Tuesday, January 3, 2012

The Smile Strikes Back!

  Mom has seemed to do a little bit better each day this week.  She ate a good breakfast this morning and ate little bits of things as the day went on.  But all that is better than nothing at all.  This evening, some dear friends of mine from our ward came over to visit with Mom.  They are Wendi and Jordan Mott.  Jordan was diagnosed with brain cancer 4 months after their wedding and has been on chemo for four years now.  So they know what Mom's going through.  I think it was good for Mom to have a chance to talk to someone who has been there and done that.  

Jordan and his beautiful wife Wendi are quite the inspiration.  Jordan had to have 45% of his brain removed just 4 months into their marriage and woke up not remembering who Wendi was.  He was not expected to make it and if he did they told Wendi he wouldn't be able to walk or talk again.  And here he is 4 years later walking, talking, driving, ect.  He could really relate to the problems Mom is having with eating.  He has had the same problem.  They were able to share some things that have worked for him, so we will see if they will work for Mom.

It was nice to see Mom smiling that award winning smile of hers again.  In the picture of her in the owl hat at the top of the page, she is modeling one of the hats that Wendi made.  Wendi has set a goal to sell her hats to raise $2012.00 to donate to the Huntsman Cancer Institute this year.  What a great way to give back.  If anyone is interested here is the link to her Facebook site https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mottley-Creations/166242686801349?sk=wall.

Well we will see how Mom does tomorrow after chemo.  She will have the radiation simulation in the morning and then she will have her chemo.  The radiation simulation is where they make a special mask of Mom's face and do all the calculations for her radiation treatment she will have next week.  They have to have everything exactly right so the radiation is focused only on the tumors.