For about 10 years Lauren has been playing soccer. Even from those 3 and 4 year old days she took it pretty seriously. She was never the flower picking, cart wheel turning player. She was aggressive (sometimes a bit too much), fast and loved it.
To say the least we have spent a lot of time, a lot of time, a lot of time watching her play, taking her to practice, going to tournaments, etc. She has sacrificed a lot to improve each year. She's missed lots of hanging out with friends, waterskiing and fun stuff for soccer. This summer she has played or conditioned sometimes 6 hours in a day. She got up for a month and did a conditioning class from 7:30am - 9:00am every morning -- had practice, technical training -- and spent at least 1/2 hour a day kicking the ball against the house. I've always said if it keeps her healthy, out of trouble and she is enjoying it then it is worth it.
Well today she got a big reward for her hard work -- she made the Bountiful High Soccer Team!!!!!!
So excited for her. There seems to be a great group of older girls she will be playing with, super nice other freshman that made it, and a good coach. They start practices tomorrow morning, have a dinner, ropes course and zumba fun planned and then their first game. It is so fun to see these girls, a couple of which she has played with on and off since she was 4, all make the team and be so excited together.
So excited for me. No driving her all over for the next 3 months. No club soccer for 3 months. They practice at MJH so she switched her schedule and has PE 7th period so she'll just head out the door and through the parking lot to practice every day. I know exactly when the games are scheduled. The ride the bus to every game so I get to show up just before the game and cheer them on.
So go Lolo, go Braves and her is to a great summer/fall of soccer!!!
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Monday, July 23, 2012
Sea World & Chemo ... A Good Day all Around
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Me... had chemo today! Barely... platelets were low (where they were before) but my White Blood was higher and infection fighting cells were higher too so she did it. I have to be careful of bruising and bleeding -- I got a big bruise just helping Lorie move something. Lorie and Katie and Trevor (my handsome just returned from Argentina Mission nephew) were my escorts. Feeling pretty good tonight but a little lightheaded. Ran into my cute friend Rose today -- she has a shirt for me in honor of my last time. Hoping to take her to lunch sometime.
Felt good tonight -- even played some water baseball at Lorie's new house tonight... walking around the bases of course.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
San Diego -- So Jealous... But so Glad!
Although it will be a whirlwind trip -- arrive at 11:00 pm, 2 games on Saturday, church and San Diego temple and site seeing on Sunday, hopefully finals on Monday and Sea World on Tuesday (thanks Ray and Cathy) and then another 11 hours home -- so far they are all glad they are there.
They went to the beach for a bit before Lauren's first game and have ended up back there before the next game.
Wishing I were with them -- but alas -- chemo calls my name on Monday morning!!!
Friday, July 20, 2012
4th of July -- Camping with Cottles
Cameron and Lauren went camping with the Cottles and had a great time. Kenzi didn't go ... a little outdoor potty phobia ... and didn't realize there were bathrooms.
Lauren, Kenzi and Dave volunteered at Stadium of Fire and went to the show on the 4th -- while Lorie, Kerri, Cam and I just watched from the outside.
Chicks Cafe after a cabin sleepover -- good (and fattening) way to end the celebration!
Friday, July 13, 2012
Amazing Grace and Amazing People in My Life
I know I have said this before, but one of the biggest blessings I have received in my life is being surrounded by so many good people during the past 5 months. A friend told me a few months ago she always hoped she could be at her own funeral so she can hear how much she really was loved -- I don't have to hope for that -- I have been blessed to see all of the good and wonderful people in my life right now. It would take me days to write about all of love and big and little acts of service I have received.
I do have to share a couple of experiences I've had in the last few weeks.
After being chemo rejected two weeks in a row, I was pretty darn devastated and feeling about as low emotionally as I had been since I February. This didn't last for long though. I had so many people let me know they were fasting and praying for me and I can't begin to explain how much this lifted me. My heavy heart and negative thoughts were pushed aside as I realized how many prayers were being offered in my behalf.
I had to chance to be a part of two of fasts with people I love and admire. Two times that week I had a chance be part of a group fast and kneel down with people I love and hear them pray for me and my Drs. and my kids. I got to watch my kids follow the example of family and friends and fast for 24 hours for me (which was tough for Cameron who kept saying all afternoon that in 5 more minutes he was going to break his fast and someone managed to make it the whole time.)
Do you know how humbling and amazing it is to feel the spirit at the end of a fast and be the recipient of the love and prayers and blessings?
I also received a treasured gift at the end of one of these fasts. My entire family -- spearheaded by the brains of Mandy and talents of Jacque -- gave me a quilt that they had been working on for months. (I can't even begin to imagine how much time Jacque spent on this and the thought and creativity that went into the squares.) After we ended the fast they gave me an incredible quilt that included a square from everyone in my family. We sat there for probably a half an hour and looked at each square and laughed and cried about the pictures, the thoughts and the stories behind each of the squares.
It is overwhelming and an amazing blessing to have good, kind, wonderful loving family and friends and neighbors and even acquaintances who are getting me through this through fasting, praying, phone calls, txts, emails, cards, food, service, visits, smiles, taking care of my kids, encouragement and love!
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Happy Chemo ... or at least not negative chemo
When I was at chemo and my shots last Monday and Tuesday, I noticed kind of a strange thing. As depressing and awful as chemo is -- there is something positive about being there and watching people doing their best to overcome an awful thing and seeing people reach out to another person who is probably worse off than they are.
Don't get me wrong, it is not a happy and cheerful place, and it can be rather depressing. The office I go to is an older office and isn't the most beautifully decorated, comfortable office. But there is something about watching everyone there.
I've seen people get sick and cry and need oxygen and have Drs. and nurses rush to them, but I've never heard patients whine or complain or be nasty to other people. As you walk up and down the aisle with your drugs attached to you and you are headed to the bathroom everyone smiles and gives you the "you can do it" look. In the waiting rooms it is very common to swap cancer and surgery stories, encourage a new person about how losing your hair isn't too bad, and clap and wipe back tears when someone is leaving for the last time and gets to ring the bell.
I think part of it is that you can't feel sorry for yourself at chemo. There is always someone worse off than you are. When I go to church or to an event with the kids or to the store, I can look around and wish that I was living a "normal" life right now. But at chemo I just count my blessings and realize we all have tough things to face.
I've watched a dad do his chemo with 2 little girls sitting on his lap and read books to him and his wife have to wheel him out in a wheel chair when he was done. Last week there was a cute girl probably 17 with a mom younger than me. She had a feeding tube and looked so sick and frail. One of my chemo breast cancer friends has a husband with Alzheimer's and he doesn't even know her anymore. She can never be the patient at home like I am because she has to take care of him. My cute 75 year old Ovarian cancer friend I met last week lives alone -- her kids live out of state -- she was ringing the bell by herself after her last chemo because her brothers wife had died and he was getting ready for the viewing. I met a sweet family whose mom (probably 55) was starting her first chemo. The husband, sister and one daughter were all with her. They wanted to talk about losing hair, finding cute hats and what was in store for them. The sister was planning to shave her head when her sister lost her hair.
When I took Kenzi with me to get my shot on Tuesday she was like a star. My Drs. and nurses and chemo friends I ran into loved seeing her, told her how beautiful she was and were so sweet.
I love seeing the human spirit doing its best to reach out to others and try to stay positive and fight. I love that everyone there is just cheering on everyone else -- no competitions, no keeping up with the Jones, now comparing one another. Just positive thoughts and hopes for other people who are in there facing the same "garbage" you are.
Don't get me wrong, it is not a happy and cheerful place, and it can be rather depressing. The office I go to is an older office and isn't the most beautifully decorated, comfortable office. But there is something about watching everyone there.
I've seen people get sick and cry and need oxygen and have Drs. and nurses rush to them, but I've never heard patients whine or complain or be nasty to other people. As you walk up and down the aisle with your drugs attached to you and you are headed to the bathroom everyone smiles and gives you the "you can do it" look. In the waiting rooms it is very common to swap cancer and surgery stories, encourage a new person about how losing your hair isn't too bad, and clap and wipe back tears when someone is leaving for the last time and gets to ring the bell.
I think part of it is that you can't feel sorry for yourself at chemo. There is always someone worse off than you are. When I go to church or to an event with the kids or to the store, I can look around and wish that I was living a "normal" life right now. But at chemo I just count my blessings and realize we all have tough things to face.
I've watched a dad do his chemo with 2 little girls sitting on his lap and read books to him and his wife have to wheel him out in a wheel chair when he was done. Last week there was a cute girl probably 17 with a mom younger than me. She had a feeding tube and looked so sick and frail. One of my chemo breast cancer friends has a husband with Alzheimer's and he doesn't even know her anymore. She can never be the patient at home like I am because she has to take care of him. My cute 75 year old Ovarian cancer friend I met last week lives alone -- her kids live out of state -- she was ringing the bell by herself after her last chemo because her brothers wife had died and he was getting ready for the viewing. I met a sweet family whose mom (probably 55) was starting her first chemo. The husband, sister and one daughter were all with her. They wanted to talk about losing hair, finding cute hats and what was in store for them. The sister was planning to shave her head when her sister lost her hair.
When I took Kenzi with me to get my shot on Tuesday she was like a star. My Drs. and nurses and chemo friends I ran into loved seeing her, told her how beautiful she was and were so sweet.
I love seeing the human spirit doing its best to reach out to others and try to stay positive and fight. I love that everyone there is just cheering on everyone else -- no competitions, no keeping up with the Jones, now comparing one another. Just positive thoughts and hopes for other people who are in there facing the same "garbage" you are.
I've Come a Long Way Baby... And No More Nurses and Holes!
Chemo Round #4 has not been too bad -- I've been a bit nauseated (but only have had to take pills a couple of times) and had a few days of some pretty intense aching (mostly bum and hips... go figure). I've also had really stiff and tight muscles, particularly during the night on my thighs -- which is why I am blogging at 4am.
Dave and I were chatting earlier about how even with chemo, I'm so much healthier (on the outside, just praying the same for the inside) than I was for the first 3 months. My sister-in-law commented that for February, March and April I just kind of existed. I didn't realize it at the time, but as I look back at how I felt, what I was able to do and what I even remember she is definitely right.
* No more holes!!! I haven't had a nurse come to our house for 2 weeks now. I loved the nurses, but it is so great to shower when I want, get up when I want, come and go when I want and not have holes in my stomach!! (I now have one of the world's ugliest stomachs, but oh well... bikini modeling was in the cards for me anyway.)
* I can watch movies. Until about May I felt so icky the thought of concentrating on a movie, on the couch, with the family was too much. I remember watching a movie with the kids in April and being so miserable just wanting it to be over. We watched 17 Miracles for FHE tonight and I sat and relaxed and ate popcorn and didn't have to force myself to watch it.
* I can play games someplace besides my bed. I love to play games and Cam has been an anxious opponent since my surgery. He used to bring a game to my bed and I would try to find a position comfortable enough to partially sit up long enough to play with him. It was really that last thing I wanted to do, but I wanted to be a normal mom and have some interaction with him. Now we play inside, outside and I'm the one begging him to play with me.
* Food sounds good, tastes good and I no longer have to drink high calorie ensure to make sure I'm getting enough calories and vitamins.
* I can sleep on my stomach. I can kneel down for family prayer. I can sit at dinner with the family and not have to go lie down after 5 minutes.
* I can do a sit up and get out of bed without an effort. Losing my stomach muscles after surgery and having the holes completely wiped out my stomach muscles. I actually layed flat on the floor tonight and did a few sit ups. Seriously never thought I'd do stomach things without major effort again.
* Drive the speed limit, wear a seatbelt and not cringe over every bump. Again looking back it seems so strange, but it was such an effort to even be a passenger in the car. Every bump hurt my infection and when I was actually the driver it took so much concentration and effort that I would find myself driving way under the speed limit and being as cautious as a 90 year old grandma!
* Stand up straight and not hold my rib cage. I seriously worried I would be a hunched woman forever. My muscles were tight and it hurt to stand straight. My Dr. and Dave kept telling me I had to start standing straight and stretching my muscles, but that dang port just wouldn't let me. I looked at a picture of me the other day and realized how hunched I really was.
* I can make it through the day being up more than down. I still have to rest and have a nap or two every day, and I definitely do not have the energy or drive to be doing and moving like I once had, but most of my day is not spent in bed.
I am continually amazed at the human body and its ability to heal and fight. There were so many times I was so frustrated that I have lived the word of wisdom and taken care of my body my whole life, and yet I felt like I was falling apart. As I look back I can see that even with set backs, slowly but surely my body is regaining its strength and despite the cancer, the chemo, the infections, my body is relatively strong. Even with low white blood count and lack of sleep for 5 months I've yet to get sick with a cold, flu or fever ... knock on wood.
I can't wait to look back in several more months and be amazed at how much progress I've made again!
Dave and I were chatting earlier about how even with chemo, I'm so much healthier (on the outside, just praying the same for the inside) than I was for the first 3 months. My sister-in-law commented that for February, March and April I just kind of existed. I didn't realize it at the time, but as I look back at how I felt, what I was able to do and what I even remember she is definitely right.
* No more holes!!! I haven't had a nurse come to our house for 2 weeks now. I loved the nurses, but it is so great to shower when I want, get up when I want, come and go when I want and not have holes in my stomach!! (I now have one of the world's ugliest stomachs, but oh well... bikini modeling was in the cards for me anyway.)
* I can watch movies. Until about May I felt so icky the thought of concentrating on a movie, on the couch, with the family was too much. I remember watching a movie with the kids in April and being so miserable just wanting it to be over. We watched 17 Miracles for FHE tonight and I sat and relaxed and ate popcorn and didn't have to force myself to watch it.
* I can play games someplace besides my bed. I love to play games and Cam has been an anxious opponent since my surgery. He used to bring a game to my bed and I would try to find a position comfortable enough to partially sit up long enough to play with him. It was really that last thing I wanted to do, but I wanted to be a normal mom and have some interaction with him. Now we play inside, outside and I'm the one begging him to play with me.
* Food sounds good, tastes good and I no longer have to drink high calorie ensure to make sure I'm getting enough calories and vitamins.
* I can sleep on my stomach. I can kneel down for family prayer. I can sit at dinner with the family and not have to go lie down after 5 minutes.
* I can do a sit up and get out of bed without an effort. Losing my stomach muscles after surgery and having the holes completely wiped out my stomach muscles. I actually layed flat on the floor tonight and did a few sit ups. Seriously never thought I'd do stomach things without major effort again.
* Drive the speed limit, wear a seatbelt and not cringe over every bump. Again looking back it seems so strange, but it was such an effort to even be a passenger in the car. Every bump hurt my infection and when I was actually the driver it took so much concentration and effort that I would find myself driving way under the speed limit and being as cautious as a 90 year old grandma!
* Stand up straight and not hold my rib cage. I seriously worried I would be a hunched woman forever. My muscles were tight and it hurt to stand straight. My Dr. and Dave kept telling me I had to start standing straight and stretching my muscles, but that dang port just wouldn't let me. I looked at a picture of me the other day and realized how hunched I really was.
* I can make it through the day being up more than down. I still have to rest and have a nap or two every day, and I definitely do not have the energy or drive to be doing and moving like I once had, but most of my day is not spent in bed.
I am continually amazed at the human body and its ability to heal and fight. There were so many times I was so frustrated that I have lived the word of wisdom and taken care of my body my whole life, and yet I felt like I was falling apart. As I look back I can see that even with set backs, slowly but surely my body is regaining its strength and despite the cancer, the chemo, the infections, my body is relatively strong. Even with low white blood count and lack of sleep for 5 months I've yet to get sick with a cold, flu or fever ... knock on wood.
I can't wait to look back in several more months and be amazed at how much progress I've made again!
Monday, July 2, 2012
Happy 4th to me and Happy 4th to You!
Thanks to fasting, prayer, expensive shots and lots of positive thoughts I had chemo #4 today. My numbers were all in good ranges and I'm home and feeling good.
As always, in a strange way it was a nice day. Terri took me and it was a really slow day at the chemo office. We sat by the cute Ovarian cancer lady I met last week who was there for her last day, and my friend Linda who is also an ovarian cancer survivor (1 year ago started chemo) brought us lunch and hung out with Terri and me.
Here's to a great 4th chemo to me and a Happy 4th of July to everyone!
As always, in a strange way it was a nice day. Terri took me and it was a really slow day at the chemo office. We sat by the cute Ovarian cancer lady I met last week who was there for her last day, and my friend Linda who is also an ovarian cancer survivor (1 year ago started chemo) brought us lunch and hung out with Terri and me.
Here's to a great 4th chemo to me and a Happy 4th of July to everyone!
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