Pins and Needles! Ouch!!!

We were able to get many tests done today. They took 6 tubes of blood, did chest x-rays, and an EMG. The EMG took 3 and 1/2 hours and was extremely painful. They had to poke very long electricity endured needles into his muscles from his hand all the way to his shoulder, neck, and spine. Although it was painful, Jason is a trooper and is doing well. We miss our kids so much,but we are so glad to be here to get help. Tomorrow at 11:30, they will inject radioactive material (also called tracers) into Jason. Four hours later they will do an octreotide scan. Then he has to go back the next day for another scan. After that we have an apt. with a GI specialist, a neurologist, and then the internal doc that we saw first. Once we know what is wrong with him, they will come up with a treatment plan. Things are moving very fast which is a blessing!

Updates and News from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN

After going through several rough weeks....we are finally at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. Jason's oncologist and pain management doctor referred us here due to Jason's symptoms. In July after Jason had his gallbladder out, he started having strange symptoms. After many visits to the ER and a week long hosptial stay, it was determined that Jason has many symptoms of Carcinoid Syndrome. Many of the test results also showed signs of this illness...however, the carcinoid tumors can be hard to find and can be missed on X-rays and catscans. It is a blessing that we are here and many angels have stepped in to help us get here and help with the children while we are gone. We are so blessed. Here are the things that happened today and Jason's test schedule for the following week: Today: We met with an internal specialist. He went through all paperwork and medical records, went over all of the symptoms, and did a physical examination. After a few hours, the doctor was able to determine which tests need to be performed in order to get a clearer picture of what is going on with Jason. A few tests were performed today, one being an EKG Monday, September 17: 8:30 AM Go back to internal medicine office for more information 10:10 AM Venipuncture Specimen Collection and Blood Tests 12:45 PM Chest X-Ray Tuesday, September 18: 8:15 AM Clinical Neurophysiology...EMG (poke needles up and down his arm to see where nerve pain is coming from 11:30 AM Octreoscan Injection (will inject nuclear medicine for scan) 3:30 PM Nuclear Medicine Scan Wednesday, September 19: 9:30 AM Octreoscan-SPECT Will have another appointment with a GI doctor as soon as they can fit him in. This is what we have so far...I know that there are a lot of questions, but I'm hoping this helps. I will give daily updates as I receive them. Thank you to all of the many people who have said prayers on our behalf.

Our Alaskan Weekend Adventure

Our family had the adventure of a lifetime this past weekend. We went with our good friend Steve out to his family's winter cabin. This cabin is only accessible in the winter time when the rivers are frozen. In Alaska, you are not allowed to drive vehicles across salmon streams. So, when freeze up hits, you can take snow mobiles and access lots of areas. Steve has a cabin on a lake several miles back in the back country. We loaded up all of our gear on the snow machines, and headed off. Our yellow lab, Badger, ran along with us the WHOLE way to the cabin(several miles in deep snow). He was amazing. we got there, and unloaded our gear and settled in for the night. We went down to the lake and drilled a few hole's with the power auger, and set out a few lines to try and catch a pike or two. The boys were so happy to be out "in the wild". The cabin is a pretty rustic place, and the kids LOVED it. That night as we drifted off to sleep, it was raining. The sound of rain on a tin roof is one of life's small blessings.
The next morning, we got up and went to check the lines....nothing. Jacey and Misty made us bacon and pancakes for breakfast. The stove is an old propane unit, and Jacey felt like she had gone back in time. She was LOVING it. After breakfast, the boys ran down to the lake to check the lines again. A few minutes later, we heard them whooping and hollering..."we got one"! We all ran down, and there was Hunter with his first Alaskan pike. Well, Gunner is the one who has the dream to catch a pike through the ice. It's been his goal for two years. He immediately started getting serious, and a little bit later, he had his first pike! These are vicious looking fish, with large sharp teeth.....the boys loved that. We were getting our gear together to go out on a snow machine ride, and we couldnt get Gunner to quit fishing. It was then that we saw his rod, doubled over and bouncing! He ran over and grabbed his line, and started pulling it in by hand. He let out a scream! It was then that we saw this MONSTER pike coming up out of the hole! He wrestled it out onto the ice! Everyone was yelling and laughing. Gunner was the hero of the day! That fish was a giant, for this lake! When we cleaned it later, we found lots of bait and stuff from other fishermen in it's gullet! Gunner had caught the lake monarch!
After the fishing, we loaded up and went out for a snow machine (snow mobile in the lower 48) ride. We rode all the way out to the Susitna River. It was a blue bird sky! It was so Awesome to get to see Alaska like this! March is a beautiful month up here! We rode 40 miles! The kids were able to see lots of country, and sights that not many people EVER get to see. It was amazing. We were on the way back to the cabin, and Hunter and I were coming down a hill, where the trail was uneven. Yeah...we crashed! The machine started to tip, and I had Hunter in front of me, I grabbed him and we bailed off! We landed in some DEEP snow. The machine kept going and when it did it's flip, thats about the time that everyone else looked back! So, needless to say, there were some goosebumps and Profanity (From Misty), but we were ok. Hunter thought it was awesome, of coarse, but it was scary. WE got back to the cabin, and had lunch and caught a few more pike. The kids got to shoot the guns for the rest of the afternoon. It was a blast. The kids are really learning gun safety and how to be responsible. I was impressed with their shooting skills. They are getting older now, and they are starting to get competetive. They were shooting empty .410 and .12 guage shells with their .22's. It was fun. Steve put together an exploding target that we put out on the lake and he shot with his .270! Great fun!
WE ate a big lasagna dinner, and sat around and listened to Steve tell his stories about all of his Alaskan adventures. The kids loved it. We went to bed late. It was colder this night than it was the night before. It even snowed a little bit. We got up the next morning and it was snowing. It was so beautiful. We cooked breakfast and watched it snow out the big front windows. We even cooked up some pike! We dusted it in Krusteze pancake mix, and fried it in the bacon drippings. It was SO good. WOW! We just sat around drinking hot chocolate all morning and relaxing. We then loaded up our gear. As we were getting ready to load the sleds, (the sleds are big, well, sleds we put our gear in, and they tow behind the snowmachine), Jacey asked if Steve would pull her in it. He said "no, but I will pull all four of you kids in it"! They loaded in, and Steve took off across the lake, and the snow was hitting them and caking them! They LOVED it. This was the high light of the trip for Jacey! We laughed hard.
We got loaded up and then we secured up the cabin so that the bears won't be able to break in in the spring! The bears are going to be coming out of hiberation in a few weeks here. We left the cabin and headed back to civillization. It was so nice to be out for a few days. Badger ran the whole way back to the cars. It was a trip of a lifetime. One of the many adventures that we have been blessed to have since we have been up here in the Frozen Chosen North! Alaska is an amazing place, and we are drinking it up! Our kids are making some awesome memories.

Ice Sculptures

Yesterday the kids and I went on an outing downtown. The temp outside was 5 degrees. We went to look at the ice sculptures in the park. There were Japanese artists creating peices of art out of huge blocks of ice. They were all disney themed. There were cars, trains, and scenes. We took a few pics and then walked quickly to the mall before we froze our ears off. LOL :> It was something we have never seen being that we are from the desert.

My journey to Adak, Alaska

Every year Alaska Airlines picks 1 remote destination to bring Christmas to. They give gifts to all of the children that live in the town, bring Santa and Mrs. Clause, and provide a party there and back for all of the employees/family/friends that travel on the flight. My friend Sara took me with her family on the Santa flight to Adak Island. It is the most Eastern part of the United States and is part of the Aleution Chain. There are close to 100 people that live there, 37 of them are children. The looks on their faces were priceless as they were able to see so many people...all there for them!

We had a blast on the flight! It was so beautiful to see. I'm so glad that I was able to be a part of something so wonderful. I will never forget it!

Christmas 2011

December has been a very fun month! The primary was in charge of the ward Christmas party this year, so me and my counselor planned and decorated for the party. We had Jason make clay oil lamps for the tables, and paint a mural of the 3 wise men on their journey to find the baby Jesus. We had so much fun decorating! We even had traditional food during the time Jesus was on the earth.

Christmas was great fun too!

School Christmas Program

The kids performed in their School Christmas Program. Hunter was part of the choir, Parker and Gunner played the recorder, and Jacey played her cello. They did a fabulous job and we had a wonderful dinner.