ViVi

And Teacake is the Teacake Queen of the community! She makes the fat sorta soft ones and has made thousands of them for every function, event or occasion you can imagine.

Dear friends, TBone tolerated his scans fine today but they did take a while. And he actually ATE afterwards so it was an okay day. But we won't have the results until Wed. morning when we (and probably a few more siblings) will once again converge on the medical establishment in Columbus. They're beginning to run now when they see us coming. Actually, they don't really do that - especially when we're bringing a cake! It's amazing what wonders a little bribery can work! And if bribery doesn't work, we have other tactics, as I am sure you can imagine if you've read our posts. Timidity is not one of our virtues! Our names? Tee-Taa, whose 'real' name is Katha (pronounced 'Kay-tha'), began calling me 'ViVi' (instead of 'Ginger') when she first started talking (She's 13 years younger than I am). Then she called me 'Big ViV' and called herself 'Little ViV'. Later I became 'Ol' ViV' and she was still 'Little ViV'. Thank goodness it has reverted back to ViVi. She has two daughters, Abigail Virginia (my namesake) and Olivia Marie, whom we call 'Livi'. Got it? The 'next generation' nicknamed Katha 'Tee Taa' but my daughter, GiGi, has always called her Taa Tee. Confused? You should live here! If that's not confusing enough, Mama's name is Matha and we have another sister named Cathy. But it really doesn't matter because when one of us calls or is called, we all come a'runnin'. Thanks for your prayers today. ViVi, alias Big ViV, alias Ol' ViV

This post is for DBerry...... I just read your signature/profile in a recent post you made and I decided to take issue with you. You wrote that you have "no close family". Well, that may have been the case on Feb. 5 but it is certainly not the case now! The last time I looked, I think that you had 800+ 'family members'. Welcome to the family! I can't say that it's a big, happy one but I can certainly say that it's a BIG, HOPEFUL and LOVING one! ViVi

Good morning, Everyone! I was just about to post to ask for your special thoughts and prayers for TBone today when Tee Taa's post from Atlanta came in. But I'm going to ask anyway, as there can never be too many of either. I wouldn't be surprised to see a post from TBone, either, but I do know that he had a rough day yesterday so he may just not be up to it. I will be thinking of each of you today. ViVi

Dear, Dear Colleen, I posted to you a few minutes ago under "General" but I just have to say one more time how very, very sorry I am for the loss of your soul mate. I cry for you today and hope you feel the love that is being sent to you via this message board from all over the world. ViVi

Dear Colleen, I am so sorry for your loss. I have no words to offer but please know that I am thinking of you. I am sorry that my seemingly uncaring and abrupt post came right after your post but yours didn't show up until I had hit submit. Please know that I have you on my mind and in my prayers. ViVi

I forgot to add Teacake's name to the volunteer list on the T-shirts. I haven't heard from her this morning (yet) but I volunteer her anyway. Don't worry, we do that to each other all the time! And when you get all of us working on something, you'd better be prepared for ACTION! ViVi

Sandy and KatieB, Tee Taa and I would like to offer our assistance with the T shirt project. We have a good friend who may be willing to give us a good deal and she and I would be more than willing to handle the design, ordering, shipping, etc. That's the least we could do to pay back what this message board has meant to us these past 2 months. Let us know if you're interested in going forth with this and we'll start to work! But we certainly don't want to leave anybody out so we don't want to rush. However, there's plenty of preliminary work to be done so just say the word and we're off! ViVi

Sandy, I am sure that TBone would love for his family's pic to be included. He may post in later but he had his third chest radiation today and he's not feeling so great. Thanks for a wonderful job! ViVi

Dear Norme, We have all lost a dear "Buddy". May the love of friends bring you comfort; may the love of God bring you peace. Love, ViVi

Dear Lily, Ditto to what TeeTaa said! But even if we can't be there or you can't be here, please know that we are thinking about you ALL day. Keep remembering that spring is just around the corner and brings with it new life. Vivi

Dave, TBone's clan lives in Ga not too far off I-75. If you are driving down to FL, we would love to have you drop by. We always have a big pot of something brewing on the stove or something on the grill - and our homes are always open! Just look for Buena Vista on the map in Central West Ga., about 35 miles SE of Columbus, GA. You don't even have to let us know you're coming. Just come into town and ask for directions to the Hall's place. ViVi

"Celebrate! Celebrate! Dance to the Mu-u-sic!! And what a beautiful piece of music it is! Love, ViVi

Dear Norme, TBone, Teacake, TeeTaa, MeMa, other siblings, 'cuzins', and friends have special prayers and thoughts for you tonight, as we talked about the Message Board and our "new family" as we sat around the fire barrel today just enjoying the beauty of the day, the beauty of each minute. I wish I were close enough to help you out physically. I know you must be exhausted. I know that Teacake and TeeTaa would be posting too but Teacake is on the road and TeeTaa is at MeMa's bedding down the little ones. I know that both of them would want me to send you their love. Please know that you have captured a place in our hearts that will always be reserved for Norme and her beloved Buddy. Love, ViVi

Dear Norme, A doctor friend of mine was treated for throat cancer (radiation, chemo, surgery) several years ago and was, of course, unable to eat at various times. As he healed, his wife peeled grapes and pieces of weiners and fed them to him, as they were moist enough to pass through his esophagus. I know Buddy's condition is not the same as this man's but it might be worth a try. This doctor swears that he would have starved to death had it not been for these two foods and his angel of a wife. Good luck - I am thinking of you. ViVi

I was just about to reply to the original post when I read the post from THE LURKER. Yes, indeed, some airlines allow oxygen but they must provide it. I made the arrangements through Delta to fly with my mother-in-law, who required oxygen, to Cleveland Clinic several years ago. It was a rush trip and a hassle to arrange but the people at Delta were very nice and accommodating. We had made arrangements for oxygen to be at the airport when we landed in Cleveland. Don't let one (or 2 or 3) "no" stop you. If you wanna go - GO! ViVi

Norme, I'm just figuring out how to navigate this message board so I have just read your post and I am SO glad you had a glorious Sunday! How 'bout you bring Buddy on down to Georgia. We're bound to cook up SOMETHING that he will eat! Thinking of you all the time, ViVi

Dear Norme, et.al., I think TBone has failed to mention to you that one of the major parts of his treatment has been eating. That's something this family is REAL good at and we have eaten (usually in groups of 20-30) constantly since TBone came home from the hospital on 12/27. We fried 49 porkchops that day (all that were available that day in our little town) and we fried them per his specs! Since then we have cooked and eaten gallons of gumbo, soups, chili, Shrimp So. La., chicken wiggle, and chicken and rice, dozens of stuffed peppers and grilled hamburgers, hundreds of roasted marshmallows and we nearly always cap off the meal with homemade (handcranked) ice cream and chocolate cobbler. All this to say two things: 1) If food and love can cure this disease, TBone should be well on the way to full recovery! 2) If any of you are ever in this part of the country (or neck of the woods), PLEASE join us - you don't even have to let us know you're coming! I promise not to 'chat' again too often or too much, as this message board is wonderful and it needs to be used for the purpose for which it was created, but I just HAD to issue this invitation, as you all have been so supportive, so encouraging and so important to TBone (and his family!) for the past week. THANK YOU! Sincerely, ViVi

Hi, I'm ViVi, another one of TBone's sisters. Thanks for the smiles you have brought to all our faces today. ViVi