Friday, June 5, 2015

Seattle Trip

Well it has been awhile since I have blogged. I wanted to catch up for journaling purposes. As most of you know, back in March my mom was diagnosed with 3 ependymal tumors-two on her spine and one on her brain. She had surgery at the University of Utah to remove the biggest one on the spine. As a result of the surgery, she lost all feeling and movement in her legs. She was in the rehab unit there at the U of U for about a month, and from there she went to Seattle to do radiation therapy. She went there because they have a special kind called Proton Therapy where the radiation actually stops at the tumors. Because she would need it to her whole brain and her whole spine, this was the best option, so that it would not affect her other organs and cause severe short and long term side effects. She was there for about 2 months and then came home. She is currently staying with my brother Kelby and his wife Amy in Burley during the week, and then the rest of us rotate weekends and we go home and take her to her house and stay with her. She is going to physical therapy and regaining some feeling and movement in her legs, and we are hopeful that she will eventually be able to walk again, or at least stand and transfer herself. We have so appreciated the prayers, support, love, service, and donations. They have helped tremendously. She has been in a lot of pain lately, probably for many reasons-nerve pain from regaining her feeling, back pain from a compression fracture caused by the radiation, UTI's, rib pain, etc, so please continue to keep her in your prayers. 

While she was in Seattle, we each took turns staying with her. We rented an apartment from a lady who only rents to people who need to be there for medical reasons. My sister-in-law Stephanie (Kyler's wife) and their little boy Josh, and I stayed with my mom for the first 3 weeks she was there. It took them almost 2 weeks to have everything ready to start the therapy, so we were able to play and see a few things before that. It was lots of fun being able to spend time with them all. Josh learned to say my name and grew to really like me. :) Here are some pics from that trip. 

He kept putting this bowl on his head-he looked like Charlie Chaplain. So cute.


He loved the Aquarium. We couldn't tear him away from this wall!

We went to Pike's Place Market one day. Josh fit in this guy's hand just perfect!



When this pic was taken he actually leaned over and wanted to come to me from his mom. Now that is love!


He loved the park!




At the end of May he came and stayed with us for a weekend while his dad worked and his mom had a girls weekend with her mom and sisters. We loved it! 



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