The Latest

I know many of you have worried about my health, especially as you only get snippets of what I blog about from what I get from physicians. Let me just say, this has been a long week and not just because Strawberry Days has kept me so busy.

I was scheduled for an "MRI guided breast biopsy" yesterday in Provo. This is the same place I has the MRI on Tuesday, so I was appropriately nervous and worried. The MRI, itself, was quite scary. Now we add needles and lab work too!

When I got there--having Genius Golfer with me, in the event that I could get good drugs this time and would be then unable to drive--the clinic had suffered a power outage and all their computers were down. Lights were back on, but no computer access.

As I checked in, I was questioned about what procedure I was having done. I told them and "MRI guided breast biopsy". I got several confused faces. They questioned each other, "Do we do THAT here?" "I think they meant an ultrasound biopsy," was one response.

Ultrasound biopsy sounded great to me! No scary MRI machine, no claustrophobia. No need for drugs. (Well, then again...)

Finally someone found my "order" and a lovely ultrasound tech named Amy, took us back and had me put on a hospital gown. I hopped up on the table and Amy dimmed the lights in the room and began the ultrasound exam.

Not long into this, she excused herself and went to get the doctor to take a reading and then he could do the biopsy. It took a while for them to return.

The doctor looks at me and says, "We can't do a biopsy today." Something about the tissue is not stable enough to get a solid reading, which is why an MRI was ordered to guide the said biopsy to reach the correct tissue to get a sampling of the "suspicious" area. I'd have to have the MRI biopsy version at St. Mark's Hospital in SLC as they have the machinery to do it here.

Apparently, with computers down, all the world will fall apart.

Amy had me get dressed and said I could go.

I stopped at the desk on our way out and asked if I needed to check out of what, as they didn't really do anything. I could hear my name bouncing around behind the desk area and a minute later the imaging center administrator asked us to come into her office.

She apologized for all the confusion. We ended up there for an hour while Administrator Lee called St. Mark's to try to schedule me there. Then she called both our current insurance companies to get pre-authorization. She then called St. Mark's back to actually schedule me now that I was precertified. (That sounds like a used car warranty.) She specifically asked what exactly they needed in term of imagines to review prior to me going in. She made arrangements for all that to had to be sent. She apologized again for our inconvenience as we left and assured me that everything they could do to get this arranged for me was being done.

In the car I told GG that if she hadn't done all the arranging and foot work, I would have bagged the entire project. It was too much hassle and too much worry. I don't want the MRI, not looking forward to the biopsy, and at this point I don't feel sick, so this is all overkill to me. Oh, and I have mentioend that our insurance feels like The Death Star Health insurance company?!

I'm scheduled for the MRI guided breast biopsy in SLC on Tuesday--trumping The Boy's appointment for new braces that was scheduled for that same morning. (I have to reschedule him on Monday morning.) GG will take me. St. Mark's has me scheduled for a really big Zanex prior to the procedure. I wonder if they have a "take out" package of that. I could have used it yesterday.

The Daily Flavor of Crazy is Strawberry!

What can you say to that? My Strawberry Days Rodeo photo assignment was last night...the weather held out and the people came out--in droves! The cowboys gave them a good show too. Glad I am behind the camera.

Swim Team Trials, I Mean, Time Trials...

Today was the opening day for the swim team competition. Actually, it was time trials, day one, and this is less competition, than a practice run for swimmers and volunteers alike to practice running a swim meet.

Luckily, this year, we have some wonderful swim parents who are happy to help. Heck, you have to come with your kid anyway, why not just help out? Makes the day go by faster.

The kids are in need of the practice, just as much as our volunteers. Especially the little ones.

The youngest group is the 6 and under category. These little guys are happy to be here, but it can be hard to tell because they are shivering so violently they are chattering and can barely nod their heads purposefully. They are usually wrapped in blankets and bathrobes and towels and have on slippers or sandals or shoes as they line up and are assigned a lane prior to being walked to the pool's edge. Then they shiver and shake more until the horn goes off and they are surprised and can't remember what stroke they are supposed to be doing. Hilarious, I tell you.

The 7-8 year olds are better. They are very enthusiastic, generally. They still shiver and look like they are turning purple, but they can nod their heads or attempt to answer when their names are called.

My favorite age groups are the teenagers though. They crack me up. They know where they should be, they know how slow the little kids are at times, and they also think they are all that and a bag of chips. They can sass me back and banter jokes back and forth. They can even remember the jokes from one meet to another. They know how to swim and don't need their moms standing at the bullpen watching to see that they get in the right heat or lane or even event. These guys entertain me, which after the diet coke is gone, is about all I have to look forward to at a meet.

SO far, so good. But we only got through freestyle and most of butterfly this morning. Tomorrow is another day. Another day, another trial.

How the Berries in the Park Thing Works

The berries are rinsed by this very cute, smiley boy. We'll call him Mr. B.

Then, this very smiley, cute boy puts them into a masher. We'll call him Mr. C.

Then, this very cute (and he is smiley when he isn't working so hard) boy loads them into cups and pours the cream on them. We'll call him Mr. D.

Mr. A. shows us how good these berries and cream really are.

Oh, and Mrs. Y, here, oversees the whole process--all the while, holding cute babies. She's pretty smiley too.

And Miss K. shows us why the Strawberry Days committee organizes and hosts this event. MMMmmm.

It's a Powerful Thing

You know, when you plan for the worst case scenario or most desperate situation because you are always thinking "What if ________?" I am notorious for that. I 'm the worst "What-If-Er" you know.

Most times it comes to nothing, in which case you are prepared nonetheless, and life goes on just peachy-keen. Once in a while it is more than nothing, but is usually not too big a deal.

Still in the back of my head, at least, I am always planning for the "What If_______?" scenario.

This morning I had an MRI done on my left breast. I am still wondering how they can image just the one, but I didn't think to ask anyone. Maybe another time. Maybe not.

The MRI test is a little like trying to ride a sausage making machine for fun. This morning I had to lay very still, face down, with the "girls" dangling inside a vertical cave of sorts while I was wheeled backwards into a tiny tube that made all sorts of scary sounds. It was a very good thing I was face down. I don't think I am claustrophobic, but I might have become so if I had let my mind head down that path.

As I was laying very still, worrying about all the "What Ifs", my heart rate exploded and my breathing was speeding up. I was worried that I might be moving involuntarily just to stay alive in the loud sausage tube or that the "pictures" wouldn't be any good because my heart and lungs were going a mile a minute. Instead of freaking completely out, I focused my thoughts on my Heavenly Father and said a prayer--not asking that everything will be perfect, but just that I can calm down, they can get what they need from me and that I may be ready for whatever the results might be. My thoughts then turned to the words of hymns I could remember under stress.

Have you ever heard BYU's concert choir recording of "Redeemer of Israel"? They were recorded years ago with the orchestra. The music is powerful and just fills you up as you hear the crescendo of strings and percussion. The words are pretty reassuring too: "How long we have wandered as strangers in sin, and cried in the desert for Thee! Our foes have rejoiced when our sorrows they have seen, But Israel will shortly be free." Kind of makes you re-evaluate who's side you are on, doesn't it?

I ran that and other hymn lyrics through my head as I stayed as still as I could for the 40 minutes required to finish this test. I noticed as I continued "singing" the hymns in my head that my breathing slowed and my pulse returned to a normal range. I felt the calming influence of the Spirit with me--even in that cold, dark, loud, scary place.

If the Father will hear and answer my prayer for comfort so quickly and gently, I know that whatever these blasted tests finally show about the spots in my breast, I will be OK--whichever way the path takes me. Because no matter which path I end up on, He will be there too. Right beside me. And you can't get someone more powerful or loving to stay with you through all of this.

Timing is Everything!

The Boy left this morning for Scout Camp all week. Along with seven other boys scouts. They were scheduled to meet this morning at my neighbor's place at 5 AM and planned on hitting the road by 6.

The Big Boys (those scouts 14 and older) left this morning also on a bike trip to Lake Powell. They met at the Circle here at 4AM and planned on leaving at 5AM. There are about 10 boys and three leaders biking down and an assortment of support folks in trucks, trailers and vans to bring the tired crew home at the end of the week.

The Big Boy group shoved off at 5--on the nose. Fairly impressive as it was still mostly dark!

Our group of campers was still loading, rearranging and deciding various things when The Girl and I left for swim practice.

It is all about time, isn't it? Well, that and men do things vastly different than women. Not that this is a surprise to any of you.

It's a Two Fer...

Seeing as my Saturday blew up in my face, I didn't ever get back to write yesterday. So sorry about that. To make amends, a bit, today I will post a Sunday video, and write a little weekend update for you darling readers.

The weekend update goes like this: Friday, The girl got home from Girls' Camp in the afternoon. Genius Golfer came home from work early to tell me that he resigned that day from his job and he already had another offer for a job that he will start June 29th. That gave him two weeks off to really fine tune his golf game for the State Amateur tournament he is playing in next weekend. the Boy is packing to get ready for his Scout Camp that leaves very early in the morning for a week. We picked up the Girl's new glasses.

Saturday, the kids and I worked a few hours at the Triathlon that our swim team hosts as a fundraiser each year. I ended up in charge of announcing the awards and winners. (They get me to do this due to the large mouth I tend to have...sometimes it is useful. Usually it is not.) Then we had just enough time to clean up and eat some lunch before The Girl and I headed to SLC for our final Broadway Across America show. This time it was Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. This was not my favorite show by any stretch, but the flying car ad the visual effects were very cool. And we did leave singing "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang we love you...". It really is a most catchy song. We flew home as a fast as we could and Genius Golfer took all of us to dinner to celebrate the new job, and the end of the one he just quit. I discovered when I finally got the mail that we had received the insurance information for the "new" insurance now from the "old" job. I baked a delish breakfast cake recipe from my very talented friend, Tammy M., who had posted it on her blog Friday. It sounded so good I tried it for the Trek committee kids for our meeting Sunday morning. The Boy had a gear check meeting to load all their camping stuff at 7PM and they spent the whole rest of the night checking, packing, and shopping at our local grocery store as a group--until midnight!

This morning my day began with a 7AM trek meeting where the Honeybun Cake went over supremely! It was a real hit! So easy, and that tasty too?! Can't beat that. I was in stake meetings until 10AM when I joined GG as we substituted in Primary and I taught a lesson to one darling Rachel, and half a dozen boys who were very preoccupied about their upcoming Scout Camp. I got home from church and crashed--power napped until the home teachers came. We haven't had HT for almost 7 years, so far as I can tell. Then I just dropped off the Girl for her Trek family meeting tonight at the church. Tonight I get to go take photos of the Children's Choir performance at the Concerts in the Park series, and part of my Strawberry Days assignment.

See why I didn't get a chance to write yesterday?! I'll get The Boy off in the morning and try to get back into some schedule, which will include every Strawberry Days event this week. I'll keep you all posted. Thanks fro being patient! Have a great week.