6 Month Thyroid Cancer Testing

I'm sorry I haven't told some of you how my tests went. These were just preliminary, meaning because the cancer had spread into my lymph nodes they wanted to do a sonogram and blood work to see if they found any suspicious lymph nodes left on the left side of my neck at the 6 month mark. I also had blood work done to see how my Thyroglubin levels were(Thyroid Cancer patients want a very low to zero level, if it's high that is an indicator that the cancer may be back). My Thyroglubin levels were almost zero!! But these tests are not the most sensitive tests so in July I will have the more sensitive testing and more conclusive. The normal way of doing this is what I did after surgery, go completely of my meds and become very hypo and sick, go on low thyroid diet, then take Iodine pill and then body scan. Luckily a new way has been developed, 4 years ago a drug company came up with a shot called "Thyrogen"

that will trick the body in raising any thyroid cells that are left in the body (that you don't want in you if you have had thyroid cancer) which is what the old way does but the difference is you don't have to come off your thyroid medication and become debilitated for 4 months and deal with the diet! The kicker is since this is so new one shot costs $1,300 and I will have to have two on two different days. So these two shots will cost $2,600!!!! My pharmaceutical insurance will only cover half so we have to pay $1,200, thats only the shot were not even mentioning all the other tests I have to have. I was shocked when they called me and told me but it's better then getting so sick again for 4 months. I will have these tests every year for 10 years because there is a higher recurrence rate within the first 10 years and then every 3 years after that. One person I have heard about had been thyroid cancer free for 8 years than it came back and it spread and she died. So these tests are crucial to test every year for this. Given all the medical expense I am so grateful for my testimony in the law of Tithing. I know it's because we have always lived it and because of this Heavenly Father has blessed Ben with an amazing job and some wonderful owners that have made it so we can pay for these costs without having to worry about the financial aspect on top of what you go through physically. Ben and our family have truly been blessed with a wonderful job that has been so good to us. I would be so ungrateful if I didn't acknowledge Heavenly Fathers hand in all of this. I know Heavenly Father knew what was going on with my body and what I was going to need. I believe that he brought us to Texas to this wonderful company Ben works for so we not only could handle the medical costs but also the doctors that he brought in my life. It's through these people that he could bless us. I wish you could meet them, they are amazing doctors, I know that this is one of the reason's were here. I will always put my trust in my Heavenly Father, he knows what is best for us. I'm am so grateful as far as we know with the preliminary test that there is no sign of cancer. I am going to enjoy the next 6 months and hope with the exclusive testing done in July will show that I am still cancer free. Love you all.

Turbo Kick Certified

So I have been taking this class at the gym called "Turbo Kick" It's huge on the west coast and my friend Carli has been teaching it here in San Antonio. It hasn't taken off yet but I know it will. Well you can only do the elliptical and treadmill and then your weights for so long, you have to mix things up a bit so I tried Turbo. I absolutely love it!! It's a bit of kickboxing mixed with dance. Not a far stretch for me, it's an amazing cardio workout for a full 45 minutes and you will never plateau with this workout. So I loved it so much and with a little push from Carli I decided to try to go get certified so I could become and instructor and teach it. Well I am happy to say I passed the written and pratical tests and I am officially certified to teach Turbo Kick!!!!! The owner of my gym I go to wants me to start teaching there but I'm also trying to start at Spectrum (really popular gyms in Texas). So I'm starting my journey.

My amazing National Instructor, Mindy Lawhorne(she in a lot of the video rounds we teach from) She used to weigh 24o pounds!!

Carson took a picture of me the morning I left to the certification, I obviously didn't end up looking like this after a full day of Turbo and testing, hence the pic above.

Kaylee's first dance team experience

Isn't she growing up! She has been taking Dance Team Prep classes from a studio and they have really made her grown in dancing. Tryouts for the dance team are in March and she is so excited to try out and hopefully make the team. This was a dance clinic that the high school dance team put on and then the girls got to perform during the half time at the high school basketball team. It was so fun to watch her and she did great. She's a natural.

Kaylee and her friend Savannah

Canyon 2nd Set Bilateral Tubes/Feb 2010

Canyon had a second set of ear tubes put in on January 19th. We actually couldn't wait for the surgery! He has been in so much pain from all the fluid that were sitting in both ears since November when the first set of tubes fell out. Since they came out he has had 7 ear infections since November and the fluid never did drain until surgery. Both ears were drained before they put the tubes in. The nurses were shocked how happy he was. They brought me in to see him and he said, "Dr. Talley made my ears all better, can we go home now." He was so cute and all the nurses were just gushing on him. Now he feels so good he's getting in to more trouble. AAAhhh, I can't win!!! We sure do love him!!

Not to bad for waking up at 5:00 in the morning!!

Showing off the blood pressure cuff.

So cute!!!

Birthday Surprise!!

What are you doing here, your not suppose to be here, what are you doing here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is all I could say when I say my mom and my sister standing in my doorway singing happy Birthday, tears starting streaming down my face. I can't believe they both took the time and money to come and see me!! What a great family I have. I was truly shocked. Never in a million years would I have thought anyone would show up for me for my birthday!! I truly couldn't believe they were on my door step. What an amazing birthday! Thank you so much mom and Penni for coming and showing your love for me. I have to admit, I felt pretty special. I haven't smiled so much in awhile. I love you both. What great memories we will always have. Nothing will top this for my birthday for years to come!

Penni and I at the Alamo

Went shopping at the outlets (my favorite place) eating at a 50's diner, Jonny Rockets. Notice we are soaked from the down pore of rain but still smiling!!

All of us at the Alamo

Down at the famous River walk, enjoyed dinner with just the adults and a boat ride.

Penni realizing her children are more than normal, I don't think she felt like she left home!!

Jodi's 31st Birthday/Health Update

I can't believe I am 31!! Well that means everyone else is a year older now to!! My good friend Carli and her family had us over for dinner and cake. It was so fun to get together with friends around these occasions. Then we went home and I opened presents. I got a Workout outfit, candy(because that goes so well with the workout clothes), and some money. But the best are the kid's cards that they make me. Those are my best gifts. Kaylee helped Canyon make one and Carson put his own special touches on his. I pray this my 31st year will bring me better health than when I turned 30. Many people have been asking me to update them on my health, so here is the status. Just in the last 2 months I have felt the most "normal " I have in over a year and it is because my doctor added a T3 hormone to the Synthroid that I am taking. I am up to 3 pills a day and suffering a little bit from them making me hyper to suppress any cancer cells that may be there or would otherwise develop. For the rest of my life they will keep me in a hyper state which is taking time to adjust to. More importantly I have a Sonogram and a series of blood work to see if the cancer has come back or not. I will find out on January 29th if I am still cancer free. I am getting really nervous and the closer it gets I found myself on the roller coaster ride of emotions. I just pray that it is clean!! I don't want to go through it all again but I know the Lord will be with me whatever the results show. I humbly ask for your prayers in my and my families behalf. We are all a little on edge. But right now I am happy to say I can take care of my kids and not have to fall on the couch and crash. I'm back to working out 4 times a week and loving it. I take a turbo kick class and I love it. Carli my friend is the instructor and has been begging me to become an instructor, I'm pretty sure I am going to do it, but I'm trying to hold off until I find out my results from the Sonogram/blood work. I am ready to move on with my life and stop putting on hold all the things I have been wanting to do when I got better. Hopefully if it's Heavenly Father's will that I stay cancer free. Love you all.

First Cub Scout Pack Meeting

This is our official Cub Scout Pack Meeting where Carson earned his weblow and wolf badges! I got a little choke up when he pinned the mother's pin on me. He loves scouts!! A big thanks to my mom for helping Carson with his scouting while they were there with her this past summer. My kids are growing up. Our next mile stone is Kaylee entering Young Women's!! People don't believe me when I say I have a 12 year old in March. I think that's a good thing. Wow how life is changing.