Strong Enough

A friend shared this with me...and it says all in my heart.

Word Worm!!

Just wanted to share Nates word worm!  When he masters new words me make a body part...it has really helped him want to work on his reading...and the worm is growing wildly!!

FAITH: Spelling Bee

Our home school co-op FAITH {Families Acquiring Instruction Through Homeschooling} had their spelling bee yesterday.  This was Bens' first spelling bee...but he did great and I was so proud of him :-)

I don't know why this  post seems to be the hardest to write.
Maybe because there just aren't the right words to describe how I feel.

I blogged last week about  my visit to my neurologist. It was hopeless.  And negative.
Later that week I went in for a MRI that was supposed to be 45 minutes from arrival to departure.  Three and a half hours later I left.  Feeling scared.  The staff were perfect--at least how they are supposed to be.  Accommodating.  But emotionless.  Professional.  But un-informative.

Yesterday Bryan and I went to my results.  We were early.  The doctor was late.  My 9am appointment started at 9:45.  During those 45 minutes I updated Twitter.  Searched patterns for knitting on Ravelry.  And tried not to age ten years.

Finally the doctor steps in and says " I will be another moment--but lets clear the air--the report is good!"  I could have left at that point. I breathed again.

I wish I could get my MRI to post...I keep trying.
But the big news is:
--no new lesions
--one new lesion found is an old one missed before
--no negative activity showing.
--my Neuro visits are cut from every 3 months to once a year!!
--and he is no longer suggesting that  I start the shot therapy

Question of the Day:
Did I tell him about the StemCell treatment?
no
Why?
because it changes nothing for him.

What happens now?
Everyday...and every time it crosses my mind--which is often...I thank God.
for:
--helping me through these last 7 months
--for all of the big and small prayers answered during that time
--for all of my support during that time...my family and friends
--for guiding me to treatment and the right doctor
--and for allowing the treatment to work
--and for each of you that believed along with me...I tried to stay away from anyone who accepted my diagnosis as final.

Necessity is the Mother of Invention!

Yesterday Eli and I went to Target to get some totes...and what should we find but some molds to make blocks for snow forts!  So far we haven't had snow for forts...but while we wait Eli has found another use for these!

Every House Has A Secret

And mine has a loom.  Actually more than one loom.  But this one is the one that you probably wont see.  It is usually not in the living room...but away from little hands that pass by.  Anyway it isn't really a secret but I do get asked questions about it...so I thought I would introduce you to my loom.  And if sometime you are at my home and ask to see it...I will show it to you--maybe even let you weave a little :-)

This is a 32" 4 harness Ashford Table Loom with the tredle kit stand.  She was made in New Zealand from Silver Beechwood. 

The project below is a scarf I am weaving...the warp is Lion Brand 1878 a fine American wool yarn available in yarn shops like Blueball Mountain here in Elizabethtown.  The weft is Wollemeise a german hand-dyed yarn.  If you are not a yarnie you dont get the importance of the Wollemeise.  Wollemeise is so hard to get that you have to be on line logged in at 5am EST on Friday mornings grab the first yarn you see available and put it in your "shopping basket" and by the time you enter your credit card number half of it will be sold and out of stock.   CRAZINESS!!  And the company owner Claudia...if she catches you selling it on eBay or Ravelry for an inflated price...she will block your Wollemeise account!  Lovely yarn indeed..but there are many other lovely yarns too :-)

Maybe I will weave you something...just ask me...I love a reason to create!  Want to try to learn to weave?  Or just want to give it a try to see if you like it?  Come over and after you are addicted...I will take you shopping to find the perfect loom for you.

Proud Mommy Momemt

This happened a few weeks ago...but I never want to forget it.  And if something happens to me I want someone to share the story with Nate.

Before Christmas Nate decided he wanted to go Christmas shopping. This was a big surprize.  Because Nate had been only worried about getting for himself for Christmas.  Ben had worked hard and earned money then got a shopping day with Mommy.  Let me take a moment here to explain something about the generous Ben...he went and bought two nice Lego sets "for his brothers"<---which he planned "to help" them build.  Then he went on to the Dollar Tree to find treasures for the other important people in his life :-)

 Now Nate suddenly decided he needed to do Christmas shopping.  We started and ended at the Dollar Tree--I have learned that my money is really easy to spend!  He started his Christmas shopping with a few things for himself ;-P then took alot of time picking out the gifts for others.

As we left he had the biggest winning smile on his face and he said " Mom...this has been the greatest day of my life!  You did the money and I did the shopping!"

I know honey...it was one of the greatest days of my life too!  I love you Nate.

100 DAYS of School!!!

When Ben was in Kindergarten he went to a public school and on the 100th day they had a celebration.  I made Ben a special shirt to wear to school that day.  Nate fell in love with the shirt!  He called it the "party shirt" and wore it proudly every time he could find it in the closet.  So with Nates' 100 day of Kindergarten nearing I made him a a special shirt!  {{and one for each of the other two boys :-)}}

WOW it is 2012

Wow it is 2012! And I have been gone..well actually here...just not blogging :-)

what happened? Yeah sometimes I wake up at night and I think...is this real? Was it just a nightmare?

No..it is really real...it did happen.

June 2011 I became ill. I found out about a month later that I had MS. I have two holes in the brain blood blanket. I was offered treatment with no hope. I could take shots that MIGHT slow down the episodes by 20%. Twenty percent is not good. It is not enough.

So I searched for an alternative treatment. I chose to have a stemcell treatment. My mother, aunt and I flew to Miami in October where I had the procedure done. 4.5 oz of fat was removed from my tummy. The stemcells were removed from the fat and injected back into my bloodstream. Three months later I feel amazing. I have all feeling back in my face, teethe,and tongue. I have not fallen since that time.

I have not told my neurosurgeon about the procedure yet. Monday I went to see him. I told him how well I am doing. He got to eye level with me and said "You need to understand that you have an incurable disease. The damage to your brain is permanent. The lesions will always be there. And will continue to happen because you are not on a treatment."

So tomorrow I have an MRI to measure the lesions and look for new ones.

The Psalmist David said " I am fearfully and wonderfully made." I believe that when God created our bodies He made them to take care of themselves--with us taking care of them soon.

For me the stemcell therapy was the right choice. It was the only choice with hope.

Here is what happens during the stemcell therapy ( I couldn't find the English version ;-( ...but it is out there!)




Frequently Asked Questions:
How much did it cost?
$13,900
Did insurance pay for it?
no... it is not a FDA approved procedure
Is it legal?
Yes...it has the same exemption as bone marrow transplants stated in CFR 1271.15.b.
What are the follow up meds?
three days of antibiotics and 30 days of mega vitamins to boost the immune system.
Did it hurt?
about as much as anything else when you take Valium :-)
How long is the procedure?
I was at the clinic about six hours total.
Would you do it again?
ABSOLUTELY!!