12 Down 18 To Go

I am doing pretty good just have some bad days. I have times when I am so exhausted I can hardly move. I am having some discomfort but nothing I can't handle yet. It is hard to sleep at times because I can't get comfortable but I am managing to survive this ordeal. I saw the doctor today and he seems to think I am doing fine but he also told me that the fatigue and discomfort will get worse. That was nice of him----don't you think? I have made it through 12 treatments with 18 more to go. ...so I will just keep working toward the magic number of 30.

Trina turned 20 this week and she is depressed. She now thinks she is old!!!!! It is that horror of leaving those teenage years behind----not always easy. I took her out to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory on Tuesday and today we went to Park City in the Vet and did some shopping and had lunch. The one thing the two of us can do well is shop, but we have practiced at it quite a bit!!!

Hello Out There

I very seldom hear from any of you so decided to just give updates here. I really struggle with all of this and with the feeling that no one cares about much anymore. I have to admit to being in tears many times over the past couple of months.
As far as the radiation treatments I am doing ok. It is hard to face that every day----I'm sure none of you realize that-----but so far I seem to be doing fairly good. I have had 7 treatments so have 23 more to go. I have some discomfort but not unbearable. I do feel pretty tired at times---seems to come on suddenly but I am trying very hard to keep up on everything just like I have always done. Some days I don't function well but on others I feel pretty normal. I'm trying to eat 3 meals a day as that is one thing they really push. Radiation takes so much out of your body that you need to eat properly---proteins, carbs, veggies, fruits and grains. I guess because it also kills all your good cells and they have to rejuvenate quickly. Apparently pretzels and diet coke is not a good balanced diet---imagine my surprise!!! I am learning more about all this and as time goes on I actually may be quite an authority.

Steven is going to California the last week of July because they are the State Champs in their division in baseball. Colton's team didn't make it but he did hit a home run in the game yesterday. That is good stuff!

Nick was home, but chasing girls so didn't see much of him. He is back in North Carolina and thinks he will get another tour of duty in Iraq or Afganistan in the next few months. While he was home, Randy and all his family got together in Green River. That was the first time in years that all four of those kids were together. I guess Randy really enjoyed it as he had his whole family there and they all had a good time. Randy calls me every few days to check up on my progress so I am up on their news.

The hay is growing and so is the corn. All the cows have calved and we got rid of the angry bull and got a nicer one. All is well in Bridgeland---at least for now. I'm sure there will be a problem by tomorrow though!!!

Update From Mom

Just thought I would let everyone know what is happening. I start radiation next Tuesday and I do have to have 30 treatments-----5 days a week for 6 weeks. It will not eliminate my chances of doing this again but will reduce the risk factor. It would have been much nicer to get through the surgery and be done but it doesn't work that way with this cancer stuff. The way I have it figured I will finish up radiation on August 19th-----pretty much wipes out my summer.
I still would like to see the rest of you post here....Sue where are you----let's hear your news. Some of your siblings haven't seen you in quite awhile so maybe you should post a picture!!!
Dirk, Tammy, Trina and Amanda----what is new with you-----let us know because we are interested and it is really not that hard to post here. No more excuses!!!
Have a super 4th of July and know that I love each and everyone of you very much.

Reunion Poll

OK folks I am trying something new so I hope you will participate. We have been toying with the idea of having a Boyd Black Family Reunion this year but arent sure where or when to have it. Grandpa actually suggested it and is supposed to give us his answer soon. I personally think that we should have it in Torrey in August and can take our trailers and play horse shoes and go fishing on the mountain. I'm sure the Albrechts would come and could stay in the house with Grandpa if they needed to.
You have to cast your vote to see what the results are. Hopefully it is working right.

create a free poll on pollsb.com

News From Mama

I have had a very stressful and busy couple of months. In April I had a biopsy and it came back positive for cancer. That was not what this old lady wanted to hear. I had a rough couple of days trying to get adjusted to this fact. I had surgery on May 13th and 4 days later got the news that they didn't get it all so went back for more surgery on May 30th. This report came back clean---thank god----I wanted to be in the 90% at least once in this whole mess and it finally happened. I am now waiting to heal up s0 in about 30 days I can start radiation. They are saying I will have to go everyday for 6 weeks. We had a trip planned the beginning of June over into Colorado and we went for just two days as I wasn't up to going for the whole time. I did good the first day but got sick the last day which meant Steve had to drive all the way home. I wanted to drive the Corvette more but wasn't up to it so Steve got to practice cruisin!!! We went to Pagosa Springs and then back to Durango and over the mountain into Silverton and Ouray. It is beautiful country but man the mountains you go over are high.......over 12,000 feet. I really wish all you BLACK family members would send your stuff in to post here. This is a good way for everyone to find out what you have all been doing and see how much the kids grow every day. I am not as creative as Jodie---it takes me all damn night to post one picture!!!!! Old ladies like me can't figure out this technical stuff...

Dirk & Chevaun's Wedding

I really enjoy talking or rather writing to myself you know.... No one has bothered to forward me any decent pictures of the wedding so I was forced to put the only ones that I had on here. Braxton was supposed to take some more pictures for me but when I looked at the camera after the wedding all I had were pictures of the back's of people's heads and the ground!! Not really anything worth sharing.
I think it went very well. We worked our butts off getting the place and the food ready. Way to go "Team Black", we really worked together and made it happen. I still can't believe how the kids even pitched in and helped decorate and make the food. I was really proud of all of them.
Tammy really did a good job on the cake. It was better than anything that you could have bought and was very elegant. Mom and I battled the arch until we gave up and decided that we had messed with it enough. Trina, Colton and Steven chopped all the fruit and veggies and then helped me make the Chicken Salad. Brenna got the kitchen organized and set up all the chairs and buffet tables. We were calling Mark our 'kitchen bitch' because he kept all the dishes washed and the tables wiped off. Dennis was at home cussing the avocados because they were too hard to make guacamole. He finally gave up and only made half a batch, good thing he made plenty of salsa though.
After dinner everyone talked and danced until their feet hurt. (I know mine did)
We all pitched in and cleaned up the place and were back to the farm by 10:30. We got all the food out again and sat around munching on leftovers and talking. It was a nice way to wind down at the end of a very busy day!!
So... when do we start this catering business we keep talking about?? Lord knows we have all had enough practice!!

Garrett's B-day

Yes, I have been slacking this month... but have finally gotten Garrett's birthday pictures up. I have been working on the slideshow for 2 hours because I couldn't get Trina's fat head to fit in the picture with her, Garrett and Tanner. (Just kidding of course, Trina!!) I took the picture of them long ways (up and down) and so I had to keep cropping it so that she would fit. This blog stuff is hard work!! I spent so much time on it that I used the same one for both my blog and this one.
My camera is backed up with pictures so I need to work on it alot this month. I dont have very many good pictures of Dirk & Chevaun's wedding which will be my next post so if any of you got some really good ones of them or the family please email them to me so that I can include them.
Garrett's party went well and I appreciate everyones help, especially Tammy. It is hard to control all those youngsters and I get flustered. Dennis cooked their hotdogs and helped me get them fed then hid in the garage and kept asking if they were gone yet.
Garrett got everything that he had asked for and is already making his list for next year!!