Reddick Family Web

Nobility, Humility, Loyalty

New cancer in family

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Jenni’s husband, Kenneth, checked himself into a clinic last week (on Oct. 26), and they immediately slapped him into the hospital at University Medical Center. Testicular cancer. Clinic sonograms had revealed a mass and one testicle completely destroyed.

Kenneth Faulkner
Kenneth Faulkner

On Monday evening, we had a regular gathering in his hospital room while Kenneth drank the wonderful “shakes” they give before radiology. Kenneth’s dad (Sam), stepmom (Dana), and sisters (Pam and Melinda) were there as well as Jenni, Lilly, Aiden, Nancy, me, Jacob and Andrea. Later that night Kenneth had a CT scan that confirmed the earlier diagnosis.

They operated Tuesday, and the doctors told Kenneth to relax for a few weeks. Hah! No lifting for six weeks. Hah!

Preliminary biopsy results suggested they got all the cancer and that it was limited to one side. Pending further results, Kenneth and Jenni plan to decide whether to undergo chemotherapy and/or other treatments to stay ahead of the cancer.

 

Take this home

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“Here, Grandpa, I advise you to take this home.” The advice came from Riley Lane, 4, and “this” was a small portion of hydrangea blossom picked up from the trail at Middleton Place. Middleton is an old rice plantation outside Charleston, SC. It is a National Historic Landmark preserved in its 18th century state.

 

Lanes before house at Middleton
Lanes before house at Middleton

It’s a grand place for families to visit. We spent an entire afternoon there, soaking in the beauty. drinking in the history, learning new things and enjoying each others’ company. We talked to animals like water buffalo, goats, horses and cows. We talked with a blacksmith about metal working in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. We had experience shucking and grinding corn.

After a mid-afternoon supper, we helped milk Rio, an 18-year-old Jersey cow. Supper itself was something of a Southern country experience for the grown-ups. The girls settled for chicken fingers and fruit.

We then spent some time expatiating the grounds, touring the gardens, and (as the girls said) “venturing off into the wilderness.” Along the way, we visited an old mill on the Ashley River, next to some of the rice paddies where Middleton grew “Carolina Gold,” a strain of rice prized through the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.  Near the paddies was a terraced lawn perfect for rolling in the grass.

 

Jenna, Heather and Riley tumbling in grass
Jenna, Heather and Riley tumbling in grass

Earlier in the day we had the opportunity to see how to cook outdoors over open fires (much like we do in Boy Scouts. At the blacksmith shop, Jenna asked about the bellows and got something of an historical account of how bellows evolved between the 18th and mid 19th centuries. In the process, we learned several things about working metal and a few things about colonial supply and demand.

Then we had the opportunity to shuck corn using a 150-year-old machine and we ground the grain by using stones we had to turn by hand. Nearby was a clothier dressed in leather breeches, and out in the common area, Middleton Place occasionally a drummer and fife player would perform and then explain the role that drummers and fife players assumed in battle during the Revolutionary and Civil wars.

Riley and Jenna at corn mill
Riley and Jenna at corn mill

We visited Liza’s House to see how plantation slaves lived at Middleton. On one wall of Liza’s house is a registry of several hundred slaves who had been listed as Middleton’s “property” and the prices paid for them. It is as sobering as “The Wall” on the mall in Washington.

 

Riley shows her prowess at milking a cow 14 years her senior
Riley shows her prowess at milking a cow 14 years her senior

Independent research

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So. We had decided some time ago that we would DRIVE to Houston for my August appointment at MD Anderson and then drive back by way of Austin so that we could take in the annual meeting of the Texas Association of Broadcasters.

Then Texas Monthly published this article titled “The 50 Greatest Burgers in Texas.” Well, you have to eat when you are on the road, yes? So Nancy comes up with this research project:

Let’s replicate the study done by Texas Monthly, and see if we get the same results!

Dutch's main dining room with Kay Greenlee greeting clients.
Dutch's main dining room with Kay Greenlee greeting clients.

All 50 burgers? Well, no, just a convenience sample … just top burgers that happen to be “in our way,” along our pre-determined path. So if we get an early enough start on Monday, we should be able to make Fort Worth for lunch. There, on University Drive just two miles south of I-30 and on the edge of the TCU campus is Dutch’s, home of Burger #8, Dutch’s Bacon and Bleu Cheese Burger.

We ordered a couple burgers and some onion rings and then sat down to wait for our order. Up comes this blonde woman wearing a red-and-white striped sleeveless dress, saying “I see you’re from Texas Tech.” “Oh boy,” I thought, here we are in Horned Frog Heaven, all dripping with purple and white and I’m wearing black and red with an embroidered double tee on my shirt.

While I am wondering what kind of fight I just started and considering a diplomatic response, Kay Greenlee – the blonde, who just happens to be Dutch’s general manager – wistfully announces  “I just left my baby there this weekend.” So that started a wonderful conversation about Texas Tech and Lubbock, and her son who is planing to major in sports medicine. It wasn’t long before the conversation turned to burgers and Texas Monthly. And presto! Our burgers were ready.

Verdict? A burger worthy of Top 10 designation, and better than burger #10, a designation belonging to the Cheeseburger in Paradise served up by Orlando’s in Lubbock.

The bacon cheeseburger served at Beck's Prime in Houston.
The bacon cheeseburger served at Beck's Prime in Houston.

Beck’s Prime

After our experience at Dutch’s we were ready for burger #9, the bacon cheeseburger at Beck’s Prime in Houston. Beck’s Prime is actually a short order café at the golf course clubhouse in Memorial Park just south of I-10. Tuesday’s experience echoed Monday’s: Another burger, worthy of top 10 designation, and probably better than Orlando’s. But choosing between Beck’s and Dutch’s was more than we could do.

We had planned to try burger #12 in Austin (Chop-House Burger), but frankly, it was so hot in Austin (103-105 each day), and the humidity so high that we just wanted to stay close to the hotel. However, on the way home we stopped in Buffalo Gap, south of Abilene. There, at Perini’s Steakhouse, was another top burger, #7. We felt it was not good enough to dislodge Dutch’s or Beck’s in our minds, but it was worth the trip off the beaten path.

All good news

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On this the eve of the one year anniversary of my cancer diagnosis, we received only good news. First, relative to the ongoing diagnostic tests, all indications are that I am cancer free and that the cyst on my liver is unchanged and benign.

Second, Dr. Gombos had only praise for the work Donnie Franklin did on my prosthesis. Dr. Gombos called it “better than most” and said “it looks really good.” Coming as it does from the ever conservative, close-to-his vest Dr. Gombos, this is high praise.

We were somewhat expecting the “all clear” message on the cancer. I had been having diagnostic CT scans, X-rays and blood work every 90 days. Following the June round of work this year, I had received orders for the next round to be conducted not in September but in December. The doctor himself asked a couple questions about Dr. Allison and the care I was getting in Lubbock, and then offered me an option. See Dr. Allison every six months and visit Houston every 12. I jumped on the offer.

So my next visit is scheduled for next summer, with diagnostics to be executed in June.

Once again, we are grateful for the many blessings we receive and for the gift of sight.

Spiders and such

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Hey everyone.  Everything is fine here in South Carolina.  It is hot, but these last few days have been California hot.  Not too bad and not very humid.  My girls are happy.  Jenna loves spiders and bugs, Riley loves to read.  She will be able to read on her own soon.

We have a pet Black Widow (typical David) that we found in our sandbox.  I just couldn’t kill it.  I have always had a strange thing for dangerous spiders.  Maybe compassion because everyone else just kills them and doesn’t see their value.  Jenna and I created a habitat for it and we have had two eggs sacks (that I exterminate).  I am holding the spider in prison as it awaits it ultimate death sentence.  Jenna asked me why God made spiders that are dangerous.  I told her that God made dangerous spiders so that we could learn wonder and curiosity.  And in some unfortunate cases, great pain and suffering.  A healthy black widow can live up to two years, and we keep “Charlotte” as Jenna named her well fed.  ~Two years on Death Row maybe?

We also have brown widows and red widows here.  They are cool and dangerous, but not as dangerous as the black widow.  We have brown recluses, but I have yet to find one (and I have a keen eye for finding spiders).

We harvested 10 lbs of carrots today.  Home grown are they best.  They taste different!

Well, take care and we’ll talk more soon.

Love, Dave