icRKphJXQm-ezth8lntKydifkDg The Loose Screw: April 2009

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Great News!

To follow up on my last post, after a weekend of trying not to worry (I wasn't too successful), I got my test results. Mammogram-the second one did not have the spot! I saw the first one, and the spot was right there, about the size of a dime. The radiologist said it was probably 'compressed tissue' that was flattened out more on the second test. The dexa scan to measure the amount of the osteoporosis-the second one was normal! Nobody(at the hospital) has an explanation for this one, except that maybe I'm borderline and my hip and lower spine (2ND test) didn't show it as my fingers did (1st test). So, after a rush to get me on Estrogen (which I've been on a week) to help build up the bone density, now I'm going off Estrogen and back on the other hormones. My poor body-confusion! I am so glad to get off the Estrogen, it made me sick to my stomach. The doctor wants me to repeat the scan every 2 years since I had the positive one, and take a lot of calcium. Needless to say, we were THRILLED! We knew the mammogram could turn out to be nothing, but the bone scan was pretty much a given that I had it, just measuring the severity. So to have them both turn out fine was wonderful, just what we needed. It was also such a reminder that worrying does not accomplish anything, and I need to put my faith in God. He will take care of me. He did! Sometimes it doesn't work out to be the results we want, but this time His will was the same as ours.

Then, as if that weren't enough good news, my regular test results on my organ function came back all great! My kidneys have spilled protein recently which was a concern, but even that was normal! I was just overwhelmed. I've never received so much good news about this body of mine before!

Thank you everyone who was praying for me! Thank you Lord-you are awesome!

Monday, April 6, 2009

Why?

Last week, I had several doctor appointments, and had my regular organ function tests run and some not-so-regular tests. A few results came back, and they weren't good. The first result was from a bone density exam. This usually isn't run on women my age, but I've learned from experience that my body seems to think it is that of an old woman's. I asked to have the test done, and it came back that I am in the beginning stages of Osteoporosis. I'm only 40! The good news is that it can be reversed, and some medication changes are being made to start trying to do just that. Tomorrow (Tuesday), I am going to have a full body Dexa scan at the hospital to confirm the diagnosis.

The second result was from my first '40 and older' mammogram. A suspicious spot-ugh. This was not my first mammogram-approximately 12 years ago, I had a lump, so I had a mammogram then, followed by an ultrasound. It was determined that I had fibrous tissue, not a tumor or cyst. So, I am hoping this is the case again. Tomorrow I will have another mammogram (and possibly ultrasound) while I am at the hospital for the scan.

The results for my other tests have not come back yet, and I don't know if I want them at the rate we are going. In the past 4 days, I have gone back and forth between questioning 'Why? Why me?' and feeling totally secure in God's plan for me. Really, it's not even 'Why me?' , but more 'Why my family, my husband, my kids, my parents?'. I feel worse for them, I feel tired for them, I feel guilty even for putting them through trial after trial. Each surgery I have had, no matter how much pain I have been in, there is nothing worse than seeing that worried/pained look on my loved one's faces. I HATE putting them through this. I want things to go well, and to get good news. I want to be healed. BUT I try to remember that God has a plan for me and my family, and He is in control. Even when it may not seem like it, He is there for me.

To me, there is something far worse than my health problems, and that is when a child is seriously ill. For the past few weeks, I have been following the blog that goes along with the 'Pray for Stellan' picture on the right side of my blog. This precious little baby boy has a very serious heart problem and needs our prayers. I only understand a tiny fraction of what this family is going through, from spending time at the hospital with Nicholas when he was a baby with breathing problems, or during his seizures when he was younger. I cannot imagine anything worse than worrying that your child's life is in jeopardy. Stellan's mother has shown such incredible faith during this time-she has been an inspiration to me, as I'm sure she has to many others. It seems that whenever I am questioning 'Why?' in my own life, I am reminded of how much worse things could be, and how much stronger in my faith I could be. Please pray for Stellan and his family, and for God's will in my life as well.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Prom!


I can't believe this is my son, that he is 17 years old, a junior in High School, and going to prom! With his girlfriend! Wasn't he JUST a baby that I held in my arms? It certainly seems that way, but time has flown by and here we are, going to prom. I am so proud of Nicholas-he looked very handsome in his tux, but I am also proud of the young man he has become. His girlfriend Victoria looked so pretty in her pink dress with her hair done up, and they coordinated very well, thanks to smart Victoria giving Nick a paint sample strip to take to the tux shop! The tux shop, by the way, is awesome! This is the second time we've used them-I originally parked next to their van in the grocery store parking lot and saw the ad of $39 tuxes, but I figured there must be a catch. No, no catch-they run the shop out of their home in West Jordan, and provide great service. The name is Tip Top Tux, and if anyone needs the phone number just email or call us.

Anyway, the prom was wonderful, according to Nick and Victoria. They ate out with another couple at Chili's, and then both couples went together to the prom, which was at the State Capitol! The capitol building is very pretty at night, up on the hill all lit up, and apparently they have a great ballroom with a light-up dance floor. I'm thrilled that they had such a great time! There are more pictures on both Jeff and my Facebook pages, too.