Unexpected Compliments!

I've been getting out of the house a bit more... don't judge!

Believe it or not while I've been out I've received some pretty amazing compliments. My favorite is "you've lost some weight", "You look good, how much weight have you lost?"

Who knew that having cancer and major abdominal surgery would cause me to lose weight. I've wanted to lose some weight for years and now I am finally doing it. Pray this one side effect keeps going for a while. This is one side effect I'll glad keep around. I may never be able to do a sit-up again but at least I'll have a tinier tummy!

Ice House

I've been home a week now and things are beginning to settle in. I'm completely off all high speed high flaootin' tootin' pain meds and solely rely on Motrin. For the most part it does the trick. I've also discovered something else in this transition; all of the wonderful side effects of surgically induced menopause. I had been experiencing hot flashes since my right ovary was removed in April, but suddenly they've hit a new plateau. Allow me to explain...

I have always been a cold person. I was always cold, I carried jackets, keep blankets close to me and was constantly cold. I love a good fire. I didn't sit by the fire, I sat in the fire to keep warm. It was how I rolled.

Not now, my life has forever changed. You see, when I was in the hospital I seriously kept my room at like 65 degrees or less. I lived in the hospital gown and a sheet and loved it. The nurses complained every time they came into my room and my mom pretty much wore winter clothes to spend time with me. When I got to the hotel room, not much changed except I couldn't keep the room quite that cold. I'm home now and we have 3 settings on our A/C: low, medium and high. Guess where I keep them all set? Yep, HIGH! The kids live in sweat pants and blankets, quickly change to shorts or a swim suit before they fly out the door.

In essence we live in an igloo. Does that help my hot flashes? Yes! But only when I stay inside and never leave my house. Remember we live in Okinawa, where the temp is in the 90+ the highest humidity ever imaginable. A huge trigger of the "flash" is extreme temperature changes... that is what my life is here; 24/7 FLASH! We swing from one extreme to another constantly.

Don't worry, I'll fill you in on all the other amazing life altering side effects of me in days to come. I know you're sitting on the edge of your seat waiting for the next update. (I know I am!)

Promise there is more to come!

I promise I'll get back on here in a few days to fill in the gaps, but I wanted to leave you with this lingering thought.


In Hawaii I never had the problem of someone leaving the seat up. Surprise, surprise, surprise... splish splash I was NOT takin' a bath, but I need one now!

I love my boys... I think I've yelled "Please go put the seat down" 200+ times since I've been home. I must retrain them now... uggghhh.


More to come I promise! Hugs to all and thanks for the prayers, keep 'em coming!

WHOOOOO HOOOO! PRAISE GOD!

June 8, 2011 will be forever etched in my heart!

YES, it's TRUE! Shout it from the Mountain Tops! Dr.Whitcomb announced today that my pathology report came clean. NO MORE CANCER! I honestly cannot describe the weight lifted off my heart, my life, my being when I heard those words. I started to tear up and if I could I would have danced. I could have kissed the doctor but I chose not too!

That kiss is reserved for Mark! (Can't wait to see you Sunday!)

So what is next?... Every six months for the next 3 years I travel to see Dr. Whitcomb (in Hawaii... oh darn!) for a re-eval. Every three months in between I have to see Dr. Coats in Okinawa. After the first 3 years I will then see my ob/gyn, Dr. Coats, twice a year. If I am completely clean for 5 years I am FREE! 100% Cancer Free! Oh what a feelin'!

What a wonderful God we serve. Thank you Lord for your blessings and your provision! WOW!

Oh Yeah... I also got my staples out. Now I have super glue and steri strips... I am totally on the road to recovery now. Can't wait to see my kiddos and my amazing husband!

Test Results Come Tomorrow...

Tomorrow I have a followup appointment with my surgeons (surgical team). They will remove the 17+ staples on my belly and hopefully tell me the results from pathology. Am I nervous? Yes. Do I have faith? Yes. Is God in control? Yes. Am I still skerd? .... yes.

I am feeling much better. I am understandably still weak and sore and HOT. Yes, HOT. The flashes have begun and I am dripping with sweat. My mom complains the hotel room is cold, and the nurses at the hospital complained my room was cold. (Maybe Alaska will be a good duty station for me after all?!) I don't think it's cold at all...

As soon as I receive the results from the doctor I'll let everyone know. I cannot leave Hawaii until we have plan of action set in stone for continued care of me and this stupid little hiccup in my life. What they find or don't find at pathology will determine the next weeks, month, and years of my life. So we will wait and see until tomorrow continue to pray!

P.S. This surgery has by far been the most painful of all of my past surgeries, far worse than any pregnancy or delivery. It's not easy, it's not fun and to be completely honest... it sucks. Sorry for the harsh words but it's reality here right now. I am off to take some more pain meds and go to bed.... hotel's are NOT the ideal place to recover just in case you were wondering!

Preparing for Surgery!

That's me with my crazy hair preparing for tomorrow's surgery!

Yep, tomorrow I will begin full time hot-flashes and mood swings. Yes, if you ask Mark he'll tell you I've had mood swings since we met but I beg to differ, I prefer to call them a woman's choice to change her mind! Tomorrow morning I arrive at Tripler and will come back to the Hale Koa on Sunday. I keep telling myself easy peasy lemon squeezy God's in control! Keep me in your prayers but even more so keep my mom in your prayers. She gets to take care of me and all my HOTNESS for the first couple of weeks! AND pray for Mark and the kids I know it's killing them to not be here loving me, taking care of me, and snuggling with me.

I miss them too; it's very hard to go through this without them.

I'll be back online as soon as I can. Mark will keep everyone posted the best he can... he rocks but doesn't post cute little pictures like me! Who knows maybe he'll post a great pictures of the kids... I miss them so much and I need a new picture of them (hint hint hint hint!, let's see if he gets the hint!)