Prayers for Thomas Carmichael

[firstturn]

Well Clinta has plenty to read Thomas tonight....thanks everyone.  I was also ask to put up here the address for CaringBridge.  So here it is and Thanks Again.

Dear Ron,

A new journal entry for Thomas's CaringBridge website was posted at 7:35:00 AM on Apr 9, 2010.

Read the latest update and show your support at: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/thomascarmichael

Ron Carbaugh

[firstturn]

Thanks for the Prayers and posts.

From Clinta -

Ask, and it shall be given you, seek. and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you.  Matthew 7:7

Throughout the afternoon as I would occasionally check in on Caring Bridge and there would be several more postings, I would slowly shake my head in amazement.  I worried from the minute I posted the journal this morning, that my "friendly" reminder or request would be misinterpreted.  Not knowing the cause for the reduction in posts is what motivated my offer to stop my story telling and visitor updates as an olive branch in the event that it was alienating or irritating any of the readers.  The last thing I would want to do is to "run off" a reader due to my posting of non-pertinent information.  

Tonight, I read the incredible posts from so many people today, the list including new posters who don't even know us but care enough to take the time to send a message.  Our heart goes out to the Gilman's who posted and shared that their daughter is going through a similar situation as Thomas.  Mr. & Mrs. Gilman, Thomas said that if you or your daughter would like to call us to talk, we would be happy to talk with you.  My cell phone number is 864-905-3180 and feel free to call anytime.  You didn't mention your daughter's name, but if you would post again and share it, we would like to pray for her and I'm sure our friends on this site would be happy to pray for her also.  

Thank you so much to all the people that posted today and not just "Hope you're feeling better" posts but heartfelt, sincere, messages that conveyed your heart or your day or a laugh.  As I read them to Thomas, we both cried tears of joy and inspiration.  They were so touching, I can't thank you enough.  As of the start of this journal post, we had had 31 posts which is more than we've had in the last 2 weeks.  I am unable to grasp the appropriate words to convey my gratitude.  

As it appears through today's posts, many people asked that I continue with the daily details.  As a way of communicating the whole picture of our life now, I will, and hope that I can portray it accurately.  Many of you said very kind things about my posts and I appreciate the compliments.  It is a venue for me to express myself and to share with you the challenges that Thomas is facing.  With that being said, it's hard as the commentator not to put in personal comments.  

Today, was an 8.5 day which is an awesome day for Thomas.  First off, we got news that his infection is gone!!!  We are so happy that he won't have to get another antibiotic prescription or deal any more with the repercussions of an infection.  Mike Gasque came over this afternoon and buzz cut his hair and I will have to tell you that it looks fantastic, he should have done it years ago!  Then while he was still here, Mary Patskoski stopped by with pizzas from Pizza Hut, oh, I'm sorry, with pizza that she baked homemade in boxes that she was able to color to look like Pizza Hut boxes.  We love you Mike and Mary, thanks for helping make this one of Thomas's best days!

Cindy Yarborough, we received your fresh from Florida oranges and you are right, Thomas should have been naked when he ate them so I wouldn't have had to hose him down afterward.  They are so juicy and delicious!  You are welcome to visit us anytime you would like, we would love to see/meet you!  

As I sign off tonight, I want to share a quote for you from Robert Brault that is a favorite of mine:

I value the friend who for me finds time on his calendar, but I cherish the friend who for me does not consult his calendar.  

Please pray for Thomas's strength and stamina to get through the 18 remaining days of radiation and 33 days of chemo.  Thank you for all your support and for those of you who took the time today to post, I hope you know how much it meant to us!  Have a great weekend and I will post again tomorrow!    


Ron Carbaugh

[hankthecrank]

Dear Tom and Clinta. I have not sent you any postings yet. But I want you all to know that there are prayer warriors you may never know here in WV that are praying without ceasing, lifting Toms name and putting your petitions before the throne. Hang tough Tom. All things bring glory to his name, even if we never see it.
PS  When you feel like it, maybe a little trip out to the GRREEEERRR Dragway?
Hank
PSS Maybe urban sprawl has claimed the Greer Dragway? I spent some fun evenings there.


Hank Rinehart

[swamp fox]

As always, Big Brother Ron keeps the info flowing.
Thomas does appreciate the connection between the POG and Caringbridge.
I may not post as often, but the prayers are constant.


Robert Manucy
72 Berkshire
72 Six Day
82 Honda cr250r
04 BMW K 1200 GT - KIA in N. Ga. - 32987 smiles
08 BMW K 1200 S

[firstturn]

Great story today.  The people that Thomas worked with bought him a motorized wheelchair.  I am sure a Penton Sticker will show up soon to put on it.  Great day for Thomas as he fights for his life with your thoughts and Prayers.....THANKS.

From Clinta - What a lovely Sunday this has been!  It's been a very special day, beautiful weather, the Masters, day of rest and peace, who could ask for more!  

I have a wonderfully heartwarming story to share with you.  Not so much a story really, but a real life experience that is so tender and touching that, if you were in my shoes, you would hardly know how to react!

This afternoon, around 5:00, Robert & Carolyn Cross, Scott & Heather Perry arrived with, what seemed like dozens of pizza from Papa Johns and a cooler filled to the brim with all kinds of soda and water.  The drinks were iced down so that they were perfectly cold when you popped the top!  They brought plates and napkins and had the set-up for the best kind of pizza party imaginable.  Shortly thereafter, we were joined by Todd Patterson, Diane Bagwell, Chris Saxon and Roger Loomis.  Diane brought a German Chocolate cake that would make Betty Crocker look bad!

The purpose of their visit, besides spending time with Thomas and eating pizza was to deliver a motorized wheelchair that is the cadillac of all motorized wheelchairs!  It's unbelievable!  But more unbelievable is the fact that people from Cryovac pooled money together to buy this for him.  This wheelchair is so cool that I know that I'm going to have to keep Hannah and Trey out of it for racing around the house or chasing the cats.  The whole time everyone was here either Scott or Robert were sitting in it or riding it through my kitchen, dining room, living room and back to the den.

We all watched the Masters together, people pulling for their personal favorite golfer and had many laughs.  Since this journey began, for the first time, today, Thomas sat up in the den for over 2 hours with everyone.  Prior to tonight, he had never sat in the den for more than 30 minutes at a time.  He really enjoyed spending the time with his friends and of course, when he read the card that everyone signed, he was speechless.

As Robert and the group started to leave, he turned around and handed me an envelope.  He said that they had actually collected more than the cost of the wheelchair and gave me the extra cash left over which in itself was generous.

From Thomas's intiial run to the ER where he was told of the brain mass, now almost 2 months ago, his friends and co-workers at Cryovac have gone above and beyond.  I have watched in awe at the kindness and the never-ending support we have received from them.  Truly, his friends and co-workers have united behind him as any family would do for a loved one and it has been impressive.  

Today was 8.5 on the Thomas richter scale and other than hearing the cancer has stopped growing or is gone, we couldn't have had too much of a better day!  Thank you dear friends for your posts, (I am so appreciative!), and the continued support and prayers, we love you for it!  


Ron Carbaugh

[firstturn]

Thomas is half way through his radiation treatment.  Thanks for everyone caring and Praying.

From Clinta - Hello my dear friends and family;  Today represented a double-edge kind of day for us, on the Thomas richter scale, it was a 6.  He felt pretty crummy all day and was very weak, we had challenges transitioning him, he needed extra support.  But, on the other side, he was very happy to see his parents and a very special friend, Danny McClellan, a childhood friend that he grew up with and who he has reconnected with just in the last month.    

Danny's father is Reverand McClellan, (and so is Danny!) and he was one of Thomas's ministers in the church that he attended as a child and into adulthood.  Thomas was close friends with Danny and his brother Steve as teenagers and thinks the world of Danny's parents.  They have exchanged all kinds of stories of things they did as teenagers.  

Thomas's Mom brought a pot of Chicken Bog, (which is the bomb!) and everyone heartily ate it while enjoying each other's company.  Thomas's Mom has a few signature dishes that she should market; lasagna, corn bread dressing, sweet potato casserole, chicken bog, and macaroni & cheese.  Growing up in the country, on a tobacco farm, she learned how to make traditional southern dishes that no restaurant can compete with or even come close to in taste.  Noticing how tired and weak Thomas was, they only visited for a few hours and then drove back home which is a 3 1/2 hour drive one-way.  

Dr. Matthews, our radiation oncologist, removed the remaining staples today from Thomas's head!  Hallelujah!  He has had staples in his head since February 24th which is a long time.  So, he was thrilled to get them removed, although again, he has been somewhat stoic all day.  Today was his 15th radiation treatment so he is exactly half-way and it's the start of potentially the more challenging phase.  His weakness and fatique is totally normal, it's just a tough thing to go through for someone who is used to being extremely active.  

Please continue to pray for Thomas's strength and for him to be accepting of the challenges of the radiation and chemo.  Please pray for Hannah, Trey and I, that we will have the strength also to be effective and efficient caregivers.  Thank you!



Ron Carbaugh

[firstturn]

Thoughts, Prayers and Cards do mean something.  Thanks POG.

From Clinta - Tonight I asked Thomas how he would rate his day and he said it was a 4.  A 4??, I said?  Wow, that's a really crappy day!  I told him that yesterday, even at it's lowest point was still a 6 and he told me that I set the bar too high!

I spent about half a day today taking care of some business with Barbara so I was gone for several hours.  Thomas said that he felt bad while I was gone even though the kids were with him.  Very early this morning, (well just before 10!), Robert Cross came over to the house and revised the ramp so that it could accomodate the MotoWC.  He visited with Thomas which raised the 4 substantially.  Robert Cross is such an incredible human being and I was telling him today how my friends think he's a celebrity.  When my friend Barbara met him, she was telling him how much she appreciated all the help that he has given us!  

After he left though, I think the scale fell back down and then when Barbara and I returned the scale shot back up!  We came home carrying a very special picture that he has been waiting on for several weeks.  

Thomas has been a huge fan of Penton Motorcycles since he was a child, even with owning many different kinds of motorcycles throughout the years.  He grew up loving the sport of off-road racing and would spend every weekend from a young boy on up until adulthood racing at local and regional tracks.  About 12 years ago, he started restoring Penton motorcycles which today are considered vintage because they are no longer being manufactured.  He got involved with Vintage bike racing and helped to host an sanctioned AHRMA race called White Lightning held here in the Upstate last year.  As a way of showing support for all the Penton motorcycle fans, he is a member of POG which stands for Penton Owners Group.

Back in mid-March, POG held it's annual meeting and while there, the legends from Penton racing got together and signed a very large picture of these guys on their bikes in front of the Penton Cycleliner at the Doe Run Cycle Park back in 1973.  Receiving this picture with all the signatures was so monumental to Thomas that I took it with the letter that Paul Danik, the President of POG sent him and had them framed together.  The frame measures 2 X 3 foot, it's huge and it's beautiful.  For 5 solid minutes all Thomas could say was, Wow!  He shed several tears and I know that he considers it one of his most prized possessions.  

I knew from talking with him on the phone that he was having a down day so I told Barbara that we had to go by and pick up this picture.  He was so moved by it that I knew his mood would be lifted immediately.  I even got him to play several hands of Crazy 8s with me.  Although, when Trey, (the card shark!) joined in, Thomas nor I stood a chance.  I've really got to get that boy out to Las Vegas!  

For dinner tonight, we had yummy Chicken Alfredo casserole that was delivered personally by Jamie Arens on behalf of my Traveling Sisterhood group, (Jamie, Marcy, Cindee, Kimberly, Gretchen, Joyce and Roxanne), and it was so delicious.  They also provided a homemade Chicken Pot Pie which will be on the menu for dinner tomorrow night!  It's so nice when I don't have to worry, plan, shop or prepare dinner and of course my family loves having something edible for dinner!  Thanks ladies!  

I am very excited that tomorrow is Saturday and I'm hoping that the weather will be good so that I can take Thomas outside.  He's been wanting Hannah to get a garden going and although that will never happen, I might actually get inspired to start one myself.  It's also highly unlikely because even though most of my friends are yard people, planting stuff on the weekends, being able to actually identify their plants by names, my biggest interaction with yard work, is to walk on the grass to get the mail.  Oh, but great news today, the kids mowed the yard, yah, the neighbors won't be able to turn us in this week!  

Thanks so much for coming back to this website, for participating and posting, it's a gift to Thomas.  We love you and would ask that you continue to pray for Thomas!  



Ron Carbaugh

[tmc3c]

Hello POGGERS!
 
Dad asked me to post this of his framed picture of the Penton Cycleliner from Doe Park Cycle Park in 1973 with the letter from Paul Danik. It was a difficult shot but I think you will be able to see it reasonably well. Have a great Sunday!

Hannah Carmichael










Thomas Carmichael


1970 125 Six Day
1976 250 Hare Scrambler

[firstturn]

As you can see our Prayers and cards are working.  If you have time to make a post please do.

From Clinta - It's been a restful, somewhat non-eventful day.  Thomas said that he didn't feel all that great today, but he did come into the den for breakfast.  He has also sat at the end of his bed several times, so that's good.  We're going to call this day a 6.

We will finish the Michael J Fox book tonight and maybe play some cards.  Tomorrow he will have radiation and meet with the radiation oncologist.  It would be great if we could get some more good news.  

I hope that all of you have a great week and I will be sending out a new post tomorrow night!  Thanks for your prayers and continued support!  Love you!

Ron Carbaugh

[rfpotter]

Well, I do have a few minutes so I will make a post.
Thomas, I check my POG every morning with my coffee and I look for this thread first. You are still being thought of on this side of the mountains and we are hoping for your continued success in this struggle.

Patrick
Cosby, Tennessee

[firstturn]

Thanks for the posts the POG people have made.  Thomas is having a tough time and the treatment will do it to one who thinks that he is such a problem for his Family.  Thanks for your Prayers.

From Clinta - Today was not such a great day for Thomas, maybe a 5.5.  I left this morning to work in Columbia and I had arranged for 2 different people to sit with Thomas.  I don't think that necessarily affected his mood tonight but he was very angry and nothing would settle him.  He's come to a point and reasonably so, where he's frustrated with having to be in a bed for many hours a day and yet when it's suggested that he sit up or go outside, he doesn't want to do that either.  I'm hopeful that with a new day just around the corner, that tomorrow he will feel better.  

As soon as I walked in the door tonight, he told me that it's been a strange day.  In addition to the 2 people that sat with him, Hannah came and had lunch with him and then Trey was with him all afternoon.  He told me he's tired of being an invalid and asked me if it's really worth all the trouble that we go through to take care of him.  

I keep reinforcing to him that he's at a tough period with radiation, that everyone has ups and downs and that this is normal and will pass.  As you pray for him, please pray that God will give him peace and comfort with his treatment and physical limitations.  

As I was driving through Greer, I got a call from my dear friend Mary Patskoski who had just dropped off chicken salad, croissants and an Apple Brown Betty Pie.  Is it even necessary to make you guess what we had for dinner?  It was delicious.  When Mary called, she asked me if we already had any plans for dinner.  I told her I had been struggling with my choice of making corn dogs or ham sandwiches, she made my decision easy!  

If you post tonight or tomorrow, please encourage Thomas to stay the course, be understanding of his frustrations and let him know that his feelings are perfectly normal.  Sometimes, it's better to hear those things from someone else!

Thank you for your faithfulness to Team Carmichael, we are so lucky to have you in our life!  We love you!



Ron Carbaugh

[Ernie Phillips]

Thomas,

Tough times never last, tough people do.  Hang in there man!  Praying for you.  -EP

Ernie P.
Chattanooga, TN

[firstturn]

Thanks Ernie.....your words are so true.  Thanks Jack and Paul.

From Clinta - Good evening friends and family!  It's definitely been a roller-coaster day for us!  This morning, Thomas was having a very strong 4 day, but tonight it has ended on a good note with the Thomas scale climbing back up to a 7.  

He woke me this morning at 5.  He was having challenges and not feeling good at all.  He has been really weak throughout the day with all of his transitions and the radiation treatment seemed to take longer than usual.  The nurses explained that they were taking x-rays to get the program set up for his last 7 days of treatment.  After today, he only has 10 days of treatment left and the last 7 will be changed to treat a different area than the area treated during the first 23 days.  Thomas said that not only was he bolted to the table by the mask on his head and face, but they strapped him in by the arms and legs and it was very disturbing to him.  I can't imagine how scary that must have felt and I could tell by his face when they brought him out, that he was upset.  

When we got back to the house, I made him a fried egg sandwich for breakfast and after he finished eating it, I put him back in his bed.  Hannah and/or Trey were with him all day and he was just so uncomfortable.  Throughout the day, we were not able to assure him or get him to a place of calm.

After lunch though, he received a package from my dear friend and co-worker, Jennifer Thompson.  In the package was the most beautiful wind chimes and the music that they make is wonderful.  Jennifer had asked me about wind chimes for him and I had told her how much he loves them.  Behind his bed are 2 large windowns and often we will open the windows so that he can feel the breeze.  Receiving the chimes was emotional for him and he loves them!

That began the turn in the day.  After we hung the chimes, I brought him into the den and read him many of the posts that had been left for him today.  There were so many inspirational posts, so encouraging and they were helpful to him.  It's so easy when you feel as bad as he does, to lose sight of the fact that this is just temporary and that just as quickly as it came on him, it can go away just as fast.

At dinnertime, Thomas received a call from one of his heros, Jack Penton. I have written previously in a former journal, Thomas's love of Penton Motorcycles and Jack is the son of the founder of Penton Motorcycles.  Jack himself has battled cancer and so he is personally aware of the agony of this battle.  When he called Thomas, I could tell that it immediately affected his spirit.  He was so touched that Jack would make the time to call him and then told Thomas to call him anytime he wanted or needed to talk.  Another emotional moment for Thomas, but the dial on the scale is still going in the right direction.  

At about the same time that Jack called, Randy and Debbie Strickland stopped by the house to check on Thomas and to pray with us.  They have been so faithful in watching over us.  Randy told us that he says his prayers every morning at 5:30 and that Thomas is the first name he mentions.  We are very appreciative of their support!

Within the hour, Thomas got another call from someone that Thomas looks up to, Paul Danik also of the Penton Owners Group association, I have written about him previously too.  Paul wanted to check in on Thomas and reassure him that the POG members are behind him and pulling for him.    

At this point, I asked Thomas, where are we on the scale?  He said, easily a 7.  I told him I was so happy that he was in a different place from this morning.  I am so glad that as he fell asleep tonight, his spirits had been raised.  I am so hopeful that he will have a good nights rest.  

I stand by the door to the dining room at night as he falls asleep and sometimes he's peaceful, sometimes he talks in his sleep.  It's amazing how the pain from your heart can hurt so much more than anything physical you've ever felt before.  I remember the night that we found out that he had the brain mass, I was following the ambulance to transport him to Greenville Memorial's main hospital and I was crying out to God, please don't do this, please don't allow a brain mass to be in his head.  I've asked God to let me take Thomas's place, is there anything I can do so that Thomas won't have this agony?

So, as I close tonight, I want to thank everyone for your posts, they continue to be one of our greatest gifts.  As you write to Thomas and encourage him, the side benefit is that it encourages me too, because this is hard, so hard.  Please continue to pray for Thomas's strength or for comfort in getting through this tough patch.  We are so grateful to all of our caringbridge and pentonusa.org followers.      


Ron Carbaugh

[hankthecrank]

Thomas, Clinta and family. I'm crying as I read the latest post. I know what its like to have those kinds of days Thomas. The kind of day where it seems almost hopeless.I remember sitting in a chair, watching my family do family stuff and feeling so frustrated. I lost 10 yrs of my life, my 30's, to Lyme disease. Through it all, my wife, just like Clinta, was my rock from day to day. My childrens teachers would tell me how they would ask for prayer for daddy. I am so blessed, just as you are Thomas. Hang tough Thomas. I made it, and we are praying constantly for comfort for you and your family, and healing for your body. In Gods love,Hank and Elaine Rinehart.

Hank Rinehart

[firstturn]

Thomas is counting down the days on his treatment and as you will read it wonderful having a Friend like Robert Cross (and his Family) to help built their Home into handicap accessible.  Thanks for everyones Prayers.

From Clinta - We had a good day today, I would give it another
7.  Thomas's strength is good and he had no challenges with transitioning.  He has rested on and off but has also been up to sit in the den or at the end of his bed.

Robert Cross came over today to visit, but of course, never just to visit.  Today, he delivered a ramp that he built for Thomas so that he could go out the door to our deck in the back yard.  This will be great, now he can sit on the deck and enjoy the sunshine and our monster dogs.  Well, that's not true, we only have 1 monster dog, one extra-large and one medium.  They will be very excited to see Thomas again.  I'm going to try and find some patio furniture this weekend with an umbrella so that he doesn't get burned out in the sun.  People undergoing radiation and chemo have to be very careful in the sun, although we all should be anyway!  Robert also hung the Penton picture that I told you about a week or so ago.  It's very large and what I would consider heavy but he corrected me and said, "it's not that heavy!"  As always, Robert, we appreciate all your help!

There have been some requests for Thomas's picture.  I have collected about 20 pictures from him as a toddler up until last year at Myrtle Beach.  To put them on this website, I've got to find a way to scan them in, (they aren't in digital form) and then download them.  Hopefully, I will be able to do that in the next week or so.  

In the meantime, if you go to //www.pentonusa.org, the Penton Owners Group website, the homepage has a picture of someone on a motorcycle at a race.  Underneath the picture, there is a question, Guess who the mystery rider is, and if you click on that it will take you to the thread where people are trying to guess the rider.  The rider is Thomas and if you scroll down through the posts you will see several more pictures of him.  

We're down to just 8 more radiaition treatments.  We're counting it down and really excited about meeting our new oncologist on Monday.  We've heard great things about her and hope that we will be able to actually meet with her.  

Thanks for coming back to read Caring bridge and especially for posting.  To you, it may be a struggle to think of things to say, but even a short note to tell Thomas something about what you are doing is so appreciated.  Please pray for Thomas to have a quiet and restful weekend, that he will have an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors!  Have a wonderful weekend and I'll get another post out tomorrow.  Love you!



Ron Carbaugh