WELCOME

Hello,
Welcome to my Blog! Yes, I have been in the fight of my life against Leukemia, insomnia, depression, side effects of medications, molting skin, pooping my pants and this list goes on.... however, I still love my life, and that's what this blog is about Real Life. I hope to meet others who trails have brought them closer to the Lord and molded them for the next step in God's will. In January 2011 , my family, physician, and Be the Match was featured on a Fox 5 news story about bone marrow donors and transplants. In March, I was interviewed on Atlanta and Company along with Be the Match. I was chosen to sing the national anthem at the Be the Match Run last year and will also be doing it this year, along with some other songs. My team, no thanks to me, raised over $4,000 and raised more than any other team! Please join my team this year or consider donating here at the Run those Stem cells out ! Team I was also chosen for a patient advocacy panel for the international council meeting at Be the Match in MN in November. How exciting!! I ended up not being able to attend due to the relapse. I had hoped I could help raise awareness about how easy it is to sign up to be a donor and how many people need your help! Please go to bethematch.org and sign up! I was able to have my bone marrow (same as stem cell) transplant at the end of March thanks to a 22 year old donor oversees that I hope to meet her one day. As I came up on my 6th month mark and continued to add more normal activities to our lives, I relapsed, meaning that the that the cancer had mutated and the leukemia came back. I spent 2 more weeks at Emory and some other nights here and there and now I'm on a drug from the FDA. I have a compassion waiver so I am able to get it. I have to take it day by day sometimes hour by hour. Time keeps moving and my little girl is growing up. I'm lucky that I'm getting to see it. I continue to praise God for his wonderful blessings he has shown us including my wonderful husband Jonathan, baby girl Evalyn Rose, supportive family and friend, great medical care, new readers, and the chance to make a big difference, even if that means being a Lab Rat.
God Bless You!

Please read, comment, enjoy, learn, grow, LOVE LIFE.

Most Recently I have started a booth at a local consignment store with handmade jewelry from friends, crafts, and my own art from recycled materials. It is called DAY by DAY. God was very clear with me starting this. Please look over to the right of blog and click on Day by Day to see some pictures. I'm just getting started but I am taking orders from people that I know. You will be able to personalize items, etc. I just haven't decided how I will be selling them via internet yet. But for now, the jewelry is at A Weekend A'fair in Athens, GA and will hopefully be at some stores downtown soon.

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Artsy Fartsy, Grads, and Dancing Fun

Hi Everyone, I've been so sick and trying to catch up with my new booth that I have really fallen behind on my blog and pics. So I had some great news today. I am the first patient to have this type of stomach system where it has come back that it is a medication and not GVHD :) Dr. Khoury says he never knows what to expect from me. I know this is the first time I feel like I have caught some sort of break. Evalyn is at the beach right now with my parents and although a miss her so much it is giving me time to work on my art for the booth and the art show I have coming up in Sept.  Keep reading for more great news. 







Evalyn started dance and got a full schlorship, minus the most expensive outfit and shoes I have ever seen for their size. She love to dance and trying to leap and bound but she really likes to boogie. She is enjoying going  through my small record collection and we are seein what is scratched or not. 


Rileigh Graduates Highschool!!!

Corynne looked all grown up in  this red dress.... she has her learners now and is doing great in school. 

Between Jonathan and my ex husband Michael, I can barely get a word in... hey at least we are all friends!

My beautiful Rileigh. She's off to Arizona for the summer and will be missed but can't wait to see her when she gets back as a college girl. Evalyn loves saying her name.... over and over.


Allison Graduates!! Headed to UGA! 

The Cape's came in Dawg gear and we had a great time at the party. The food was awesome. Allison is so sweet and she is going to help some with babysitting , I know that Evalyn is going to love her. Looks like the kiddo's were hungry. 


Daniel and Andy come to the Rescue
Once again, I rely on wonderful family to help out in time of need. That includes grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles, cousins, and siblings. Andy took me to Emory from my house and watched Evalyn while I got fluids at GA cancer, then I spent the night at his parents house. Daniel met me at Emory and waited during my colon scan, signed paper work, picked up scrips and help take care of me. The next morning I felt aweful and he took care of her while I slept. Then he helped me move some heavy things to my new booth. Later in the week, my cousin Amanda came up last min to watch Evalyn most of the day so I could get some work done. Both Andy and Amanda alluded picture taking, on accident of course. 

We ate at Everybody's pizza and I did everything they told me not to do after the colon scan.... take it easy, no alochol, don't eat too much..... well I was starving. 

The walk was a little further then expected. Luckily my feet only weighed 10 pounds each. 

 For some reason she wanted to read laying on  the floor, she wanted me too but I didn't think that i could  get back up.


Fun at Grandma Kim's and PawPaw Kens

Playing with all the noisy toys we will not allow at our house. 

She loved getting inot the pool and evenually started to let go of peoples neck. She enjoyed cherring on the volley ballgame. 




Gotta get as many pics as  ican with this hair.... He is joining the military soon an it will be gone, gone, gone.


Enjoying the new family camera.
Well not brand new, we have had it at least before we found out about the lay offs. This camera is so cool..It's waterproof, shookproof, and Heather proof, since  I break everything. Here are some pics from my mom's flowers. I think I'm going to put some of them into my art show.      


                                                                                                                                                                 






Gotta love a good action shot.



Jewelry holders made from recycled materials!!! 



My horse shoe crab and shell wreath, for sale at my booth . 

My sister Jennifer is moving to CA soon for a traveling nurse job!!  Can't wait till I can fly!

Thank you for all your prayers and support. This is still a very uneasy time with Jonathan's job up in the air and me still have pain, and trying to start a small job.... but no one said it would be easy, God only said that we would not be alone. 

Love,
Heather

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Medical update 5/24- Couldn't have asked for a better picture

Hello Everyone-
                      I'm just going to update you all and tell it like it is. No cartoons, or trying to be silly, But the effect of the liquid  opium (yea, to stop the runs. I have officially been sick to my stomach for 10 days. I've had these 3-4 day bouts over the last six weeks, but this one may be the worse thing that has happened since the relapse back in Oct. I have been hooked up with an IV everyday last week, probably should have gone this weekend, and probably should get some today. I'm just trying to stay hydrated because: 1. I can't drive myself on this new med  2. I can't stand the thought of using 4 hours of my time when I'm so far behind.

Anyway, results, we don't know much except I have a ulser on my colon right now. I don't think that means the ulcer is causing my diarrhea, I think it just got so irritated. That's what I hope. Now, to what is causing it... Once again, the lab rat Heather shows up in the nic of time. They took 3 biopsies and they should be back Friday or Mon. They said it should show if it is GVHD, CMV virus, or one of the medications. Or they may not find anything at all.

Right now, I'm listening to my stomach churn, using my daughters ointment and sometimes the diaper itself, and trying to get the bathroom again. The picture of the ulcer is so high quality but I don't have the energy to that right now. Got to run, ha ha, got to run, get it?  So that's all I have to say right now itself "OH Shit".

Have a better day,
Heather

Monday, May 21, 2012

Medical Update-5/22- I thought I would be a Lab but I'm a Dalmatian, but really a Lab Rat

After last weeks, 5 days of infusions, feet swollen and stepped on or stubbed, and today's treatment....and my general good luck of breaking steps at the hostel, running into things in my boat house (it's like a boat house) and having dogs and an almost 2 year old, well, I have more spots than a Lab, if I were a dog. If I were a dog.... I could go for a while on that one.

I continue to be sick at my stomach but it has gotten better over the weekend. Tomorrow, we today, now, I start the liquid clear diet. I have to drink that stuff at 12pm... it's not the taste, it is the amount. You'd think, I'd be cleaned out already. It's cruel to give people steroids and then not let them eat. Cruel I tell you. The latest was today I had blood in my urine at GA Cancer. My nurse was gone at Emory for the day and Dr. Khoury never got the message after he got out of surgery. I was told by the on call doc to drink a lot of fluids. What the hell does he think I have been doing for the last week... I'm been drinking them and still have to get IV fluids. ****    I will tell Dr. Khoury about this and he will fix it. One lady, who might be a nurse, told me she would give Stacy my message in the morning.... hello... blood in urine... infection... BMT patient. Yes, that will be address too.

Ok, now I'm really starting to get hungry... I made this awesome smoothie yesterday..... spinach, strawberry, honey, bananas, and some milk, oh and flax seed.... it really was great. I had some amazing mellow mushroom pizza yesterday, or today... whatever.... that was left over from their lunch... it was yummy. Then after dinner we spontaneously went out to get Munchies.... a great yogurt place.

Anyone got any ideas for some good broth or other other clear things I can get tomorrow night so I don't kill someone Wed. morning?

Thanks so much for people that have already helped this week... Fay, Diane, Poppa.... next up cuz Andy, bro Daniel, and friends Kim and Andy, later in the week Fay. Then my parents are taking Evalyn to the beach with them.... if they don't change their mind again, an I will hopefully get to work on art for my booth and my upcoming art show in Sept. at a place in Watkinsville!!!

Please pray for the outcome of the colon scan. GVHD or the study drug causing it is not good.... just pray it goes away!!!

Vacation Part 2- The Beach!


Vacation part 2- Jekyll Island 
I love Jekyll Island, almost as much as I love Ossabaw Island. It's so dog friendly and doesn't have a lot of commercial business on it. They have many wile life refuges, including the UGA gardens, and a 4-H center. (whoops it's after 12pm and I'm eating popcorn, but that's another story, I think I'll have some gummys too) Anyway, we were were suppose to go with the Warren side of the family but my grandparents couldn't make it and we really needed to get away. So we did 2 nights at the hostel and 2 nights in Jekyll. Evalyn has never been a good car rider, I think because we couldn't go anywhere when she was little but she is getting better, just takes longer to get anywhere. She will finally sleep but she cries herself to sleep.... I just turn up the music. Oh, must have music. We watched one show on the way down and none on the way back... pretty good I think. Besides the getting sick again on Sat night and mother's day being in pain and being on the road in the rain... all else was great fun. 

On the road again......



I played an open mic at the hotel this night... it was rough because my guitar pick up wouldn't work  so I had to use someone else s.... I'm not that good. 

We had a huge whirlpool tub in our room, we even put her pack in play in it at night!



I love these pictures of them waiting on slow momma. 


These look like the perfect pics to make some silholette pictures out of. ...


Thank god for Marilyn style bathing suits......

Our new camera, the Nikon AW100, waterproof, shockproof, aka Heather proof... is amazing!

She says " I run fast"


We didn't go into too far... Just jumping the waves!

Our next big dog.... 

Handsome Daddy took care of us both.

Happy with her new phone... you know where I always stick mine and now she is doing it too and losing it.




I can do it all by myself....




Wedding Prop crashes...







Driftwood Beach
What can I say about this place..... it is so gorgeous. And so is our little girl that is trying to pretend not to be posing for the camera. Daddy and Evalyn found some great shells for Mommy art"











Wedding dance crashes....




Let's go fly a Kite!!!




She really enjoyed writing in the sand. 






Happy Mother's Day :)