The Best Medicine

Colt now has 6 girls!!

Lily, Kit (Summer) Tanzi, River, Silver, Mya

Our girls have wanted a dog for a long time.  We have tried a few out over the years.  Ally was okay...but when we caught her eating our dinner off the stove...we knew she wasn't for us.   I have tried many times to search dogs on the internet...each time felt...overwhelming.  I couldn't ever feel good about it.  

In hindsight - it wasn't the right timing....And I couldn't handle one more thing needing my attention.  Power of perspective:  Things that were just too much then are okay now.  Seasons of life.   

River has wished for a dog.  We said that after she was done with her major chemo and surgeries that she could ask her oncologist and surgeon.  They both said YES!  That that would possibly be the best medicine for her at this point :)  River was ecstatic!  

Doctors said the dog needed to not dig.  My requirements:  Already potty trained, not a puppy, and does not shed.  

River wanted a Yorkie!  She has been saving for a dog for a long time.  

Friends came to visit us right before our trip up to see if these dogs were right for us - and they happened to bring their yorkie pup with them.   It felt so right.

River has saved for a long time and had saved up $300.  She decided her max would be $250 so she could buy food and bowls, etc.  I didn't want to discourage her that she most likely would not get a yorkie for that budget, so I didn't say anything and let her dream.  

  

She searched and searched KSL and found several great ones - and we were disappointed when every time we called they said that it had already found a new home.

We were taught a great lesson:

Sometimes when the answer is no - it is that there is something better waiting for you.

We wanted to get the right mix for our family - so we spent some time and effort searching.  River was so diligent and it took several weeks.  We were driving home from St George and she says "mom!  I found some great ones!"  She had put in female dog (to not get a puppy) and her max was $250.  Mya and Lily were 3 years old and crate trained.  I was not familiar with this training - but it is WONDERFUL!   Their crate is their safe spot.

It has felt right and they have been such a great addition to our family.  

We had yorkies growing up and my favorite one was my brother Walt's dog.  He was BIG for a yorkie and they never docked his ears - so they flopped down.  I had wanted a dog like this but never dared hope for one - who finds big yorkies with floppy ears...the Lord has blessed us so abundantly.   

River's pictures of some of her meds.

Her caption:  He feels your pain.  

The SLC trip was full of new things for our family:  

A new-to-us van (as our old one completely wore out)

2 New Dogs

And a new chemo regimen.

Our surgeon and oncologist both independently decided to put us on an experimental chemo.  Their best study and research was to use this as our next step.  All we knew about it was that it had a test group of 9 in Germany and that one of the side effects was a strong possibility of diarrhea.  Diarrhea to the point of hospitalization.  

And we were traveling for Colt's brother Kin's wedding in Idaho.  I couldn't get any answers on this medicine.  The pharmacists were all unfamiliar and had never heard of it before.  We had no answers on how often or how much of a dose she would get.  And then there was the hangup of insurance authorization.  

I went to pick up the chemo and asked to talk to the pharmacist on this one.  Another experimental part of this is to put the IV form into her G-tube.  Directly into her stomach - they have found that it may be just as effective to do it that route with less side effects than going directly into your bloodstream.  

I started crying talking to the pharmacist.  There were so many unknowns and they went through so many precautions on how to administer it and how to handle it if it were spilled.  

Biohazard

Toxic

Side Effects - unknown how intense....

I was completely overwhelmed.

Their instructions:  Wear special purple gloves, and a special gown with a special spill guard just in case because we don't want to get a single drop on you...but pump it directly INTO her stomach!!!

More tears.

How to Proceed?  

Forward.  This isn't licked yet, and we still need to go forward.

So I administered the first dose.  5 days of chemo every 21 days.  

Then we went to Kin's reception.  There was a woman that stood out so clearly from the rest of the reception guests - she was in a bright red dress with white polka dots.  I felt strongly that I needed to talk to her.  So...I put it off for a few hours - how do you go up to a stranger and say "I like your dress"  Well, after several hours of thinking I really needed to talk to her, I did go say just that.

It turns out she swapped dresses with her sister right before the reception...AND she happened to be a cancer researcher who works with our Oncologist and Surgeon.  She had complete confidence in them.  She was very familiar with the chemo we had just started.  "Oh!  That's a great one!"

We learned that the experimental part was in children.  This is a great chemo for adults that is good for a variety of cancers.   

Speaking to her was an answer to prayer.

Ether (Book of Mormon) 12:6

Ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.

Kit and Tanzi inside Lily and Mya's crate

Funny story:  

After picking up chemo and having a good cry - I needed to go to Deseret Book to pick up a few things we forgot to bring with us.  

I had these two cute helpers with me.  My 15 minute stop stretched into more than an hour as I was trying to concentrate to pick out what I needed and a 2 year old way passed nap time would squirm when I held her and pull things off the shelves when down.  Summer kept having to go to the bathroom...deep breath...I put the kids down to try once more.  Summer was doing a good job playing with Tanzi so I could give my full attention to this task.  

"uuuhhh Mom!" says Summer:  "I think you need to see this"

Tanzi is Just potty trained enough to pull off her diaper when poopy.

She had pulled off her poopy diaper and managed to step in it, getting poo on her shirt, pants and shoes.  I quickly did a quick mental check:  I had no wipes or diapers.  This was driving our new van and had just sent Colt on his errands with the truck - that happened to have all her diapers, wipes and clothes.

Okay, deep breath.  

First I'm going to need something to clean up the mess.  

An employee brought me sanitizing wipes for the floor. 

When I'm done I have a naked kid with a still-poopy bum.  

A mom with a stroller and a baby just happens to walk into the store right then.   

 God gives us answers to the prayers of our hearts - sometimes before we even know what we need.
God answered the prayer I didn't know that I had prayed.  I don't know what will lie before me today as a mom.  It may be chemo, or an emergency room trip or a poopy bum without a diaper.  God does know what the day will bring me - and he will help us through, and answer my prayers.  He knows our needs, and he will give us the courage to face it and the strength to get through.

River is a planner!  She always loves to know what is coming up on the plan.

Summer got her bunny.  She has 3 bunnies in heaven and one on Earth!

Silver got her kitty:  Oreo!

Roo Rat hunting:  A fun family tradition every year.

We drive until our headlights see kangaroo rats run across the road.

We all bail out with nets and catch them.  Then let them go again :)  We caught an entire tote full this year and let them all go at once.  Kangaroo Rat explosion!

Ripe strawberries from your own plants are a sure-smile!

While camping River found a hummingbird on a nest; 

It is directly above the very left of River's cap.  Middle of picture.

Observant and Patient.  

Traveling back and forth to SLC, there are so many treasures to find.

River loves to hunt!

And fish!

Flowers

And making sisters happy:  

She was on the lookout for sheep:  Summer's favorites - so that she could bring home a picture of sheep for Summer.  

Doctrine and Covenants 122:7
Know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.

I have learned that it is all about experience.
Experience has taught me  I don't know what tomorrow will bring, so make memories today.

Song by Lady Antebellum: Compass
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlVVd9MVASQ