Our Beach Trip

I feel like I have been postponing this post because I wanted things to be picture perfect but we all know that is not how life is! So here's my story. Well....the week before we left was filled with sickness. Hallie had pink eye, Laney Grace sounded sick. I had an eye infection and had not been feeling well at all. I decided that I would take a trip to the Dr. just in case. I am glad I did b/c he said that I was on the verge of getting phenomena. Just what I needed to start my vacation, a large dose of medicine!





The trip and the beach were truly amazing. That is my little piece of paradise each year that leaves me refreshed and grateful! I absolutely love the place that we stay and the owner is generous enough to let us stay for free which is amazing ! I love being at the beach and seeing how beautiful Gods creation is and yet so detailed. Having kids has taken my understanding to a whole new level. In the business of life we forget to throw our hands up and praise him or we think we are just beyond that.

Well...I am not. I may not run on the beach and laugh like my little girls do, but inside my heart overflows. I am blessed. I am loved...by the very creator who made me and knows me full well. I think I have been waiting on my one year mark to look back and say, whew that was tough but we made it. God is showing me that He is much bigger than that. Its not about me...He wants all the glory for my healing and He holds my life in His hands. I may not feel great everyday or even feel like praising Him everyday, but I should and I trust that He holds my future and YOURS in His hands. I am left here on my knees and urge you to do the same. Please pray that God will heal my body but before u do that make sure to thank Him for all the blessings we have already taken for granted. May God bless you beyond what you can even imagine....


We went to church at the beach




Ate lots of ice cream at the sugar shack



Watched and cheered for Nick during his triathlon...which he placed 4th in the age group by the way!




and played in the ocean and the pool! It was a great vacation!

Reflective

Okay, I know most people know all about this blogging world, but I am still learning!! So, I changed the look of my blog, to this! I love shabby chic and the white frame is my favorite of all. Pretend that it's a mirror because I have no idea how to make a picture appear in there.

So my *reflective* thoughts for today are it's almost been ONE YEAR! This weekend marks the "anniversary" of my "first" ER visit. Here's a recap, I was talking to Laney Grace one morning and started to feel really dizzy, my words became slurred, my vision was blurry and I lost feeling in my right arm. I had a ongoing headache that had not gone away for 3 weeks and was in a lot of pain. So, I went to the ER and waited for them to do a cat scan, lots of blood work and tests. I found out that I had been through what they call a complex or classic migraine.

Oh no, I thought, we were supposed to go on vacation to the beach today, my favorite trip of the year. That really was my first thought, then I thought about how crazy all of this was for a person who rarely had headaches let alone migraines. Then I started to worry, what did this all mean, what caused it, is there something seriously wrong?

After a migraine "cocktail" at the hospital and several prayers later, I returned home. My outlook was starting to change, but I would have never imagined all that this one year had in store. God only allowed me to see directly in front of me. Which happened to be a nice relaxing trip...to Rosemary Beach. I had no idea if or when I would have my next episode, all I could do was trust and put one foot of faith in front of the other.

***side note*** We are leaving tomorrow to go on the same vacation trip to Rosemary Beach. Nick has his race, then we stay for a few more days and enjoy each other and the beach!

life is sweet

This weekend Laney Grace had her 4th birthday! It was so much fun seeing family and friends! We had a great time and yes, the backyard did get picked up in time!

Here's the table with the cupcakes and decorations


Laney Grace was Princess Frostine

and Hallie was Princess Lolly



We tried to get a picture of all the kids at the party...but that doesn't always work!!


We had several different stations set up like the Candyland game. This one was Grandma Nut's Cottage it has peanut shells on the floor and the kids loved it.



The ones inside were Jib's bakery where they decorated gingerbread cookies and Mr. Mint's sweet shop which was filled with lots of yummy treats!




One of Laney Grace's big birthday presents was a jumpy castle which we labeled King Candy's Castle. You can tell we are big fans of Candy Land!

Mud pit

First of all let me start by saying that my husband is the most dedicated, hardest working person that I know. Once he gets his mind set on something, there is nothing that can stop him!!

Laney Grace is turning 4 this weekend, she has been "planning" her bday ALL year. For the past 3 years, Nick has taken on a big...HUGE project right before her bday. The first year a fence, then a double deck, and this year....our hill. He started this massive project Saturday, I woke up to find this huge machine in the backyard and dirt all around. As the weekend progressed the dirt turned to mud and continued to take over the backyard. I could not help but think about how this related to my life right now and the promise that God has given me.

"I waited patiently for the LORD; And He heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD."

You never know when you will wake up and your life will change drastically. Your house might burn to the ground, you might lose your job, you might get in a wreck or you might lose someone you love. In Job 7:7 Job says "O God, remember that my life is but a breath.." I plan to read that book of the bible today. It's an amazing story about how Job chose to praise God in the midst of his extreme and excruciating circumstances.


As I was waiting to hear the results Friday, several things went through my mind. "What if it's back? That one word...Cancer, will it always be something that I fear or will I choose to embrace God's sovereignty?"

I am clinging to God's word and trusting that He will set my feet on a rock and my eyes on Him. I can already think of the song that he has given me. Here are the words so far (this is the song "I'm still yours" by Kutless.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVyAMvx4PdQ

If You washed away my vanity
If You took away my words
If all my world was swept away
Would You be enough for me?
Would my beating heart still sing?

If I lost it all
Would my hands stay lifted
To the God who gives and takes away

If You take it all
This life You've given
Still my heart will sing to You

When my life is not what I expected
The plans I made have failed
When there's nothing left to steal me away
Will You be enough for me?
Will my broken heart still sing?

If I lost it all
Would my hands stay lifted
To the God who gives
And takes away

If You take it all
This life You've given
Still my heart
Will sing to You

Even if You take it all away
You’ll never let me go
Take it all away
But I still know

That I'm Yours
I'm still Yours

Oh, I'm Yours
I'm still Yours
I'm still Yours

Results of the scan

Thanks for all of yall that have been praying for me and checking in on me!!
My friend Kristin came up last night and woke up early this morning to go with me to my Drs. appointment. She's such a sweet, dedicated friend!!
Today I had my full body scan. I got the results soon after. The Dr. said that it was clear!! I am so relieved and thankful! The blood work came back a little high, they wanted it to be between 0-2 and it was a 2.9. There is a team of Drs.(endocronologist, ENT, nuclear med. and oncology) that will meet next week to discuss the next step. I may have to repeat the diet, thyrogen injections, and all the bloodwork again in three months. I am praying that is not the case. I
will go back to Emory Thurs. and should know more then.
I'm going to go EAT now, I forgot how good food is! It has so much flavor again!!

Emory

Spent another looong day at Emory. I fasted this morning b/c I wasn't sure if I was supposed to eat before the radioactive iodine dose. I've had two injections that basically make me hypothyroid.

I went to get my blood work and had to wait an hour. After that, I ran over to nuclear medicine and filled out paperwork. They were waiting on the results of my blood work including a pregnancy test. They are not allowed to administer my treatment until they get the results of that. So after waiting about an hour wondering why it was taking so long, I was told that the labs systems were down. I decided to go over to the other building to find out myself. After talking to several people we discovered someone had dropped the ball and not sent it over. I walked back across the building to the hospital, passing snack machines and looking away b/c I knew I couldn't eat yet. I returned to nuclear medicine and waited for another hour until the Dr. called me back.

While in the waiting room, I met a lady who was having her second treatment. She has had cancer for a year and a half and they found more after her yearly whole body scan. It was sobering talking to her and realize that I am just days away from hearing results.

The whole time I was on pins and needles thinking something was wrong with the results from the pregnancy test. When I found out the results were negative, a man walked in carrying a metal canister, and everyone backed out of the room. I knew this was my cue to swallow the pill quickly and leave! This time the dose was I 131, its purpose is to attack any cancer cells. My body has been deprived of iodine and the pill supplies dose of radioactive iodine. If there is cancer, the cells will absorb it and the scan will show areas where the uptake is.

I asked them to measure how radioactive I was. They came in with a red and yellow "gun" pointed it at me and told me that it was a 1.5. That is how much radiation I was putting out. They consider a 7 to be "dangerous." It is a really strange feeling to know that I have radiation inside me...crazy.

They told me not to eat for another two hours,which made me so sad. At that point I felt a migraine coming on so I found a spot to stop for a few hours just to rest and relax and take in all that had happened today.

Whew....ready to start a new day tomorrow!
No Drs. appointments until Friday!

I'm still yours

I'm updating this blog with Hallie in my lap, so it may be short! I've been constantly listening to this new song and wanted to put it the lyrics on here. I've also been listening to the book Crazy Love (on CD). They have reminded me of how incredible and powerful God is. He knows us and sees what our future holds, yet we question his choices or doubt his sovereignty. I've spent the last few days at Emory getting ready to have my scan this Friday. So far, I've had bloodwork and my two injections. I've been on a diet for 2 weeks, it's really been so much easier this time around. My mom made some delicious bread and my friends from High School suprised me with an array of delicious foods that they made for me themselves!! I was very impressed and grateful that they took the time to do that for me. I am so blessed!

Tomorrow I will get my dose of radioactive iodine. Friday is the whole body scan.