Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Night Time Visitor
Friday, June 25, 2010
Here We Go Again
I did the first 2 weeks of the low iodine diet in Tucson at my parent's house and on Father's Day Brian & I flew to ABQ for the last week. That week I was unable to take my thyroid medication, let me tell you, that was MISERABLE! I didn't think it was going to be bad since last year I was off of it for 2 weeks, but an hour into it I felt terrible! I was exhausted and I slept 10 hours! My eyes were twitchy, my hands shaky, my heart was beating a mile a minute, I was was dizzy, out of breath and was getting hot flashes. I kept asking Brian, is it hot in here? Seriously, awful.
I then had to get showered and dressed to go to Dr. Edwards office to get a shot of thyridosine (sp) which apparently was a very low dose of my medication. I was fully expecting a shot in my arm, oh no, the shot had to be on my butt! I asked if it would hurt and she said, "Oh no. It'll be just a little prick." My hiney it was just a little prick! I left there limping and was sore the rest of the day! It did make me feel a little better, but I didn't leave the couch rest of the day. Tuesday was the same thing, expect the shot went to my right butt cheek. Luckily this one didn't hurt as bad. Plus, blood work where the phlebotomist couldn't find a vein and poked me more than she should have. GRRR!
Wednesday was the BIG RADIOACTIVE DAY! No medication and no shot, just a radioactive pill and an ultrasound of my thyroid area. This pill was a much lower dose than last years since it was meant as a "tracer". So I didn't have to leave from the back door and I didn't have to sit in the back seat while Brian drove me home. I was even able to be in the same room as him!
Thursday I felt really good, for some reason I had my energy back and I was like a domestic queen! I cleaned 3 bathrooms, did 2 loads of laundry, cleaned the fridge, freezer & pantry, vacuumed, mopped, got caught up on my picture albums, ordered the first edition of the blog and read a few chapters of a book! I haven't done all of that in one week let alone one day!
Friday was the next BIG DAY! The much-anticipated and all-important BODY SCAN. I checked into the hospital at 7:30 am sharp, the nuclear med chick took me back at 7:35 am and I was on the machine by 7:40 am. Now, let me explain this machine. It is much like an MRI machine, but it is open, whew! There is a "camera", which is a big metal square, that lowers to the place it needs to scan.
So I get in and the tech, Lisa, reminds me that the camera will get VERY close to my face and asks me if I'll be ok. "Oh yeah, I should be fine. I didn't have a problem last year." Super. I start my iPod with my special "Body scan Playlist" and I'm good to go. Lisa says, "Relax, listen to your music, close your eyes and you can even take a nap if you want." Perfect. No problem. I do all of that, except the nap part. After listening to a song and a half I get an itch on my shoulder. "Should I scratch it? Nah. I can wait until the camera moves." You see, the camera was literally an inch from my nose! I remember from last year that it moves down my body after a few minutes. Well, I wait and wait and of course the itch is getting worse. "I have to scratch it!" I barely lift my hand to scratch the shoulder and I feel the camera. Then I realize I don't hear anything, not the machine, not the computer, not Lisa moving in her chair (last year, the tech sat near me at the computer and watched the scan and told me what was happening). Hmmm. this is weird. I open one eye, notice the camera, "That's pretty close I kinda feel like I'm in a coffin. Don't think about it, your fine, Anabelle. You went ziplining for goodness sakes!" Then I look toward the computer, no Lisa, nothing on the computer screen, the lights are off. I look at the clock on the wall, 7:45 am (I got in the machine at 7:40). I start to listen and I hear Lisa DOWN THE HALL! "Breathe, you're fine." Um no I wasn't. I FREAKED OUT! I felt this need to get out of that machine as fast as I possibly could or I might die. I couldn't control this overwhelming panicking feeling. I slid my happy little radioactive tooshie out of that machine as quickly as I could. I was shaking and short of breath, it was crazy. At 7:55 am Lisa walks in. I'm like, "I'm sorry I panicked." All she could say was, "How did you get out?!?! Most people just scream." Oh. yelling for help could have been an option, but getting out was much faster. I have no idea how I got out because there really was no room to move. I guess it was the few years of Pilates I did. Anyway, she promised not to leave me again, I'm sure she thought I was a nut job who was going to escape. The rest of the test went well. No more panicking, I was relaxed and chatted with Lisa the rest of the hour. Yes, one hour of lying still with a camera an inch away from my body. After the scan I had more blood work and then off to see Dr. Edwards for the results!
Once again, I could not have gotten better news. He showed us last year's scan, which showed a little bit of thyroid tissue and this year's which showed NO THYROID TISSUE! Which means no place for the cancer to take hold! Yipee! And just like last year I felt this enormous sense of relief, which I didn't realize I was stressed about, and got teary eyed. I would have cried had I not wanted to look like a wussy. I honestly don't know why I felt so relieved. I knew going into it that everything was fine and there was a very slim chance of having any thyroid tissue left, but I guess I do a good job of fooling myself (maybe that's why I had a cold sore this week! All of the stress I was bottling up!) The ultrasound was also normal and boring. YAY!
So now, I see Dr. Edwards every 6 months for the next few years, do a yearly ultrasound and will have another radioactive pill & body scan in 2 years. I get one summer free of the low iodine diet. Whew! I cannot say enough how blessed I feel to have had such good doctors these past couple of years. There are not enough words to express how I feel about them and my parents for all of their help. They have selflessly taken care of me and Jaxon for weeks and weeks on end. And let me tell you, Jaxon is not as easy this year as he was last year! I know they are as happy as I am about having next summer off :) Hopefully a four year old will be less active than a two year old.
I was able to eat a "normal" diet and take my thyroid pill after the appointment. This entire week I was thinking of what to eat. I had settled on going to an Italian restaurant and having fettucine alfredo. Creamy, cheesy and delicious! Well, at the last minute I changed my mind and chose fettucine carbonara. How could I go wrong? It had bacon and was creamy and cheesy. Boy, never doubt your first instinct. The carbonara tasted like cardboard! I was so bummed. Oh well, I had a huge chocolate chip cookie (or 2) from the Nestle Toll House down the way. That made it all better.
And now I am off to get on a plane to see Jaxon and Lucy! I cannot wait.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Lots of Friends!
Ethan & Hunter enjoying the fountain
Me & my boy on "My turtle" as Jaxon called it
Next, we visited the Fisher kids.
I had Baylee in Kindergarten and now she is in 7th grade! Gosh I feel old. I'd like to say that was my first year teaching, but sadly I had already had a few years under my belt.
Jaxon & Trynnity, apparently Jaxon is going to be Trynnity's husband since he played cars with her. He has been talking about her an awful lot lately... Uh oh Hunter, you have competition!
Cute little Prestton
Joaquin came over another day
I thought this was the cutest thing. Joaquin didn't know what to think!
We got together with my friend from college, Becky, and her two girls, Abigail & Kaitlyn.
Abigail & Jaxon started a band!
Kaitlyn was the backup dancerKaitlyn decided to play guitar tooAnother Bunch Triplet playdate!
Having lunch together. PB &J for the babies & chicken nuggets for the big boy.
I love how Ethan turned upside down to look at me!And what's a date with Ami & the triplets without a trip to Target!
Let me tell you, this was THE MOST chaotic Target visit we have ever had! Jaxon and Hunter were yelling at each other for fun, each kid took turns crying for no apparent reason & pulling clothes off the racks, and jumping in the cart part (which is not very safe)
Mary holding Ethan (it was his turn to cry for no reason) Jaxon, Hunter & Colton in their respective carts.
Jaxon happily drinking my green tea and Ethan back in the cart with Hunter.
Jaxon playing peek-a-boo with Hunter, or maybe they're yelling at each other for sport. Either way it has bad news written all over it!
And that's all! There were a few people we missed :( but maybe next time around...December maybe?
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Monday, June 14, 2010
While the Cat's Away the Mice Will Play
Jaxon & Lucy played with bubbles & in the water table every morning.
Catching bubbles
Lucy likes to drink from the table & maybe steal a toy or two.
If Lucy can drink from the water table, why can't Jaxon?
He also tried getting in the water table.
He ate ice cream
He wore "Abu's toe boy hat" (cowboy hat)
He climbed in the furniture
Jaxon also had to "work" at "Yoya & Abu's" house. Our poor little guy has asthma, so he has to do a breathing treatment twice a day every day.
Breathing and watching Dora. He d oes his best breathing sitting with Abu.
"NO more breafe!"Gotta love summer!
Monday, June 7, 2010
Aloha!
Now, if you know me, you know that I often have unrealistic expectations or fantasies. Probably from all of the crappy TV I watch. Well, my vision of arriving in Hawaii was getting off the plane (in a fabulous outfit!) and being given a flower lei and maybe a mai tai. That's how they do it on TV so why wouldn't it happen to me? Well, it didn't. I was sooo bummed! There was always the hotel. We check in, no flower lei. The bell hop takes us up to our room and we get leid! Not with a flower lei, more like a shell necklace. Good enough for me!
FINALLY in Hawaii! Looking a little tired after a 2 hour drive from Tucson to Phoenix, a 6 hour flight to Maui and 45 minute drive to the Hyatt Regency.
Mango Mojito poolside! This is how I spent most of my days. Rough I know!
Day Two:
Almost there!
Ready to dive in!
Our next stop was Turtle Town. Not as exciting as seeing sharks, but we did see about 3 sea turtles swimming. Again, we have earned the right to say we have swam with sea turtles. I will say, that Brian didn't stray too far from me this time in hopes I would be lucky enough to spot another shark.
Us
While on the boat we did a tour of Celebrity Houses!
Here is Michael Jordan's house. The one on the right.
The reason Michael Jordan bought this house was because he wanted to be neigbors with his BFF....
Tiger's house is the one with the red tiled roof.
The story of Tiger's house is that he built a driving range into the ocean. Nike makes him special golf balls that float so the local kids go out a few times and collect them for Tiger. Every now and again, Tiger will sign the balls and the kids will sell them on Ebay!
In the hotel lobby
That day I also forgot to reapply the sunscreen. I mean, I'm Puerto Rican, I don't burn I tan. Yeah, I was wrong!
Our third day was a "relaxing" day. We hung on the beach with some mango mojitos before the big luau.
The luau was another one of those fantasies. I was picturing it to be on a sandy beach with flowers everywhere, waitresses in coconut bras & grass skirts and of course a flower lei. Well, guess what? I was wrong again. Granted I could have bought a flower lei for $10. I settled for the shell necklace and "free" mai tais they served us.
A sail boat sailing by as we wait to go in.
Ok, so let me tell you about this picture. I was feeling particularly sassy in this outfit. It was short and the shoes were about 4 inches tall. This made my legs look LOOONG (long for me) which NEVER happens in my world. So I had to throw a sassy little pose. But.... after the picture was taken we notice that this sassy short dress was see-through!! Yes, that is my beige bra and black undies showing through! I still like the picture though.Day Four: My FAVORITE Day!
This is the day we went ZIPLINING! Yes, me who is scared of driving on the ABQ freeway went ziplineing. Not only did I go, it was MY idea! I have seen people do it on The Bachelorette and The Amazing Race and it always looked so fun. So I did a little research and ran into the place where Jillian, The Bachelorette ziplined on one of her dates... Kapalua Adventures. This just so happens to also be a pretty nice golf course that Brian & his friend Brooks played a few years ago.
Waiting to get started.
Does she not look like Vienna from Jake's season of The Bachelor?
Harnessed and ready to go!
The pictures with the borders are the ones that our guide Jaime took.
The group.
Much more relaxed huh?
Here I come! My tennis shoe is on the left of the picture.
Two of The ziplines: There are two showing, one vertical one horizontal
On Friday we decided to go snorkeling again, but this time on our own. We had been told that Honolua Bay was a great place to do some snorkeling so he hopped in the rental car and headed that way!
To get to Honolua Bay you have to walk through the woods. Not kidding. I so did not expect a mile long walk through forestry!
Honolua Bay from up above.
We snorkeled past these boats. It is so peaceful and beautiful, we couldn't stop swimming!
This house was on the hill overlooking the bay. Can you imagine waking up to that every. single. day?? How wonderful!
Brian overlooking the bay.
Oh No! My cute hat almost blew away!
Brian is trying to discreetly hold onto Cute Hat.
A Hawaiian sunset from our hotel balcony
Off to dinner
Day 6: Last Day :(
Mahalo for reading my Hawaiian post! Hope you enjoyed the beautiful pictures of Maui. If you ever get the chance, take a vacay there. I will go again in a heartbeat!