Then: Think Positive (it will help with your treatment).

And: Be Positive (others will be inspired by you).

If you've ever tested positive for cancer (or any other serious disease for that matter), then it can be really hard to think positively at times. It can be really hard to be positive about your life, about your relationships, and about your diagnosis. But, with all your might, TRY. Because I believe in you. Because I think you can do it. Because in the face of all adversity, there is always hope.

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We were supposed to leave for the sunny beaches of Hawaii on September 30th of last year. We hadn't taken a real vacation in a long time and we were excited to celebrate our third wedding anniversary! Nick hadn't been to any of the islands for years and I had never been, so we were overly excited.

But, just six days before we were supposed to leave, Nick underwent major abdominal surgery, from what doctors believed to be a burst appendix. During surgery, the surgeon discovered something that he had never seen before. Something that he wasn't expecting. On September 30th, the day we had planned to leave, we got the call that the masses found in Nick's abdomen was a rare form of cancerous mucous. Originating from the appendix or colon, this cancerous slime spreads around the abdomen making it next to impossible to be rid of. So, instead of flying to Hawaii, we took off to find a doctor that would agree to treat him.

Fast forward to now. We're about 8 months since Nick's D-day. He was treated in Omaha and everything went amazingly well. So, this April, we were finally able to take that vacation; And, what an amazing vacation it was! We spent some time with some of our most amazing friends and got to enjoy the beach, great food, each other and God's amazing presence... Doesnt get much better than that! I'd like to share some of our adventures with you in the pictures below. Enjoy!

See the full gallery on Posterous

See the full gallery on Posterous

See the full gallery on Posterous

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See the full gallery on Posterous

Until then, I would like to present you with my present project. The hubby and I bought an amazing condo when we were first married. We lived there for three years and absolutely loved it. We remodeled the bathroom, the kitchen, adding new tile, took down the popcorn ceiling and all around gave the place lots of love. But as our furry family grew, as did my desire to be surrounded by cows and countryside we decided to get a house in Monroe. For the last year and a half, some of our very dear friends were renting the condo from us and they enjoyed it very much but then decided to buy toys that required a garage. (I mean, really, who would want their own jetskis?! Heavy on the sarcasm.)

So, we now have this gorgeous, remodeled condo in the Kingsgate area of Kirkland awaiting the presence of a perfect tenant. I was just wondering if you might know someone that would possibly be interested? It's about 1,000 sf for $1,200 per month and you would have AWESOME landlords. :)

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When we finally got to meet with Loggie, we were elated to hear that the tests came bak good! The tumor markers were normal and the MRIs looked clean! Yay! Though we will have to do these tests many times throughout Nicks lifetime, I think each time he comes up the Victor - we should celebrate!! (So we went out and got some amazing breakfast burritos!!) The plan is to head back down in November for tests again so that will be his next chance for triumph!!! :)

After getting this clean bill of health, we hopped a plane headed for Honolulu. We had planned on going last September but when Nick landed in the hospital for what they thought wad appendicitis, we had to cancel the trip. He ended up being diagnosed with cancer the very day we were going to leave - September 30th 2011.

Who would have thought we would be able to reschedule the trip just six months later?! I am so overjoyed and so thankful for how amazing Nick has done and the wonderful things God has worked into our lives over the last six months.

For the next few days, we are staying with some amazing friends of ours. Today the plan is to go down to some local beaches that they know of and go snorkeling! I've never been to Hawaii and never been snorkeling anywhere so I just can't wait! I can't even get over that we are here! Wow. How blessed can you be? Feeling so spoiled right now..

Anyway, off to get ready for the day! Aloha - everyone!

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Nick's been taking it easy, eating the right foods and striving to get better... And, we think it's worked!! At least, as far as the incision is concerned - he has healed. It's now a scar and not an open wound and we are so very THANKFUL! The specialists didnt agree with SCCA's idea that the incision wasn't healing due to chemo and they couldn't really tell us why it stayed so open for so long but we are PRAISING JESUS that it's finally closed to infection!

We're heading off to the MidWest again in just two days... Looking forward to seeing our friends at the Country Inn right outside of Omaha (seriously, some very sweet people) and getting a chance to sit down with Dr Loggie, Holly and the rest of their amazing team! We will only be in town for a short half day, but we hope to have a chance to visit my favorite Christmas shop downtown.

The way we understand it, this appointment will be for a full evaluation of Nick's condition since the surgery and will be doing some tests that have inconclusive results as to whether or not the disease is staying at bay. No matter what though, we believe that God is here with us and will continue to walk along side us through this journey!

We're heading to Hawaii for a much-needed vacation (one that we had planned to take six months ago, but got thwarted by Nick's D-Day) right after the trip, but I promise to give you all an update before we head off for some R&R!

Please keep us in your prayers for safe travel and great results! We love and appreciate you all!

No matter what you are going through, trust in the Lord and keep on going!

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Last weekend, Nick and I had a chance to run around the little shops in downtown Monroe. We had some fun playing with the antiques and taking pictures together. He still gets tired really fast and sleeps a lot but it's times like these that make it all worth it.

Nick's incision is still healing... It seems like it's taken forever and it turns out that it is taking longer than it should. The doctor at SCCA had told us that it was probably due to the chemo, but when I ran that by Nick's specialist in Omaha - no dice. Apparently, out of the hundreds of HIPEC surgeries that Dr. Loggie has preformed, he hasn't seen anyone so young and otherwise healthy take so long to heal. That being said, there isn't anything wrong with Nick or his incision as far as we can tell. So, we have to assume that it's just taking longer than normal. Not quite a reassuring answer, but that's the best we can do for now.

This weekend, we are taking it easy. Nick has come down with some sort of cold so no antique shopping for us today. Thank you for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers. Our next follow up appointment in Omaha is just a short month away. And, right after that, our long awaited trip to Hawaii. Keep smiling. :]

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Hooray! More positive affirmations! Everything seemed to check out well at our appointment downtown today! Heres a little review of the answers to our most pressing questions.

The swollen areas are probably just inflammation continuing from the surgery. They said it can be quite common. It could also be that the skin wasnt pulled as tightly in some places which could cause it to not be exactly symmetrical. Nothing to worry about.

One thing that we did find out is that Nick will have to get a colonoscopy in May to make sure everything is good there. (Since there is a higher chance of recurrence in his colon than anywhere else other than his peritoneal cavity.)

Another question we had was about the bleeding that Nick is still experiencing. The doc thinks that the reason his incision is taking so long to close up is because the chemotherapy isn't allowing the flesh to grow back as quickly. They said it's nothing to be worried about but that the chemo just affects some people that way.

The best news is that the doc doesn't see any reason why we can't go to Hawaii in April! So, you better bet I'll be booking our tickets tonight. :)

Thanks for all the prayers! You guys rock! Aloha for now...

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DR. LOGGIE 4/4. Our next follow up appointment with Dr. Loggie, the specialist in Omaha, is scheduled for April 4th. We will be landing in Omaha on the night of the third and then going to the hospital early the next morning for the MRI and tumor markers before our meeting with Dr. Loggie at 10am. We are excited to see Dr. Loggie and his staff again and to get this first of many follow ups out of the way. We will also be discussing the possibility of being able to conduct future tests in Washington state. There is a possibility... and this could save us a lot of money. We will only do what is best though and will find out more in April. We are again, very optimistic, but appreciate your prayers and positive thoughts!

LONG AWAITED VACATION 4/5! And, now for the exciting news....! We had been getting ready to head to Hawaii to visit with some dear friends when Nick's stomach pain first hit. When Nick was admitted into the ER, we were just a week away from our trip and, of course, ended up having to cancel. We had been so looking forward to the vacation but obviously had some important things to take care of immediately. We had decided at that time that we would reschedule the trip as a celebratory one as soon as it looked like Nick's health would permit. And, now that we are finished with treatment and Nick is slowly gaining his strength... we are planning on heading over the day after our Omaha appointment! 

THIS PLAN ROCKS BECAUSE:

1. We get to go to Hawaiit (I've never been and am out of my mind with excitement.
2. Instead of dreading the upcoming appointment, we are overly excited about heading to Hawaii immediately afterwards.
3. We get to visit a couple of amazing friends.
4. We will save money on the flight back to Seattle and will only be paying for 3 flights instead of 4 for both trips.
5. 5. Did I mention the sandy beaches and blue waters? :] Can't wait to share pictures with you all.

Thank you again to all of you that have helped us out over the past couple of months. We really appreciate the prayers, support and love. Please continue to pray that these appointments go well, that the tests come back clear and that our spirits are lifted by our upcoming trip to sandy beaches. <3

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We got over 9 inches of snow at our house in Monroe and we got to take a couple amazing walks!

Today is January 22nd. Exactly four months ago, on September 22nd, Nick went in for an exploratory surgery at Evergreen Hospital and the doctor's found a lot more than a burst appendix. Exactly two months later, on November 22nd, we were in Omaha and Dr. Loggie removed the cancer cells he could see and proceeded with intreperitoneal heated chemotherapy.

The last four months have been some of the rockiest and so many wonderful people have been surrounding us to make sure we get through it. I really feel like my faith in God and in people has been renewed. We really want to stress that we are SO appreciative of all the help that we have received; the prayers, positive thoughts and financial support has been such a major blessing and we just couldn't be more thankful. I wish there was a way that we could thank each individual person for their help, but with so many letters, cards and notes coming to us, we just don't have a way. Please DO know that we really do appreciate all the time spent and the money to help us with medical costs. Each and every message of love has brought warmth to our hearts and we are so blessed to have so many caring people in our lives.

Life is finally moving along here at the Magnotti house... Nick is starting back at work tomorrow and we are very excited to get back to 'normal.' He wont be going back to the 50 or so hours he was putting in before but will try to get in 36 hours a week (so that we can firmly hold onto his Medical Benefits).  I've slowly gotten back to work full time at Thinkspace and enjoy working from home most Fridays. Our little rascal puppy, Odinn, is growing up fast and is already 8 months old. We missed out on a lot of his training while being out of state for Nick's treatments so it was tough at first because he wasn't on the best schedule. Now that things are settling down and going back to a routine, he is getting much better with his training and becoming a great little sidekick for Rucky!

Cancer sucks. Everything has passed in such a whirlwind that sometimes it feels like it was all just a dream. And, sometimes, the reality of what we are facing and did face becomes all too real. Very soon, we will be planning our third trip out to Omaha for follow up tests and appointments. Sometimes, it scares me stiff to think that Nick's cancer will never actually go away. Sometimes I imagine the conversations I will have to have with my future kids, about why daddy needs to go to the doctor so often and about why his stomach looks the way that it does. Sometimes it just makes me really angry. But most of the time, it just reminds me that you never know how long you will have with those that you love.

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Nick enjoying the sites in Omaha, the day before his HIPEC surgery.

This weekend, a close friend of ours received a depressing diagnosis and others that we've only recently met have heard of recurrences. On the forefront of my mind is the fragility of our existence here on this earth. Our hearts go out to our dear friends and all that have to deal with this dreadful disease. As this year starts off on an even more reflective note than per usual, I am reminded just how precious and short this life can be. Each and every day matters more than you'd think.

So, this year, I am setting an intention. I have designated a quote as my mantra for every day of this year. It's always been one of my favorites, but to keep it on the forefront of my mind I wrote it out and pasted it above my goals on the wall in my office. This year holds some amazing and some hard things in store for us, but God will turn it into a year filled with His glory all the same. I know that no matter what happens - this is going to be a great year, a great life... I can just feel it in my bones.

"Quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death. Set God-sized goals. Pursue God-ordained passions. Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention. Keep asking questions. Keep making mistakes. Keep seeking God. Stop pointing out problems and become part of the solution. Stop repeating the past and start creating the future..." -Mark Batterson

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We started seeing some discolored discharge coming from the wound about four days ago. There wasn't a lot, he didn't have a fever and the incision wasn't red but, we decided to take him to a local surgeon just in case. Our appointment was yesterday and after the Doc pushed and squeezed, poked and prodded, he decided that it was looking fine and that the discharge was probably just his body trying to heal. He advised us to begin scrubbing the incision (before, we were advised not to do so) and to use some neosporin to aide in the healing. He also asked us to come back in a week so that he can double check that it is continuing to heal properly. I'm not going to lie that I am feeling much more realived that someone with some sort of expertise took a look and said it was fine. Big sigh of relief...

Nick is no where near being physically "back to normal," I think this is going to take a long time. His abdomen is still swollen from all of the messing around they did in there and it's difficult for him to bend. He gets really tired, really fast and wears out easily. He laughs now, but quietly and without gusto - lest he tear the incision back open. Though we are nowhere near "normal", and not sure if we ever will be, I couldn't be happier. Cancer is disgusting. Cancer is a thief. It can be depressing. But, it's also bittersweet.  Cancer is enlightening, for it opens your eyes. Empowering, for it shows you just how strong you can be. And, encouraging, because it shows you just how much people really care.

I am blessed.

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If Nick's diagnosis had come twenty years ago, we would have been completely out of luck. They would have sent us home, advised us to get Nick's legal affairs in order and asked us to make him comfortable. We wouldn't have had a chance. The HIPEC surgery has only been around for about 18 years. For many people treated with HIPEC for the first 7 years or so, the results were less than successful. Surgeons weren't experienced and they weren't sure which versions of PMP (psuedomyxoma peritonea) it would help. Over the last 11 years, people have been getting better and better results. There are a few people that have gone 8 years (and counting) without a return of the disease. We will always hold onto the hope that we may become a part of that club. As we go and as Nick's recovery continues, we will add additional weeks, then months, then years to our length of time without treatment. Instead of looking behind, we will always be looking ahead. Looking ahead to the people that got the surgery 8 years before and follow them in their record-setting ways.

I will never understand why some people get sick and others don't. I will never understand why some people beat cancer and others can't. But, I do believe that one day, it will all make sense. I am training my thoughts. I am dwelling on the positive and striving to forget about all things negative. I want to be forever present for Nick. Present in each day. Present in each moment. When I feel myself starting to get anxious, I continually return to the verse that Nick chose for his fight against cancer... "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." Proverbs 3:5

[IMPORTANT Prayer Request: This week, I am asking you all to pray for my friends Joyce and Ron. Ron is a retired military veteran and he and Joyce have been married for over 40 years and live in Arizona. Ron was diagnosed with the same cancer as Nick (mucinous adenocarcinoma of the appendix) about a week after Nick. He went in to get his HIPEC surgery on Monday and they found that his cancer had already spread too far. His mucous was deemed "non operable." They are starting him on intravenous chemotherapy to see if it can help. But doctors told Joyce on Monday that they aren't giving Ron very long. Ron knows our Lord and is a strong man and I thank Jesus for that. But, please pray that he is comfortable and for the chemo to work a miracle. Pray for Joyce and their son, Tim. I can't help thinking that this could have been us. This could have been our story. I would hope that you would join me in prayer and lifting up Ron and his family. Feel free to leave a comment on this blog or email it to me at alyssa.magnotti@gmail.com and I will forward it on to Joyce for her to read if she would like.]

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In freezing Omaha, two days before Nick's heated chemotherapy treatment (HIPEC Surgery)... We'll know he's fully healed when he can pick me up again! ;]

It’s been a little over two weeks since Nick’s HIPEC surgery.  The recovery has been tough and tiring for Nick but we have been getting good news ever since. Last week, the pathology report for Nick’s tumors removed during surgery came back negative (which means that most of the cancerous tumors were taken out during his first surgery). Today, we received a call that I can hardly wrap my brain around.

Dr. Loggie does not think any further chemo is necessary at this time. Did you hear that? NO FURTHER CHEMO! The heated chemo treatment that Nick had is equal to around 6 strong doses of intravenous chemotherapy treatments and Dr. Loggie thinks it was sufficient enough to stave off the disease - for now and, hopefully, forever!

For now, the recommendation is to "watch and wait." In 4 months, we will head back down to Omaha for a check up. MRI's of Nick's abdomen and subsequent tumor markers will be taken. These tests will provide the new baseline for Dr. Loggie’s team to consult and compare for all future tests. If everything comes back clean at the 4 month mark, then we will be doing follow up tests only once per year! ONLY ONCE PER YEAR!

We are so thankful for this news and are planning on following Dr. Loggie's recommendation. He has seen hundreds of patients with Mucinous Adenocarcinoma (and for something so rare - that's a lot) and sees over 100 patients a year with different forms of Psuedomyxoma Peritonea (PMP). We are more than confident in his opinion and the experiences he has had over the past 20 years with this formidable disease.

We want to thank you ALL for the prayers and support over the last few months – our friends, family, and community have provided us with amazing hope, encouraging support and a reinforced faith and we couldn’t be more grateful! Please continue to pray for Nick's full recovery. Also, please pray that this disease doesn't come back for a very, very long time!

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As a young girl, I would count down the days – not until I got to unwrap gifts – but until the day after Thanksgiving. Every fourth Friday of November, my home was transformed into a blissful wintery wonderland. Outside, my father would hang lights on the trees flanking our long driveway, the eaves on our house, the banister on our front porch, and even illuminate the homemade tree fort nestled in our back woods. Inside, my mother would work her magic on the large tree that we’d picked out as a family and trail cinnamon-scented garland along the stair rails. After a long day of a family effort to deck every hall, divine vapors of dinner swirled about the house. Before we sat down to eat, we would all make our way into the family room. My brother, sister and I cuddled around my mother on the big couch, sneaking chocolates from the coffee table candy dish. My father sitting in the poofy chair by the warm fireplace, silhouetted by twinkling lights. He would then read to us the story of the birth of our Savior as songs from the Choir of Saint Thomas quietly played in the background.

The story of the birth of Jesus is one that has always held me in a state of wonder. Even now I marvel at the strength of Mary and Joseph. Just consider the journey they took. Consider the pain and trials that these expectant parents endured all while following God’s plan – only to end up in a town without a bed for them to rest. I can only imagine what must have been running through Mary’s mind; pondering what it might be like to give birth to her son on the side of the road! From their perspective, it all didn’t make sense. Why would they have traveled to this little town and have nowhere to sleep? No clean place to make their bed? Just when all seemed hopeless; God provided. Granted, He provided a smelly, old barn. But, it was there and it was warm and it turned out to be exactly what they needed. Centuries later, that smelly barn would represent the humbleness that our Lord possessed.  It all fit so perfectly into the big picture even though it might not have been apparent at the time. God always has a plan and is ready with miracles on even the bleakest of winter nights. Christmas has been a time for miracles – ever since the night that joyful new parents celebrated the birth of a healthy baby boy in a barn on the outskirts of Bethleham.

I believe in a God who can achieve the impossible. Though this season has turned out very different than I would have planned, I know that it will provide us with exactly what we need. With the Lord on my side, I refuse to let the magic of the Christmas season go by unnoticed. Despite all that has happened; I will continue to revel in the miracles of Christmas past and be on the lookout for miracles of Christmas present. If you look close enough, you just might see one yourself…

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Did you know that flying is stressful? At least it is for me. Let me tell you that flying after undergoing a major surgical cancer treatment is even more stressful. But, the silver lining of all that stress was that we didn't even have time to think about the fact that we were expecting an important phone call... The one that would tell us how Nick's pathology reports turned out. During Nick's HIPEC Surgery, Dr. Loggie with Creighton Medical Center removed a part of Nick's omentum and his right colon. There were also quite a few masses and tumors removed. One mass was larger than a 3D quarter and was located on Nick's rectum - this mass seemed to stir up the most suspicion, the most potential for danger, and the possibility of another surgery in the very near future. If I had had the time, I would have been really stressing this call and what it would mean if we had to get yet another surgery this year. But, like I said, I just didn't have the time. :]

When we landed in Seattle, I was all too excited to find a voicemail waiting in my inbox. Sure enough, it was Dr. Loggie's office calling to say that the pathology on all of the masses and lymph nodes came back negative! We are so extremely excited about this because it means Nick gets to keep his rectum! YAY!  (Sorry for the gore, but the had the mass on his rectum been cancerous - we would have had to go in for another major surgery and Nick would have been fitted with a bag buddy - if you know what I mean). It also means that the cancer isn't showing any sign of having penetrated his lymphatic system! So, we are really praising God! This negative pathology means that any of the cancer that was over 2MM was removed in Nick's first surgery back in September. Anything that was under 2MM, was hopefully obliterated by the heated chemotherapy treatment on November 22nd.

Nick is doing well but is very surprised at the amount of energy that he's lost. This morning, he insisted on making himself a pot of coffee and a bowl of cereal. But after the coffee, he got really tired and had to sit down and rest. Being home is nice, but also a bit stressful for me. In Omaha, my only responsibility was caring for Nick. But, at home, there is just so much more to be done. Luckily, Nick's dad is helping us out a lot and we also have a team with Gloria's Angels (an amazing non-profit that helps organize friends and family around patients that are going through tough medical ordeals) that will be helping us in the coming weeks and months with everything from laundry to meals to dog walks. We are so thankful!

I know what y'all are thinking at this point; "What's next?" Well, so are we. We still dong't have any more information on next steps for Nick. We still have to do a lot of research and still need to talk to the doctors. We should have more information by the end of next week. As of right now, we just want to enjoy being home and focus on Nick making a healthy recovery.

Its been TWO months since Nick was initially diagnosed with mucinous adenocarcinoma of the appendix. These two months have been crazy but we have learned more than we could have ever thought possible about the Lord's sovereignty, grace and peace. The Lord IS good!

Please pray for: a quick recovery, calm hearts and for us to be able to focus on the present instead of the decisions that we will be forced to make in the coming months.

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Nick's Welcoming Committee! (Back at the hotel after only six days in the hospital. He was pretty excited at this point. :] Notice the wonderful banner that my sister made for him!)

One of the first things that I noticed about Nick was his smile. I think everyone would agree that Nick has one of the most gorgeous smiles and that it is almost constantly present. He is one of the most optimistic guys I know and he’s able to see the silver lining in almost every situation (even cancer). The only time Nick’s smile ceases to show is when he is in pain - real pain. There have only been a handful of times that this has happened. One of those times was when Nick started feeling pain in his abdomen from what turned out to be a tumor. One was after Nick’s initial appendectomy and de-bulking surgery and one was this past week.

Before Nick went into surgery on Tuesday, we chatted about everything that didn’t matter. When it was finally time for his spinal morphine injection; the nurses told us that it was time for me to leave. I said a short prayer and reminded Nick that God would be with him throughout the surgery. We held it together pretty good as we said our goodbyes. I told Nick that I loved him and that I would be right across the hall no matter how long it took. Nick told me he loved me, that he wasn’t scared, and that he’d see me soon. After many kisses and a last hand squeeze, Nick looked at me and I realized that both of our eyes were starting to glisten. That’s when he flashed me that genuine smile. I can't tell you how much it comforted me. Not once during the nine hours away from Nick did I tear up again and I am sure it was that smile; It felt like a promise from God that no matter what everything would be ok.

After surgery Nick was in a lot of pain. He did a lot of sleeping and in the few minutes that he was awake, he was still very tired. When we talked to him, it was hard for him to talk back and he only did so when necessary. When we joked around in the hospital room, he didn't participate. And, when Nick's dad performed funny little dances to try to get Nick to laugh; he couldn't even crack a smile.

Then the clouds parted… :] Yesterday morning Nick woke up and said he was hungry with a little grin (which was a first since before the surgery) so I knew things were looking up. Once he had a little bit of applesauce, Nick's huge smile finally made an appearance - that's when I knew that we were finally on our way! Nick was feeling so much better and it was so apparent! He had scrambled eggs as his first solid food and then progressed to part of a Jimmy John's sandwich for lunch and continued to smile throughout the day. Apparently, that smile worked its magic on the doctors too. Around 5pm - he was discharged from the hospital!

We're now staying down the street from the hospital for the next couple of days and then will be seeing Dr. Loggie tomorrow for a follow up. If Nick is cleared to fly, then we could be home as early as Tuesday! We are so happy to have a real bed at the hotel now, but we are even more excited to sleep in our own bed soon. We know that Nick still has a long road to full recovery and we definitely still need prayers. The results of the surgery have been amazing so far, but there are still many things to pray for. :] We should be getting the pathology reports back from everything that was removed in surgery on this coming Wednesday.

No matter what results we get from the pathology report, we will still need to make a very big and hard decision of what treatment we pursue from here. I'm trying not to focus on it too much and just focus on Nick's recovery from this treatment, but the decision is definitely looming in our future. Since there isn't any real research on the best choice for us and no doctor will be able to make the decision for us - we will really need the Lord's guidance on the best path to take from here. No matter what we decide – I will always savor that smile. :]  

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I know that you all have been patiently waiting for additional details and thank you for that patience. :] The Wifi at the hospital has been out of service since we got here and I just don't possess the thumb power to write a huge post like this on my iPhone - sorry folks! ;] Now you can sit back and relax and read all the details of our adventures at Creighton University Medical Center (CUMC). Seriously, relax! It all turns out very well! :]

SURGERY: Surgery day was yesterday and everything went pretty well, considering. Nick's surgery began at right around 7:30am. I got to meet the team of about 10 people that would be working on Nick throughout the procedure. I was able to stick with him up pretty close to the start. But, they had to do an injection of morphine right into Nick's spine and had to kick me out at that point. This injection rwquired Nick to sit up so that they could get the right angle and truthfully sounded a little scary. The morphine was necessary though as it would numb the abdominal area and ended at 2:30pm , so 7 hours (short and sweet for a surgery of this magnitude).  He was very brave the whole way through the discussion of the surgery and the build up to our "see-ya-laters" but when I finally really had to go and after quite a few 'I love yous' we both started to get a bit misty eyed. Fortunately, they was swept away before any tears actually came into formation. Waiting around turned out to be a lot more peaceful than I expected. The Lord was definitely with us and gave all of us (myself, my mother, Nick's dad and twin sister) an understanding that no matter what, all would be well. There was a lot of reading, some napping and a bit of pacing in our waiting room party that day. We really appreciated the updates from Dr. Loggie's team throughout the surgery and have been continually impressed by the caliber of the staff around this place.

OUTCOME: There were a couple of masses found (one on his rectum and another on his omentum - the fatty apron that hangs down to cover your organs). I was a little confused, but believe a couple other smaller masses were also found that had attached to the inside of his abdominal wall. It looks like this is all that was left behind from his original surgery, which is great! Because, that means that most of the mucin and cancer was probably contained within the lower abdomen. Dr. Loggie suspects that the mass found on Nick's rectum was possibly just something that was left behind and fell down there during/after the last surgery. He thinks it looked a little suspicious but the initial fast freeze path came back benign (which means there is a good chance that the real path - which will take about a week to process - will come back negative as well)! Yippeee! Dr. Loggie chose to treat this mass as though it is benign, considering the quicky pathology and therefore, left everything in tact down there after removing the mass. A small portion of his colon was removed as well as any and all of the masses found and part of his omentum. I know that you aren't all immersed in this world of psuedomyxoma peritonea, but we are and let me just tell you... If you have to be in the arena of having a perforated mucinous cancerous appendix, then we are in about the best place that we could be! This is NOTHING compared to what many people go through and we feel very blessed and very fortunate at the outcome of this treatment so far!

COMMENCING RECOVERY: Nick is doing really well! He walked four times around the ICU floor today, less than 24 hours after his surgery. His heart rate has been a bit elevated and he is running a low fever but the doctors don't seem overly concerned. I guess that both can be associated with long surgeries and also HIPEC in general. Because the chemo is heated to 105 degrees and kept at that temperature as it circulates through his abdomen for an hour and a half, his body definitely has to work to get everything back down to a normal temperature. Also, pain and chemotherapy treatments can elevate your heart rate. So, like I said, they are not overly concerned, but they did elect to keep him in the ICU for another night - just so they can keep a closer eye on him. I'm happy for this because it's always better to be on the safe side. :] His incision is about a foot and a half long, running from his sternum to his pelvic bone. They used staples to close him up temporarily during chemo so the little holes are still there, all lined up like soldiers, but the final closure was done with glue and the wound seems to be healing really really well. Some of the things we didnt expect from recovery: 1. They used stunts in his bladder during surgery, so his urine is a bit rosy from some blood but apparently that is totally normal. 2. He cant eat until he passes gas (today was the THIRD full day without any food - or anything other than water and ice chips). 3. His incision site is very sensitive to even the slightest touch (we are thinking about getting him a tee-shirt that reads "Side Hugs Only"). 4. Morphine makes Nick itchy. (There are probably a lot more but I'm too tired to think of them. If you are planning on getting the surgery please feel free to ask questions and we will give you the best answers that we can, from the patient side of things. We would love to help - just comment below!)

FUTURE TREATMENT: We don't know what's next; other than that we have to have a discussion about intravenous chemo in the near future. This is going to be a tough decision and one that will take us some time to mull over. However, we will not be crossing this bridge until we have all the path reports back, have discussed options with specialists, done more research and, of course, prayed our booties off. We will definitely let you all know once we decide, but for the interim, we will be simply focusing on the day-to-day and just getting Nick better.

TONIGHT: I'm currently sitting in a hard itty bitty chair with my laptop perched on the end of Nick's hospital bed. Last night, I convinced the nurses to let me sleep in the ICU with Nick. It was pretty much opposite of comfortable, but I got about 4 total hours of sleep and it was totally worth it to be here. I have places that I can sleep elsewhere; places with beds (instead of small chairs) and jammies (instead of dirty jeans) and bathrooms (that arent in another wing of the building) and comfy down pillows - but, Nick and I have always been attached at the hip. And... it doesnt look like cancer is going to change that. I love being here with him. Even though we are going through something that was previously an unimaginable part of our future, I am just so happy and so content to be sitting by him as he sleeps and dreaming of the future to come. He has color is in his cheeks and he looks absolutely beautiful and extremely strong. He is going to be great! I have no doubt that he is going to beat this. I have no doubt that he will continue to smile through it all and trust in the Lord.

"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

his love endures forever." Psalm 107:1 NIV

EXTREME THANKS: We have SO much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving... Way too much to name, but we really want to thank those of you who have been praying over the past few months (MONTHS! Can you believe it? It's been almost two months since Diagnosis Day). During a short thirty seconds when Nick woke about an hour ago, I asked him what he would want me to include this post. Apparently, he is already in the spirit of the season; He said he wanted to... "thank you for all the prayers and please keep praying." (And, proceeded to fall right back to sleep.) He will definitely be going through some tough pain, extreme fatigue and new challenges over the next few weeks and months and he so appreciated the help that we have gottne so far. People committing their time, thier finances, their prayers - we are seriously so extremely humbled and grateful. So, again, from the bottom of our hearts: Thank YOU!

Alright. That's all for now. I will update you all again as soon as I have another chance... Happy Thanksgiving everyone!! Never forget all that you've been blessed with. (I sure hope that I never do!)

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Nick Magnotti, Goose Herding Extraordinairre!

We landed in Omaha late last night... Rolled into the hotel around midnight and got a great night's sleep! Nick's dad, Jeff accompanied us on the plane and is planning on staying for the duration. He got a room in the same hotel and we've been using the free shuttle service to get around. Today, we woke up and got some breakfast in the Old Market. The Wheatfield Cafe and Bakery has the most amazing food and a fun atmosphere that smells of buttery pastries and fattening scrumptiosness! After breakfast, we decided to burn off some of the calories and do some window shopping (of course we went into the year-round Christmas shop called Tennenbaum where I proceeded to buy a cute little Rudolph ornament for our tree this year).  We then took a walk along the Missouri River where we learned 1. All about the floods that this river causes every once in a while. 2. Nick can jump pretty high and 3. Nick can successfully herd a gaggle of geese (pictured evidence above). When we got back to the hotel, we went down to the pool and had a great time goofing around! In a few hours, we'll be heading out for Nicks "last supper" - destination yet to be decided.

Tomorrow morning, we head over to the hospital. We have an appointment with Dr. Loggie at 10am and then Nick will be checked into a hospital room for surgery prep. He's not able to eat anything after 7am tomorrow and will undergo quite a few tests and will be monitored to make sure that he is healthy enough for Tuesday's procedure. I'm not sure exactly what time surgery starts on Tuesday, but I know it's early, between 6 and 8am. If the average surgery takes 10 hours then I'm sure the earlier he starts, the better. Who would want to be working past midnight? I mean, really.

Honestly, Nick is dealing with this as though he is just going in to get a shot. I'm not quite as calm as he, but we have been able to have an amazing time so far and the Lord is granting me peace. Though we don't know what is to come - we do know that no matter what happens, no matter what they find, everything will be ok. Continue to pray for our strength and peace, please pray for Nick to have a quick recovery, for Dr. Loggie and his team to exercise wisdom and steady hands, for a good night's sleep and to keep safe everyone who is traveling to see us.

"You will keep in perfect peace

those whose minds are steadfast,

because they trust in you" Isiah 26:3

Thank you for everything everyone! We already miss our family back home and cant wait to see you all very soon! :]

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We had such an amazing time at the auction on Friday. There were so many terrific people there and we were extremely overwhelmed by the amazing generosity and love that we felt! I was going to write a recap of the event but Peter wrote such an amazing one that I thought I would just give you all a link so you can read it. :]

Thank you so much to everyone and any who helped! We know there were so many people involved in pulling this event together in such a short period of time. Unfortunately, there is no way that we would be able to thank each person individually but we wanted to say, "THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!" The support means the world to us and we are so thankful for the many caring and thoughtful people in our lives.

We just celebrated an early Thanksgiving with close family since we will be in the hospital on this year's actual Turkey Day. We had an amazing time and amazing food. Now our bellies match our hearts: FULL!

Please pray for: Continued peace, Complete healing, Blessings to all of the amazing people that have helped us, and Safe Travels.

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