Snapshots

Owen Putnam Schrag, posing with his mom, Annie and dada, Adam. He is a good time.

It's time to post those photos I promised from my Fabulous Father's Day Weekend and give you an update on what condition my condition is in.

Our whole family was together and enjoyed a few outings in the grass and spent most of the time enjoying our time together with our focus on our son/grandson, Owen, who is so precious.

Owen, 9 months old, and his hairless, saggy- and wrinkle-skinned grandpa getting acquainted.
His dad, Adam, and uncle Charles have hair all over their heads so I was an new and interesting relic for him to see.

Blogger seems to require some text between photos or it won't place them where I want. Typical new technology not letting me be in control. I like being in control - not the technology. Don't get me started about my feelings toward the audio center (formerly known as the radio) in our new car. I find it most unfriendly, but maybe better than one in a Dodge we rented once. Oh, and the temp control system (formerly known as the heater and air conditioner). That has a mind of its own too!!!

Here we are on a cool Sat. eve taking in a concert at Music in the Orchard at Hans Herr House in Willow Creek. L-R, son Charles, his friend and ours Anna, mommy Annie, Owen enjoying the grass. Grandpa and Grandbee (I think his maternal grandmother is Grandcee [Cathy]) sitting in back. Owen likes the outdoors and didn't mind the cool evening compared the scorching summer heat in his hometown of Fresno, California.

I didn't take any pictures while family was here and am glad other family members shared these with me so I can post them here.

Owen listens to Daryl Snider on guitar and Frances Miller on violin as they entertain the orchard crowd. Frances is married to Charles's friend Tim Sauder who went to Canadian Mennonite University the same year Charles did.

I will intersperse my cancer stuff as text to separate the photos and keep you up-to-date. It seems google blogger is now requiring at least two lines of text to separate photos. I don't get it!?!?!

Owen interacting with Charles's friend Anna Harrington. Thanks for joining us Anna! That was a special treat.

I am in the middle of chemo by infusion (Abraxane) and oral (Xeloda). I definitely am feeling their effects. Hand and feet are numb. I worked 8 hours today and came home shelled. I fielded some ugly phone calls and they took their toll on me. I plan to reduce my work time to a more reasonable shift length starting later this week.

Tomorrow morning Barb is taking me to Hershey for blood work at 7:30 am and chemo at 8 am. That's as early as I've every gone. I generally takes about 3.5-4 hours for an infusion. Thursday I go back for the $9000 Neulasta injection to promote white blood count.

Owen and Grandbee Barb sloppy kissing. This at a picnic in Long's Park in Lancaster City

For my fellow pancreatic cancer readers, my blood tumor marker shot up —which can be cause for concern. It went from 265 to 425 over a two-week period. I am curious what it will be this week with all this poison going through my body.

Owen likes the outdoors and water, both strong Baird traits. He really enjoyed this swing time.

My endoscopic procedure to obtain larger amounts of tumor tissue failed. The plan was to send the tumor tissue (cancer cells) to a lab for extensive molecular analysis to determine more about their makeup and then determine what treatment will be most effective against them. The doctor said when he tried to pierce the tumor with the needle to get tissue it basically pushed against a hard fibrous mass and failed to collect the tissue. The tumor has largely necrotized (died). But Dr. Yee was quick to add that it is not benign or safe to ignore. I guess I wasn't pinning large hopes to this process, so the fact that it failed hasn't been a big disappointment.

Mommy Annie caught this great moment between dada and little Owen on our couch. Both happy. Me too.

We don't have any major plans July 4 but look forward to the day off. I should have taken a photo of Barb's box garden. We have been enjoying three kinds of fresh lettuce and radishes. You just can't do better than garden-fresh lettuce. Maybe I will include a pic in a future post.

Owen sitting on the car console next to Grandpa Ricky as together they learn the RAV4 features and controls.

That's it for now. Owen is pretty dang cute, eh? He's also charming and personable. These will not be last photos of him you'll see here. Barb and I look forward to a Baird family reunion in Cass Lake, MN, with a spur trip to visit my family in SoDak the end of July and early August.

Best to everyone

Ricky