Sickness Is In, Then Out, and Then In?

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Hey Everyone! Well what a crazy time here at the Botkin home. After just happening to come off the gentle family sickness, I got the fantastic crud that comes with my six week chemo pills. I had just gotten over a little cold that Hunter was sharing with the family. I started on the chemo pills stuff last Monday. I took the super pills, wasted two days trying to see how I was doing, and I was very good. Then it hit me and boy did I feel bad! 1st the sickness and then the chemo sickness. AHHHHHHHHHHHHH. Well now I an happy to tell everyone that I feel much better. I'm not officially feeling like a million bucks, but really starting to return to Eric. It is very funny or even bizarre how you take these pills and have challenges, then you take another set of pills and they help you and actually make you feel better. While I don't understand many of these things, all I can really tell you all is that I am very happy to still be here with you. I know that my issues are growing as I am starting to have more challenges with peoples names and many easy words are missing while I'm having a nice chat. Again I must share with you that I am glad that God has still allowed me to be here and share my time with everyone. Thank you.

Everyone is Sick?

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Hey Everyone. Hope your weekend was going much better for you than for us. We had a problem with Hunter, a problem with me and lastly a problem with Hallie. And it is all from the same bad sickness thing. The totally funny part is that Hunter got a terrible cough for 2 days, no flu, then it was given to me. I enjoyed two days of terrible nose pain, you know, that horrible crud running out of your nose whether you want to blow it or not. And finally Hallie with a throat pain that comes along with swallowing all that nose crap down the sore throat. FUN!! Well we are all almost back into the swing of things which is great as I will start another 6 week chemo tonight. Getting ready for the second version of "I'm not really sure how to prepare for this" medication set-up. But we all must continue do that which will keep us going forward. And again, I am VERY excited to still be able to be here with my family, friends and everyone else. I wanted to end this with something great, but you know what, after all that overwhelming crap and all the time felt working with the family, I got nothing. I mean I really wanted to think of something great, but honestly I an just happy to think after all that nose crud. So all I can really say is God Bless.

More Good Times....

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Hey Everyone. First before I get to any of my stuff, I hope that everyone was able to take a few minutes and think again over the 9/11 incident. It is continually amazing that the United States was able to be given such an unbelievable event. To have lost so many people who were never actually involved with the daily protection of our country is still unbelievable for me. I specifically remember riding back from a nothing call that morning and was told to check the TV when we arrived back at Station 12. Incredible. Anyway I got returned for a NEW MRI with a good condition. The old MRI uses 1.5 something or other to do the testing, and now I have been moved up to the new MRI that uses 3.0 something or other. Incredible to lie in the new one after being in the old one for the last 24 times was pretty incredible. I had several "wow" moments as it was a super test. Anyway again my tumor looked to be exactly the same with no significant changes so I will be on track for another 6 week pill just as soon as my blood returns to normal. My platelets were able to return to normal, but the white blood cells are still very low. Hopefully they will be better soon so that I can get on with my chemo.

Crazy week...Again?

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Hey Everyone. Sheesh, what an amazing week for the Botkin family. A man goes to the hospital, a boy goes to the emergency room and a woman with shingles, but the most amazing part is that Hallie and I were totally healthy last week. Now even though we were feeling good, we were very busy trying to help all of the family members who were having "issues". Even though we were really placed into some funny and stressful areas, we are happy to say that Hallie's dad is recovered and doing well, Hallie's mom is working hard to drop some germs, and Hunter absolutely does NOT have chicken pox, even though we thought he did. So a wonderfully busy week was to be filled with an equally wonderful, slow, and relaxing Labor Day, or that was what I thought. Well as you with kids all know every two - three years you decide that the toy room for your child needs some changes. The problem begins when your child starts taking on so many NEW toys that you begin to stop finding all that previous room. Well that was today's plan. OH MY GOD. Hunter's room hadn't been cleaned for about 2 years and there is a closet in that room, which over the last 6 years has become the convenient "crap" room. It is always funny how the easy clean up plans are "changed" two or three times before finding the correct solution. I am sure that none of my friends know what it is like to want a project to be started and finish in the same day, but I am happy to say that it looks nice. Aaa, another beautiful day in the cleaning moments. Now I am very confused as I have watched many shows on DIY and they are very quick, work with incredible help, and finish is with a burst of joy. I wish I could say this was the same for me I guess you can't believe everything on T.V. Well again I am very happy that we are done and it looks great. It is always interesting to sit back and look at the way it was all done to find those moments that were awesome and those that should have been done differently. The wife and I worked great together and we were hoping that the boy would pitch in. As it turns out he is just another 10 year old boy....I got all pissy with him for not being helpful and the reality is that he is ten! I know that if I keep on him and try to make him responsible and have pride in what he does and owns, someday he will be the same little boy who knows that his father loves him even if he has high expectations of who he should be and what he should do.