Thursday, March 3, 2011

my mom.

i ended my post last night with this...a now cancer free family. we are still cancer free. i need to remind myself and my mom...it may not be cancer. my mom called my sister from the airport on tuesday on there way to kentucky and asked her to find her a doctor. she wanted to see a doctor because on sunday she had noticed a large mass on her thyroid. huh...since allison knows about three people in louisville and she was not real sure where to start. anyways, we find her a doctor and an appointment was set for wednesday morning. so she goes. her doctor agreed it was a very large mass and thought she needed to have an ultrasound. that happened this morning at 8:30am. we waited. i tried to be optomistic. we all tried not to worry. not assume the worst. this afternoon her doctor called and told her that yes two large masses were found on her thyroid. she called them complex masses. they are not cysts. it is not just fluid. it is something more. but we do not know what yet. a biopsy needs to happen first. so my mom and dad are in the midst of making doctor appointments and deciding if they will go back to washington immediately (they were planning on a 4-5 week vacation beginning with ky, then mi, then hilton head island with my grandparents) or stay in kentucky. or go to michigan (where they lived for 30 years) to get the biopsy done there. they are still unsure. still waiting to speak with her doctors back home. this is a hard time. the unknowns. and the waiting. and the what ifs? the timing seems unfair. this trip was about celebrations. but we will still celebrate. it may just look and feel a little different than we had anticipated. but this is life. the surprises we never ask for. i like to air on the side of. caution..."no one has cancer until its offically diagnosed." but that is not easy. your head tends to go to that place. i can not speak for my family but i am optomistic. regardless though her thyroid will most likely be removed (my moms sister had thyroid cancer two years ago and they removed hers). as we bathed the kids tonight i told my mom and sister...at least we are together. at least you and dad were not alone in washington and we can go down the initial part of this road together. so that is all we know. i feel sad and happy and numb and worried and calm all at the same time. if it is cancer. IF...it is treatable. or so we have heard. i am thankful to be here. for so many reasons. please pray for peace and for clarity and for no more cancer in this family. i love you mom. and my dad too. i am sorry. for what it is worth i am sorry you even have to go down this road.

29 comments:

  1. praying for your family!! you are SO strong and no matter the outcome yall will get through it. praying, praying, praying!

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  2. Libby, please tell your mom we are praying for her. I hope you have a joyful time of celebration with your family.

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  3. I'm praying for your mother and your time together with your family..

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  4. Oh honey, that is just unbelievable. Praying for you.

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  5. Dear Libby,

    As my last comment (2.25.11) reminded you, "We like FEARLESS women..." and I meant it and I intend to live and model that for my daughters and my granddaughter. Besides, if I do have to deal with cancer, well...you've taught me so much...should give me a jump start with "not wasting your cancer."

    I claim all of God's promises. They have given you the foundation you've build your life upon. I have always put my life in God's hands and no diagnosis will change that. Great is Thy faithfulness...Mom/Oma

    PS I love you...and you are right, doing this together is better than apart. Miss you Becky, Jason, Drake & Justin...hope to see you soon.

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  6. Praying for your mom and for your family. SO many prayers!

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  7. Libby - I just found your blog tonight and have been reading through it a little bit. I'm also in remission from Hodgkin's. I was diagnosed in Sept 2009 and on April 1st it will be my one year mark from finishing chemo. I can't believe that it's been almost a whole year! I love your posts. I agree with you that God held my hand every step of the way and the glory is all his... not mine. My hair is finally long enough that I have bangs... BANGS! Life is crazy. I hope that you are feeling okay and that you will continue to feel better and better every day! I was really impressed by your title... I'm a little guilty I guess. Even having gone through cancer I still feel like I have a long long way to go to not "waste my cancer". I feel like I should be taking much better care of myself for what I've experienced and what I know. That's for the little reminder and nudge tonight. I guess I better go to bed because tomorrow is a new day, a beautiful gift. I'm lucky to have it.

    I've also had a few family members get lumps in their neck checked out since my diagnosis. Thankfully they have all turned out to be something other than cancer and no real worry. I hope that is the same for your mom! She's lucky to have a strong daughter like you.

    I'm happy to get to know you and your story a little bit tonight. Take care friend...

    Meg

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  8. Libby,

    Praying for you, your mom and your whole family!!! So glad you are all together!

    Tiffany

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  9. oh my friend, i am so sorry. We will not stop praying. our moms got this

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  10. I hope it all turns out ok and I will pray for your family.

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  11. So sorry to hear that. I'll be praying for your family.

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  12. Prayers for your mom and your whole family. My mother was diagnosed with Thyroid cancer in 2009 and had her entire thyroid removed and underwent radiation treatment. Today she is living cancer free. Lots of thoughts and prayers for an optomistic report!

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  13. I have thyroid cancer myself - I was diagnosed at 29. I will be praying for your mom. You might like to read some of the links like "biopsy", "diagnosis", "surgery", etc on my left sidebar if you're looking for more information. http://turquoisegates.blogspot.com

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  14. Praying for your continued strength and success being cancer free, and praying and sending that same strength and success to the rest of your family so that they may face whatever may be taking place in your moms life at this moment and in moments to come. God bless

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  15. praying for strength to get through this unknown. your one tough family .

    love and blessings the doughtys

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  16. You know I'm praying.
    Love you.

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  17. Thinking of you and praying that whatever it may be, it was caught early!

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  18. Prayers, prayers, prayers! I think everyone that reads this blog knows the power of prayer! Praying for you and your entire family!!!

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  19. Praying for your mom and your family!

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  20. I will be praying for your mom and family. So sorry that you guys are going through this.

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  21. Will continue to pray for your family. So sorry you are having to endure this on the heals of all of your pain. Prayers go out to the entire family.

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  22. Praising God for your life and praying for your Mom and your family.

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  23. i am here and praying fiercely. love you friend.

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  24. Praying for your family as we are going through the same thing. My older sister was recently diagnosed with Hashimotos Disease so I went to see my doctor. Turns out I have several solid masses on both sides of my thyriod and will be going for the first round of tests next week and then schedule a biopsy after the thyroid uptake scan. Kicker is that I am 2000 miles away from family and my husband is leaving for Nigeria next week and by the time he comes home, it wil be 12 weeks since I saw him. We will get through this!

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  25. I don't know if this helps, but Louisville has awesome drs (my hometown). I used to live near Nashville but we've moved back to Ky - and I drive over an hour to go to my dr there. I'll be praying!

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  26. U r amazing...I friday 3/4/2011 my daughter's 18 th birthday,recieved the resuls of a mammogram/ultrasound of my thyroid and breast results:are all complex cyst= 3 of them in my right breast & 4 in the right lobe of my thyroid and 2 in the left lobe.In july in had a cervial surgery 3-4-5-6-7 fusion and in nov i had a nerve transposition surgery in my right arm,icant belive this? u r an inspiration!I dont know whats ahead for me but i do know (matt 28:20)says I am always with you even to the end of the age.In time of weakness,or fear rememberthe Lord is always with you.praying things turn out well for you and your family~ God Bless

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