class of 2011...

Honestly... I remember four years ago looking at a sign at Tom's white coat ceremony (his induction into the Pharmacy program) that said "Class of 2011" and thinking "oh my lord that is SOOOO far away."


I didn't think the day would ever come when he'd be done with school. This was us back then... September 2007... almost three months after Ash was born:


And Tom and Asher...


Fast forward to now...


GRADUATION DAY!!!
Finally here. Holy cow.

It was so surreal to be in 2011 remembering back to that day thinking it would be so far away. I'm sure Tom has different feelings... with all the time and effort he put into school it probably felt like forever.

Oddly... the speeches at Tom's graduation also felt like forever... YIKES! It was only like 30 minutes, but throw in an active three year old and you have an eternity. He walked up and down the aisles, visiting everyone...


Took pictures with me...


Played my phone... until finally it was time to send everyone across the stage...


They called Tom's name and we all cheered...


They gave Tom his diploma and then he had to walk across the stage and shake hands with a bunch of people and get a scarf thing put around his neck.


It got a little quiet while he did this, but Asher kept up the cheering. He found his way to the steps at the back and shook his clapper the entire time. Everyone thought it was a little funny and after a minute or two a little laugh went through the audience because he just kept cheering.


Here is Tom after holding the sign Rach helped Ash make that Ash held up as Tom was walking in and out...


Tom and his family...






After graduation we went to dinner at the same place we went after the white coat ceremony.


Lots of Tom's family and friends came.



(including cutie Addi... who I adore)


I don't know who started the shots, but they were followed by a few rounds of beers... and since Tom had stopped drinking about a year ago... he was a little bit of a light weight. By the time we left... well... let's just say it was an unpleasant ride home with a few puke stops along the way. A well deserved chance to cut loose, but one that probably won't be repeated for a LONG time.

Tom told Ash that now he is graduated, Ash has to call him "Dr. Dad". Asher... being the little comedian (just like his dad) said "well, I haven't graduated and got papers, but you have to call me Dr. Son." So there. A family full of Drs apparently.

Tom was really lucky and even though his work offered to keep him there, he also was offered a job at Poison Control as a full time pharmacist. He decided with the stability and all the benefits Poison Control offered it is the best place for him to take care of his family. So you never know... please bless you never have the need to call, but if you do... rest assured there is an AMAZINGLY TALENTED pharmacist on staff to help you and your loved ones!

We are just so excited to have a pops who is around more and can enjoy more fun times with us. We are truly blessed to have him as a husband and dad. XOXO Sweetie.

Photobooth...

Babysitting nurses...

Top 10 Lessons for the Staff at LDS Hospital

My opinions from watching from the sidelines...

1. When a patient checks in and tells you that chemo specifically causes you to be constipated, you listen and watch for signs of constipation immediately. No matter how many people typically get diarrhea from the chemo.

2. When you tell a patients' family you will monitor their output hourly... you should probably tell the truth and say its more like every 2-3 hours.

3. If you are monitoring the patient's output hourly you should know WAY before the point of the bladder becoming horribly full and painful that the patient can no longer pee. Don't wait until the patient collapses in the bathroom and has to pull the emergency cord to fix the issue.

4. Also... if you are monitoring the patient's output hourly, then the catheter bag should never get so full it also fills up the bladder and makes the patient have horrible pain (again)... and this should definitely not happen twice. EVER.

5. When its been completely established the patient gets constipated (even though you're baffled by it), you should monitor and watch the progress of the constipation so it doesn't get to the point where it causes things like diverticulitis and perforated colon... which then leads to a painful surgery.

6. You should listen to your patient and make sure you understand they said their pain level is at a 2... not a 10 like you thought you heard before you start immediately reaching for the pain medicine.

7. Never accept an eye closed, sleepy, groggy "UGG" as a response to your question of "are you feeling nauseated?" Don't turn to get the nausea medicine until you've fully awaken the patient to make sure they truly need some type of medicine.

8. Listen to your patient and find the true root of the problem. Anxiety? Yes. Nausea? Yes. Pain? No. So pain medicine is not likely to solve the issue at hand. Don't just give it to a patient to keep them sedated and out of your hair. It makes it impossible to get them to tell you the true problem. It also makes it impossible to get them up and walking and out of the damn hospital.

9. Don't up the pain pump to a higher level of pain medicine when the patient is just complaining about the pain medicine causing nausea. And their pain is consistently at a 3 (out of 10). You should probably actually lower the pain medicine. And then don't get bitter towards the family when they are upset the higher pain medicine caused the patient to become completely delirious. And then because you are bitter... don't try to force the fact that the patient will go through withdrawals by completely removing the pain pump. The patient doesn't like the pain medicine and hardly uses it anyway. Pain Nazi.

10. Just read the damn chart if you're going to offer some type of medical opinion. Don't breeze into the room flying blind... try to make an assessment and recommendations if you have no clue what's going on. Yes lung doctor... he has ALREADY been diagnosed with fluid in/and around the lungs. I'm telling you his breathing has gotten much worse. Oh... now that you've read the chart you change your mind and think the fluid might be building up worse and he needs an x-ray? At least you listened to me. And then read the chart and got him help. Start by reading the chart first next time and you'll get two extra bonus points. (and for family members... don't EVER assume anyone has read the chart. NO ONE has read the chart...)

It was a rough week at the hospital. Can you tell I needed to vent?

Brandon and I stayed with my mom after the surgery to try to help watch what was going on and get him better. It's been a month and I know my mom is probably exhausted. After a few days it became completely apparent someone has to really watch the nurses and doctors and advocate for the best interests of the patient. Lucky we were able to help out.

By Sunday when I checked in I was really happy to see him doing much better. Awake. Alert. Able to sit up on his own. Can stand and walk a little. Much better than last week when there was no moving without pain. I don't want to jinx anything, but I think we might finally be on the home stretch. Hooray!

We still found a little easter fun...

I wasn't sure going into Easter this year if we would do anything. My dad entered the hospital for his transplant that Friday and I was worried he would be in very rough shape and I wouldn't feel up to it. I knew for sure my mom would need to be there to take care of him and wouldn't plan anything.

He had already harvested his stem cells. He is an overachiever and got 18 million on the first day. Most people need 5 days to get 10 million.

We had a meeting at the hospital that Thursday and they told us he would feel ok for the first few days. He had the bone marrow killing chemo the first two days. Then a rest day, and on Monday the transplant of his stem cells. I was surprised at how well he actually was during it all. I thought it would be a next to death scenario, but he was up and walking around.

With him doing so well we decided to get the kids together for an egg hunt. Brandon and Elissa had it at their new house. They had the kids decorate eggs:





All the kids missed grandpa and grandma, so they also made some pictures for grandpa to hang in his hospital room. They all made some great pictures. Lyhla hung around the legs of the tables trying to get up into the mix:




The kids were excited for the easter egg hunt. They were running in circles waiting for us to let them out.



We finally turned them loose and they ran to collect eggs. It was fun to see Ellee and Asher get it and run for the eggs. Last year Ash grabbed a few and then wanted to stop to open them.



Macie even came along for the search...



On Sunday morning Ash woke up and walked out to see if the "Easter Guy" had been to our house. He was very excited to see his basket and the Captain America, Thing, and Doc Oc that the bunny had left.


He loves the easter egg hunt so much we had to do it like three times. We kept hiding the eggs over and over again.



We went to Tom's family next and had another egg hunt. The kids want the eggs hid harder so they have to search for them. Its fun to see the different ages and how they still get excited.




Given the circumstances, Easter was much better than I expected. My dad was better than I thought he would be. It made it easier to enjoy the festivities and watch the munchkin experience it all.


My dad finally hit the rough patch a few days later. The chemo killed most of the bone marrow (including the white blood cells and the ones left are injured). He has an infection in his intestines and colon with no white cells or immunities to fight it. They are giving him antibiotics to fight it, but it will take longer to fix. He can't really eat at this point and is in pain. The painkillers make him tired and he sleeps a lot. Honestly I'm still amazed at how well he seems to be doing with the whole process. He's still feisty and social with all the nurses. He still a techno geek and spends his time surfing on the iPad. Hopefully the infection will get resolved soon and he'll feel much better.

To make matters worse... my mom and dad's dog Danner was diagnosed with cancer too a month or so before my dad went into the hospital. He was a little run down when my dad went in, but he seemed to be responding ok to medicine. Last night his poor body couldn't handle it anymore and he passed away. I'm not an animal lover, but even I could see Danner was special and loved by all. He will definitely be missed.

Ash's soccer...

Ash and Tom practiced playing soccer to get him ready. Every night when Tom would walk in the door, Ash would run up and say "wanna go play soccer?"




At the first team practice Ash had a ball. It was cold and rainy but he wanted to keep playing. He loves interacting with everyone and kicking the ball around.




Then came the first game. He was not so sure he liked that part. I keep wondering if I nag him a lot about things. Like taking toys from other kids. He refused to take the ball from anyone. He didn't like the chaos of the of the game. He just wanted to come out and practice on the sidelines.

So we worked with him at home on stealing the ball and playing a little aggressive. By the next game he did much better. He still needs to make sure he can see where I'm at (once again... I am always telling him if I can see him someone can take him and to stay close... another nag, but kind of necessary, right?). He got right in the mix and played with the kids.





By the next game he played the entire game and LOVES it. We bribe him with McDonalds after the game if he won't whine to come out, but by this game he didn't really need it. He just played and played.

It's really funny to watch the kids that age play. They are 3-5 year olds so Ash is kind of in the middle. All the kids just know to kick the ball to the goal, no matter whose goal it is. There is one 5 year old who gets it and stands mid field to turn the ball around. Ben... he's the little defender. Everyone else will run with the ball right into the next field and keep playing. Its hilarious.

Hopefully soccer is a long term love of Ash's. He still bugs Tom to play with him and Tom can't get away with grilling in the backyard without playing. Sometimes the neighbor kids will join in.

Today Tom asked Ash if he likes to play soccer with the kids. Ash said, "Yeah, but playing with dads is better..."