The "C" Word

I've always known that I am kind of a spoiled person. I have so much to be grateful for! I have a wonderful husband and three awesome kids (something I honestly didn't think I would have). I have a great home, two cars, my husband has a stable job that he enjoys and I have been able to stay at home with my children. We have the gospel in our lives and many great family members and friends.



Of course I have the usual daily stresses. But I've never really had any hard trials. That all changed a few weeks ago.



On Wednesday, July 15th - 2009, I woke up enjoying my day. It was summer time and I let myself sleep in. I spent some time with the kids - helping them do summer homework and chores so that we could go to the park later. At 10:30am my life did a back flip, and I landed on my face.



My husband had just come home from a Dr.'s appointment. I was sitting at the table with the kids when I saw his face. It wasn't happy or relaxed - it was tight and holding a lot of emotion in - but I couldn't tell what kind of emotion - sad or mad?



He didn't say anything, just looked at me. So I said, do we need to talk? He nodded yes. I stepped away from the kids and into the TV room feeling both curious and scared. As we stood face to face he told me the Dr. had just told him he had cancer.



CANCER?!!!!!!!!!!



Not what I was expecting to hear. My mouth dropped and I think I even stopped breathing for a moment. We both just looked at each other and started crying. We then hugged and cried some more.



Cancer is a scary word. So many words and different scenarios flooded my mind. I was a wreck, to say the least, for the rest of the morning.



I'll rewind for a moment to recall what lead up to us discovering Chris' cancer.



Chris hadn't been feeling real good for several months now. He was more tired than usual (but we blamed that on track and his church calling). He started loosing weight (but again - he was working so hard - of course he was burning off more calories). He also started having pain in his stomach, chest and back. (I thought for sure he was going to give birth to more kidney stones). And he started breathing weird at night (figured his snoring was just getting worse).



As soon as school was out I made an appointment for him at the Doctors because he still just wasn't feeling good. They gave him an exam, took some blood for lab work and then sent him to get a chest x-ray.



A couple of days later the doctor called back saying that Chris' thyroid was low, that he was anemic, and that his testosterone was low. No problem - there was a pill that he could take for everything and then he should start feeling good again. The chest x-ray was a bit of a puzzle. It came back showing fluid in his lungs - but they didn't know why and had already ruled out pneumonia. They wanted to have Chris go for a CT scan to show them more.



Unfortunately they couldn't schedule the CT scan before our trip to Utah. While in Utah Chris took his medicines but didn't feel any better. In fact he stopped taking the thyroid pill because it was causing his heart to race and couldn't sleep at night. A few more days later he broke out in a rash - probably due to an allergic reaction to one of the new medicines.



We drove home from Utah on Monday - July 13th. After arriving home we checked our phone messages. One message was from the Dr. saying they were ready to schedule a CT for Chris. The next morning Chris called and they arranged for a CT scan that same afternoon.



On Wednesday Chris had a scheduled appointment with the doctor to talk about his medication and his new symptoms. The doctor came in and told Chris that the results from the CT scan were in and that it was bad news. He had cancer. (That is how she said it). She then said that there was a 90% chance that he had lymphoma (cancer of the lymph nodes). They would refer us to an Oncologist and take it from there. And then he came home.



After breaking the news to both of our parents we waited all day for the phone to ring to take the next step. Finally at the end of the business day they had made an appointment for Chris with Dr. Bruce Cutter of Northwest Cancer Care for the following Tuesday (July 21).



Tuesday was a whole week a way and seemed like forever to wait when you had just been told you have a horrible disease. Chris tried getting an earlier appointment with some other doctors but no one could fit him in any sooner.



We were a little discouraged and in major limbo - not knowing much about the cancer and not knowing about what was going to happen to Chris. But during this time we talked to several other people that we knew had been through cancer. The good news is that Chris' doctor came highly recommended.



Tuesday (July 21) finally came - although it seemed like the longest week of my life ever! We were so anxious - hoping for more answers about Chris' cancer diagnosis and what we should be expecting our lives to be like the near future.



We meet with Dr. Cutter - he seemed like a good doctor. He couldn't give us much more information on Chris' diagnosis but was very good about explaining about lymphoma. He told us the next step would be to have a biopsy of one of Chris' lymph nodes so they could determine the exact kind of cancer it was (he explained that cancer comes in many different "flavors.") Once that happened and the lab work was done then we would know exactly how to treat Chris. (Most probably chemotherapy). Chris may also have to have a bone marrow biopsy and other test depending on the results.



Life has become a waiting game now. They told us we needed to schedule the biopsy. As we went to the scheduling desk, all their computers had crashed and they said they would call us when they were fixed and could make us an appointment. We were told surgeries were being scheduled a week to two weeks out.



We were happy to hear back first thing the next morning and that the appointment was just one week out. But disappointed to be told that our appointment was for a surgical consultation - not for the actual surgery. So now we have to meet with the surgeon (this Wednesday - July 29) and then still schedule the surgery.

Despite all this we are doing fine. Honestly! The shock has warn off and we are just ready to get to work in making Chris better. Plus we have learned that if you are going to get cancer then lymphoma is the kind to get. It is very treatable and Dr. Cutter seemed to think positive about Chris' prognosis.

Our Bishop, Bishop Porter, gave Chris a blessing soon after his diagnosis. It was a great blessing. I know that Heavenly Father is watching over us and loves us. I know that it is going to be a rough road for Chris but that we will get through it. I am so thankful for the gospel, for the priesthood and for the level of technology we have in medicine today.

Sometimes You Feel Like a Smuck

Sometimes you feel like a smuck. Especially when the tooth fairy forgets to come again!

My daughter has been wiggling one of her teeth for a whole month now. It finally came out yesterday - right before bed. She was so excited.

This morning as I was getting ready I heard big sobs coming from Halle's room. So I went down to see what was going on. And there she sat with a red face and tears smeared all over holding her baggy with her tooth still in it and no money.

I already feel horrible, but this is not the first time the tooth fairy has forgot to come. I wonder what her excuse was this time?

Subliminal Messages That Make Your Mama Proud

As I was checking in on my kids before I went to bed the other night I caught Sean sleep talking. I stood silently over him trying to make out what he was saying. It was all a bunch of mumbling until the very end when he very clearly said, "In the name of Jesus Christ, amen." I love that he is praying in his sleep!!!!

Today I announced that we would have a picnic and go play at the park. My very excited boy announced that he would like to do those activities at "Beethoven" park (I am sure he meant "Ben Burr" park). I love that he knows composers better than the actual names of the parks.

Easter Weekend

Easter was a busy but really fun weekend. I was so glad for having General Conference the week before to help center my thoughts on Christ and the whole gospel plan. Easter always reminds me of how blessed my family and I are.

Thursday

Thursday was a busy day with a track meet at Ferris and soccer practice for Halle down town. But we still managed to get our eggs painted and all ready for the Easter weekend.

Sean thought this was the funnest thing he had ever done. He actually did a really good job this year!!!! And to top it off he didn't get dye all over the place.

Chad had a carefully worked out plan for each egg.

Halle has to make sure every egg is perfectly painted.

Good Friday

"Good Friday" was really an awesome Friday. It was the night of our second annual "Glenrose Glammies." This great activity is headed up by our ward Activities Committee (way to go Andrea!). We had an evening of wonderfully delicious food and hilarious entertainment.

High Priest Group




Young Men Leaders



Young Women Leaders

Relief Society Rappers

The Bishopbric danced and sang to N'SYNC's Bye, Bye, Bye. They practiced for weeks and weeks! They were totally awesome and definitely the biggest hit of the evening.

Chris does his solo.

The boy band of the Glenrose Ward.

I'm Chris'#1 Fan!!!!!!!!!

He even let a groupie give him a kiss. (And no restraining order either!)

Saturday

The Easter bunny comes to our house on Saturday - so we can have all the fun on Saturday and then focus on Jesus on Sunday.

Saturday was a crazy day though. Halle had her first soccer game ever. In fact she had two soccer games. One at 9:30 and one at 12:15. It was a brutal day. It was cold, wet and rainy.

Once the games were over and we were dry and warm again we enjoyed munching on Easter candy and playing with the cool balls the Easter bunny brought (big huge bouncy balls with swirling glitter inside - they were a huge hit with the kids).

Chris had track and was away all day.

The kids discovering all the goodies the Easter bunny left for them.

Sunday

I love Easter Sunday. It just has a wonderful feeling about it.

The kids all looked wonderful in their new Easter clothes.

I did something new this year. I sang in the choir. Yes, I know some of you reading this just fainted or plugged your ears or both. But I thought I would do something out of my comfort zone and I'll do it until they can't stand to hear me sing any more and I get kicked out of the ward choir. (But they are pretty desperate you know - so I just might be there a while.)

Anyhow, Grandma and Bompa sat with the kids while the choir sat up front. It was so peaceful to be sitting by adults I could feel the spirit so wonderfully.

After church we had a fantastic family Easter dinner and Grandma and Bompa's. It is always fun when family is around.

All dressed up for church.

Caviness Family Announcement

We have some very exciting news. We now have a new addition to our family. Actually two new additions. We are now a family with pets . . . gerbils that is.

I promised my kiddos a long time ago that when they turned 8 they could have a small pet. I was trying to make turning 8 something special and memorable.

Well our oldest turning 8 happened way too fast and before I knew it I had a promise to fulfill. Unfortunately (or fortunately for the parents) said oldest child made a few bad choices that put him on pet probation.

Pet probation finally ended during spring break and we now have one very excited boy.

Chad actually had been dreaming about getting mice (a much better choice after already talking him out of a snake, frog, and tarantula spider). But we ended up with gerbils.

We thought gerbils would be the best choice for a pet. Cute and fuzzy, they had tails like mice but were bigger and easier to catch (or so we thought), and because they are desert animals they don't pee very much. (But they really do poop a lot!)

We were warned that they like to chew plastic. But if gerbils and hamsters like to chew plastic why is it that all their cages and toys are made of plastic?

Chad named his little guys Chedder and Chester. I call them the "chewer-poopers." So far they have chewed a quarter of their steps away and just last night chewed up their exercise wheel. If you put a toilet roll tube in their cage they can shred it to tiny little pieces in less then a minute! And when you pick them up they bite you! (Just ask Chad and Halle and they will dramatically tell you all about their terrible gerbil bites!!!)

But there you have it - got to love them (smell and all).

So now that you have all this information, any one up for gerbil-sitting when we go on vacation?

Halle and Chad watch the gerbils run around in the bath tub.

This one is Chester. He is quite a bit bigger than his brother. He is also the one that had bitten my children. (Naughty, naughty gerbil!)

This one is Chedder. He is small and hyper. See the green plastic steps and the yellow plastic wheel? They don't look like that any more! Those little chewer-poopers!

If they know these animals chew up plastic why do they make things for them out of plastic?

Xanadu

Anyone ever watch the movie, "Xanadu," with Olivia Newton John? I'm not claiming I have actually watched the movie, I just know of it (wink, wink). Halle was invited to a Birthday party at the Valley Roller Rink last weekend. With all those cute girls and the disco music going "Xanadu" was the first thing to pop into my head. (That is what happens when you have a RAM brain like mine - randomly accessed memories with a side order of useless trivia.)

I am certainly not the queen of roller skating but I can get around without looking like a complete idiot (just a mediocre one). I used to go skating all the time when I was younger. It wasn't until Halle received the invitation to go skating that I realized none of my children has ever been roller skating before.

Even though she didn't know how to skate Halle still had fun. Especially when I walked around with her and pulled her along. Now she can't wait to go again. So now the pressure is on to have a family trip to the local roller skating rink.

Taking a break for a bite of Pizza. Halle, Haleigh (b-day girl), Katie, and Leighton.

Roller skating girls Leighton and Halle.

I Have a **** in My Leg!

The other day in the mad rush to get out of the house to school Sean came up with a new funny. While I was making sure Chad and Halle had everything they needed for school Sean was jumping on the couch (an illegal activity). All of a sudden he yelled, "Ow," on one of his jumps. He hurt his knee somehow.

I gave him a stern look of, "It serves you right for jumping on my couch," while I gave his knee a kiss to stop the crying. Then I put on his snow boots. While I was kneeling down I got a bad cramp in my leg. So I yelled out, "Ow!" Sean asked what was wrong and I told him I had a "cramp," in my leg.

As we are walking to the bus stop Sean leans over and grabs his knee and is moaning. So I ask him what is wrong. He responds by letting me know he has a "crap," in his knee. I gently correct him and tell him the word he wants to use is "cramp."

But for the last week he doesn't care what the correct word is. Every time he gets a bump or pain on one of his legs he loudly lets everyone know that he has a "crap" in his leg.