Dear Faithful Praying Family & Friends,
Stephen & I travel to Gainesville, FL [tomorrow, Sunday] for me to begin chemotherapy, on Monday morning at 9.50 AM at Dr. Carroll’s office. You remember that I will participate in a clinical trial? I was “randomized” into the group that will receive four drugs vs. three.
Phase One: Three months [six rounds] of therapy, with four infused drugs. Each round will include one full day [six hours] followed by a rest period of three weeks. Phase One begins Monday, 09.21.09 and ends Monday, 01.04.10.
Phase Two: Nine months of therapy, with two infused drugs. Each round will include one-half day [three hours] followed by a rest period of three weeks. Phase Two begins Monday, 01.25.10 and ends in September 2010.
Phase Three: Five years of one oral drug, no infusion. Phase Three will begin September 2010 and will end September 2016.
I am dedicating each of the first Six Rounds in Phase One to a hero or heroine. Round One is dedicated to:
Alton Bernard “Nobby” Blair [1919-2006] and Margaret Elizabeth “Peg” Van Hoy Blair [1918-2005]
Descending from hard-working NC farm folk, Nobby was the first family member to attend college. He wrote a letter home from Guilford College to his parents, in 1943, telling them that he would soon be drafted into WWII. However, he assured them that he was honored to serve his country and that he would “make them proud.” Peg [his college sweetheart] sent him off to war in 1943. Because they knew he might never return, they did not become engaged at that time. After completing cadet training, Nobby flew 21 missions over Germany in World War II, first as a bombadier and later as a navigator. He witnessed many of his buddies being killed by enemy fire; at least one of these deaths was on board the plane in which he was flying.
Nobby returned home from WWII [first photo, above] and married Peg in 1946. Peg supported Nobby while he earned a Master’s Degree on the GI Bill at UNC. His three vocations were coach, educator, and career Air Force military officer. Nobby & Peg raised their family on one income and gave each of their five children an opportunity to finish college. Peg supervised ten family moves and parented alone, when Nobby was away from home on military duty [including one entire year, when Nobby was in Japan].
When Nobby was 78, he valiantly fought for his life, in a hospital ICU unit, after severe complications from surgery. He endured one solid year of excruciating rehabilitation. Peg was with him through all of this, as Nobby had been with her during her health challenges.
Nobby & Peg celebrated their 50th anniversary in 1996 [second photo]. They were married for 59 years, until Peg’s death in 2005.
Dad and Mom, this round is dedicated to you! I plan to fight valiantly and I hope to “make you proud.”
Coram Deo,
Margo
Margot’s Corner 
Praying for you girl! I know you’ll make your parents very proud 🙂 Love you –
Vanessa,
I think my reply to your comment ended up addressed to Steve & Margie Gibbons. Anyway, I was so elated to read your encouraging comment after I wrote about heroes. Thanks for your friendship and prayers!
Coram Deo,
Margo
We give you our hearts filled with loving thoughts, to join with you, Steve, Garrett, Haley, Daniel and Precious Benjamin on this courageous journey, knowing our loving FATHER is orchestrating every detail of every event!
Love and hugs,
Steve and Margie Gibbons
Dear Vanessa,
Thank you for reading my blog, for praying, and for encouraging me. I treasure your friendship.
Coram Deo,
Margo
Dear Steve & Margie,
It was so wonderful to worship with you this morning! Thank you for reading my blog, commenting, encouraging, and praying. “I bind myself today to the strong arm of the Trinity.” (from St. Patrick’s Breastplate).
Coram Deo,
Margo
Margo,
As I sung this hymn this week, I was reminded of someone fighting a fight, which you are doing so bravely.
“Be strong in the Lord, and be of good courage; Your mighty defender is always the same. Mount up with wings, as the eagle ascending. Vict’ry is sure when you call on His name.
So put on the armor the Lord has provided, and place your defense in His unfailing care. Trust Him for He will be with you in battle, Lighting your path to avoid every snare.
Be strong in the Lord, and be of good courage; Your mighty Commander will vanquish the foe. Fear not the battle for the victry is always His; He will protect you wherever you go.
Refrain:
Be strong, Be strong , be strong in the Lord; And be of good courage, for He is your guide, Be strong , be strong, be strong in the Lord; and rejoice for the vict’ry is yours.
May God be with you along with our prayers.
Thank you, dear friend and fellow hymn-enthusiast, for sharing that hymn, for reading my blog, for commenting, and for praying for me in the midst of this battle. First day over; it went very smoothly. I’m back at home. No side effects yet. Thanks for journeying with me.
Coram Deo,
Margo
Dear Margo,
I am praying for you this morning. I love what you are doing with your dedications. It is like fighting with the “great cloud of witnesses” with whom we share our spiritual fight.
I have given up a particular food category (as a fast) in honor and support of your triumph during these trials.
In Him,
Kris
Dearest Kris,
Thanks for reading, commenting, praying, and giving up one thing in fasting, in solidarity! I am touched and honored! I’m back home after first day of therapy. It was smooth & uneventful. I just dozed and read in a Lazy Boy for 6 hours. I feel fine. If flu-like symptoms come, it will be next 2-3 days. I’m relieved and grateful.
Yes, that “great cloud” was exactly what I hade in mind! Thanks for the great feedback.
Coram Deo
Praying for you today that the medications are attacking their intended targets with a vengeance and they you will be able to rest comfortably.
The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease and His compassions never cease! How thankful I am for your prayers, for reading my blog, and praying! If you could have seen me in my cushy Lazyboy, with blanket, snoozing away, you would know that your prayer was efficacious for me, in rest/sleep.