Home Sweet Home

Saturday October 28, 2017- Monday October 30, 2017
Well we don't have much of an update. We left Rochester on Saturday morning and headed to Minneapolis to fly home. Brianna and Watson slept on the drive up. The flight was about 30 minutes late but overall everything went well. All three of us slept the entire flight. When we arrived in Dallas it took about an hour to get all of our gear and get to the truck due to some mix ups. Once we were finally at the truck we had about a 3 hour drive until we were home. After driving for about 30 minutes we decided to stop and get some dinner which put us that much further behind. By the time we were on the road again, it looked like we would get home around 11 pm and indeed we did. It felt so good to be home again. I carefully took Watson inside and changed him and laid him down. His eyes opened, he looked around and smiled as if he knew exactly where he was....Home. It is always a peaceful feeling being home and knowing you are where you are comfortable. It truly is an amazing feeling. When we arrived home, we had a wonderful surprise waiting for us. Our friends Justin and Molly and Derek and Camila had come to our home and decorated with food, notes and encouragement. It was wonderful and we were reminded yet again, that we are not alone and we are loved.

We received some news today that Brianna has Anaplastic Astrocytoma Grade 3. This is a pretty rare and strong brain cancer but we believe she can beat it. She will begin treatment in the next few weeks. She will begin with radiation followed by chemotherapy. We will begin to make appointments with oncologist this week and get things going so we can get ahead of this. We feel your prayers and your strength and we thank you continuously. We know that there is a purpose for everything and we continue to put our trust and faith in God. As we continually put our trust in God, we continue to feel strengthened through this.

Our friend Sadie started a funding page for us. We aren't asking any of you to donate unless you feel a desire. We feel that anything helps whether it be financial or prayers because it all helps us at this time. Our hope is that we continue to keep the faith and we hope that we will continue to learn from each of you as we continue through this journey. Whatever happens, we hope no one feels obligated to donate.

https://www.youcaring.com/briannaunbornbabyboy-994138

On Monday (today), my dad and I scheduled Brianna's appointments for Wednesday morning. Hopefully from there we will have a better understanding of the plan moving forward. She will be meeting with Dr. Goble the Radiation Oncologist. Hopefully we will be able to create a treatment plan and understand what the plan is for Brianna. Although we have some difficult mountains to climb in front of us, we feel hopeful and excited to move forward.

Mayo Clinic-Day 10 and 11 (An Almost Diagnosis)

Mayo Clinic-Day 10 (Thursday October 26, 2017)
I woke up to a text from my beautiful bride. It was nice to hear from her because she was mostly out of it yesterday. She and I texted for a while and then spoke on the phone. She said she was feeling a lot better. She wanted to know how long it would be until I came to see her. Watson and I started getting ready and got the grandparents up and going. It wasn't until 8:30 am when we got to the hospital. For simplicity sake, we left Watson at the hotel with Grandma and Grandpa Geddie. When we arrived, Brianna seemed very excited to see us and she just lit up the room. Brianna told us that Dr. Meyer had already been around to see her and let her know that she would be discharged that morning. Dr. Meyer also told her whether the results from the biopsy came back good, great and if not, she could beat this. He also let her know that if she ever needed anything, she could reach out to him for support. I was again reminded of the great compassion that people have and how the Lord cares for His children in His way, although we may not always recognize it. Often physicians state that patients will be discharged in the morning but it isn't until 3 or 4 pm by the time the patient is discharged. That was what I was expecting, but by 10 am Brianna was walking out the doors with us to return to the hotel. The rest of the day wasn't too eventful as Brianna simply rested most of the afternoon. We went to a Chinese buffet for dinner which was pretty good although it depends on whom you ask. After dinner we put Watson down for bed and went to play some games with our parents. We played the games we played the other night and it was SO much fun. I have never seen our parents laugh so much at one time. It was a true blessing to be with family and feel of their love. My parents fly home tomorrow so they did some light packing. We also have a couple appointments scheduled for the morning so we will be back at the clinic tomorrow.

Mayo Clinic-Day 11 (Thursday October 27, 2017) "An Almost Diagnosis"
We awake a little anxious today as we are still awaiting biopsy results. We spent some tie with Watson in the room before heading down to breakfast. Our first appointment was at 8:15 am and we had a bit to do before heading out. Oh I forgot to mention, we woke up to snow. It was pretty chilly today and the snow was coming down which slowed us down a bit. I helped my parents finish packing and packed up the car as they would leave following our first appointment. With everyone all covered up, we headed out to the clinic. The snow was coming down fast and it felt like we were in Idaho again (where Brianna and I went to school). It took forever to get into the parking garage. We ended up dropping Brianna and moms off so they could head to the appointment while the boys went to park. We got up to the 8th floor and the girls were already back in the room. It wasn't too long after we joined them that the doctor came in the room. We met with Dr. Joon Uhm a Neuro Oncologist. He first explained that we were still awaiting biopsy results but it was important to meet with him. He stated that several colleagues had discussed Brianna case over the last few weeks and were convinced that Brianna had a Glioma. The biopsy results were not in yet but the pathologist had done a frozen sample and at first glance, the biopsy looked like a glioma. There are still many test that needed to be completed in order to have a true understanding of what is going on. He informed us that he feels that this is at least a stage 3 glioma (brain tumor or brain cancer). First, there are some final test that need to be completed but the doctor felt certain that it would be at least stage three but he informed us that staging really doesn't determine the tumor anymore, the genetics do so we still await those results. Second, brain cancer does not normally travel to the rest of the body so that is good. Third, Brianna is young so the brain is not as good of soil at her young age so that may be a pro for her. Now, I know the next question. What about the baby? Well this will truly depend on what the biopsy results come back to tell us. We should know by the end of next week for sure. I say almost diagnosis because we are simply awaiting to know if this is a stage 3 or stage 4 tumor. Moving forward, Brianna will begin radiation therapy in two weeks which is only to allow her surgery site time to heal. She will begin radiation and have 5-6 weeks of treatment. She will then have 4-5 weeks for recovery and then she will begin chemotherapy. There are a lot of details that we still don't know and this plan may change if the results come back as stage 4 because we will need to be a little more aggressive. Again, what does that mean for baby. Dr. Uhm assured us that radiation was almost completely safe for the baby and there should be no affects from radiation. This is good news because that allows the baby to stay in the womb for at least another 10-12 weeks. By then Brianna will be 32-34 weeks and labor can be induced prior to Chemotherapy. This was a big sigh of relief as this will give baby Geddie that much more of a healthy chance. We were informed to start setting things up now even though we don't have results, so the team can be ready as soon as we have the information. We will begin appointments back in College Station as soon as we return. Dr. Uhm answered all of our questions that he could at the time and informed us that he would call once he had more results.

Following the appointment with Dr. Uhm, my parents headed to the airport and we went to go give thanks to Dr. Flanagan for all that he did for us. We really have been taken care of here at the Mayo Clinic and it has mostly been due to Dr. Flanagan. We have been so blessed being under his care and I am thankful that we have had the opportunity to work with him. After our goodbyes we headed back to the hotel. We ate lunch and then we all took naps which were very much needed. Brianna and I packed after our nap while Grandma and Grandpa Turner watched Watson for us. We went to dinner at a pizza buffet and then came back to put Watson down for bed. We then went and played games with Kim and Terry. We all fly back home tomorrow. Although we are flying home with heavy hearts, it has been nice to obtain a diagnosis and be here at the Mayo Clinic. We are so thankful that we came to obtain information so quickly and because of that we can start treatment right away. We will never be able to thank each one of you for your love and support especially moving forward. We recognize this may not have been our hope and prayers but what we do know is that Heavenly Father loves us and sometimes He answers prayers in ways we do not understand. We will continue to pray and we will continue to have hope. We know that our family is forever and that is worth fighting for. I know that Brianna has a lot of fight in her and she is going to beat this. Please if you have any questions or just need to talk, please each out to us. We want you to know that although we may be scared at times, we know we can overcome this. Brianna is the strongest woman that I know. She truly has a heart of gold and she appreciates each one of you as do I. We are going to need help from family and friends moving forward but we know we will be taken care of.

We head home tomorrow and are excited to be in our own home and cope with our emotions back at home. Although Brianna may have been "almost" diagnosed with Brain Cancer, we will beat this. Thank you again for all your love and support and we promise to continue to keep you updated as we gain information. A wise friend once told us that "this disease does not define Brianna. She is still beautiful and she is still Brianna. Brianna can beat this". We hold our heads high and ask you to do the same. May each of us find the strength to find ways to serve others who are in need and we promise to do the same.

Mayo Clinic-Day 9

Mayo Clinic-Day 9 (Wednesday October 25, 2017)

We rolled out of bed around 4:30 am even though I had been awake since 4 am. Brianna needed to do her special shower wash so that was the first thing that needed to be done. After showers, we got dressed for the day and got everything that we needed for the day. I told Brianna to pack a light bag to have when the surgery was over. We left the hotel around 5:30 am to get to the hospital on time. It was a quiet ride as we were both very tired as well as a little nervous for the day to begin. Upon arrival we headed inside to the receptionist. There had to have been at least 100 people there in the lobby waiting area prepping for surgery. I have never seen anything like it. We checked Brianna in and were informed that a private room would cost a little extra which I was more than happy paying as we have so much family here. We were told to go and sit down and someone would be with us shortly to take us back. 

After a few minutes we were called to go to the next stage of the process. We walked down the hallway and up an elevator to the Surgery Prep Prep area. I say Surgery Prep Prep area because this was all the paperwork and vitals and what not that needed to be completed prior to Surgery Prep. Brianna changed into her gown and put all of her clothes in the bag she brought. Soon after a Chaplain came and asked us if we were doing okay and if we needed any spiritual care they could come and tend to us. We thanked him for coming and let him know we didn't need anything at that time. As he was leaving, a pharmacist entered the room to verify medications. As Brianna really isn't taking anything except her prenatal vitamin, that visit was pretty short. Then two nurses came in to take Brianna's vitals and ask her some post procedural questions like how she will manage getting around after the procedure. During that time the surgeons assistant came and answered any remaining questions as well as reviewed Brianna's head and initialed where the surgery would be performed. I was then taken on a short tour of where I could stay, what the process would be for updating me as well as what to do if I decided to step out. I was informed that there would be a case nurse who would call me or talk to me when the surgery actually started and when it was finished. That really brought some peace knowing that I would be continually updated. When I returned the nurses finished up and it was time for Brianna to head back to Pre Surgery. This was the point that we had to separate as I was not allowed back in the Operating Room (OR). I kissed my sweet wife and told her that everything would be okay. I let her know that it would be like a dream for her and it would be over shortly. I told her that I loved her and that I would see her soon. She smiled and told me to get some rest which we all knew wasn't going to actually happen. I watched as they wheeled her down the hall to prep for the next steps. 

I then went to the waiting room and wrote Mayo Clinic-Day 7. I knew I was behind so I was attempting to catch up. Both sets of parents were now texting me and making sure I was doing okay as well as wanting to know if I was coming back to the hotel. I told them I did want to go eat as well as see Watson but I wanted to finish my blog. I was told to do whatever brought me peace. I finished writing the blog around 7:30 am and headed back to the hotel. I was told that Brianna would only being Pre Op for an hour and then would be in surgery but I had not received a call yet. I figured they had just forgotten to call. Not thinking too much about it, I ate breakfast with my family and just relaxed for a bit. I started with Watson, Kim and Terry and they shortly went to their room to prep Watson for the day. I then ate with my Dad and shortly after my Mom joined us. We watched some Rhett and Link (silly YouTube channel called Good Mythical More look it up) which allowed us to laugh and just breathe. As we were walking back upstairs, I received a phone call at 9:24 am that Brianna was just now going into surgery. I was amazed that it took that long but was glad to hear things were moving along smoothly. My mom wanted to go to a store so I gathered everybody so we could go to Shopko as we attempted to burn some time. We shopped at Shopko for about an hour and then I had another phone call stating that the procedure was completed and that they were sewing Brianna back up. At that point we knew we could head back to the hospital. 

We were told to go to the 8th floor and wait in the family waiting area. On our way to the Hospital, Watson fell asleep. After parking, I carefully picked up and he stayed asleep as I carried him through the halls. At one point there were two people pushing loud carts and they even stopped to let me walk by as Watson was sleeping. I thought that was very nice. We arrived at the family waiting area and I continued to hold Watson as he slept. After about 5-10 minutes our name was called to go downstairs to speak with Dr. Meyer regarding the biopsy and how everything went. We were put in another waiting area for another 5 minutes. We then were called to another room where Dr. Meyer would come talk with us. As we got into that room, Watson woke up. The 5 adults in the room attempted to entertain Watson to the best of our ability. Shortly after entering the room Dr. Meyer came to speak with us. He let us know that Brianna had done wonderfully and that there had been no complications. He stated that there was not bleeding and he was able to extract 5 tissue samples which will allow them to get the testing that they need to perform. He informed us that it could be a few days before there are any results and asked when we had planned on traveling home. I informed him that I had hoped to fly home Saturday. He felt that would be a little soon or results but set up a couple of appointments on Friday for us anyway. I then received a phone call from the nurse for Brianna letting us know that Brianna was in her room, awake and asking for us. Dr. Meyer didn't want us to keep her waiting and let us know that he would keep us updated as he received any news. We headed up to see Brianna as a family.

As we arrived, Brianna looked very groggy and very sleepy. She said she was feeling a little nauseous but overall was feeling good. She didn't feel any point at all which I was happy about. She had a bandage on her head and it made her look like the Pope. We each took some time talking to her and rotating through. At one point Watson was getting to be too much and Terry decided to take him for a walk. I was informed later that while they were out there, Watson ran into an elevator and Grandpa Turner ran to get him out but couldn't get in the elevator fast enough. However, he was able to get his arm in there before the doors shut but apparently that didn't allow them to open. He was stuck there with his arm between the doors and Watson terrified in the elevator with no one else there with him. Some nurses came and helped open the door for Terry and he was able to get Watson out. During this time I was in the room talking with Brianna. She let me know that the Anesthesiologist had taken really good care of her which made me feel really good. She said that he held her hand has she was falling asleep and told her that everything would be okay. He continually monitored the baby and kept him safe. The baby is doing fine :) She and I talked quietly for a little bit and then I let her know we were going to eat lunch while she took a nap. 

We headed down to the cafeteria and grabbed a bite to eat. Some of the food was similar to the clinic however some was different which allowed us to get a different taste for some food. It was nice just sitting together eating lunch and just having good conversations. We discussed what consults would be needed moving forward and what the plan of action would be as well as other topics. After a while, Watson no longer wanted to sit in his high chair. I looked out the window and noticed a very large courtyard and better yet there really wasn't anywhere to go once you were in there. I decided to take him out there and just spend a little time with him there. He seemed to really enjoy running around outside and I could tell it was allowing him to burn off some energy. After about 30 minutes we headed back inside and I asked my parents if they would be willing to take Watson for his nap again. They agreed that Brianna should have her parents there and they could take Watson. Kim had already gone back to visit with Brianna when Terry and I started heading hat way. I realized halfway up the elevator that I still had the diaper backpack so I called my parents and met them outside so they could have what they needed. I then headed back to see my beautiful bride. 

When I arrived she was still very sleepy and very groggy. I sat in a chair next to her and just held her hand. It felt so nice being so close to her. I then decided that I was going to take a nap and sat in the recliner. Realizing that my brain wasn't going to shut down so easily, I began writing Mayo Clinic Day 8. Brianna then needed to use the bathroom and everyone was asked to leave but she Okayed me staying. After she was settled back in her bed we spoke with the nurses for a bit. Brianna has two nurses today, Laura and Lauren. Lauren is a nurse who just graduated and Laura is her trainer. Both of them are very young and they were very nice to us. We talked about how different healthcare is and how well Brianna was recovering. Kim and Terry came back shortly after and just relaxed with us in the room. As Brianna was drifting off to sleep I decided to follow up with my Boos as to how things were going. Katie, my boss, has been very willing to work with me through all of this and it has been such a blessing to not have to worry about work these two weeks so I could focus on Brianna. I did however end up talking work with her and it was nice to see how things are moving along. I look forward to going back to work because I really do enjoy my job and what I do. As I was talking with Katie, Brianna pushed her nurse call button so I quickly got off the phone and tried to see what was going on. Brianna said that she was just feeling light headed and wanted to be rearranged. The nurse was glad to do so and wanted to know if Brianna needed to use the restroom. She informed the nurse that she needed to and we again were asked to leave. This time I left to get some water as well as use the restroom myself. 

Kim, Terry and I sat in a waiting area by the elevators and it was so nicely air conditioned which really meant it was time for a nap. I woke up and Kim and Terry were gone. I headed back to Brianna's room and there they were. Brianna was resting in the recliner. They had moved her there to prep for dinner but she didn't seem to want to hold any liquids down. I was told that she decided to throw everything she had been given up and that she just had been given some more meds to help with that. After the drugs were administered, Brianna just wanted to sleep. I called my parents and we arranged to have them come to the hospital and then we would go to dinner. Kim let me know that the nurses were talking with her about the Neurosurgeon Dr. Meyer. They informed Kim that it is very difficult to get on Dr. Meyer's as he is one of the best and is so busy. The nurses told us that we had gotten him. This was another prayer answered that Brianna would be given the best chance and that was another witness to me that God lives and he knows the needs of His children. 

We headed out to dinner and had several failed attempts of picking a location until we decided that Denny's was the place we would be eating. Watson seemed really tired but I could tell he was hungry. We spent some time in Denny's sharing stories and just enjoying our time together. Following dinner, I had a very difficult decision to make. I had to decide who needed me more, Watson or Brianna. I ended up choosing to go back to the hotel with Watson as I could tell he needed me to be with him as it had been a long day. I decided that he needed to be comforted by at least one of his parents tonight. When we got back, I gave Watson a bath which he seemed to really enjoy; I then got him ready for bed and read him some stories. I put him down and he fell asleep within 10 minutes. Considering he is in a pack n play and in a faraway place that seemed really fast. I then started writing this blog. I was really missing Brianna so I decided to text her. She just back with me and said she was starting to feel better but they had just given her some more medication and she was still very sleepy. She wanted me to share her love and convey how grateful she is for each one of you. I told her that I chose to be with Watson tonight and she confirmed that I had made the best decision. 

All in all, today was a good day because Brianna and the baby were healthy and protected during the procedure. The biopsy went well and we will have results soon. Trust me; we are just as eager to get results as you are. We are planning on going and visiting Brianna first thin in the morning following breakfast. We are hoping she is feeling a lot better in the morning. We cannot thank you enough for the prayers on behalf of our family and for Brianna and the baby's safety. We know that today many prayers were heard and answered. We continue trust in the Lord with all of our heart and we encourage you to do the same. I know that God loves us and that He has His hand involved with this. I know that we can overcome all things and I know that through Him we can find peace. May each of us find peace to our souls this night. 

I am falling asleep as I write this but I knew people wanted to know how things went today. We love you and we thank you for all you do for us and on our behalf. May we each be unified during this time and may we each draw closer to our Heavenly Father. Until Tomorrow...

Mayo Clinic-Day 8

Mayo Clinic-Day 8 (Tuesday October 24, 2017)
I have decided that sleeping in doesn't happen in Rochester, MN. Our first appointment today wasn't scheduled until 9:35 am. Our son, however, decided to wake up at 5 am. I attempted to get him to go back to sleep for about an hour and then just gave up. I brought him over to the bed so he could just be close to Mommy and Daddy. He stayed there with us for about 30 mins. After that we decided to go ahead and start getting ready for the day. Watson hadn't showered last night so we decided that he needed one too. We gave him a bath and he just seemed a bit off. It was almost as though he had forgotten that we were his parents. After we all showered, Watson started to act more like himself which was nice for us because we were worried he no longer liked us! About this time, we could tell that Watson was getting hungry so we started rounding together all the family to head downstairs to eat. We all ate breakfast together which was a lot of fun. Watson ate a TON of food. Again, it was nice being surrounded by family and to feel of their love.

Following breakfast we headed to the Mayo Clinic for Brianna's MRI. This was her third MRI since we have gotten here. This MRI was necessary for the Biopsy for tomorrow. They are taking images of the path they should take in order to have the most success. They do this by placing markers on Brianna's head and that allows them to align everything up. While Brianna was getting her MRI, the rest of the family attempted to relax in the waiting room. I say attempted to relax because Watson cannot sit still. This is a quality that I have a love/hate relationship with. I love that he has a lot of energy and has so much joy but I also have a hard time with the fact that he can never stay still. Grandpa Turner took him for a little walk to keep him occupied for a bit and then I took him for a walk and then Grandma Turner let him watch Moana for a little while, then Grandpa Geddie let him play with his phone. It really is true when people say it takes a village to raise a child and I am glad that both grandparents were there to help me take care of him. I was grateful that we had not brought him by ourselves because that would have been pretty difficult. Eventually Brianna came out of the MRI and we headed to have some lunch.

Lunch was busy as always except this time we had a lot more people to help figure out what they wanted. While we were in line Grandma and Grandpa Turner took Watson for a diaper change as well as some time to release some energy. Grandma Turner let us know that they saw a violinist and pianist and Watson just stared in awe which was funny to hear as he doesn't tend to sit still! We ate a good amount of food and enjoyed our lunch conversation. I then asked Grandma and Grandpa Geddie to take Watson back to the hotel for his nap and they were happy to do so. Grandpa Geddie informed me later that he took a nap in our room while Watson was in the pack n play which I am certain he enjoyed.

Terry, Kim, Brianna and I headed up to the Neurosurgeons floor following lunch. We had an appointment with Dr. Meyer the Neurosurgeon to discuss the biopsy for tomorrow. We checked in and then were almost immediately called back. We waited for an hour for Dr. Meyer to come in although it felt much longer than that. Dr. Meyer came in and reexplained that surgery could not be done to take out this Tumor as it was too deep in the brain and he would do more damage than good if he tried to remove anything. He explained the risk of the biopsy to both Brianna and the baby and explained that they were very low and that we had a great team for tomorrow. He went over the scans and reminded us where the biopsy would be taken from out of he brain. His nurse then went over the logistics for what time the surgery would be scheduled for, where it was, what she could or could not eat prior to surgery (she had to fast 8 hours prior to surgery) and so forth. The biopsy was scheduled for 6 am tomorrow morning. That means we have to leave the hotel by 5:30 am to get there on time for check in. Brianna was also given some special soap to prep tonight and tomorrow morning for the surgery as well as being informed that she couldn't get her hair wet due to the markers from the MRI. After all of our questions were answered, we were instructed to head to the business office to verify that everything was all set financially for tomorrows visit. We headed down stairs and were informed that everything was all set and that we were good to go.

At this point, we had nothing left to do at the clinic so we headed back to the hotel. When we arrived, Watson had just woken up. Brianna was pretty exhausted so she wanted to take a nap. She went to the room and did so after asking her parents to watch Watson for us. I knew we needed some things from the store as did my parents so I went along with them to Walmart. I mostly needed some diapers for Watson but also wanted some time to myself to not have to make any real decisions or have to think too much. I felt pretty overwhelmed at the moment and just needed a small break. While at Walmart, I found a Nintendo Switch and just played the Demo game for a few minutes to kind of unwind. As simple as that was, it helped me feel a lot better. It was nice spending some alone time with my parents. We were there for a while and then we headed back to the hotel. Brianna had just woken up when we arrived back and she was in the room talking with Kim. Watson and Terry joined shortly after. We decided that it was time to go to dinner and it was Brianna's choice as she wouldn't be eating much the next few days. Brianna decided on a local burger joint called Newts. The food was great and we had a lot of fun spending time together as a family.

Following dinner we came back to the hotel. We had decided that Watson shouldn't sleep in our room so he didn't have to wake up when we did so early in the morning. We asked Grandma and Grandpa Turner to keep him for the night as they don't get to see him as often. We put his pack n play in their room and got him ready for bed. Once he was down, the rest of us went to our room to play some games. My mother had gotten a few games including a fart machine game. It is very similar to UNO but when you play a card with numbers you hit the fart machine. If it farts, you are out. We had a blast playing that game and Terry ended up winning. We then decided to play UNO Dare, a new game we bought out here. Instead of drawing two or drawing four like in the regular UNO, you can choose to do a dare instead. Some of them are really funny and the game brought a lot of laughter which has been commonly called the best medicine. We played a couple of rounds and then decided it was time for bed. Again, we were reminded of the precious gift it is to be in such a loving family. We truly have been blessed with goodly parents and we couldn't' be any happier.

Tomorrow is going to be a long day but we trust in the Lord with all of our hearts. We belie in continued revelation, especially through prophets. We believe that Joseph Smith was called to be a prophet and as such was able to receive revelation. One revelation that he received was "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart. Doubt not. Fear not." Although tomorrow may be a long day, we are putting our trust in the Lord. We know that it is through Him that we can conquer our fears and truly feel peace. Brianna and I know that we can overcome the trials of this world because of our Savior Jesus Christ and because of our Saviors Atoning sacrifice. We know that we will find peace throughout these difficult times as well as we know that our family is forever. This knowledge continues to bring us peace. We also feel of your love and prayers and cannot thank you enough. Tomorrow will be the first step in deciding what is really going on with Brianna and we are grateful that we have this opportunity to find out so quickly. Thank you again for all of your continued support. Until tomorrow...

Mayo Clinic-Day 7 (Surprise #2)

Mayo Clinic-Day 7 (Monday October 23, 2017)
Once again we had to wake up early. We had to meet with Dr. Flanagan at 7:15 am thus we were up at 5:30 am to have time to shower and eat. Breakfast was nice today as we didn't have to eat alone. We ate breakfast with Kim and Terry. Terry agreed that the Biscuits and Gravy were very good. :) Following breakfast, we headed over to the Mayo Clinic. We arrived not the Neurology floor, checked in and were almost immediately called back. Dr. Flanagan has always gone out of his way to take care of us and it has been wonderful. Dr. Flanagan reviewed the CT of the lungs with us as well as the MRI and CT of the brain. He reminded us that at this point, after talking with several physicians the best course of action at this time would be the biopsy of the brain. Dr. Flanagan answered some questions and then told us that we could follow up with him following the procedure. We explained that we were hoping to head home Saturday and he informed us that we could come by Friday and have one last appointment and anything that came up after Saturday he could call us and inform us of any changes. I asked Dr. Flanagan if he thought there would be any more appointments for the day and he said that there would be nothing else for the day and we could go do anything that we wanted. I decided that Brianna needed a pick me up so we went to the mall.

Not just any mall, we traveled to Minneapolis to the Mall of America. The Mall of America was AWESOME! We got there around 10 am and started walking around. We started at Nickelodeon Universe which is a massive amusement park inside the mall. We looked at the rides and there were a couple that I thought about riding but it was just too expensive for my taste but it was fun looking at all of them. The mall was fairly empty considering it was Monday morning. After we walked around the amusement park, we went to LEGO world. WOW. I have never seen such massive LEGO figures. There was one (picture below) that was about 2 1/2 stories high! I can't believe I missed the sign up sheet for the job that was building LEGOs for the rest of my life. I still have time to change careers right?!?! Following LEGO world we started walking around the first floor. The Mall of America has 5 million square feet. It is a very big place to walk and there is a LOT to see. After a bit of time on the first floor, it was time for lunch so we headed to the third floor which is basically a GIANT food court. There are some stores on the third floor but it was mostly food. Brianna decided that she wanted A&W for lunch. They had a special that with any combo you could upgrade your drink to a float which of course everyone wanted except for me. I like floats but just didn't want one at the time. I bought Brianna one of the nice A&W mugs for her float to go in and she really liked that. Lunch was a lot of fun. We shared a lot of stories and had a lot of laughs especially with some of our impersonations. After lunch we continued our quest to walk the whole mall. I asked Brianna what she wanted specifically and she wasn't sure. I asked if she wanted a manicure and she said she would really like that so off we went to find a nail salon. Terry and I "rested" as the girls go their nails done. Brianna looked pretty happy after that. We then split off and went to some stores separately. When we met back up it was time for some dinner although after our lunch we weren't all that hungry. We left the mall and headed to Panera Bread to have some soup for dinner.

We arrived at Panera Bread and ordered some soup and Mac N' Cheese. I needed to buy some time so I asked the worker to hold off on bringing us our food for about 10-15 minutes. Why did I need to buy some time you ask? At that very moment, my parents as well as Watson, were on their way to a rental car from the airport to come to Panera Bread. I didn't want Brianna to wonder why we would just be staying at Panera Bread so I needed to create some sort of slow down for why we were there. I looked up from our table and saw my parents and Watson come through the door. Excited to see them all but wanting to keep it a surprise I simply looked back to Brianna. We were sitting in a booth away from the door so she hadn't noticed. It felt like an eternity waiting for them to come around the corner. They let Watson walk towards us first. He got close, I picked him up and put him on the booth and he went and hugged Brianna. She hadn't really noticed what was going on and when she did she was very excited. It was very emotional to have Watson with us again. We are very grateful for all of those that have taken care of him and to those that will continue to take care of him moving forward but it was SO NICE to hold him again and see his sweet smile. After that, my parents came over and Brianna just seemed amazed. We then ordered the rest of the food and ate dinner together. We probably spent at least another hour just visiting and enjoying that precious time together. Following dinner we headed back to Rochester and arranged everything for bed. We obtained a pack n play for Watson to sleep in and put him down for bed. We then spent about an hour in my mom and dad's room just catching up and spending time with them. We are now getting ready for bed as we have another long day tomorrow. However, we don't have to be there until 9:35 am so at least we get to sleep in.

Again today, Brianna and I are reminded of the strength that comes through family. There was so much peace today knowing that we are not in this alone. Having our parents here as well as Watson helps us feel that we can do anything to overcome this. We cannot thank each of you enough for your continued support and for your prayers. We hope that each of you can feel of our love and gratitude for all that you continue to do for us. We want each of you to know that we have a strong testimony that Families are Forever. We can be with our families again after this life and be reunited with those that we love. This life is short and is not at all the end of our eternal progression. We know that God lives and that He loves His children. We continue to put our trust and hope in Him. We invite you to do the same. Until tomorrow......

Mayo Clinic-Day 6

Mayo Clinic-Day 6 (Sunday October 22, 2017)
Today was a wonderful day! We woke up and began getting ready for church. Yes we are far from home but our church is worldwide and we were able to find the nearest location for church. Our family and friends decided to do a special fast for Brianna and the baby and for the biopsy to go well. Fasting is an opportunity to go without food and water for at least 2 meals to allow us to be more spiritually connected with Heavenly Father. As we give up the physical needs, our spirit is able to draw more strength from the Lord. When we fast, we ask in deep sincerity for blessings and put our faith and trust in the Lord. We attended church with the family that reached out to us on Wednesday night. It was so nice to be around so many people and feel of their love. We were able to worship together and draw closer to our Heavenly Father as a family. While we were at church, the family that came over on Wednesday asked us if we would like to join them for dinner. What a wonderful blessing and another prayer answered in a way that we may not have expected.

We headed back to the hotel following church and played UNO Dare together as a family. IT WAS THE BEST! We laughed so hard and just had a wonderful time together. UNO dare allows you to either take the draw twos and wild draw fours or to do a dare that is provided. Some of the dares are like Talk like a robot until your next turn or don't smile until your next turn and if you fail, you draw the cards! SUPER FUNNY! It is nice to have her parents here so that we can laugh with them and just feel comforted. Following the game we decided to take naps. We only rested for about an hour when one of Brianna's cousins (Ted) showed up (photo below). He and his family live in MN and so they traveled about an hour and a half to come and spend some time with us. Ted, and his two daughters Cambell and Sophia came to visit with us for a couple of hours. It was so much fun spending time with them an just watching those sweet girls. They were very bright and happy. Ted and his family gave us a card and told us that they were praying for us. They headed out to head back home and we headed to dinner.

We had dinner tonight with the Brewer family (picture below). What a wonderful family. The Brewers have 7 kids and they are all so wonderful. When we got there, the kiddos were jumping on the trampoline and I asked if it would be okay to go and join them. I was told that would be okay. We played popcorn where you jump up and down and then land on your bum and whoever goes the highest is the judge for the next round. It was a lot of fun and it was nice to just spend some time with the kids. After a few minutes we were told that it was time for dinner. Sister Brewer was gone on a trip so it was just Brother Brewer and the kids. Dinner was AMAZING! It was so nice to get a home cooked meal instead of going out to dinner again. What a blessing it was to be in their home tonight. They were filled with so much love and laughter and we truly felt as though we were part of the family which was such a tender mercy. Following dinner and dessert, I went to the trampoline with the kids again for a little longer while Brianna, Kim and Terry talked with Brother Brewer inside. We all came inside and decided to play Ninja for a couple of rounds. Ninja or as I call it Ninja Destruction is where you get in a circle and you take turns going around the circle attempting to slap each others hands. (it is better than it sound I promise!) We had a lot of fun playing and it was such a nice time being with family (although we aren't technically family we are all brothers and sisters right?). After a few rounds of Ninja, we decided that we should head back to the hotel and get some rest. We will never be able to thank the Brewers for their love and their sacrifice for us tonight. It was truly a wonderful evening and we all felt so much peace leaving tonight. Once at the hotel we simply relaxed as a family and now we are getting ready for bed.

Over the past several days I have been thinking of the song below called Blessings by Laura Story (Lyrics found below). I think too often we think that the blessings that Heavenly Father are limited and that is simply because of our human minds. Brianna and I wanted to share these lyrics because we know that God does live and that He does hear and answer our prayers. However, He often answers in His own way and in His own time. We find great strength knowing that God knows us and loves us. We know that He lives. We know without a shadow of a doubt that He knows us and He knows what we are going through. He loves us and we know that in His due time, the Lord will allow us to understand the reasoning behind all this and allow us to be healed in one form or another. Healing will come and it will be through Him.

Brianna and I wanted to thank each of you again for your love, faith and prayers on out behalf. We feel your strength and we feel of your love. We cannot thank you enough for all you are doing for us. Many have asked if there is anything that you can do. At this point, we just asked for continued prayers for strength, understanding and for safety. We love you and we thank you.

Blessings by Laura Story
We pray for blessings We pray for peace Comfort for family, protection while we sleep We pray for healing, for prosperity We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering All the while, You hear each spoken need Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops What if Your healing comes through tears What if a thousand sleepless nights Are what it takes to know You're near What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise We pray for wisdom Your voice to hear And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love As if every promise from Your Word is not enough All the while, You hear each desperate plea And long that we'd have faith to believe Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops What if Your healing comes through tears What if a thousand sleepless nights Are what it takes to know You're near And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise When friends betray us When darkness seems to win We know the pain reminds this heart That this is not, this is not our home Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops What if Your healing comes through tears And what if a thousand sleepless nights Are what it takes to know You're near What if my greatest disappointments Or the aching of this life Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy And what if trials of this life The rain, the storms, the hardest nights Are Your mercies in disguise

Brewers, Geddie and Turners

Terry, Kim, Cambell, Sophia, and Ted

Geoffrey, Brianna, Cambell, Sophia, and Ted

Mayo Clinic-Day 5 (Surprise)

Mayo Clinic-Day 5 (Saturday October 21, 2017)
We finally didn't have to go running around to doctors appointments. A beautiful day to sleep in right? Unfortunately my mind has an issue with shutting off lately...I woke up around 5:30 am and couldn't go back to sleep. I tossed and turned for little bit and then decided to just get up. Brianna was able to sleep in until around 6:30 am but even that wasn't sleeping in. We stayed in our room and were being pretty lazy until around 8 am when we decided to go and get some breakfast. I know some of you are wondering....Biscuits and gravy? Nope, I decided to have hot cocoa and Brianna had some cereal. Why I feel like sharing these little details with y'all, I am not sure but I do. Anyway, following breakfast we realized we needed to do some laundry. We had only packed for five days as we didn't know how long we were going to be here. Knowing we are going to be here until next Saturday at least, we decided to do some laundry. TALK ABOUT ROBBING US! The washer was $1.50 per load and the dryer was $1.25 per load. We also paid for detergent and dryer sheets. We ended up doing to separate loads. We ran out of money and I didn't want to go all the way to the store yet because I had a surprise for Brianna and wanted to wait until we went out for that. I went to the front desk and they allowed me to take out a "loan" of quarters as longs I promised to pay them back, which I did. We started the laundry and then headed to our room. As I was behind on blogs and other paperwork, I began to work on that while Brianna went to take a nap. She sleeps a lot more now and I am not sure if it is the pregnancy, the tumor or the stress but I am certain it is at least a mixture of all three.

I finished the blog while working on laundry and Brianna continued to rest. I watched some sports and then part of a movie and around 1 pm, I decided that we would need to leave the hotel for Brianna's surprise. We went to get lunch and ended up at Subway (Eat Fresh). While we were in line and ordering our sandwiches, the manager explained that her computer had crashed and that because we were in line while it happened she felt the need to pay for our lunch. This was a wonderful blessing for us as we have been spending so much on all the eating out already. Again, another tender mercy that the Lord knows us and knows our needs. We ate our lunch and then walked around Walmart getting some supplies that we were in need of.

Meanwhile, what Brianna wasn't aware of was that her parents had been flown out to Rochester, MN to help take care of her. I had it all set up. When they arrived, they were to take a shuttle to the hotel while we were out. I had prearranged with the hotel manager to have a key waiting for Kim and Terry to have access to our room. They arrived and waited in our room patiently. They arrived while we were eating lunch, but we still needed some supplies from Walmart so I quickly moved through the store to get what we needed without letting Brianna know I was rushing. I was very excited for her to get to her parents as I knew that would really bring some much needed comfort. We arrived at the hotel and headed up the stairs and the maid was in our room. Not knowing if Kim and Terry were in there, I told Brianna we should go and wait while she finished. Kim texted me and told me that they were indeed in there so we went back as the maid was leaving. I walked in and Kim and Terry were hiding behind the wall so I just kept walking as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Brianna followed and as she came in she turned and looked and seemed shocked! She didn't believe that her parents were actually here. We spent the rest of the day spending time with Brianna's mom and dad and just relaxed around the hotel. We also went to dinner and had some fun just driving around together. The rest of the evening we just relaxed and shared stories in our hotel room as well as showing videos. Kim and Terry were pretty tired from all of the traveling so they went to bed early.

Today has been a wonderful day being around family. It is always amazing to me that family can change the attitude of what is going on because we are able to fully feel the love of others around us. It was so wonderful having someone to take us in their arms and tell us that we were not alone. Today Brianna and I were given the tender mercy from the Lord of having family here. We were reminded yet again that Heavenly Father loves us and knows our needs. Brianna needed her parents here and they needed to be here to help each other through this. (I needed them too!). We know that the power of prayer is real. We know that Heavenly Father loves us and that He has a plan for each of us to return to live with Him. Heavenly Father has a plan for each of His children to return to live with Him because He loves each one of us. He knows each one of us individually and He wants us to feel of His love. We know that Families can and will be forever. We know that our family will be together forever. Heavenly Father lives, He knows His children and their needs. Jesus Christ is the Savior and the Redeemer of the world and through Him we can find peace and everlasting joy. We know without a doubt that prayers are answered and that our family is forever.

Thank you forever and always for sharing your love with us and praying for us on our behalf. We will never be able to thank each of you enough for your love and support. Please know we feel your prayers being answered and we know that we are loved.

Mayo Clinic-Day 4

Mayo Clinic-Day 4 (Friday October 20, 2017)
Well we were supposed to sleep in today. Around 5:30 am my brain woke up and I wasn't able to sleep. I tried to go back to sleep but couldn't. Brianna was sleeping deeply and I didn't want to disturb her so I went down stairs and read my scriptures. I went back around 6:30 and Brianna was up. We talked and watched some TV in bed and just relaxed. Around 7:45 Brianna said we should start getting ready and go eat some breakfast. We got ourselves ready, slowly, and went down and had some breakfast. Biscuits and gravy again? YUP. For some reason I felt really anxious this morning and my gag reflux was acting up. For those of you who don't know me very well, when I am anxious/stressed I tend gag a lot. After we ate and headed to the clinic I was feeling better and stopped gagging. We headed off to the Clinic for the CT of the lungs. We arrived and had to travel al the way to the other side of the clinic. It is hard to describe just how big this place is. I think it is easily a mile long! I don't know if it is that big but it is definitely huge. I have described this place like DisneyWorld for a health administrator so I have enjoyed seeing how the process works. Anyway, Brianna was called back for the CT scan. This one took a little longer than the CT of the brain. This was the first day all week that we didn't have to be there all day! We actually got to leave the clinic and headed to lunch. Dr. Rose, the OB, let us know of some good places to eat around and one of those was a pizza joint. I have been eating pizza all week so why ruin the trend? We got this amazing pizza and some drinks and headed to a park.

I think it is important at this point of our life to take some time to reflect and also spend some precious time together. We laughed, talked and had a wonderful time together and it was almost like we weren't at the mayo clinic and that we were just living a special moment together. Truly, this is how I feel with every moment with Brianna. I am so lucky to have her and I feel like every moment with her is like a dream come true. As we were finishing eating, a homeless guy walked by so we decided to talk to him. We had gotten too much pizza so we gave the rest to him and he looked very happy about that. We told him to have a good day and then we headed out.

Brianna wanted to know how close the nearest temple was so I decided to look it up and realized it was only 1.5 hours away. For those of you who don't know, in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, we build beautiful temples. The temple is a holy place where we go to worship Heavenly Father and to find inspiration and feel peace. We decided that because our doctor was out for the day that we wouldn't be called back in for more test so we wanted to take this opportunity to go to the temple together. However, Brianna reminded me that Dr. Flanagan was going to call us to go over the CT results. As we were talking about him and wondering if when he would call, my phone started ringing. It was Dr. Flanagan and he wanted to let us know that he had reviewed the results and there was no sign of a tumor or any cancer in the lungs which was a relief. We felt very relaxed and we felt we had nothing holding us back from going to the temple. We headed to the stores to get some nicer clothes and then went to the hotel to rest before we headed out. I took a nap while Brianna talked with her family. She woke me up and told me it was time to get ready to head out. We got not he road and started heading to the temple in St. Paul, MN. We needed to be there by 5:45 pm and we were pushing it close to get there on time. I probably shouldn't say this but I didn't really have time to get gas and we made it there on fumes! Luckily shortly after attending I got some gas and we were okay but I definitely took a risk.

Attending the temple was one of the best choices we have made all week. We were able to feel such peace there together. It was an opportunity to leave the troubles of the world behind us. We turned our phones off and just spent some time in the temple. We came out refreshed and stronger than when we had gone in. We both felt that this was the best decision for us today. We started heading home and Brianna wanted dinner so we went out. It was so nice to spend time together again. It has been nice having all these dates as we haven't been the best doing a weekly date night so it has been nice catching up on dates even if it isn't the best reason for having all these dates. We headed back home and now we are getting ready for bed. The next couple of days will be a little slower as the clinic is closed on the weekends but I will continue to update as we go.

We were both reminded again tonight that Heavenly Father knows His children. He knows us and we know that He loves us. We feel that love through each of you as well as through Him. We know that Heavenly Father knows you. He loves you and through His love you can overcome all things. In our weakest moments, we are not alone. Although we may feel abandoned at times, our Heavenly Father will send us the comfort that we need in the moment that we need it. Whether it is someone talking to us or just a thought of being loved. We know that God lives and that He loves us. We testify that we can overcome all things by putting our faith and trust in God.

Thank you again for all your love and support. I am finally caught up and will continue to keep all of you up to date. Please let us know if there are any questions that need to be addressed or answered. Until tomorrow....

Mayo Clinic-Day 3

Mayo Clinic-Day 3 (Thursday October 19, 2017)
Well the madness continues! We woke up at 5 this morning but it was harder to get out of bed. We ended up rolling out of the bed around 5:30 and started getting ready. We had to be at the clinic by 6:55 am for a MRI of the spine. We went down and ate breakfast. I have eaten the same thing for days! I keep telling myself to eat something different but biscuits and gravy is so good and such a comfort! Anyway....we headed to the mayo clinic for the MRI and got there a few minutes late but they were very polite and let us get checked in anyway. We waited for about 20 minutes and then Brianna was called back. This exam was a bit longer than most of her other exams. This one lasted for about an hour and a half. I worked on the special video for Brianna while she was in her scan. Brianna came out and told me that her back was a little sore from lying on the table so long especially after her spinal tap. She also didn't like this scan as much because she had to be in the MRI longer and she was in there further which made her feel a little less comfortable. Dr. Flanagan wanted us to come and meet with him following the exam so we headed up to the neurology floor.

We were called back within minutes and waited for Dr. Flanagan which never takes too long. He went over the MRI with us as well as the spinal tap. He made a few calls to get some lab results as well. He informed us that there were no abnormalities with the MRI or the spinal tap. He then explained that these to exams ruled out MS and any autoimmune disorder. He then explained that this meant that whatever is going on in the brain is a tumor and that a biopsy was going to be necessary to determine what type of tumor and if it was benign or not. He also explained that the MRI of the spine showed a small nodule (6mm) on the top of Brianna's lung. In order to understand what this could potentially one must understand the different types or stages of tumors. A benign tumor is a mass of cells that lacks the ability to invade surrounding tissues. Malignant tumors is mass of cells that invades the surrounding tissue. When a malignant tumor metastasizes, cells travel to different parts of the body and begin to grow tumors there as well. Dr. Flanagan explained that the chances of the lung nodule being a tumor that metastasized to the brain but he didn't want to leave any stone unturned. He explained that a CT of the lungs needed to be performed in order to know whether there was any form of lung cancer but again he mentioned that this was a pretty low chance. However, if there is lung tumor, there would be a chance that what is going on in Brianna's brain may be involved with that. He ordered a CT scan of the lungs and that will be tomorrow morning at 10:35 am.

Dr. Flanagan then told us that he felt we absolutely needed to perform the MRI with contrast to get a better picture of what is going on. He decided to reach out to the Radiologist to get that scheduled in front of us and it turns out that at least 10 Radiologist have been discussing Brianna's case and trying to find the best solution. Dr. Flanagan, the neuro oncologist, neurosurgeon, and several radiologist have been going back on forth between a MRI with contrast versus a CT with contrast. An MRI doesn't produce any radiation because it is magnetic or rather it doesn't produce very much so it is safer than a CT scan which uses more radiation. However the contrast is completely different between the two and it was the contrast that was up for discussion. The radiologist stated that the CT with contrast would be much safer for the baby and the neurosurgeon decided that the CT with contrast would give him enough information to perform the biopsy. It was decided that a CT with contrast would be performed. Dr. Flanagan made some calls and told us that we needed to head down to the CT scan cause they were squeezing us in right after we left his office. Before we left, he told us that we shouldn't tell anyone but Brianna and the baby were the most important patients that he and the other doctors were trying to care for right now. That really made us feel special and we could tell that he was doing everything he could to help us receive the care that we are in desperate need of. I cannot say enough good things about Dr. Flanagan. He goes out of his way to help us anyway that he can. He knew that we would want results following the CT as soon as possible so he told us to come back following the CT scan so we could go over results. He constantly sees us on his schedule even though he is booked! What an amazing person to work with!

We headed down to the CT scan. I am typically pushing Brianna in a wheel chair because her right side of the body is only getting weaker and it helps her to be able to rest in between visits. Anyway, we got to the CT area and they pulled us back within minutes. We sat down and the nurse got some information. As we were getting ready, the radiologist that was going to read the report came into the room and talked to us about risk. He explained that this was a much better option for Momma and baby. He reassured us that they would put lead blankets over and around Brianna's abdomen in order to better protect baby. He really helped us feel better about doing the exam as well as feeling better that the CT with contrast was much safer. He told us that Brianna would have to sign a consent form in order to go forward with the scan. After he left, the nurse let us know that normally they give the consent form but the Radiologist wanted to come and speak to us directly and reassure us that everything was going to be okay. It was very touching. They took Brianna back for the scan and I had to wait in the lobby. In a split second she was out! She much prefers the CT because it is quick and doesn't make any loud noises haha. She let me know that baby was moving like crazy during the scan and she was happy to feel him moving so much! It is the simple things in life that bring happiness, joy and peace. We then headed back to the Neurology floor and the nurse, Mykala informed us that Dr. Flanagan would need about an hour for results and time to see us. By this point it was 12:45 pm and I quickly said "Does this mean we can go eat lunch! I am starving!" She told us to go and get food and then come back and Dr. Flanagan would see us at 2:15 pm.

We rushed down to the cafeteria! Seriously pretty hungry. Brianna was told that following the CT with contrast that she would need plenty of fluids. She got soup and pudding to help count towards that although I don't think pudding counts! haha. I told myself that I was going to eat something healthy so I got pizza. Real healthy right? Sometimes one needs a little comfort and pizza hit the spot. They also have this amazing Oreo pudding and I am sure that is very healthy! We simply sat there and talked with each other and just took a deep breath. After running around all morning it was nice to just breathe. through all of the stress and worry, it is nice to sit down across from my beautiful bride and spend precious time with her. I love spending every moment with her regardless of what is going on. When I am with her, I feel complete and I feel like we can do anything. We laughed and just enjoyed this brief moment in time away from all the madness. We called Watson during lunch and spent some time talking with him. It is so nice being able to use technology to see him and talk with him. We probably love it more than he does but it means so much to us to be able to see him and see his precious smile! We finished eating and headed back to Dr. Flanagan's office.

Dr. Flanagan sat us down and went over the the CT scan of the brain. He said the contrast showed exactly what they needed in order to perform the biopsy. He said that the image clearly showed that this was a brain tumor but they were still uncertain as to what type of tumor. Although a little emotional, we were glad to see that we were getting somewhere and still hoping that the tumor is benign and we sill be able to take care of this pretty quickly. He let us know that he was about to leave to Las Vegas to attend a conference but would be back on Monday to visit with us at 7:15 am. He apologized for all the early appointments but that was the easiest time to squeeze us in. The CT was scheduled for tomorrow but we didn't have anything else appointment wise for the rest of the day. We headed to leave and saw the gift shop so we decided to stop by. WAY TO EXPENSIVE! So we ended up just looking..... We headed back to the hotel and decided to rest. It is amazing how doing nothing but sitting all day makes me so exhausted. I know why Brianna is tired but I just sit all day. But I am glad that we are able to relax together. My coworkers decided to order some dinner for us which was so nice! We didn't have to go get anything for once and we were able to just relax. Dinner arrived at 5 which was earlier than we have eaten all week. Dinner was SO good! Tonight we just stayed in the hotel and relaxed and watched some TV. We also talked with Watson for a good bit and also talked with some other family members.

After talking with family members, I decided to show Brianna her video. Again thank you to all those who participated. It meant so much to Brianna. I have already posted on that experience and you are welcome to read that and watch the video below. After a long day it is time for bed. The only thing on the schedule is the CT of the lungs which isn't until 10:35 am. We finally get to sleep in. We are excited. I have turned off all of the alarms and we are just going to relax tomorrow morning before the exam.

Today I was reminded of how much our Heavenly Father loves us. He sent His son to overcome the world so that we could to. I was reminded of the power of the Saviors Atonement as well as His love for us. Brianna and I want each of you to know that we know that Jesus Christ is our Savior. We know that Heavenly Father is there. He hears and answers our prayers. Our Savior went suffered through His atonement so that we would not have to be alone in this life. We trust in Him and we know that through Him we can overcome all. We know that we are loved. We feel the love and support from each of you and we know that our faith is strong. Brianna and I both know that this is a precious opportunity to learn and grow and draw closer to our Heavenly Father. He knows us individually and knows our needs and He has not forsaken us. One of my favorite scriptures is from Isaiah 49:15-16. It talks about how rare it is that a mother with a feeding baby would forget her baby. Even though they may forget, Jesus Christ will never forget us as He has engraved us on His palms. We are not along through this. We know we have family, friends and even people we may not know praying for us. More importantly however, we know that Jesus Christ knows us and through His strength we can overcome this. We will continue to hold fast to the faith and put our trust in God.

Thank you again for your continued love and support. We will never be able to thank you enough. Until tomorrow.....

Fight Song

Brianna's Fight Song!

As we have been going through the ups and downs with all of our emotions, I felt the need to help Brianna feel the love of all of you! I cannot thank each of you that arose to the occasion to send in a photo with your scripture, quote, or message. If I forgot anyone, I am very sorry and I didn't forget intentionally. I showed this to Brianna tonight and she felt so much love from each of you. Again we continue to feel of your love and your support and we cannot thank you enough. We trust this is happening for  reason and we continue to move forward with hope!

Mayo Clinic-Day 2

I know that I am a little behind on these post but I really am trying to catch everybody up. As you will see in this next post, the day can change pretty quickly depending on results and we can easily go from only having one appointment to having multiple appointments in one day. As we manage our time and attend several appointments, I try to find time between sessions to update everyone via this blog. Thank you again for your love and support.

Mayo Clinic- Day 2 (Wednesday October 18, 2017)
We woke up at 5 am this morning. We are both very tired of having to wake up so early but we know that we are here to get answers and the only way to do that is to make these appointments. We knew that we would have to start the day without breakfast as the hotel doesn't start breakfast until 6 am and we needed to be at the MRI by that time. We sluggishly got ready for the day. The MRI this morning was the only item not the agenda for the day so we decided that following the MRI we would come home and eat breakfast at the hotel and then relax until we heard back from the Neurologist regarding the MRI. We finished getting ready and headed to the Mayo Clinic. It isn't too cold here but colder than what we are used to in Texas this time of year so we bundled up in hoodies before leaving the hotel.

We arrived on time for our MRI and got checked in and filled out paperwork while we waited. Today's MRI was to get an updated image of Brianna's brain. The last MRI was completed prior to most of her symptoms except her eye and the Neurologist felt that we needed to have an updated image to see how much things have changed, if anything has changed. Brianna was taken back and completed the scan while I sat and waited and worked on a special surprise for her. (She knows now but I will update on that surprise in the next post). The MRI of the brain was to be completed without contrast as the physicians throughout the Clinic have still been going back and forth as to the safety for Brianna and the baby. The scan lasted for about an hour and she was done. Both of us felt tired and ready to head back to the hotel but we wanted to make sure that the Neurologist, Dr. Flanagan, was aware that we were able to complete the MRI in the morning instead of having to wait until this evening. After informing the nurse that the MRI had been completed, we headed back to the hotel.

We headed to breakfast and while I was getting my breakfast ready, I felt a burning sensation and a tightness in my upper back. I have had this feeling several times before and I recognized that I was having a pretty nasty muscle spasm. My diagnosis.....stress and lack of sleep. As I quickly recognized this wasn't going to stop right away, I walked up to the hotel room to attempt to relax. I told Brianna that I was okay and I needed to just go lie down and that she should just continue to eat. I walked upstairs and attempted to lie down but I was unable to find a good position. I finally found a spot by sitting on a chair in a really bizarre position. As I was deeply breathing and trying to relax, my phone started ringing. It was Dr. Flanagan and he asked me to grab Brianna so we could go over the MRI together. He had already obtained the results and wanted to go over them with us! I attempted to move as quickly as I could to go downstairs and get Brianna. She came up stairs and we sat down while he reviewed the MRI. He told us that the MRI showed that the lesion in Brianna's brain had grown quite a bit since the last MRI and that there seemed to be an increase of blood flow to that area of the brain. He mentioned that he really didn't feel the this was MS and that this was a brain tumor. However no diagnosis was made at this time. He informed us that he needed to make a couple calls and he would call us back.

As the phone call ended, Brianna decided to call her parents. What followed was a pretty emotional phone conversation regarding the news that we had just received. It was not easy seeing the pain that both daughter and parents felt as neither could truly console each other at this time. However, we all agreed that we have the faith to push through whatever comes our way. Even though Dr. Flanagan felt this was a tumor he let us know that there were still several test that needed to be completed in order to determine what direction to take. As we were having our conversation with Brianna's parents, Dr. Flanagan called us again. He stated that he wanted us to go and meet with an Obstetrician and a Neurosurgeon as soon as possible. He asked us if we could be at the OB-GYN's office within 30 mins. We told him that we would quickly head up to the Clinic and arrive on time. Following the OB's appointment we were to report to the Neurosurgeon and then Brianna was scheduled for a Lumbar Puncture (spinal tap). We finished our conversation with Dr. Flanagan and let Brianna's parents know that we needed to head back to the clinic. (Thus you see how quickly things can change when results are obtained). Although my back was extremely painful, I told Brianna that I wasn't in pain and that it was only constricting my lungs which made it harder to breathe but I wasn't in any pain. I told her this so she wouldn't worry about me and we could go and take care of her needs. We got into the car and somehow managed to get to the clinic with now both of us somewhat crippled!

We got to the OB's office and they informed Brianna that they wanted to perform an Ultra Sound (US) to make sure that the baby was doing okay. This was the longest US in my life, but how grateful we are for the opportunity to see our baby boy again. (Oh for those of you who don't know, we are having a baby boy). We were in the US room for at least an hour and what a precious experience that was. We were able to see that he is doing fine and that no harm has occurred to our little boy. Not only did we get to see him, they performed a 3D ultra sound which was a lot of fun. We feel that he looks just like Watson! They told us that the baby looks great and is growing fast. He weighed exactly 1 pound today and they were measuring him a week ahead of schedule. We were also informed that his arms are really long so maybe we will have an athlete! Following the US we were escorted to the waiting room and waited until the Obstetrician was ready to see us.

Within a few minutes we were taken back to meet with Dr. Rose, the Obstetrician. He also is one of the nicest physicians we have ever met. He just had a very happy and upbeat personality and we could really feel his love and concern. The main reason we were meeting with Dr. Rose was to discuss the effects of contrast on the baby and any additional test/surgeries moving forward. Dr. Rose had already spoken with Dr. Flanagan and was aware that it was a possibility that Brianna had a brain tumor. We talked in depth about contrast and the pros and cons for the baby. One of the suggested scans was an MRI with contrast and the effects of the contrast on the baby still are uncertain at this time. He informed us that he felt the benefits far outweighed the risk considering the physicians needed to know what was really going on in Brianna's head. We agreed with Dr. Rose that at this point we needed more information so we could get the best care for Brianna. He let us know that if we needed anything at all that we could reach out to him and he would respond as fast as he could. He also helped us recognize some good places to eat in Rochester which was very helpful. He also let us know that if Brianna does need surgery that he would work closely with the other physicians to make sure that the baby received the best care that he would need. We then left the OB's office to go eat lunch.

We had about 20 minutes to grab something to eat and then we had to report to the Neurosurgeon. We decided not to feast like we had yesterday because we didn't have the time and we didn't want to spend the money. (Food in the clinic isn't very cheap!). Following lunch we raced to the Neurosurgeon so we wouldn't be late. As we were being taken back to the exam room, we noticed that Dr. Flanagan was in the hallway. This is what makes him the BEST doctor ever! He was there to check on us and make sure that we were doing okay. He also wanted us to actually see the MRI scan and get a better idea of what he was referring to earlier this morning. After reviewing the MRI he informed us that he was going to speak with the Neurosurgeon about our case and give him an update. He also informed us that it would be very likely that the neurosurgeon would need to perform a biopsy to determine what type of tumor Brianna might have as well as be he one to remove the tumor if it came down to that. The neurosurgeon came in shortly after and informed us that if this is a tumor that surgery would not be a viable option. If this is a tumor, the tumor is so deep in the brain that an attempt to remove the tumor would do more damage to Brianna's brain than anything else. He then told us that he didn't think that this was a tumor and that a biopsy would not be needed. Furthermore, he stated that there would be no real reason to perform the biopsy if the radiologist didn't foresee doing any treatments until Brianna had delivered the baby. He also went into depth about this possibly being something other than a tumor. He felt that this more aligned with MS or an auto immune disorder. He told us that he didn't think we would need his services and hoped that we wouldn't. Again we left not knowing which direction we were actually heading towards for a diagnosis and back at square one again.

Following the Neurosurgeon, Brianna was off to get a spinal tap. The spinal tap is performed by sticking a needle into the back between two vertebrae and extracting some of the spinal fluid. This fluid allows them to test if there is an auto immune disorder or MS. Following the procedure Brianna had to rest for about 30 minutes. We were then free to head home and rest which was much appreciated. We rested and relaxed and took a nap which was much needed. We went to dinner around 7 pm and then headed back to the hotel. Brianna received a phone call from a member of our church here in Rochester who stated that she had a friend in Texas who had heard about us and wanted her to check in on us and make sure we were doing okay. They came and visited with us which really boosted our spirits. It was so nice to visit and feel the love of God through those serving us. We talked to our lovely son Watson before heading to bed and now we are going to bed. It has been  very long day but we are grateful to be here and have this opportunity to get the best care for Brianna. We have to get up and go to another MRI in the morning so we are going to bed.

Although things have been difficult and we have emotionally been all over the place, Brianna and I are extremely grateful for the prayers that are being offered on our behalf. We know that God has a plan for us at this time in our life. Whatever path that may be, we know that He has a plan. We know, without a shadow of a doubt, that families are forever and we know that Heavenly Father loves us. Sometimes answers to prayers come in ways that we don't expect. Each day that we are here, we look for the Hand of the Lord in our day. We try to recognize answers to our prayers and the prayers that you offer on our behalf. Today, those prayers were answered in many ways but one of the most important ways was those visitors who came to see us. What a comfort it was to have them come and what a joy it was to feel comforted. This has not been easy being here alone and being away from our precious son. However, we are grateful for the care that we are receiving. Brianna and I know that your prayers are being answered and we feel the strength that comes from prayer. We have put our trust in the Lord and we ask that you do the same. We seek to align our will with His and trust that He knows all. We know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and we know that He knows our pain and our sorrows. It is because of His great love for us that we can overcome all. We know that we will overcome this and we again thank you for your love, your concern and your prayers and we pray that each of us may recognize the miracles that occur each day in our everyday lives. Till Next Time....

Mayo Clinic-Day 1

Mayo Clinic-Day 1 (Tuesday October 17, 2017)
Waking up on Tuesday was very difficult. It took all night to get to Rochester and we had to be at the clinic at 7 am in order to get paperwork completed prior to seeing the doctor. We went to bed around 2-2:30 am and decided that we needed to be up by 5:30 in order to get ready, eat and head to the clinic. Our hotel is about 10-15 mins from the clinic. We arrived at the clinic and what a remarkable place this is. I have never seen such a massive place before. We parked in the garage and headed down to what they call the Subway Level. This is the underground tunnel system that connects all of the buildings so you don't have to walk around outside. We found a information desk and they printed our schedule for us. The only thing that was on the schedule was an appointment with the Neurologist at 7 am. We were directed to the Mayo Clinic building and headed up to the 8th floor. We checked in with the desk and they gave a book of paperwork to complete. I have been taking care of most of the paperwork because it is difficult for Brianna to write as she is right handed and that is the side of her body that is weak. We diligently worked on paperwork until we were called back by the nurse. Vitals were taken and the nurse told us that the doctor would be with us shortly. We heard a knock on the door and then entered a doctor who was completing his fellowship here. He let us know that he would be doing the initial work up and then our physician would come in and talk more in depth about the plan. The Fellows name was Dr. Jolliffe. He asked Brianna the history of what has been going on. We explained everything from our last post to help him understand how quickly off this had come about. He then did a physical exam. He had Brianna walk a straight line and noticed how she stumbled. He had her hold her hands up and noticed how her right hand dropped some. He tested and checked her eyes and confirmed the 3rd Cranial nerve palsy pupil sparing. He tested the strength of her hands and arms as well as her feet. He also tested her reflexes, her sensitivity to hot and cold and the pain sensors comparing her right side to her left side. It was determined that she could feel the difference between hot and cold as well as feel the prick of the needle on both sides of the body. He then told us that he would go speak with the doctor and they would come in shortly together.

We waited for what felt like an eternity (about 30 mins) for them to return together. The physician who is taking care of Brianna is Dr. Flanagan. He is one of the nicest, most caring doctor I have ever met. If anything, this experience has been wonderful because of the care given by Dr. Flanagan. He came in and repeated most of the exams that Dr. Jolliffe had completed. He agreed with his findings and he seemed perplexed. He stated that even for the Mayo Clinic (where they see a lot of medical issues) this seemed pretty rare. He discussed with us about the several options of what the cause of Brianna's issues could be. He mentioned that this could MS, and autoimmune response, or a tumor. He felt strongly that this was not MS as it didn't follow the normal symptoms. He stated that typically during pregnancy, anyone with MS typically they feel better and the disease is not as active. He also felt that by looking at the scan it just didn't make much sense to be MS and that is where he does most of his research. However, he wasn't certain and felt that the first step that we needed to take was to repeat the MRI. As most of the symptoms seem to have gotten worse since the last MRI, he stated that it would be beneficial to compare changes. He also stated that the first MRI was not as clear nor did it have as much detail as he would prefer. As MRI with contrast is controversial for pregnant woman, it was decided that this MRI would be completed without contrast and determine any changes from there. He also decided that an MRI of the spine needed to be completed as well as a Lumbar Puncture (Spinal Tap) in order to truly know if MS was an option. A spinal tap is where they put a needle into the spinal fluid and pull the fluid out. They are then able to check for autoimmune as well as proteins that may be present for MS. He also ordered a ton of lab work to rule out any "obvious" answers. He told us that following the MRI of the brain, if they felt that it wasn't MS for sure the lumbar puncture would be taken off the schedule. The MRI of the brain was scheduled for Wednesday evening and the MRI of the spine for Thursday morning both the soonest available appointment.

By this time our stomaches were telling us it was time for lunch. We headed downstairs and decided to blood work first. We went over to the lab and were quickly seen and Brianna was done in about 5 minutes. We then went to the cafeteria. Nothing spectacular but had a lot of options which was nice. We were exhausted and very hungry so we decided to FEAST! We got a bunch of everything which I feel was good boost for us. It cost us a pretty penny but totally worth it! After eating our feast we decided to not eat as much any more haha. When Brianna and I travel, we enjoy wearing our BYUI apparel. We do this for two reasons, 1. It is very comfy! and 2. we love being able to see members when they ask us if we went to BYU. During lunch, there were two very nice gentlemen who came and talked with us. They were from Rexburg, ID of all places! It was nice talking with them and we felt very relaxed talking with them. They gave us good encouragement and told us that they would be praying for us.

Following lunch we decided to head over to the MRI area to see if we could be seen sooner. We learned that here at the Mayo Clinic they do "standby" or what they call "Checking". This is similar to being put on standby for a airplane flight. If someone doesn't come or they cancel, they can get you seen sooner. As we didn't want to wait till Wednesday night for the MRI we came to wait and see if we could be seen sooner. We quickly learned that the Imaging department does not work the same as the rest of the clinic. They do not do checking just due to the massive amount of appointments. They did however call scheduling and were able to get us in for Wednesday morning at 6 am. We were really grateful for this change as that allowed Dr. Flanagan to get results faster especially as he will be out of the office Thursday afternoon and all day Friday.

Knowing that we weren't going to get into an MRI any sooner we decided that it was time to head to the hotel and finally catch up on some lost sleep. I took a pretty short nap as I have had a lot on my mind. Brianna was completely exhausted and thus took a really long nap. She slept from about 3 till 6 which was rest that she really needed. We then talked with family, especially our precious son Watson! We really miss him and his wonderful personality. We then went and ate dinner and had an emotional conversation in the car prior to dinner. It doesn't take much to make our hearts soft right now but we continue to trust in the Lord. Following dinner we went to Walmart to get a couple of items but more importantly to spend time together and to relax. We walked around walmart and spent some precious time together. We then headed back to the hotel and talked with Watson one more time. We then got ready for bed after talking with some more family as we had to get up early for the MRI of the brain at 6:15.

We trust in the Lord and know that regardless of outcome, He has a plan and that as we accept His will we can truly understand. I have a testimony that God lives and that He loves us. He knows each of us personally and we are His children. This is not a punishment but an opportunity to draw closer to Him and to gain a better knowledge that our Family is Forever. Thank you for your continued love and support. May we all grow together during these times. Day 2 of Mayo clinic will come soon.