How People Deal

Sometimes my scalp really hurts.  I think it has to do with the chemo.  When that happens I put on this little BYU beanie that I have. It is super soft and it feels so good.  Lately I have noticed that Ian has started to wear one of his beanies.  I told him it is too hot for him to go around wearing that.  He told me that his head feels cold and that this beanie feels good on his head.  At first I thought that was cute that he wants to be like me, but then it made me sad.  Sad that he is trying to work things out in his head and deal with what is going on in his own way.  Sad that he will always remember when his mom was sick.  I wonder what kind of effect it will have on him. He is only 10.  Aubrey was at EFY this week.  On Tuesday when I had chemo, she used a friend's phone to text me.  She asked how I was feeling.  Yes even though she was having a blast, it was in the back of her head.  She was worried about me.  When I picked her up from BYU, that was the first thing she asked me.  I love Austin.  When we go out to the store or something I always say, "Oh wait, let me get my wig."  Austin gets frustrated and always says, "Why? You look great.  Just grab a hat or scarf and lets go!"  He has helped me to feel comfortable about having no hair.  I really appreciate that.  He just doesn't like it when I get my shots.  I don't blame him.

How am I feeling?  I feel pretty good.  When I get chemo every three weeks I am really blessed, and I don't get very sick.  I do get very tired.  Every once in a while I get sick.  It will hit me like a ton of bricks.  One second I am fine, the next I am down!  Usually drinking or grabbing a quick snack will help me out and boost me back up again.  The shots I have to get to boost my bone marrow are the worst.  They make me tired and achy!  I hate them.  Don is doing great giving them to me.  I never even feel them.  I only get them for five days after chemo. Thank heavens.

We are so grateful for all of the blessings we have received!  We have been so blessed!  One of the biggest blessings we have received is that the doctors have confirmed that the chemo is working.  The tumor is shrinking, and that puts me closer to surgery.  The doctors can't believe how quick things are progressing and how great my body is taking the treatment.  She laughs and tells me that I am the healthiest patient she has.  I have gone back to running.  I have to take a week off when I have chemo, but the two weeks I feel great I run.  The medicine I get during those two weeks have no side effects.  I am so grateful for those of you who take care of my family and bring meals in the day I have chemo.  Don really appreciates that.  He is so busy taking care of me, and those meals really help him.  We appreciate the notes and kind words we receive.  Thank you for that.  Those keep my morale high!  I know it is through prayer and priesthood blessings that I am getting through this.  I know my Savior is by my side, and through him I can get through anything!

Little Weekend Away!

Aubrey was up at EFY this week.  ( EFY is a youth program whose objectives are to encourage, assist, and guide youth participants (ages 14–18) as they strive to “come unto Christ.” EFY creates a setting where youth have the opportunity to develop spiritually, physically, intellectually and socially. Youth have the opportunity to learn and grow together while attending classes, devotionals and firesides. EFY programs are held throughout North America every summer and are attended by more than 50,000 youth. Sessions are primarily supervised by young adult counselors who are positive role models for the youth. All sessions are directed by adult instructors. The program is a five–day, overnight program that begins Monday morning and concludes early Saturday morning.) So we decided to get away and go and pick her up.  My good friend said she would watch the boys (Albrights!), and we decided to head up to Utah to get Aubrey and be alone.  Our anniversary is next week, and unfortunately getting away and doing a big trip is out of the question this year.  I was kind of nervous going up to Utah this week because I had chemo on Tuesday and I didn't know how I would be feeling.  The good news is that I felt pretty good.  It was so good to get away with Don and just relax.  I felt bad because I was pretty worn down and tired, but it was still a nice weekend.  We did some shopping and just walking around.  While we were walking around we heard that the Mormon Tabernacle Choir was practicing.  We decided to head over to the conference center and watch.  Boy, we were in for a treat.  They gave a concert after they practiced.  It was amazing.  They sounded heavenly.  They sang some Broadway songs and patriotic songs.  It was a special treat!

We also wanted to go to the Salt Lake Temple.  Unfortunately, it was closed.  So we headed to Bountiful.  I was lucky, and once again I felt great.  It was wonderful to spend the day in the temple and reflect on all of my blessings. It is such a pretty temple. Yep, I wore my hair for this special occasion!

We also went to dinner at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.  Don has always wanted to go to dinner there.  Oh my gosh, it was so good.  We were stuffed.  We went to this buffet at The Garden.  I am not a huge fan of buffets, but this was really good.

This was the view from the restaurant.  Pretty neat.

We had a nice weekend.  It was nice to get away from all the stress and be alone.  It wasn't a big trip, but it was just enough.  I was so grateful I felt good.

Pinterest Man

Don has decided that this summer is the "Summer of Productivity".  In the past he has spent most of his summer break laying around, sleeping, playing video games, watching movies, and swimming.  This year he still did those things but every day he wanted to do something productive.  He still does all of those fun things, but every morning he gets up and works out and decides what chore he is going to get done.  He has done a ton of things around the house as well as take care of me.  This summer Don has discovered Pinterest.  I have an account and every once in a while I show him some things I love.  When he sees a project he likes he says, "O.k, done!"  Sure enough he does it.  This week he wanted to try out a project he wants to do in all of our bathrooms.  So he decided to try out the project first in our guest bathroom.  He wanted to frame the mirror and get rid of the ugly lights.

This is before:

And this is the after:

Pretty good.  I really like it.

Don't mind my messy laundry room.  I haven't cleaned it out yet.  Don also saw this on Pinterest and did this in my laundry room.  It is great.  I have more room in my laundry room now.  That middle basket is full of rags.  Dang, it needs to be cleaned out.

This is a wreath I made for the 4th of July.  It came out pretty good.  Yes, we got the idea off of Pinterest.  Pinterest is changing our life!

Timpanogas Cave Adventure

This past weekend, Austin and I drove up to Utah to drop Aubrey off at her first EFY (Especially for Youth) at BYU-Provo. We stayed overnight near Provo with some friends that use to live in Las Vegas (The Doxey family). The next morning Aubrey needed to be checked into EFY at 12:30, so I purchased advance tickets and Austin and I woke up early Monday morning and went on a hike into the Timpanogas Cave. I had been in this cave many years ago and I have always wanted to return and go through it with my family. Every time we drive up to Utah or Idaho we pass right by this place, but we have never stopped to see it. I was excited to finally get a chance to go with Austin. After a very steep 1 1/2 mile hike up the mountain, we began our tour of the cave. There are actually three separate caves that were joined together with man-made tunnels when the area was established as a national park near the 1930's. Austin and I quickly discovered that this cave was a little difficult to navigate as tall people. We had to bend over a lot during the tour. It was a fun morning with Austin and we were both glad that we took the time to see it.

Austin hiking up the trail. Just above his head, you can see the area built around the opening of the cave.

At last we both make it!!!

Inside the cave,Austin posing next to a formation.

There were so many unique cave formations and it was so difficult to capture the color and details of them in the low light of the cave.

This formation is called the Heart of Timpanogas cave. You can see that it resembles the shape of a heart.

This is called Cave Popcorn tinted with a very rare green mineral.

These formations look like straws hanging from the ceiling. Instead of the water flowing on the outside of them, it flows through the middle. Along the ceiling are thin formation that go in a bunch of different directions. Scientists have no concrete explanation why this happens and these only occur in the Timpanogas cave.

Austin posing at the exit of the cave. note in the background how high up the canyon wall we are. At one time, the river at the bottom of the canyon actually formed the caves that we had just been too....isn't that amazing?

For those of you who ever get a chance to visit, I would highly recommend it.

Don

The Beach!

Before I knew that I had cancer we had planned a weekend trip to the beach with some friends.  Then I found out I was sick, and we realized that this was the only vacation we would be taking.  We were so happy to learn that this was going to be a good week for me and I wouldn't be tired or feeling sick.  Unfortunately Austin had to work so he couldn't go with us.  We were bummed.  We were really bummed when we learned that his shift had been cancelled and he could of come with us!  Yes, we were not happy!  Anyway, we headed to California to Huntington Beach.  It was a perfect weekend.  The weather was amazing and waves were perfect.  At first the kids were a little slow getting into the ocean.  Hey, they are desert kids, and this is new to them. 

Then they jumped in.  Once they got in, they never got out!  The used their boogie boards to surf all day.  They were in heaven!  Oh, Aubrey talks about how she will live by the ocean!  Maybe someday she will.

Dad had to show them how to ride the waves, but once they got the hang of it, there was no stopping them!

Huntington Beach is so pretty.  It was a great beach to go to.

Aubrey and Ian had so much fun!  They are very close.

I spent most of my time on the beach taking pictures and watching my three children.  Yes, I said three!  I have to watch Don too.  I am still feeling a little insecure about how I look, so I just kind of stayed on the beach. I did let Don take a picture of me in my swim suit. 

I loved watching the lifeguards run swim lessons.  It was a jr. lifeguard class.  It was great to watch these little kids.  Let me tell you, these classes are tough!  Plus, it made me think of my own lifeguard at home.

Every once in a while the kids came out of the water.  This is when Aubrey got burned.  Oh, listen to me family.  When I say you need to reapply sunscreen, I mean it.  I did get to spray them down a couple of times!  They felt it the next day!

We did get to see some wild life.  I also watched Dolphins all day.  They seemed to be playing in the waves.  At the end of the day the kids finally saw them too.  They were jumping in the waves and playing around.  It was beautiful.

Of course Aubrey wanted me to take some dance pictures.  She feels she needs to raise her front leg more.

It was a great weekend.  Our friends met us there and we had a campfire with hotdogs and s'mores.  It was so fun to see them.  I think we will do this again next year. 

Update: I am doing really good.  My doctor says the tumor is already shrinking after one treatment.  My morale is much better.  I still get scared sometimes, but I want everyone to know that it is your cards and your sweet comments that help me the most.  I save the cards I get and when I am feeling down, I pull them out and read them.  I know everyone is praying for me and my family.  I feel those prayers.  I know that is one of the reasons I am stronger and doing well!  I went back to running.  My doctor agrees it is the best thing for me!  That has really helped me too.  I feel like I can conquer anything when I run.  I tell ya, it is cheap therapy!  I know I am stronger because of the support I have from my friends, the support of my amazing husband and children, and the support of my ward family and family!  I also know that I have a loving Heavenly Father who knows me and is standing beside me helping me along the way!  With Him and Jesus Christ, I can get through anything.