Cancer Life

Well,

I am finally out of the hospital. I think I was in for about 20 days straight and I was ready to go when they released me on Sunday. I have to be back at the hospital on Friday Dec 6 for more tests before the bone marrow transplant and then for a meeting with the radiologist. I'm nervous for the meeting and excited so I can get all my questions answered. Andrew flies into SLC on Dec 7! That's a week from today! Our whole family is way excited for that and what an amazing experience it will be to have him home with us for Christmas. The transplant will take place on Dec 23. That's also the same day that they will harvest Andrew's bone marrow. The Bone marrow team talks as if this day will be like Christmas for us. It will be a big party with both sets of family and they give gifts and sing happy birthday ( not sure why, but that's what they said). I check back into the hosptial however on Dec 15 to start the radiation and the final chemo therapy treatments. It's a little weird to think that this day is almost upon us. I'm excited to be getting better and for my hair to finally start growing back. You can only stand to be bald for so long. haha

Well that's all I know as of right now. I'll keep you posted as more information is given to me. Thanks for all your love and support

Kade's Birthday

Kade turned 24 this year. :) I was really looking forward to spending his birthday with him. I was actually still in the hospital for his birthday. Lucky for me, he wasn't feeling the best so instead of me going to him, he came to me to open his birthday gift. Kade's an easy person to shop for if you think like a cop. I bought him a thigh holster for his gun. He had been telling me he wanted one for a long time. It's a good thing i listen and get mad at him when he talks about buying things before his birthday and Christmas. Boys! They just get what they need or want and forget that others like to shop for them. HAHA

Kade even brought up a cake for us. It's so cute. It looks like a dog. It was two cupcakes with yummy frosting. He's so sweet to think about bringing his own cake to help us celebrate.

Playing in the leaves

Karen, Mazee, and I had a great time playing in the leaves. Mazee was having fun throwing them in the air and running through Karen's neat piles. It's so fun to watch Mazee grow up. :)

Up date on the Transplant

Well, we got word that my transplant will probably take place on Decemeber 23. What a new experience to spend Christmas in the hospital. Andrew will probably fly to SLC on December 5-7. We need him at the hospital for testing on the 7th if all works out according to plan. It will be nice to see him and to catch up on what's been going on with his mission. I am so grateful that he is coming up so that I can live. What a nice little brother I have.

Well, when we know more we will keep you posted.

Zermont Hotel

Grandma and Grandpa Gunnell (Kade's grandparents) took us to dinner at the Zermont hotel. They are so sweet to us. They wanted to help us celebrate out sixth month anniversary. They even put us up in the hotel for two nights. We had so much fun walking around Midway. They were having a scarecrow show. So we walked around that and enjoyed viewing what people had made. Kade also showed me the crater and we wished that we could have gone swimming in it. too bad I have a central line.

Kade and I are so grateful for the wonderful people in our lives that give us support. It made our week to be able to spend time together alone and to just do nothing. I was feeling great while we were in midway, but I ended up needing two bags of blood when we got home. I was a little winded from all our walking. ;)

We are getting more and more excited for the Andrew to come home. It will be great to see him when he comes to save my life. I am more excited that Andrew and Kade will get to meet for more than two hours. (For those of you who don't know, Kade and Andrew met briefly before Andrew left to Costa Rica... yes, I know, I broke mission rules!)

I go back to Primary Children's hospital on October 22 for my next round of chemo. I should be there about five days unless I have some major complication. I hope that I don't so that I can spend more time at home before the transplant. Well that about sums up whats been happening with the Martinez family!

Fall

Kade understands that I get a little cooped up in the house when my counts are not high enough for me to be in public. So one afternoon when he had gotten off work we went for a drive up the hobble creek canyon. The leaves had just started to change! It was so beautiful. We took the opportunity to have a photo op. I just loved it. I like to go out and look at all the leaves changing. Fall is a great season!

Bone Marrow Donor

Hi all,

So here is the latest of what's been going on in the cancer world. I just spend five days at primary childrens hospital for my latest round of chemo. I am home now and don't have to return until October 22. I am way excited about that.

During my stay at the hospital my mom Bari, my mother- in-law Karen, Kade and I met with the bone marrow team. PEOPLE WE HAVE FOUND A MATCH! My brother Andrew is the one. The problem, he's living in Costa Rica serving a mission for the LDS church.

We are working with the church to get him flown up here for the procedure and then to let him finish his mission. We are unsure when the bone marrow transplant will take place, but it could be as early as November or as late as December (we think.)

The meeting was left me feeling optimistic and I feel really good about the decision to proceed with the bone marrow. I'm a little worried about the radiation, but that comes from being a dental hygiene major and seeing all those horrible pictures during my first year. -See I was paying attention in school. It's worth all the money :)-

Well, that's all that's going on right now. I feel good and am enjoying my time at home. I don't have as much energy as I normally do, but that can be expected. Kade takes me for walks and makes sure that I get out of the house enough. I just love him.