Yesterday was a big day for Jeff and I. Day 8 of our cancer fight. But before all that, October 23 marks not only one of my closest friends, Laurie Salazars birthday, but also the day I met Jeff. 20 years ago I went to a renewal of the vows/birthday party at the Whittier Moose Lodge (for Lauries birthday slash parents renewal of vows). Little did I know I would find my future husband there. I remember that party very well, down to what I was wearing. I think I remember it because it was truly one of the first real parties I could stay out all night at..plus I had just turned 18 (most of you remember how strict my parents were) but the only reason I was able to stay out all night to the early morning hours were because my brothers were at the same party. Hehehe! I remember walking in late, the music blaring, people already have a good time dancing and me anxious to get my groove on. I was never shy when it came to dancing. I didnt know too many people at the party, my brothers were already there, I knew Derek Franco, Laurie and a few of her friends. I remember sitting on one the chairs next to the dance floor and this tall looking, long haired, ear ring guy walk up to me and sit right next to me (too close for my comfort). I was already annoyed by him from a previous encounter with all the girls (I thought he was too smooth for my taste) and tried to stay away. There he sat, smiling at me, trying to make conversation. I remember looking at him and thinking, He is so not my type, but there he was, still persistent. All of a sudden, the song Rump Shaker came on. (Okay, did that just age me or what?) :) so the music is blaring, the Rump Shaker is playing and instantly this 6ft 1 guy jumps up and starts screaming, I love this song! I Remember looking at him and thinking, okay, he is pretty pumped...and right then and there, because of his excitement and how many drinks he had already consumed, when he jumped and flared his arms out (in the manner only my Jeff can do, and perhaps a musical conductor) his White Russian drink came pouring out of his glass and onto my cream slack pants. If I wasnt already annoyed with him then, I sure was now. With all his excitement 3/4ths of his drink fall on my lap. I remember Jeff belligerent and all try to clean my pants with his hand and me pushing him off because he was touching my leg and thigh. He just kept on going. All I could think was who is this guy, why wont he just leave me alone. It was cute though, there he was still waving his arms in the air because of the song, offering to pay for the dry cleaning and still having the confidence to ask me to dance. So I sat there, rejected his invitation while he went into the crowd of swarming dancers. Then plops Derek. I then turned to one of the few people I knew and said, Oh my gosh, who invited that guy! Dereks response, I did, he is one if my best friends. Oops, open mouth, insert foot. Very seldom do I remind Jeff of that story, probably because days, months fly by in a hurry and he is either working or vice versa. Oh how confident he was. My hub, how persistent...who would have guessed that encounter would lead to 20 years of friendship, 11 1/2 years of marriage and two kids. As we were driving into the Sugarland MD Anderson I brought up our 1st encounter and offered him the opportunity of a well needed drink (White Russian). He looked at me an said, Liz I havent had a drink in a while, even if I wanted one I couldnt drink it, I am so exhausted. I looked at him and said, Well, if memory serves me, you wouldnt be drinking it anyway, most of it would be on my lap. There we sat, in the parking lot of our new home away from home cancer center, smiling at each other. For a split second there was my hubs smile again, Ah, if only one could bottle it. Loving you hub. Always and 4ever! So, the day begins with blood work: hemoglobin, CA 125, BRCA gene testing, etc., then educational material for the upcoming surgery and conversation with the doctor. So, the doctor walks in, we discuss the game plan for Friday and then asks me if I have made a decision regarding the method of chemotherapy. I tell her my thoughts and she goes on to say that she has been thinking about me for the past few days and feels the best method would be the IV method due to what the CT scan showed and my family lifestyle. So I brought up to her, take away the family lifestyle, what is most important is which method will give me the longer life with my kids? If there is even a slight 1% difference between the two, I want the 1%. She went on to say they are both equally effective and in my case based off of what is showing (as far as tumors in the stomach) she would recommend the IV, but going in, if she sees a large mass or numerous tumors she could put the port. Agreement made, I trust her enough to make the judgement call. Any doctor that cares enough to think about me and my case after hours is a doctor I can respect and trust. Thank you Lord for answering our prayer and guiding us once again. Another sign! From the Sugarland location, off we went to the Houston MD Anderson, main building. All I can say is Wow! Impressive! This building alone has 11+ floors, elevators, escalators, and windows galore. Very inviting as inviting can get for a cancer center. Reality hits when you see groups of people and family members walking by, your eye and mind instantly question and search for the sick. Every patient wears a bracelet with their ID, very sad. I then get hit once again to my new life, this is me, I am the one wearing the bracelet. Wow, if somebody had told me a few weeks ago I would be here and wearing a bracelet, I would have considered them mean and basically laughed in their face. I feel fine, normal, normal as one can feel after having a Caesarian 3 weeks prior. Okay, chest x-ray, anesthesia, EKG, and additional blood work later, we were done. Boy is this place efficient. This is just another reminder on how fortunate I am to be here. Thank you Ron and Candice Harris for loving me enough to go that extra mile, pull out all your contacts and ask around. Thank you Costco for relocating my family to Sugarland and for great benefits (not once have I been questioned regarding my insurance of lack of coverage). Thank you God for giving me beautiful Emi and utilizing her as a vessel and pushing down my placenta to give me this fighting chance. Thank you mom for being here and extending your stay to help with Ethan and Emi so Jeff can be by my side during this battle. Thank you my sister and cousin who will be flying and driving out to help out with the kids while I am if surgery and hospitalized. Thank you Nancy who will be coming out to help with the kids and be there for us during my chemotherapy. Thank you everybody for your continuos prayers, scriptures and posts. It truly has helped me keep my sanity and share my voice. And thank you hub for your unconditional love, support and just being my rock. This will probably be my last post before surgery. Surgery scheduled for friday morning. Please pray for God to guide the doctors, for me to have courage, strength and a calmness, for my family, and the removal of ALL cancer. Thanks again! With love, Elizabeth
Posted on: Thu, 24 Oct 2013 09:16:48 +0000
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