And everything still looks good and is stable! I was a little nervous this time to find out the results of my MRI so hearing that was great. I will see my surgeon again in 6 months but my next MRI won't be for another year- as long as I don't have any symptoms or concerns.
I have to mention that UVRMC has built a new facility for their radiology out-patient services. It's huge. I had never been there before and ended up going into the wrong parking lot trying to find it. When I did find it and went inside I had no clue where I was going or what to do so I had to ask the receptionist for help. They have touch-screen computers to start off the check-in process. You have to type in your name, select your birth month and what you are being seen for. Then you take a buzzer (like what you would get at a restaurant when waiting to be seated) and you have to type in what number is on the buzzer. When the buzzer vibrates you go to the # that comes up on it that corresponds with one of the check-in booths to finish the process. It was pretty high-tech in my opinion! And fast, too, so it obviously works. It was nice to go in and be done quickly withouth having to wait a long time for my MRI.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
3 Year Tumorversary
Today is my 3rd "tumorversary", which means that 3 years ago today was the day my brain tumor was removed. I was able to "celebrate" my day by going to the burial service of Caden Aleksander Schultz who is my nephew. My sister, Tina, carried him for 17 weeks before finding out that he had died at about 14 weeks. He was born on June 18 at 3:40am. He was 5 inches long and weighed 1.6oz. He was very tiny! He didn't survive because he had a lot of fluid in his head. My mom and I were able to be in the hopital with Tina and her husband when she delivered the baby. It was definately an emotional night, and a long, emotional week. Rest in peace little Caden Aleksander, your family loves you!
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Adversity In Our Lives
The other night I realized that I haven't blogged what I did on Sunday. Just to give everyone something to read, I'm going to start from the beginning which is almost 3 weeks ago...
Seminary graduation was on May 24th so the young women's president and I went to support our young women and young men who were graduating. While we were eating refreshments when it was over, the 2nd counselor in our Stake Presidency (who is a cousin of mine) asked me if he could talk to me for a minute. So, not thinking anything bad would come of that (haha), I agreed to let him talk to me. I wasn't nervous until he led me into a room and closed the door so that he could talk to me in private. Yikes. He then said to me, "I have the priveledge of asking you ... (I was really nervous at this point).... to speak at Stake Conference?"
Are you kidding?! Why me?
Then he told me that they wanted me to speak on how God is there for us through trials and adversity in our lives. I have no experience with that, right? ;) Monday morning I saw the 1st Counselor in our Stake Presidency and in trying to get out of this I asked him if maybe they asked the wrong person. He told me that when they talked about it as a Stake Presidency, my name was the first one mentioned and "it made sense". Didn't sound like I was going to get out of it so I started preparing that day.
So, I want to share part of my talk here because as I was researching my topic I found some great things. Here it is:
Elder Wirthlin, in his talk “Come What May and Love it” asks, “How can we love days that are filled with sorrow?” He then tells us, “We can’t—at least not in the moment. But I do believe that the way we react to adversity can be a major factor in how happy and successful we can be in life. If we approach adversities wisely, our hardest times can be times of greatest growth, which in turn can lead toward times of greatest happiness.”
Learning to endure times of disappointment, suffering, and sorrow is part of our on-the-job training. These experiences, while often difficult to bear at the time, are precisely the kinds of experiences that stretch our understanding, build our character, and increase our compassion for others.
Because Jesus Christ suffered greatly, He understands our suffering. He understands our grief. We experience hard things so that we too may have increased compassion and understanding for others.
The Lord compensates the faithful for every loss. That which is taken away from those who love the Lord will be added unto them in His own way. While it may not come at the time we desire, the faithful will know that every tear today will eventually be returned a hundredfold with tears of rejoicing and gratitude.
President Eyring said,"The Lord will rescue His faithful disciples. And the disciple who accepts a trial as an invitation to grow and therefore qualify for eternal life can find peace in the midst of the struggle."
Living the gospel does not mean that we will never have adversity. Instead it means that we will be prepared to face and endure adversity more confidently.
Elder Pino said, “Often we do not know what we can endure until after a trial of our faith. We are also taught by the Lord that we will never be tested beyond that which we can endure.”
Elder Maxwell has told us; “Life is designed to give us experiences that will test our faith, and if we endure them well, having faith in Christ, the blessings and growth we will receive is incredulous!”
**(Doctrine & Covenants 121:7-8:) “My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high."**
I have never had a favorite scripture until reading the above scripture while researching for my talk. I am very grateful for the opportunity that I had to be able to share what I found, along with my own experience with being faced with brain cancer. I really was blessed in SO many ways that I never could complain about the trial my family was dealing with.
For those of you reading this, I hope that instead of asking, "Why me?" when you are faced with adversity, you will accept the trial as an invitation to grow and qualify for eternal life, and gladly say, “Why NOT me?”.
Seminary graduation was on May 24th so the young women's president and I went to support our young women and young men who were graduating. While we were eating refreshments when it was over, the 2nd counselor in our Stake Presidency (who is a cousin of mine) asked me if he could talk to me for a minute. So, not thinking anything bad would come of that (haha), I agreed to let him talk to me. I wasn't nervous until he led me into a room and closed the door so that he could talk to me in private. Yikes. He then said to me, "I have the priveledge of asking you ... (I was really nervous at this point).... to speak at Stake Conference?"
Are you kidding?! Why me?
Then he told me that they wanted me to speak on how God is there for us through trials and adversity in our lives. I have no experience with that, right? ;) Monday morning I saw the 1st Counselor in our Stake Presidency and in trying to get out of this I asked him if maybe they asked the wrong person. He told me that when they talked about it as a Stake Presidency, my name was the first one mentioned and "it made sense". Didn't sound like I was going to get out of it so I started preparing that day.
So, I want to share part of my talk here because as I was researching my topic I found some great things. Here it is:
Elder Wirthlin, in his talk “Come What May and Love it” asks, “How can we love days that are filled with sorrow?” He then tells us, “We can’t—at least not in the moment. But I do believe that the way we react to adversity can be a major factor in how happy and successful we can be in life. If we approach adversities wisely, our hardest times can be times of greatest growth, which in turn can lead toward times of greatest happiness.”
Learning to endure times of disappointment, suffering, and sorrow is part of our on-the-job training. These experiences, while often difficult to bear at the time, are precisely the kinds of experiences that stretch our understanding, build our character, and increase our compassion for others.
Because Jesus Christ suffered greatly, He understands our suffering. He understands our grief. We experience hard things so that we too may have increased compassion and understanding for others.
The Lord compensates the faithful for every loss. That which is taken away from those who love the Lord will be added unto them in His own way. While it may not come at the time we desire, the faithful will know that every tear today will eventually be returned a hundredfold with tears of rejoicing and gratitude.
President Eyring said,"The Lord will rescue His faithful disciples. And the disciple who accepts a trial as an invitation to grow and therefore qualify for eternal life can find peace in the midst of the struggle."
Living the gospel does not mean that we will never have adversity. Instead it means that we will be prepared to face and endure adversity more confidently.
Elder Pino said, “Often we do not know what we can endure until after a trial of our faith. We are also taught by the Lord that we will never be tested beyond that which we can endure.”
Elder Maxwell has told us; “Life is designed to give us experiences that will test our faith, and if we endure them well, having faith in Christ, the blessings and growth we will receive is incredulous!”
**(Doctrine & Covenants 121:7-8:) “My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high."**
I have never had a favorite scripture until reading the above scripture while researching for my talk. I am very grateful for the opportunity that I had to be able to share what I found, along with my own experience with being faced with brain cancer. I really was blessed in SO many ways that I never could complain about the trial my family was dealing with.
For those of you reading this, I hope that instead of asking, "Why me?" when you are faced with adversity, you will accept the trial as an invitation to grow and qualify for eternal life, and gladly say, “Why NOT me?”.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
New Guinness World Record made!
This email just came to my inbox from the online Brain Tumor support group I am part of. Have to post it to my blog because a new world record was made in the name of Brain Tumor awareness! Make sure you click on the link to see a short video of all of the candles that were lit. SO exciting. :) - Jeanie
~~~~~~~~~~
Last night Miles For Hope along with its many supports broke the Guinness world record for the largest candlelight vigil! All in the name of brain tumor awareness.
The OLD record was 1000 and although it was close, at one point I thought we fell just short, we broke it with 1049 candles lit! It was truly an amazing event. Bob and I along with Dr Liau and her family, our very own Drew, and other guests were in the balcony of the suite and overlooked the stadium, it was moving to overlook the sea of candles lit, all in hopes of finding a cure for brain tumors!
We want to thank everyone who attended and supported us to make this event possible! We also wanted to thank Kris for bringing the hidden under our hats display, as always it was moving and well received.
Barb
Join us in our efforts http://www.milesforhope.org/
w/o Bob Mixed Oligoastrocytoma Grade III
dx 5/16/04 Oligo II Right Occipital
MRI 6/13/05 showed growth 70% resection 9/12/05 Dr Liau UCLA
MRI 11/12/07 showed growth, now growing into Temporal & Parital Lobes
Started Temodar 5/23 protocol on 1/11/08 - 4 cycles completed
MRI 5/13/08 Showed 4.3 ccm reduction!
Complete resection 5/15/08
Pathology showed tumor now Mixed Oligoastrocytoma Grade III
Qualified for Brain Tumor Vaccine Trial with Dr Liau at UCLA
Starting trial approx 6/9/08
Doing:
-Kytril for nausea
-Organic Juicing Daily
-White Tea
-Focusing on Super Foods
-Exercise
-Plenty of rest
m/o Christopher dx 5/14/05 Cavernous Hemangeoma Left Cerebellum
Complete resection Dr Frazee UCLA 9/9/05
www.caringbridge.com/visit/bobchris
http://www.mav-inc.com/Vig/V2-Flash.html
"Be kinder than necessary,
for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."
~~~~~~~~~~
Last night Miles For Hope along with its many supports broke the Guinness world record for the largest candlelight vigil! All in the name of brain tumor awareness.
The OLD record was 1000 and although it was close, at one point I thought we fell just short, we broke it with 1049 candles lit! It was truly an amazing event. Bob and I along with Dr Liau and her family, our very own Drew, and other guests were in the balcony of the suite and overlooked the stadium, it was moving to overlook the sea of candles lit, all in hopes of finding a cure for brain tumors!
We want to thank everyone who attended and supported us to make this event possible! We also wanted to thank Kris for bringing the hidden under our hats display, as always it was moving and well received.
Barb
Join us in our efforts http://www.milesforhope.org/
w/o Bob Mixed Oligoastrocytoma Grade III
dx 5/16/04 Oligo II Right Occipital
MRI 6/13/05 showed growth 70% resection 9/12/05 Dr Liau UCLA
MRI 11/12/07 showed growth, now growing into Temporal & Parital Lobes
Started Temodar 5/23 protocol on 1/11/08 - 4 cycles completed
MRI 5/13/08 Showed 4.3 ccm reduction!
Complete resection 5/15/08
Pathology showed tumor now Mixed Oligoastrocytoma Grade III
Qualified for Brain Tumor Vaccine Trial with Dr Liau at UCLA
Starting trial approx 6/9/08
Doing:
-Kytril for nausea
-Organic Juicing Daily
-White Tea
-Focusing on Super Foods
-Exercise
-Plenty of rest
m/o Christopher dx 5/14/05 Cavernous Hemangeoma Left Cerebellum
Complete resection Dr Frazee UCLA 9/9/05
www.caringbridge.com/visit/bobchris
http://www.mav-inc.com/Vig/V2-Flash.html
"Be kinder than necessary,
for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
1 year now
I went in for my 6 months check-up with my surgeon and because he was busy with another patient, I saw the nurse practitioner. I told the NP everything from the last visit I had and about going a year between my MRI's and I got it. YAY! So my next MRI will be this summer. I am VERY grateful for how well I have been doing and that I am able to have that year between my MRI's now. I hope it stays that way until I am extremely old ;). I haven't posted any pics of me for a long time so here's one that is somewhat recent. 
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
