6/1/2013 - 6/2/2013

Cancer always takes "center stage".  When initially diagnosed, everything else is cast aside.  As you "ride the roller coaster of cancer treatment", those things become more distant, but occasionally pop up...things like going to the dentist, or other annual health exams/Dr. appointments, shopping, community service, making time for yourself, hobbies....many of the things that make up a normal life.  This can happen to the patient or any loved one close to the patient.  Making time for these things again is an important part of getting back to life or survivor-ship.


The Weekend...

After thinking long and hard about what we could do fun this weekend, and the narrow budget we had to work with, I decided to do something different...we bought a grill.  Those who know me may be quite surprised I did not own one.  Well, I did...I have two others actually...both broken gas grills.  With neither the patients or knowledge on how to fix them, they both just sat there.  I decided to go back with a charcoal grill.  I found the best deal and grill for my budget at Walmart.  When asked if I wanted the "already assembled one" or the one in the box, I chose the box...thinking, "How hard could assembly be?"  Answer...pretty hard, actually.  I am not much of a "repair man" kind of guy.  It took me almost 3 hours to assemble the grill.  Melissa tried to help, bless her heart, but I was kind of beyond help.  I had to actually follow the directions.  I was forced to improvise, when shorted two screws, but I did so with ease after the near 3 hr crash course in grill assembly.  I was proud, when finished (at some 9:30 pm), to grill up some steaks for the family.  This grill will provide my family with some fun and good eats for years to come...money well spent.



Please continue to "Share" the link to our Crowdrise fundraiser for Melissa's Wish...
http://www.crowdrise.com/melissa-braincancer/fundraiser/charlesbarr

We are excited.  I told Kristi, Melissa's wish coordinator, that I kind of felt guilty.  Here is this opportunity for Melissa to have just about any wish (with-in reason) and she chooses a trip that I am sure will be more fun for me and little man than her.  Anyone who knows Melissa knows that her life was is full of self-less decisions like that.  She will have fun too, but a week of activity will wear her slam out.

We have never had a week long vacation together anywhere.  As a matter of fact, this may be one of our last  chances, given the financial hurdles we will face for some time to come.  We didn't have a honeymoon, we never have had a vacation on our own, and never have been able to even do the activities we have planned to do in San Diego at home.  It is truly, for us, this is a "once in a lifetime" trip.  Every donation helps.


ALSO - for those local to me, watch my Facebook for posts about the upcoming Yard Sale Fundraiser!