newest update thus far

The newest update, as I've realize I have been really bad at updating:

My mom is back home. She isn't CURED, YET.

They found a small cancerous tumor on her glands that were removed, so as soon as she is well enough from the surgery, she will start chemo.

I broke my foot. Discounting ugly, it's fine.

My sister had her baby girl, Lucy Jane. PRECIOUS. Almost makes me ready for another baby.....

Ahhhh....who am I kidding?? I'm ready....but not at the same time.

I go back to work tomorrow; hopefully I won't want to chop my foot off by lunch......

:o)

updates for all

Since I've been posting most of my medical updates about my mom on facebook, I've not seen the need to post much on here.

So, for those who aren't on FB, I will post an update here.

Forgive me any mess-ups. I had a rather large glass of white wine with dinner, and I believe it has affected me WAY more than I had intended.

My Mom had her PET scan and bone scan. Both came back CLEAN. Meaning that as far as *they* know, the cancer has not yet spread. But they want to act fast.

Mom had a second opinion with UVA; one she rather liked. In fact, she is moving forward with the dr at UVA rather than RMH. UVA is offering her the option of an internal bladder in place of an external, which is an option she would rather deal with.

Basically:

All they have to do is remove her bladder. Then, as long as surgery goes as planned, and they do not find anymore cancer anywhere else, she will be CURED.

CURED.

As in, no more cancer.

as in, no chemo, no radiation, she will have all her hair and not be sick, and she won't have to worry about cancer spreading to other parts of her body.

CURED.

When they go in for the surgery (right now scheduled for Sept. 9), she will have her bladder and a few other non essential organs removed. So, pray that the cancer has not spread, and that the surgery goes well.

i kinda don't even want to bother with an update for my job b/c it seems all superfluous after hearing that my mom is going to be (speaking it out in faith) cured of cancer.

but, jobs going well. it's tough, and it'll take me several weeks/months to get the hang of it. but prayers for me during rush would be greatly appreciated. :o)

CURED!!!

"cancer is just a word, not a sentence"

Last week, my mother notice some blood in her urine and decided to go to the doctor. He sent her to another specialist, who took some tests and did some scans and came back with the results that she had 2 tumors in her bladder. They performed a biopsy on Monday, and results came yesterday.

Cancer. Stage 4.

We had a feeling it was cancer. But we were hoping for stage 1....or 2. Not 4.

Apparently it is too far into her muscle, and they must now test to make sure it has not spread anywhere.

My mother is going to spend a week at the beach with my sister and her family, so when she gets back, she will have scans and more blood tests and surgery and chemo awaiting her.

Our prayer right now is that it has not spread anywhere else. If you are a praying person, please join us in prayer right now. We most certainly could use some good news.

It is easy for people who choose to do harmful things to themselves to say, "I'm not hurting anyone else; I'm only hurting myself. Let me choose for myself. It is my body; not yours."

Well, yes. It IS your body. But for those around you who love you, when you get news like this, it breaks us. My heart is BROKEN.

All it took was cigarette smoke and a weakened immune system. Flu. If she didn't have the flu or a cold last fall, we wouldn't be here.

Before you light up or pop the top or whatever, think. Is this something that can harm me to the point of death? Is this something that can take me away from those who love me? Is this something that can make me suffer in my last days?

Then think: is it worth it to those I love for me to quit?

Happy Memorial Day

I refuse to be the kind of wife that nags.

And I refuse to be the kind of wife that complains.

But, by golly, if I feel a certain way, I don't think what I say should be twisted to make me feel badly for feeling that way.

I'm not going to write a blog bitching about stuff.

I just want somewhere that I can go to to say how I feel without it being twisted.

And I want to talk to someone who will listen....and HEAR.

I want to be REAL and not feel badly for being that way.

If that is too much to ask for, then I really don't know why I bother....

FINALLY!!!!!!

After 3 days of not being able to log onto my blog, I finally have success! GEEZ Blogger. get it together!

I changed my password. More than twice. I can't remember how many times, actually.

But even with a new password, my screen would not leave the password screen.

::blows raspberry at google::

whoops. Day 14: 30 Day Photo Challenge.

I knew this was going to happen.

My last post was actually the Day 15 topic. Day 14 is a picture of someone you couldn't imagine living your life without.

I have 2 someones.




silliness ensues with these two. <3!

Day 14: 30 Day Photo Challenge

Day 14: Something you want to do before you die.



Pinterest

A silly goal of mine is writing a book. Doubt I could ever be published, but it's definitely a goal. I'm always scheming, planning, but never following through. One day......one day.

Day 13: 30 Day Photo Challenge

Day 13: A picture of your favorite band/artist.

I really don't have a favorite. I like many songs and many different artists.

But since I need to post a picture...I'll post this one:



Norman Rockwell

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.infocera.com/pic/Norman-Rockwell-Saturday-Evening-Post-Photo-on-Google.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.infocera.com/Norman_Rockwell_painting_from_Post_magazine_inspires_Google_doodle_7795.htm&usg=__wDVCO7kl6uvpD3hqNOb3Fu2Qhu4=&h=200&w=164&sz=44&hl=en&start=197&zoom=0&tbnid=p_L7Z_zBklAzBM:&tbnh=104&tbnw=85&ei=0DbHTZn4B4eDgAfk4fXKBA&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dnorman%2Brockwell%2Bpaintings%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26hs%3DI0Z%26sa%3DX%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26biw%3D1600%26bih%3D783%26tbm%3Disch0%2C3420&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=150&vpy=485&dur=868&hovh=104&hovw=85&tx=76&ty=52&page=6&ndsp=38&ved=1t:429,r:29,s:197&biw=1600&bih=783

Day 12: 30 Day Photo Challenge

Day 12: A picture of something you love:

Day 11: 30 Day Photo Challenge

Day 11: A picture of something you hate:

I'm going to be a bit creative, because I DO NOT want to find an image of something I hate.

I LOVE children. I love how innocent children are, and they don't even know it!

What I HATE is when their innocence is robbed from them.

At first, I tried to find something on ignorance. But that didn't suffice.

And I don't want to post a picture of a child being robbed of his/her innocence. So...I made a compromise. The picture is something I LOVE, the explanation is what I hate.




http://www.cbcharlingen.org/188852

Day 10: 30 Day Photo Challenge

Day 10: A picture of the person you do the most *messed* up things with...

truth be told...

I don't do that many "messed up things."

I spend my time changing diapers, washing laundry, cleaning dishes, and occasionally I will go to work.

Maybe once every few months I go out with the girls to dinner, got a pedicure one time, and did some gab talk.

So...

for my messed up things:


I figure my version of "messed up things" is playing with a colander in the living room. Really? He is just too cute to not post a picture of. :o)

taking a break

Taking a break from the photo challenge (i will catch up...yes) to bring you a blog from real life.

My 23 year old brother is going into surgery tomorrow. If you could lift up prayers on his behalf, I would greatly appreciate it.

It's not so much the surgery he needs prayer for; it's the recovery.

I don't mind sharing; others might mind reading.

And to them I say, "Oh well."

I live my life according to rules that no one else may have to live by. I have cancelled trips to be home with my family, and said no to things that take me away from where I'm needed. I COULD have more in my life, if I really wanted those things. I have no desire to get a degree to work a job that I'm going to hate. "Just get a degree. It doesn't matter what you get."

Yeah. It kinda does.

Anyway...

Living with my parents is a mentally deranged, and a very violent person. This person refuses help, has spent a night in jail, and constantly threatens and carries out those threats. Where this person needs to be: not jail. He needs a mental institution...the kind where they are strapped down and given medication or left alone in a padded room....yeah...THAT kind.

This person has hurt me, has hurt my little brother, and won't even think twice about hurting him again. In fact, in this person's mind, THEY are the victim.

This frightens me beyond life. What is this person going to do with my lil bro getting all the attention??? Is this person really going to do it this time? How is he going to manipulate people?

Seriously. WHY can't the police do SOMETHING about this kind of a situation????? He is NOT well, but in the eyes of the state, he IS well. He can't be arrested until they see some bruises or blood, but by that time, IT'S TOO LATE.

God, I know You're here....somewhere. Where do You hide while this is going on? I'd REALLY love to see You in this mess. Please, show Yourself.

Day 9: 30 Day Photo Challenge

I find myself already slipping down the slippery slope of neglecting my challenge to myself.

BUT! In my defense: I have been ILL. Almost 4 weeks ago (on a Tuesday), I went to the dr with what I thought was maybe an infected bug bite. It started out as a pimple and then my face BALLOONED up...embarrassingly. He said it may be an infection of some sort, though probably not a bug bite; took a swab and sent it off to the lab. In the meantime, he said I have a "strep-like infection" on my throat; gave me antibiotics, and sent me on my way.

10 days of antibiotics later, the infected part of my face (have I mentioned this is on my FOREHEAD?!?!) had not gone away, and I called the Doctor again. 13 days after my first appointment, I saw a different dr; one that I had not seen before. He took 1 look at my face and said, "it's a cyst. It needs to be surgically removed." He then gave me the name of an ENT who, he said, would be great at not leaving a scar. I made the appointment for May 10.

This was this past Monday. On Wednesday, my face again ballooned up, and I called the doctors office again. By this point, I'm really frustrated, because, I'm not sure if you noticed, but I never mentioned what that swab came back to say. That's because I did not hear until Wednesday. Yesterday.

Anyway, yesterday, I spoke with a nurse on staff, who then told me the swab came back for a staph infection, but the original antibiotic should've taken care of it. When I told her that nothing had changed, I heard a silence on the other end that made me think she was rolling her eyes at the phone or at least making faces.

Then she asked me a couple of questions about the infected area, and what it looks like, and put me on hold for a few minutes while she talked with the original doctor who took the swab.

She came back and said that they were going to try a stronger antibiotic, and see if that works. I asked about the cyst. Now here's the fun part:

There MAY be a cyst underneath this ooey gooey infected mess, but we can't know for sure until the infection is gone. I have taken my second dose of antibiotic, which has taken some of the ballooning feeling, and made me more EXHAUSTED, but, I don't yet see too much of a difference in my face.

I'm not a very beautiful person. My face should never and will never grace the covers of any magazine (unless that magazine is about an infected mass on a persons face), but I hope to God that I at least look somewhat normal. I almost don't care about a scar. Maybe I should. I don't know. I just want to be well!

And on that note:

My Day 9 challenge: A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most:




Jesus. While I don't know what he really looks like, I know what I envision him to look like. He doesn't look like any of the pictures that you pull up when you Google Jesus Christ images.

He also has been there for me through thick or thin. Even when I don't think he is, there He is.

Thank You for always being there for me. I love you Lord!

Day 8: 30 Day Photo Challenge

Day 8: A picture that makes you laugh.

There are a couple. My son always makes me laugh with his funny grins or laughs, or whatever mischief he is getting into.


I just think this is funny. Not so much "funny-haha" but "funny-cute." I give a chuckle.

Day 7: 30 Day Photo Challenge

Day 7: A picture of your most treasured item.

There really isn't an item I treasure that I could live without. Except my wedding rings. I love the fact I'm married to a great man. And I will be more than happy to show them off!

Day 6: 30 Day Photo Challenge

Day 6: A picture of a person you'd love to trade places with.

I really can't think of anyone.

oh, wait. Except maybe this one:

Day 5: 30 Day Photo Challenge

Day 5: A picture of your favorite memory.




This will do.

Day 4: 30 Day challenge

Okay...so here's my Day 4 Post...

Yes...a few days late.



Feeding Matthew. We were actually at my husbands Great-Grandmothers 91st birthday party.

That's kind of how my nights are these days. :o)

Day 4: 30 Day challenge

Day 4: A picture of your night...

i have to go take a picture. This one will probably not get posted until tonight or tomorrow. Sorry, folks.

Day 3: 30 Day Photo Challenge

Day 3: A picture of the cast of your favorite show:






This is the cast from Grey's Anatomy. This has become my favorite show over the last 6 months or so. When the show started, I actually watched some, and hated it. I thought it was a cheesy emo show, and I wouldn't watch it. But, when my sister-in-law was watching Matty for me when I started back at work, I'd come home and she would have it on. I caught parts of it. It looked interesting. I watched some older episodes, and quickly fell in love. The characters were so real. It made me think that I could become a surgeon. And then the LOVE story between Meredith and Derrick! ::SIGH:: I got to re-live my love story through them!

It's a GREAT show! You should watch it. If you don't love it, something may or may not be wrong with you.