So here we are in March and boy does it march in and out quickly. There have been so many things that have happened, let's play catch up.
It's Birthday time for the Layne family. We have 3 nieces and 3nephews birthday's, Andy's father's, 2 friends, and oh yeah our beautiful daughters. That's a lot of birthday cake!
Shaeli and Caity both have turned another year older and I just can't understand how it is possible that I can have a 17 and 15 year old. I mean I'm like...what...twenty something?
Oh, wait. I'm like almost fff...never mind. The point is our baby girls are closer to being an adult than a kindergartner. I seriously could cry. The song from fiddler on the roof comes to mind, and it goes something like...
(hem, hem, clearing the throat)
"Where is the little girl I carried? Where is the little boy at play? I don't remember growing older, when did they?"
(sigh)
Oh well life continues. So anywho, they chose different things for their birthday cake. Caity wanted ice cream cake. Something Andy doesn't like and love to loudly complain about. Shaeli chose cheesecake. So, we made the cheesecake and bought the ice cream cake. They were DELICIOUS! Oh my heck I think I gained like 10 pounds over 2 days.
It was also junior prom!
Shaeli looked gorgeous. She wore a sparkly silver and black dress. She even let me put makeup on her. I shouldn't have done it, she looks too pretty and grown up with it on. I will have Andy put pics up later. I don't know how and I don't have the time for visuals.
Speaking of time. Andy is healing well from surgery. He still is a pain in the bottom, but he is doing well. He told me the other day that he is feeling more optimistic and hopeful for the future.This is huge. Andy has battled a lot of pain in the last couple of years and we really have not been given a great timeline to live on, so when Andy is this hopeful we are all more optimistic and happy.
I know I am forgetting to tell you something I just can't remember right now. Some people call it a senior moment, I call it too much going on in life to stop and remember it. So, I hope that all is well with you, and our prayers are for you always.
Updates on How the Layne family is doing through the Melanoma treatments of Andy.
Monday, March 25, 2013
Thursday, March 14, 2013
tired is my middle name
Well looking back at the last few weeks made me feel, well exhausted. I truly feel that my name should be tired. I know, I know everyone is busy and tired. It doesn't help that we had daylight savings time. I love having sunlight at 7 o'clock at night, but the change kicked my butt. Oh, sorry and pardon my french. I should say kicked my backside.
Today Andy had his surgery. Hurray!!! We were there at 12:45 for pre-op and around 1:45 he went into surgery. He did really well. It only took 3 hours for surgery and another 3 hours in recovery. That went better than we all (doctors included) thought it would. He had no complications. What a good baby.
I have to share a little insight that came to me today while in the waiting room. This lovely lady asked me if the doctors told me a time to expect the surgery to take. I said, "yeah around 3 hours." She said that I looked a little too comfy sitting in the chair and asked if I had waited for my husband before with something like this. I said not only have I waited for my husband through other surgery's, I have gotten to where I rate the hospitals on their waiting rooms. It goes a little like this:
rated on a scale of 1-5 5 being- best 1 being- needed to be shut down
Huntsman Cancer & Research 4 star
LDS Hospital (old) 1 star
LDS Hospital (new) 3 star
McKay Dee Hospital 3 star
Nevada Cancer Institute 2 star
Logan Regional 3 star
Tremonton Hospital 3 star
Primary Children's Hospital 4 star
University of Utah Hospital 2.5 to 3 star (depending on which area)
Brigham City Hospital 2.5 star
Okay. I see a problem don't you and this is where the insight came into play.
I really have been in way TOO many hospital waiting/ recovery/overnight/ Dr. office rooms. I am hoping that after this Andy is able to get into a healthy physical shape and it helps to ward off illness and continued hospital/ specialist visits.
Oh, by the way. Andy did his three month scans at UofU and met with our favorite specialist, Dr. Grossman. The update goes as this:
The tumor in the lower lobe in the right lung has not changed since the last scans in December. Although the SUV levels are increased it does not show a dramatic change. That means that Andy has no new tumors and the one itsy one has not changed enough to alarm the docs. So, he doesn't have scans for FOUR months. That is one month longer than normal. That is a good thing. It all comes down to Andy's cancer is fairly stable and the doctors are happy with that and so are we.
Today Andy had his surgery. Hurray!!! We were there at 12:45 for pre-op and around 1:45 he went into surgery. He did really well. It only took 3 hours for surgery and another 3 hours in recovery. That went better than we all (doctors included) thought it would. He had no complications. What a good baby.
I have to share a little insight that came to me today while in the waiting room. This lovely lady asked me if the doctors told me a time to expect the surgery to take. I said, "yeah around 3 hours." She said that I looked a little too comfy sitting in the chair and asked if I had waited for my husband before with something like this. I said not only have I waited for my husband through other surgery's, I have gotten to where I rate the hospitals on their waiting rooms. It goes a little like this:
rated on a scale of 1-5 5 being- best 1 being- needed to be shut down
Huntsman Cancer & Research 4 star
LDS Hospital (old) 1 star
LDS Hospital (new) 3 star
McKay Dee Hospital 3 star
Nevada Cancer Institute 2 star
Logan Regional 3 star
Tremonton Hospital 3 star
Primary Children's Hospital 4 star
University of Utah Hospital 2.5 to 3 star (depending on which area)
Brigham City Hospital 2.5 star
Okay. I see a problem don't you and this is where the insight came into play.
I really have been in way TOO many hospital waiting/ recovery/overnight/ Dr. office rooms. I am hoping that after this Andy is able to get into a healthy physical shape and it helps to ward off illness and continued hospital/ specialist visits.
Oh, by the way. Andy did his three month scans at UofU and met with our favorite specialist, Dr. Grossman. The update goes as this:
The tumor in the lower lobe in the right lung has not changed since the last scans in December. Although the SUV levels are increased it does not show a dramatic change. That means that Andy has no new tumors and the one itsy one has not changed enough to alarm the docs. So, he doesn't have scans for FOUR months. That is one month longer than normal. That is a good thing. It all comes down to Andy's cancer is fairly stable and the doctors are happy with that and so are we.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Hey diddley do
Whas'up.
So, Andy went to his new specialist orthopedic surgeon Dr. Larsen on Wednesday. The new official technical terminology now is bicep tear and possible nerve damage. Yes, this is possibly a byproduct from radiation. We are looking at surgery in March. We hope this will improve Andy's pain. Yeah, I know it will get worse before it gets better. But now we feel hope that Andy will not have to continue in pain all the time.
Okay enough with the bummer news that is Andy and on to fun.
I want to tell about something that happened a couple of weeks ago, an event at work made me stop and giggle.
Here's the story.
One of our first graders came into our classroom and while he was waiting for Mrs. Nish to come in for groups he sat at the table. I was across the room at my table with my group of fourth graders. So, after about five minutes of the first grader quietly sitting there, I hear him shout out "BOO!" Then he does it again a moment later. This continued another two times until I shout over to him and ask, "What are you doing?!"
He declares with excitement that he, "has the hiccups and was scaring himself to make them go away."
Okaydoodle.
My fourth graders snicker about this and look at me like I should respond.
HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THAT? SO, I giggled and told the first grader to work on his words and try to be a little quieter.
Ahh...first grade humor, how do we live without it?
P.S.
Saw a funny little diddle yesterday on my daughter Caity's facebook. It went like this.
Dear Kindergarten Childern,
If you don't like nap time, please give it to us.
Sincerely,
High Schoolers
Yes, my high schoolers totally agreed with this letter. The kindergarten teachers I work with also agreed and said it should say from the Teachers. LOL
So, Andy went to his new specialist orthopedic surgeon Dr. Larsen on Wednesday. The new official technical terminology now is bicep tear and possible nerve damage. Yes, this is possibly a byproduct from radiation. We are looking at surgery in March. We hope this will improve Andy's pain. Yeah, I know it will get worse before it gets better. But now we feel hope that Andy will not have to continue in pain all the time.
Okay enough with the bummer news that is Andy and on to fun.
I want to tell about something that happened a couple of weeks ago, an event at work made me stop and giggle.
Here's the story.
One of our first graders came into our classroom and while he was waiting for Mrs. Nish to come in for groups he sat at the table. I was across the room at my table with my group of fourth graders. So, after about five minutes of the first grader quietly sitting there, I hear him shout out "BOO!" Then he does it again a moment later. This continued another two times until I shout over to him and ask, "What are you doing?!"
He declares with excitement that he, "has the hiccups and was scaring himself to make them go away."
Okaydoodle.
My fourth graders snicker about this and look at me like I should respond.
HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THAT? SO, I giggled and told the first grader to work on his words and try to be a little quieter.
Ahh...first grade humor, how do we live without it?
P.S.
Saw a funny little diddle yesterday on my daughter Caity's facebook. It went like this.
Dear Kindergarten Childern,
If you don't like nap time, please give it to us.
Sincerely,
High Schoolers
Yes, my high schoolers totally agreed with this letter. The kindergarten teachers I work with also agreed and said it should say from the Teachers. LOL
Monday, February 25, 2013
So here we go again
Hey, what's up my friends?
So, I think I have officially taken back the blog site. Andy seems to think I do a better job. Huh, were do you think he came up with that thought. Anywho, I wouldn't say I am better, but I am a good an dutiful wife and I don't discredit my hubby's point of view. No matter how he really intended that comment.
So, Andy had his MRI on Friday and guess what the official diagnosis is?
His shoulder is "jacked up".
That's right you heard it here. They actually stated to us that specific term. "jacked up"
So, you're wondering what does that highly educational/medical term mean? Well, hell if I know I don't have my PhD. What my lower limited understanding thinks is that we are looking at visiting yet another specialist (orthopedic surgeon) to have more lovely terminology poured out upon us. Hurray!!
P.S.
My new found favorite quote is from Mark Twain.
"You go to Heaven for the climate. You go to Hell for the company."
Ahh, what a linguistic genius.
P.S.S
We love ya'll. Thanks for the blessings!
So, I think I have officially taken back the blog site. Andy seems to think I do a better job. Huh, were do you think he came up with that thought. Anywho, I wouldn't say I am better, but I am a good an dutiful wife and I don't discredit my hubby's point of view. No matter how he really intended that comment.
So, Andy had his MRI on Friday and guess what the official diagnosis is?
His shoulder is "jacked up".
That's right you heard it here. They actually stated to us that specific term. "jacked up"
So, you're wondering what does that highly educational/medical term mean? Well, hell if I know I don't have my PhD. What my lower limited understanding thinks is that we are looking at visiting yet another specialist (orthopedic surgeon) to have more lovely terminology poured out upon us. Hurray!!
P.S.
My new found favorite quote is from Mark Twain.
"You go to Heaven for the climate. You go to Hell for the company."
Ahh, what a linguistic genius.
P.S.S
We love ya'll. Thanks for the blessings!
Friday, February 22, 2013
Couldn't wait
I just could not wait for tomorrow to tell you something I find funny. Last Saturday, Shaeli's boyfriend (yes she has a boyfriend and Andy and I are not dealing well with it.) had his Eagle Scout ceremony. She went with our best regards and a card containing money for Josh.
So right now you are wondering what is funny? Well...let me first describe Josh. Josh is a great young man that is kind hearted and treats Shaeli like a queen. His family are active LDS and have brought him up in love and righteousness. When we first met his parents we all went bowling. We had a great time and learned alot about Josh. So... when does this get funny. Be patient it's coming I have to set the back story. Well, we go to their house and instantly Andy and I realize that compared to them we are complete sinners. Yes, sssinnerss. They make us look like we are heathens. They have so many LDS pictures all around their house, I thought I was at Deseret Book. No offense to Deseret Book or to Josh's family. It just made us laugh.
Now fast forward to last saturday. We knew we had to do something for Josh on his accomplishment of Eagle. We were not going to the ceremony. So we thought, okay a card with money sounds about right. Shaeli being the "good girlfriend" was going. Andy and I were at Walmart and looked at the cards, but nothing seemed right and we thought we were going to have to go to Deseret Book to buy the card. Then out of Andy's squinky eye he sees theee card! On the front of this lovely creation is a really, really old guy making the wierdest face. The text says: "Well butter my butt and call me a biscut!" inside reads: In other words, you impressed us. Now I know that it is not offensive or crude. But if you met Josh's parents and knew how straight and narrow Josh is, this is extreme. So the really funnying part is not so much the card but that we sent it with Shaeli without her knowing what it said. He opened it in front of his whole family, to say the least Shaeli was a little embarrased. We laughed!!! I know that we should not embarras our children. I know that on sooo many levels, however, that is what she gets for growing up and making us like her boyfriend.
Side note:
The card that Andy really wanted to get for Josh had a cute little doggie with a bright red bra in it's mouth running down a path. Inside is read, "BRA-VO!" I thought this would have given both Shaeli and possibly Josh's mom a heartattack so we opted not to get it. Funny though, huh?
So right now you are wondering what is funny? Well...let me first describe Josh. Josh is a great young man that is kind hearted and treats Shaeli like a queen. His family are active LDS and have brought him up in love and righteousness. When we first met his parents we all went bowling. We had a great time and learned alot about Josh. So... when does this get funny. Be patient it's coming I have to set the back story. Well, we go to their house and instantly Andy and I realize that compared to them we are complete sinners. Yes, sssinnerss. They make us look like we are heathens. They have so many LDS pictures all around their house, I thought I was at Deseret Book. No offense to Deseret Book or to Josh's family. It just made us laugh.
Now fast forward to last saturday. We knew we had to do something for Josh on his accomplishment of Eagle. We were not going to the ceremony. So we thought, okay a card with money sounds about right. Shaeli being the "good girlfriend" was going. Andy and I were at Walmart and looked at the cards, but nothing seemed right and we thought we were going to have to go to Deseret Book to buy the card. Then out of Andy's squinky eye he sees theee card! On the front of this lovely creation is a really, really old guy making the wierdest face. The text says: "Well butter my butt and call me a biscut!" inside reads: In other words, you impressed us. Now I know that it is not offensive or crude. But if you met Josh's parents and knew how straight and narrow Josh is, this is extreme. So the really funnying part is not so much the card but that we sent it with Shaeli without her knowing what it said. He opened it in front of his whole family, to say the least Shaeli was a little embarrased. We laughed!!! I know that we should not embarras our children. I know that on sooo many levels, however, that is what she gets for growing up and making us like her boyfriend.
Side note:
The card that Andy really wanted to get for Josh had a cute little doggie with a bright red bra in it's mouth running down a path. Inside is read, "BRA-VO!" I thought this would have given both Shaeli and possibly Josh's mom a heartattack so we opted not to get it. Funny though, huh?
Hello my friends!
Hi everyone! Well, it has been a long time since I wrote on the blog. That's right it's me, Peggy. When Andy was no longer going through treatments, I gave back the writing role to the blog. However, I looked over the last blogs and to my dismay, Andy has not been very creative in writing, expounding in our adventure called life, or frequent in updating. So I decided to do a little of all these and maybe more.
First a knock knock joke from one of my special ed. kids.
Knock, knock
Who's there?
I don't know. Did you look out the door?
Ah, the humor of first graders is refreshing.
Now an update.
Andy has been in pain for...let's see...ever. And he finally complained enough to the right doctor to have an MRI done on his shoulder. Yes, you all heard right, his shoulder. You see thanks to the life saving/extending treatments Andy has had, it has caused damage to the muscles and nerves in the area that was exposed to the radiation. So that includes the shoulder, neck, back, and chest. Isn't this fun? We won't have any feedback until next week. I hope that there is something, anything that the doctors can find out that will help Andy with managing through this painful experience. Chronic pain is one of the side effects that one has to endure from cancer.
Well something about me. Cause you know it's always about me. Well this semester (yes. I am STILL in school) I have to tutor an international student at Weber State. This has been interesting. I help him with his grammar and vocabulary (he is just beginning to learn English). The other day I had to explain to him what awesome means. I laughed, I use that word at work as praise when the kiddos do well. So I did the same with him not realizing that he wouldn't know what it meant. How silly am I? Well I have many other things of humorous designs I would like to write, but I think I will save them for another day.
So...farewell my friends.
First a knock knock joke from one of my special ed. kids.
Knock, knock
Who's there?
I don't know. Did you look out the door?
Ah, the humor of first graders is refreshing.
Now an update.
Andy has been in pain for...let's see...ever. And he finally complained enough to the right doctor to have an MRI done on his shoulder. Yes, you all heard right, his shoulder. You see thanks to the life saving/extending treatments Andy has had, it has caused damage to the muscles and nerves in the area that was exposed to the radiation. So that includes the shoulder, neck, back, and chest. Isn't this fun? We won't have any feedback until next week. I hope that there is something, anything that the doctors can find out that will help Andy with managing through this painful experience. Chronic pain is one of the side effects that one has to endure from cancer.
Well something about me. Cause you know it's always about me. Well this semester (yes. I am STILL in school) I have to tutor an international student at Weber State. This has been interesting. I help him with his grammar and vocabulary (he is just beginning to learn English). The other day I had to explain to him what awesome means. I laughed, I use that word at work as praise when the kiddos do well. So I did the same with him not realizing that he wouldn't know what it meant. How silly am I? Well I have many other things of humorous designs I would like to write, but I think I will save them for another day.
So...farewell my friends.
Monday, January 7, 2013
Happy Holidays and Salutations to a New Year
Sorry for the long wait on an update. Sometimes we forget that if there is nothing really new to report, we should report that.
There really isn't anything new to report. We had a great Christmas and New Year. We are looking forward to what the new year brings us.
Since our last post we have had more scans. Good news again, the tumor we are aware of does not have any new friends, and is growing slowly. It is still too small for treatment. We will re-assess in April. Eventually I will have to have treatment on this tumor, but hopefully not until later this fall. The cold has been a little bit of an issue, ok, a big issue. I am having a hard time keeping my body temperature up to par. We are looking into this and waiting to hear from the doctors to see what can be done. I voted we move to a warmer area, San Antonio is warm I hear. So until we hear from the doctors, its thermals, electric blankets and lots of bundling. So there it is in a nutshell.
Merry Christmas and have a lovely day,
Andy Layne.
There really isn't anything new to report. We had a great Christmas and New Year. We are looking forward to what the new year brings us.
Since our last post we have had more scans. Good news again, the tumor we are aware of does not have any new friends, and is growing slowly. It is still too small for treatment. We will re-assess in April. Eventually I will have to have treatment on this tumor, but hopefully not until later this fall. The cold has been a little bit of an issue, ok, a big issue. I am having a hard time keeping my body temperature up to par. We are looking into this and waiting to hear from the doctors to see what can be done. I voted we move to a warmer area, San Antonio is warm I hear. So until we hear from the doctors, its thermals, electric blankets and lots of bundling. So there it is in a nutshell.
Merry Christmas and have a lovely day,
Andy Layne.
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