My one day vacation

Mangrums invited the kids and I to go to the water slides yesterday. I felt torn about leaving Bobby, but decided that it would be good for me to spend one day focused on just having fun with the kids. And fun was had! Carson perhaps the most, since he isn't even pictured here... I rarely saw him as he quickly went from one slide to another. Brooklyn and Seth had a great time too, and it was so helpful to have cousins that they love with them to play with. Kaymbria was a little overwhelmed and did NOT want to go down any slides. She was happy to be held on my hip while I carried Seth's mat up several flights of stairs to the top of the slide, got him situated, then walked her back down to meet him at the bottom. We did that several times yesterday, and after a while I didn't feel so bad about missing the 3 classes that I usually teach on Monday. I was exhausted!

As we drove home I was anxious to get back to Bobby. He has been on a downhill slope for the last week or so, needing round the clock narcotics. He is at the point now where his voice is strained, and he can only speak about one sentence before gagging, thanks to the swelling, pain, and inflammation in his mouth and throat. The pain is worse now than it has ever been. His big success each day is when he can swish prescription mouthwash in his mouth without gagging or vomiting. Yet, through it all, he never complains. I anticipate that the worst is yet to come with our last chemo in two days. With our family reunion happening this week also, I am glad the kids will have loads of cousins and aunts and uncles to keep them totally happy and busy... maybe they won't even notice just how bad it gets.