A Christmas Carol....whew!

Savana loves to perform.  So we take part in the annual Christmas Play with the Eldon Community Theater.  This year Savana got the part of Belle (young Scrooges fiance) and also the young daughter of Fred (Scrooges nephew).  I played a couple of small parts and sang several times during the production. Shelby, Mom and Dad, Kim and Ayden and Ron and Carol were among the watchers.  I hear that Ayden was enthralled with the whole thing!  It is a very involved play, where the cast does much of the acting while out in the crowd.  I think it went pretty good.  Everyone seems to have enjoyed themselves.  All the money raised from the tickets and snacks goes to the purchase of scripts for the next play and whatever is left over is donated to the local food bank and the Mustang Closet.  This is a collection of donated clothing and shoes for kids in need in the Eldon District.

It was a really good day...Savana is feeling a little bit better.  We went back to Dr and they told me that her Mono test ended up being negative.  So now they are wondering if she is having a type of migraine.  Kinda weird because Lee started having migraines when he was 14 too....Oh well, she is feeling better with the migraine medicine on board.  Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and a happy new year!

SICKNESS SUCKS!

Miss Savana has been under the weather for several weeks now...in fact she was feeling puny at Erins the weekend after Thanksgiving.  I kept thinking she was just being a whiny teenager, you know how they can be, but finally when she asked me if I could take her to the Dr, I knew she really was feeling bad.  Savana hates going to the Dr..... really hates it!

We went to Urgent Care on Monday night and the nurse practitioner immediately said that she felt it was Mono.  She also was worried about her pale color and history of kidney and liver problems.  So she drew blood ( Savana was real happy about that).  Initial labs showed some elevated liver enzymes, which is common in teens with Mono.  We are still waiting on the actual mono titer test to come back.

The diagnosis of mono explains so much of the last 3 weeks...and I feel like a heel for ignoring her complaints for so long.  But even she says that some days she would feel fine then all of a sudden she felt bad again.

Lesson learned.  Whiny kids may really be sick kids.

Thanksgiving at the Thacker House

Had Thanksgiving for the parents on Thursday.  Nice relaxing time with family and food.

                                                              Scott and JK

                                                         Gary and JK
                                             

                                                   JD, Savana and Gary worked on puzzles

                                                   Savana's gingerbread house

Girls Glee

This is Savana and some of her best friends.  I love the dresses!  They sparkle and swish...sooo coool!

This is the whole group.  I think all together 24 girls.  Mom and Dad made it down to my Lower Elementary school yesterday to hear the group sing a few songs for the little kids.  Seriously, it brings tears to my eyes to see Savana enjoying some of the things that I loved so much from my high school days.  Thanks to Julia Platt and John Howser, the gift of music is passed on to generation after generation.  Shelby is pushing me to get back into a singing group of some sort.  My voice is still very tight and I have trouble staying in tune.  So wierd when I never had trouble a day in my life before the surgery but Shelby firmly believes that getting back to singing will make it better.  So I will join the Community Choir next spring and see how it goes.   Now I am excited to get back in the saddle...

Plugging along...

These last couple of weeks have been busy...Just plugging along with work and kids.  I love having Lee as a driver.  Really free's my time up to handle Savana's things without having to travel between Eldon and Osage Beach to get it all done.  It is crazy to think that Thanksgiving is this week.  Having a small "just the parents" dinner here on Thursday.  JK, JD, Gary and Pat will be joining our family for a sit down feast!  Then on Friday we are heading up to KC to stay the night with Erin and Aaron.  Uncle Shelby is chomping at the bit to get a hold of Raena!  He keeps asking me how early do I want to get up on Friday and he even suggested that we leave on Thursday night.  I have him convinced now that Friday is fine.  Gives me time to get cleaned up after Thursday's cooking.  Savana and I have started our practices for the annual Christmas play at Eldon.  We are doing A Christmas Carol and Savana has the part of young Scrooges fiance, Belle.  I just have a voice over part which is just fine with me.  And I am in charge of organizing the music.  The play is scheduled for Saturday evening 12/17 and Sunday matinee on 12/18. 
Tomorrow, Savana's Girls Glee group is coming over to my Mills Elementary school to perform about 3 songs for the little kids.  I am sneaking Mom and Dad (Gary and Pat) in to watch this cool performance.  They are even going to get to see my office at one of my buildings.  Can't wait for tomorrow.  Nothing better than watching your kiddos doing the things they love!

Football season ends with the letter "E"

Tonight we attended the Fall Sports Banquet where Lee was awarded his Letter "E" and football pin.  I am so proud of his efforts this year.  He worked very hard to make the Varsity team and kept his grades up during the rigorous practice and game schedule.   It was also announced tonight that he would be a starter for next years team.  I am looking forward to his Senior year and another excellent season of football.

Last week we were thoroughly entertained by Savana's singing groups.  She made it into the Girls Glee and is also a member of the Concert Chorale.  This is the first year for the Girls Glee group and they did an amazing job!  They get to wear these gorgeous bright blue dancing dresses, sparkly and fantastic.  I will be better prepared for the next concert and be sure to get you a picture of the girls in their outfits.

We finally got a start on the new roof for the house.  I did get the hunter green shingles that I wanted, because I made sure that the contractor knew what color I would prefer.  Shelby was not convinced that green was necessary, but I knew it would compliment our green shutters on the house.  I won! LOL!

A busy weekend, full of fun, friends and family.

We hosted the School of the Osage Drama Club bonfire on Friday night.  20 kids and 2 teachers attended, they all brought food and several were dressed in costumes.  It was in the 40's but the huge fire kept everyone pretty comfortable.  They had a great time!

I found some pictures on my camera when I downloaded the Drama Club pics.  Here are a couple from the wedding a couple of weeks ago.  Savana and Daddy dancing and a sweet shot of Shelby.

This picture cracks me up!   They were dancing to the YMCA song.  Lee's arms are hilariously long!  Absolutely cracks me up....

Saturday morning was spent at the bowling alley for the Youth Bowling League.  Savana and Lee are both enjoying bowling again this year.  It is a fabulous deal.  We pay $20.00 one time and they then bowl every Saturday from 9-12.

Sunday was a get together at Kim's for October birthdays and Halloween.  We had a Ghost, Farse Vader, Smurfette, 2 race car drivers, a "born again" band member, Ketchup, Mustard, Hotdog baby, bumble bee, spider man and last but not least "scary guy" Alec.

Meet Amanda

This is Amanda, Lee's sweet girlfriend!  She hides from cameras so I grabbed a few during the bonfire on Friday night.

And the football season continues!

Our boys pulled off an amazing, sweeping win over the California Pintos last night.   So they move on to sectional play.  For the first time in many years!  Needless to say, Lee was very "pumped up" and required another full meal right after the game.  Grandpa Gary came down to watch this milestone game and went to McDonalds with us.  It was so nice to sit with my grown up kiddo, visiting with Grandpa about his new truck and swapping stories.  Wow, my first born will be leaving the nest in just a couple more years....I talk about being very ready for the kids to move out but occasionally it hits me and makes me a little sad too.  Shelby and I have always had kids in our relationship, so for the last 18 years, we have made it very clear that we are looking forward to just being a "couple".  But after you have kids, you are never just a couple!  I am pretty sure that every conversation Shelby and I have has something to do with kids.....or the money that the kids need for something....or the home repair that needs to be done to accomodate the kids....Wouldn't trade this for anything!

Now it is time to wake Savana up.  We are hosting a bonfire for her Drama Club Costume Party tonight and we need to get the wood piled up, chairs dragged out and make sure that her costume is just right!  Watch for some pictures on this one.  Could be quite entertaining!

another picture...too cute

Just found this adorable picture of Lee and Amanda dancing...she is tiny and he is not!  Did not get a good shot of their faces so I guess you will just have to imagine what she looks like.  She is adorable.

I have been a bad "blogger" lately!

No good excuses other than I just haven't had the drive to even get on the computer once I get home at night.  Have been working really hard at school to get all the vision and hearing screenings done on about 1000 kids...lots of time on my feet during the day but I am finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. 

So here is the last few weeks in a quick note.

Eldon's football team is doing really good this season and only needs one more win to advance to District playoff.  Have 2 more games left, so they are down to the wire.  It has been a very exciting season, a great Junior year for Lee.

Freshman Savana has been doing her thing, volunteering for concession stand work for her multiple clubs that she is in.  Last week was Math Club's turn to man the food stand so I ended up watching Osage Soccer for several hours in the rain.  First time I had ever watched a "real" soccer game with all the rules followed....It was fun.

Last Saturday, Shelby was in a friends wedding.  So he was all dolled up in a tuxedo.  I had to catch a few shots of this for posterity.  You might remember that I could not get him to wear anything but jeans and a dress shirt for our wedding.  I'm not complaining!  I thought the guys looked great in their crisp white western shirts and black jeans.  Shelby also wore his black cowboy hat..he was so dashing!

 Shelby and I even took the opportunity to do a little dancing.  The DJ was able to scrape up a couple of country songs for us OLD FOLKS.  Bride and Groom were a younger couple and they played mostly pop music.  Lee (and his girlfriend Amanda) and Savana had a great time.

Marching season 2011

Eldon Turkey Festival was today and the Marching Mustangs looked great in their sparkling white uniforms.
I have tried to post a video of the grandkids having a giggling fit...soo cute and contagious but it is not wanting to load.  Oh well..just got home from a "rained out" race at Wheatland.  Tuckered and heading to bed.  Night!

Family Pictures...finally got everyone together and no football gear, pajama pants etc

Thanks to Sis!

FOOTBALL FEVER

Lee is playing JV and Varsity football with the Eldon Mustangs this year.  So far, the teams have been on a rampage!  We did not go to the away game tonight, but the facebook discussion is letting us know that the boys are ahead 21 to 0 after the first quarter!  This is pretty much how all games have been this season.  The only loss for Varsity was Westran, and they were State Champions last year (but our team still gave them a solid run for their money).  The only loss for the JV team so far was North Callaway, which the boys made some mistakes and lost 3 touchdowns to flags.  They would have creamed them if they hadn't had the flags!  Lee has been playing football with all his heart since 5th grade, and even before that if you count flag football.  He has struggled with his long legs and huge feet, slowing his running pace down and now finally he has grown so many inches and is caught up.  He is a force to be reckoned with at 6ft 1inch and 175 pounds.  He is nowhere near done growing either...I just keep feeding him constantly and he can easily drink a gallon of milk in 24 hours if he is home all day.

Last night he layed down on the floor in front of me and growled about how sore he was all over.  Between practices and playing both teams, he spends at least 18 hours a week playing football.

He is a little bruised up and of course, it makes me a little nervous that he could get seriously hurt.  Can't say that it is the sport I would have chosen for him to be safe, but he LOVES it!

Monday is a game at California.  Kim plans to come with the kids and she also hopes to get some good pictures.  If something turns out good, I will post it so you can see how much he has changed in the last few months.

Everything you will ever want to know about....

About my new diagnosis of "Persistant Metastatic Thyroid Cancer".  Here it is in a nutshell.  Both scans yesterday showed no obvious tumors-YEAH.  But my labwork tells the Dr that I definitely have something growing (slowly she thinks) in a lymph node somewhere in my body-BOO.  Lymph nodes are very good at hiding and she feels this one is less than peanut size, probably hiding behind a dense bone or something!  She decided not to do a treatment because of the cummulative side effects of too much radioactive iodine and the fact that they would have no way of knowing, by looking at scans afterward, if the treatment worked or not.  In my lifetime, I can only have so much radioactive iodine and in my Drs opinion, she feels it is in my best interest to spread the treatment courses out as much as possible to give me the longest time of coverage that she can. It was relief and a little sadness at the same time...My new normal!
So Shelby and I picked ourselves up, enjoying the fact that my low iodine diet was done and went to Red Lobster to celebrate today!  Tasted so good and I was very relieved that I did not have to have a treatment right now.  The side effects are very daunting (remember the loss of taste for a couple of months?)
Shelby's brother Benny and girlfriend Erica were at the house when we got home, and the rest of the crew was still hungry, so I rested a little while and then we took the kids out for a late dinner at our neighborhood bar and grill.  The kids were really happy that they did not have to move out of the house for 3 days... 
I am restarting my thyroid medications and the plan is to watch that level even more closely over the next 6 months as it will help the Dr know if things are changing.  She plans to recheck the cancer level for sure in 6 months and redo the PET scan if the lab has changed at all at that time.
Whew!

Day went good, lab results questionable...

Mom and Dad went with me today for a small tracer dose of iodine and a quick scan at the hospital.  Made it work well for them, as they needed to pick up the older camper that they bought to replace the one that burnt a couple of weeks ago. 
I was feeling exceptionally nosey and asked the nuclear medicine students to look up my labs that were drawn on Friday (I was just curious to see how hypothyroid my levels were)  Well, I have good reasons for my tiredness, since my TSH is over 80 again, just like last year.  The disturbing thing was that the "cancer level", and I put this in quotes because it really is not a level but an indicator of thyroid cell growth. But anyway, it goes like this.  This level was checked in April and it was in the 3 range, then rechecked in late August and it had jumped to the mid 6 range.  This worried the Dr. so she ordered these scans for today and tomorrow.  My Friday level was in the upper 9's, like 9.8 or something.  A jump of more than 3 in just 4 weeks....big jump!  So I am pretty sure I will be getting another treatment of some kind.  And hopefully after tomorrows tests, I can have a plan organized by the Drs and get this crazy thyroid cancer stuff under control again. 
Sooo looking forward to another day of nothing after midnight.  I can make it without my coffee, RIGHT?  Think I might get up and have a snack at 1130 tonight  :0)
My amazing supportive family has kicked back into action, Shelby took tomorrow off to hang with me all day. He is brave since I have a sinking feeling it will be a very long day at the hospital waiting for tests, scans and Drs.  Kim is around to pitch in and hang with us also.  Mom is on home watch for the help that comes in really handy after a treatment (like getting my low iodine restricted foods that I don't feel like even getting up to get from the fridge for my hypothyroid, radioactive self.)  Dad is hanging to be available for anything.  ANYTHING!  Uncle Ron is on Savana pick up from school duty.  Aunt Carols (plural) are my calm, reassuring sounding boards.....  Lee is on Savana morning duty.  All my facebook and texting friends have been sending me "keep your chin up" and prayers all day.  Could not ask for any better support group.  AMAZING PEOPLE!

Woke up with that frantic feeling last night.

You know the feeling, like you have a ton of things that you forgot to do...and know that you don't have time to do it.  All of a sudden, I felt overwhelmed with the undone things at work and home, and then I could not sleep anymore.  So I got up and started making lists.  Middle School list (worked hard today and made some big dents in it),  Elementary School list (on my agenda for tomorrow).  Home list is on for the weekend.  Still feel a little out of control because I only had today at the Middle School...I mean this is my last day there before I am off next week for scans and possible treatment.  But I left my very capable new Health Aide with great notes and lists of her own.  I really like her, she just takes everything in stride!  By the way, the water heater and softener are doing their thing.  Shelby is not sure he likes the "flavor" of the softened water but I keep reminding him that we need to let things run a little more to flush out all the lines.  The water was off for a long time yesterday and we had the heater all stirred up. Brought some work home with me tonight and finished it up while watching a movie with the crew.  All in all, a very good day!

Dead Water Heater and Water Softener

Something has jinxed us this week...it has been full of things breaking down etc.  Shelby had a flat, needed all new tires.  Lee's brakes went out on his truck, while he was driving it.  Luckily he was able to get it slowed down without wrecking...Water heater and water softener both not working today.  So new softener and new elements in heater are happening tonight...  sigh.... and I am tired, completely tired even without the added stress of all this...but it's working out I hope.  Shelby is doggedly working on emptying the lime out of the water heater (big nasty job!)  Lee is home from football and helping a lot with the heavy stuff.  I am just trying to keep them from throwing things and breaking my stuff.  Anyone who has ever done home repairs knows that occasionally things get thrown and broken during the repair process.  Right Dad?  Hee Hee, just kidding!  Love my guys for all their work tonight!  And I will really appreciate it when I can take a hot shower in the morning.  I just heard the water turning on. This is getting exciting now!

One night done...Parent-Teen Expo went great!

I am a chair person, committee member of a group called Project Healthy Living.  It is a community coalition group that works on health related issues in the community and we try to provide support where there are gaps.... I know, very vague but really it is a great group.  Mostly it is retired health professionals but a few of us are actively working which gives the whole group a better "pulse" on the communities needs.  So last year, I was supposed to be helping with a big project called the Parent/Teen Expo....but I was sick and did not go to the meetings.  So, this year I was put in charge of the entire event (I was not at the meeting to keep them from voting me in!!!!!)  
Last night was our first event of two.  We had 12 booths set up at a local football game, kids signed up and walked through all the booths and dropped their card in for a drawing.  Gave away a new laptop.  The goal was for each booth to give a short message or make sure each kid or parent knew what their program can do for them.  For example, my asthma booth had an experiment.  Each person took a straw and I had them breath through the straw while I was talking with them.  It simulates what an asthmatic person feels as they are starting to have an asthma attack.  My message is that we, bystanders, need to offer to help someone if they say they are having trouble breathing.  Often, the reason a person dies from asthma is because they cannot get to their medication to stop the attack.  Try it sometime! 

Dinner out on the town.

Shelby called me at work today and said "I will make dinner tonight".  I was relieved as I am feeling pretty tired these last couple of days.  So I get home about 5 and he meets me at the door with.  "You are coming with me to my fishing meeting, it will only last 10 minutes. Then I am taking you out to eat."  I replied "what exactly do you expect me to eat on the low iodine diet"  He says "I'm taking you to Golden Corral so you can have a steak."  The meeting lasted 30 minutes, riveting conversation! Then we headed down to Osage Beach.  Paid the 24 dollars for 2 buffet meals and headed for the salad bar.  This works since I can do the fresh foods, no dressing!  Then we went to order my steak and lo and behold, they preseason all the meat.  Everything!  So I resigned myself to plain baked potatoes.  Sort of saying things under my breath since Shelby was just sure I could eat there....and everything looked and smelled so good!  The assistant manager just happened to walk by and I took a chance and asked him if there was anyway to get a steak that wasn't pre-seasoned.  This extremely nice guy went way out of his way to go cut a fresh slab off the cow (not kidding) and had the chef cook it perfectly medium rare just for me....Highly recommend Golden Corral at Osage Beach.

Football Season is here!

Tonight was the Jamboree in Camdenton.  Six area teams scrimmage each other so the boys can get their feet wet against players other than their own teammates.  Eldon really looked great tonight...Lee went out for several plays and made some really good tackles as a middle linebacker.  I love watching the kids do their "thing".  Makes all the two a day practices and stinky football gear worth it!

Back in the full swing of work and school

This week has been totally busy with the back to school work at Osage and the kids activity schedules to keep up with.  I am soo glad that Lee has his license this year for football practice 7:00 -8:30, band from 11:00- 1:00, then football again from 6:00- 8:00.  In the middle of all this he had to register for his classes and attend a few other meetings for school clubs etc...last year I thought I would lose my mind!  He also has a girlfriend that he works into the schedule :) 

Savana has been completely bored this week.  I have been back to work with some very long days and she has been hanging at home mostly.  She had a good time with her day of orientation for her freshman year at Osage.  Right now she is deciding what she wants to wear tomorrow for the first day of school.  She has it layed out and ready to go, she has been doing this since kindergarten!  Don't ask me where she got this organized side.  I guess when the kids were little, I did sometimes lay out their clothes but Lee sure did not keep it up.  He is a true disaster area when it comes to organization.

Well, I am tuckered out and heading to bed.  Good night!

Low Iodine Diet...

I have to be on the low iodine diet for 4 weeks before the scans, so today was the start day!  It is not horrible but is pretty restricting and takes some planning since I cannot eat any "prepared, store bought food" and I really cannot eat out since everyone uses iodized salt.  I stocked up on my safe foods and ingredients,  baked a loaf of bread in the bread machine and the kids have put a huge dent in my low iodine bread already.  My "no-no" list includes: iodized salt, dairy products, egg yolks, soy products, anything from the sea, red dye #3, and most chocolate due to the dairy content.  I also cannot eat potato skins but the insides are ok.  Basically I am safe with fresh meats, fruits and vegetables or frozen without salt added.  I can eat unsalted nuts so organic peanut butter is ok as long as it has not had salt added. Also, sugar and artificial sweeteners are OK.  Sodas are fine as long as they don't have red dye #3.  Confused yet?  Yep it took me a while to get it figured out but I am getting there.  At least there is no issue with my morning coffee routine!  That would have brought on a mutiny!

Here we go again....

Bummer, bummer, bummer....the "cancer level" (thyroglobulin) had doubled in the last 3 months...also the TSH level was all out of whack which is an indicator that there are thyroid cells trying to get busy in my system.  So here is the plan.  I am stopping thyroid replacement medication so that they can get the scans they need to see where the thyroid cells are in my body....and I will probably get another round of iodine treatment in about a month...  I am sad that I have to be hypothyroid again.  I felt sooo rough last year before the treatment but hopefully it won't be as bad since I am not recovering from a big surgery this time.  I had a good visit with Dr Khan, she did an ultrasound of my neck and did not find any suspicious lymph nodes.  Those darn cancer cells could be anywhere...and the scans that they do will hopefully show them right where they are.

Lee did his own school registration today while I was at the Dr.  Says it went fine and that he didn't need my help at all....funny what a drivers license does for a kids maturity level!

Back to work...

Today I went back to school to get some "catch up" work completed before the big "everyone comes back" day.  Took 6 hours of computer and copy work but it is pretty much ready.  Also ran over to the the Middle School to arrange that office and prepare for the sports physicals tomorrow.  It felt good to get back into a routine type day.  Lee started back in Eldon with band practices.  Savana called me multiple times complaining of being bored here at home.  She will come with me to help with check in tomorrow, I can almost always find something for her to help me with at school :0) 

The next 2 weeks are not really contracted days at school, but several things just work better and allow me to get important information gathered if I am present.  So I am kind of flowing in and out until the 12th which is my actual first required day back.  All the kids start on the 18th.

Friday is a "labwork day" so I am running up to Columbia to get that drawn early in the morning.  I have Dr appointments the following Wednesday, just followups and they will let me know how the cancer levels and thyroid hormone levels are running.  I get to see the endocrinologist, Dr Kahn, who diagnosed me a year ago.  I have not seen her as a patient since that day... We have ran into each other at survior/support group meetings but nowhere that we could sit down and just talk to each other.  I really like her!  She is so "in tune" with her patients and willing to let you vent.  Surgeons are not known for their bedside manner and that is definitely true about my ENT surgeon.  I always feel a little jittery on Dr appointment days.  I don't want to think that I could need more treatments but the possibility is there.  But I am feeling better everyday...so I anticipate that they will say "See you in 3 months!"  That would be good news (yearly appointments are generally not allowed until several years of clean labwork)

My Weekend Away....

I took off Thursday from KCI to attend a conference in Denver.  I have had 5 days to myself and I feel rejuvenated!  Thursday was a little crazy with multiple calls from my fighting teenagers at home but ultimately, they gave up and decided to get along.  GEEZ!  Today, I am sitting in the Denver Airport waiting for my flight back to Kansas City.  We board in about 30 minutes, then arrive at KCI at 3:45.  Should be home by 7:30 or 8:00.  It has been a nice relaxing weekend with good, informational meetings.  Now my life returns to the "school schedule" and I'm off and running.  You will probably see less blogging from me as my schedule ramps up with the kids activities and work commitments!  Hope everyone enjoys the summer that is left and keeps cool!

Birthday swimming and slip-n-slide fun!

I know, lots of pictures. There were so many good ones, it was hard to narrow it down.  So just enjoy!

Shelby Lee Thacker, II

 This first born decided he could not wait to meet this world and came about 4 1/2 weeks early.  But he was healthy at 7 lb 13 ounces and 21 3/4 inches long.

 one minute old

 one month old

 3 months old and very big for his age!

 So cheeky and remember the hair, nothing could keep it down.  NOTHING!

 no words to describe this...Cracks me up! ( and he will kill me but it's worth it!)

 3 years old

 5 years old

 8 years old and just had to have his ear pierced. Ended quickly when pulled during BB practice.

 10 years old, won his first Go Kart race!

 age 13, still waiting for that crazy growth spurt that all his other friends have had...Patience my son!

Sweet "Lee Lee" to his cousins and so many others who love this wonderful young man.  We are having his 16th birthday party here at the house where I have given him permission to have as many friends as he wants for a massive slip and slide backyard party!  Will post those great pics early next week so stay tuned!