Friday, November 28, 2008

Happy Thanksgiving

Waving hi to Daddy. Happy Thanksgiving!
Better one - without the passy! My loves, my boys!

I am thankful for all of my friends and family! My good friend Dawn and her daughter Reagan met us at the DFAC on post to enjoy a Thanksgiving Dinner. It was so yummy and I didn't have to cook or clean up either! I think we are going to start doing this every year! :) Enjoy our pictures!





Thursday, November 27, 2008

Seattle Pictures.




Although the trip to Seattle was very stressful. We did enjoy ourselves very much- despite all the talk about Ian's Brain. Ian really got to know his Aunt Brooke, Uncle Spencer and his cousin Kaylee. We went to the zoo, and went shopping (shopping in Fairbanks is scarce!), and had some great food (also, not many restaurants up here). He also enjoyed the airport very much. We had gotten to the airport early in Seattle, ate dinner and watched the planes take off and land. He even got to meet the pilot! He thought was the coolest thing ever! So here are a few pictures. ENJOY.



Ian and his cousin Kaylee



Ian and some animal - Can't remember what it was.





Ian liked playing with Dora's hair!

Ian and Kaylee "raced' with jackets on every night before bed. So cute.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Update

We were off to Seattle Childrens yesterday. A beautiful hospital, that would be my dream job to work there! It was wonderful, kid friendly, bright colors. As soon as you walked in you felt welcomed. They had a greater on every floor. I must have looked super lost because she walked right up to me. She asked where I needed to go...I choked when I said Neurosurgery. Never in a million years did I think that I would be in a consultation about my child with a neurosurgeon. But if I were to do it - it was a good thing that I was doing it there. They are in the top 10 Childrens Hospitals in the Country. Also, the doctor that I was going to was voted best doctor in Seattle for 2006-2007.

So he was in surgery so we had to wait on him...not a big deal at all. Just made my nerves a little hyped up. We chat with him...Good news. He is NOT calling it a tumor. He is calling it a lesion. So pretty much hes not sure what it is. A lesion is some form of brain injury. That part I don't understand. I was so emotionally drained and It was just Ian and I - I really wasn't thinking right to ask the right questions, nor did I follow my own advice when I tell patients at my work - write down questions to ask the doctor before you go into the visit.

So, with this lesion we are going to do a follow up MRI in 3 months. We are not in the clear yet - if this "thing" changes shape, position, size we return to see the surgeon and discuss a biopsy. And then go from there. If there is NO change in 3 months we will have an MRI every 6 months for a few times then it will go yearly. All results will be sent to Seattle Children's and they will discuss Ian's case in front a a tumor board. He did say that Ian could have this thing for ever and never bother him. However, if it did change size, shape or position - it would be classified as a tumor and he said that he would be 90% sure it would be benign.

I cannot thank you all enough for all the great thoughts, messages, prayers! We just need to pray now for no growth and just maybe, maybe the next MRI it could be gone. I know that is wishful thinking - but now I can relax just a little and enjoy my brother-in-law and sister-in-law a little more and enjoy playing with thier little girl Kaylee- pictures to come. They have been wonderful to us so far! :) I can't thank them enough.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

"My God, in Him I will trust"

So I flew into Seattle yesterday (Thursday) and saw the pediatric Neurologist today. I got the worse news possible: "Your son has a low grade glioma" which in layman terms, he has a tumor, but if it were to any type of tumor, this is the one that you would want.

We are off to Childrens Hospital of Seattle to see a Neurosurgeon tomorrow and talk about what our plan is from here. It still could be something just super tiny that he will have for the rest of his life - or could be something horrible that I am not quite ready to grasp yet. As of right now I am a mess. I am keeping strong and trying not to let my mind wander and cry every time he says something cute or even enters the room.

Right now I am just thinking why me, why did God choose Ian to go through this. Why did God choose this time in my life to present this with Jeff deployed and a house in AK with 2 dogs and a 15 month old. What is his ultimate goal? What am I learning from this? How is this supposed to make me stronger?

My mom sent me this bible verse and I am clinging onto it for dear life! Psalm 91, verse 2, "I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust."

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Brush Brush Brush




Your teeth so they are nice and clean... My kids make me smile!



The boys ready for bed!


Thursday, November 6, 2008

Trip to Seattle

So with Ian's headaches, eye pain and an abnormal Brain MRI - we have won a golden ticket to see a Pediatric Neurologist in Seattle. YEA! Can you hear my sarcasm!? Just waiting on my orders to be cut and then I guess I will be contacting SATO to get my travel vouchers. This is all new to me and to be working with the Army is like pulling teeth - so we'll see how much hair turns grey this trip! haha.

My good friend Dawn will be watching Blake during my 3 day stay at Seattle. Bringing him would just be much more stressed. It will be very hard to leave him behind for a few days but I know he is is great hands - and he will have a playmate! Reagan - his best girlfriend. My RN friends are going to stay at my house and take care of my dogs and make sure my House won't freeze. I can't thank God enough for my great support system of friends that I have. I don't know what I would do without them! Seriously!! Being over 4000 miles away from your family with your husband deployed and shit piled on your plate up the ceiling - I've been fortunate to have great friends to take care of me!

Only good thing about this trip is that I will be able to stay with my Sister & Brother in law in Seattle. Haven't seen them in over a year and Ian will be able to play with his cousin, Kaylee who was just a baby when they first met - now she is 18 months.

I will be leaving the 12th and coming back the 14th.

I'll keep everyone updated. I just ask that you had Ian to your prayer list! Every bit helps! :) I I'm sure everything will check out fine - but in the event that it doesn't....PRAY!

Late posting Halloween!

Us playing on Halloween
Spiderman Blake

Super Hero Harmon's


How Red Power Ranger Ian gets his engery: lolypops!