BRANDON!

We recently celebrated Brandon's 12th birthday. I just wanted to mention what I great kid I have. But first I have to confess my guilt in an effort to feel a little better about things. Brandon's birthday was the day I had my appointment with Dr. Dickson. One really good thing was that we had anticipated Brandon's birthday being crazy so we had had his birthday dinner minus birthday cake and let him open his presents a day early. We planned to have cake and ice cream when we got home on his birthday. We did have it all and it happened at 10:30 p.m. My guilt is that I forgot to take pictures. Sunday Brandon was ordained a deacon. We had company and had a wonderful day. But I again forgot to take pictures. I feel so so bad.

Well, I have gone through my photos of 2008 and am posting some of my wonderful Brandon. I love you, Brandon. Please forgive me for forgetting...

Brandon loves our cats and takes care of them everyday.

Brandon is full of enthusiasm. This is at the Easter party my parents had. Brandon is cheering as our family won an award for our homemade cookies.

5th grade spelling bee

Last year on Brandon's birthday he organized his own party for his family. We went sledding down the hill at the school. It was fun.

Brandon has always been interested in guns. This is up at Grandpa and Grandma Hansens, where he anticipates shooting everytime we go.

At the Porter reunion-- playing Rock Band with cousins.

Brandon doesn't love piano but he still does it-- mostly without complaint.

Brandon loves his family.

And baseball.

One of Brandon's greatest strength is that he is a wonderful helper. He loves to be helping out his dad

And doing whatever needs to be done.

You are awesome Brandon! We love you!

A Report

REPORT OF TUESDAY
by Dennis

I have been requested to fill you in on what we found out today. We met with Dr. Dickson and were told that the cancer is metastatic (meaning that it has spread). They call it a recurring deep chest cancer since the PET scan has found it in the sternum and around the aorta as well as the breast. There is no cure for this type of cancer from the medical textbook standpoint but we do believe in faith and miracles. Dr. Dickson supposes that the cancer began growing again about 2 - 3 months ago. He thinks that the Herceptin was keeping it in check. The plan of action from here is to start chemo on Thursday. We are going to Rexburg early Thursday morning to get another port put in at a surgical center right near Dr. Dickson's office. They will keep the port open after surgury so that Katie can get chemo through the port. We are not sure what the chemo will be because they are waiting on a phish (?) test that will show what kind of cancer cells these are. We do know from the biopsy that this cancer is not estrogen positive as was the case before. Dr. Dickson says that cancer cells can mutate to the point that they are not like the original cancer. When we find out more we will let you know. Katie will get chemo once a week for two months. After this two month period, Dr. Dickson will evaluate what is happening and then we will plan from there. He said that having it once a week will result in a lower dose being spread out over three weeks rather than a larger dose given every three weeks. This should help keep the side effects down and be better at killing off the cancer cells. He also said that there would not be any need for surgery now and there would be no more radiation. He also said that a fast growing cancer like this would usually react very well with the chemo and would shrink almost as fast as it grew. We are not sure if this lower dose will result in Katie losing her hair. We hope not.

We appreciate your faith, prayers, and fasting in behalf of Katie. We truly believe that she will be healed by her faith and the faith and prayers of family and friends around her.

REPORT OF THURSDAY
by Katie

Well, we got today behind us. And it didn't turn out to be too bad. We left here shortly before 5:30, taking Mary and Drew with us. The other four stayed and got themselves on the bus. We dropped Mary and Drew off to Dave and Julianna and were on our way to the surgical center in Rexburg. I had to be there by 6:30 to have a port put in at 7:30. All went well. They accessed the port during the procedure so they didn't have to poke the port when I went for chemo. That was very very good to have it done that way. Even though I was so happy to be rid of the port before, I'm grateful to have another one because chemo through veins is not fun. So after we finished up there about 9:30 we went over to Dr. Dicksons for chemo.

I had to take dexamethazone (a steroid to help with side effects) at 9:00 Wednesday night and again at 3:00 a.m. And they also gave me another dose of it through i.v. before the chemo. The first chemo drug was Herceptin. It took 1 1/2 hours for that to drip in me. From here on out though, they will do it over an hour's time. The next one I got was Taxol. It took an hour for that one. The last one is Carboplatin and that one was also an hour. We got done there about 3:30 I think. The nurse said I will more than likely loose my hair. She said she does know two people who have not lost it with this course of chemo. My mom and I are wig shopping tomorrow.

Well, I am feeling very well. Thank you so much for all your faith and prayers. We can feel them. Our love grows for Heavenly Father and Jesus as well as for all of you. Your love and support mean more than words can say. I love you all.

Into Every Life...

A little rain must fall.

Most of the people who read my blog know that it has started raining at the Hansen house. I know there are some who are not yet aware. Tuesday I went to an appointment with my surgeon because I was having issues with my previous cancer site. I thought I was dealing with a lot of scar tissue build up. She took one look at me and said, "That looks like cancer." She did a biopsy and told me later she feels 99.8% sure that it is cancer. Of course it is very difficult to be the recipient of such news.

There is a lot we still don't know. I had a PET scan yesterday which scanned me from head to toe to see if the cancer has spread anywhere else. We will hopefully get those results tomorrow. Dr. Jones (the surgeon) said that I would first have chemo and then surgery. I will visit with my oncologist next Tuesday to find out what we are facing. I am a bit scared, I have to admit that.

There is a lot we do know. I know that I am loved by my Heavenly Father. I know that he watches over me and my family. I know that ultimately nothing can hurt me if I strive constantly to do the Lord's will. I pray I will not "shrink".

I am so thankful for my testimony and that I know what I know. Everything will be alright. This is a test, it is only a test.

From My Scripture Journal

These are a few of the scriptures I recorded shortly after my first diagnosis of cancer.

2 Corinthians 1:3
Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort where with we ourselves are comforted in God

Matthew 4:23
And Jesus went about all Galilee...healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people which believed on his name.

2 Kings 20:5
I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee.

2 Corinthians 12:8-10
For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me (Paul's unnamed 'thorn in the flesh'). But he said unto me, my grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Chirst's sake; for when I am weak, then am I strong.

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Mormon 9:24
...and if they shall drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover.

Mark 4:39-40
And he arose and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace be still. And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

Revelation 21:4
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away.

And here is a quote from Elder Bednar's talk about tender mercies: "We should not underestimate or overlook the power of the Lord’s tender mercies. The simpleness, the sweetness, and the constancy of the tender mercies of the Lord will do much to fortify and protect us in the troubled times in which we do now and will yet live. When words cannot provide the solace we need or express the joy we feel, when it is simply futile to attempt to explain that which is unexplainable, when logic and reason cannot yield adequate understanding about the injustices and inequities of life, when mortal experience and evaluation are insufficient to produce a desired outcome, and when it seems that perhaps we are so totally alone, truly we are blessed by the tender mercies of the Lord and made mighty even unto the power of deliverance."

In Color

By popular demand, here are the clashing coats. I will have to retake the robe picture because I didn't "save as" so all I have is the sepia. Coming soon.... Thanks for your very kind comments!

P.S. I was able to sew during school time to keep things secret. Fun fun.

My Favorite Project

I sewed like crazy during December. It was so fun to make doll clothes for the dolls my girls were getting for Christmas.

These 2 robes clashed side by side so I changed the picture to sepia. One is hot pink and the other is an orange-red in real life.

Pajamas

Some of the Porter family may recognize this skirt fabric. Mom gave me the leftovers from the little girl dresses for Joe's wedding.

Here was another clashing moment. The polka dot coat is orange with white trim. The other is hot pink trimmed with green (see purse below for the green fabric.) The coats and hats were my favorite!
Doll purses, ah me. They are so fun. I would have done the purple one orange to match the coat but I was out of fabric. Next week JoAnn is having a great sale and I'm going to buy doll clothes fabric. I was kind of scraping bottom for these. So the other day I browsed the American Girl catalog and on Etsy for new ideas. I am excited to get going on more doll clothes!