If you don't know, Marcus' CT scan was normal and his blood levels are back within normal range!  Woohoo!  He is, however, going to proceed and do some chemotherapy as we were giving the option.

Why would anyone subject themselves to chemo, you might ask?

It lowers the reoccurrence rate of cancer by quite a few percentages.  And if his cancer were to reoccur he would have no choice but to do a more powerful form of chemotherapy. So we're thinking lets nip these bastards in bud with a single course of carboplatin while things are sitting so pretty.

Let's see what else... I dug into my backyard a little bit.  I went to Ace today and picked up some garden soil and some plant thingys.  Not quite sure what I am doing.  Maybe I'll post some pics if I have success.  I transplanted a hydrangea we received from the "we're sorry bad things happen" committee at Marcus' school.  It's been in a pot for almost a year and is finally at rest. It's name is Carl.    Then just a week ago we received a bush with tiny pink flowers and dark green leaves.  I lost the care tag, but no matter, this plants name is Teste.  Hopefully, plants from here on out will be purchased and planted in celebration.  And hopefully the plants survive as they have names and I am growing more attached by the minute.

Did I mention adding another child to your life is really hard?  So hard sometimes that teeth brushing feels like a pampering accomplishment.  Its exhausting.  I spend literally all day preventing Beau's death.  The verbally underequipped find release of their tension in squeezing tiny toes, cheeks and noses.  Bradie's favorite activity is helping "burp" her brother whereby she gets in a few good wollups on his back.  I am actually looking forward to the day he grabs onto her hair with purpose and gives a sturdy yank.  At least I'll get to scold him too!  That may sound sick, but its because you only have one child or yours have reached a reasoning age.

But don't worry.  I have my dirt piles now.  And UV rays.  This combination may very well keep the Prozac at bay. 

beware coffee tables

On our way to church last night I look back at Bradie who is shaking her head vigorously and speaking some sort of jibberish. As her wispy blond waves skirt around her reddening face, it hits me.

Our sweet daughter looks like Chris Farley. She can go from normal, to pretty funny, to JoJo the Indian Circus boy with his pretty new pet in five seconds!!!!


She's going to hate me someday, isn't she?

update pathology

Pathology report shows a pure seminoma tumor.  That is a good thing, nonseminoma and other mixed cell tumors are usually a little more resistant to treatments.  The cancer was also confined to the testicle and not present in the spermatic cord.  Also good news.  We are awaiting the opportunity for a CT scan and another set of tumor marker blood tests to see if there's any cancer that shows  up in the surrounding lymph nodes.

Phew.  Not because I am relieved yet but because I just never thought I would be  thinking about such things.    Well cancerous testicle aside, Marcus obviously has a very capable one still as proven by the pictures below:  

(yeah  that gleam in her eye scares me at times too! such a love/hate thing with little brothers!)

high time for some pictures...update also

Finally a smiley Beau shot! :) AND pictures of Bradie/Daddy wrestlemania so Marcus can get off my back about how there are no pictures of him and his children.

For those who do not know, Marcus underwent an Orchiectomy yesterday in Seattle. That is fancy talk for removing a testicle. The doctors found a mass and "mass of testis" is almost always cancer that can only be safely dealt with by removing the whole thing. I am sure he will someday soon blog about these events, so I will save all the apples/nuts/berries/junk jokes for him! I will say that he is super relieved to have the procedure done and on his way to finding out the next step. And so you don't have to be nosey :), the next step will be a CT scan and some more blood work to see if there is cancer elsewhere. Depending on those results, it can be either surveillance only (what we are praying for, meaning all cancer was contained in the testicle) or some form of therapy, either radiation or chemotherapy as determined by people smarter than I.

So there you are. I can tell you one thing, I sure as heck never thought I would be writing such a post, let alone experience all the thoughts I have been thinking this past week. Scary stuff. But I can honestly say GOD IS SO GOOD!!! He has provided for us wonderful family and friends, including close proximity with a great group of people who pray for us and support us here in Lake Stevens. Is it accidental that this was, without exaggeration, the only house we could afford in Snohomish county?

I think not.