another update

Here's the latest in news about mom. Today she met with a surgical oncologist and he suggested she goes on the liver transplant list. They didn't do the biopsy so we still don't know if the mark on her liver is cancerous but at this stage, the dr. is going to push her through to have a consultation with either a transplant team from Wayne State University or through University of Michigan transplant team (Go Blue!) If she does this, she will be a high priority for the transplant and go from there. They still may do the biopsy at U of M or Wayne state but it would be in a more controlled environment and a more comfortable situation, where the team in Grand Rapids wasn't comfortable doing that. We're hoping the biopsy will be done soon (whether that means before or after a transplant) so we can know if it was cancerous and if anything has spread. Mom made a good point today when we talked on the phone. If they can do a partial/sectional (whatever they call it when they put half of a liver in from a live donor) then I would get tested to see if I am a match. Since the liver can regenerate, I would be willing to donate part of mine (if I'm a match) so she could get it sooner! It all depends on if the transplant team would be okay with that - her hep. c could ruin a partial liver faster which wouldn't be good either. So we'll just have to wait and see what will happen and where we go from here.

update on mom

Time to share the latest on my mom from her biopsy today. She was scheduled to go in for the biopsy at 8am but her platelets were too low so they did a platelet transfusion with the intent to do the biopsy after that, around noon today. When they brought her down for the procedure, they drew labs again and her platelets were still too low (hers were 34,000 and normal is above 140,000) and they said it was far too dangerous to do the procedure - too high of a risk to bleed out if they hit the liver wrong. So she didn't have the biospy today. A team of doctors are meeting soon, if they haven't already, to determine a plan of action. Hopefully they will figure out a way to bring the platelets up so she can have this soon to determine what it is. Dad said if it turns out to be cancer, then she will be going on the liver transplant list. Whether she has chemo or not also has not been determined, but dad thought they might to contain it, agian IF it's cancer, which we are praying it's not!

Thank you all for the prayers for my mom and dad, and me too. I know God moved us here for a reason but right now I can't see why. I'm missing home so bad right now and wishing I could be there for her but I just have to be here and have peace that God has a plan, even if I don't know what that is. Ok, gotta quit now or the tears are gonna keep on comin'

prayer requests

This has been an eventful week, to say the least. Monday was Martin Luther King Jr. day so I didn't have to work. It was nice being able to spend the day with Madelyn and relax for a bit. Tuesday I had to get to work early but it meant I got out early too. I'm really enjoying my job and after this week, I'm off orientation and on my own! Eeek!!! I have a few clients to see tomorrow with another nurse, but I will be doing everything and the other nurse will just be watching to make sure I cover everything.

Now the reason for the post...... Please, please, please pray for my mom this week. She had some tests done and an ultrasound on her liver showed a lesion/mark. She alreadyas a crappy liver and this mark doesn't make it any better. The doctor scheduled a MRI for tomorrow to determine if it is cancerous. If so, she would need to start treatment right away. Hopefully the results will be read quickly so we can find out where to go from here. Please pray for peace as we all wait for the results and for the doctors to know what to do from here. Hopefully it's nothing too serious, just a result of her Hep. C but it's in God's hands and that's all we can do.

Which kind of brings me to another point. I'm so home sick and wanting to jump on a plane to Michigan right now. I hate being this far away from my family, especially when they are going through things like this. I could also use prayers for this since it's all I'm thinking about right now and my heart is there, not here but I still have to be mom and wife and do my job at the health department. I wish I could reach out and give them a hug but the computer screen doesn't allow that technology so I guess I just have to settle for Skype and countdown the days until I am home again (in March!) I can't wait to get there but there's about 2 months until that happens so I'll just have to be patient.

I guess that's all.... Thanks in advance for the prayers! I know mom and dad appreciate them and I do to!

resolutions

I know it's not right after New Years but it's time for my resolutions to be real and to actually stick to them. This year, my goal is to get healthy and exercise more. Our family watches the Biggest Loser every week and I usually just sit there and do nothing. Not any more. Last week, I went to the store and got a couple of DVD's to work out with. We have a gym membership but with so many things going on and needing to get home after work, I think a DVD will be easier. I got the Biggest Loser Last Chance workout DVD (featuring people from season 8, the first season I watched all the way through) and the Jillian Michaels 30 day shred DVD. I've heard a lot of good things about the 30 Day Shred and so far, I've done 2 days of work outs. I've already noticed it has gotten a little easier from day 1 to day 2 but I am by no means done. I want to look great the next time I go home (which is not too far off!) and I want to look good! So far, so good!

Well, little miss Madelyn is waking up so it's time for lunch (I'm off work today due to MLK day)

New year, new goals

I can't believe it's January 13th already!!!! Madelyn is 6 1/2 months old now and doing great! She went to her 6 month check up on Monday and weighed in at 15 lbs and 10 oz, being 25 1/2 inches long. That puts her at the 50th percentile for both height and weight and she is a healthy little peanut! We are so blessed by her!

I've started my new job and so far so good. I've only been in the office a few days but I feel like I am learning quickly and it seems like I will be able to do the job well. I've done a couple of assessments for the kids with my supervisor and then next week I will be doing more with my supervisor, but then it will be mostly her watching as I do it all. Eeek!!!

Matt's been busy at work, trying to wrap up year end stuff and dealing with issues in the office. He gets frustrated when things don't go right but that's just the perfectionist in him and him trying to get everything done right the first time and on time.

I suppose that's all for now. I will post pictures later (kinda tired and going to spend time with Madelyn before she goes to bed!)