The news we have been waiting for

Monday morning Seth had a bone marrow biopsy. We got to go back to our new hang out, the Utah Cancer Clinic. Dory is doing well by the way.
Horrible horrible horrible! I couldn't watch. I sat with Dory and sobbed. It took 10 minutes and we were done. Seth never complained. I already knew he was strong, but WOW. Waiting for the results was awful. We haven't slept much in the last 2 days. Tonight just before 6 pm we got the call we have been hoping for.
Dr. Chambroluli called Seth and told him he has thrombocytosis. His platelets are producing abnormal cells. He doesn't even have the polycythemia vera that the Dr. thought he had. After his spleen is removed they will check his platelet count and if they are out of wack he will take a pill called hydroxy urea. Not a big deal at all.
 The best part about this news is that he 100% doesn't have CANCER and he does not have fibrosis of his bone marrow which would have meant he needed a bone marrow transplant.
I can breathe. I can sleep. This also means he is going to have his spleen out on Tuesday most likely. He will also have the varicies fixed around his stomach. A bit of a riskier surgery due to his clotting.
If next Tuesday goes well we will be in the clear.
Today was the exact news I have dreamed of getting.
I love my husband more than anything. Everything about him is good. He has been so strong through out all of this.
We love you daddy!

My sweet Seth

Seth is amazing. He has seen more doctors and been poked more than anyone should ever have to. So update.....Seth was supposed to have his spleen out this coming Tuesday. It's not going to happen so soon.
We saw the hematologist today, Dr. Chandramouli. I really liked him. He is the doctor who knows the most about Seth's condition, and who would have the most answers, and he did. His clinic is at the Utah Cancer Center. What the hell!! I sat in the lobby with my big black glasses on crying and saying to myself, how are we here. Piper and Quinn and I met Seth for his appointment. They have a really cool fish tank. Two Dory's live in it. (Finding Nemo)
Once we started talking to the doctor, things got better. Seth does not have cancer. I repeat he does not have cancer. That was for me, sorry.
The type of myeloproliferative disorder that the doctor thinks he has (there are 4 types), has no link to leukemia. I probably sound like rainman asking about cancer to these doctors, but he specifically said "you and I have the same risk of developing cancer as Seth does with this condition."
Of the 4 types of myeloproliferative disorders, Dr. Chandramouli thinks he has polycythemia vera. If you are like me as soon as you are done reading this post you will look it up on line. Only read information from www.nci.nih.gov.
Seth has to have a bone marrow biopsy on Monday. It will be done in the clinic. Woo hoo I get to go visit Dory again. He will take a mild sedative and have a needle stuck in his hip. Awesome huh. By Wednesday this will give us the exact result as to which type of myeloproliferative disorder he has. If he does have polycythemia vera, the treatment will be a urea pill that he will take to surpresss his overactive bone marrow production of red blood cells. Doc says you live a totally normal life and your mortality rate is no higher than you or me. The bone marrow biopsy sounds horrible but he said his PA will do it and it is not that big of a deal. Whatever guy!!
This myeloproliferative disorder is a mutation of the JAK-2 gene. Just bad luck. It is not genetic so thing 1 and 2 don't have it. Seth has done nothing to predispose himself to this mutation and it wasn't a gift from his parents. Just plain old bad luck.
They have only discovered the mutation in the last 4 years. God I love nerds who spend most of their lives with their heads in a book or in a lab. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Dr. Chandramouli called Dr. Fujita and recommended we wait another week on getting the spleen out. If Seth has one of the other 3 of the 4 types of myeloproliferative disorders, it might be better to leave the spleen in. Seth hates this idea. He is in pain and wants the jerk out. He was quite certain that Seth does have polycythemia vera though. In that case the spleen will come out and Seth will just take a pill to suppress the bone marrow production of red blood cells.
Seth will then go on being completely awesome and hot and live to be and old man and drive me crazy when he is old and senile.
This has been a horrible time in our lives, but we have clung tight and loved each other tons. Our poor children have been patient and so sweet. They have had to go to way too many doctors appointments and see their mom cry way too much!
Thank you so much to those of you who have been there for us. I will keep you posted.
We love you dearly!

Family Update February 2013

March is in 10 days and I am truly hoping it treats us better than January and February. Life is scary and rough right now. Seth has been diagnosed with Myelo proliferative disorder. His bone marrow is producing way too many red blood cells which has created blood clots. He has a clot in his spleenic vein. His spleen is so enlarged that it has to come out. He is in constant pain. After the spleen is removed we can address the bone marrow issue. We are told it isn't cancer, but that it can turn into cancer. OK holy total panic is what I feel 24/7. Oh and did I mention that Seth does not have health insurance. At this point I don't even care. The amount of medical bills is going to be so incredible. I just want my husband to be ok. I want my children to have a father, and I want to have my Seth until I am an old woman. How is this our life. Not in a million years did I ever conceive that we would be facing something like this.
In the meantime we are trying to stay positive and enjoy every moment we have together.
We snuck away to Hebgen this weekend thanks to Seth's brother's family. We are so grateful for sharing their amazing Hebgen gift. We love this place more than anything. It is magical! Just what we needed. 

This is "the chair". I love this picture more than words can say.

Piper's first time snow shoeing. She was amazing.

See why we are so crazy about the place. LOVE LOVE LOVE!!

Look at my baby. WOW!

Our Valentine's date. I have been thinking back to our wedding vows, and that sickness and health portion is happening right now.

Piper and aunt Bug went for a Pottery Barn tea party date.

Preschool field trip

Magical box

Ronan love Seth. So do I.

We love practicing make up and dress ups on cousin Ronan

Piper loves dance

Oh please winter go away

Hiking the Utah foothills

Quinn and I skied together for the first time today. Laura, Max and Quinn and I went for a ski. Mother/son ski date. One of the highlights of my life.

Quinn watching me walk away

Sascha, Joel, and Seth and I had dinner. Lovely!

Life

Life happens every day. Sometimes it kicks you in the teeth and sometimes its effortless, and beautiful. I think I need to tell this winter to go straight to hell. Enough is enough. Seth and I spent Presidents day in the ER. Seth was having really bad pain on his left side. After a $5000 bill they found that his portal vein has a clot in it which has enlarged his spleen to 22 cm. A spleen is supposed to be 10 cm. yikes. We get to go to lots of specialists trying to figure out what to do.
I think I can safely say that I have never been so scared in my life. I have never even considered losing my husband, but it was a reality. I don't have any more tears left. We will keep living life and hope that this is a treatable bump.
In the meantime we are anxiously awaiting winters exit. We are drinking lots of tea, watching lots of Downtown Abbey, and hoping for good news.
I have signed up to run Ragnar with my co-workers. I better get my butt in gear or I am going to be hurting come June.
Pipes and Quinn are incredible. They are smart, full of energy, and the best things that ever happened to us.

Christmas 2012

One of my favorite nights of the year is tomorrow night. I LOVE Christmas Eve. I love the anticipation. I love Christmas so much because it's every one's birthday in one day. Everyone gets gifts. I love the magic of it all.You get to be with your family and eat way to much. What could be better than that. I know family can be so annoying and hard to handle some of the time, but there are so many people who are going to wake up in a cold studio apartment alone Christmas morning. Total Debbie Downer I know, but I think of these things and remember how lucky I am that we have food, warmth, some place to go and celebrate and get annoyed by our loved ones who I love dearly.
Wow it is a lot of work and money, but so worth it. I've thought about my mom a lot this year and how hard she must have worked all those years to provide so much for us on Christmas each year. She was alone and she has always made our Christmas's so spectacular. I appreciate her more and more each and every year.
Thank you so much mom!
This was my second year taking Piper to the Nutcracker. Such a wonderful tradition. She promised me she would always go with me, even when she is grown. I am going to hold her to this. If she lives out of state I will travel to where she is and show up on her door step with Nutcracker tickets. She might change her address and forget to tell me what it is, but so be it.
Having little kids makes Christmas so amazing. I have had the best time this year.

Santa photos 2012

 Piper is so smart. She would not sit on Santa's lap. She would rather stand next to him and put her requests in that way.

Quinn was not to happy about Santa. I love the Santa at Trolley Square. There is never a line, and he looks so real. Plus we get to go to Pottery Barn and Spaghetti Factory.

Our little family

 This bridge is where I had my bridal photos taken. Garden Park Ward 11 years ago. Now my exquisite children are standing on it having their photos taken. These photos are so important. We will look back on them years from now and cherish them. I want to savor every moment and every memory I can with my babies.