Sunday, May 13, 2012

We're expecting TWINS!

Long time no write!  I have been extremely busy with my charity Auntie Em's Angels.  I threw my fourth event for Tyce Markussen on April 28th and let me tell you it was a HUGE SUCCESS!  Thanks to the Hogans (Quinn, Jeanne, Alec and Talia) and the Forney's (Andy and Leigh Ann) along with all of Tyce's friends and family we were able to raise over $32,500 for Tyce.  Around $4,000 went to Auntie Em's Angels.  The money that is given to Auntie Em's Angels will go back to Tyce in some way shape or form.  He can submit bills that he needs help paying instead of us writing a check directly to him.  There are so many rules to follow when you want to help someone as a 501 (3)C.

I am taking a little break this month and next because I am having my final surgery tomorrow!  Monday, May 14 at 11 a.m. I am giving birth to TWINS!  Not the typical twins you would think of ...my B+ Cup for my Ta Ta's will FINALLY be here and the second to final surgery will be complete!  I can't wait to get it over.  Thank you to my husband for being there every step of the way and my parents for helping out when they can.  I couldn't pull off this surgery and watch Olivia without them....so THANK YOU!!!  Thank you to Quinn and Jeanne Hogan for dropping off dinner for tomorrow night.  It will come in handy for Steve to put something in the oven for the 3 of us. 

I am typing this out at my parents lake house and spending mother's day with my parents, Steve and Olivia.  It is the perfect day.  My mom is so kind to take Olivia over night so I can get ready for surgery for tomorrow morning.

BTW for those of you who have been emailing and texting how my ultrasound went we are still in limbo and not sure.  But nothing to be concerned about.  The ultrasound revealed that the spot on the left ovary the doctors were concerned about, disappeared and now something is showing up on the right...so I will have another ultrasound in 3 months. 

Ta Ta for now...I will be doped up on pain killers for the next couple of weeks enjoying my new set of TWINS!

Happy Mother's Day to all you mom's out there!

xoxo

Emily

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Update on my mom / Get Healthy!

Hello!  It has been a while since my last post but I have been really busy!  I wanted to give you an update on my mom.  She is in a LOT of pain.  She went in last Monday for her final surgery to have her expanders removed and they replaced them with implants.  Yesterday, she went in to have the drains taken out and it hurt so much she couldn't even talk to me on the phone.  I spoke with her today and she is excited because she can take a shower for the first time since last Monday.  Please pray the pain will go away sooner then later.

I have been super busy with my charity Auntie Em's Angels.  I had my first benefit and raised over $7,000 to help a cancer patient and her family.  My 2nd and 3rd event is in March.  For more information please go to http://www.auntieemsangels.com/.  If you know of a cancer patient who needs help financially please send them my way.

I also am starting a new project.  Letters from Angels is a project idea given to me by my next door neighbor Mia.  Mia had her 5th grade class make "Get Well" cards for me while I was going through treatment and this is where Letters from Angels came from.  Schools are now participating and I have enough cards to take to an oncology department for cancer patients receiving treatment.  They can read the cards while receiving treatment which I know will lift their spirits and put a smile on their face.  Mia's cards brought tears to my eyes because children are so honest and they are like little angels sent to us from above to put a smile on our face when we are struggling.  If you would like your child's class or your class to participate in this project please go to http://auntieemsangels.com/letters-from-angels/ for more information.

I am also starting a Get Healthy portion to my non-profit.  I hope to team up with Visalus to promote their shakes and products to people who want to get healthy.  The shakes are good for almost everyone and  I hope to give them away to cancer patients so they will have something healthy to drink that won't upset their stomach while going through chemotherapy.  100% of all the profits from Visalus will go to Auntie Em's
Angels which will help cancer patients pay off medical bills.  Another goal is to give out the shakes for free to cancer patients so they will have a healthy suppliment during their chemotherapy and radiation treatments.  You may participate by getting healthy and taking Visalus products.  By doing so 100% of the profits will go towards purchasing shakes to give to cancer patients and helping them to pay off medical bills.  It is a win win!  You get healthy and cancer patients have a financial peace of mind while getting a meal replacement that is healthy for them.

If you would like to try the shakes or learn more about Visalus products I am having an open house tomorrow, Thursday (Feb 9) 7-9 p.m. and on Saturday (Feb 11) from 1-3.  Email me at emily.pottebaum@yahoo.com if you would like to come and give your opinion and try their products.  If you like the products you can choose to enter a 90 day challenge where you can win trips and prizes to get healthy.  I figure if cancer patients have to suffer through treatment why can't we suffer through work outs and delicious shakes to get ourselves healthy to prevent cancer.  If you can't make the event but would like more information and would like to try Visalus products them email me at emily.pottebaum@yaho.com.

I started my challenge to put on 10 llbs of muscle in 90 days.  I lost 10 llbs during chemo and I need to get my body healthy.  So I am doing this with the Body by Vi Shakes and the Vi-Pak which are vitamins and minerals.  Here is my before photo at 94 llbs.




I will post my progress and how the products are working for me. If you need to lose weight, maintain your weight or want to eat healthy these products are great to get the right nutrients in your body. For more information please go to http://emilypottebaum.bodybyvi.com/.

Monday, January 23, 2012

My Mom's Final Surgery is Scheduled / More Updates

It has been over a month since my last post.  I have been extremely busy and haven't found time to write.  My mom's final surgery is scheduled for January 30th.  She will have the expanders taken out and the implants will go in their place.  The first set of twins will be here before the end of the month! =) 

I have been celebrating since my final treatment.  Steve, Olivia and I celebrated on the 19th of December (my final treatment day) with my parents and our good friends, Travis, Michelle and their son Paxton.  I had so much adrenaline because I was so excited to be done.  We went to dinner at Mi Mi's Cafe and I had my first glass of wine since March.  I only had a few sips as it didn't taste that good to me but I still got to do a toast to ending my cancer treatment journey.


Back: Travis holding Paxton, Michelle, Me, Steve
Front: Olivia, My dad and mom

I spent some time with friends,




My friend Megan with Olivia
We try to go to lunch every other week.

Our friends, Jerid, Lyndsey, Haili and Lexi came over 2 days before Christmas.
We played ate dinner and played games all night...Wii Bowling was a hit!
Here is a picture of Olivia and Haili.


Getting Ready to celebrate Christmas at Papa's shed






My cousin Leah with her Grandma Laura and her daughter Leona.



Aunt Linde with baby Leona 

Surprise!  Mr. and Mrs. Claus paid us a visit!

Reading Christmas Stories


 Chad getting it all on video!

                                                                          Uncle Terry

                                                                Papa with Santa

                                                             Charlie with Santa

                                                All the kids with Mr and Mrs Claus

We spent Christmas Eve with my parents:

                                            Olivia opening a present from Nana and Papa

Papa just finished reading T'was the Night Before Christmas

                                                         Nana and Olivia

Christmas Morning we opened presents from Santa and headed to Remsen to spend Christmas with the Pottebaums!







I had quite a few more photos to post but my computer is so slow it would take me all day to upload.  =)

Steve and I spent New Year's Eve celebrating our 6 year wedding anniversary with very good friends.

I had my first event for the charity I started Auntie Em's Angels.  (http://www.auntieemsangels.com/) We raised over $6,000 from our first event and helped Brea Nelson and her family to help pay her medical bills.  Thank you to Brea who had a hand in catching my cancer before it reached stage 4 and which helped catch my mother's cancer before it spread to her lymph nodes.

I find out in March when I have my final surgery and will have body scans in February to keep a close watch to see if the chemo and radiation helped in fighting my cancer.

I can't thank you all for all your love and support...it has helped me continue to be strong, positive and to pay it forward to help other cancer patients in need.