Thank-full Day 18

Posted by jOi-C in friends, movie night, thanksgiving 2011

I’m thankful for a late movie night out with friends (and maybe a family member, who may or may not want to be exposed hahaha). I’ve always made it a point to avoid the opening nights of all movies, opening week really. Somehow I was suckered into going and we had a BLAST! The line outside was crazy but because we were lost and had no clue what to do, we walked in to pick up our tickets and they told us to go straight into the theatre. Chatting and giggling with friends in the theatre for a couple of hours before showtime was a much needed break!


Guess who? ;)

ps. yeah so I’ll admit it…Breaking Dawn was AWESOME! I was a little disappointed they cut it short….ugh now I need to read the book because I’m not sure I want to wait till Part 2 comes out.

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Click here to view the Ormeo’s Thank-full 2011 edition
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Thank-full Day 17

Posted by jOi-C in my cancer journey, thanksgiving 2011, that's me

Today I am so thankful for two things…yes two in one day because I was so excited about it! First thing I’m thankful for is the warm and toasty blanket they give you at the hospital that’s fresh from the warmer…it’s so cozy when you’re waiting forever! and second thing I’m thankful for today…eeeks YAY!…wait for it….I remembered to shave the part of my arm they stick the IV in and load up with tape! You don’t know how thankful and excited that made me (and my hairy arm)!! hahah oh what a difference it makes when it’s time to take the IV out.

Toasty blanket + shaved arm + 4 hr IV infusion = HAPPY JOYCE!

Thank you Lord for the little things =)

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Click here to view the Ormeo’s Thank-full 2011 edition
Click here to view the Ormeo’s Thanksgiving Challenge 2009 edition

Thank-full Day 16

Posted by jOi-C in my cancer journey, thanksgiving 2011, that's me

I’m thankful for a great CT scan. Even if doctors still have to wait till after surgery for a final pathology report, I am grateful that there isn’t anything out of the ordinary that we have to worry about prior to surgery next week.

It’s awesome how God knows just how much we can handle and when we can handle it. Through out the last few weeks, things come to us piece by piece. I know God doesn’t want us to worry and wants us to completely trust Him, but He knows just how much I can handle and that I need little absurd things to freak out without being overwhelmed or crushed.

Really, if you knew the little things that I stress about, you would laugh because I worry about the stuff that doesn’t even matter…like the CT scan smoothie (NASTY NASTY stuff), my arm getting a free wax every time they put medical tape to hold IVs in place…I know, I know, petty worries when I could worry about bigger things.

This week my worry is the daily shots on my stomach that Toots will have to give me for 10-14 days after my surgery.  I REFUSE to administer them to myself! Ya hear that medical community???? K someone needs to tell my doctors and nurses that. ugh!

For someone who HATES needles and shots and blood work, I sure have seen more of it in the last couple of months than most people do in their lifetime!

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Click here to view the Ormeo’s Thank-full 2011 edition
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Thank-full Day 15

Posted by jOi-C in God stuf, my cancer journey, thanksgiving 2011, that's me

I am so thankful that God has provided me with a great oncologist. For the couple of weeks we had to wait for a referral, we always prayed that God would give us a great oncologist (and not just have to settle for one) that would be able to the right procedure quickly. I was secretly praying for the robotic hysterectomy because of all the positive reviews I have read and heard from others, compared to the traditional abdominal hysterectomy.

God knew just the right oncologist to give me. Dr. Buckley is one of the main oncologists/surgeons that perform the da Vinci Hysterectomy at our local hospital. This news clip is of him talking about Gynecologic Awareness month, which was back in September (I didn’t even know they had that!) and the robotic procedure. At my first appointment with him, before I could even ask about the robotic surgery, he started our conversation off with why he didn’t see a reason why he couldn’t do the robotic surgery! What a relief and definitely an answer to prayer!

So we continue to pray that the surgery will proceed as planned on November 22nd and the entire surgery will be successfully completed using the da Vinci robot. It’s still major surgery and any type of surgery is scary, but I have to admit, the machine looks pretty cool! It kind of reminds me of Dr. Octopus from Spiderman 2.

 

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Click here to view the Ormeo’s Thank-full 2011 edition
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Thank-full Day 14

Posted by jOi-C in church, thanksgiving 2011

I am thankful for a wonderful (and crazy) church family. What a blessing it is to serve along side some of the crazy funny, biggest hearts and Godly examples that God has sent my family.

 

I’m especially grateful for the men that God has placed in Ethan’s life. I can’t think of better people outside of our family to help us guide Ethan through the crazy teen hormones.

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Click here to view the Ormeo’s Thank-full 2011 edition
Click here to view the Ormeo’s Thanksgiving Challenge 2009 edition

Breakfast for Champs

Posted by jOi-C in my cancer journey, that's me

Remember how the other day I was in panic mode because of CT scan contrast drink? Well I did manage to down most of both bottles within a decent amount of time (decent enough even though one of the nurses kept telling me to hurry up and chug it down…YUCK!). AND I downed it without it making a reappearance (with lots and lots of prayers with every gulp)!

What was cool though was the nurses that God placed in that morning shift! The first 3 nurses that worked with me all recognized Toots from church and playing in the worship band. It was funny because he was like a local celebrity! hahah j/k But I did have to be on my best behavior and not be a whiner since they go to our church =} It was nice to feel the comfort of familiarity even though I didn’t know or recognize the nurses. Guess it was God’s way of giving me a huge hug the entire day! ;)

The IV nurse was nice enough to let me keep my IV line that they used for the CT scan so that I don’t have to get poked again for the iron infusion appointment that I had right after my CT scan. Now THAT was the LONGEST ‘lunch’ ever…

Somehow I was given the wrong info when they were scheduling my infusions. I was told the infusion would take 2 hrs then I could go. ummm No. Infusions towards the end of the 6-8 weeks of treatment will eventually dwindle down to 2 hrs. However the first dose would take 4-5 hrs. But of course that is based on when the drip actually starts. So we were there from 9am – 4:30pm! But I did get in much needed (involuntary) naps due to the meds they give before they start the iron infusion.

I really did freak out for nothing. CT scan really wasn’t all that bad even with the nasty smoothies. And how does anyone complain about a long infusion when you get to squeeze in naps? I did however, because of all the freak out I did the day before and the morning of my appointments, forget to shave the part in my arm they like to cover with mucho mucho tape. Even the nurse was laughing at me and said I really should do that since I’m having to do this weekly. At least the last tape they used was paper tape, which is way better than the monster hospital tape they used for the actual IV.