Funny Faces

We took the kids to a fun spot last weekend where they could earn tickets for prizes, etc. This is what D chose for his prize.

Every time he'd blow the horn I would laugh. They are awesome. Also Tawna came out for a week to help out with the kids while we were in Baltimore. She brought Cate with her. It was so fun to see how cute Cate and Sophie were. I love these girls!

Evidently the Mat and Lindsay Larsen head size continues on in our third...look at these two who are a year apart. Awesome!

These were just one day when Sophie was giving big cheese smiles for the camera and I was eating it up. Fun!

These kids bring such joy! I love them!

Classic...

This was the billboard we passed just after leaving the hospital in Baltimore...classic! The pregnant Mona Lisa is awesome. Definitely gave us a good laugh.

Big day

Will wanted to go potty on the big potty today and wear big boy underwear. It started off great with going in the toilet (not actually in but sitting and going, unfortunately it was all over the floor) but we're on about #5 pair of underwear since 1 p.m. (and it's 5:45). Here we go! Hopefully we will have a good few days of it all!

Website

I meant to post this earlier but for those of you whom I didn't have an email address for here is my caringbridge website with health updates. www.caringbridge.org/visit/lindsaylarsen.

Perspective

The internet was not working on my computer earlier this week. Maybe a good thing. I just sat down and for the first time since my diagnosis spent a chunk of time reading about GIST (this is a great site http://www.gistsupport.org/for-new-gist-patients/faqs.php). As I read today it hit me that I have cancer. I just kept thinking I just have a tumor, it happens to have cancer in it but I don't have cancer running through my body. But no, I actually have what is called GIST cancer. Thankfully they found it early and the tumor is still small. I guess as I read today I realized how much this will change my life. Even after they get it out it can recurr, metastasize, etc. At some point soon I will be a cancer survivor. Approximately 15 of every million get it. I knew I should have been buying lotto tickets :)! Generally it is found in people ages 50+ and most often in the stomach or sometimes the bowels. Mine is in pretty rare location, the duodenim in the small intestine. It is covering my ampula (I believe it is the opening to the bile duct). That is what makes the surgery really tricky. It sounds like we may start with chemo first to shrink the tumor and try to get it small enough to do a smaller surgery. If they can't get it small enough they'll do what is called a whipple surgery. From what I understand the chemo is much more mild than traditional chemos. I think it comes in pill form, doesn't cause my hair to fall out and doesn't make people too sick. It's funny how I always thought how horrible it would be to lose your hair (I'm sure it is a difficult thing) but how secondary that becomes when you have a life threatening illness. It really puts life in perspective. Well, enough random thoughts for the day. I am loving my kids, date nights with my hubby and fun times with friends. Enjoying all of it and hoping that this portion of our ride won't last too long, hopefully by summer we'll have it beat and be laying on a beach somewhere together. Thanks for the prayers and all the love. We are so blessed!

Health Update

Here is the latest that Mat sent out today.

"We met with the surgeon again yesterday and here is what we know. The ampullary mass is malignant. However, on the positive side, the tumor is a GIST. The GIST appears to be localized and is less likely to spread (in the short term) than other types of tumors. We have been referred to an oncologist at KU Med and will meet with her next week. The doctor is hoping that chemo treatment will either eliminate or shrink the tumor so they won't have to perform the Whipple procedure to remove it. We are starting the process of seeking a second opinion from Johns Hopkins and M.D. Anderson. Thank you for your fasting and prayer. We have been truly strengthened by them."

Thank you for your love, prayers and concern. We truly feel bouyed up and anxious to get this beat and behind us.