"In Every Thing, Give Thanks"

Update: The surgery went well. I had some homework over the weekend after the surgery, but other than that, didn't really do anything. It was kind of nice, but at the same time wasn't feeling too great to be able to enjoy it. I wasn't sick, but I did have a few headaches.


In honor of Thanksgiving, this post is about gratitude and giving thanks. Thanks is the usually the first thing we say in our prayers. Thanks is the first thing, hopefully, you say when your mom/spouse/roommate hands you dinner. Thanks is universal.

There is a scripture that says "in every thing, give thanks" (1 Thessalonians 5:18). I'm thankful that it was super cold outside today. Why? It makes me appreciate my car and apartment more. I'm thankful that I ate at McDonald's today. Why? Because I was there catching up with a friend.

Giving thanks is how I can show my faith. I  have loved going through my trials, but I am thankful for them because of the lessons I have learned, the growth I've made.

How often do we sit down and think about the things we are thankful for? Here are some things I am thankful for:

• The gospel
• The church
• Family
• Parents
• The priesthood
• Brothers (and bros-in-law)
• Sisters (and sis-in-law)
• A warm apartment
• Electricity
• Running water
• Cleaning supplies
• Washer/dryer
• Deodorant
• Toothpaste
• Q-tips
• Soap
• Shampoo
• A job
• Co-workers
• Money
• Scholarships
• Good teachers
• Chance to get a higher education
• A reliable car
• A window scraper
• Friends
• TV
• TV shows
• Movies
• Christmas movies
• Music
• Pandora
• Christmas music
• Stairs
• Elevators
• Escalators
• Clothes
• Shoes
• Socks
• Computers
• Internet
• Facebook (sometimes)
• Twitter
• Jokes
• A sense of humor
• Jesus Christ
• Heavenly Father
• The Holy Ghost
• Revelation
• The atonement
• The sacrament
• My ward family
• The Huntsman Cancer Institute
• Excellent doctors
• Modern medicine
• Missionaries
• Good examples
• Letters
• Emails
• Telephones
  
  And much more.

What are you thankful for? Write a list. Put it in your journal, or put it up somewhere. And HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Keep running!

Another Few Trips to the Huntsman

Since school started, I've tried to write every other week. So I should've written last week, but it was in the middle of all this situation and we still didn't know what we know now. I honestly tried to write something, but nothing came to me. So, a week late, here's what is up.


Today I've got some good news and bad news.

Bad news first. I've had a tiny lump by my Adam's Apple for about a month. When we first talked with my Huntsman doctor, he said that it's too small to really do anything. Then, about two weeks ago at my normal check-up, it was decided to poke it and take a small sample to put under the microscope. The pathology team poked about five times to get an accurate sample.

My doctor also decided to go ahead and plan a small surgery to go ahead and get the lump out, regardless of what the results were.

Fast forward one day: we made it back to Cedar. My doctor's nurse called and said what the doctors had said from first glance at the end of my appointment. They didn't dismiss it, saying it was begign, and they didn't say that it was a recurrence. The word they use was "suspicious" and that we'd still go ahead with the surgery.

Skip ahead about a week: Nov 9 (three days ago). I had a CT scan just to see what we were up against.

Yesterday, Monday, Nov 11, we received another call from my doctor's nurse. The bad news? Yes, it is officially a malignant spot.

NOW to the good news! Although the CT scan did show that the lump is malignant, there is no sign of cancer around anywhere else it my head or neck. The only problem spot is the lump.

Hopefully, this surgery will be it!

Along with my parents and a few others, we've come up with some solutions I can implement to hopefully knock out this cancer forever, FOR GOOD! Because cancer cells feed off of sugar, naturally that's the first thing to cut down. I've already started to eat less sugar... candy, ice cream, you know. Basically everything that tastes super good. The second thing is to eat out less, and cook more healthier meals. The third thing is to eat more fruits and vegetables.

Now, being on my own will make it more of a challenge, but more the most part, I can say so far, so good.

Part of me is pretty upset. I want to get rid of this for good. But the other part of me knows that this is happening for a reason. I'm STILL learning, I'm still growing. It will only get better from here!

I know it's hard to ask for help, but here it goes. Please say a prayer that my family and I can get rid of this cancer for good. Say a prayer that the Huntsman Cancer Institute will continue to extend lives, bring smiles back, and help in the worldwide fight against cancer. Pray for everyone that cancer has had some effect in their life, whether it is to them personally, or a family member or friend.

Keep running!