Colonoscopy

Yep. I had to get one. And as one person so kindly observed, "But you're not 50 yet..." Yeah, I know that. And I'm gonna tell you all about my experience (don't worry, there won't be too many details. Hee hee hee) because I think there's a lot of negative vibes surrounding a colonoscopy.

It all started about 3 years ago. I was admitted to the hospital for some numbness..... the doc came in and asked me some questions and then asked me if I had any bleeding when I go to the bathroom, specifically when I go #2, and I said yes.... he told me I want to get that checked out. And guess what, I didn't. Why? Nate and I were students, and when you make a measly $13,000 a year, paying to have tests and all this other crap just to find out everything was fine, was not a priority in surviving our financial situation.

Fast forward to last month. I was super, super sick for a week. Like I didn't eat for a week. Like I just sat on the couch all day. Like I didn't care that my kids watched a million hours of TV a day. I finally called the doc after losing about 6 lbs that week. I was a little worried because awhile ago, I took a medication that has been rumored to be linked to Crohn's Disease. After consulting the all-knowing WebMD,  I read that I was exhibiting every symptom of Crohn's. So, I decided to go to the doc. I knew that I probably just had caught some stomach bug, but I knew it was time to go get the bleeding thing checked out. Ugh.

Sure enough, I was referred to a GI specialist. Then I started wondering if there was any family history I needed to find out about. I called my mom and asked about any problems, and sure enough there were a few. My grandpa's aunt and grandpa died from colon cancer and my grandpa has had polyps removed from his colon. Great. Then, I was talking to my Oma, and found that she has diverticulitis and IBS. Great. I knew my dad has IBS as well, but I found out that he had 30 polyps removed in one colonoscopy, and some were pre-cancerous. He had a follow-up colonoscopy a few years later and had 3 polyps removed, but they were not pre-cancerous. Whew! So... I went to my appointment. And I talked to the doc about  my symptoms. He wanted to do a colonoscopy just in case, but he was pretty sure it was hemorrhoids (ugh... that is such an ugly word!) but it's better to be safe than sorry.

So they wanted to do the colonoscopy on the 21st, which was the day before my birthday, so I said no. We rescheduled it for the 28th. If you've never had one (like me....) here's what you do:

5 days before the procedure, avoid all nuts and seeds which include popcorn and and whole grain breads. Also avoid googling "colonoscopy prep diet" cause it'll freak you out. I wasn't so smart and I googled diet suggestions, and every site had different diet suggestions. I got so freaked out that on Day 1, I really didn't eat anything! By Day 2, I was so sick of worrying what I shouldn't eat, that I decided to go with just whatever my doctor told me to do. After deciding that, the next few days were a breeze.

24 hours before the procedure, you are put on a clear liquid diet. Basically I had some beef broth, Sprite, and apple juice. You have to drink at least 8 oz of liquid each hour you're awake to keep you hydrated. At 4 p.m. I had to take a cuople of tablets. At 6 p.m. I had to mix a huge bottle of Miralax with 64 oz. of Gatorade (can't be purple or red) and drink 8 oz of the solution every 15 minutes. Every site I went to said that you should start seeing "results" within 30 min to 3 hours after. They say to stay close to a toilet. So, I was thoroughly prepared to just stay in the bathroom the whole night. Nate took care of the kids while I waited patiently. Soon enough, my stomach started to churn... but nothing happened.

And nothing happened.

I started to panic. I kept thinking What is wrong with my body? They're going to get in there and find out I'm not cleared out and then I'll have to reschedule and pay for 2 colonoscopies! Not good!

I finally went to bed around midnight. Yes midnight! I definitely have a messed up body.
I woke up at 1:30 and did some business...

Then around 5:00 a.m. I woke up and finished the rest of my Miralax. Then things went as they should, and I was relieved.

Now, why on this beautiful earth would I tell you about this?? Cause I literally thought I was a freak show because my body didn't react the way it was supposed to. Come to find out, it was perfectly okay that it happened that way, and I'm glad cause it wasn't as terrible as people make it out to be. At least for me....

Tuesday morning my awesome friend, Jessica, came and watched our kiddos while Nate and I drove to the hospital. It was funny cause walking into the hospital, Nate held my hand and I told him, "You only hold my hand on dates! What a funny date this is... hee hee hee."  We chuckled.

I got checked in and had my IV put in. I had the nicest nurse in the world. She was from Canada, which explains her niceness and her cute accent. Then we had to wait around, so we watched "The Price is Right". I guessed so well I was within $500 of the first bid and like $300 of the second bid. Yeah, I'm cool like that.

As soon as the doc was ready, they walked me into a room where I said good-bye to Nate. They laid me on my left side, gave me the sleep medicine, and a couple of hours later I woke up. The actual procedure only took about 30 minutes, but I obviously didn't want to come back to the real world yet. :)

While I was recovering, the doc went and talked to Nate. They did find a fairly large polyp and removed it and have sent it off to the lab. The doctor was really happy because it's rare that a polyp that large is inside someone so young and beautiful! Hee hee. Seriously though, it is rare for someone my age to have a polyp that large. We can only imagine what the results would be if I would have waited til I was 50 (the recommended age) to get my first colonoscopy.

Nate drove me home (we stopped at Arby's cause I was s.t.a.r.v.i.n.g.) and I slept until dinnertime. By bedtime I was able to get the kids to bed because Nate had to go to Young Men's, and that was my day!

I have to call to get the pathology reports next Tuesday, and on the 11th, I will have my follow-up.

As for the day after, I was crampy all day and felt like I had done about a million and one sit ups. Yes, I am super sore! So I just laid around in my bed all day and snuggled with Colbie.

Other than that, nothing else hurt!

Since they found a polyp and because of my family history, I'm sure I'll be having a few of these before I turn 50. But that's okay cause now I know what to expect...  and it isn't as crappy as I thought it would be.

Ha ha, I just had to put that in.

Surprise!

No, I'm not pregnant. Let's just get that out of the way. 

The month of May is a busy one. It includes: Our anniversary, Mother's Day, and my birthday. Yeah, that's a lot to handle. Thankfully, I have the absolute best husband in the W.O.R.L.D! He planned a surprise party for me, and with the help of some of my most treasured friends, he pulled it off!

These friends are the heart and soul of my life right now, and I was so happy to just have a little girl time with them!

Nate messaged his idea to my BFF, Jessica, and she quickly got to work. 

Jessica, I know you read this, and I just hope you will always know just what a stellar person you are!!

You go the extra mile in everything, and you are so talented! I love, love, love you!!

Lauren is one of our newest friends, and I have loved getting to know her!

 P.S. I just love Nate's face in this pic! Classic!

So Nate told me he wanted to take me out to dinner, and that Jessica was going to babysit. I didn't think anything of it because Jess is one of the few people Nate would actually ask.

So, one day, Nate was typing on his iPad.... I knew something was up cause he was acting funny, but didn't think anything of it... 

So I kept hinting that I wanted to go to Sweet Tomatoes for my birthday. We had a coupon to use, and I had to start a special diet on the 23rd (the day after my birthday) for an upcoming colonoscopy. (More on that later). I wanted to be able to eat whatever I wanted!! Nate kept skirting the issue, but finally he told me he had arranged for babysitting and that Jess could only do it on Friday. 

Ok, I can live with that. Dinner with Nate all by myself? I'll take it!

Jess came over on Friday night, and I thought it was a little funny she didn't bring her son, Emerson, but I just figured he would have some one on one time with his dad.

We got in the car and were debating on where to go...

 Not being able to eat nuts or seeds or whole grain breads or oats included no tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini.... so that meant Sweet Tomatoes was out. 

We decided to go to PF Changs, and on our way there, Nate informed me we only had an hour.

I thought that was a little funny, but whatevs.

We ate our food and hurried home.

When I walked in, all my friends were there, and my house looked so cute!

 

While we were gone, Jessica had decorated! Thankfully, I had cleaned my house during the day, so it looked pretty darn good.

I loved all the decorations! 

But more importantly, I was so lucky to be surrounded by such great friends.

As we chit chatted, they all told me how they had a hard time keeping it a secret from me, and they thought I  knew.

During the week, Jess told me she had gone to a fabulous new party store, and now I know why!

Karisa had mentioned we needed a girls night out.... and now I know what she meant!

Adrianne even came straight from Great Wolf Lodge to help me celebrate!

It was so nice to just eat yummy red velvet cake from Costco and just talk the night away. Jess and Christie even stayed til about 1:00 in the morning. 

That's just how we roll.

I just love Nate and the way he is constantly surprising me! 

What a way to start out my 29th year of life!

182 Days

On the 21st, Colbers turned 182 days... or as it's more commonly referred to... 6 months.

or 26 weeks.... 

or 4368 hours....

or 262,080 minutes...

or 15,724,800 seconds...

however you want to look at it.

I am sad that we're on the down slope to her 1st birthday. It doesn't seem fair that time is moving so quickly.

But time is movin', and there's nothing I can do to slow it down.

We started Colbie on solid foods, and she's in love. She's tried and liked: apples, sweet potatoes, pears, peaches, and and orchard blend (apples mixed with sweet potatoes). She's also tried strawberries, but she wasn't a fan. 

She is starting to sit up on her own. She does pretty well, I have to say!

She is beyond fascinated with tags.... she'll play with the tag on her blanket or stuffed animal for a good solid half hour (which is like the equivalent of 12 hours in baby time). 

She started to blow raspberries, but only when she's on the tired side. 

She has discovered her feet, but can't get them into her mouth because of her no so little belly.

She is currently wearing 6-9 month clothing, but is closer to the 9 month side.

Last time we checked, she was 20 lbs.

She especially loves to interact with her sisters. Ava and Halle can make her giggle like it's nobody's business.

Colbie is a little slice of heaven... I know I say that in every post,  but until you meet her, you'll never know just what a sweet and calm spirit she has. 

Counting Blessings...

 Over the past few days, I've had to come to terms with a few things, and it hasn't been easy for me to deal with. I have had one too many pity parties.... and I'm pretty sure I shouldn't bother even putting mascara on because it just drips right off... I have been frustrated with watching things fall into place for a lot of our friends, and I find myself just wondering why things just aren't going our way. Ever feel this way? 

Well, yesterday, I'd had it. I fell to my knees and just let the tears run. Why? I asked. Why can't Nate and I ever seem to get ahead of the game?   Having kids while Nate was in school wasn't easy. And now, having 3 kids while he is just starting his career has been harder than I ever could have imagined. Oh, how I long for the days where we lived in student housing and everyone had crap cars, and everyone had hand-me-down couches, and everyone had carpet that was handed down from previous tennants.... Those of you who lived in student housing know what I'm talking about!

And now, I've had to come to the realization that Nate and I aren't going to be owning a home for a long time... and when I say long time, I'm not talking like another 3 or 4 years.... I'm talking another 6 or 7 or 8 or 9 years, and that's been an extremely hard pill to swallow. We often joke that buying our first home is going to be our mid-life crisis, and sometimes I don't know if it's a joke or not. We've already been married 7 years, and to think that we'll be married 14 or 15 years before we have a home is just downright disheartening. It's so hard to watch everyone else by their first home or watch people upgrade to newer and bigger homes.... I'm so happy for them, don't get me wrong, but it's still hard.

But I guess we all have our crosses to carry.

So, while I was praying, I prayed to just remember my blessings. I know I have them, and I know I've been given many great things, but it seems that I'm always focusing on the blessings I don't have. And my friends, prayer is a powerful thing. As I finished my prayer, I came downstairs and talked to Nate (who was just getting home from a run) and he told me about some problems our friends are having. I text my friend to see if everything was alright with her, and as we were texting back and forth, I realized that I would rather be in my position than her position. And as I went to bed last night, I felt as if my burden was lifted. Blessing #1.

Today, I was awoken by a phone call from one of my good friends who needed me to watch her daughter. Her other daughter had her tonsils taken out yesterday, and there was some complications so they had to take her back up to the hospital, and needed someone to pick Miss C up from school and watch her for the day. Of course, I was more than happy to help! As I was driving to pick Miss C up from school, I realized how blessed I am to be able to stay home with my girls, and that I'm in a position where I can help other people out. Blessing #2.

Although Nate and I are on an extremely tight budget, we are able to make it work, and we are able to save (finally!) a little bit each month. Some months, it's as little as $5, but that's still something. I am grateful to have gained a testimony of tithing early on and I know that we are able to only make things work because of it. Being able to stay home has always been my dream, and I know that it's not possible for a lot of people. Blessing #3.

Nate had to go to ward council tonight. He normally doesn't go, but the YM President couldn't go, so Nate went. I have been blessed with the most amazing husband on the planet. Nate has a firm testimony of the gospel. He studies his scriptures every morning, and he is solid. There are so many men these days who are wishy-washy, but Nate is not. He knows what he believes. Blessing #4.

Nate is a hard worker. I have known that from the beginning. I love the fact that I got to know him while we were co-workers because I saw how he really treated people and what his work ethic really was. Nate's hard work and drive has secured him an amazing education. While we are paying a pretty, pretty, pretty penny for that education, it is something that I would never take back. Blessing #5.

Nate has a job. There are some aspects of his job that are frustrating, but he is home every day at 4 p.m. and doesn't work the weekends. He also has picked up a little umpiring gig that has brought in a little more money, and it also allows Nate to be surrounded by baseball. Which he loves. Blessing #6.

Nate and I are able to serve in the church. Recently, he was called as Young Men's President, which is a bigger calling, and requires a lot of time and effort, especially since the majority of young men don't have a stable father figure.... The leaders in the YM organization have to put forth a lot of effort to make sure these boys even get to church. Lots of phone calls are made and lots of rides are given because there is such a lack of parent involvement. I am serving as the secretary in the Relief Society and as one of the ward organists. I absolutely love  my callings! I have also been asked to be involved with a multi-stake youth dance, which has practice every Saturday. While Mondays are taken up with FHE, Tuesdays are YM, Wednesdays I have RS meetings, Thursdays are Ward Council and other ward meetings, some Fridays are spent with overnight campouts, and I have dance practice on Saturdays, it seems that Nate and I are on opposite schedules and get to spend a few brief moments together on Saturday afternoons.... and between that there are kids to be watched for our friends, families that need help moving, meals to be brought to families... but we know what we've covenanted to do. I feel sometimes as if the Lord is testing us to see just how much we are willing to serve, and while I drag my feet sometimes, I feel invigorated and a sense of renewed energy and I hope the Lord knows that I'm willing and ready to give it my all. Nate and I are in this together, and while it may seem like a circus at times, we are learning to juggle by each others side. Blessing #7.

I have been blessed with great parents. Yes, they drive me nuts sometimes... but they have been incredible examples of hard work and service. They've been dealt some pretty crappy cards, but yet they've persevered through it. My mom has worked my entire life. Has it been what she's wanted? Absolutely not. But handouts weren't given to her, and she knew she had a family relying on her. They took in my 3 cousins without asking for any help. A week after my cousins moved out, my youngest brother was diagnosed with cancer, and we have dealt with ongoing medical issues for 16 years. Countless surgeries, radiation, chemotherapy, CAT scans, MRI's, consultations, and fighting with insurance companies hasn't been easy. But you know what? My parents haven't asked for a DIME from anyone to pay for all of my brothers bills, which have been pretty hefty. And they handle other health concerns that they both have.They both work full time jobs to ensure that my brother has the medical coverage he needs and so they can pay for his medication, which is about the same as renting a small apartment each month. I watch them both work 40-60 hours each week and on their days off, they are temple workers PLUS they both have stake callings. My mom is stake YW president, and my dad is over the stake technology. I am so proud of them. They are firm in their testimonies, and they LIVE the gospel. They are constantly mindful of others, and are willing to do whatever is asked of them. Blessing #8.

I am a mother. This has been my greatest blessing to date. I can see how much I've changed in the past 5 1/2 years. I am much more patient and flexible.... and I'm starting to realize that time goes too fast. Ava is starting school this fall and I am so scared! I will no longer be her biggest influence... and I have no idea what she will be learning from other kids. All I know, is that we have tried to teach her right and wrong, and we are going to have to trust her. She is such a good girl, and I know she has a testimony. Halle is no longer a toddler, but a little girl. She has so much spice and spunk that I know I'm going to have my hands full. But in little moments, she is tender and sweet. Colbie is almost 6 months old, and every day I wish that time would stand still. She is such a happy baby, but yet she is wise. Often times I find her just intently staring at me or Nate while we are doing something and when we catch her stare, we'll smile and she'll give us a bashful smile in return. She melts me through and through! My girls are definitely bright spots in my life. They don't care about name brands, or what kind of car we drive. All they know is if they are loved. And yes, they are definitely loved. Blessings #9, #10, and #11.

We have amazing friends. I have become really close with some ladies up here, and they have been such tremendous blessings to me. I know that anything I need, they'll be there. They don't have family around either, so they understand the struggles and frustrations that come from living far away. They understand just how precious it is to just have an hour or two away from your kids and be able to run errands or go to the doctors. They also understand what it's like to fully incorporate kids into your life. We are with our children pretty much round the clock, and have to learn to balance taking them to presidency meetings, youth activities, grocery shopping, juggling doctor appointments, and maybe not going out on dates as much because we don't have a lot of youth that can babysit. Every other week we go to a pizza place and let our kids run wild in the play place for about 5 or 6 hours. Yes, the kids are there, but it's our chance to just talk and talk. We also go to parks together, fabric stores, the mall, and other various places. We call them our Oregon cousins. Up here, friends are literally like family. I dearly love my kids, but unless you've never experienced living far away from family, you'll never truly understand what it's like to not be able to drop your kids off at grandma's for the night.... Blessing #12.

Life is hard. Knowing the road that Nate and I are supposed to take is hard. Being a mom is hard. But when I'm not challenged, I don't grow. All I know is I'm grateful for a Heavenly Father who does have a plan for this little Cash family. We weren't sent here to wander aimlessly.... He has given us instructions and is guiding us to where He wants us. I just need to be able to set aside my blinders so I can see the bigger picture.

Randoms....

Here are some random pictures from the past month.

Nate and the girls decided to make no-bake cookies. As you can clearly see, Nate had some great help!

Halle was in charge of the oats...

And Ava, in all of her sticky and messy glory, was in charge of the peanut butter. Nom, nom, nom!

And as usual, we always make one gigantic cookie that trumps the rest. Sorry, there isn't a pic of our little tradition, but it was good!!

We also have started Colbie on solid foods.

We tried rice cereal first, but she didn't like it.... I don't blame her, I wouldn't like it either. That stuff smells terrible!

She has such a good daddy that takes good care of her!

Since then, we have tried feeding her applesauce (she loved it), strawberries (not a fan... yet) and peaches (LOVED it).

Chubba the Hut

Yup, that's her name! She also goes by Ceecee, Coco, Bee, and Colbers.

I just have to take pictures of her cause she is so stinking cute!!! Ah! I can't handle it!

And look at those rolls..... yum yum!

Technically, she is way too big for her bouncer, but she loves it!

She loves it so much, she can't let it go, even when she sleeps!

Scooters

Oh blessed scooters.... we recently decided to upgrade the girls scooters. Yes, the already have scooters and bikes.... but they have been begging for faster scooters. So, we went to Target one day, and found these Barbie scooters.... (Remember our obsession with Barbie?) And they even got little scooters for their Barbies! Woot woot! 

It has been a lot of fun to watch them learn how to balance on them and now they are able to cruise away! But, the unavoidable happened.... Ava biffed it hard core and banged up her feet and knees.

Battle wounds, I say!

I'm sure this is just the beginning of many, many, many, many banged up knees, feet, and elbows! Guess I'd better start stocking up on Neosporin and Band-Aids!

Barbies

We take Barbies seriously around here. The girls are constantly setting up elaborate homes and spaces for their Barbies. Each Barbie has a name.... Alisa, Cindy, Donia, Justin, and Kevin are just a few names they've come up with. For Christmas, Ava got a Barbie convertible and Halle got a Barbie Jeep. Best $2 and $3 I've ever spent. Yep, I got them at Good Will and a consignment sale, so they were super cheap! My mom also bought them a Barbie carrier, and Halle just loves hers. 

The girls will often cart all 13 Barbies outside to play. See what Halle is holding? That's a Belle doll from the Disney store that I got for $10 and they are attached at the hip!! Halle absolutely adores Belle. Right here, Halle and Belle are looking at a spider they found, and Hal is trying to work up the courage to stomp on the spider.

  

Everyday, Halle strategically places clothes in this carrier. She neatly folds the clothes up and puts them in the bottom drawers (wish she would do that with her own clothes...), and hangs the dresses over the top bar. Like I said, Barbies are serious business...

I have always loved Barbies and am glad my girls do too. I love to hear them play with each other and I love to hear the stories they come up with. Currently, we have all our Barbies watching the news in their Barbie house, and they have a giant buffet of Polly Pocket food to choose from. :)

Pics of Colbs

As you can tell, I'm speedily playing catch up. I don't want to neglect my blog because it's my journal... but I've been so busy with other things lately, that I haven't had time to edit my pics... but I'm finally getting back on schedule, and it's only a few weeks late, but here are Colbie's 5 month pictures.

P.S. I love having a decent camera that takes decent photos. I recently got a new lens for it, and it has made all the difference in my photos... well, at least I think so!

Plus, I love not having to take my kiddos anywhere for pics. We all know how stressful and time consuming that can be. These photos were just snapped on an afternoon in my front yard. :) Easy as pie!

She has figured out how to roll onto her tummy from front to back.... yes, the hard way! Especially since she isn't so little... :) 

Her legs are to die for! They are so full of rolls and chubs, it's cray cray!

Ava loves holding Colbie, especially while standing up. Yes, it's a little frightening to me, but I have to set my fears aside! I taught Ava how to place one hand between Colbie's legs so she can't slip out...

Colbie's little personality and smile just melt our hearts. We are all absolutely smitten with her. She is so cuddly and lovable.... she's just irresistible!

Brandon's Baptism

I got home from Utah on a Wednesday, and then we turned around on Saturday and drove 4 hours to Pasco, WA to see my cousin, Brandon, get baptized. It was so special to see him and his family. Brandon has Down Syndrome. He carries an amazing spirit with him, and he has so much love to give. Brandon is 10, and when he turned 8, his parents didn't feel like it was the right time for him to be baptized, so they waited a couple of years. I'm glad they waited, otherwise we couldn't have come!

Brandon received a wonderful blessing from his dad (my mom's brother). The spirit was so strong, and it was an unforgettable experience.

Brandon just loved little Colbie. He was so gentle with her, and tickled her, and made her giggle. Oh, it was too cute for words.

Here's my aunt and uncle. We spent Thanksgiving with them our first year up here in Oregon, and we always have a good time with them.

My mom's parents came from Idaho for the blessing. It was good to see them and to watch them with our girls.

Sunday after church, we went out into Russell and Martha's backyard to play. The girls and Brandon played on the swing set, and we got a game of croquet set up. When I saw Halle swinging, I couldn't help but smile. She brings so much adventure and laughter into our home.... it's just too much to handle at times.

Of course, Nate worked us all in croquet. I lost (go figure).... but Ava did pretty well. She obviously gets her  skills from her dad. Not only does he have mad croquet skills, but he's pretty good looking too. How did I ever get so lucky?

This girl is nuts.... she is so insanely strong.... it's just too cute for pictures...

On the way home, we almost ran out of gas! Thank heavens for Siri, because we wouldn't have made it to a gas station if we didn't have her. But the kids were troopers, especially for being stuck in a car for so long.