Wedding and Work

Hi, it has been a while since I have done a post, so I decided it was time for an update. I have worked quite a few days now and it is going well. I am very tired when I am done, so I really like the 4 hr. shifts. I did teach expectant parent class last Sat. which was a long day, 8 hrs and I was soooooo ready to put my feet up after that. I am going to do that again this Sat. I was happy when my first IV attempt went in without a hitch. People said it's like riding a bike.....  I love being back with my co-workers again, they have been so warm and welcoming to me. I love all the hugs!!

I did get into an ENT dr. for this Friday,( thanks Phil for the recommendation of who to go to). I hope they find something and can treat it. I have such a sore throat when I swallow, especially during the night, so sleep has not been the easiest.

Next Monday I go for my preop appt with the gyn/oncologist. I have never really talked to him face to face since hearing I would "for sure" have this next surgery. I am expecting this to go kind of like before, 6-7 days in the hospital. Mieke is off for spring break the first week of April, and I know she is just thrilled to be my nurse for that week.

Thanks for the many kind wishes from you all about me returning to work. It means a lot to me. I thank my manager for believing in me and hiring me back "on call".

Many of you have asked how the wedding plans are going. They are going great. They had their first shower on Sunday. It was a couples shower given by Aaron's relatives, held at his cousin's lovely home in Mattawan. The following are a few pictures to hopefully capture the wonderful day we had. Thanks to Cheri and Brad and the uncles and aunts for all your work!! It was so nice.

M

Aaron's brother Dan made all of the great orange and white heart and lovebird balloons.

Bryce will be one of the bell ringers at the wedding

This last picture is my "old grade school" friends who took me out to DeBoer's for lunch today. Thanks Jean, Helen and Ellen for traveling from GR and Hastings for the "End of chemo" lunch. It was great.

I have appreciated the different "diversions" some of you have sent me, I love 'em. Keep 'em coming.

Big trouble

Now we have big trouble in the form of Stan starting to write again. Click on the link on the right "Stans Blog".  You never know what he is going to come  up with. But enough people told him to do this and he is happy when he writes, so read if you wish.

Good News!!

I was at work today when I heard from the doctors office that ordered the MRI. She said that the lymph nodes looked OK, were not enlarged and there was no more follow up needed. So thank goodness for that report. Another answer to prayers. I still am curious why my sore throat?, but I will just put up with it, and hope it goes away soon.

I worked a full day (8hrs) today and I am tired!! I do feel pretty good while I am there and I know it is good for me to be there.   I am working a couple more 4 hrs shifts this week and then I am going to teach expectant parent class all day on Sat. Wish me luck!!

Don't like MRIs

I got through the MRI, but it was not my favorite thing in the world. It took an hour. They said I did very well, but it truly was hard not to freak in that claustrophobic tube. They give you ear plugs, which don't do much good. It is very loud still. They put this big plastic screen thing over your face, and say now don't move or swallow. It is just human nature to want to swallow , move itch, breath etc. when you can't. I used relaxation techniques I teach in prenatal classes. I pictured myself relaxing on a beach in Hawaii, listening to the waves coming on the beach.  I won't hear any results for a few days, probably next week. I pray it is not ovarian cancer in my neck lymph nodes.

Tomorrow I am meeting good friends for lunch in Saugatuck at Phil's. The goal until I hear something is diversion. I look forward to working on Monday again.

I thank those who continue to remember us with beautiful cards and kind words, they mean so much to us.

1st Day Back at Work Went Well

It was great to be back on the birth center today. It felt so good to be working with my friends again.
I felt pretty good, the hardest part was walking to and from the parking lot. My co-workers said I looked just like I did before I got sick. The short wig did the trick. Even the painted on eyebrows worked.

I stopped yesterday at my friend Kim's who has cut my hair for many, many years. She trimmed the "mad scientist" white long hairs I had going on, in case I got so hot, and couldn't stand the wig, we thought maybe I could go without it. I tried coloring the white hair dark, but it did not work. It is now a very light brown/red color. Oh well, I tried. Thanks Kim for the trim. You wanted to see the before and after. Here is the before:

The after is too scarry, even for me to look at, with no eye brows or make up!

 I was planning on going back to work tomorrow, but instead they scheduled my MRI at 10:30am. I hope and pray that does not show anything serious.

I plan on working again on Monday, now that chemo is finished. My "old" grade school friends are taking me out to lunch on Tues. to celebrate the END of CHEMO!!

It's been an interesting morning.....

I need to get ready for work today from 11a-3p, but I wanted to give a quick update on what I found out this am.
-My Gyn/oncologist office called and said I am done with chemo as of Monday. I don't need to come in next Monday to see Dr. Downey. She is having me come to see him on March 5 for the pre-op visit. My surgery is hopefully going to be Thur. March 29. There is no need for a PET scan because they are going to do surgery. The PET scan would be a lot of expense for nothing she said.

-I then heard from the results of an Ultrasound I had of my neck yesterday. I have been having pain when I swallow for quite a few weeks. It seems especially bad at night. So my Endocrinologist (thyroid Dr.) ordered that to check out what could be going on in there. They see enlarged lymph nodes and the radiologist reports that it should have more investigation with an MRI of my neck. Oh boy, does it ever stop?? So, they need authorization from my insurance company for that, and that should be scheduled for early next week.

Please continue to pray for me, that work goes OK today, that the throat thing is nothing, and YEH I guess I am done with chemo (for now)!!

Chemo Day #21 (one more to go!!)

It is late, 11:20, but I have never missed giving an update on a chemo day, so I don't want to miss today. Mieke was here decorating Valentine cookies for her class tomorrow, so we have been talking since I got home from Bunco tonight. It was fun being with my friends there.

Chemo today went well. I had only the one drug Taxol. My friend Ellen from Hastings met me there and then took me out for lunch to Marie Catriebs. Thanks Ellen for spending the day with me, and for the dinner you brought us. What a good friend!

I tried to pin them down on the exact surgery day and the best I got was probably either March 27 or March 29. That week would work out well because Mieke has the first week of April off for spring break and could help with my recovery at home the first week. I see Dr. Downey next Monday and I will find out more about when I will have the PET scan etc.

Tomorrow is a busy day, I have 3 different Dr. appts. in Grand Rapids. First is my check up with my endocrinologist, who has been following me since my thyroid cancer. The next appt. is with the genetics clinic Dr. at Spectrum to see if studies should be done, mostly for Mieke's future. The last appt. is with a Dr. Taylor who is with the Spectrum Health Medical Group Supportive Care Medicine Clinic. I am calling it my "Psych" Evaluation. My Dr. thought it would be a good idea to talk to her.
I think I will be exhausted after this day, what a way to spend Valentine's Day. 

Stan and I went to Traverse City this weekend and had dinner at the Meeker's, Alden's in-laws. We had a wonderful dinner and enjoyed seeing Walt and Meg and grandma Peg and other family members. Alden and Mary stopped to see us on their way home at the cabin and helped us split wood and stack it up. It felt good to be outside, it was a beautiful sunny day. Boy, was I tired that night!!

I hope to get back to work sometime this week. I have to work out the details with my manager. I am officially hired as a prn or per dieum nurse. That is what I did for 9 yrs when I worked on the birth center before. I am looking forward to seeing and working with my friends again!! Watch out guys, I'm BACK...........

Happy 37th Anniversary to us

        It has been a BIG day for me. I finally got a call from Dr. Downey. He told me he discussed my CT scan with the expert at Spectrum and he said there was "profound improvement". He also said they saw something in the upper left quadrant of the abdomen near the spleen. It could be something in the omentum. He said that I might need to have a PET scan to define further. He said he recommends further surgery to remove what they can.  Debulking or cytoreduction (removing cells) is the same thing. He will discuss this further with me the next time we meet. The soonest they would do surgery is late March or early April (6 weeks from the end of my chemo treatments). Soooooooooo, now we know the plan. I can deal with anything now that I know what is going to happen.
   
      45 minutes after I learned this, I had a conference call meeting with my manager from Holland Hospital. They offered me a prn or per dieum or on call position. That means no benefits, but I can work as much or as little as I want. I had that same position for 9 years when I worked on that floor before. They were a little leary about me coming back for 6 wks and then having to be off for 6 wks after surgery, but understood that it was good for my mental health to get back at it. All the details are not worked out, but I may try a few hrs as early as next week. I may also try teaching classes again through the Center for Good Health.
  
       My co-worker and friend Sara came over for lunch today. She is a new grandma and shared pictures about the new addition. I am so happy for you, and a bit jealous! (come on boys)

        Stan, Mieke and I had a wonderful dinner at the Piper tonight. We ran into friends from PEO there. After dinner we were treated to three wonderful desserts provided by our dear friends Chuck and Karen. Thanks guys, you are too much! The Piper was so nice to put up all these red hearts all over the building just for our anniversary (ha ha). I can think that. It was great when we left for home and there was a beautiful full moon shining on us. A good way to start year 38.............

Chemo Day #20

Mieke's future mother-in-law (and my friend Laurie) took me to chemo today. It all went very smoothly, no reaction like last week. I did find out from the nurse that the Taxol drug I had today tends to make you have a sensitivity reaction the first couple times you ever get it, and the Carboplatin (which I had last week) tends to make you react the longer you are on it......wierd. They will just keep a very close eye on me in two weeks when I get it again.

Unfortunately I did not find out anything from my Dr. about decisions regarding the results of the CT scan. I hope I hear something tomorrow. I really am learning a lesson in patience. Laurie treated me to lunch at Blue Water Grill after chemo. Love that place!

Alden helped to install my new faucet in my kitchen last night. Maybe I will LOVE to do dishes now.

Tonight was Ladies Night Out with my neighborhood girlfriends at 84 East. I took my compazine before I went, and felt pretty good. Three of us have kids getting married soon, so lots of wedding talk.

Stan and I appreciate all the nice comments from you guys about his cooking and my encouraging news about the CT scan. You are all so supportive and caring, this helps more than you can know.
Stan is getting the itch to write some more stories, so we'll see..................

Chef Stan...........

It was a beautiful sunny day today. Joan brought all the ingredients for Stan to make 3 healthy meals. Things got off to a rocky start when the electric can opener broke when he was trying to open some cans. It got better after that, and he had to admit that it was kind of fun. Here they are putting in the turkey meatloaf with lots of veggies.

Alden and Mary are over watching the Super Bowl with us and we are enjoying the crock pot meal they made today. It is a Weight Watcher meal of chicken, veggies, salsa, black beans and we put it over rice. Very good!  The other meal we are going to have this week is a marinated chicken with penne pasta dish. I hope Stan will enjoy helping in the kitchen again............ Joan, it was sooooo nice of you to bring all the food and all the equipment along. You are a great friend!   Here is Stan cutting up the chicken, Joan had her work cut out for her!

Chemo tomorrow morning. Aaron's mom Laurie is going to take me, and we hope to stop for lunch after. Please pray that my Dr. gives me some hint of what the plan is regarding surgery.

CT Impressive???

I just received a call from Amber the nurse at my Dr.s office. She said that a Dr. Shrive, a radiologist that is the imaging expert was at the tumor board meeting this am. He said my CT scan looked almost normal. They asked him if he would be willing to look at it with their high definition equipment and compare it to my Aug. post surgery scan. He said he would do that and be willing to write an adendment report. He said he didn't see "anything" at all. Dr. Harrison said it was impressive, that it may look normal. So, on Monday, when Dr. Downey gets back in town, hopefully they will have the "typed" report (like that is so important), and hopefully some kind of decision will be made.

So, how does this make me feel?? I guess this is more like the news I had expected to hear in the first place. I am mentally and physically exhausted from this "waiting game". I do thank everyone for their prayers and concern through this week.

My friend Karen delivered some delicious fancy cupcakes last night which we shared with Mieke and Aaron who came over for dinner. They taught me how to play "word with friends" so watch out people, I am pretty bored and have lots of time on my hands.

I did have lunch with friends from church today at El Ranchos and had wonderful Chicken Fajitas. I stopped to buy more bananas to keep my potassium up. Thanks to Jill for picking me up, my car was in the garage getting something fixed.  When I got home, there was a package delivered in the mail from cousin Julie in MN. In it were a couple of the cutest hats and a T-shirt and a card that said, "Wishing you the kind of day...that makes you want to smile out loud!"

Well Julie, I am happier with this report than just "better" and that makes me smile out loud. Thanks so much for your kindness. Julie and Eric are both nurses at Mayo Clinic, and he told me they shopped in the gift shop there. Hospital gift shops DO have the cutest things! Here is a picture of me with one of the new hats (felt, made in Canada) and what is on the front of the T-shirt.

Everyone have a great weekend. Enjoy the Super Bowl. Sunday our friend Joan is coming over to teach Stan how to cook. This should be interesting!! They are making three dishes. Alden and Mary are coming over to watch the game and try out Stan's crock pot meal. We'll let you know how it goes....

Test Results....

I promised to give you an update when I learned something about my CT scan and chest x-ray. Well, the chest x-ray is negative, which is good. The CT scan report is a bit frustrating. The only thing the radiologist said was, it looked "better". He did not do any measurements. Therefore, they are telling them to review it and my case will be presented to the Spectrum Tumor Board this Friday. They always have 3 radiologists at those meetings, and my Drs. want to be able to sit down with them and try to figure out exactly what needs to be done. Whether more surgery would be beneficial or not. The nurse said she would call me on Friday. So............I am happy with "better" , but I think I knew it would be better because I don't have that pain behind my stomach like I used to. I have to admit, I am kind of disappointed, I thought maybe the report would come back, " we don't see any tumor left". So, I continue to wait, try to be patient, to know what the future holds.