Looking toward the finish line

We're getting there. Slowly but surely. "These things take time," I'm told. And although I struggle with patience, I can see that the time and effort being but into remodeling our beautiful, old home will eventually pay off. Eventually.....

Aussie loves riding over to the "new old house." 

The old garage came down. And with it, a lovely rat habitat. 

The new, detached garage. 

"The addition." The family room is the area with the fireplace. The small, attached garage is to the right.

Looking forward to....that doggie door. I am certain I will like the dog more with that addition.
The nickel board begins at the entry and wraps all the way around to the butler's pantry. Love it.

Thanks to nephew, Josh, at European Marble and Granite, we have some fabulous new countertops.  Jeff-the-builder had his carpenter, James, cover them and make sure nobody put anything on the counters. James took his responsibility very seriously. 

I love the arched entry from the garage entrance.  James, you rule!

Not loving the dust. And it's not just a little bit. Do you think it will ever be completely clean again?

Apparently, Pat and Jodi came by to have a look when we weren't there and decided to leave a little graffiti.  I can't blame them. It's like a magnet for self-expression.

Sharing sushi with my favorites

That title might be a little misleading.  Seeing as how Jodi  someone in our group doesn't like to share. Her sushi as least. But I'm willing to overlook that tiny issue because I really, really like being with these people. Kelli and Brandt drove up from their new residence in California to support Jodi and Pat at their sealing and so we took full advantage of the few days that we had everyone in the same vicinity. Happy Sumo and Bear Country Cookies are a given. Non-stop chatter and laughter is a given. Feeling sick from overeating is a given. Jordan being out of town is almost a given. Pat making us all look like midgets is a given.  A heart full of gratitude that I get to call these people family--is a given.

L to R: Pat, Jodi, Erick, me, Kelli, Brandt

Rain, rain....

I woke up to rain again today. I'm not complaining. But please don't tell Christian that. Any day we have remotely warm weather and/or sunshine and it's his turn to pray he consistently prays; "thank you for this amazing weather we are having and please bless that we will have more of it." It make me smile. He gets cabin fever easily. He loves to be outside. And he is truly grateful when the weather allows him to be there.

Spring is notoriously fickle in Utah. One minute you've got the seat warmers on in the car, the next you are blasting the air-conditioning. Both boys play spring sports. Tennis and soccer. As a player or spectator the weather can be a hazard. Gabe played his game Saturday wet and cold. I opted out of cheering from the sidelines and instead had a pretty good view from the car. In case they couldn't hear me cheer when they scored, I honked instead.

Do you see that grin? Not only did he not complain about the weather, he loved it! Said it was "waaay fun". He even did a mud slide in his white shorts. Of course that makes you look like the more serious player.

I can't get enough of this kid. I will cheer for him here or there. I will cheer for him anywhere. (As long as I can watch from the car.)

Sealed:

v. to assure, confirm, or bind with or as if with a seal:

Saturday, Jodi and Pat were sealed together forever in the Bountiful Temple. It was their day and so I wont presume to know all that it meant to them. But it was a beautiful reminder to me of the promises and covenants that I've made and the amazing man that I made them with.

I can not begin to explain how happy it makes me to see her happy. I have a sneaking suspicion that this man by her side (forever) has a lot to do with that.
Jodi and Pat's crew...there is even one missing here. As I've said before, Jodi's life is not easier or less complicated but it is happier and more fulfilling. And is that not what life is all about?It is good to know people...Jodi and Pat's friend, Ryan, is the amazing photographer that took these photos. Check him out at innovativephotography.net/blog

On Hope and Hurricanes. (Part II)

The tree of life: JK. That was my own interpretation

DISCLAIMER: looong post. Feel free to skip.

This particular post has been a little harder for me to eek out. I'm not really the "sharing" type. (Which is ironic because I do a great deal of sharing in this post). But I do want to use this forum as an opportunity to publicly thank and acknowledge the many people that have offered their love and support from the very beginning of this journey. In fact, I really hoped the treatment I underwent in Mexico would be successful so that all of these amazing people could have a "reward" for their diligent hope and prayers in my behalf. I didn't want to disappoint them.

The doctors in Mexico (one Mexican and one American) were very forthcoming. They never promised me anything (other than their complete attention) but it was obvious that they were very hopeful. Like a hungry beggar with outstretched hands, I felt a thrill when any morsel of hope was tossed my way. It felt like sweet nourishment to both body and spirit.

I was so excited for the prospects ahead that when all of Cancun began to shut down in anticipation of an impending hurricane (Level 3 to start), I was barely phased. That was not the case for the rest of the city, however. Previous experience with extensive hurricane damage had obviously breathed the fear of the "worst case scenario" into all of them. Shops emptied out their stores of all merchandise (to avoid the possibility of looting), taped up the windows to offer support and aid in damage control. Red flags whipped in the wind on all the beaches which were void of any beach chairs or signs of life. Restaurants and grocery stores shut down (hello food storage) and the hotel sent notice that we were to leave all of the balcony furniture inside the rooms, pack our bags and put them in the tub, and then remain in the room away from the windows.

Even as the storm continued to get closer, I would meet my little taxi driver out front of the hotel every morning, drive to the clinic and spend a couple of hours there doing the next "step" in preparation for the stem cell extraction and infusion. Driving to the clinic on the day of the procedure there was an almost palpable air of fear and anxiety. Under normal circumstances, the procedure is performed in the closest hospital. They had just received word that all of the hospitals were cutting off their electricity and would not be accepting any "non-emergency" patients. So the clinic it was. I will spare you the details but to say that there were many failed attempts to start an IV (no surprises there...the U of U hospital had to use an ultrasound machine and even then it took 7 different tries) and sucking the bone marrow from your tibia feels like your toes are being pulled inside out back through your leg.

After, Jordan and I rented a car and drove to Tulum to tour other Mayan ruins. The whole afternoon I was doing a constant internal check- "Do I feel any different?" "Can I move my mouth more?" "Can I whistle?" "Hold Jordan's hand?" "Can I breath easier?" "Sit Indian style?" "Touch my toes?" (Oh wait..I couldn't do that even before scleroderma..)

But no. Nothing. The real kicker was when everybody else started asking. Jordan. Then the doctor. Then the doctor called again. And again. And I all had to show for it was a migrain.

But it was okay. I had always felt like it would be a process. As much as I would have liked, I was pretty certain that results would not be seen overnight.

In the meantime the level 3 hurricane was downgraded to a tropical storm. "What a bunch of sissies, I thought." Then the storm hit. And I was the sissy. Holy cow! As the storm gained speed we tried to find food at a make-shift diner in the basement of the hotel. The sideways pelting rain and 90 mph winds made the slick sidewalk impossible to walk on in a straight line. I honestly thought we were going to be blown into a neighboring country. I was scared. But hungry. And hunger always wins out for me. So we persevered into what felt like an upscale refugee camp for the hungry, disappointed land-locked vacationeers. I was glad we had another reason for being there than vacationing. It would have been much more heartbreaking, I think. After all..I still had hope.

I was able to maintain that great hope and composure until my last follow-up visit at the clinic. It was then that it became very obvious to me that both doctors had expected much more. Both were trying hard to hide their surprise and discouragement. I was crushed. The "process" that I expected was not what they expected.

We flew home to loving friends and family who all wanted to know how I "felt." What I really heard them say was, "are you healed?" I began to think a lot about that word. What exactly would it mean for me to be "healed?" What about hope? Is there finally a point where you relinquish hope and insert acceptance? Maybe I was to that point? Maybe I needed to just accept and move on?

And then Catherine asked me to share my thoughts on pain and the atonement for her Relief Society lesson that Sunday. It was a tall task. What could I possibly share that would be anything that these women had not already experienced in their own lives and didn't already know? But, of course, as is so often the case when we are asked to serve or share, it wasn't for their learning and growth but for mine alone. In the process, I concluded that hope and acceptance do not have to be separate. I can continue to have hope and yet accept where I am today. After all, every single day, I continue to be healed.

This is what I shared that Sunday in Relief Society:

I recently returned from Cancun, Mexico where I underwent unconventional treatment for scleroderma-a rapidly progressing disease I was diagnosed with close to 7 years ago. During my stay at the clinic I was repeatedly asked to measure everything from my level of frustration performing certain tasks to the degree of pain I was experiencing by using a scale of 1-10. Though I understood why they chose to use that system of measurement, I couldn’t quite get past my distaste for it. It is just too subjective for me. My '6' could very likely be someone else’s '2' or my '4' today could be an '8' tomorrow. So when Catherine asked me to share a little about my experience with pain, I felt some discomfort sharing something that I know is very subjective-something that each of you have, do and will experience in your life.

For these past several years as you can imagine-or have maybe even experienced-I have tried everything form diet to detox, supplements to prescriptions, physical therapy to cranial therapy and medical treatments to medical experiments in search of healing from a disease that has no known cause and no known cure. Though none of my endeavors have been particularly successful, each has been important in providing momentary hope. Most days, however, I have felt like an innocent bystander watching from the sidelines as this disease slowly robs me of many aspects of my health that I only recently took very much for granted. With the continual hardening of my connective tissue and various internal organs, poor circulation and poor digestion, gone are the days of my early morning runs, being invited to join my sisters in running the Ragnar, whipping my hair into a ponytail, being oblivious to what I eat or where the nearest public restroom is, and getting an uninterrupted nights sleep. The pain and discomfort is very real for me, but on a scale of 1-10, the physical pain ranks lower in comparison to the frustration and grief I have felt over the loss of the seemingly “little things.” Holding the hand of a loved one, not being able to accompany my family when they ski or sled, putting on tights with my skirts, having to be just a bystander for most previously enjoyed activities, feeling helpful, cutting my own meat, tying a bow, being recognized or feeling good about how I look and kissing my cute husband.

There have been more days than I would like to admit where my impatience with my limitations or discomfort has translated to impatience with my sweet, unsuspecting family. Or where I have uttered those very ungrateful words, “why me?” Days where I shuffled around feeling sorry for myself and countless moments of jagged crying in the car or the shower pleading with the Lord to just “take it all away.”

But along the way I have known-truly known-that through the Savior’s infinite atonement, I can be healed. I have prayed for, fasted for, and hoped for that healing. And it is through that same gift that I have experienced much healing. I know that the Savior chose to experience all of my pains-of every variety-through His own physical experience and not just spiritual revelation. He has taken my self pity and healed it with gratitude, my disease-provoked insecurities and healed them with confidence in new areas and a profoundly increased confidence in Him, He has taken moments of discouragement and healed them with hope. And the real, physical pain-He has healed that too. I have cast that burden at His feet countless times and have been given the strength and the desire to push through and accomplish and even be fully present for more than I would have even without it. I have become very aquatinted with "grace."

His intimate knowledge and awareness of my feelings of isolation, fear, and loneliness have allowed Him to cover me on both sides of the veil with friends and family that have filled me to overflowing with love and support.

So, on a scale of 1-10, how much do I dislike this disease?

And on a scale of 1-10, how willing would I be to give up the lessons learned and the opportunity to come to know my Savior more fully and feel of his love and healing power more completely? I wouldn't.

And to scleroderma, for that, I am eternally grateful.

Tulum

I maybe got a little carried away with all my new camera apps on my phone...

We took a boat tour across this bay. By the time we returned it was pouring rain and the boat pitched and rocked in the waves. I have a small problem with sea sickness on a calm ocean. Read: misery.

Not a soul in sight. If Jordan had hair you would see it whipping in the killer wind. (On the phone again)

Preparing for the "hurricane." The day before this place with filled with merchandise and people.

Dr. Abblitt (standing) and Dr. Kadish

My cab driver(bottom right-loved him but can't remember his name), the lab tech (with the lab coat), and the office manager (Rudy).

Someone in Mexico knew my name (Part I)

(...besides this big mouth....)

Hailee came down the stairs directing me to look at her laptop screen and declared she had found it. "It" referred to a stem cell clinic in Cancun, Mexico with the prominent testimonial being that of a scleroderma patient. I hadn't really realized she had been searching for "it," and so I was surprised and maybe even a little humbled that she had taken it upon herself to research in my behalf. Motivated by my frustration that this disease that had so rudely invaded my body over 6 years ago was still progressing and that my doctors could give me no real hope for improvement or cessation, I decided to follow up. I sent two separate emails but got no response. Disappointed but not surprised, I told Hailee it appeared to be another dead end. A day later I received a response email from the World Stem Cell clinic with the reply,

Dear Hailee,

I would be happy to call and speak to you today. Please let me know what times are optimal for you and or your mom.

Where did you find the e-mail address, for news ? We have never used that e-mail to the best of my knowledge and I apologize as I never received your request.

Thanks for your perseverance and look forward to our conversation.

In Health,"

Apparently my daughter was not willing to accept my "dead end" response and had done some emailing of her own. Bless her heart.

That was in August. At the end of October we found ourselves traveling to Cancun so I could receive stem cell therapy targeted at treating scleroderma. Everything had just seemed to fall into place. It all felt so divinely orchestrated that I was filled with hope for the outcome. (The result for the other scleroderma patient had been nothing short of miraculous). The night before we left, Jordan came across a link for a new scleroderma study being conducted in the US. He wondered if we were maybe approaching this from the wrong direction. Suddenly, I was filled with doubts and fears. I had no idea what to expect. All I knew was that we had promised the boys a little prelim vacation before I started treatment. There was no way we were not going. We got on the plane at midnight with so many thoughts gripping my brain. I recorded some of them in my journal....

It was 1:30 in the morning, I was on my way to Cancun, Mexico for controversial medical treatment for scleroderma-a disease I 'd battled for almost 6 years, and my only fear now was that there was no stem cell clinic in Mexico and we were victims of some cruel scheme. Jordan had had an interesting experience earlier that day trying to transfer the money to the clinic. A seed of doubt had been planted. The more excited and comfortable I became about the actual treatment, the more nervous I was that it wasn't real. I began to go over every conversation and email I'd shared with the doctor affiliated with the clinic, questioning some things and feeling assured by others. I was told that all I had to do was to go on line, create my own account with the clinic's web page, enter my flight and hotel information, and somebody would be at the airport to pick us up. I told myself that if we got to Cancun and there was no one there, we would know that we had been scammed. I prayed a good portion of that night that somebody would be waiting for us.
After a miserable,sleepless, painful night, and a long lay-over in Atlanta, we arrived at our destination. The boys had been troopers but I knew that the night had been rough for them as well. Jordan is a seasoned traveler and was the only one that looked somewhat rested, but each of us was anxious to get to our hotel. After passing through customs and then immigration we moved through a set of doors to an area filled with people holding signs with names of their appointed passengers. None held my name. We moved through another set of doors to an area filled with time-share salesmen and saleswomen and-gratefully-none there held my name either. Now outside, we were met with another group of drivers with signs. I scanned the crowd but even before seeing a sign, I heard someone shout, "Lori!" Do you remember the end of the movie, "The Testaments" when the Savior searches Helam out of the crowd and acknowledges him with his name? How sweet it was to hear the sound of my name and to see two men, one holding a clipboard with "Lori Radman," printed in big block letters. In the van, we were offered juices and water and Rudy welcomed us to Cancun. Assuring me that the hardest part of our stay here-the flight-was now over. He waited until we were checked in to the hotel, translating when he felt it was necessary, and then left us with a folder full of brochures and pamphlets on the clinic, and tourist attractions, and a cell phone with his number, and the clinic's doctors entered into speed dial.
We spent the rest of the day exploring the mall across from our hotel, eating tacos, trying to find me a swimsuit (who forgets to pack a swimsuit for the beach in Mexico?), visiting the aquarium to see the dolphin show. The weather was overcast and chilly, but we were in Cancun, my boys were with me and giddy with enthusiasm, I had an opportunity for healing on the horizon. Friends and family had offered prayers and love in my behalf, and someone in Mexico knew my name.

I captured the trip with my trusty iphone..

K-nex at the shopping center across from the hotel.

Jordan signed them all up to "swim with the dolphins." I'm pretty sure he was able to run home after and cross that off his bucket list.

We visited Chichen Itza with Helaman from Helaman tours. Honestly the highlight of the whole trip.

Gabe is a history buff. He kept following our guide around asking him questions. He recited a lot of Mayan history the rest of the trip.

Christian grew a tree out of his head. You can also make out the head of a snake- Kukulkan -at the base of the stairs. The body runs alongside.

This is another natural wonder: a floral arrangement made from fruits.

The tour ended with a trip to a cenote-a natural well. It was unbelievably beautiful.

Actually the tour ended with this...

Another day, another quesadilla and mexican coke. Can't beat it.

As the boys prepared to leave, the weather prepared to surprise us.

The day before I started treatment, I put my boys on a plane back home-by themselves. With a layover. I was questioning my sanity and mothering instincts. Jordan assured me they would be "fine." And they were.

I prepared for the unknown the following day. Jordan assured me everything would be "fine..." And it was.