Kache had his Pinewood Derby this week. He modeled his car after Grandpa Nielson’s ‘84 F250 Diesel. Even though we sold it when we lived at the McGinley, that pickup is still a favorite in our house. Kache got 3rd place and was pleased with how his pickup looked and raced.
The “sizzling bacon” cheer. I don’t think I will ever understand boys.
Riggin and Dallie helped Jason make cookies. They had a good time, especially when it was time to taste test.
The family unfortunate enough to sit in front of us at church on Sundays calls Riggin “the squishy one”.
I’m nearing the end (hopefully) of the thyroid cancer treatment. Unfortunately, I’m afraid these last two weeks will be the worst. Tomorrow I have to start the low-iodine diet. That means no milk! no chocolate! nothing that contains iodine! I think the the surgery was less painful than this diet will be. Thankfully I only have to stay on it for a week. I plan on having a big glass of chocolate milk when it’s over.
Next Tuesday I have the radio-active iodine treatment. We still have quite a few questions about this since I don’t get to have a consult with nuclear medicine until the day before the treatment. But what I know for sure is I have to stay away from people for two days, and they strongly suggest I stay away from kids for longer. So I have to stay locked in my room for 2+ days while I’m radioactive. I don’t know if I’m looking forward to this or not. No housework, child care, or cooking. I don’t have to watch (or listen) to Dora. I can sit and read and not be interrupted. Two whole days to myself. This confinement definitely has its benefits. But the dream I had last night suggests it might not be all fun and games. The kids and I were in a building across the street from a nuclear reactor that was melting down and I couldn’t get the kids out. As I’ve thought on that, it amazes me how the brain works. Next week I will be radioactive, unable to care for my kids and no doubt having a meltdown from being stuck in my bedroom for two days.
I have to be off my thyroid meds for three weeks prior to the treatment. The first week was pretty rough. I was having muscle aches, headaches, nausea, weakness and just overall tired. I thought this was all due to no thyroid or meds, but then Jason started with the body aches and nausea so I think we must have just come down with something. This past week was much better. Aside from being tired, I’ve felt really good. And it is because of everyone’s prayers and fasting on my behalf. I have felt them and been strengthened beyond my capacity. Thank you for your concern and love.
Now, I’m ready to get these next two weeks over and get back to normal life - or at least a new normal!
The ranch swimming hole is finally open and we tried it out over the weekend. They say there are rarely gators in it because they treat it, but you still have to look before you leap. So we sent Jason to check it out and sure enough there was a gator. It was a little one hiding under one of the docks. He tried to get it out but couldn’t. I was ready to head back home, but of course Jason felt no concern since it was little. I was creeped out the whole time. (It was under the dock Kache is running to in this picture.)
This kid had no fear. He’d walk in up to his armpits and probably would have kept going if someone weren’t there to stop him.
This is how I felt the whole time:
“Are those gator eyes staring back at me?” “Is that just a ripple or a snake?” “What is going to come up from the depths and snatch a kid (insert Jaws theme here)?”
I’m sure I’ll get used to it and not be scared (hopefully). It sounds like during the summer here it’s too hot to do anything outside besides swim, so I hope to have four little fish by summer’s end.
