Might as well start at the beginning I guess. Toward the end of the school year I was having terrible abdominal pain and ended up having to leave school one morning and driving to the Emergency Room in Fort Dodge. I thought it might be my appendix, and after checking me out, the dr thought the same thing. After laying there for what seemed forever, (with so many memories flooding my mind of the times we spent there with Coleman) they did an xray and decided I needed a catscan about 3 hrs after that. I laid there from 9:00 a.m. until about 2:00 when the doctor finally came back in and said he was so sorry to have to be the bearer of bad news. He got a little emotional, and hugging me and holding my hand, saying how sorry he was, but they found two tumors- one on my right ovary, and one in my upper abdomen near my spleen. He said he wasn’t going to lie to me, that he had never seen anything quite like it, and he had made me an appointment at the John Stoddard Cancer Center for the first thing the next morning with a doctor he recommended. Needless to say, I was in shock. They let me get dressed, gave me some meds and said they would show me a short cut out of the ER- I told them not to bother- I already knew it all too well. (This was the hospital where Coleman did blood counts twice a week for 2 yrs… these were the halls he and Caden would RACE down giggling on our way to the “wab”…this is where we brought Cman the day of Christmas Eve when they sent us home, and we’d brought him back the next day for our helicopter ride to Des Moines, …..sigh….) I didn’t say any of this, but it was screaming through my mind….I knew every short cut there was in the place! They gave me some pain meds and I drove home with a far bigger pain in my heart than in my abdomen. Still, I held tight to faith that God would be with us, no matter where this was going.
So the next morning, we sent Caden to school and Scott and I drove down to the Cancer Center in Des Moines…we walked by the place we met with the Make a Wish ladies, (love them!) we walked by the gift shop, the pharmacy, ect…ect…(so many memories) and couldn’t believe we were going to the CANCER CENTER....and that the word “cancer” was again bringing us so much fear. ugggg!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I met with the very nice Dr. He reviewed my catscan and they did a tumor marker test and an ultrasound. He told us he was “very concerned”. His words were, “well, you have increased blood flow to the tumors, which isn’t something we want to see….so I COULD tell you they are benign….. but with your bad luck (that part made me want to scream- bad luck? Seriously…) I COULD tell you they might be benign, but it probably wouldn’t mean much to you.” He scheduled a surgery for a week and a half later, and said, “we’ll discuss chemo after that, if that’s the avenue we need to take.” I felt numb…I did NOT want to discuss CHEMO. I didn’t even want to THINK about it!
The drive home was pretty quiet. Was this truly happening?!? That night I hit my knees in prayer…I told God that I had never been mad at Him all the way through Coleman’s journey….that I knew He had been there with us every step of the way…but I pleaded with Him how unfair this all was…I didn’t want Scott, Caden, my family to go through this again! As much as I would LOVE to be with Coleman, that Scott & Caden needed me HERE too…that I didn’t understand WHY?!?!? Not again….please!
That Sunday we went to church, and our pastor did a sermon on “why pray?” if we feel God already has a plan, and there is nothing we can do about it, that it’s already set in stone, then why pray? It was exactly what I needed to hear. The entire next week I prayed my heart out! I told God what I wanted, and what I needed…and again felt the amazing spirit of peace that ONLY comes from Him.
I went back and taught the last couple of days of school, and packed up my classroom for the summer- not knowing if I would be returning in the fall, or be taking a leave of absence again- for chemo treatments- sigh- the thought of it made me sick to my stomach!
I have to say that again we found out how VERY blessed we are with our family and friends, who flooded us with prayers and kindness. We will NEVER, EVER be able to thank you all enough! WE LOVE YOU!...and to my Duncombe Family- what can I even say to you??? How many times do I say THANK YOU is NOT ENOUGH!!! You are AMAZING!
My surgery was scheduled for Monday at noon. We had to be there at 10 to be prepped and ended up waiting around until after 2:00 before they took me in. The last thing I remember before they put me out was whispering, “please God, please…” and then I was out. When I came to in my room, Scott told me the AWESOME news…they had removed my right ovary, and it was NOT cancerous, and the upper tumor ended up just being a fatty tumor! WHEW!!! I can’t even explain how GRATEFUL we were!!! Talk about an emotional roller coaster! There have been a LOT of tears of relief, and I have been praising GOD with so many prayers of THANKFULNESS!
I had to stay the night in the hospital, but got to come home Tuesday night, and have been taking it easy- I’m still a little sore, but the feeling of relief is enough to make me want to jump up and down! (ok not yet, but I’ll get there!)
I go back to the dr this week, and hopefully find out when I can resume normal things- and I can spend the rest of the summer doing the things with Caden that I’d planned on doing! (uh-oh…did I just use the word PLAN again!?!?!) You really do NEVER know what life has in store…so we’re NOT going to “plan” a thing- we’re just going to live in the moment, and as always make the most of them!
Caden has been my little “nurse” and has been reading me books and tearing the house apart while I recoup…it’s funny how it doesn’t even make me mad- it doesn’t matter- it can all be picked up eventually….okay- the MUD did make me a little mad! Haha Just for a minute, but I guess that can be cleaned up one day too! :) Just not today. There are bigger problems in the world than a little mud.
This has brought me back to all of the people who have been diagnosed recently, who fight every day, and those who need our prayers. Cancer is a roller-coaster….and NOT a fun one. PLEASE GOD- LET A CURE BE FOUND!
Neva Div up.
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY TO ALL THE DAD’S OUT THERE- Here are a couple of the videos I’ve I made in the past for Scott…he truly is the best dad I could have ever asked for my boys. His patience continues to amaze me every day. He’s been through a LOT of stress lately- and I’m hoping for a day of relaxation for him tomorrow! :) And to MY dad in Heaven- who Caden Dale is named after, I LOVE YOU & miss you…thank you for being MY best dad! Take good care of Coleman until we’re together again!
Blessings to you all,
FOREVER TEAM LARSON
Teamlarson1@gmail.com
Ps. I know there are some Neva Div Up tshirts I’m behind on mailing out- sorry I fell behind there for a while! I’ll get back on it this week- and if there is someone I missed, PLEASE help me out & send me an email & let me know! We still have shirts and window decals left if anyone is interested- (go back a few posts for details) THANKS for understanding!!!! I’ll get them out this next week!
Oh and also here is some info I’m passing on for Diane Rohrbach – Thanks Diane- it’s a great cause!
Can you help get this out to as many people you can that Care Page families and supporters? I think it is a great idea!
Vote to help kids get transplants
Pepsi, NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson and Be The Match Foundation® are teaming up in a race to win $100,000 to help children in need of transplant.
You can help children battling leukemia and lymphoma receive the marrow transplant they need. All it takes is your vote for Jimmie Johnson in the Pepsi Refresh Project.
Vote for NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson and Be The Match Foundation’s Transplant Grants for Kids.
***Coleman LOVED saying “Jimmie Johnson” – and I loved the way he said it!***
Here is the link:
http://seed.sproutbuilder.com/5wDmua9LMjoHyZP5
http://seed.sproutbuilder.com/5wDmua9LMjoHyZP5
Some of our recent pics…
Caden’s been enjoying the rain we’ve been getting…makes for some FUN puddles to drive through!
And it’s making the corn grow!
Also makes for a LOT more laundry…this was outfit 4 for the day I think! Soaking wet!!!
Daddy to the rescue!
It didn’t stop him…
Some recent pics of us that Scott took…
And Caden bringing me flowers in the hospital- when he found out I was going to have surgery he said, “oh, so it will just be me and daddy then? COOOOOL!” haha thanks Caden!
And a few people have asked about the mother cat and kittens my sister gave him…I really don’t think we were meant to have pets- A few weeks after we got them, TWO of the kittens died…we don’t know why- they were healthy, and not a mark on them, so we don’t think another animal did it, but then the mother and another kitten came up missing about a week later. Caden thinks they went “exploring” which is what we’re hoping…it’s hard to say…farm cats come and go, but he’s now very attached to his lone black cat we’ve had for a long time…so originally named BLACKIE, and now the lone kitten, who he named GRAYCEE. She is a ball of energy and growing- so much fun to play with- and she enjoys ALL of his attention!
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