Some test results...

The first look at the brain MRI is showing no real problems. A more detailed report will be to follow, but so far so good. There are also no serious problems seen with my bladder either. YEAH! That's some good news. The other good news is that today for the first time I haven't had any real dizziness, loss of balance or nausea. I do feel like my brain is a bit foggy, like you feel when you have bad jet lag, but I'm feeling better than yesterday and yesterday I felt better than the day before that. So things seem to be looking up.

Got a ride!

Thanks to all of you who were willing to try and make it work if I needed you to drive me tomorrow. I have confirmed a ride to VGH for my test tomorrow. Thanks Julie, again!!

P.S. to below message

P.S. If you are sensitive to vomit in anyway, (smell, sound, the word) perhaps you are not the person for this job. If you have a fancy car, that you'd like to protect, this would also void your application. If you have a mini-van that has been puked in at least once or twice, you are probably the right person. Better yet we can take our van, which has been puked in at least a dozen times. If this makes you squimish, again..perhaps another time. I do how ever have a puke bucket and my aim has gotten really very good.

Need a ride please!

Monday I have a heart muscle scan at VGH hospital for 9:15am and I need a ride. Chris will be here working and Lizzy will be with the girls. I could handle driving in but I won't be allowed to drive myself home after the tests. Besides we know what happened when I tried that on my own last time:)As nice as the Cancer Lodge is, I'd prefer not to stay there again.We'd need to be leaving Abbotsford no later than 7:30am, and then at 9:15 they give me an injection. I go back an hour or more later for another injection, radio active (so don't offer to drive if you are pregnant) and then finally have the test, which only takes about 20 minutes. I'd guess we'd be heading home around 1:30ish right before rush hour. It could be a bit earlier and it could also be a bit later, you'd need to be flexible and not in a rush to get back. Let me know if you can help out, email me at fjanz@featherjanz.com

Home, feeling better?!?!

I drove home this morning, I felt fine. I enjoyed watching the girls play in their "new" sandbox in our new backyard. The sun is shining and I recalled just a week ago lying in the hot Nevada sun, but as I watch my girls play, "digging for treasure", this I see is better than any Las Vegas production:)
Now I'm in my bed, in my cozy pj's, resting after a dizzy spell outside caused me to stumble inside for help. As the dizziness, quickly turned into severe nausea, Chris was there to put a gravol shot in my padded backside, as I hang over the bowl. Not romantic to say the least, and not in time either. I'm re-evaluating "feeling better" as the contents of my stomach return and I'm thanking God for the cool rim of the toliet bowl against my face. I'm glad to be home in the loving and caring arms of my husband and feeling...welll?!?!? Just Feeling.

Home Tomorrow!

The MRI went as well as it could I guess, it's an odd process. Very loud?!?!
Anyway, after the injection and meds they gave me, they told me I couldn't drive for 24 hours. So here I'll stay one more night, rested to drive home tommorow morning. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers.

Vegas High, Cancer Low.

I came off a wonderful trip to Las Vegas with Kobie, just to be thrown back into the reality of my situation. Believe it or not I had a very relaxing time in Vegas, lots of sleep, naps and resting by the pool. Amazing Cirque de Soleil shows, "KA" and The Beatles "Love", some walks to eat,shop and lose $2 at the nickel poker machine (for a few hours of entertainment) Kobie would sit and rest with me when I needed to and was always up for nap time. I do believe it was exactly what the Doctor ordered. When I would stagger from my dizziness, I fit in with all the others who'd had to much to drink.I couldn't believe how many compliments I got about my hair, I felt "Hoity-Toity" (sp?) saying that I was travelling with my hair dresser:)
Since we arrived on Valentine's, my very romantic husband had chocolate covered strawberries delivered to our room, I do believe they were the best I've ever had.
Now I find myself staying at the Candaian Cancer Society Lodge, staying for a couple for nights. I felt well enough to drive myself in for all of my appointments on Wednesday, but not well enough to drive home. Thankfully they could accommidate me at the last minute here, it's much nicer than I imagined and for onlly $38 a night I get three meals a day and snacks. There's a nurse always available and I've made some new friends. Though I'm the youngest here by far, I feel I fit in. They have internet, TV lounges, relaxation room (where I think I'll read before sleep) I had to buy some neccessities since I drove out not intenting to stay, but the store that had three items of clothing for $20 came in handy a block away, plus I'm sure I'm the only one here with "Finding Nemo" toothpaste (the girls will think I got them a gift:)
I have a brain MRI tomorrow at the cancer agency, hopefully all they find is my brain:)
I'm off to sleep and relax, Those are my orders!

Thursday Feb 21 (From Chris)

I've talked to Feather today. She'll be staying one more night in Vancouver. As much as I want her home, it's probably better for her that she stay. She has her MRI tomorrow afternoon at 1:15. She was not feeling well this morning, but said she felt a little better by this afternoon. I'm very much looking forward to having my wife home tomorrow. The house feels quite empty without her here. However, I suppose my 2 screaming and laughing girls make up for it to some degree :) Please pray that they find out everything that's going on tomorrow with the MRI, and also that there is nothing serious to find.

Thanks for reading,

Chris

Update (From Chris)

Another not so happy update. Last night Feather developed a sudden and terribly severe headache. This afternoon, after driving into Vancouver for her neurology appointment and herceptin she again took a bit of a turn for the worse. She did not feel well enough to drive home, and the nurses confirmed that they did not want her to drive home. So now tonight she is staying in Vancouver in a Canadian Cancer Society building. She may stay there until her MRI in a couple of days. The neurologist also has ordered a brain stem test, as she was VERY dizzy with her appointment with him, so much so that she could not really even complete parts of the neurology exam. Please pray that we figure all this out, and that it's nothing serious.

I must admit, it's hard for me; Feather has just returned from a fantastic time in Vegas, and now she's away again, with symptoms that remain undiagnosed and circumstances that I can't control. I will say this, that if longing makes the heart grow fonder, then I have never been more fond of my wife.

New Prayer Requests posted

IF you look to the left you will notice that the prayer request section has been updated. Thanks again to Daryl and Corina Kropp who keep my page so up to date:)

Viva Las Vegas!!

I leave for my trip to Vegas with Kobie tomorrow morning. Valentine's Day without my husband but he's to busy working on a deadline anyway. So off I jet grateful that I'm feeling much better. I have many Doctor's appointments next week but I won't think of them while I head off on my trip! Lots of love to veryone for Valentine's Day!!

MOMS Conference Sat Feb 9th!!

Just in case you were looking for something to do tomorrow, short notice I know, sorry:( I'm speaking at a MOMS Women's day conference at Northview church at 11:10-Noon. There will be many other events, food, speakers etc. I'm looking forward to the day and praying for energy to get through and enjoy myself. Hope to see some of you there.

Feeling Normal?!?!?

I have to say that today was the first day I've had moments of feeling normal again, in five weeks. Though brief I recognized the moments and embraced them. Tonight was the first time I have braved dinner, bathtime and bedtime, with both girls all by myself, in longer than I remember. Cadence, who's almost three and almost completely potty trained, decided tonight would be a good night to poop in the bath! Thankfully Carmelle wasn't in yet. So as I fumbled with cleaning the bath and bath toys, after getting Cadence to put on her own pull-up and pj's, I realized she was MIA. So I set out to find her, and after awhile I found her sleeping like a log on thye carpet in the living room, under the coffee table. So I put a blanket on her, and there she will remain until Daddy comes up from work. As I tucked in Carmelle she insisted that I get her slippers, put them by her bed side and to put her house coat at the end of her bed, so that she could put them on in the morning when she wakes up. "Oh?" I said. Then she said with an attitude I didn't think I'd see for many years, "That is what humans do, ya know!!?" "OOOHHHH!!!" I said,"Well...." and I walked out of her room before I busted out in laughter. Well....I guess that's normal around here, ya know!!

A Shout Out!

I just wanted send a shout out to all of you who are praying and offering us encouragment in so many ways. Everything touches us and inspries us to keep our heads up, prayers up and spirits up. Every email, card, message, call, kind gesture, gift and loving word sees us through. We see God's loving and abiding hand through it all. When I feel weak, I am reminded that He is my rock and my strength. I am reminded that it is through my weakness that His strenth prevails. When arrows pierce me, I am reminded that He allows these to refine me for His plan. I rejoice that He has given me a firm foundation on which to stand. And I have peace in knowning that He was there in my beginning and He will be with me through to the end; and that end is only the beginning. He gives me peace, joy, love and laughter each and everyday. Thank-you for your support and love.
I received a card from a friend Miranda, I'd like to share it's message with you, I suppose it's what inspired this blog entry:

The smallest things can change our lives,
one hand reaching out to another,
one prayer whispered in faith,
one moment that shines with His presence,
Thinking with you, believing with you, praying for you,
and wanting you to know how much I care.

Thank-you, I'm touched more than you know for all the words of support and encouragement!
God Bless.

More Updates.

I've had some questions about a few things I thought I should clear up a little. Firstly, in regards to the situation with "Sarah" , I feel that it has been put behind me. In the time frame that the comment was received, I felt stung deeply. It caused many of my emotions to flood to the surface and for the reaction of my loving and sensitive husband to come crashing down. We are very passionate people and act and react with much emotion and perhaps think it out more thoroughly later. Which is what we have done and we have put the incident behind us and have not paid it much mind. After prayer and thoughtfullness, the situation is forgiven and in the past. Though we never did get a chance to communicate this to "Sarah", perhaps she has now read this as you have.
I also wanted to let you know that continued prayers for my stomach situation would be much appreciated. As I actually met with the Gastro/intestinal specialist who did my stomach scope and biopsy gave me a bigger picture to look at today, one I'm not sure I really wanted to see. As it stands he can't say with certianty that the "ulcer" I have isn't cancer. The biopsy that was taken was benign, but that's apparently not conclusive. What will show with more certiany, is how things look in the follow up scope and biopsy, wich are currently scheduled for March 26th, approximately 2 months after the first one. If at that time the ulcer is healed, then the medication has worked and it was just a good old fashioned gastric ulcer. But if the "ulcer" hasn't changed or has gotten worse, then the situation is probably more serious, ie: cancer. So, the prayer is that over the next few weeks the medication will be working and that the ulcer will heal and that nothing will be found in the follow up scope. Lord, hear my prayer.

Viva Las Vegas!

In less than two weeks I'll be heading off to Las Vegas with my friends Lizzy and Kobie. We'll meet up with Julie there and will have a blast staying at the Mirage Hotel on the Vegas strip. We plan to see two shows and so much more. And as if I wasn't excited enough, a friend of and friend (a new friend for me:) felt lead to make the trip even more special for me by offering to pay for all of my trip related expenses!!WOW! She felt that after all I've been through this past year and with all of my main treatment behind me, I deserved a all-expenses paid get-away! YEAH! This just makes the trip all the more sweeter:)
AS excited as I sound, which I am, I haven't been out of bed all day, I'm quite sick with this horrible head cold that is now in my chest. I sure hope it doesn't get any worse. Doctor says lots of fluids and rest, so I'm going to have some more fluid and head off to bed again. I'm looking forward to more active days!

Good and not as good.

Good news is that the biopsy taken in my stomach has come back negative for cancer, Yeah! It's just a good old fashioned stomach ulcer. I do have to have another stomach scope done in about 3 weeks to make sure it's getting better. I do have a list of tests and Doctor's appoinments over the next few weeks to try and figure out my dizzy spells, bladder problems and why my other test showed I don't have a gallbladder. Other than my nasty cold/cough I do believe I'm feeling a bit better:)
To make myself feel better I went for some self-inflicted pain that I got to choose to have by having my legs waxed,eye brows and my face threaded, bikini line, plus my one left underarm. Why only one arm pit you ask?!?! Because no hair will grow in my right armppit because of the radiaiton there!! Speaking of the radiaited skin, it feels a 100X better than it did two weeks ago. It looks like a really dark tan, so I'm going tanning, covering that area with towels, thanks LISA and Perfect Tan for setting me up!! I'll be evened out in no time:)
I'm feeling very well cared for by my Doctor's, I had a long appointment with both my oncologist Dr. Karen Gelmon and Dr. Newton my family physician. I feel reassured and calmer about my health and care.
A very wonderful Christian man that I know and trust very much shared with me today something, that has given me a great sense of hope and faith about my long term future. He told me that God gave him a vision of me, in the vision I was older, in my 40's, with long blonde hair, a few grey's to be seen:) and a slimmer and mature me, with more radiance than I've ever had before! I will cling to that, I just know that my life time has more work to do, and I'm going to do all I can right now to recover so I'm ready for the job ahead. So off to sleep I go, that's my job right now!!