Got To Be Like Joe

As stated before, Cody "hates being little". He wants to do everything his brothers do. Joey is finishing this football season and we love going to his games. He's a super star! Cody wanted to try on his uniform one day and the boys thought it was a trip. It was!

"When I get big I will play football 

and baste-a-ball too!" 

Cody quote about wanting to be like Joe.

My first REAL meal this month!

Yes, I'm consumed with food and had to take pictures of my first REAL meal ... salad and salmon drizzled in olive oil and lemon juice (Did your mouth just water? Mine did). Words cannot express my happiness as I sat with my little Cody and consumed food ... good food ... healthy food ... where I could use my teeth. Even Cody ate all his salmon (and most his vegetables). What a trooper.

I recommend to all my plan for gratitude -- STARVATION (or 17 days on nasty vegetable juice). Yes, we are so blessed with food. 

Now, I think I can move forward and stop giving everyone an update on my health. There surely are other things to life than Deb's health. Anyway, Eric is now going through the detox cleanse as his own preventative action ... and to loose a few pounds (and surely to retain his "mac-daddy" status. You go with your bad self, honey!!!) If you get any other health updates, it will be about the man. It's his turn.

Mom and Son

Look who got Mommy-son pictures taken! 

My good friend Jen Turscasnki ... plump with child and only one week left before her due date ... took some pictures of me and Cody. Here's Jen's website if  you want to see some of her other work. She's so good.

www.jennifereliason.com

I've wanted to do this with Cody for awhile. He's my last child and so special to the whole family. Can you believe he's already four years old?! We thought it'd be a pretty special thing to have a Mom-Son photo shoot. Thanks Jen!

Love you Codester!

Autumn's Blessing

These are one of those days that parent's pop buttons. Autumn received her patriarchal blessing. What a treat to pull together the four parents that love her to support her as she gets a glimpse into her character and future. This girl has a good heart and truly desires to live a honorable life beside her future "handsome" husband ... raising adorable little Autumns (with perfect hair, sparkly teeth, and impeccably dressed ... of course!) I have no doubt that she will create a magical family someday.

Together with Noelle and Kevin, we had a wonderful evening. Eric and I were so pleased to enjoy this time with our one and only daughter.

 Congratulations Autumn!

First Meal all Month!

After seventeen days without food, I just HAD to take a picture of my first feast ... cooked apples and pineapple with plain yogurt (1 cup total). It may not look like much, but ask a starving person (or any Ethiopian of your choice) and see what kind of feedback you'll get.

Lucy Jolynn Update:

I've had a number of friends call telling me they didn't get enough information from my Saving Lucy blog to know what the heck's going on. Here's the readers digest version.

Like many, many other women in the United States, I have endometriosis ... (definition from the Encarta World Dictionary: a medical condition in which the mucous membrane that normally lines only the womb is present and functioning in the ovaries or elsewhere in the body.) 

Last September we found a mass (tumor) on my right ovary about the size of a grapefruit. I went into surgery to have it removed and there were a lot of complication due to the fact that the endometriosis was so advanced that they could hardly see where anything was inside. They cut things they weren't supposed to and I almost bled to death (not a happy story). It took way too long to get back on my feet and post-surgery was a learning experience I hope to never have to relearn.

I surely have learned more compassion though! Anyone who's gone through a tough surgery MUST learn compassion. It's in the fine print that you HAVE to! I'm also suddenly very interested in other people's health ... hmmmm, sad it has to take personal trauma before I learn to actually listen to people when they talk about their bodily problems.

So, Lucy Jolynn (my surviving ovary) is the focus of survival right now. She's doing well. Three days into treatment the pain started going away .. yahoo! The treatment thus far has been a 17-day detox cleanse. I have been drinking fresh vegetable juice (much more vile than it sounds due to things like black radish and dandelion greens ... ugh) and taking a boatload of herbs. In addition, I've been doing hydrotherapy sessions (colonics ... but hydrotherapy sounds less embarrassing) and what I call "herbal chemotherapy" which is really something called chlorine dioxide. If you want to know more, just Goggle Miracle Mineral Supplement. It's quite something. It makes me really nauseous but it's working.

Blah, blah, blah ... I know ... kind of boring.

But happy days are afoot and I'm feeling very optimistic now that I'm getting food again.

Thanks to all of you for your love, phone calls, prayers and cute little packages left at my door. I have taken this opportunity to "hole up" while I lick my wounds (looking for something to eat) and all the time my faithful friends and family have been eager to be there when I needed them. I am SO  BLESSED! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Girls Night Out

My scrumptious friend Wendy invited me to a special girls night with her daughters to go see the much anticipated So You Think You Can Dance concert. Thanks Wendy! We had a fabulous time just being girls and ate fattening food at Cracker Barrel just to top it off. 

What would we do without girls in the world?

Die, I guess.

Thanks for a fabulous and giggly night Wendy, Jen and Heather.

Saving Lucy

Pics: Last year's surgery and Shawn's gnarly depiction of the tumor on my ovary that was removed. 

Oct 1, 2008

Yesterday was a big day for decision making in my life. I wanted to share with you what we've decided about the impending treatment of my ... well, icky physical problems.

After investigating to the best of my ability both a complete hysterectomy or a grueling treatment including a drug called Lupron (the two horrible treatments available for endometriosis through the medical industry), I've decided to abandon them both and do all I can to save Lucy Jolynn, my surviving ovary. She wants to live and I'm going to do all in my power to make it happen.

I'm turning to alternative medicine to see what a holistic approach can offer. As of yesterday, I'll be going through a detox program (did the same one last year which revealed the first tumor) coupled with a treatment called MMS (Miracle Mineral Supplement if you want to Google it) that I call herbal chemotherapy. 

Eric and I feel encouraged that this is the best plan for me, for our family ... and for Lucy.

Long term, we are very hopeful for my full recovery, with a strong and slim body to boot! In addition, I'd really like to keep my hormones cope-ready for ... whatever. Ladies! Never take those little girls for granted!

We ask for your prayers over the next few months while we hunker down to tackle my health. We feel so blessed to have the gospel in our lives with the understanding that the Savior will willingly carry for us those things we are unable to carry ourselves. I know he is mindful of me ... and you ... and will help us through all our challenges.

That's all.

Hold with us the "Save Lucy" banner! She needs to live.