New Hair Cut

I I got a new hair cut today in preparation for losing my hair. I found a wig that I liked and then had them match the cute to the wig. It is kinda fun to do something I would have never done before. What do you think?

1 down 5 more to go

Yestuday I earned my first "pink run" item a pink hat. The day started going to my surgeon to check out my port and how things were healing from the masectomy. Then off to the oncology office. I am so glad that they have one in Rexburg. The Doctor, Dr. Dickson, is amazing and very kind. He is well informed and has worked with the Huntsman cancer institute in Salt Lake City. The Nurses were very kind and upbeat. I talked to the doctor for a few minutes and then off to a back room that looks like a nice family room with about 12 chairs. The Medicine went into my port great no pain and I didn't even feel anything. I came home at about 6p and felt a little tired. I went to bed and about 3a woke up feeling not so great. I spent the next hour or so on the toilet and used the bathtub for throwing up into 2 times. I am feeling better this morning, I am up but still feel a little week, I hope that the day will get progressively better. I get to go in and get a shot of white blood cells this morning and then off to a wig place in Rigby, about 15 minutes from me, and maybe get my hair cut short in preparation of it falling out.

The Chemo went very well, I didn't feel anything and the port was amazing. I am glad that I had it done. I talked to family on the phone and the kids came to visit. All the kids were amazing but Nathan was precious. He was his inquisitive self and asked a lot of questions and followed the nurse around. He even talked to the another women patient in the room . He asked her what kind of cancer she had and she pointed at her stomach and said "ovarian cancer". She asked Nathan what kind of cancer I had and without hesitating pointed to his chest and said breast cancer. I was so glad to see this, Nathan has been the one that has been the most concerned. Am I do glad that he felt comfortable enough to talk about it. Last night the kids looked at my mastectomy stitching and we talked about my port. Having cancer is such a personal thing but it also effects so many people that I love.

"This Day We Will Fight!"

As we contemplate beginning Chemo, and the fight that we have ahead of us, our whole family chants with full emotion..."this day we will fight!"

Relay For Life

My great friend Callie who I met in 7th grade has been an amazing support through this adventure that I am facing.  Recently she has signed her self up to be apart of an relay in the Relay For Life in her town on behalf of myself, and every time I have Chemo she is going to wear a pink shirt with a pink bow in support of me and breast cancer.  This is such an overwhelming act of love and kindness, and I am so grateful for it!  Here is the link to Callie's blog about her wearing pink and participating in the relay:

www.helgesonshappenings.blogspot.com/2009/02/wearin-pink-to-show-my-support.html

To participate in the relay she is suppose to raise 100$ to be part of her team, if you would like to participate follow the link on the right side of my blog that states "Support Callie and Jenifer in the Relay for Life."   You are all wonderful and I have gained much strength from you in my life, and especially at this time. 

Thanks Callie!

Our Everyday Angels

It seems like ever since I was diagnosed with cancer we have had angels visit everyday. They bring treats to brighten our days and make us smile, flowers to remind us of the beauty around us on those hard days, and even frozen meals ( I had to clean out the whole freezer in the garage to make room!) to make sure we are not feeling too overwhelmed and have a warm meal to eat.  

There are not words to express how much we love and appreciate you! 

Thanks Jason and Natalie!

Family has been a great help to us this past week after my surgery.  Jason and Natalie came and made sure that I rested while they cooked, cleaned an watched the kids.  Grandpa Paul and Derrek visited and even shoveled the snow in the driveway.  We love visiting and playing with family- they are wonderful in every way!

NEWSFLASH: Britt lost her first tooth!

Pathology Report

I went to the doctor this evening and got all the information on my pathology report. If you recall, last Friday I had a masectamy and the surgeon removed all of my right-arm lymph nodes because they found that one of the two nodes they analyzed contained cancer. Many of you know that I was trying to have immediate reconstructive surgery also, but that didn't work out because the surgeon was concerned about there not being enough tissue and the skin healing properly. We will have to revisit that issue in awhile.

Today we finally got some good news from the pathology report. The lymp node path report came back saying there was < .1mm of cancer in only one of all nodes they removed. (BIG YEAH!) The tumor that I found was an agressive tumor, the most agressive one you can have (rating 3 of 3). You may also recall that my mamogram report showed that there were other areas of concern in my breast. It turns out that the other areas of concern were carcinoma insitu, or cancer in the ducts that hadn't gotten invasive yet. The oncologist said that decision to have a masectomy was the right one because there were pre-cancerous micro calicifications all over the breast. In the end, the doctor staged my cancer as 'IIa,' becuase of the tumor size, the agressiveness of the tumor, and the spot found in the node.

As for treatment, now it is our job to keep the cancer from coming back and to kill any lingering cancerous cells in my body. I will have chemo once every three weeks for six sessions. I will most likely start next Thursday. Because of the proximity of the carcinoma insitu to the chest wall (too close for comfort), I also get to do radiation that will start 4 weeks after chemo ends. Radiation is 5 days a week for 6 weeks in Idaho Falls.

Reaction to chemo varies from person to person but it looks like the side effects of the chemo will be a couple of days of tiredness. Radiation doesn't have too many side effects, except for the huge time-sink.

In all we are very excited about the prognosses. I feel overwhelmed at what's ahead for me but I will put one foot infront of the other and I/we will make it through. We are getting wonderful help from our ward friends, and family.

Thank you for all your prayers and love that you have sent our way. You are all wonderful and important part of our family and we love you tons!

Jeni

Good News!

When I left surgery on Friday there was some concern that some skin that might die and as you can imagine that would not be a good thing. I was so nervous to see the surgeon today. He looked at my stitches and said that everything looked really good! I cannot tell you what a tender mercy this is. I have received so much bad news lately it was so wonderful to hear something positive. I give thanks for this moment of positive.

I told mike on the way home that I can't wait until I can an all "pink run" (meaning dress in all pink) when this is all done. It was then that I had this wonderful idea. For every session of chemo I have to go through I am going to earn something pink to run with in my "pink run". I am so excited! Who knows maybe I will get Mike and Nathan to run with me wearing some think pink too.

A Long Weekend

This weekend has been a long weekend.  I had my surgery on Friday. When I went into surgery the nurse asked me how I was and I said "physically okay,  emotionally not so good." She brought me a teddy bear:) The surgery went well and the doctor said he "got good margins", I am not quite sure what margins he means, lymph nodes, chest, or breast, but it sounds like a good thing, I will find out more about he surgery when I meet with him on monday.  The surgeon did find cancer in one of my lymph nodes so they took them all out and we are waiting for the pathology report which should be back at the end of this week.  Friday I hardly remember, I was very groogy, and slept most of the day.  Saturday I was a lot more awake and feeling okay and ready to come home.  I spent most of day just sitting on the couch and sleeping. Mike was wonderful! What a way to spend your valentines day, he is amazing! The kids have been so fun to be around they are my joy and light on those sad dark days.  I love my family and give thanks for them everyday but now my prayers tend to a bit little more sincere.   Today is Sunday and I am home while the family is at church.  I appreciate this time for some thinking, pondering, and praying.  I appreciate all that my kids do for me including distracting me from what is happening, but every once in awhile I appreciate these moments of quiet. Today at breakfast prayers Nathan thanked Heavenly Father "for Mommy almost being all better".  I love his "half-cup full" attitude.  I need to apply that more often I think through this process.  

Thank you for all your love and support, it has been tangible, and really helped on those hard days.  One day I was running and I was feeling a little sorry for myself and the thought hit me that if so many people could be praying for me and fasting for me then I can have the will to get through this.  Your prayers are being felt and I can't express how much we love you and appreciate your thoughts on our behalf. 

True Love

Yesterday we had a primary activity were all the children at church went to a assisted living center and handed out valentines cookies and sang songs.  It was awesome to watch the kids feel the spirit of love and service as they shared their cookies and valentines cards. Nathan was so cute, he went and visited a lady-Helen- in her room and after that he was hooked on visiting and giving. It was warming to me to see the children's smiles.  I saw a couple of things yesterday that caught my eye:

  One was a couple that looked very worn for years and definitely had their health problems.  I saw as we were singing that the husband reach over his sleeping wife and held her hand.  It was such a manifest of true love.   I was thinking to myself that I am in love with Mike as much as I could be and wonder what else there could possibly be.  With this trial our family is going through, and seeing such a manifest of love as this couple has for each other, I have learned that I have so much more to learn about love.    

The other thing that made an impression on me is a song the children sang.  We have been learning about the importance of families in primary this year.  The chorus to one of the songs goes...   God gave us families to help us become what He wants us to be- This is how He shares His love, for the family is of God.  

I am so grateful for my family, both my immediate and extended family, that God has given me, my little piece of heaven on earth.  What a comfort and joy familys are.  I believe god gave us families to become what he wants us to be-I know that this is how He shares his love.  I Thank God for families! 

 

Sunday Family Update

Well this past week was interesting.  I did not go into surgery because it turned out that we needed more information before we proceeded.  The next day we can get all the hospital, doctors, pathology, and surgery prep supplies together is on Friday of this week.  We have been learning a lot this past week by visiting more doctors, taking x rays, and giving blood for testing.  I am so grateful that Mike has been able help.  He is amazing, I always knew that but I such a renewed appreciation and love for him.  

So Friday is the big day, I will be having a single mastectomy with a sentinel node biopsy (where they take just a few lymph nodes to see if they have cancer). From there we will see what the next steps are.   

Thank you so much for all your love and concern, prayers, and fasting.  Your support really gave me power to keep going on those days that I am feeling sorry for myself.  

Love you all! 

A Day of Overwhelming Love

Today was a special day for our family. We had people from all over take part in fasting and prayer for my family and I .  The feeling we have gotten today has been an overwhelming sense of love and peace.  We are so grateful to have felt Him so near today.  We are so grateful to family who have reached out and expressed their love and concern, we love you all and are so grateful that Heavenly Father has sent such wonderful angels to be apart of our lives. 

We love you! 

Mike, Jeni and Family