It's almost over

I usually don't blog because I'm convinced no one reads this half the time and I keep a journal for myself and Wes so I don't always see the point, but I was recently told that I have to keep blogging, so two posts in one week!!!

September 15-October 2, we were in Arizona. The trip was partly because of Brett's radiation treatment and partly an excuse to go home for a visit. I'm not going to lie... it was not my favorite trip. It was great to be home with family and friends, but there were a lot of less fun things going on. Brett felt horrible the whole time (because he had to go off of his thyroid medication for about three weeks and during the treatment he had to drink lots of water, which means going to the bathroom all the time - including all night long, and he had to stay away from everyone for 3 days and couldn't pick Wes up for 11 days). It was also hard getting Wes to adjust to the 3 hour time difference. I think he was up by 5:30am almost every day and since both my parents work, and Brett was quarantined in his parents' basement, it was just me and Wes a lot of the time. At the end of the trip, Wes also got an ear infection. Fun, fun. So there were a lot of unpleasantries (I know that's not a word...) happening. Here's some pictures from the fun days:

Wes and Grandpa Anderson being so lazy in the lazy river. I know it's crazy, but I love the Arizona heat. Or at least I tell myself that when I'm sweating to death.

Good times at the park.

Another reason this trip was difficult was because I guess for the first time I had to come to terms with the fact that my husband has/had cancer (we'll know 100% for sure in about six months after another small treatment to make sure all of the cells in his thyroid are dead). When we sat down with the doctor who would be administering the radiation, he did a great job explaining everything, but the fact that I was in a hospital talking to a doctor about the side effects of radioactive iodine really threw me into "My husband has cancer. My husband has cancer. Holy crap, my husband has cancer" thinking. Fortunately for everyone, I didn't break down and cry... obviously I saved that for when I was over at my friend, Debbie's house, hanging out with some people I had just met for the first time... but I digress...

At any rate, although we received the bad news that we would have to wait 8-12 months, instead of the expected six, before trying to have more kids, we got through the meeting with the doctor and then a couple of days later, Brett had his treatment. Everything went fine and eventually Brett was able to eat all the delicious things he had been waiting for (He had to be on a low iodine diet, which is a little like being a vegan, for a few weeks before and during his treatment).

Although it was a difficult trip, it was nice to have the support of our families and friends while going through this whole ordeal. One week after his treatment, Brett went back for a scan to make sure that the cancer had not spread and we got the wonderful news that it hadn't (obviously I almost cried in the doctor's office again. That doctor probably thinks I'm one of those girls that just cries all the time. Oh well.) In about six months, he'll be checked again to make sure all of the actual thyroid cells are dead and then this should all be behind us. He'll have to be tested about every 6-8 months for the rest of his life, but we are so glad that the hardest parts are over. I told Brett he's not allowed to have anything like this happen to him every again. I hated it. A LOT. But let me just say, thank you so much for everyone that has prayed for us, thought of us, and given encouraging words during this difficult time. I cannot even begin to tell you how much it helped. I always like to close with something good and/or uplifting, so here we go: