1 week done, 3 weeks to go!

Yay, it's Friday!! My first week of interferon at Mountain State Tumor Institute went great. So far I feel fine and the week went by quickly. Everyone at MSTI is great and all the nurses are so sweet. I'm their last patient of the day so I know they are ready to head home but they still take great care of me. I'm having a hard time thinking of it as cancer treatment seems more like a spa. Ok, maybe I don't get out much so any time to myself without dragging kids around seems like a vacation even without any pampering. A huge THANK YOU to my mother-in-law, mom and sister for helping take care of the kids. Mike has been great at helping out at home even after his long 12 hour shifts at work. Thank you! Hopefully the next three weeks will go as well.



Stacy with her nurse at MSTI (week 1)




Stacy at MSTI getting her interferon treatment through her power port.

In the 70's so went to Lake Lowell

Mike took the kids to Lake Lowell to play in the water since it was so nice. The kids wore their new SPF 50 swim suits and sunscreen to go get their feet wet. Was a beautiful day, I prefer the clouds and cooler weather myself.

This is my first week of interferon treatments at Mountain State Tumor Institute after three days I am doing good and not feeling bad. Mondays are my long days with blood tests, seeing my doctor, then my treatments about two hours total. Tuesdays through Fridays is just my treatments about an hour a day. Almost at the end of my first week, so just have three more weeks to go then will be injecting myself at home three days a week for 11 months. Could be much worse!!


Alysha at Lake Lowell.




Owen and Ashley at Lake Lowell

Enjoying the nice weather

I went out front to see what Ashley and Owen were up to and this is what I found. Ashley tying Owen to my barrel. Not sure what they were playing but looks like he's having fun.



All tied up!




Kids playing in the new sand box Mike finished making for them. We are still working on cleaning up the yard and hopefully can take a load or two to the dump. Owen's cardboard pirate ship is in the background. Just a pile of wet cardboard now, was fun while it lasted.

Wagons Ho at Washington Elementary

Today was pioneer day at Washington Elementary. Alysha's 5th grade class along with five other classes learned what it was like to be a pioneer. They learned to build a fire, cook on it, how to brand, how to make tools and how to use them. They set up stations that the kids rotated to each with a different activity like making butter, rope, cutting wood, making buttons, washing dishes, pumping water etc.. It was a full day of learning and working too. I think they learned a lot and had fun also.

Wagons Ho at Washington Elementary

Kids learning about tools

Roping lessons.

Kids pumping water to wash dishes.

Cutting logs.

HAPPY EASTER

We spent the day doing Easter activities. First we went to the city Egg Scramble at Memorial Park. Where the kids all got to race to pick up eggs in the baseball field. Then we visited the Easter bunny and played at the park. This afternoon we colored eggs and are now waiting for the Easter bunny to come to our house with baskets. We hope that you are having a wonderful Easter.

Owen and Ashley with their eggs from the Egg Scramble.

Alysha and friend Ashley with their eggs from the Egg Scramble

Alysha coloring eggs.

Ashley coloring eggs


Owen coloring eggs

I WON THE DRUG LOTTO!!

I just received a phone call from Betaseron Drug Company. They called to tell me I get my interferon for my biotherapy for FREE, that knocks $30,000 off our bill. Yeah, one less bill to worry over and it's one of the big ones. So starting Monday I will be a science experiment, or at least feel like one.

More Belly Dancers in the family!

Our nieces Mariah and Amanda had their first belly dance performance yesterday at the Oasis Dreams daytime showcase. They did an awesome job and it was a fun performance to watch. They started taking belly dance classes at the Nyssa Artistic Academy under Eliza, who is part of my Raqs Hilwa dance troope. I hope that they continue to learn and keep dancing.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY STEVEN!
He turns 19 today! We wish him a wonderful birthday!

Stacy Update - I'm doing good and the doctors decided I could skip radiation so I just had my Power Port surgically implanted into my chest. It sounds like I should be part computer but it's really just like an implanted IV connection for my daily interferon treatments and for drawing blood etc.. I'll be starting my interferon treatment on the 13th and will be at Mountain State Tumor Institute an hour a day, 5 days a week for a full month then I think it'll drop down to fewer appointments. Overall, I'm doing great and hoping my treatments don't slow me down to much. Although we are all taking things a little slower and have dropped most extra activities, like Ashley's dance class, Alysha's gymnastics, and swimming lessons. We are enjoying doing things with family and at home more and are taking up more quiet activities like beading, quilt making, painting, drawing and catching up on movies. Thank you again to everyone for all your love and support!