Top 10...

So a year ago today, on a Friday, is when it all began...I can remember every step like it was yesterday.  Really, looking back it all started the day before but thankfully I was clueless for one more day.  Mike, Ava and I had just gotten into the car at Price Chopper when I received a call from the pulmonary doctor's office....I had had pneumonia and had fluid drained the week before, big deal, right....the receptionist asked if they could move my follow up appointment up a week to today.  She said it was highly important I bring someone along....again, we think, oh good he's going to release me to go back to work.   So I call mom to
see if she can join the fun at the doc.   Well, SLAM A BAM BAM when that doctor walked in and began telling us that cancer cells were found in the fluid drained from my lungs.  I think mom and I could have been knocked over by a feather...What?  I didn't even feel bad from the pneumonia....What? I have been going to a very intense personal trainer.....What?  This guy is WRONG!  So he says that they aren't sure where the cancer cells are traveling from.  They think it's my ovaries.  They send me off to imaging.  Lots of images taken and read stat of the whole lower part of my body....phone call from the pulmonary doctor. He says, no your ovaries, spleen, kidneys all look great...he says I wouldn't go telling people you have cancer at this point.  Hmmmm so I was right this guy was wrong all along??   Mom goes to get Ava. I'm home alone and the doctor calls again.  Ok Tasha now the pathologist has had another pathologist read your report and they all feel it's coming from your lung....Tasha you have lung cancer.   The next 30 minutes were the longest minutes I can remember.  I was alone.  Mike hadn't gotten home yet, and I remember not wanting to call him because he'd be driving.  Now I could keep going but I don't want to bore everyone.  I could have gotten stuck on so many things here, and don't get me wrong, I went in my bedroom that Friday night I didn't really come out until Monday.  Mike went downstairs and didn't really come up.....Mom, well, she held it together like the brick she is and stayed out in the living room and made Ava think this was the best weekend ever.  They cooked and cooked and cooked....no one ate....but they cooked!  So, the pulmonary doc referred me to a oncologist but you know that pulmonary doctor was not one of my favorite people anymore so I didn't want to listen to him.  I listened to God instead and God had thrown some great people into my life because He knew this event was about to happen.  Then, He went before me and opened some doors and I followed Him right to my Oncologist's door that very Thursday afternoon on a horribly snow filled day!   Now as I look back at this year I can cry, be mad, question...and don't get me wrong I do.   But, I can also praise God for all that has happened so I've decided to write a top 10!

10 Gifts Cancer has Given Me:

10.  The gift ok knowing  I'm not crazy for going to the doctor over and over and over saying something was off.......NO ONE knows  your body like you do

9.  It's ok to cry for sad reasons or happy reasons for gosh sakes it ok to show emotion for that matter

8.  I can put myself first and take care of me and it's NOT selfish

7.  To worry less about what other think and do what I want when I want and ENJOY life as I want it

6.  You never know what someone is going through so be kind all the time

5.  To put my family first. Someone else can take my place at work....I will be missed but can be replaced....no one can take my place as wife, mom,daughter, sister, cousin, friend

4.  That no one knows what's going to happen in life so live like you were dying!!

3.  It's ok to say you need help that's why God surrounded me by amazing people

2.  To build build build memories with my Ava

1.   To believe in miracles


Now I could have recorded all this and done my own version of the latest country music song, but 1--it would have been set to the tune of Row, Row, Row your Boat or Twinkle, Twinkle (all my songs are made to those tunes) and 2--I have a distinct feeling only Ava....well and Tif because she's jealous of this God given talent of mine...would truly appreciate me singing it!!!

God Bless you all and l can't wait to see the miracles 2012 has in store for us all! 

Another update from a friend...

Tasha is still in the hospital. They drained her lung again. It just keeps filling up with fluid, so the doctor is considering putting a lung catheter in to allow drainage. They have done a lot of scans to see to try to get as much information as possible. The latest CT scan showed that the cancer has most likely spread to her right lung and to her spleen. She had a terrible reaction to the latest cancer drug they tried, so they are once again exploring other options. She also has a severe infection in her throat, which is making her really uncomfortable and will probably keep her in the hospital until it improves. Tasha continues to express her amazement at how supportive everyone is. Please pray for her and her family.  If we all stopped and prayed for her every time we thought about her, just think how many prayers that would be! 

Surgery Update

Surgery went well! They ended up draining quite a bit of fluids from the lungs and heart. They performed a bronchial scope to see what the bronchial tubes looked like inside. They sent the tissue off for testing. Tasha will update when she knows more information. Thank you all for the continued prayers and support. Both Tasha and her family greatly appreciate it!

An update from a friend...

Tasha is in the hospital. She has been there since Friday. She started out at St. Luke's but then moved to St. Joseph because of insurance reasons and because that is where Dr. Davidner goes. She went because she was severely short of breath, having terrible leg cramps, and really bad migraines. They have ran a lot of tests to determine what is wrong. They know that the cancer is back in full force and that is a large part of it. They have also checked her for blood clots and additional heart and lung problems. They are very concerned about the fluid building around her heart. They have tried to manage it with medication and even considered draining her lungs again. After monitoring her for the last few days they are planning on performing heart surgery on Tuesday. The procedure will drain the fluid and create an overflow window in her heart to prevent this from happening again. They will also do a bronchial scope to check for anything else. Tasha is in good spirits and wanted to update everyone, but the hospital is not the most convenient place to blog from!

The good news is that the insurance approved the new cancer drug so that is exciting! She is already taking the new cancer drug! Keep her in your prayers. She is one amazing lady and I know we all love her. The good news is that she knows her family and friends love her too!