Tanner turns 4!

My sweetheart turned 4!  Earlier this month I asked Tanner what happens in October, 

Him: "Halloween!" 

Me: "yes, but what else?"

Him: "Um Easter? Christmas?"

He hasn't got the countdown going like his brother.  Carson is already excited that his birthday is next in our family (even though its not clear till March!)

We sure had a blast celebrating our Tan Man

 Tanner wanted to have a Batman birthday party!  

I made some batman capes for his friends (I made superhero capes for Carson's 4th birthday so it only seemed fitting that I do the same for Tanner).  I wish I could have gotten a picture of all of them, but his friends only wore them for a minute before they tore them off.

We played pin the logo on Batman:

 We colored our batman masks:

 Then we played catch the villain.  The kids absolutely loved this!  I just stuck a bunch of balloons with a picture of a villains face on it on the trampoline.  The kids loved trying to pop all the balloons.

 Then we got some silly string to "shoot" the bad guys.

 Then we found out that Mr. Freeze had frozen Batman!  So we had to save him.

 The kids were worried and kept saying "don't worry Batman we'll save you!"  It was adorable.

 Almost got him out!  Just a little bit more!

 Then we played with the pinata.  The kids had a great time.

 After everyone had a turn they all jumped in to try to break it.

 Candy!

 He loved all the presents!

 and the cupcakes

The party was a big hit and all the kids had a blast!  Tanner loved it which is the most important.

Then on Tanner's actual birthday we went out for dinner at McDonalds, had cake, and opened presents.

 For his birthday he got a new bike!

 although I think Logan loves it just as much as Tanner.  Don't worry Logan it will be yours soon enough.

Cancer Treatment Info

I also want to update everyone in regards to my last cancer post.  First Brad still has his job!  Second I wanted to inform everyone about my clinical trial.  For this cancer treatment, I go in every Monday and over the course of 3 months will be given 6 shots.  These shots are similar to a flu vaccine in the fact that my body will build an immune system that will know to attack Melanoma cancer cells.  It's really fascinating and an exciting time in the Melanoma Field!

The shots feel like they are injecting me with cement!  The injection site is so painful the first few days it actually leaves a permanent welt.  They have to inject me in a different spot each week.  They rotate between both my legs and my right arm.  Since my left arm is where they removed my lymph nodes that arm has to forever be avoided.  That means no blood pressure can be taken in that arm, shots, or blood drawn.  When they draw my blood each week they take between 10-16 vials each week for testing.

I get the shots on Mondays and a couple of hours after I get the injection I start getting really tired.  24 hours after the shot on Tuesdays is when I get sick.  I get a slight fever, aches, chills, and night sweats.  By Wednesday morning I feel slightly better though not 100% but by the afternoon I'm usually good.  So I usually start feeling like myself by the weekends only to start over again on Monday.  The first week so far has been the worst.  I got the sickest that week and then the following two weeks have been pretty similar.

They will take 2 biopsy's on two of the sites they have injected me to see how my body is reacting to the treatment.  I had one on my second week and they take three paper punch samples (similar to getting a mole removed) from my arm to have tested.  I have my second one this Monday and they'll take 3 more samples from my leg.  The samples have left three star like scars on my arm.  I'm sure the leg will be no different.

I have an old friend from Morenci whose brother in law was diagnosed with the exact same cancer as me around the same time as me and has to be on interferon (a chemo-like drug) for a year.  He's barely eating again and it's been about 6 months!  I've also made friends with parents to a teenager who has Melanoma.  We've been waiting room friends as we have the same doctor.  They're from Elko Nevada and we made the Utah/Nevada friendship.  The mother said her son is not gonna make it.

I feel so thankful that even though this isn't fun, I know its a million times better than the alternative drug interferon.  I'm sick for about a day and a half each week for 3 months vs. every day for a year.  And I can have the peace of mind that I'm doing everything that I can to stop my cancer from returning.  It's hard seeing dying patients at the hospital and not think why them and not me, but I have to stay positive.  I've got kids who need me.

Aim for the Cure

Before I started my clinical trial I meet with my oncologist and while I was there I saw a flyer for the 2015 Aim for a Cure Melanoma Walk and Fun Run that was happening that weekend.  I thought it would be a fun thing that our family could do together.

The fun run was held at MD Anderson and I have to give a shout out for my hospital.  They are the number 1 ranked cancer hospital in the nation!  Woot woot!  Couldn't ask for a better place to be!

When we arrived they had us pick up our shirts.  I went and got my size shirt and the lady handed me a white shirt and then when Brad went to grab his they asked if there were any cancer survivors, because they get a purple shirt.  So I went back and told the lady I was a survivor and you could just see the shock on her face as she apologized and handed me a purple shirt.  It felt strange and yet empowering to say that I was a survivor.  There's a plaque in the Melanoma wing at the hospital that says "you were a survivor the day you got diagnosed."

When I left to change into my purple shirt I came back and Brad showed me the poster that he signed  in support of who you're running for.  He's such a sweet guy.  I have to say seeing it made me tear up! (my name is on the left hand side)

My biggest supporters

wearing our black ribbon in support of Melanoma Cancer

Instead of a number Brad has a sign that says he's walking in support of Emily

It was a nighttime run so we brought our glow sticks

Robin from Good Morning America was the emcee at our race!  She was speaking in a conference at MD Anderson, but her college friend is the one in charge of the race (her husband passed away from Melanoma) and so I'm sure thats how they got her to speak at our little race.  She is such an inspiring woman and I'm thankful I got to listen to her.

They had some short speakers from the people that ran the race.  One whose father had passed away in '07 and said that Melanoma cancer accounts for 4% of all cancer, but yet accounts for 80% of all cancer related deaths.  (Thats not a statistic I wanted to hear!)  Yet its an exciting time for Melanoma patients as the treatments are improving in leaps and bounds within the past 5 years.  

They also highlight two cancer survivors.  One was a teenage black girl who was diagnosed at age 9!  I mentioned her race due to the fact that a lot of people think that only fair skin people get it, which is true, but I've been really surprised at seeing all the different races in the waiting room at the cancer center.  It can effect anyone.  Please get yearly checks by your dermatologist!

Robin had all the survivors come up on stage to be recognized.  Everyone broke out in cheers and applause.  It was so wonderful to meet this new cancer family of mine.  While at the hospital I mostly see older people, so it was nice to see other young survivors as well.  (I'm slightly to the left of center)

Getting ready to race!

Carson ran the whole way with me!  There were even moments where I had to stop and walk and he wanted to keep going.  He loved it!  Tanner even ran most of it too!

Here we are crossing the finish line.

Tanner's picture was even featured on the Aim for the Cure website!

I'm so glad we got to do this race!  It was a very emotional evening for me, thinking of all that I've gone through and all that I still had to go through as I was starting treatments the next day!  And I'm glad that we got to do it as a family as this really has been a family affair for us.  We're in it together!

Tanner's First Day of Preschool

Tanner started another year of Preschool!  His first day of preschool was on September 8 when Brad and I were away, so Grandma got to be the lucky one to take him on his first day.

He actually has two preschools this year.  Ms. Hillary (my visiting teaching companion) who he goes to on Tues/Thurs. which is a traditional ABC preschool, and then on Wednesdays he goes to Ms. Heather for Lego Preschool (how fun is that for a boy?)!

Pictures that Ms. Hillary took on the first day of school:

The week of his birthday he was spotlighted at preschool!  So we made this poster for him to show his class some of Tanner's favorite things.

Showing his class his poster

Showing his class the items he brought in his all about me bag: his batmobile, a family picture, his soccer trophy, and a batman book.

Not gonna lie, but he does love the Lego preschool the best.  I mean what boy wouldn't want to learn their ABC's using lego's? I'm so proud of this boy!

While the cats are away...

Phew!  It feels good to be done blogging about our trip.  That took forever, but I really wanted to remember it all and now I've gotten behind.  I need to play catch up!

While Brad and I were in Turkey and Italy.  Grandma Clark flew out to take the role of mom while we were away for two weeks.  It was right after school had started so she got to be around when homework started.  The boys had a blast with her and were said to see her leave. Especially Tanner who kept asking when Grandma would come back.  Logan also had a strong bond with her and chose her over me when we first got back.  It took him a little bit to warm back up to me.  Which is saying a lot since he's my big momma's boy!

Here's a few pictures that she got while we were gone.

 Luckily it was Grandparents day at school when Grandma was in town so she got to go to Carson's school!  Here's Tanner at the "Round Table" at the school.

 Brad and I only got a day or two before she left, but we made the most of it!

 Playing around with the selfie stick we got in Turkey.  The boys thought it was fun.