Thanksgiving

11-30-08

The last day of November, yes it has been an emotional week for us!

Savanna’s surgery went well. She is up and around, but it is hard for her to sit for long periods of time. The three hours of church were hard, but she did stand during each of the meetings. Monday she is planning on going to school, so hopefully she will continue to regain her strength and feel better. Her friends have come and visited with her or called her, we are thankful for her friends that are there to support her.

Marie had an exciting night last night…she was asked to the Christmas Dance by Carl.



Marie always seems to be busy..lacrosse, school, YW, and her social life! Marie did a great job on the talk that she gave today in Sacrament Meeting.

Ron will be interviewing for administrative positions for Granite District this week. He has an interview on Tuesday for a secondary position, and then again on Friday for an elementary position. He continues to learn the “behind the scenes” facts of what goes on at the high school level. He will be at Bingham High School this week, then on Friday he goes back to his elementary school to get ready to go back on track. The kids will come on Monday and he will be back in the classroom. His classes are coming to an end for this semester; his final will be on the 18th. Ron will continue to help out at Bingham during the evening events so that he can continue to get the necessary number of hours that he needs.

We enjoyed a calm Thanksgiving at our home with grandma and grandpa Davidson joining us…

It was fun eating the “feast” in our finished basement. After the meal we enjoyed playing “Golf”, a card game with grandma and grandpa.

Savanna, Grandma, & Marie
Today it was my turn to teach the lesson. The stake president chose the talk by Elder Wirthlin, “Come What May, and Love It”. Yes, it was very appropriate for what is taking place in my life right now. I am grateful that I remained composed and was able to give the lesson that I had planned and then at the end I shared what is happening to me with the sisters in the ward. Yes, there were tears and many of these dear friends were shocked. I decided that I wanted to be the one to tell them so that there wouldn’t be any misunderstanding. I asked them to remember me and my family in their prayers and as they fast next week. Afterwards there were many words of encouragement for me and many hugs! I am grateful for the strength and the support of the sisters in my ward. The RS President insisted on bringing in a meal on Tuesday night, Ron and the girls will be grateful for this service! I told my friend Joan yesterday and told her to share the news with the ladies that are serving in the Primary with her. After our meetings Marie and I went to share the news with the Powell family. McKinley Powell is one of Marie’s best friends and her mother is serving in the YW organization. Again, I wanted to tell Sherry so that she could share the information with the YW leaders. I am thankful that Marie has such good friends and YW leaders; I know that they will be a great support to her.

I should find out more detail of what I am faced with tomorrow. Hopefully I will hear from Dr. Davis in the morning and get the results from the scan. During the afternoon Ron and I will be meeting with Dr. Harker, an oncologist with the Utah Cancer Specialists. Then on Tuesday I will have surgery performed by Dr. Davis to remove the lymph node that is causing the lump on my neck. So the “race” begins!!!

I continue to be grateful that I feel fine. I am trying to keep my life at normal as possible and continue to enjoy exercising each morning. Tomorrow I will go to school and try to get things set up so that I can miss a few days following my surgery on Tuesday.

Thank you for your support and prayers. I will try to keep you updated as we find out more details.

Love ya!

PET Scan

Well, Ron and I just got back from the PET Scan. It was a relaxing experience, but I do have a few suggestions…. First of all I got to change into a hospital gown and then sit down in a nice reclining leather chair. I was given some “red juice” that helps the technicians see what may be remaining food in my intestines and not cancer. The technician then puts a couple of warm blankets on me and gave me an IV. I was surprised at the small amount of liquid (about ½ cup) that they injected into my arm; I was expecting the drip IV bag. From that point I relaxed for about 45 minutes. The technician then returned and gave me two more cups of the “red juice”. I took a potty break and then went for the scanner ride! The scanner was a tube that was about 4 feet long. I was lying on my back with my legs bent over a triangular cushion and my arms extended above my head. It would have been much more comfortable if I didn’t have to raise my arms above my head! Again I was covered with warm blankets…nice touch! The “ride” lasted for about 25 minutes. It wasn’t painful just uncomfortable because you had to remain still. I would recommend that they add music or maybe a video to watch during the “ride”. It would also be more exciting if the table that you are laying on moved faster. Maybe the technicians could check with the Disney people for some ideas on improving their “ride”. The other suggestion would be that after you are done they should treat you and your spouse to a nice lunch since you haven’t eaten anything since last night. After lunch the doctor could meet with you and give you the results…..but no!!! We won’t find out any results until tomorrow or Wednesday, so it may be another waiting game. I still feel fine, in fact I think that I will go workout before we go see Twilight. We have tickets for the 4:20 movie this afternoon.

Thanks again for all the thoughts, phone calls, emails, and prayers. I am so grateful for your support for us at this time.

Night of the Stars

Trials

11-23-08

What a week!!!

Ron continues to learn and enjoy his administrative duties at Bingham High School. This week he was able to attend the state championship football game and “Hello Dolly” as an administrator! High School life is busy!

Savanna continues to stay busy with teaching 6th graders at Jordan Ridge Elementary. She still finds time to read and do things with her friends.

Marie had a hard week….her high school team lost the championship game in the last minute of the game, and then BYU had an awful day against Utah yesterday! Marie remains true blue, Bingham and BYU…Wednesday night we attended a Young Women’s in Excellence Program. The leaders did a great job and every girl was a “Star”! They looked great dressed in their formals!

My week has been memorable!!! Shocking!!! On Friday I learned that I have adenocarcinoma, yes cancer. Tomorrow I will have a PET scan to determine the exact type of cancer that I have, but I think that it is probably breast cancer. Ron and I both feel calm and that things will work out as we tackle this new challenge in our lives. The hardest part has been telling people. I feel just fine and haven’t had any problems so it is hard to really comprehend that I have cancer.

On Oct. 25th I noticed a lump on the side of my neck just above my collar bone. I was going to go and get it checked, but since it wasn’t painful I just put it off. About a week after that I started feeling sick. I had a head cold, one that I probably picked up at school. It was getting hard to sleep because I was so congested so I went to an Instacare on Friday, Nov. 14th to get a prescription to help me feel better. The physician noticed the lump and referred me to a specialist to have it looked at. On a scale of a 1-10 he felt it was a 3 and nothing to get very concerned about, but that I should have it examined. He referred me to Dr. Davis who I saw last week on Wednesday after school. I am impressed with this doctor; he examined my neck, nose, and throat and then said that he was concerned about the lump too. He recommended that we do a procedure called a needle biopsy. It didn’t hurt at all, but the needle was huge!!! It was hard to look the other way since he was taking the fluid out of the lump on my neck. After the procedure I did fell faint…..Dr. Davis was going to do his best to get the results by Thursday and then let me know. Thursday afternoon he called to let me know that the results weren’t back yet, but he wanted to me to come and see him Friday to determine what procedure we should take in regard to removing the lump. My anxiety level went up after I got the phone call! Friday morning I went in and he very calmly told me that the results weren’t good and that I have adenocarcinoma. This type of cancer is found in glands of either the lungs, intestines, or breast. Since I haven’t had any problems with coughing or digestion I feel that it probably breast cancer. So tomorrow Ron will go with me for the PET scan where we will find what the future holds for us!

Like I said I haven’t felt sick at all….in fact I am calm. The only problem is that I break down when I tell people and see their concern and love for me. Ron and I haven’t told anyone except the Bishop in our ward, the girls, and some close friends at school. I will probably tell people in our ward next week when I have a better idea of what I am faced with.

Ron and I have always wondered what big trials we would be faced with…well this may be one of them. I am going to stay positive and do my best to tackle this. I appreciate the love, concern, and prayers of those who I have told. It really makes me thankful for the loving and supportive family and friends that I have been blessed with. I will do my best to keep each of you informed with what is taking place. I would appreciate your love and prayers not only for me but for Ron, the girls, and the medical staff that will be helping us through this event.

At this time of Thanksgiving I truly am grateful for the many blessings that I have, especially the gospel.

Love,
Jolene

Bingham Ball

The Big Game!!!!

11-16-08

The stage is set for the BYU vs. Utah football game that will take place on Saturday!!! It should be an exciting game….so much is on the line! Friday night will be the state football championship game between Bingham and Alta…another high-stakes football game. I hope that both of these games have close scores, no one gets injured, and that everyone plays their best! May the best teams win!

Ron has spent his first week getting hours at Bingham High School. High School is a different environment than elementary school. The administration is considered the “enemy” , and the pace of the day is very different. Ron is learning the ropes and enjoyed being the on-site administrator on Thursday during the play-off football game. Saturday evening he went to Bingham Ball as an administrator and experienced a high school dance again. The time flies and he is amazed at how busy high schools are!

My week started on a bad note, I was sick on Monday. I finally went to the doctor and started taking a prescription that has helped me feel much better. I have a lump on my neck that I need to go and have checked this week. The lump seems to be going down, so I think that it is a swollen gland that is related to my head cold, but I will have it checked to make sure. Tuesday was the lacrosse parent meeting, since I am one of the presidents on the parent board I presented a PowerPoint explaining the structure of the organization. The library at the high school was full; I was surprised how many girls are signing up to play lacrosse for this coming season. The meeting went well and I am relieved that it is over! Friday I attended a copyright workshop and brushed up on copyright law in the educational field. It was a good workshop and I enjoyed “networking” with other librarians from the area. I was glad that BYU won their football game against Air Force…it was an exciting game! On Saturday I cheered on Marie at her first winter league lacrosse game. She has a great team and I look forward to watching those games these next few Saturdays.

Savanna remains busy with school. On Saturday she took the elementary teaching praxis test at BYU. She should get her results in a few weeks. Friday night was a stake activity, the LD Singers from Snow College performed. Spencer and Spencer came up from Provo and joined our family for the event. It included a great box lunch for dinner and then the show.

Marie had the busiest week with school, lacrosse meeting, the football semifinal game(Bingham vs. Skyline), winter league lacrosse game, and Bingham Ball. She really was running from one event to the next! Marie did great at the lacrosse game and scored a goal! Half the game she played defense and the other half she played offense. Savanna was able to help Marie with her hair and makeup for the dance. She had a great time going with CJ and the rest of the people in her group. They had a great dinner downtown, went to the dance, and then back to the Powell’s home for games and fondue. Marie looked great in her dress. She has some great friends!!!

Enjoy!

Football Playoffs

11-9-08

The garbage can is full of leaves, but there are still many leaves on the ground that need to be added….yes, it is fall in South Jordan! The weather the past week varied from rain to snow! I enjoyed the clear view of the snow covered mountains on Thursday after the snowstorm that lasted all day on Wednesday.

The past week was a busy one for us…

Ron is now off-track but tomorrow he will start putting in hours at Bingham High School, just in time to enjoy the excitement of high school football playoffs! Bingham won their game on Friday and will now face Skyline in the semifinals on Thursday at the University of Utah. The Utes also won a close football game on Thursday night defeating TCU in the final minutes… Ron was excited to be a “Utah Man”! He is looking forward to his time at the high school, but he wishes that he was enjoying some vacation time, just a few more months then he will be finished! Ron had parent-teacher conferences on Wednesday and Thursday night last week. Then on Friday he had an interview for an administrative position at Granite School District.

Savanna continues to enjoy her experience at Jordan Ridge Elementary. She likes working with the 6th grade kids! She went to Provo today to attend church with her friends. I’m sure that she is missing the excitement of living in Provo!

Marie’s life is the busiest right now…school, South Jordan Youth Council, lacrosse, and social events fill her schedule. She cheered on the Bingham Miners in their win over Jordan High on Friday, and then spent time with friends after the game. Saturday morning she was involved with a service project for the SJ Youth Council, then that afternoon she helped with a lacrosse clinic for coaches. This week she is looking forward to the playoff game on Thursday and then Bingham Ball on Saturday. Fun times!

My week was less hectic, I had a lacrosse parent meeting on Monday and then I attended a lacrosse meeting for parent reps on Saturday. Tuesday I noticed that I had a large screw in one of my tires, so I carefully drove to the Big O tires by my home to have it fixed….the screw was on the edge of the tire so the tire had to be replaced….Thanks to Ron for taking care of this for me! Now I have two new tires on the front of my car, just in time for the big snow storm that hit on Wednesday! Thank goodness that I didn’t have trouble during the snow storm! I have been battling a head cold this past week…taking decongestants help me make it through the day.

The presidential election is now over! Yea, I was getting tired of all the ads! President Obama and his family will now face the challenges of relocating to the White House. Hopefully the transition will go smoothly for everyone. It will be interesting to see how things will change in the country now. I was grateful to hear that proposition 8 passed in California and that similar propositions were passed in Arizona and Florida. The protesting has started against the church with protests at the LA Temple and the SLC temple. I hope that these protests will help to unite the Christian churches that also supported the passage of these issues. We are living in the last days!

Have a good week…

Cousin's Day-Rock Climbing

Marie #36

November

11-2-08

The ground is covered with colorful leaves because of last night’s storm. There is a chill in the air and we are wearing warm clothes…Fall is finally here! Luckily it was warm on Halloween and yesterday for Marie’s lacrosse games!

Another busy week….

Ron continues to spend his extra time working on homework, just a few more weeks and he will be done with his educational law class. He enjoyed dressing up as a pirate for Halloween! Ron continues to cheer for his “Utes”, luckily they won their football game last night and continue to have an undefeated season!

Savanna is enjoying 6th grade at Jordan Ridge again! She had a busy week with school and moving everything back home. Saturday she had a “Cousin’s Day” and enjoyed rock climbing with the boys! Thursday evening she invited Marie and her friend to join her for a pumpkin carving activity with her BYU friends…Life is never dull when Savanna is around.

Marie finished working at the produce stand…she also finished her first quarter of junior year! She is looking forward to having more time to devote to school, lacrosse, and socializing!!! For Halloween she went with her friends and collected donations for UNICEF, and then on Saturday her Mamaci lacrosse team scrimmaged against BYU and Westminster College. We enjoyed cheering for Marie and being outside in the beautiful fall weather. Her team did great against Westminster, they won 14-3, but against BYU they only scored 1 point….the BYU team was amazing to watch!!! It was a great learning experience on defending and passing! Marie is also looking forward to Bingham Ball, the next formal dance that will take place in a couple of weeks! Saturday night Marie and I went and saw High School Musical 3 while Ron worked on homework. It was a fun weekend.

My week was busy too…the end of the term brings the stress of getting the grades uploaded and report cards printed off. I will get that done the beginning of next week. I am sewing Marie’s dress for Bingham Ball. Thanks to the help from my “sewing friends”, hopefully the dress will turn out well. Another sigh of relief , BYU won their football game in the final seconds….too close for me! Hopefully they will win their next game by more than 3 or 4 points! I did enjoy HSM3 with Marie…the music is lots of fun, and we enjoy seeing familiar sites when the movie is filmed in SLC.

Have a good week….dress warmer!