Packing

Well we had an okay weekend. I had to work yesterday but we had Caley Bug last night and had a good time with her. She didn't want her MiMi to sleep tho!!!! Probably better, will help me sleep better tonight because I am so tired and sleep deprived. Went to see Uncle Windle and Brenda today at Mom's. They are in from South Florida. David cooked Crawfish Stew. It was excellent. Still working on organizing all the benefit stuff that has been donated. I am truly touched by the support people have shown to us.
Got to go finish packing and cleaning up to get ready to go to bed. Going to be a long day tomorrow. I will try to do an update tomorrow night if I can get online.
love to all.
keep praying.
Robin

Finally

Donnie finally has an appointment at MD Anderson with a Dr on Monday. He also has an appointment Tuesday for another catscan. then I don't know what will happen. I guess we will come home and wait for them to tell him when to come back and what they are going to do. I feel better that we got an appointment but anxious for him to start some sort of treatment to fight this horrible beast. But at the same time I am not looking forward to how bad the treatments will make him feel. All for the greater good though.
I will update as I know. If I have access to the internet while I am there, I will update this blog. It will be easier than trying to email everyone.
Love to all
Robin

Update

Donnie spoke to MD Anderson. His appointment will be first of next week. Not sure what day. Will know tomorrow. I hate to feel like they are putting us off but glad to know he will see someone next week.
Keep praying
love to all
Robin

MD Anderson

MD Anderson called today. She told Donnie that she would call him back tomorrow with a date and time of his appointment. I pray it is soon.

Still working on benefit stuff. Still needing volunteers for the afternoon> If you are willing to work 2 hours for us. Please let me know what time you would be able to help out. Thanks and keep praying
love to all
Robin

Today

We still don't an appointment. It is so frustrating to feel like we aren't doing anything. All the while, I wonder how much this thing is growing as we just wait. Today was okay. Not as depressed as I have been lately. Waiting is hard and it's taking it's toll on me. I think Donnie had a good day. He went to play golf. Then we went over to some friends for a crawfish boil. He got to bring Caley and show her off. You know how much he loves that. He was quite tired though. I think waiting is taking a toll on him too. We just HAVE to get an appointment and get some help to fight this awful disease. I hate seeing him sick. Tears my heart out. It is not fair. He doesn't deserve this.

Update

Per the dr's office. It could be next week before they call us for an appointment at MD Anderson. We are exploring alternatives that might get us there quicker. Keep praying and spread the word about the benefit.
love
Robin

Update

Not much to update. We are still waiting on MD Anderson to call. Waiting is so hard.

Donnie Update

Just to update. We still have no news on an appointment from MD Anderson. I hope they call us Monday!

Donnie update 3-13-08

Well, wish I could say we had an appointment but haven’t heard anything yet. Donnie called today, they are still waiting to hear back from MD Anderson. Waiting is torture. I feel so helpless. I wish I could be doing SOMETHING!!! Donnie seems to be feeling ok> I am sure he is anxious , as I am, to continue some treatment to fight this dreaded disease. I just don't even know what to do with myself! Keep us in your prayers. love
Robin

Update 3-12-08

Still waiting on news for an appointment at MD Anderson. Waiting is terrible. I feel so helpless, there is nothing that I can do! I can't imagine how hard this must be for Donnie. I will post an update as soon as we have an appointment.

Donnie update 3-10-08

Well I wish I could say that it was better news. Donnie had a doctors appointment this morning and the doctor told us that the tumor is growing again. there are some more lymph nodes affected as well. I don't even know what to say. I feel like I have had the wind knocked out of me again. Donnie's doctor thinks that we should go to MD Anderson in Houston and see what kind of clinical trials will be availible to him there. So we are waiting for his first appointment to be made and will be traveling back and forth as often as needed to get him the care he needs. Please keep praying for him.
Love to all
Robin

A Day for Donnie

A Day for Donnie
Hi everyone! We will be holding a benefit("A Day For Donnie")for Donnie Reynolds on Saturday, April 12th at the Gonzales Recreation Center.

Donnie was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 Esophageal Cancer and is currently undergoing chemotherapy. Donnie is 43 and married to
Robin(Barrow)Reynolds. They have 3 children and live in Prairieville. Proceeds will help the family with mounting medical bills and living costs.
There will be bands, food, beer, games, live auction, silent auction, face painting, country store and more.
We welcome any donations of handmade items for the country store, sweets for sweet booth & auction items for silent & live auctions.
We are asking for volunteers to help with booths. If you are anyone you know would be interested in donating some of their time to help please let me know...via myspace or email me at lisamatherne@yahoo.com.
Any help will be greatly appreciated!
Also if anyone is interested in joining us for our benefit meetings let me know. We welcome anyones input & ideas.
We will also need security for the entire day. If you know of any officers who would be willing to donate a couple hours of their time , we would really appreciate it. We have to have 2 officers there at all times.
Please come out and help support this family and also help raise awareness of this disease. It is the 2nd deadliest cancer and it starts with Barrett's Esophagus which is caused by acid reflux. Know your risks.
Get Checked!
Any other services or goods or ideas are all welcomed!
Also on April 19th there will be a benefit for cancer survivor Eric Waggenspack(policeman for Ascension Parish)at the Prairieville Flea market. There will be jambalaya, music & more.
More info. coming soon!

Trip report 3-3-08

Well we got back from our trip to Vegas yesterday afternoon and we were exhausted!!! It was really a great trip though. We left Wednesday morning and our plane got into Vegas about 1:15. Checked into our room at the Planet Hollywood and it was fabulous. Our view overlooked the Bellagio Fountains and the Eifel Tower at the Paris. It was BEAUTIFUL!!! After we got all settled in, I told Donnie I had a present for him. It was one of our wedding pictures that I had framed and wrapped up for him. Also inside was our wedding invitation but on the inside I had pinned a new wedding invitation to our wedding renewal the next day in the Valley of Fire outside of Vegas. Once it started dawning on him what it meant, I dropped to one knee and asked him if he would make me the happiest girl in the world again and marry me again the next day. He was sooo surprised!!! And of course, he said YES!! We pretty much stayed around the hotel that day and went to see the show Stomp Out Loud at our hotel that night. It was fabulous!!!!! We had such a great time. The next morning, we got up early, ordered room service and had a wonderful breakfast. We got ready and the limo picked us up and we headed for the Valley of Fire. The ride was about an hour or a little more. Was fabulous views the whole way there. Donnie napped some in the limo, he was tired but still felt pretty good. When we got into the Valley of Fire park all we could say was WOW!!! It was gorgeous!!!! We got out and the photographer took lots of pictures of us. ( I can't wait to see them, we should have them in about 2 weeks) Every so often a car would pass thru and some would stop and tell us congratulations. Some even took pictures of us. Then the minister came and we hiked up to a rock at Rainbow Vista. It wasn't a long hike just a few minutes. The ceremony was beautiful. As soon as the minister started talking, I started crying. It wasn't my intention, just couldn't help it! Not bawling, mind you, just tears. The ceremony was short and sweet and perfect. They set the video camera up and recorded it and the photographer continued to take pictures. I kept wiping my face thinking. " i am going to have snot all over my face in these pictures" When we were done, we asked the photographer to take a picture with our camera so we could have something to take home with us and he took several for us. When we were done a tour bus pulled up right as we were getting into the limo and these ladies jumped out and ran around to the door of the limo and started singing a song to us. We couldn't understand them, I don't know what language they were singing in. It was sweet and funny. When they were done the told us congratulations, I understood only that. Afterwards we went back to the hotel, changed and then went to the wax museum at the Venetian. It is so cool, alot of the celebrities are so real it is scary. Then we walked thru the Venetian some and went back to the hotel and rested before we went to our show that night at the Wynn. It was called La Reve and was fabulous. Quite an amazing performance. Friday we took a cab and went exploring at the Wynn and the Palazzo and the Venetian. Not much else until we went to the show Legends in Concert at the Imperial Palace. The show was great but it came with a buffet and the food was horrible! But if that is the worst of our trip, I won't complain. Saturday we went to the $250,000 game show spectacular at the Hilton. It was hosted by Jamie Farr and it was a lot of fun even tho we didn't get pick to play any games. that night we went to the V Variety Show in the Miracle Mile shops at Planet Hollywood. It was a decent show. Next morning got up bright and early, 3 a.m to get to the airport and fly home. I did see Nelly coming out of the hotel when we were outside waiting for our ride. If it wasn't him, it was his twin. Overall, it was a fantastic trip. I was worried the week before we left because Donnie was so sick. I was afraid he wouldn't be able to do the things that he wanted to do. The whole week ended up being quite a surreal experience. (for me atleast) Other than Donnie being tired some and us resting. It was almost like we had stepped back into time before he was sick and were truly able to connect as a couple again without all the madness of our lives and his illness. The word cancer wasn't uttered all week. We were just us, being together. It feels we haven't truly had any "just us" time since his diagnosis and I thank God for allowing us such a wonderful time together. It is something I will always cherish.
I know this was long but I wanted to share. I hope if you take the time to read this far that it wasn't too boring.
Love to all Robin

Donnie update 2-24-08

Well Donnie has had his last chemo for a while. The doctor feels like it isn't growing right now and since you can only have so much chemo. He wants to wait and see what it does. He had his chemo last Wednesday and it was his worse one yet. It really took it's toll on him. He was in bed for 4 or 5 days. He started feeling better around Tuesday this past week and each day seems to get a little better. He goes for another scan the first week of March and I pray that we get good results.
Due to the generosity of family, Donnie and I will be leaving for a trip to get away just us this coming Wednesday. We are going to Las Vegas. It is where Donnie wanted to go and he is very excited about going. I hope that he feels up to doing what he wants to do. even so it will be nice for me and him to just get away and just spend some time alone without all the worries of home and chemo and all that other stuff. We will be staying until Sunday.
Well, I'm out for now. Love to all Robin

Donnie update 2-4-08

Donnie seems to be feeling a little bit better. He had such a rough time with the last chemo treatment. But he did feel well enough to go play golf Saturday. Completely wiped him out and he was tired but I am glad he was able to go. I am glad he is finally feeling better and I hope he gets back most of his stregnth before his next round.
He goes next Monday for his last chemo treatment for a while. He will have another scan about 3 weeks after , then it is a wait and see game. I sure wish I could turn back the clock and make this all go away!!!

Not much else new here. I will keep everyone posted as we know things
Love to all
Robin

Donnie update 1-21-08

Well we went to the doctor today for Donnie's test results. They were good. Not as good as the last but still good. The tumor is still shrinking. There was alot of medical mumbo jumbo that is hard to explain but the tumor is shrinking and there are no other spots showing up. Apparantly, a tumor can be shrinking and you can have other spots show up on your liver or your lung or whatever. So that is good news. He has chemo Wednesday and then in 3 weeks he will have another treatment. After that they will do another scan and then he will be done with chemo for now. Regardless of what the results are. I also found out today that you can only have so much of certain kinds of chemo. They are saying that it is "stable" so then they will just monitor him for a while and let his body have a break from the chemo. They may start another type of chemo later this year or just depending what the scans show. So, hope everyone understands this, I know it is confusing, I know it is to me. Keep praying that the next one shows it is all gone. love to all. Robin

What they don't see

What they don't see…….

They say
You are so strong

They see
me doing what I have to for my family

They see
me put on a brave face

They don't see
how many tears I cry

They don't see
me fall apart daily

They don't see
the terror in my heart

They don't see
how much my life has changed

They don't see
how this has changed me

They don't see
the loneliness that I feel

They don't see
how their avoidance hurts me

They don't see
fear in their children's eyes

They don't see
because their life is still intact

They don't see
because they still don't appreciate what they have

They don't see
how scared I am

They don't see
because they don't look

They don't see
because they don't want to see

They don't see
because they don't ask

They don't see
how much it hurts me
That they don't see

Author
Robin Reynolds

Donnie update 1-9-08

The good news is Donnie is feeling better. The last round of chemo was really hard on him. It was as bad as the first! He is feeling better now and goes Jan. 16th for his pet scan. We will go on the 21st for his results. We are praying for results as good as last time. I have had a cold or something and have been fighting the crud since New Years but am feeling better . I am glad. It is too hard to have to stay far away from Donnie as to not get him sick. I was tired of sleeping on the couch!!!! But it's worth it if he doesn't catch whatever I had.
Pool tournament is Jan 25th. Not much else going on right now.
Keep praying
Love to all
Robin

Somebody Stop the world 1-8-08

Somebody stop the world......
Somebody stop the world,
I want to go back.
I want to go back ,
Before cancer
Turned our world upside down.

I want to go back
this wasn't supposed to happen to us,
not to you .

I want to go back ,
To our carefree days
And future plans.

I want to go back
before doctors and chemo
and losing your hair

I want to go back,
When you were so strong
You seemed invincible

I want to go back,
When I didn't cry every day
for fear of losing you.

I want to go back ,
To where people didn't avoid me
Because they don't know what to say.

I want to go back ,
To when we still had forever
And weren't living on borrowed time.

I want to go back ,
To a point in my life
I wasn't so angry with God.

It wasn't that long ago,
Though it seems like forever

Somebody stop the world,
I want to go back…………………
Author
Robin

What cancer CANNOT do

What Cancer CANNOT do
Cancer is so limited. . .
It cannot cripple Love.
It cannot shatter Hope.
It cannot corrode Faith.
It cannot destroy Peace.
It cannot kill Friendship.
It cannot suppress Memories.
It cannot silence Courage.
It cannot invade the Soul.
It cannot steal eternal Life.
It cannot conquer the Spirit."

For my friends 1-6-08

To My Friends
Just be yourself, be near, and persevere with me.
I know this word cancer is frightening to you. It is to me also. . . .
You ask what you can do for me. There are many things, but perhaps the most important are these.
Please do not stay away because of fear. I'm afraid also. I need you near to know that I'm not alone.
There are times when I will want to talk about Donnie's cancer, sometimes not.
But, most of all, just be yourself, be near, and persevere with me.
I know it will not always be easy for you, but I thank you for caring and for being my friend!

Benefit Pool Tournament 1-4-08

Benefit Pool Tournament for Local Family
Q-Balls Pool Hall is hosting a Benefit Pool Tournament for Donnie Reynolds.
Donnie was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 Esophageal Cancer and is currently undergoing chemotherapy. Donnie is 43 and married to Robin Barrow Reynolds. They have 3 children and live in Prairieville. Proceeds will help the family with mounting medical bills and living costs.
The Pool Tournament Benefit will be held at Q-Balls starting at 7:00 PM Friday, January 25th.
The entry fee is $10.00 and there will also be a Calcutta. The players will play for the Calcutta and the entry fees' will go to Team Donnie. It will be single person play, double elimination, race to two game tournament (loser breaks). The rules are BCA play.
Team Donnie Shirts will be available for $10.00
Jambalaya will be served for $5.00 a plate
Please come out and help support this family and also help raise awareness of this disease. It is the 2nd deadliest cancer and it starts with Barrett's Esophagus which is caused by acid reflux. Know your risks. Get Checked.
If you need further directions to Q-Balls you can contact Mitch Kramer @225-910-0105
Donations can be sent to Donnie Reynolds Benefit
43017 Earl Bercegeay Rd.
Gonzales, La. 70737
Donations can also be made at any branch of UCB

Donnie update 12-16-07

Just wanted to touch base and give an update. Things are crazy here. baskets everywhere. I am almost all done with them. YAAAY!!!! Took time out for a pj day today and made cookies with my kids. I love doing that! Back to work tomorrow. ughhh. I could use 3 or 4 more days off but anyway.
Donnie is feeling pretty good. His appetite is good . Other than the fact that he gets tired pretty easily, things are ok. He doesn't get another chemo treatment till after Christmas so we are looking forward to him feeling good for Christmas.
Justin made District Honor Band last weekend. YAAAY. He was so excited and I was proud of him.
Nothing else new to report.
Love to all Robin

Donnie update 12-3-07

We went to the doctor today and Donnie's tumor has shrunk by 50 %!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Some of the smaller lymph nodes are completely gone!! I was so excited, relieved and just cried!!!! Our prayers are working so everyone keep praying!!! He goes tomorrow for chemo and will go for chemo again right after Christmas. He will have another scan 3 weeks after Christmas and we will go back to the doctor and hopefully get better news than this time. I think the doctor was even surprised how much his tumor shrank!!!!!! He must not know the power of prayer!. Love to all, thank you everyone for your prayers. Robin

Donnie update 12-02-2007

Well tomorrow we go to the doctor to find out results of his cat scan. I am nervous about what we will hear. I am positive it is good news but still can't help being nervous. We had a pretty good weekend. He is feeling pretty good. He still gets tired but not bad. he is eating good and not losing any weight so that is definitely a good thing. I finally got all of my inside decorating done. Started on the outside and now have about 50 corporate baskets to complete. I am going to have a busy week.
Keep praying,
Love to all
Robin

Donnie Update/Golf Tournament 11-27-07

All I can say is WOW, what a day. When I woke up Saturday , it was raining pretty hard. I started praying, please God, if it has to rain, let it be done early. Long story short, we had 34 teams of golfers play Saturday and it didn't rain on any of them. The turn out was phenomenal. I cannot get over the number of people that came out and spent the entire day supporting Donnie. The tournament was a huge success. Several people said, I sure hope Donnie knows how much he is loved. I said that if he didn't know before, he should definitely know now. I was touched, overwhlemed and speechless by such kindness from our friends, family and even strangers. All I can say is that it is such a terrible shame that the Country Club is closing because that is the most caring generous group of people I have met since I don't know when. After golf we had great food, Jambalaya, Gumbo, Cracklins, Pastalaya. It was all so good. We had music and dancing and raffles and auctions. It was a very long day. Started around 8 and ended around 11 p.m.. We were all exhausted, especially Donnie. He didn't play golf and didn't over exert himself. He did go out and make an awesome putt for Mikey Braud :) It was still too long of a day for him though. I just couldn't get him to go home and Rest! Again, the day was quite emotional and such a special day for myself and Donnie and the kids. They worked hard selling raffle tickets and t-shirts! What an amazing group of friends we have. we are so very blessed.
Also, Team Donnie shirts are in for anyone who ordered one or wants one! Just let me know.
Donnie goes for a cat scan on Friday and has a doctors appointment Monday to get results. I am steadily praying that we have good results. please keep us in your prayers!!!
Love to all!!!!!!!!!
Robin

Donnie Update 11-20-07

Donnie has been feeling pretty good. He gets tired but overall, much better than this last round of chemo!!! I am so glad. It is so hard to see him sick like he was last time. His spirits are good and I must say, he is a sexy bald man!!!!
Love to all , keep us in your prayers and
Happy Thanksgiving.
Robin

Donnie Chemo Update 11-13-07

Donnie chemo update 11-13-07
Donnie went to the doctor yesterday and had his 2nd chemo treatment. Doctor said it is good that he wasn't hurting anymore where his tumor is. He also said that his blood counts have been good. he feels pretty decent today. a little tired but not as bad as the last round, this time.
that's about all here. getting ready for the golf tournament next weekend. Team Donnie shirts should be in next week.
Donnie is going to bite the bullet and shave what hair he has left off tomorrow. He figured he would just go ahead and finish it off rather than lose it by the handful everyday.
Much love to all
Keep praying.
Robin