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!)

Merry Christmas!

It's been awhile and I'm sure there are lots of things I could update so we'll see what I remember to add here.

On Thursday, the 17th, Matt, Madelyn and I loaded up the car and headed to Michigan for Christmas. It's a 12 hour trip so we stopped that night at one of my best friends house in Indianapolis. We arrived at 3:30 that afternoon, so much sooner than we thought! Mady did great and was able to have some fun playing with Rebekah's two boys, Luke and Jackson (Jackson is a couple weeks younger than Mady). It was so nice to take a break and get to spend some time together with her since I don't see her very often. It was a rough night for Mady but we made it through and hit the road around 8 that morning to get ot my parents house.

Friday night was the Treece party (for my mom's side of the family) and Saturday was spent getting ready for the Mouw party (dad's family). Sunday we spent the day with Matt's family and Madelyn got more toys than she will ever know what to do with! She had quite the pile! Later that evening, we went to see our former neighbors and spend time with them and their little one (Clayton was born 9/11) We had such a great time with them! I didn't want to leave but it was late and we had some things to do the next day and they had to get to work.

Monday was relaxing and we went to see my cousin Austin's school Christmas program. Tuesday I got to go to Olive Garden with my best friend, Sam! We had a wonderful time with our usual "soup, salad and breadsticks" lunch. Mady even behaved well! Wednesday I went to Panera Bread with Melanie and then we watched "The Blind Side." What a great movie! It was nice to get out and spend some time with her since next year she is going overseas to be a missionary. That evening we had another Christmas party at my uncle's house. Mom and dad were nice enough to take Mady home so Matt and I could go out with a bunch of friends from high school. We had no idea there would be that many people there but it was nice to see all of them since we are all over the place now.

Christmas eve was spent playing cards at Matt's grandparents house and then going to a Christmas eve service at their church. After the service, per our tradition, Matt and I opened our gifts to each other. He got me the game, "Settlersof Catan" which I am addicted to now, thanks to Joel and Katie! Christmas morning we celebrated with my parents and I"m sure they enjoyed watching Mady open her presents, although she enjoyed the paper more than anything else. We had a great time teaching them how to play "settlers" and just relaxing at home.

Saturday afternoon we headed back to Georgia and stopped once again at Rebekah's house. Twice in 10 days was great! We made it back here yesterday around 4:30pm and celebrated Christmas with the family here before Jon had to go back to Memphis today.

That about sums up our trip I suppose. This is my last week as a stay at home mom since I start my new job next Monday. I'm excited but a little sad too that I won't get to spend the days with my baby but I know it's necessary right now. Anyway, I suppose that's all..... Oh, and Happy 1st Birthday to Dylan James!!! Rejoicing and celebrating his special day in the arms of Jesus! (http://www.fromgummybeartosweetbaby.blogspot.com/)

Madelyn opening her presents on Christmas morning.... she liked the paper the best!

Her first time in the snow! I had her all wrapped up and we went to watch Grandpa use the snow blower!

Christmas time

We are in full swing with the Christmas season and I'm loving it! We have our tree up, decorations around the basement and all but 1 Christmas present bought! I'm getting so excited for next week though. We leave Thursday to go to Michigan for Christmas and I can't wait! We leave Thursday morning and plan on staying at my friend Rebekah's house that night. We stayed with her on our way to Georgia with my dad and this time, hopefully, we'll get there a little earlier in the day (we didn't arrive until 11:45 pm when we moved!) and the babies can play and Rebekah and I can catch up a little. Madelyn didn't get to meet Luke last time and we only saw Jackson for a few minutes in the morning before we left. It will be great to see them all again! We'll finish our trip on Friday, the 18th. Hopefully we won't run into too much trouble with snow, since there's a huge storm this week.

I must say, I'm having a great week so far. It all started on Saturday. Matt, Mady and I went to our friends, Joel and Katie's house to visit with another friend we went to high school with. He was interviewing for a residency program here in Atlanta. Anyway, we played the game, Settlers, and I won!!!! Joel and Katie introduced us to the game and I'm addicted. Sunday, we went to church and then back to Joel and Katie's for the day again. We had a blast. Plus, that morning, I won tickets to the Atlanta Ballet's production of "The Nutcracker." We're going next Wednesday before we leave for Michigan. Monday, I wasn't feeling too well but I took Madelyn to the mall to see Santa and she did great! We got some great photos that I'll post later. Our Christmas cards are made and ready to be mailed out this week. Then, to top it off, I got a job today!!!!! I'm going to be working at the Cobb County Health Department with a childrens program. I interviewed last Tuesday and was told I would hear one way or the other by the end of this week. My mother in law goes to church with another RN at the health department and she told my mother in law that they really liked me and I would be getting a phone call either yesturday or today. Well, I got it today!!! They needed another reference and when they got two more, she called me back (about 20-30 minutes after the first phone call) and offered me the job. I am so excited! I dont' start until January 4th, so there aren't any issues about me going home for Christmas and it gives me more time to get ready to leave Madelyn again. She's going to be with "Nonnie," Matt's step mom and I know she'll be well taken care of, but I know I'm still going to miss her. I think that's why God didn't have me get a job until now. He knew I wanted to be home with Madelyn and I have been so blessed to have been home with her everyday since mid-September. Now, I feel like I am able to go to work and not be so anxious to get back to her.

Well, that's about it!