Bad News

Just 5 short months after receiving my own cells my cancer came back. I started noticing the little tumors popping up all over my body. I went back to my Oncologist Dr. Joseph Nabong and was told I needed 10 days of chemo. The chemo this time was high intensity. I would go in 5 days in a row for 4 1/2 hours per day for two weeks. This chemo was gruesome, much harder on my body than my first 6 months of chemo. I ended up at Banner Gateway Hospital for 3 days after my first 5 days of treatment. My oncologist referred me back to my Bone Marrow Transplant Doctors at Banner Good Sam in Phoenix. They decided to take me straight to an Allogenic transplant. This meant finding a donor for me. My 4 living siblings were tested through blood draws. 3 of my siblings that live in AZ and I went together one afternoon to all be tested. Here are my hilarious siblings braving it out to see if they are my match.

James ready to be stuck by my outpatient nurse Chris. He was lucky to be first.

Apparently pain makes him laugh

Not really, He shows his pain.

Danny ready to go
Uh oh I'm feeling light headed, so Chris laid him back and out popped the needle. Now he gets to gear up for one more poke.

All smiles after coming to

Debbie's turn and anxiety sets in

It's okay Debbie just stick that lip out

Cuz it's all thumbs up now

In all our glory. We turned our frowns upside down with a stop for a drink at Sonic on our way home.

My brother Ben lives in Texas so he went to be tested at a Doctors office there. I felt so lucky that each of my siblings were willing to be tested on my behalf. My youngest sibling and only sister was found to be an EXACT match for me. I felt so blessed and also so humbled that Debbie would be willing to suffer pain and an outpatient surgery to save my life. Debbie was able to harvest enough cells for my need in 1 time. I was praying so hard it would be just one harvest. She fought through the bone pain through injections that my Dad would give her daily. She was the bravest I've ever seen her. I love her so very much for giving all she had to save my life. Debbie's cells were given to me the same day and there started my 2nd bone marrow transplant. This time around I was in the hospital for 1 month. The longest month of my life. It is so hard to be away from your husband and children for so long. Especially when that is your life. Day after day I followed my Doctors council and the nurses were absolutely amazing. I knew I was in good hands but I was in for a fight for my life. As Debbie's cells worked in my body, trying to find all the cancer cells and killing them. My body was under attack not recognizing that my organs were not the same anymore. About 4 different occasions I was sure that I was going to die. I didn't want to leave my dear husband and 4 beautiful children here on earth. I couldn't handle the thought of it. So I prayed that the Lord would abide with me til even tide. He did stay right by my side, I could literally feel the spirit of my Heavenly Father and his son right by my side. With so many Family and Friends praying constantly for me I felt a calm and abundance of love and faith on my behalf. As tears streamed down my face I just thanked Heavenly Father over and over again. I finally went home from the hospital on July 13th 2011. I was feeling so great, I had energy and the ability to do cooking and a tiny bit of house work. I had to be seen 2 times per week in the outpatient clinic at Good Sam. After awhile it was weekly, then every other week. Life was great, it was awesome sleeping in my own bed with my hubby. Seeing my children everyday. I was blessed. My family has received so many tender mercies I am in awe.

Memories of Love vacation 2011

Our family was nominated by a non profit organization called Memories of Love. This company is an AMAZING company. We were able to take our family to Walt Disney World!

Animal kingdom @ Walt Disney World
This was our families least favorite park.


Mickey Mouse


My Most Favorite Ride It's a Small World
Daddy & Livie riding Buzz Lightyear

The Epcot Center

The Epcot Center, Zachary chose to use some of his spending money to choose a clam with a pearl inside, well to my surprise he purchased two of the same size pearls and turned them into pearl earings. Which he gave to me. What a sweet little boy.

Derick surprised me as well with a large pearl necklace. My boys are too sweet to spend their own money on Mom. I felt so honored!


Hollywood Studios@ Disney World
Olivia & Kimberlee behind

Sea Worldand Universal Studios. The only items that weren't paid for by the company were airfare and car rental. We had no idea how to raise that kind of money. I decided making home-made cheese balls and offering them for sale just might work. We were so grateful when so many friends and family, even people we didn't know, purchased more cheese balls than I ever dreamed possible. We received very generous donations and feel very humbled and blessed that we were able to make this once in a lifetime vacation happen. We headed to Florida for Spring Break and had a wonderful time. My parents were able to come with us and it was so fun having Grandpa & Grandma at Walt Disney World. My Dad actually surprised my Mom, she had no clue she was leaving on vacation until the morning of. She was ecstatic when she learned where she was going. The kids absolutely loved Universal Studios the best. They loved the fast rides and especially the Harry Potter World.
Hogwarts Express

We were able to try Butter Beer which tasted like a rich cream soda. You could purchase either soda or slushy. Both were so yummy.We ended our trip with a day at the Beach. Our families first time in the Atlantic Ocean. Water was beautiful blue and the kids had a great time swimming, looking for sea creatures, sea shells, and just playing in the sand.
Derick showing us some skills
Eric & I didn't tell our children the location of our Spring Break. The kids found out at the airport. I made some red shirts that said Memories of love vacation on the front and on the back I'm going to Walt Disney World Cancer Free. We blindfolded the kids and slipped the shirts on them. They were a bit embarrassed but when they took off the blindfold they read each others shirts and all started cheering. It was an awesome surprise. We had told them we were going on a special vacation and they would benefit greatly from earning money because we knew they would want to buy things. So my little entrepreneurs began searching for chores. They pulled weeds, cleaned windows, some of them made home-made cookies and sold them to friends and family who graciously donated to the kids cause. They also earned some money for helping us make over 250 cheese balls. It was definitely a family effort. We want you all to know how much we appreciate all the money that was generously donated to make this trip possible.