chicken and rice and gravy yesterday! I am still crossing my fingers but it seems eating is easier everyday.

Mona

Yesterday was a great day to me!

Last night I cooked chicken and rice and gravy and WE sat at the table and ate. Then Harry had 2 small bowls of chocolate ice cream while we watched a movie. When I called him around noon he had eaten a tuna fish sandwich. He is still weak but he seems to be progressing a little more in the past couple of days. I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Mona

Good Day - Sad Family News

Harry had a good day yesterday but we received some very sad news yesterday, Harry's cousin Janice Ravain lost her dear Mother yesterday. She went very peacefully after a brave fight with Lymphoma, We have grown so very close to Janice and Michael over the past few months and without them around our lives would be so very very different. Our hearts go out to them and their family. Please keep them, Cal Arnold's family and Emile Guess's family in your prayers...

Mona

Wednesday

Harry has good and bad days still as his body is adjusting to all the ups and downs he has gone through. In the beginning - talking was painful and difficult but now if you wish to call him - please do. He may not always answer, and I would not call until 10am or after 8pm. He still tires quickly but I think hearing from his friends would be a good thing.

Mona

Good News

Even though Harry is not having a great day (I think it had to do with all the chemicals he had to drink yesterday). We saw his progress today. Dr. Monsour showed us the scan Harry had when this started and the one he had yesterday - what a remarkable improvement. In fact I would say that Dr. Monsour was very proud of his work and he should be. The scans almost look like they are of 2 people there is such a difference. We are not through with the battle but the first skirmishes were victories on our side. Dr. Monsour also said there will be more shrinking as time goes by. We have another appointment with him in one month and he should schedule a new PET scan then to give us an even better idea where he stands. But this is the first concrete proof that the battle Harry has so bravely waged is working. The scan did say something about a spot on his liver but Dr. Monsour showed us the original PET scan and that spot was there and did not show as cancer so he does NOT think it is anything to be worried about - but he said that Dr. Black would probably order an MRI just to be sure. I thank GOD everyday for this wonderful caring and compassionate doctor he put in our lives. He has never sugar coated the truth, listened truly listened and gave us the strength and courage to continue on the bad days and patted Harry on the back on the good days. A couple of new meds today to control some coughing and walk Harry all the way down off the pain meds.

So I am working downtown the next few days - it might be Friday night or Saturday morning before I post again..

Wish us luck and pray for us - we are trying spaghetti tonight........

Mona

Another Full Day

Yesterday Harry had a CT Scan of his Chest, Abdomen and Pelvis. We have an appointment with Dr. Monsour at 11am today - I do not know if he will be able to retrieve the results - but I hope so. If not we will get the answers Monday afternoon when we see Dr. Black. He will also get blood work today for both Dr. Black and Dr. Jeanfreau.

And believe it or not Harry ate half of a medium cheese pizza yesterday afternoon! This morning he was a little nauseated but I guess that is expected. He took a nausea pill and went back to sleep. Up again he is not feeling so good. maybe a little more sleep will help..told him to go back to sleep..

And thanks again to my brother Mike for visiting and helping out this weekend..

Mona

Monday Morning

Harry had a good weekend, he went to services on Saturday with Johnny Vidgini for Emile Guess. Harry truly revered Emile and will miss him terribly. Our prayers are with his family.

My brother Mike came to visit from Houston, thanks for being here for us. Sunday, Harry and Mike, my brother, came down to the Marriott where I am working and watched a political debate with Sen. Fred Thompson and James Carville.

Harry has been a little tired - but he's been out everyday for the past week except Thursday.

Today we go for a CT SCAN of his chest and abdomen and hopefully we'll have some news about how things are really going by next week when we make our next round of doctors.

We were also very saddened by the news of another dear friend passing away, Cal Arnold left us to join the musicians in Heaven last week. Our hearts, love and prayers go out to Nancy, his wife and his entire family.

Mona

Cousin Mike, Grand Cousin AVA, Cousin Harry

Video Shoot

Harry is out with Benny Grunch today shooting new videos. I am not sure which song they are shooting - but I am sure it will end up on you tube after airing on Frank Davis.

Yesterday was an up and down day. He ate part of a po-boy yesterday and asked for PB&J sandwiches today for the shoot..... He's hanging with his cousin Mike today.

Tomorrow Harry will be with Johnny Vindigni attending the services for Emile Guess. It will be a sad day for all..

Thanks for the prayers..

Mona

Laundry

Now I know this may not seem like a huge triumph to anyone but me, but I came home yesterday to find the laundry washed, dried and folded. I was so overwhelmed that he was able to do that after the past few days... Amen....

Mona

More Ups and Downs, more up today

Harry had a very bad day on Friday. Things have picked up quite a bit since then. We have seen 3 doctors in the last 2 days and they have adjusted some of his medicines and that seems to be working. He is still not eating the way he wants to but we have found a nutritional supplement that is finally succeeding at getting him to better health. He is stepping down on one of his pain medications and has completely gotten off of the other. Today is the best I have seen him since June. He will have a CT Scan of his chest within the next 2 weeks and then we see his oncologist to find out where we are and when we start the next round of chemo. It is my understanding that when we start that it will be 1 time a week for 3 weeks, 2 weeks off and then the same routine for a total of 3 rounds of full chemo. He will have to have surgery to put a bard port back in - but he came through that with flying colors last time and I expect nothing less this time.

Over the weekend we were blessed to have my sisters and their families, Harry's mom and Harry's cousin and his family for a BBQ. And even though he was tired - he really really enjoyed the company.

Thanks again to all

Mona

What a week!

This past week has been the most up and down I think we've had. Today is a very up day. Harry and I went to eat at Fiesta last night. Now he did not eat a lot but he did eat. He woke up this morning and was talking about eating eggs, bacon and toast for breakfast and how he was going to fix it. He also realizes that he no longer fits in any of his clothes - so he is planning a trip to Walmart for jeans and maybe even Academy. That's a lot for him and he knows he will probably be tired tomorrow. But if we get out a little every day.. it can only help.

I cannot say this enough - if you or any member of your family is ever facing a battle that requires radiation oncology - the only Doctor you want is Dr Paul Monsour at EJGH. He and his entire staff are the most caring, confident and concerned I have ever met. For Harry going to that office as we did on Tuesday is like a HUGE B12 shot.

Harry is so looking forward to playing music again - if things keep going the way they have the last 2 days - it could be sooner rather than later...

Thanks again to all.......................

Dr. Monsour

We saw Dr. Monsour yesterday and discovered that the pain Harry was feeling around his heart is pericarditis. It is treatable by taking advil - so that is what we started last night and it looks like it is working. We go back to see him in 2 weeks and he said we would do tests to see where we are when he is out of pain. It was great to see all those guys again, Harry really enjoyed seeing them again. Dr. Jeanfreau also started Harry back on his heart medications. Harry also asked about going out to a restaurant tonight for dinner, so we'll see how he feels today. I am not going to say we turned a corner but I think that Dr. Monsour again worked his magic and relieved some of Harry's fear about his progress. So I will post again soon.

Mona

After the Weekend

Harry had a great day on Saturday. But we are still having a nausea problem and his pain is becoming a little more prevalent. I am calling his doctor today to see if there is another nausea medicine they can give him - the very expensive one they gave him for during chemo worked the best. So we are looking for something in between. We go to see his radiation oncologist tomorrow for his 1 month visit. And we see the rest of the doctors next week. So I will update again soon.

Mona

Day 4

We had a few challenges yesterday but I think we have overcome them, one of the biggest is nausea. I found some nutrition that has no lactose in it and he seemed to be able to hold that down better than all the other things we have tried. I think that he may have become completely lactose intolerant - which is not uncommon and could reverse but after 4 hours of research on the web - I found some products that should be able to keep his nutrition up without lactose and gluten and I am working on others but for the time being - no milk or dairy products.

Today Harry is out with his cousin Mike from LaPlace and a newly discovered relative named Bob while I am working. What a grace from God that Mike and Janice Ravain came back into our lives right as we were beginning this journey. I am sure he will be completely exhausted by the end of his day but what a fabulous boost for his spirit to get out... Mike - I cannot thank you enough..

I will post again after the weekend.