Sponsors and the local radio station

Today was a very nice day for the fundraising effort. First off, we now have two sponsors. Woohoo! Trust me, its not that easy to get sponsorship. Guess many people are asking for free stuff. Ha, these poor companies are probably hounded all of the time.

I am very happy and proud to report that I have two companies who have committed to me that they are very happy to help me with my fundraising drive. Sysco Foods was the first company to sign up with me. Thanks very much to  them!

Company number two is HEB grocery. We have a brand new store in Seguin and it is awesome. The old store definitely needed to be replaced. This new store sure is nice!

Thanks so much to both of them for making our community a great place to live.

My son, Cameron and I went to KWED radio station last week to talk to them about advertising our BBQ event on their radio. We also inquired about the possibility of being interviewed. Well, we heard back from them today and they would love to do an interview next week. Exciting! My wife and I will be there next Monday to tape the interview. It will likely air on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Seems that many people in the area are getting interested in learning more about my treatment. Sure hope that we can get people out to my fundraiser on March 6th to eat a great plate of BBQ. I doubt celebrity chef Ernest Servantes will disappoint anyone. Looking forward to seeing everyone out at Jackson Park on the Texas Lutheran University campus.

I'm going to keep this a short update. Been kind of a long day and I am sure beat. Good night all!

First BBQ fundraising event is in the books........

Last night we had a fun and successful night for our first fundraising BBQ. Sure was nice to see some friends that I hadn't seen for awhile. Also enjoyed the fact that they were showing their support for me on this journey.

Many thanks to the sponsors of this event, Dr. Bill Squires and Dr. Tinker Murray. You guys are awesome man.

The team did great and a heartfelt thanks to you all also. Alessa Gonzales was team captain and did a superb job. My dear and loving wife Alicia was there. Pit master Randall Springs did an awesome job cooking the very tasty food. My son Cameron was very helpful throughout. He and Alessa plated all of the BBQ plates while greeting everyone.

We literally sold all of the plates that we had estimated were going to be needed. No overages or shortages. Pretty incredible for a bunch of first timer fundraisers. LOL

It was a great night, great food, and great people!!!

Time to prepare for the next fundraiser, which will also be a BBQ meal. Pit master for this one will be celebrity chef Ernest Servantes. Make plans to join us for this one if you have the ability.

My journey to be in the local newspaper

Another interesting week in my journey to halt the MS progression. I was contacted this week to see if I was interested in having the local newspaper write an article about my journey. Of course I am. Yesterday a reporter from the Seguin Gazette stopped by my office.

We had a great conversation with their reporter, Felicia Frazier. She told me that the article will publish shortly before our fundraising BBQ on March 6. We will get together again after I return from Moscow for a follow up story. Her interest in the story is somewhat personal as she has a good friend that has MS. Unfortunately for her friend, she is living in a nursing home. Obviously her MS is more aggressive than mine.

Living in a nursing home or assisted living is part of what I am trying to avoid by having HSCT. Quality of life is what this insidious disease robs people of. Quality of life. Yes, quality of life is what I strive to maintain. Is that asking too much?

This journey is still in the very early stages. But, I can tell you it is already a roller coaster ride. Many ups and downs. I suspect the ups and downs will likely get more intense as time goes on. Better tighten the belt as the ride is going to be very rough. Ugh!

This is really going to happen......

Purchased a round trip plane ticket to Moscow. Kinda set off the realization that this is really going to happen. It is all very surreal to say the least. Starting the process of getting a visa was mostly a piece of cake, very easy. Everything will be ready on Monday to ship the visa application.

Things are falling into place for the two BBQ fundraisers that we are planning. Dr. Squires has coordinated the BBQ for Feb. 19th to take place at 3:00-5:00 in Krost on the TLU campus. The second BBQ will be on March 6th at 11:00-2:00. We have booked the party barn at Jackson Park on the TLU campus for that one. Celebrity chef Ernest Servantes will be overseeing the cooking for this event. We are so grateful for chef to volunteer his services to help our cause. Thanks man!

Its crazy how much work and planning there is to everything that I am going through right now. I'm quite sure that the two plus months for me to leave on my journey will zoom by. Ha, its probably a good thing that I am going to be so busy. Certainly don't need to sit around idly thinking and pondering about the treatment that I will undertake. My intent is to stay focused on the fact that I need to have this procedure and need to make it happen.