Oh my goodness it’s been busy around here. We have been going going going but I am so grateful that my legs are now strong enough to carry me the distance. Tuesday I had an apt with the colorectal surgeon, it was an embarrassing appointment and no matter how many bottoms he’s looked at this is still mine and somehow different. I learned that if the tumors are debulable (removable) then there is a possibility that I can have my ostomy reversed. Ultimately it’s yet to be decided. I have to see if my regular surgeon is willing to do the surgery and that will be based on how the next CT goes. Unfortunately there are so many surgeries for cancer these days that my surgeon was booked until June, however he was able to squeeze me in on the 24th of May. I will have a Cat Scan early that morning and see him at 1 for the results. I am hopeful that there will be significant changes this time and am working to visualize a good outcome. My CA-125 numbers are up just slightly, but not enough to do Chemo my oncologist said. I saw my normal oncologists son this week and I liked him a lot. I’ve seen him twice now when mine has been out of town and am seriously considering switching to him permanently. He’s great, very friendly and seems a little more open to my new method of treatment. He said I wouldn’t do chemo if I was you and that is the first time I have ever heard that from an oncologist. Right now I am being monitored pretty closely and the thyroid seems to be doing better.

On the way to my Dr’s apt Tuesday I called my “chemo buddy” Marika to see how she was I hadn’t heard from her in a while and she had been on my mind a LOT. Once she answered the phone I knew exactly why she hadn’t called. I could “hear” the weakness in her voice and as we talked I learned how rough the last few weeks had actually been. She had been in the hospital on and off for the last 3 weeks and had an allergic reaction to her new chemo. Also she had gotten some devastating news that her liver was in a lot of trouble and other tumors had developed in her lungs and liver as well. Her numbers had jumped dramatically over the period of just one week. We talked about things that only cancer patients can understand and we both ended up in tears. She is an amazing woman and she has been my inspiration and strength many times over this journey! This is her second go with this disease and this was honestly the first time that I had ever seen her this down. It brought back some pretty difficult memories for me of a time when I was in that same place. We both agreed that the phone call was a “God thing” that we both needed. I know that she and I will forever be friends and had we not both been in this journey we would have never met. Mark often tells me to see the good in what has come from this and not the bad and my friendship Marika is one of the best things that has come from my getting sick. There is something special about some one who really “gets it.” I love to call her when I have good news because I know she knows how that really feels and I also know I can call her when I need to be encouraged. I encouraged her to see Dr Mark and yesterday she did. Afterwards we met up for a short visit and I was greeted with the greatest smile and hug that only Marika can give. I could tell that she had seen something new. She told me that she felt much more encouraged and that’s all I want for her. She is trying to get into a clinical trial so we are praying that her liver numbers get better and she regains some strength to continue this journey.

My daughter MeKaty decided that she wanted to do the race for the cure this year so she, Rilynn, my mom and I are all going to do it tomorrow in Boise. We are racing in Marika’s honor and it should be a great day!

Rilynn and I had another hockey game on Wednesday and she scored 3 goals! She was pretty excited. We are really enjoying it.

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