5 years later and Miracles abound!

So 5 years out and a miracle happened! In early November we found out that we are expecting baby #4!! He/She is due on Ethan and Isaac birthday!! June 17th! Thinking that this could never be a possibility I gave away all of the things that Lizzie grew out of. But with God all things are possible. I was praying for a baby since my Lizzie is now 5!  Since I was dealing with all of the cancer headaches, It felt like I didn't get a chance to have Lizzie be little, not to mention that she started walking and talking at 9.5 months when I was going through the stem cell transplant!  It's all such a miracle. Just before the transplant Kelly our coordinator asked me if I wanted to freeze my eggs. I figured at the time we must only be meant to have 3 kids, which with a new born is plenty. But in the back of my mind there was always another, but I pushed it away. But now our family is complete!! We will find out on the 29th if it's a boy or a girl!

This is my wonderful family right after our sweet boys were baptized!!

What a blessing my life has been. Who would have seen this 5 years ago!! I also always joke about how I have such rare luck that I should just when a trip on a cruise or something. Well in November, Derek and I had the chance to go to Hawaii for under $500 total! We got 2 round trip tickets for $92 because of our credit card, and we stayed with Derek's sister Lacey. She is also in the military so we got a military discount at all of the places we went! It was awesome!

We went snorkeling with turtles and saw dolphins under us!!

2 year old bone marrow!

So it has been 2 years since my transplant. You must know that things have been going well since no news is good news; and it's been a whole year since my last post. The last time I saw Dr. McSweeny or Dr. Kanard was in May, and it was about 10 minutes. I talked to the nurses and Lisa, Dr. Kanard's assistant more than I talked to McSweeny. So I went in had a small physical. He said everything looks good. And I just got a letter in the mail that says he is no longer with the Cancer Center in Denver; so I probably won't see him again. The main worries in my life now are the boys going to first grade and being gone from me all day.

Life is Wonderful!

I do now have days were I have to remind myself that I need to slow down and remember to enjoy what I have; and that I am still alive. But I am glad that I can appreciate the small things again; like mowing the lawn.

Happy T-Day B-Day to me!!

Okay so it has been a while since the party, but I've been sick and busy. It was a lot of fun and we had a lot of cake. We had 22 kids running around the house and backyard! I was trying to make a video of my bald head growing hair, loosing hair and growing it back but it didn't work. My biggest surprise was that Derek's sister Ashlee was in town and so she was able to come with her kids. My boys were so excited to see all of their cousins in their house but one. I also got a fabulous apple tree from Derek's family! I walked in from the backyard talking to some of the kids and there it was in my kitchen.

I saw Dr. McSweeny last month and found out that I don't have to have any more PET scans if I don't want them. Which I think I will take him up on it since I got myself sick last time. He said that the radioactive glucose might be more of a problem to my body down the road and I have already had 9 scans since we found the tumor. I also got my blood drawn to see what immunization shots I need again since my body is new. I should find that out someday soon. I saw Dr. Kanard yesterday and she said besides the cold that I have right now, I look great and I don't have to see her until October! So happy days.

Great doctor!

So after waiting a week from the PET scan. I went to the Dr. that delivered Lizzie for a follow up. She had breast cancer a few years before Lizzie was born and I told her how I was still waiting for the results. ( I even think I made myself sick the day after and the next night because of what happened last scan.) Anyway, Dr. King was horrified that I hadn't gotten word about my results yet, because she has been there; so, being my doctor she was able to look up all of my recent tests right there and print it up for me.

Nervously, I looked at the paper and happily I noticed it said that there was no new growth and what they found last time has been less active; meaning I don't have to have a biopsy, and I will get my birthday!! I'm so glad I had my follow-up or I would still be waiting until next week!

I have been so blessed!!! Thank you everyone for your support and love! I will let you know how we will celebrate closer to the 21st!

PET scan on Friday

Just thought I would post a recent hair picture.

So last time since the PET scan was off because my body was fighting a cold at the time I am really nervous this time about being around germs this week. Since the boys birthday was last Wednesday we were going to have a birthday party for them on this Tuesday; but I am going to have to postpone it because my sister's family is sick and it might get my family sick and if I am fighting something without even knowing it, it will show up on the scan and they will do a biopsy. I am so freaked out about another biopsy, not to mention waiting 2 weeks to talk to Dr. McSweeny about the results.

The good news is that in exactly 1 month it will be my year birthday from the transplant, so I will be a one year old again.

Newest PET scan results

So last Friday the 13th I had a routine PET scan. Thursday I went to Dr. Kanard to get the results. At first we had fun talking like every visit that she doesn't tell me bad things. But then we went over the scan. She said that a lymph node that is in the area of the original tumor had a greater SUV intake which means that it used more of the radioactive glucose than last scan. Don't freak out yet though, her next words were that if I had been fighting a cold (which I was since I got it 3 days later) it would show up in the PET scan. Any congestion would show up and cause a false reading. She was about to send me to the surgeon that did the original biopsy a year and a half ago.

We are going to wait a couple of months until all of the bugs are out of our house and no one is sick and then take the PET scan again. Hopefully next time it will be a whole lot cheaper and accurate. In the mean time I will meet with Dr. McSweeney again to review the scan with him.

Another check up

So Thursday I went for a check up with my Oncologist Dr. Kanard. She said I look great for 6 months past transplant. I had blood work done to check my kidneys, heart, liver and check if there are any signs of Lymphoma. So far I haven't gotten any calls which is good news. Next visit I have to have another PET scan, it will be in March, so it looks like every 4 months I will have one until I hit 5 years post transplant.
Last night, since I stopped taking anti-viral meds about a week ago, I got some stomach bug and threw up twice. It was Denver all over again.


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