I know Mother's Day is not quite here yet, but it already has been the BEST MOTHER'S DAY EVER!! You see over the past few months we have been faced with many decisions and a lot of uncertainty. In December of last year, I went to my gynecologist for a routine pap smear and it showed abnormal cells. No big deal it happens to women all of the time, so I go back in 3 months to have another pap smear. In March, another abnormal pap smear only this time same cells and new abnormal cells are present. More testing and biopsies need to be done. The doctor called me on March 7th, to let me know the biopsies show cancer cells on my cervix and that an appointment with an oncologist needs to be made. My appointment was made to see an gynecologic oncologist to discuss these results and my options. There is nothing in this world worse than sitting across from a physician and having him look at you squarely in the eyes and say to you "You have Cancer, you have cervical cancer". My thoughts were.... What?? What did you just say? No, I can't have cancer these are the patients I work with... I have small children that I need to be here for, to raise. But why CAN'T I have cancer, why NOT me? Why everybody else and not me? Okay process this news. It is devastating you think the absolute worst case scenario. I have seen the worst case scenario, and even the best case scenarios seem to at some point turn into the worst case scenario. I just lost a coworker, she is a mother and friend she just died after a long battle with breast cancer. This is just too real and is hitting entirely too close to home. The thoughts and feelings one goes through are just unreal. The cancer has been caught in the early stages, and the doctor recommends a hysterectomy. After much prayer and fasting and pondering and researching and speaking to other women that have had this surgery for similar reasons as mine, I had resolved to speak with the oncologist one more time prior to the scheduled surgery.
One month is a long time to have to process the overwhelming amount of information that is available regarding cancer. I had a long list of questions, and after two questions I had received answers to all of the questions I had. A huge burden had been literally lifted from my shoulders and I knew without a shadow of a doubt that this was the right surgery, the right surgeon and I felt a sense of peace I have not felt in a long time. Interestingly enough the morning of all of this I had read the scripture St. J0hn chapter 14. The whole chapter spoke volumes to me that day, but especially 14:27 Peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
I knew that God heard my prayers and I knew that come what may everything would be alright. I had surgery on April 22, 2011 Good Friday, a hysterectomy done with the DaVinci method, a robotic surgery. The recovery has been smooth, I have 5 small incisions. Three of which were already there from a previous gall bladder surgery, they are all healed up. They did remove 16 lymph nodes from my groin to be sure it had not spread to my lymphatic system. I feel great, the first four days were brutal with pain in my shoulders, otherwise everything else was great.
May 5, I had my follow up appointment, it has been 13 days since surgery, and the lymph nodes and all other pathology are CLEAR!!! I have learned that this is something major to celebrate, and that every pap smear that I have that is clear will be reason to celebrate. Life is so much sweeter and all too often taken for granted. Not any more. I have so much to be thankful for, and most of all more time to spend with my amazing and wonderful supportive husband and for my three beautiful, precious and amazing children. I am so blessed.
God is so good, he hears and answers prayers and he knows our needs and he has a plan for us. He has big things planned for me, and for all of us.
So CHEERS to the Best Mother's Day Ever!! May all of you have a wonderful Mother's Day and take time to soak in all of the precious moments you can. Thank you to all of my dear friends that are not mothers for the support, and love you provide me and my family.
And ladies from a friend to a friend Get your PAP SMEARS!!
Friday, May 6, 2011
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Baby Spencer
Little Spencer is so not a baby anymore, look at him he is all grown up and walking and trying to run and is just so much fun! He loves to laugh and play with his siblings, and wrestle and sword fight and climb and is just going non stop. He is so curious and walks around and points at everything and says "mom", and outside everything is "bird", he is really good at giving high fives, big smooches, and blowing kisses. He is always trying to hang with the big dogs and does a fine job at it I must say. Little man is now 14 months old.
Other fun stuff
Spencer is super excited about being at the Lego museum as you can see!
This is us posing next to the racetrack where Gideon and Audrey built amazing racecars and sent them zooming down the track. We are also standing next to a super cool ride that you have to pedal to go up and down.
This is outside of the Navy Pier, they are chatting it up with a statue of Bob Newhart. Hysterical isn't it, how they really were talking to the man and telling him all sorts of great stories. What would have been even cooler is if the couch had a recorder on it and recorded all of the things that people do say when they sit down to chat with the statue.
Then there is the American Girl store that we were only able to do a quick jog through on account of them closing in 5 mins when we walked through the door. Probably a good thing, because now Audrey really wants one and talks about it and about saving her money to buy a horse with a pink carriage. Oh and the horse and buggy story here it goes... We are walking to this store, Richard and the kids just dropped us off and were going to get lost in the streets of Chicago while we browsed this store. Across the street from us is a horse and carriage and Audrey says to me "Are those horses real?" me "Yes", Audrey "they don't look real, they are not even moving, and they are standing so still, can I have a quarter? I ate my lettuce. me "no" Audrey but I need a quarter to buy my horse... with the pink thing on the back" me, "a saddle?" Audrey "no, a carriage. My horse is gonna be named Kisses, even though the name is already taken, it is taken by a dog" My baby girl makes me smile everyday, she is so funny and so witty and so full of funny stories. I love her so much.
The Meyer Family
One of the highlights of our trip to Chicago was being able to visit with the Meyer family. We miss them so much, they have an amazing house an a great school and all in all seem very happy, did I mention that we miss them very much, because well.... we do! Here is the only decent candid shot we could get of the kids together, yes with Gideon pointing to his brain and all.
These two were so cute, they didn't miss a beat when they saw each other they just chatted it up and acted like good ol' buddies, playing wii, and Legos and hanging out. I hope they will always stay that way. There is nothing like childhood friends. Did I already mention how much we miss them? Since Susan is probably the only follower I have left I just have to keep on sending a shout out.
Chicago, the windy city
It was a great trip, we had a lot of fun, here is the family on the Navy Pier, a really neat place to see at least and at most once. Unless you are going there to get some Garretts popcorn, then it is worth the 12 dollar parking garage fee and all, only we paid 24 dollars due to the fact that we parked way too far away from the pier and it was too dang cold to walk that far, and once you are in the parking garage well there is no way out except to pay the fee for the first 20 mins. Outrageous! Not to mention that the roads are terrible and there is construction going on everywhere. Other than these minor gripes, Chicago is an awesome place.
Summertime fun
We spent time with Aunt Allison, went to the Aquarium where we saw some of our favorite fish, and things among them were the Gideon fish, the leafy sea dragons, the jellyfish, and the beluga whales. We were even able to play with our food that Brad and Aunt Allison treated us to at the Aquarium, next time we will bring our own snacks.
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