*Monday Memos**

*MONDAY MEMOS*

   

 (If pictures are too small, just click to enlarge) 
Weekly recap of my rather crazy, insane, but fun and rewarding life!

dear monday, 

The roads were pretty icy this morning.  It took us much longer to get to Huntsman today.  But we still were on time.  I had to have Xrays today (every Monday) as well as the radiation.  I also have to meet with the radiation oncologist.  

No, I am not doing what it looks like with my finger in the first pix.  Though there have been times I have felt like it through this.  JK

I met with his PA and we thought we were done and after I changed, the nurse said Dr. Cannon wanted to meet with us.  So we did as well.  Things are going well.  So far, minimal skin burning.  Yay!  But the fatigue has definitely set in.  Sky spent the night and so he came and picked me up so Dave wouldn't be any later for work.  Carson and I snuggled a bit and then they headed home.   No sooner had they left, then my parents called and were on their way for a visit. They had been to the clinic.  Dave got home for lunch and then I headed up for a rest.  I was beat.  I did my PT and hated every second of it.  haha  Not my idea of fun!  But has to be done!  I was pretty worthless after 6 pm.  

 Luff this lil' guy!

It's so beautiful when it snows especially if I get to stay inside all warm and cozy.

dear tuesday, we headed out for DAY 10 of radiation!  I am half way done!  YIPPEE!!!  

Dave was off today.  We met Sky right after to give him a bag he left here.  Then Dave ran into Sam's for a second and then to breakfast at Kneader's.  I had the french toast and the caramel syrup tastes just like Union Station's caramel bread pudding!  So good!  

We then went to Home Depot, Krispy Kreme.

Costco was the next stop. I returned Rinda #2.  We bought Rinda #3 and let's hope she actually works!  The last one wouldn't work on schedule and couldn't figure out where to clean.  She had no sense of direction. I trouble shooted her and watched YouTube videos to no avail.  I rode around in the electric wheelchair again.  I have noticed something when I am in it. People are much friendlier and kinder and more outgoing.  I think they feel sorry for me.  It has been an interesting thing to observe though.  One man was talking to me about the Boston Marathon because I had on my 2017 jacket. It's always a conversation starter.  

I got bad news on the way back. My bone scan Dexa test results came back and I have Osteoporosis!!!  And not just barely, but quite severe.  I can't even believe it.  I honestly thought my running was going to prevent me from getting it.  Nope.  

It's pretty devastating news because the drugs I have to be on for 5-10 years cause bone weakness.  They have two drugs but the preferred one I can't take because of the blood clots. So, I have no choice.  Not good. I can choose not to take the drugs but then the chance of cancer coming back goes up.  So, break my bones or get cancer?  Hmmm....  Great choices!!!  Just not good.  I am pretty discouraged right now.  

I have a friend and his wife from Institute long ago that has been going through cancer and he wrote me this uplifting message and interestingly enough he told me about his mom who had osteoporosis (he had no idea about mine) and she broke her leg skiing (on the lift) and her femur broke and two inches of bone disappeared into shattered unusable fragments. I'll just copy and paste it to save time explaining. I know he was inspired to send me that. I will post it below. Yeah, this another blow. BIG BLOW. Scary one. I have a lot to digest AGAIN. I am trying to keep my chin up. Good thing for Krispy Kreme donuts! LOL

Jodi, Abraham Lincoln said; All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother. I also had such a mother. She was as perfect of a woman as I know. Truly, if needed, I believe she could have walked on water. Her example to me and her posterity is profound and to all who knew her. It was the way that she handled huge challenges that is part of her legacy. Around 1985 she was skiing on a beautiful sunny day at Snowbasin. Coming off the chairlift another skier skied over the front tips of her skis. She lost her balance and fell forward. Her bindings malfunctioned and did not release. As she fell forward her femur broke just above her knee. She almost died from the traumatic break. A blessing was given. Surgery was preformed. It was at that time we found out she had osteoporosis. Two inches of bone disappeared into shattered unusable fragments. Bone was taken from her hip to repair the break. A rod was placed through her knee and up her femur 18” with 13 screws which held her leg together. She was over six months without any pressure to her toes. It was over a year and a half be for she could walk without any aids. She recovered and enjoyed her time back at Golds Gym until she was 85. A few years after my mother’s accident her mother, then in her 80’s fell down some stairs and had a similar break. My grandmother said that because of the example of my mother, she knew she could overcome her own challenge. Which she did. I tell you this story because I believe “You” are that same powerful example to all who know you. I think of the “powerful smiling example” of the photo of you and your husband at Huntsman. I could not have done the same. Nor do others in similar circumstances. How you are handling this challenge that you now have, will be a profound example to friends and family alike for generations. They will call your name blessed for your example to them as I have with my own mother. There may be moments of setbacks but the Jodi that I know, will take a breath, take new courage and try again and again or try something new until she is successful. In the immortal words of Sir Winston Churchill, who inspired a nation through it’s darkest hour, to triumph over it’s foe. I personalize them for you this day. Jodi, never give up, never give up, never, never, never give up. May God let you feel, in a very personal way, the many prayers that are pronounced for you. May He reaffirm the blessings that have been given to you that miracles may take place. May He bless you that you might see yourself for who you really are. In a very real way “You are The Beacon of Light and Hope” to all those around you, who look to you for their own strength.

I had to go to the clinic to get my blood drawn for more tests. Then I had PT right after. I was not looking forward to it. It was painful!

Fake smile!

I am progressing albeit very slowly, but it's not fun. At all. Dave stayed the whole time. Not sure why, but he does. I feel bad because I know he has a million and one other things he could be doing. But, he is very supportive. The last 10 minutes were pure torture. I have to keep my leg straight and up on a roll while gravity tries to force it down and it has the TENS on it and heavy ice and he put two pound weights on it today to try to get it down more. Holy Helen -sorry Grandma Helen- but it hurt!!! It was pretty awful. I was so happy when that beeper went off. Man! I was so happy to be out of there!

Trying to put weight on my bad leg. OUCH!

Icing my leg with a weight. TORTURE!!

A cute lady in our ward (Elaine) brought us homemade soup and bread.  Have I said people are just so nice?  I worked on this blog for hours tonight trying to catch up.  I am so behind. But, when am I not? 

My Phidippides award came!!!  Yippee!! I really got the GOLD!  I was hoping but wasn't sure if I would or not!!!  I really thought I would get Silver.  I would have easily been awarded this every other year if I had known about it, but this year had been a struggle to get in the miles and the races due to my back!

It is awarded by the USATF (United States Track and Field) and it really is an honor for me!!! Especially at a time when I am not sure I will ever get the chance to earn another one!!!

Standing with my running award in my crutches unable to even walk! The irony!

dear wednesday,  we left on time but were 20 minutes late today for radiation.  First time we have been late.  There was a four car pile up on the freeway and it was a parking lot.  

But they were okay with it and got me in as soon as I arrived.  

Dave was going to be late though and so Bryce came and picked me up from the clinic.  It was trying to snow all day.  I got home and worked on the blog. Trying to catch up.  I really didn't want to do my PT today.  My knee has been hurting a lot since my last PT visit.  It's not fun anyway, but when it already hurts, it's torture on steroids.  I put it off and put it off.  Dave had meetings tonight and he brought me up some soup.  I tried to rest, but could never fall asleep all the way.  I ended up doing my PT about 8 pm.  I was beat by the time I was done.  I have noticed an 8x8 patch of redness on my radiated spot.  It's crazy how perfect the square is.  I keep finding little packages left on my porch.  Carolyn left me a book, licorice and the sweetest card. People are just so nice!

I received the bad news that my high school friend Kendall Gillespie passed away today.   She had cancer.  This is getting way too common.  She went to get her gall bladder checked on November 19th and they found cancer.  Less than three months later, she is gone.  It sounds like pancreatic.  So sad. 

These were taken the last time she visited Utah at our 30th class reunion. 10 years ago!

dear thursday, HAPPY VD!!!

💜 HAPPY 💜 VALENTINE’S 💜 DAY! 💜

Evidence of God's L♥VE is everywhere ~~~ if we have eyes to see.

 I found all of these heart shapes (mostly out running).

Dave made me breakfast with heart toast!

Today is 12 of radiation!  Only 7 more to go!!!  WOOT!  It is actually going pretty fast!  We got there in good time today.  They got me in and out faster than ever.  

The waiting room.

We were back on the road by 8:16.  We do arrive about 10 minutes early most days though.  

We headed to the credit union to sign papers with Rob and Heather for the business (storage sheds) we are doing together. :/ I hope we are making a good decision on this.  I am the one that talked Dave into it, so I hope it doesn't backfire!  It could be pretty bad if it does.  Dave brought me home and then he headed to work.  Jen left me a Valentine treat and gift on my porch. So sweet!

She added this quote in her card and it really hit me.  

I LOVE it!!!  SO TRUE!!!

Beth A picked me up to give me a ride to our Women's Forum meeting at the hospital.  I got around pretty well.  I saw my PT Rob and Darin as I was walking in the board room.  They made a joke about I should stop by and get on a pair of the "lovely" paper shorts before my meeting.  Hah   SO glad I wasn't there for PT!  The meeting went well.  We have a great line up of speakers. I am excited. I am getting the keynote Meg Johnson, as well as a few others.  They asked me to do a 15 minute part for a class on organization. Sigh.  Not sure why I didn't put up a fight on that one.  I guess because this radiation has made me so passive because I'm so tired.  Beth brought me back home.  She told me she has been thinking about me a lot during this whole thing because she was also down for knee surgery.  She is one of my most admired women I know.  I came home and Taylor had brought me a Swig sugar cookie.  One of my weaknesses.  There were also VD cookies on the porch from Julie. So good! 

Dave arrived with lunch from Maddox and lots of great Valentine's gifts.  

A heart shaped beet in my salad on Valentine's Day.  If that isn't a love note from heaven, I don't know what it!

I feel bad I have nothing for him.  I haven't been able to shop. He is only getting cards.  I was hoping to win the contests I nominated him for, but guess I didn't win those. Oh well.  

 I am slightly addicted to these ↓ Idle Isle chocolate covered almonds! OH. MY!

Dave's kept me in supply since the accident!

Susan and Clark invited us to go to the Valentine's dinner and concert at the Academy tonight.  That was one of the contest prizes.  So it worked out.  Maybe I can tell him that is my gift. LOL 

It was a lot of fun!  I LOVED getting out!  The Andersen's and Tilley's are just some of the funnest people to be around.  Clark called me, "Jobi"  LOL  I told him I have been saying my name is spelled J O D I not J O B!  So, I had to laugh.  That was pretty clever of him.  The dinner was excellent.  

The entertainment was...entertaining.  It was a barber shop quartet and they were funny.  The pre-show was a guitar and fiddle and saw.  It was just nice to get out.  Clark sponsored it and so they gave us our tickets.  SO nice of them.

 The band sang Happy Birthday to Susan's DIL even though it wasn't really her birthday and then gave her a cake!

We had a blast!

dear friday, we headed out for radiation day 13.  Only six more to go!!!

Technically only two of the actual full blown radiation.  The last four are concentrated on the tumor location.  Still radiation, but not such a large spot.  We got home pretty quick.  

I had my PT at 1:00.  Taylor was here and so was Bryce.  Dave took me to PT and stayed until 2:00.  It went well. I am improving.  My leg straighten mark was an 8 today. But the bent knee was only 129. He told me it was 132, but I know it wasn't.  So, I went down on that one.  It's just SO painful to bend it!  Ugh!  I push it until I just can't take it anymore.  I think I'm doing damage to it because it hurts so bad after.

Sigh....  According to the MRI, I shouldn't be doing damage to anything if I push it too hard.  Just have to push through the pain. I'm gettin' kinda tired of pain!  LOL  Talked to Cindy his assistant. I really like her.  And Stephanie was working today too to fill in for someone.  I like it when people I know are there.  Rob is so good.  He is getting me better.  I felt so much better walking on my crutches today and I am putting so much more weight on my leg as well.  Taylor picked me up.  He was here all weekend.  Bryce was home part of the day too.  I get so exhausted by 6 or 7.  It's like I've been drugged. LOL  The radiation effects I'm sure.  When Dave got home, he told my my labs came back and everything was good except my Vitamin D.  It's an 18.  One of the lowest he has ever seen and hasn't seen any that low for a long time. So much for all that running outside. Geeze! I thought the running was making my bones strong AND the sun was giving me great amounts of Vitamin D. NOPE! 

I sure do love getting treats left on my porch!  Can't even have enough of this stuff!

I am going to write thank you notes for all the people that  have given me gifts, cards, hope, treats, etc.  My list is long and I have missed many, but I am still going to send them to the ones I remember.  I am going to do about 5-10 each day. 

THIS announcement happened today: "Latter-day Saint missionaries Can Now Call, Text Home Weekly, First Presidency Announces"

WHAT????  I am seriously can't hardly believe this announcement! Click HERE for explanation.  It's only about 10 years late!  LOL

dear saturday, today it felt so good to not have to get up and rush to get out the door.  I started on my PT early (part of it) and then showered and got ready.  I finished it later in the afternoon. I watched the movie Quiet Place. Geeze!  I was screaming.  Mr. Cat was not saving me!  lol  

Dave took me driving in the church parking lot!  I did great and so we progressed on the streets and even Main Street.  We hit Wendy's for fries.  Hah I prefer to use my left foot for the brake because my ankle motion and reflexes aren't quite there yet. But Dave doesn't want me to get in that bad habit. He doesn't realize that's how I drive now anyway.  I need so more ankle exercises to loosen it up, but around town it will be fine.  I can't move it from the gas to the brake very fast and that worries me. I came home and did a ton of those exercises!  I felt so free driving!  Now, if I could only walk!  But, that is coming very nicely this past week as well.  

Bad news is I found out my insurance will only cover 8 PT treatments.  Not good because it has helped me so much and I will need at least that many more.  Sigh.  Dang insurance!  The radiation is taking it's toll.  I just feel so weak and tired. I did my right foot toenails today and it was all I could do.  My whole body just ached.  It felt worse than the day after a full marathon. Not sure why.  Maybe because I haven't used any muscles for an entire two months (9 weeks!).  Ugh!  SO frustrating, but IT WILL come back!  Just need to be patient!  Dave made chicken pot pie. Taylor was here and McKay but he was working.  I watched an Olivia Newton John special.  I was interested in it because she has had breast cancer three times.  The third time it showed up in her back.  That sucks.  I just wanted to rest this evening.  

My cute buddy!

dear sunday, got up early and Dave took me to church pretty early.  I was one of the first ones there.  A sister in out ward came over and talked to me about her cancer. I had no idea she didn't do anything really for it because her first round of chemo made her so sick she was taken by ambulance to hospital for dehydration and so many other problems so she stopped.  She had a blessing and they prayed and fasted about what to do and she was told to do nothing.  So she is doing herbs and quit eating sugar and so far so good.  She even had it in her lymph nodes.  She researched radiation and refused to do that as well.  Kinda scared me all the bad things she found on all the treatments.  I would be so scared to do nothing, but she has the faith that her blessing said it would not come back.  Pretty cool.  But everyone's different.  What works for one, won't for another.  She also didn't do the pills because she researched it and didn't want all the bad side effects.  I have to really weigh my options on the pills as well.  If I take them it lowers the chance of cancer coming back but it also will most likely 100% weaken my bones besides other bad side effects.  I have to choose between weak bones or a lower risk of it coming back. I am going to have to do a lot of research on this.  Right now I am leaning towards not taking the pills.  The preferred drug I can't take due to blood clots.  So, it's a real hard decision here.  I need to really pray and fast and figure out what to do.  It's a huge thing either way.  Taylor went to church with me though.  I talked to a lot of peeps again.  People are so nice.  Sister Haynie came over and was so concerned.  She just buried her husband last week.  Some people amaze me.  Carson didn't come up until later.  He brought me a ton of "presents" that he worked on for hours!  He loves to make them for me.  Melts my heart.  

He even made me a necklace! ↓ How cute is that?

He sure does bless my life!!! 

My parents came over to visit.  The kids were playing Monopoly when they arrived and I did my STIM treatment.  Carson was so cute playing doctor with them.  

I actually made my very first treat since this all happened two months ago!  I made a chocolate pudding cake.  Thank goodness for prepackaged treats that you only have to add the liquids.  Carson helped me get out the milk, oil, etc.  It turned out yummy and it felt so good to be back in the kitchen, even if for only a few minutes! 

After my parents left, Carson wanted to watch a movie with me.  We watched the new Grinch movie.  It was cute.  I was so tired though.  I am glad I get three days off of radiation, though I haven't felt the tiredness ease up.  But, it's expected and I'm getting used to it now.  It could be so much worse!

 My little buddy!

dear random, this guy loves to eat this bush of ours.  He's right by our window.

I think the top one is more like it, rather than the bottom one!

 Having a little too much fun with the Facebook quizzes...

I had to go through ALL these before I got the CHOCOLATE one!!!  LOL

NO IDEA WHY I find these things so fun.  Maybe because it can be Halloween every day and I don't really have to dress up or find a costume.  Wouldn't it be nice if we could really change ourselves so fast?  Especially on the ones  that make you look really good and wrinkle free?  I was hoping to surprise Carson when he answered.  He usually answers with a scary one.

Bryce and his cuties on a hike. 

 

This photo popped up on my memories.  Made me stop in my tracks because interestingly enough, my friend Janie (on the left) had a bad accident by falling off a ladder a few years after this photo was taken and basically couldn't walk for months on end and ended up in a wheelchair for a while.  Then there's me, yeah.  Maybe this photo was an omen.

dear quotes, I endured, persevered, and survived – largely because others emerged, served and inspired.

This is great advice from a woman I follow on IG who is going through breast cancer.