Thank you for your ca$h donations!
Scott and Ruth Schneider
Scott and Julie Schwickerath
John and Julianne Spatz
Pam Sloan
Nate and Jody Tate
Brad and Heather Traynor
Kathryn VanDerWerff
Shannon Wallace
Bill and Jayne Westering
Tom and Deanna Wolf
Steve, Olivia and I can't say thank you enough for your generosity and kindness. We are putting all the money raised to suppliment my income until I go back to work and all my medical expenses.
Showing posts with label Tate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tate. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Friday, September 30, 2011
Chemo 13 & 14 / Thank you Party for Pottebaum
Update on my mom
My mom has been doing very well since her surgery on September 7th. She got her drains taken out last week which allowed her to take a shower! She said she was so excited she takes a long one everyday now. =) She still has stitches so she can't raise her arms very high, lift heavy objects or drive. We are hoping the stitches will come out in 2-3 weeks. She had her second fill for her ta ta's this week. When this is all said and done we will have two sets of twins in the family for the new year! My mom and I will both have B cups. I am excited because I will have bigger ta ta's and my mom is excited because she will have smaller ta ta's! It is a win win for both us!
She met with Dr. Thome this week and she will not need chemotherapy or radiation but is having an ultrasound on her ovaries. Because she has a mutation and given her age the chances of getting ovarian cancer are extremely high, 87%! So the next step for my mom is to have her ovaries removed in the next couple of months.
As for me I have 2 more chemo treatments to go! Yay!
Last week's treatment (#13) a friend of mine that I met in college took me to my chemo treatment. Laura Morrow and I enjoyed a couple of spring breaks together in Cancun and Myrtle Beach. We spent a lot of time together in college and still get together to hang out and catch up. Ironically, Laura is an accountant and had some very helpful suggestions on getting my Auntie Em's Angels charity launched.
Thank you for taking me to chemo, your advice and for the Eileen's cookies! They were delicious!
My friend Lyndsey stopped out as well and we all had a brainstorming session for Auntie Em's Angels. We narrowed our focus to just helping cancer patients and different ways Auntie Em's Angels could make an impact in their life. Thank you for your suggestions and input! =)
I met with a long time friend of mine Alex Wolf who is an attorney at Koley Jessen. He pointed me in the right direction to help set up Auntie Em's Angels as a non-profit. I am still brainstorming and hope to have a clear mission statement in the next couple of weeks. I am praying to have a few corporate sponsors as I have narrowed it down to educating the public on proper nutrition and exercise to prevent cancer, for cancer patients going through treatment and staying healthy after treatment. My goal is to have everything planned, non-profit paper work complete, sponsers, fundraising events planned and Angels signed up to host birthday parties by the New Year!
Chemo #14 -- September 29 - Steve my husband took me to my treatment. It was his birthday so we had a mini celebration with all the nurses and cancer patients that were also getting their chemo treatments. My friend Lyndsey asked her mother-in-law to bake a cake and was it was delicious! Cinnamon swirl...YUMMY! Thank you Karen for making it and thank you Lyndsey for delivering, cutting and serving! If you need a baker I will post Karen's information if you need a cake for your next birthday party.
Thank you to my husband Steve who has been there every step of the way. He has been so supportive and has taken such good care of me and Olivia. I could not get through this without him.
I love you more then words can say...
My side effects from chemo are minimal. I am tired more then usual and now the knuckles on my hands are red and cracked. Dr. Thome said this will go away once I stop chemo as it is a common side effect. Thank goodness I only have two more treatments I can't stand to look at them for much longer! I have ONE eye lash on my left eye and no eyelashes on my right eye. I am holding on to the one eyelash as long as I can and hoping my other lashes can catch up to it once I am finished with chemo. My hair is starting to grow back and I am happy to report it is the same dark brown that I had before. I have one more fill for my ta ta's before I start radiation and I LOVE them so far! I officially for the first time in my life have ta ta's you can physically see! Radiation should start around November 1st and treatments are everyday for 5 weeks. Once that is complete I wait a month and have my final surgery in January. This will be to take out the expanders in my chest and have them replaced with implants.
There is a light at the end of the tunnel and I am running towards it! Thank you again to all our family and friends for all your love and support!
More pics from Party for Pottebaum! Thank you for coming out to support us!
Thanks again for all your love and support! xoxo
My mom has been doing very well since her surgery on September 7th. She got her drains taken out last week which allowed her to take a shower! She said she was so excited she takes a long one everyday now. =) She still has stitches so she can't raise her arms very high, lift heavy objects or drive. We are hoping the stitches will come out in 2-3 weeks. She had her second fill for her ta ta's this week. When this is all said and done we will have two sets of twins in the family for the new year! My mom and I will both have B cups. I am excited because I will have bigger ta ta's and my mom is excited because she will have smaller ta ta's! It is a win win for both us!
She met with Dr. Thome this week and she will not need chemotherapy or radiation but is having an ultrasound on her ovaries. Because she has a mutation and given her age the chances of getting ovarian cancer are extremely high, 87%! So the next step for my mom is to have her ovaries removed in the next couple of months.
As for me I have 2 more chemo treatments to go! Yay!
Last week's treatment (#13) a friend of mine that I met in college took me to my chemo treatment. Laura Morrow and I enjoyed a couple of spring breaks together in Cancun and Myrtle Beach. We spent a lot of time together in college and still get together to hang out and catch up. Ironically, Laura is an accountant and had some very helpful suggestions on getting my Auntie Em's Angels charity launched.
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| Me and Laura |
My friend Lyndsey stopped out as well and we all had a brainstorming session for Auntie Em's Angels. We narrowed our focus to just helping cancer patients and different ways Auntie Em's Angels could make an impact in their life. Thank you for your suggestions and input! =)
I met with a long time friend of mine Alex Wolf who is an attorney at Koley Jessen. He pointed me in the right direction to help set up Auntie Em's Angels as a non-profit. I am still brainstorming and hope to have a clear mission statement in the next couple of weeks. I am praying to have a few corporate sponsors as I have narrowed it down to educating the public on proper nutrition and exercise to prevent cancer, for cancer patients going through treatment and staying healthy after treatment. My goal is to have everything planned, non-profit paper work complete, sponsers, fundraising events planned and Angels signed up to host birthday parties by the New Year!
Chemo #14 -- September 29 - Steve my husband took me to my treatment. It was his birthday so we had a mini celebration with all the nurses and cancer patients that were also getting their chemo treatments. My friend Lyndsey asked her mother-in-law to bake a cake and was it was delicious! Cinnamon swirl...YUMMY! Thank you Karen for making it and thank you Lyndsey for delivering, cutting and serving! If you need a baker I will post Karen's information if you need a cake for your next birthday party.
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| The nurses gave Steve this stylish hat and sang happy birthday to him. Thank you to the nurses of Midwest Cancer Center for making his birthday so special. |
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| I think we put a dent in it! |
Thank you to my husband Steve who has been there every step of the way. He has been so supportive and has taken such good care of me and Olivia. I could not get through this without him.
I love you more then words can say...
My side effects from chemo are minimal. I am tired more then usual and now the knuckles on my hands are red and cracked. Dr. Thome said this will go away once I stop chemo as it is a common side effect. Thank goodness I only have two more treatments I can't stand to look at them for much longer! I have ONE eye lash on my left eye and no eyelashes on my right eye. I am holding on to the one eyelash as long as I can and hoping my other lashes can catch up to it once I am finished with chemo. My hair is starting to grow back and I am happy to report it is the same dark brown that I had before. I have one more fill for my ta ta's before I start radiation and I LOVE them so far! I officially for the first time in my life have ta ta's you can physically see! Radiation should start around November 1st and treatments are everyday for 5 weeks. Once that is complete I wait a month and have my final surgery in January. This will be to take out the expanders in my chest and have them replaced with implants.
There is a light at the end of the tunnel and I am running towards it! Thank you again to all our family and friends for all your love and support!
More pics from Party for Pottebaum! Thank you for coming out to support us!
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| Lori Armiger, Laura Morrow and their friend. Lori started a fun event in Linclon called Giving Spirits. Become their friend on Facebook! |
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| Jody and Nate Tate |
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| Shannon Schiltz and Sara Thompson I have known Sara since kindergarten...ironically she is now a kindergarten teacher. She brought her friend Shannon to the event. Thank you! |
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| Sherri Harnisch, Leah Buller, Emily Wilson Leah is my cousin and she went to high school with Sherri and was in the same sorority as Emily. |
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| Sherri Harnish, Leah Buller, Kirstin Ricketts, Tammy Braasch Emily Wilson, Me, Nelly Sagehorn I also met these lovely ladies through my cousin Leah. Congrats to Leah, Kirstin and Nelly! They are all expecting babies this year! |
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| Brent Sagehorn, Chad Buller, Adam Braasch |
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| Pat Ricketts and Chad Buller |
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| Megan Dannelly and Kendra Hayne I went to high school with Kendra and met her friend Megan. I also found out we all live in the same neighborhood! Hopefully we can get together soon! =) |
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| Nicki and Neal McMahon Nicki and I met in high school and she recently moved back to the Omaha area. She owns Big Frog T-Shirts located next to the HyVee on 180th and Q. They were one of the sponsors for the event! Thank you so much! |
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| Erica and Patrick Sullivan Erica and I were on dance team together. She was so kind to drive in from Lincoln for the event! Thank you! =) |
Friday, April 1, 2011
Party #1 - Friday Night
Thank you to everyone who came out on Friday night to celebrate before my surgery and chemo start. All of you I have known for over ten years the rest I have known for 20 years plus! I love you all so much and I am so blessed to have you in my life! After this year I think Nicki's idea of a vacation is a fantastic idea! MEXICO HERE WE COME!!!!
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| From Left to Right: Laura, Sasha, Jody, Nicki, Me, Crystal, Gretchen, Kelly and Emily I have known Crystal, Gretchen, Kelly and Emily since Junior High. All of these ladies were my roomie at one point and time....well minus Gretchen. Gretchen and her husband are expecting a baby in November. CONGRATULATIONS! I can't wait to meet him or her! I met Laura, Sasha, Jody and Nicki in college. Sasha and I were roomies in college and I am proud to say I introduced to her to her husband Matt many moons ago. ;) Sasha and I have been good friends ever since. Nicki, Laura and I went on a spring break or two together and hung out a lot in college. GOOD TIMES! We still get together from time to time. I got to know Jody through all of these ladies as they went to high school together. Jody just had a baby girl (Finley) 12 weeks ago. CONGRATULATIONS! Gretchen and Kelly - Thank you for the adorable PJ's! Jody - Thank you for the Panera gift card - I hope you found your credit card! ;) |
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| Megan and Me I have known Megan since kindergarten...enough said! She has definitely seen me at my best and worst. It was great to see you Megan! I can't wait to meet your brand new puppy!!!! |
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| Me and Heather |
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| Me and Steve |
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| Joe and me I have known Joe since highschool. He and his wife Rachel are expecting their second child in June. CONGRATULATIONS! IT'S A BOY! |
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| Rob, Mike and Steve Rob is Laura's husband and Mike is Nicki's husband...Steve is my husband. |
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| Heather, me and Lindsay I went to high school both of these lovely ladies! Heather and I were rommies in college. Lindsay and I pulled all nighters studying for our college Astronomy class my freshman year. |
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| Matt and Chris I have known both these boys since high school. Ironically I introduced Matt to his wife Sasha who is a very dear friend of mine from college. Chris was in town from Chicago! Chris and his wife Alison usually join me, Gardels and Crystal when we do our annual trip to Chicago for a Cubs game. Thanks for coming! It was great to see you =) |
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Reconnecting with Friends and Family
I have been a little lazy with my blogging but after the whole potty training I needed to get out and get some other things accomplished. I am happy to report Sully has been extremely successful with his potty training during the day and there have been several nights in a row where he is waking up dry in his diaper! Yeah! I am thinking a month or two more and he will be diaper free!
Here is what I have been up to the last couple of weeks:
February 10, 2011
My friend from College Nicki invited me to her house for a 31 Party. There I met all her FUN neighbors and Brea Nelson. Brea was diagnosed with breast cancer and she reminded all of us to give ourselves a breast exam to find any lumps. YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH THIS PARTY CHANGED MY LIFE....
February 11, 2011
Went to LeMars donuts and the Children's Musuem with my cousin Leah and her son Charlie and Olivia.
February 13, 2011
Happy Birthday Dave! Nana came to visit and bought Olivia a new hat from Disney World.
February 14, 2011
Teaching the kids to read...
February 24, 2011
Drinks with the ladies at Kona.
February 25, 2011
Academy awards party at Leah's house.
This year I actually watched most of the nominees. I forgot to bring my camera but there were at least a dozen girls at the party and I had a fabulous time!
March 6, 2011
Steve's parents came to visit. Olivia kept crying every time Marv looked at her. Little stinker!
Here is what I have been up to the last couple of weeks:
February 10, 2011
My friend from College Nicki invited me to her house for a 31 Party. There I met all her FUN neighbors and Brea Nelson. Brea was diagnosed with breast cancer and she reminded all of us to give ourselves a breast exam to find any lumps. YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH THIS PARTY CHANGED MY LIFE....
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| Me and Nicki |
Went to LeMars donuts and the Children's Musuem with my cousin Leah and her son Charlie and Olivia.
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| Olivia & Charlie all Smiles! |
February 13, 2011
Happy Birthday Dave! Nana came to visit and bought Olivia a new hat from Disney World.
February 14, 2011
The kids and I made a rug from my old t-shirts...I think I can give these up now...=)
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| That is one ugly rug! It is now in Addie's bathroom...as long as she likes it I guess it doesn't matter. We had fun making it! |
Angie and Dave had to make a decision where to send the kids to school next year. St. Wenceslaus or St. Patrick's. Soo...we flipped coins.
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| St. Patrick's was tails....so it is St. Pat's next year! |
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| Cullen needs a little work. =) He will get there. |
February 24, 2011
Drinks with the ladies at Kona.
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| Jodi, Nicki, Laura, me and Sasha |
February 25, 2011
Academy awards party at Leah's house.
This year I actually watched most of the nominees. I forgot to bring my camera but there were at least a dozen girls at the party and I had a fabulous time!
March 6, 2011
Steve's parents came to visit. Olivia kept crying every time Marv looked at her. Little stinker!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Potty Training Day 6 - OLIVIA - THROWING IN THE TOWEL
After this morning I am throwing in the towel. Overall Olivia is not ready. She has progressed but I need to leave my house or I am going to go CRAZY!!!! Even if she was 100% trained on the potty chair I still couldn't take her out because she won't go on a big toilet. http://www.3daypottytraining.com/ says do not put pull ups on your child or it will confuse them. I agree but again I need to have a life! I can't stay in my house 24 hours a day 7 days a week constantly watching to see if Olivia needs to pee.
Here is how the last 12 hours played out to help me make my decision.
1:40 AM Olivia got herself out of bed and ran to the potty chair. She didn't make it in time because her underwear was wet but her bed was still dry. =)
8:45 AM Olivia woke up dry and she said she didn't have to go potty.
Just when I was considering putting a pull up on her...
9:00 AM Olivia said she had to go potty. (Underwear was still dry) As I was pulling her pants down she started to pee getting little on her underwear but the rest made it into the chair making it SING!
Geez she is sending me mix signals!
9:10 AM BREAKFAST
10:00 AM I was doing a load of laundry and Olivia told me she pooped her pants. =(
12:00 AM I noticed she was grabbing her underwear which was still dry. I tried to put her on the potty chair but she threw a fit so I reminded her to let me know when she had to potty.
12:13 PM She peed her pants and the floor.
DONE! I put a pull up on her and told her they were big girl pants and she still needs to let me know when she has to go potty. I will try again in a couple of months when she is ready.
Thanks for the advice from everyone! You were right and I was wrong!
Thanks to Steve, Sasha, Melissa, Elizabeth and Jaimee to help me make that final decision. After Olivia's nap we are leaving the house! =)
I spoke with Sasha this morning and she made a very valid point. You can't teach a child something if they are not ready to be taught. (I know Anna and my friend Kelly told me this the other day! I just wanted to give it more time) I can still work on little things. Graduate her to pull ups for a while and when she shows more interest in the potty chair graduate her back to underwear.
Steve also made another good point. Maybe if we stop trying she will want to try on her own.
"I can only speak from my experience with my son....we tried when he turned 2 and it was not working! Then at 2.5 we tried again and it was one day of messes and that was it! We haven't had problems since. It was the easiest thing in the world!"
~Melissa Carpenter
"Parker showed interest a few months before she turned 2 for a couple weeks. Then she wanted nothing to do with it until 6 months later and we had it down in a few days."
~Elizabeth Norris
"I agree with the other 2 girls. I tried with Brady when he was 2 and it was a disaster. Waited until he was almost 3 and it was pretty easy. With Ella, she had really bad diaper rash when she was a little over 2 and I was going to have her just run around with nothing on to get some air to it...she wanted underwear and the rest was history. I would wait and try again in a couple of months. :)"
~Jaimee Tate
Julie thanks for your encouragement but unless you want to stay at my house until Olivia is trained no thank you! I need to get of here! =)
"Keep going! A lot of people believe that you shouldn't start potty training until the child is 3, and by that time they are already set in their ways and the training takes months to accomplish. She is old enough and she will get this if you keep it up.
Again, watch for her signals and draw attention to the fact that she needs to use the potty. Offer repeated reminders and FLOOD her with praises. Give her the opportunity to initiate the potty trips before you rush in and take over. We want to teach her to monitor her own potty cues, as well as teach her to communicate her need to go potty to you so keep it up. She will come through this.
I see that you are giving M&Ms as a reward, which is wonderful. I like to have something that the child can visually associate with their progress so that they can see how well they are doing. If you have the opportunity, setting up a simple progress sticker chart may help motivate her to do better in making it to the potty so that she can put another sticker on her chart.
I am a firm believer in continuing the training until the child has 'got it', unless of course the child is struggling with negative associations and is resisting the training due to fear, anxiety, etc. If she is willing to work with you, keep it up! You can do this and so can she."
-Julie Jensen
Mentoring Support
Here is how the last 12 hours played out to help me make my decision.
1:40 AM Olivia got herself out of bed and ran to the potty chair. She didn't make it in time because her underwear was wet but her bed was still dry. =)
8:45 AM Olivia woke up dry and she said she didn't have to go potty.
Just when I was considering putting a pull up on her...
9:00 AM Olivia said she had to go potty. (Underwear was still dry) As I was pulling her pants down she started to pee getting little on her underwear but the rest made it into the chair making it SING!
Geez she is sending me mix signals!
9:10 AM BREAKFAST
10:00 AM I was doing a load of laundry and Olivia told me she pooped her pants. =(
12:00 AM I noticed she was grabbing her underwear which was still dry. I tried to put her on the potty chair but she threw a fit so I reminded her to let me know when she had to potty.
12:13 PM She peed her pants and the floor.
DONE! I put a pull up on her and told her they were big girl pants and she still needs to let me know when she has to go potty. I will try again in a couple of months when she is ready.
Thanks for the advice from everyone! You were right and I was wrong!
Thanks to Steve, Sasha, Melissa, Elizabeth and Jaimee to help me make that final decision. After Olivia's nap we are leaving the house! =)
I spoke with Sasha this morning and she made a very valid point. You can't teach a child something if they are not ready to be taught. (I know Anna and my friend Kelly told me this the other day! I just wanted to give it more time) I can still work on little things. Graduate her to pull ups for a while and when she shows more interest in the potty chair graduate her back to underwear.
Steve also made another good point. Maybe if we stop trying she will want to try on her own.
"I can only speak from my experience with my son....we tried when he turned 2 and it was not working! Then at 2.5 we tried again and it was one day of messes and that was it! We haven't had problems since. It was the easiest thing in the world!"
~Melissa Carpenter
"Parker showed interest a few months before she turned 2 for a couple weeks. Then she wanted nothing to do with it until 6 months later and we had it down in a few days."
~Elizabeth Norris
"I agree with the other 2 girls. I tried with Brady when he was 2 and it was a disaster. Waited until he was almost 3 and it was pretty easy. With Ella, she had really bad diaper rash when she was a little over 2 and I was going to have her just run around with nothing on to get some air to it...she wanted underwear and the rest was history. I would wait and try again in a couple of months. :)"
~Jaimee Tate
Julie thanks for your encouragement but unless you want to stay at my house until Olivia is trained no thank you! I need to get of here! =)
"Keep going! A lot of people believe that you shouldn't start potty training until the child is 3, and by that time they are already set in their ways and the training takes months to accomplish. She is old enough and she will get this if you keep it up.
Again, watch for her signals and draw attention to the fact that she needs to use the potty. Offer repeated reminders and FLOOD her with praises. Give her the opportunity to initiate the potty trips before you rush in and take over. We want to teach her to monitor her own potty cues, as well as teach her to communicate her need to go potty to you so keep it up. She will come through this.
I see that you are giving M&Ms as a reward, which is wonderful. I like to have something that the child can visually associate with their progress so that they can see how well they are doing. If you have the opportunity, setting up a simple progress sticker chart may help motivate her to do better in making it to the potty so that she can put another sticker on her chart.
I am a firm believer in continuing the training until the child has 'got it', unless of course the child is struggling with negative associations and is resisting the training due to fear, anxiety, etc. If she is willing to work with you, keep it up! You can do this and so can she."
-Julie Jensen
Mentoring Support
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