Clean Scans and Adoption Update

Well, hello there! (If you're still out there. I know most people have migrated to the TikToks and the IG Reels and very few read words anymore, but if you appreciate the good old-fashioned blog scroll, you're my kind of person.)

I meant to write this a few months ago. Ok, MANY months ago. I really did. But you know how life goes, and the next thing you know it’s July and your blog is sitting there like:

So here we are. Let’s get into it.

Clean Scans Club 🙌

Since my last real update, I’ve had two clean CT scans! One in February and one in June. Two big wins for Team Internal Organs! And a huge weight lifted. OH, actually, my scan in June was a little ridiculous. Moffitt usually runs like a well-oiled machine, but that day, radiology was backed up. Normally, I'd have my results the same day, but the doctor sent us home and we waited two days before the results showed up in my portal. Which is also a new development - prior to this year, results were not released to the patient portal until after discussing them with a nurse or doctor. Now, they are posted as soon as they're available, allowing me to refresh the portal repeatedly before meeting with the sarcoma department and speaking with a nurse or doctor. I find this somewhat risky and believe it adds extra stress if you're unsure of the terminology in those reports.

Anyway, the nodule they’ve been keeping an eye on hasn’t changed, and if my next scan in January goes well, I’ll officially move to annual scans. (I feel like they said that last time though.)

Also, June 1 marked my four-year Whippleversary, which I celebrated by... not eating cake, because my digestive system is petty.

Adoption Update

We’re still waiting for a match with our child in Taiwan. No additional news to report, but we did get to connect with our new liaison at the agency, which at least felt like it's still happening.

It’s just such a waiting game, which is both comforting and frustrating depending on the day. But we know the right match will come, and we’re confident that God’s timing is better than whatever our pea-sized brains can come up with.

Also, fun side note: I entered us into the America’s Favorite Couple contest. Did I do it on a whim? Yes. Do I think we’re America’s favorite? Eh. But the chance to win $20,000 that could go toward adoption fees? Worth the swipe. If you want to toss a vote our way, we’d love you forever. And maybe send you a Christmas card with glitter on it. Just sayin’.

Every Vote Helps

My Colorado Reset

In May, I took myself on a solo road trip through Colorado and it was everything I needed. I crossed two more national parks off my bucket list: Great Sand Dunes (giant sandbox for grown-ups) and Black Canyon of the Gunnison (dark, dramatic, and weirdly peaceful).

I also spent time near Glenwood Springs and Aspen, where the weather was perfect and the tourist traffic was blissfully low. Several of the mountain passes had just opened and it was a glorious drive each day from stop to stop. If you need any Colorado trip itinerary ideas, hit me up!

Traveling solo reminded me that I have grit and confidence and I wish I could go back and talk to that bald, desperate, woman undergoing cancer treatment in 2021 and tell her that everything is going to be okay.

Tummy Troubles

I had a few incredibly painful pancreatitis flare-ups earlier this year. As time passed since my Whipple, I got a little braver with food. A little cheese here, a little fried food over there, a little dessert there. But apparently, my insides were like:

So I’m back to a very low-fat diet, which isn’t the most thrilling thing, but it’s been working. The flare-ups have chilled out and I’m feeling better overall. Dessert is now a special occasion treat, and I’m learning to get excited about things like sweet potatoes and herbal tea.

I'm trying to make the most of it and have done a lot of food and recipe research and I'm pleased with what I've come up with.

Thank You!

Thanks for sticking with us through this season of waiting and reading through the “nothing new but I felt like talking anyway” kind of updates. You are the best kind of people.