Wordless Wednesday!

We have a plan!

I am one of those people who has to have a schedule.  Even when I am on vacation, I like to know what is planned for that day, around what time frame we will be doing each item.  It is not like I have to rush and make sure I am there on time (on vacation)...I just like to know what the day has in store for me :)

These past few weeks, since we found out I was a match for Jodi, they just kept saying it will be soon.  I know Jodi personally didn't want to know exactly when and I don't blame her...but I couldn't wait to find out the details of the transplant just so I could have a plan :)

I got the phone call today and I have a schedule...yay!  Looks like I will be traveling to Texas either July 9th or 10th because I have to check in to the hospital (not over night or anything...just as a patient) at 10AM on Monday, July 11th!  I will meet with one of her doctors and go over some "stuff" not really sure what it will be until we get there.  At that time, they will give me a more detailed schedule so I will know what all I need to do.  Not really sure what I will do the first few days besides talk to doctors but that weekend I will start taking the medicine that increase the production of my stem cells.  I have to take that medicine for a few days.  Then I think on Tuesday is when they actually take my cells from me.  They said since I am young and healthy they should get all that they need that day.  I go back in Wednesday for some lab tests and then they will let me know if they need more stem cells.  If so they take more and I go back the next day.  If not, they said I do a couple more tests and then I am free to go.  
Here is a diagram that kind of shows what is being done..

The only thing that is different is that the stem cells will be going to my sister and not back in my body.  So I am finished at step 3.  On July 20 (I think) Jodi will begin her high does of chemo and then after that she will receive my cells.  So I will actually be back in South Carolina by the time she starts the whole process.  After Jodi has her transplant she goes in isolation and will stay in the hospital for like 30 days and then goes to the apartment for 60 days.  As long as everything goes as planned, which it will, Jodi gets to come HOME at 100 days post transplant.  

This really really makes all this real (not that is wasn't before now but still...) and I know I may seem weird but I am so happy to have a plan and now that I can start to help Jodi soon....because you know...having your sibling be your perfect match is the difference between being in remission and possibly being cured.  Isn't that awesome??  So glad I am a match! :)
 

"Whatever it is y'all think I did....I didn't do it!"

were there words my Dad said to a couple US Marshals yesterday in Houston!

So here is the story...Dad flew back to Houston yesterday and as he was walking down the sidewalk heading to the apartment, a black SUV put their siren on top of their car, cut across the four lane highway and pulled on to the sidewalk blocking Dad's path and 2 US Marshals with guns in their hands got out of the vehicle!! (Could you imagine that happening to you...I would have died of a heart attack I'm sure!)  The Marshals asked Dad for his ID and where he was going.  So my Dad luckily had his ID on him since he was coming from the airport and showed it to them (Dad is known for leaving his wallet in his truck or house).  He told them that he was in Houston because of Jodi's treatments at M.D. Anderson and he said, "Whatever it is y'all think I did....I didn't do it!".

The US Marshals told Dad that they have been looking for a suspect and he fit the description!  They realized it wasn't him and they let him go!  Most people would have been scared to death having this happen to them but I don't think it really bothered Dad...now he has a interesting story to tell him.

I really wish I knew what Dad's look alike did to have the US Marshals after him?  OH..I just saw on facebook where my sister said that Mom and Dad were walking this morning around Houston and they saw a guy about Dad's size and build, with a beard and carrying a backpack just like Dad was yesterday...I wonder if that is the guy they are looking for?

I mean really...look at my Dad (modeling his new shirt)...does he look like a guy the US Marshals would be searching for???

So...the moral of this story....always have your ID on you! You never know when you might look like a wanted suspect ;)

It is already Monday..

Happy Monday! Linking up with Carissa at lowercase letters this morning!

{one} Friday night, my hubby and I were trying to figure out what to do for dinner so we decided just to go somewhere.  We got in the car and I asked him where we were going and he said "I don't know".  Then he pulled into my favorite place in Greenwood...Capris Italian.  He isn't crazy about going there (only because he doesn't order the right thing) so I was pumped when he picked it!

{two} I haven't decorated a cake in a couple weeks and I wanted to practice.  I have been wanting to make a football cake so I can perfect it come fall!  Once you see this cake you will see why I need practice.  My tiger paw is a bit deformed and the cake is a little uneven...practice makes perfect right?  Now what to do with this huge cake!  (Even with the imperfections...I am so proud of this cake!)

See what I was talking about with the tiger paw? haha

And how uneven it looks from this angle?

It was SO much fun making this cake...it took me all day just about!  

{three} Do you ever have those days where you just love being by yourself?  I usually do not because I am by myself just about every day at work so on the weekends, I want to surround my self with people..but not yesterday!  Wes went to work play at his farm on his tractor so I decided to go to the lake house.  I am never there by myself and it was so nice.  I took my kindle and set up the hammock.  I was out there for hours reading/tanning until I got too hot then got my noodles and floated in the water.  I did that rotation for hours and it was wonderful!

By the way...noodles are the best invention ever! Love them

{four} We had an awful thunderstorm around 1:30 this morning...it even woke Wes up (that never happens)  I usually sleep through them if I don't know we are supposed to have a storm.  If I know before I go to sleep that it will storm through the night, my mental alarm clock wakes me up right before I think it is supposed to hit. (weird I know!!)

But I had no idea it was supposed to storm last night and it woke me up :(  The ironic thing is..the lightning is what woke me up...not the thunder or wind.  It was insane!  The lightning was striking like every 5 seconds and it was popping everywhere!   I was so glad when that storm passed!

I pictured the lightning to look like this last night but who knows what it really looked like because I wasn't brave enough to check it out for myself!

That was my weekend! It went by way too fast!  Hope everyone has a great week!! :)

Dont forget about Mingle Monday!! :)

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

Just want to wish my Dad a happy Father's Day!  He is celebrating the Day (which is also my parents wedding anniversary too) at his mountain house...one of his favorite places ever! 

My loves :)

I am a little late with today's WILW..but better late than never right?

I'm Loving...that when I got home from work yesterday Wes had these for me

I have never been a crocs fan because I think they make your feet look huge! I wear a size 9 so why make them look larger?  I knew they were comfortable but I just couldn't buy any.  Wes saw these and thought I would like the style and he was right!  Aren't they cute??

I'm Loving...that I finally met Wes's cousins from Texas this past weekend.  Their grandmother celebrated her 90th birthday so they came for a few days.  We had a brunch for her Saturday morning and then just hung out at the lake the rest of the time.  It was great to finally meet them in person even though we felt like already knew each other because of facebook :)

I'm Loving...that I am a match for Jodi! I know I already talked about this but its worth mentioning again! :)  We found out today that we matched 14 out of the 14 things (don't know what they are) they look at for a match.  They said they would settle for matching 8 of the 14 for a sibling and if it was a universal donor, they would be happy with 10/12 of the 14 to match.  How crazy is that that we matched all 14!  We were told today that it will be about 3 weeks before I go out there.  Jodi has to have another strong dose of chemo and then have the transplant immediately after she is finished with that.  Look at this shirt I found...I think I need one :)

I'm Loving...that I have absolutely nothing planned for this weekend!  It will be nice to not have to do anything or be anywhere at a certain time.  The main thing I want to do is see my Dad.  He is home from Texas for a few days and I haven't seen him yet.  Hopefully between his working and walking we can meet up for a little while :)

I'm Loving..."Jodi is a Rockstar" T-shirts.  Jodi's friend Tiffani thought of the idea to sell shirts as a fundraiser and we have sold a couple hundred so far.  Now Jodi is asking whoever bought a shirt to take a picture of them wearing it and email to her so she can make something with them later on.  Here are a few of my favorites...

One of my bffs Alix

Latice

My cousins 2 girls Abby and Hannah

Aunt Polly cousin Brooke and Gabe :)

Mom's awesome Sunday School Class that did the hot dog supper for Jodi

My friend Ashley and Kasen

This makes me laugh...Brian

Jodi and her wonderful Doctor...Dr. Andreeff  (He wore the shirt under his lab coat too :))

Two of my favorite people...My hubby and my Mema

My Family in Houston!

Hope everyone has a great rest of your Wednesday!! :)

New Ideas!

This post is really just to ask you for some ideas and/or advice for my blog.  I really don't like the name of it...never have, it was the first thing I thought of and just went with it.  I am not creative when it comes to stuff like that...anyone have any cute ideas?? It doesn't have to do with my last name like this one...I want something cute/fun/catchy or something!

I also want to change my layout too but of course I am cheap and don't really want to spend any money on that.  I was looking around a while ago and it can get pricey to make your page cute...so if you have any good ideas about that send them my way too!

Sorry for the boring post today, but I need help! :)

The waiting continues...

I was tested to see if I was a bone marrow match for Jodi on May 3 and they said it would be 2-3 weeks before they would know if we matched.  Well her doctor was out of the office right around the time the results should have been and then things came up...I mean he is a super scientist doctor (as Jodi and Dad call him) so I know he is busy! (He is a very important doctor specializing in Hematology in the number one hospital in the country for that)  So I let it slide that we didn't know the results yet :)
I am a worrier so I kept wondering if we were a match or not.  If I wasn't a match, I know that I would have felt so bad even though I had no control over that!  My parents kept reminding me that it was only a 25% chance that we would match.  Then I kept telling them that EVERYONE that I have heard about had their sibling match them.
I had my mind set that I was a match but tried to tell my self that I wasn't so I wouldn't get my hopes up.  When Jodi went to her doctor appointment with Dr. Andreeff this past Tuesday, I just knew that we would finally have the results....well he didn't check.  Then she was scheduled to have a phone call with the Stem Cell people (sorry don't know the technical term) on Tuesday and we just assumed we would find out the results then...nope!
We just all figured we would find out next week when she had another appointment with Dr. Andreeff, so I quit worrying about it for now.  I was at work yesterday (actually writing my WILW post) when Jodi called to say that I WAS A MATCH!!!  Her insurance company called her about some things and said something about getting everything covered by insurance and she said, "You do know your sister was a match right?"  So that's how we found out...thank you insurance lady! haha

Since I am a match, Jodi's plans all change again.  She was supposed to be getting about 4 or 5 more months of chemo and treatments and then see if the chemo worked properly and then decide about transplant.  But since I am a match, they can skip all of that and go straight to the transplant!  It should be a simple transplant for both Jodi and I...the only thing is difficult is the part after the transplant.  Jodi will have ZERO immune system and will be in complete isolation for a while.  But the good news is that 100 days after the transplant...she will get to come home!

Now back to the waiting...Jodi told me that someone will call me today or tomorrow to fill me in on everything.  They want to do this pretty quick..so I am assuming I will be headed back to Texas in the next week or so??  I will be there for 7-10 days for the transplant.  Just keep us in your prayers and pray that everything works out just like it is supposed to.  As Jodi said...every since she was diagnosed with AML she has had the best luck.  Everything is going as planned!  What a great and positive outlook she has!!

If you would like to read her story, please check out her Caringbridge site.

Now I can finally say this...

What Im Loving!

I am loving a whole lot today!  I just got back from Texas last night from visiting Jodi with Tommie (M-I-L) and it was perfect.  The long drive (15.5 hours) didn't seem that long going out there or coming home..which is great!  We never had any traffic the entire time, we were lucky!  The only thing that happened was a rock flying into my windshield and making a small crack.ugh!

 

I'm Loving... I got to see Jodi finally!  These are when she was in the hospital (she was discharged a couple hours after we arrived)

I'm Loving... finally getting to see the apartment where my parents and Jodi live now!

One of the posters people signed at a fundraiser!

Some of her gifts and drawings

A wall of cards!

And more cards!!

An autographed picture of Sam (close friend who got jealous when she got Clemson coaches autographed items so he sent her something with his name on it)

Jodi admiring her poster

 I'm Loving...that Alix, Scott and Ben came to visit us in Houston.  They live in Austin and she is one of my best friends! I haven't seen her in almost 3 years!!

My Alekes!!

Our signature pose...been the same for 10 years now!

My "nephew" Ben!

I just love him!

He discovered mirrors!!

Getting his exercise in.  Mom, Tommie and Ben had to hang out in the workout room in the AC since Jodi can not be around babies right now.  After we caught up with Alix...I went to play with Ben :)

I'm Loving... that Jodi's friends Kimberly and Ryan (Ryan is from Greenwood and moved to Houston) invited us to stay with them so we didn't have to worry about hotels!  That was huge help! 

Their house!

I'm Loving...hanging around Houston and the apartment with my family!!

Just a few of the many hospitals in Houston!

Love these water features!

My parents and Jodi's favorite spot in Houston

My mom and Tommie relaxing

Look at all those flavors of popcorn! I got puppy chow, mom got loaded baked potato, Jodi had garlic Parmesan and Tommie and Dill pickle

Jodi driving us to give platelets...her first time to drive in 7 weeks!!

Only Mom and Dad were able to give..Tommie and I were rejected.  My iron was too low so I need to start taking iron pills so I can donate when I get there later this summer!!

Tommie feel asleep like this for a while! 

I'm Loving...Jodi is a Rockstar T-shirts.  We have sold around 300 of these and she wants everyone to take a picture wearing them so she can make something out of it one day...here are the "Olivers!"

I'm Loving...that I was writing the post Jodi called and said I was a perfect match for a bone marrow transplant! You have no idea how happy that makes me.  I have been stressing about this...even though I knew I had zero control! I would have felt horrible if I didn't match! We should know tomorrow what the next steps are...once insurance gets everything squared away I will know when I go back to Texas!