My 21st Birthday was much worse...Chemotherapy will be a breeze!

Sunday May 15, 2011

Our good friends Michelle and Travis baptized their son Paxton!
Olivia had to get in the photo...she thinks Travis is her boyfriend.

The week before my first chemotherapy session I wanted life to be back to normal as possible.  Avery and Addison have their dance recital on June 4th but had rehearsals this week.  Don't they look so cute?

Addison and Avery with the Auntie Em special
HAIR and MAKE UP!

Olivia wore her Dora ballerina outfit..she thinks she is going
to be in the dance recital ....to bad she will have to wait 2 more years. :)



Here are all the little munchkins!

Thursday May 19, 2011
1:45 p.m.
Midwest Cancer Center

Me and Steve

Steve took me to my first chemo treatment.  We met with my nurse navigator Nicole and Dr. Thome.  Then I was introduced to my nurses Ethel and Darcy.  Loved Them! They explained everything that was going in to my body and what effects it will have on me.

I watched Oprah and ironically it was about a mother who passed away from breast cancer.  She made hundreds of video tapes for her daughter to watch over the course of her life.  Ethel started tearing up and said "This will not be you!"  Duh!  I know that!  =)  Ethel is such a sweetheart.

After my first treatment I stopped off on Lillian street to say hello to some friends.

Nicki and Brea!

Brea - Thank you for my new plant!  It is out on my deck blooming beautifully! =)

I was expecting to relive the day after my 21st birthday after my first chemo treatment.  If you were with me that night I had a fantastic time but when midnight hit, so did my head...directly on to the table.  My friends hauled me off to go back home to recover.  Let's just say the next four days after my 21st birthday SUCKED.  I was hugging the porcelain God (aka toilet)  and could barely lift my head.

I did not experience anything close to my 21st birthday after my first chemotherapy treatment.  A little nausea and fatigue.  I have definitely felt worse....so I will get through my chemo treatments.  Ironically, today is my Birthday and I feel much better then I did on my 21st birthday. The only things that are sitting well with me are yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, Chocolate Ensure, BLT's, frozen fruit sticks and apple juice.

Thank you to:

my husband Steve who took care of me and Olivia all weekend.  Steve has been there with me since the beginning and reminds me daily he will be there with me to the end.  Steve has been doing both our jobs and I have never once heard him complain.  It is extremely hard, but I try to model myself after Steve on a daily basis..he makes me want to be a better person.  I LOVE YOU MORE THEN WORDS CAN SAY! =)

my mother and father for helping out with the kids and my birthday present.  Mom, Thank you will never be enough for all the time you have generously donated to taking care of the kids.  Dad, Thank you for being the designated driver to and from events.  I LOVE YOU!!!

my aunt Patty for another generous cash donation...THANK YOU!

my mother and father-in-law for my birthday gift.

My God mother Linda and her husband Wendell Quist for the Carrabba's gift card.

Bruce and Betty Bode for the fabulous meals!  We all LOVED your spaghetti with meatballs.  It was so good our friend Travis joined us for dinner.

Dancing after dinner!

Kathi and Sabrina Scherzberg for the chicken casserole.  Steve loved it!  I didn't try it...only to save my stomach.  I had to stick to the Sierra Mist you brought.;)  It was nice meeting Sabrina. We need to get the girls together for a play date this summer.

Emily Gardels for the Pink Flamingo...(see below)

 

Ikaika is in Hawaii right now with Emily (Gardels) and her boyfriend Nick.

This is Ikaika the breast cancer flamingo. I found her in the dollar section at Target:) and thought it would be fun to send her around the country to different friends. I thought it would be something fun to do while Emily is going through treatment, so she knows we are all thinking about her! So, if Ikaika comes to you please take her out and do something fun with her. Take pictures, send them to Em or post them and then send Ikaika along to Emily's other friends and family. I chose the name Ikaika because it means Strength in Hawaiian. Love you EM!!!

How Fun!  Thanks Emily!  I can't wait to take Ikaika on a trip with me once I am done with my treatments.

Crystal - for bringing over chemo friendly food.  Love the rice with chicken broth. 

My aunt Patty and aunt Vicky for the lovely flowers

Ruth for the beautiful flowers for my birthday and my favorite cookies!

My aunt Linde and uncle Terry for the Barnes and Noble gift card and the chicken noodle soup. It is in the freezer ready for chemo #2.

Sasha for the adorable picture of me and my God daughter.

My cousin Leah, Chad and Charlie for the beautiful bracelet from the Chocolate Peacock.

Leah and I have celebrated our birthdays together since I was three years old.  Leah's birthday is May 22nd and mine is the 23rd.  Leah had a birthday party this weekend I had to miss.  Next year we will celebrate all night!  I would also like to congratulate Leah, Chad and Charlie as they will be adding to their family in November.  Yay!  Something else for me to look forward to!

LOVE YOU!

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!!!!

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! ;)

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!!!!

Me and Heather

Me and Steve

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!

Rob, Mike and Steve
Rob is Laura's husband and Mike is Nicki's husband...Steve is my husband.

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. 

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 =)

God answered all my prayers by giving me cancer

Since day one of my diagnosis Steve and I have been questioning "Why is this happening to us...to our family?" I have been doing a lot of soul searching.  I am overwhelmed by the positive response I have received from everyone.  I am hearing from friends from every part of my life.  At times I get teary eyed thinking how wonderful you all have been to me with your encouraging words.  So far you are making this a positive experience for me so I thought to myself...why not make my cancer treatment a positive experience?  Why does it have to be so negative?  Tonight, I was telling my mom there was a reason I was given this disease and maybe it is to teach others about breast cancer, maybe with this blog I can help someone through their experience.  I can already tell you I am going to make everyone aware of breast cancer.  It is treatable if you detect it early....so ladies do your self breast exams and tell all your friends and family to do it too! 

THANK YOU Brea Nelson for your speech on Self Breast Exams. (Please say some extra prayers for Brea as she goes through her Chemotherapy) If it wasn't for you I might not be typing this blog on my way to recovery.  It could have been several months later and it could have been a blog where my cancer was untreatable and I was counting down the days.  THANK YOU Nicki (Odermatt) Welte for inviting me to your party.  You are two of my angels here on earth.

It is funny how God works.  He does answer our prayers but it might not be in the way we hoped or expected.

1. For some time I have been trying to figure out what I want to do with the rest of my life.  I have dabbled in a few careers some inspire me and others I can do without.  I know at some point I will go out in to the "real world" again but I want to do something that inspires my soul, helps others and changes my outlook on life.

Having cancer in my body has already changed my outlook and is giving me a completely different purpose to my life. 

2. I have always secretly wanted a boob job.

3. When I had mastitis right after Olivia I did ask Steve to chop off my boobs because it hurt so bad.  (Women get this in their breast when they are breast feeding.  OMG it is painful!)  I did say on several occasions I could care less if I breast fed the next child because I did not want to get mastitis again. 

4.  I do remember saying I hate having to get ready and do my hair, blow drying, straightening and or curling and having a wig would save me some time.

5. I have said "if we won the lottery the one thing I would get is a personal chef".

Food has been showing up at my door step.  THANK YOU to my friend Karen Kirberger who dropped off this yummy chicken casserole with some sweets from Wheatfields tonight.  Check out Wheatfields it is her family business and Karen is one of the sweetest people I know.

Olivia LOVED the shamrock sugar cookies!

6. My biggest fear is being alone.  I know now I am not alone...

THANK YOU to the BODE's, WESTERING's, WOLF's, ALLEN's, FEHRINGER's, HUNTER's, BUTLER's "my extended family".  I have known these people my entire life and they are always there to help you celebrate life's treasured moments and pick you up when you have been kicked down.  John, Katy and their daughter Ellen dropped off such a special gift from everyone.  John said they all wanted to be there to help get me through my Chemo.  They were so generous to get me an iPAD so I could type my blog, make or watch videos to pass the time.  I got a little choked up after you left.  I didn't want you to see me cry.  All of you have touched my soul before this but you have gone way to far this time! =)  YOU ARE THE BEST!

THANK YOU TO MY FRIENDS...near and far.  A special shout out this week.  My friend Lyndsey wears scrubs for her job and on Monday she sent me a text.  A picture of herself in pink scrubs.  A close family relative to Lyndsey lost her battle with breast cancer so please keep Lyndsey's family in your prayers. 

My friend Stacy sent me a picture of the luggage tag I got her for her birthday and said every time she sees the tag she says a prayer for me.  Stacy you always know what to say to put a smile on my face.  I can't wait to hear more stories from your travels. =)

Good thing I have a life long friend and physician assistant down the street.  Thank you to Jen who had to get my IV port out of my arm because the hospital forgot to take it out.  =)

Thank you to Travis and Michelle - Travis you are helping Steve get through this so much easier by just being there for him.  Michelle - Thank you for having your little Paxton the roughest week of my life I love holding him and hanging out with you.

Several friends have offered to start food trains....  Crystal, Julianne, Sarah and Aimee...THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for thinking of me. 

Angie Ross thank you for offering up your wig. 

Brea thank you for offering your support and pillows.  I will contact you this weekend. 

Sasha, thank you for coming over to just hang and I we could talk about life.  It is nice to talk about other things to get my mind off cancer especially business ventures together! =)  Please keep Sasha and her family in your prayers as they lost her aunt to breast cancer recently.

THANK YOU to my cousin LEAH for putting a cleaning crew together for when I begin my treatments and just being you.  Thanks for calling to see how I am doing.

THANK YOU to my FAMILY for all of your support and prayers.  My parents, sister and brother-in-law  Dave are bending over backwards for me and I know how much this will effect your lives.  I will never know how to repay you for your kindness but I THANK GOD everyday he surrounded me with your love and compassion.

THANK YOU to  my nieces and nephews who are like my own children...Avery, Cullen, Addison and Sully.  You always know what to say and do to lift my spirits.  I couldn't be at a better place at this time.  Being around the happiest, silliest people on earth always puts a smile on my face and lifts my spirits.  Thank you for hugging me on Monday, saying "I Love You"  and making me cards.  It made me cry happy tears and thank God again for all the wonderful blessings in my life.  Avery you are an inspiration to me to keep a positive attitude.  I have never once heard you complain when you have your surgeries.  I promised Avery I was going to be strong like her.  (Avery was born with a cleft palate)

Avery is such a great artist!

Addison spent a lot of time on this one. =)

Avery said she wanted to give me flowers.

THANK YOU to my husband Steve and Olivia.  You are the reason I am going to fight so hard to win.  You have given me my drive to stay positive.  I THANK GOD he put you in my life because I could never live without you.

God has answered all my prayers.  I plan to embrace this experience through the good, bad and really bad.  For lent and this entire experience I gave up all negativity.  This is not going to be me lying to you and saying everything is going great.  I will tell you when I am in pain, when I am sick and when I feel good.  I have said this from the beginning, my little niece Taya has been battling her entire life  with a heart defect (she will be 2 on May 1st) and I have NEVER heard her complain... why should I?  THANK YOU Judy for sharing your prayers.  Now I ask my friends and family to say an extra prayer for Taya too. Visit her caringbridge site www.caringbridge.org/visit/tayadelperdang.

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....

Me and Nicki

February 11, 2011

Went to LeMars donuts and the Children's Musuem with my cousin Leah and her son Charlie and Olivia.

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...=)

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.

St. Patrick's was tails....so it is St. Pat's next year!



Teaching the kids to read...

Cullen needs a little work. =)  He will get there.

February 24, 2011

Drinks with the ladies at Kona.

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!