Breakfast on the Farm 2016

It's been quite a start to summer so far!  My baby sister got married on June 4th, the girls started soccer games, we attended breakfast on the farm, the girls started swimming lessons (weekdays for the next 4 weeks), story time at the Green Bay Botanical Gardens, Day out with Thomas at the National Railroad Museum and I'm gearing up to start my treatment for thyroid cancer next week and be away from Dave and the kids for a week following treatment.  We're living this week, planning for next week, and preparing for the week after that.  We just need to make it to the end of June and hopefully we will be able to put this behind us for a while.  I had blookwork on Friday and my thyroid levels were where they need to be to proceed with treatment so now the fun begins.  I've been on a low iodine diet since 6/5 as well as completely off of any thyroid medication (I no longer have my thyroid so will take a pill for the rest of my life.)  No pill + no thyroid= extreme hypothyroidism. Here's a quick update on what the next two weeks look like. 

Monday 6/20-Radioactive iodine tracer dose. 

Wednesday 6/22-Whole body scan

Thursday 6/23- Radioactive iodine treatment dose

6/23-6/30-isolation to reduce risk of anyone being exposed to my radioactivity (I'm staying with my dad and have to be at least 6 feet from him at all times, I can't be by the kids at all).  Thankfully Dave & the kids will be camping for 4 days of our time away with Dave's extended family and we have a great support system to help us through the rest.  My sister-in-law, Sarah, will help out with the kiddos the 27th & 28th and then Dave's mom will stay with them Wednesday & Thursday and my dad will help get them to and from summer school.  We've had meals dropped off by the Lewis families and the family I babysat for during the school year.  We're blessed to have so much support. 

6/30-Follow-up whole body scan

7/1-Celebrate our sweet boy's 3rd birthday with a construction theme party, eat whatever I want, and get back on my thyroid medication and get back to feeling good!  Wyatt's birthday is on June 29th and it breaks my heart I won't be with him. 

So that's where we're at with all that...updates to come!

 On the wagon ride in to breakfast on the farm.  Madi's friend, Izzy, joined us this year.  She's a real life farm girl:)

 Of course the gravitate to the kitties!

 Loving the huge sand pile

 Cute little sandy bum

 Wyatt could hardly contain his excitement for the firetruck

 He looks like such a natural.  I just adore this handsome little boy of ours. 

 So friendly

 This girl is heck on wheels

When Life Gives You Lemons

I've been MIA for a while because of the most recent "lemon" we've been handed.  The lemon came in the form of a lump in my neck; quite literally the size of a lemon.

On April 20th I was packing for a weekend trip to the Mall of America for my sister's bachelorette weekend.  I was trying on a necklace with one of my outfits and it was tight.  Thinking it was strange, I kind of rubbed the front of my neck and noticed a pretty size able lump.  I immediately called and made an appointment to see my family practice Doctor.  The appointment was scheduled for 2 days later, on Friday.  At the appointment I described some of the symptoms I had been having which were leading me to believe I may have something going on within my thyroid.  When we came to the lump, my doctor took quick action which really got me worried.  They drew blood and scheduled an ultrasound in Green Bay for about an hour later.  They also made me an appointment later in the afternoon for a biopsy.  It was a complete whirlwind.

Thyroid levels all came back "normal," but the biopsy came back "suspicious" on 4/26.  In the initial appointment with the Dr who performed the biopsy he told us that, from the ultrasound, the size, vascularity, and calcium deposits were all red flags for the lump being cancerous but that it was about a 60/40 chance that it was.  The dreaded 'C' word, not even 8 months after losing my mom to lung cancer.  I was terrified and was having some major anxiety about it all.  The next couple weeks were spent trying to get into an endocrinologist.  It was problem after problem through all this and the dr I had been referred to was feuding with our insurance so was no longer in network.  The ENT doc decided we'd proceed with surgery for full thyroid removal.  Surgery was scheduled for 5/13 and they found me another endocrinologist who I would see 5/18.

Last Friday I had my thyroid removed along with the lemon sized lump on it.  The surgery took about 1 1/2 hours and went well.  One lymph node was also removed during surgery.  One of my parathyroid glands (which are not removed and are needed to control calcium levels) had grown around the lump and was damaged so the surgeon was able to implant it in my neck muscle in hopes that it will regenerate with the muscle as it's new blood supply.  Pretty amazing.  I spent one night in the hospital and came home just before noon on Saturday. My calcium levels were low so I was sent home with calcium supplements.  My neck was very stiff and sore for a few days but mostly I was just completely exhausted.  It's so much more than just being tired.

 I received a call from the surgeon's office around noon yesterday saying that the pathology confirmed cancer in the lump that was removed and the 1 lymph node that was taken.  I also saw the endocrinologist yesterday afternoon.  The endocrinologist went into more detail and told us she thought, from the pathology report, that the entire lump was not cancer, there was a smaller tumor. She also told us that all the cancer cells were thyroid cells which is good.  That means it originated in the thyroid and if it spread, those will be thyroid cells as well which will be destroyed with the radioactive iodine treatment.

She put me on the thyroid hormone pills which I started this morning.  On 6/5 I will start a low iodine diet for about 2 1/2 weeks (yuck! Very limited!).  I will then have a small dose of the iodine and a full body scan to see any remaining thyroid tissue/cancer cells.  The radioactive treatment will follow this and we're looking at the last full week of June for that.  I will need to be away from the kids for a week which will be the hardest part of all of this.  I will have another body scan about a year later and also an ultrasound.  I will be checked every 6 months-1 year. It all feels so surreal.  

I've been told, "if you're going to get cancer, this is the one you want to get". The fact is, it's still cancer and it's still too soon and too fresh after losing my mom.  We're going camping the next couple weekends and hope to escape reality a bit.  I would happily take any prayers and/or positive vibes you could send my way.  

Relay for Life 2016

Today our family participated in Relay for Life-Pulaski.  I've participated before when I worked at the bank but this was our first time having our own team.  It was an emotional, but good, day.  So many people who have been touched by cancer in some way or another coming together. 

 The theme this year was, "Life is a Puzzle." 

 Sarah's class did a beautiful job decorating these puzzle pieces for us!  I gathered some lung cancer facts and Sarah attached them to the puzzle pieces. 

 Why do we relay?

 Our team name was "Make Mom Proud."  My dad saw this sign in the mall in Green Bay a while back and sent a picture to my sister and I.  I wanted one for myself since that is my motto for this year and my sister stopped by Thursday night and had went and bought it for me.  It was perfect for our table today. 

 The gift baskets Sarah & I made for the raffles. 

 I love this picture. 

 Our group cheering on the survivors who completed the first lap around the track this morning. 

 Bounce house fun. 

 And tattoos:)

 Coloring, necklace making, and nail painting-oh my!

 Our team dancing:)

 Puzzle race

 Kaci and Brian walking the track.  The goal is to have at least one person from each team walking the track at all times.  A few from our team wore various step trackers today and were close to 20,000 steps!

 Elsa even made an appearance and the little ones were in awe!  Wyatt said she was his girlfriend:)  He asked to watch Frozen when we got home. 

 Madi got a cool purple hair extension.

 The luminary Papa & Grace made together.  They line the track with these and the ceremony for "lighting" them was very touching.  Everyone was given a glow stick and they read off reasons why you relay; survivor, caregiver, for parent, spouse, child, etc. When your "reason" was read you were to crack your glow stick so it would light up and then hold it up.  Hearing all the "pops" around the gym you just realize how many people are affected and know your pain.  Afterwards you could go put them in one of the luminaries.  Mom's bag was very well lit.

 

Baby Sister's Bridal Shower

On Sunday we celebrated my baby sister's upcoming marriage with a lovely bridal shower in her honor.  Sarah and I were going for simple elegance and I think we achieved just that.  It was a nice day and we are thankful for everyone who could join us.  Only 2 months until her wedding day!

 The guest of honor!  Only 2 months until her wedding day!

 Beautiful corsage

 A little bling for the cupcakes

 Always with us

 Kaci and her future mother-in-law, Annie

 Beautiful little Rebecca was our youngest guest.  She is such a doll!

 There was no lack of "help" with the gift opening:)

 Our mom made Kaci & Brian a set of pillow cases, hand stitched (in her hand writing), with "Mr. & Mrs." and a small tag inside that said, "Made with love by mom."  They were to be for her on the day of her bridal shower if mom wasn't there to give them to her.  We know she was there with us. 

 Hattie the crazy mini bride.

Madi and Hattie-cousin love