"It's always something...": June 2011

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Eat, drink, and be merry, for today there shall be NO chemo!!!

OK, so this morning, I geared up, got up, and went to the clinic ready to take my medicine like a good girl. My numbers all came back good except my platelets. They are pretty low. Too low, in fact, that the doctor wants to give my body another week to build back up again before they shoot me full of more poison. "WHAT did you say??" I couldn't believe my ears. I was so excited to have a reprieve for a week. A week to feel somewhat normal, a week to do other things than work my life around side effects...WAHOO! The nausea I was feeling immediately turned to hunger. It was lunchtime, so Reid took me to Magelby's Fresh for a slice of my favorite halibut. It was absolutely delicious. Life is good! Freedom is going to mean just a little bit more to me this Independence Day, so Happy 4th of July to me, my family, you and yours, and the whole wonderful United States of America!

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Music heals the soul...

I have always been blessed with good family and good friends. Often the line between the two disappears. I consider many many people in my life to be family, even though we are not technically related. If you are reading this, you are most likely in that group. :) Since I've "taken to my sick bed" (as my southern belle grandmother would say), I've experienced some remarkable things. I've been overwhelmed by the capacity of my loved ones to strengthen me. Each person has something to share that lifts me and comforts me. My dear friend Linda Hale has taken it upon herself to make me laugh every day, how awesome is that?! I could (and probably will) go on and on with other tales of compassion and support, but today I want to share what my honorary son-in-law did for me a week ago. Scott Peterson (Erin Robert's hubby) is quite a wonderful guy. What you might not know to about him is that he is an artist. He plays the violin so beautifully it brings me to tears each time I hear him play, which isn't often enough for me because they live in Idaho. Scott and Erin and their kids came down to visit Lance and Terry over Father's Day weekend. They came over so Scott could play his violin for me. I was so touched. After a very hard week with chemo side effects, my strength and courage were almost gone and then Scott arrived. Here are a few of the hymns he played. Excuse the background noise and the chatter. Also, I apologize for the quality of the video, that's my computer. Thank you Scott, for sharing your God given gift with me. I love you!

Monday, June 20, 2011

Everything denotes there is a God...

Vimeo Tab on Facebook

Sunday, June 19, 2011

A Hair Raising Experience

I wasn't exactly looking forward to going wig shopping, in fact it could have been a real downer, but with the help of my daughter, and 3 good friends, it was a party! What woman looks forward to going bald? Personally, I have never envied Mr. Clean, Kojak, or George Costanza for their shiny craniums. Some women look fantastic with no hair, but I have a sneaking suspicion I'm not one of them. I've always had lots of thick hair, I wasn't even born bald! Since I'm not ready to "Bic it", off to the wig shop I went. I had a surprisingly good time trying on all the different personas.

Check out the pictures and vote for your favorite.

I know you love this one!!!!

My Gratitude List

11/16/11: I'm 4 weeks out from surgery and starting to feel much better (I think it's a good sign that I'm bored!!!)
8/30/11: My last chemo treatment was 6 days ago!!
7/21/2011: I woke up from a nap to find a Zappos box by my bed. OH HAPPY DAY! The Zappos fairy strikes again, life is good!
7/21/2011: The doctor gave me a new mouthwash...I might not get mouth sores this time!
7/15/11: Andy is here for the weekend!!!
7/10/11: A rough couple of days but I was still able to enjoy a drive up the canyon.
7/7/11: This is the best I've felt after chemo so far!
7/6/11: 5 weeks in and I still have hair
7/4/11: Had a fantastic family trip to Park City
6/29/11: Handicap passes are awesome!

How it all began...

Cancer…the ultimate reality check

Posted on June 10, 2011 by Sue Robinson

Who ever thinks they’re going to get cancer…really? I do have family experience with the big “C”, but how many times can lightning strike in one place? Apparently, as many times as it wants! Both my parents had horrible cancers at an early age. One survived for 26 years, one lived only 3 months. It has always made perfect genetic sense to me that I might follow in their footsteps. Still…any way you look at it, it makes no sense at all, why should it? Other people get cancer, not me, right? When I was in the hospital a few weeks ago with Pancreatitis for the second time in 7 months, I began to wonder what was going on. Since October they have been telling me the pancreatitis was “idiopathic” meaning there was no apparent cause. The Saturday morning before Mother’s Day, a Dr. came in to give me the results from my latest CAT scan. When he sat on the edge of my bed, I thought “This can’t be good”. I’d only met him once before, so for him to use his very best bedside manner on a virtual stranger did not bode well. I really only remember one word he said to me with his warm sympathetic expression: “…found a MASS on your pancreas…”. HUH??? So much for “idiopathic”. It wasn’t all bad news though. He promised I could have popsicles for Mother’s Day. I had been NPO (nothing by mouth) up to that point. Yipee for me! Who cares about cancer, I get to eat soup and pudding! Mother’s Day was actually a very good day. Lots of phone calls and family visits. Of course, we all immediately started hoping that the mass was a cyst or something benign. Isn’t denial great? In the next 3 days, the biopsy showed a malignancy, and the endoscopic ultra sound showed a tumor about the size of an egg in the head and neck of my pancreas. I had no idea that my pancreas had that many body parts! We waited to get the full results until we could gather together as a family. Reid and I, Kate, John and Rachael were there in person. Scott was out of town for work and Andrew lives in California, so we had them each on speaker phone. When Dr. Dickenson shared the news of the cancer, there were many tears shed. It’s not the kind of news you ever expect to hear. Pushing past the fear, I had an overwhelming feeling of understanding and love. It was a very spiritual experience. The amazing Dr. Dickenson told us our family would receive many blessings from this, and I believed him. We have already seen an outpouring of tender mercies and miracles that sustain us daily. We have felt the love of our Savior with us each step of the way. I know God will continue to guide me and my loved ones through this scary new adventure. At the end of the day, denial isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. I prefer information and more importantly, faith. Faith is an incredible, tangible thing. I know that whatever happens is the Lord’s will. I also know that what my Mother always taught me is true: “It never hurts to ask”. So, I am asking to be healed. I truly believe that our Heavenly Father wants to bless us and will do so if at all possible. I don’t know how many prayers have been offered in my behalf, but I know they are countless. I am so humbled and grateful for each one of them. I have received so many loving expressions of kindness and hope. They mean more than I can say. Thank you and bless you all.

"It's always something..."

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