Miracles

We just got back from the doctor's office and had some really great news. We weren't supposed to be able to get in until Monday but they called us yesterday and switched our appointment so we were able to talk to the doctor today and we were thrilled of course. So the type of testicular cancer that Glenn has is called seminoma. The doctor said that seminoma is "the best kind to have". He could tell from his blood work and his cat scan that it hasn't spread and seems to be in the very beginning stages. He suggested Glenn have a precautionary round of very low levels of radiation to make sure that if there is anything up higher by his kidneys it is taken care of long before it can be a problem. Glenn needs to heal completely from his surgery before he can start his radation therapy. So in three weeks he'll be able to start and will need 20 or so treatments. The doctor said it's usually one a day, 5 days a week. There should be practically no side effects because of the low dose that is going to be used. Is that amazing or what? When I talked to my mom today she said, "Well, that's about the fastest miracle I've ever heard of." I couldn't agree more mom.

Looking back on this week it almost seems like a dream. Just one week ago today Glenn called me in Florida and told me that the doctor told him he may have cancer. Then on Tuesday we went to a Urologist and he informed us that it was cancer and needed surgery the following morning. Then a cat scan on Thursday and our appointment today. It all went so fast that there was little time to think about it and take it all in. It just sort of happened. That made it a little scary. The fact that we saw the doctor and he told us Glenn would need surgery the following day was a bit nerve racking. And the fact that we knew nothing about what type or how advanced it was all week. But now it almost seems like a bad dream. Glenn will be just fine. He said that the chances of it coming back or him getting it again are about the same as his chances of getting it the first time. Extremely small. So it looks like Glenn will be missing his field research in Utah during May because the doctor doesn't think that he ought to be doing that kind of work while healing from his surgery. But he will be able to do his internship this summer in Houston which is such a blessing!

I cannot thank all of you enough for your fasting, prayers, and putting Glenn's name on numerous temple prayer rolls. This week has been scary and nerve racking but we have felt so loved and so blessed and suprisingly at ease. There were moments of panic (mostly on my part of course) but overall we've felt quite peaceful about the situation which, under the circumstances, is absolutely amazing and we know that we have been helped and the Glenn has been very blessed because of our family and friends and all of your prayers on his behalf.

Glenn has been incredibly optimistic and one might even say chipper throughout this experience. There have been many "uniball" jokes thrown around, especially between him and his brothers. Our favorite bit of comic relief is that his Urologist who we've been working with this week, the doctor who performed the operation and removed one of Glenn's testicles, is named Dr. Chopp. We thought that was funny enough. But then the nurse informed us after his operation that his first name is Richard...oh yes. But he actually goes by Dick. Yes I am serious. He thinks it's funny. Who wouldn't want an operation from Dr. Dick Chopp. Apparently his specialty is vasectomies. So if any of you men out there are looking into it, we have the perfect man. Oh dear.

What a whirlwind week. I feel like it was a nightmare that is ending now. As a woman who loves to know what her life, especially in the immediate future, is going to be like, this week was pretty scary. I can't express how blessed I feel to know for certain the my sweetheart is going to be perfectly healthy for a very very long time.
There are so many things I am grateful for as I look back on this crazy week:
- My sweetheart was proactive and went to see the doctor before this mess got too advanced and much more dangerous.
- My little boy had a little fever on Tuesday and a bit on Wednesday so he was on a bit of tylenol those days which made him very sleepy and really easy to care for.
- So many family and friends have called, brought over food, prayed for us and commented on our blog. I can't tell you how much it means to us to have such support. I feel like this mess has brought me a lot closer to my family and friends.
- We received our supplementary insurance money from Tate's birth last week which will help with my hospital bills and help pay for some of the bills from Glenn's surgery and treatment too.
- We have a beautiful home and a comfortable place for Glenn to recover.
- I have a husband who I believe to be absolutely incapable of serious worry. I actually get frustrated at him for not being worried at times when I think he should be. But this week, it was easier for me to remain calm because he was honestly not too worried about it at all. He just knew it would be okay. He's doing really well recovering from his surgery by the way. He's still really sore and has a hard time walking too fast but he's doing well. He got a big antsy yesterday and needed to get out so we rented a bunch of movies and bought some books for him to start as well. Poor boy.

This week I've been thinking a lot about general conference. There were a lot of beautiful messages shared in conference but the one that really rang true to me and meant the most this week was the need to keep an eternal perspective and find ways to be happy when times are hard. That's something I struggle with because I'm basically a big ball of stress. I know that it's something I need to work on. I was looking over the few notes I took on conference talks and a lot of them had to do with finding the positive in every situation, being grateful for things when you have difficult times, and giving to others so that you don't dwell on yourself and your own problems. All things that, starting now, I am going to make a concious effort to do better at. Everyone needs little jump starts once in a while to keep them focusing on the most important things in life. This is ours. I've had "If there's sunshine in your heart" in my head all week because it was a song from conference and as I was looking over my notes I wrote down the line that goes, "You can live a happy life in this world of toil and strife if there's sunshine in your heart." I love that. Too often I allow little strifes and toils in this world get to me and you know what? I don't have to. I can live a happy life. It's my choice. I'm not saying that I won't have down times. I will. I know it. I'll have a lot of times when I've forgotten that I meant to be happy that day. But I'm going to make a conscious effort to see the sunshine in things. To make my life a happy one because I am a very blessed girl. I have an amazing family who loves me. I have a wonderful sweetheart who thinks I am the most wonderful and beautiful person in the world. I have a very handsome, sweet, healthy little baby boy. What more could a girl ask for?
Thank you for your support, your frienship, and your prayers. Glenn, Tate, and I love you!