Saturday, August 22, 2009

Week in Review

It has been another busy week. I started out the week pretty tired from last week's chemo. Sunday I missed church because I was so exhausted and then on top of it all I knew I was getting another bladder infection. So, I spent part - lucky for me and my mom only a small part - of the afternoon in the ER. Stupid Kaiser wouldn't just prescribe me meds over the phone after having a positive urine test. So dumb! Anyways, Monday was spent being tired and laying around and as I recall, Tuesday was similar. Wednesday we drove out to the airport and picked up Grandma Cox (David's Mom) and then we stopped by the school and got the kids teacher assignments. We came home for a while and then spent sometime at Del Norte swimming before Hyrum went to Cub Scouts. Oh yeah - and I had to go back to Kaiser to have a blood test and see where my counts were - I was way too tired and having some weird chest pains that I get when my counts are too low.

Then came Thursday. Thursday was great! Started off the day with another blood test - they wanted to check my counts again and sure enough I had dropped dramatically over night and so the wonderful nurse scheduled me for another transfusion on Friday. Good news: I was going to get an instant pick-me-up; Bad news: I had to wait another day. Oh well!

Around 3:30 we left our house and took the kids and Grandma to Old Sacramento to meet up with Aunt Tami's friend Wendy. Wendy is a photographer from southern California who travels and happened to be in Sacramento on this day and we were lucky enough to get a photo shoot! She is AMAZING. Okay, I haven't seen the pictures yet, but the ideas for shots were fantastic. I have seen other pictures that she has done and they are wonderful. I can't wait to see how our pictures have turned out. We haven't had family pictures done since Gloria was a baby - so it was WAY past time. In case you were wondering, I wore my red wig most of the time and switched to the blonde for the last picture. It was a lot of fun and the kids really liked posing and having pictures taken, although Helaman was a bit of a pill in the beginning, he finally came around thanks to Faith and her offer of Tech Decks! You can check out Wendy's awesome work at www.bluelilyphotography.com.

After the pictures we took the kids and headed to the Back-to-School picnic. It was chaos - ya know hundreds of kids, lots of parents, teachers, food, creek, etc. It was great chaos. We were there for a few hours and the kids got to meet their new teachers, play with their friends and I got to see tons of my friends. All around a good time. We love the picnic and are so glad that we get to visit with everyone before starting school.

Friday we made a decision regarding the move that most of you have heard about. If not, here it is in a nut shell: We had been offered a house at the same rent we currently pay. It is a 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom house with a pool and in a nice neighborhood on a quiet street. Sounds great, huh? And it was a great deal, but after really considering the deal and praying about it, David and I both felt like it is a great deal for someone else. We need to stay where we are at. It is small, but we fit just fine and we love the environment here. We have a great yard - that we don't have to mow - and a playground and wonderful friends and neighbors. So, we are NOT moving. I must admit I was a little disappointed, but in the long run, this will work for the good of my family - I am sure of it. The Lord has never steered me wrong and He has His reasons for us to stay here, so I will make the best of it!

Friday morning I got to take Helaman to his Kindergarten class orientation - basically just a get to know the room and see where you get to come to on Monday. He had a blast. He toured the classroom, played on the playground, saw some of his friends, and even got to play on the computer. Wow! It was really a great morning and I had fun catching up with friends and meeting some new parents.

That afternoon I headed over to Kaiser for my transfusion. It seemed to take forever! I talked to the doctor while I was there regarding my hearing loss. He has determined that it is a side-effect of the chemo (well, duh!) and so they are going to be changing my chemo drugs. I'm glad that he finally is doing something, but now I am a little nervous about a drug change. I am going to contact the doctors that I contacted before for a second opinion and see what they thing about the new drug and go from there.

Right after my transfusion I got to go and see Faith in a play that she has been working on with 40-something other kids for the past 6 weeks. She did fantastic - big surprise! She sang a solo - here comes the bragging - according to the composer of the music, it was the hardest song in the play and Faith did it perfectly! The music was written by the lady who wrote the song, "I'm a Mormon" when I was a kid - some of you will know that song. It was a great play and the kids all did a great job. It is so cool to see your kid on stage being successful! She did great and I am so grateful to Brady, the director, Lisa and Denise, who drove Faith everyday, and all those other parents and kids who worked so hard on pulling this thing together! It was a very enjoyable evening. After the play we dropped Faith at her friend's house for a sleepover and got to go out to Leatherby's for dinner with my parents - HUGE THANKS goes out to Mom Cox for watching the kids through all of this craziness!

And that brings us to today. We didn't do much. Faith had a recording session today followed by a birthday party and the rest of us hung around here and then headed over to Del Norte for an end of summer swim. Mom made us patty melts that were divine and now the kids are all in bed. I am blogging and eating tons of candy - the doctors keep telling me that I have lost too much weight, so I am doing my part to put it back on!

School starts on Monday for the older 4 kids and I am not sure how I feel about that. I am glad that they will have more structure - I'm not so good at structure - and something to do all day and even get to play with their friends, but I am a sad that they will be gone. I am sad that this means for certain that they are another year older. Faith is in 5th grade for goodness sakes. That is only 7 years away from graduation and then BYU. SCARY!!!!! I know that they will enjoy school and I will enjoy the break, but I will miss them.

And a note to all you people out there reading this: LEAVE COMMENTS!!! I love knowing that you read this. I had no idea how many people were peeking into my little corner of the world. I hope that you enjoy what you read, I know I love reading other's blog (so if you have one, TELL ME) and I always learn from others' wonderful examples. Thanks for checking in!!

15 comments:

Tami said...

I can't think of anything better than someone telling you to eat more because you've lost too much weight. Live it up!!

And glad to hear the pictures went well. Wendy said you looked beautiful Kaci - and that Dave was really funny. I'm just as anxious to see the pictures as you are!

Anonymous said...

Peek,
Gretchen

Joanne said...

Wow...your post of all the stuff you've been doing makes me tired. You are pretty amazing to be going through everything you are with your health and still managing to "get it all done". Glad Mom is there to give you a little bit of a "break". Love you guys!

Brent said...

too bad about the house... Looking forward to seeing the bluelily pictures...

Orange Peanut said...

You are wonderful and I can't wait to see those pictures! I'm sure you rocked the red and blonde wigs!!!!

josie said...

Wendy is a friend of a friend. I love her work and am so excited for you guys getting a blue lily photo shoot. I can't wait to see the pics. You must post!!!!!!!
Life is busy with kids, I know what you mean about being sad about them startin school. They seem to grow too fast.
Kepp on keepin on. You are awesome, Iv'e always thought so.

Meg and Ted said...

That is like my dream for someone to tell me i have lost to much weight and need to gain more. well i can't wait to see he pictures from you photo shoot. i went to her website but didn't see you guys yet so maybe she hasn't put them on there yet. i must say you are a busy woman from reading all your blogs. i don't know how you do it all.

Anonymous said...

Your wish is my command. I read your blog regularily! You didn't see us at the picnic because Emily moved to the same school as her brother. They will both be there through 8th grade. I will miss you and your kiddos, but I know how to keep you with you. I see Elisa and Ms. Livermoe a lot, so you can always ask them how I am - I don't have a blog. Keep on keeping on! Tracy

Jenny said...

So fun to keep updated on the Cox Clan! I'm always anxious to find out how your weeks are going . Totally get it about kids going to school. Abby starts tomorrow!

robyn said...

Hooray! You're staying! Ashton Park ward just wouldn't be the same without you.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like things are going well..good luck on another year at Mission...we are all done there now...sad!
Andrea LaMattina

Deion Eason said...

hi im not sure if u remember but sierra is my daughter she was on faiths baseball team...i look in here every week just to see how ur doin..im not really tht religious but i will pray for u and i hope tht everything goes good

Anonymous said...

Hi there Sweet lady!
It was so nice to see you yesterday at back to school...
I can't believe you manage everything you do..I have four kids and am so anxious to go to bed some nights, i am very much in awe of you and I think you are an awesome mom!
I hope to get to know you better this year. My son is Diego.. in second grade as well. He's in Mrs. Jones' class.
My oldest is a senior this year!!! Talk about sad!!~I'm missing all the kids as well, as they have gone back to school...booooo!
Take care,
Jennifer

Anonymous said...

Kaci,

I saw you and your amazing family across campus on the first day of school, and it made my heart swell a bit. You guys exemplify why Mission is such a great school.

I really look forward to catching up with you next time I see you.

Dani Kando-Kaiser (Lucas Kaiser's mom)

Danielle said...

i can not wait to see the pics