New Things...

Hey Readers, Well, Im all moved it. Things have been a whrilwhind since and right now is about the first REAL time I've had to sit down and relax a bit. We have been go go go since last night. I will say that after yesterday, I slept like a queen. Most of the time a new place is hard for me to sleep in, but not last night. I was so tired that I just came back at like 11 and just crashed. I woke up this morning and headed over to the opening worship service, which was nice, but kinda long. Then quickly headed over to lunch before our 130 presentation. No break after that. Off to another event. Then it was tale gate time for the Women s soccer team. Dimora (My House) has two soccer players on our house, so I will be attending a lot of soccer games. There is also a LONDON OLYMPIAN that is our woman's soccer team goalie. It was AMAZING to watch her play. She plays for one of the south American soccer teams. She is an INCREDIBLE player. Fresh from London. So fun. Tonight at 8 we had yet another event that was mandatory to attend Now I'm back here hanging out for a quick bit Tomorrow is our first day in our "freshman" class: Critical Thinking.It should be interesting. Things are slowly becoming normal again, and I only see and feel positive things happening. Love and Hugs -N

Terrible

Hey Readers, Now, I know by the view count that SOMEONE is out there reading. I will say I'm pretty happy about that. Not that I blame anyone for not wanting to read about me anymore. You've been reading about my life for the past year. To be frank, I'm tired of it. Hahaha.Don't get me wrong. This is a great outlet for me to get thoughts that float around out of my head, and if people want to read it, than AWESOME. If not, Eh. I'm more than one hundred percent sure that this is mostly more for me than anyone else, but I like to think that I am writing to someone. Gives me something to do. This week has been fairly uneventful. My days of living in KC are coming to a close, and a piece of my heart is very happy. Its time. I need to move on. Work on my smarts, find something new, maybe even discover something else about myself. That really doesn't sound half bad. Getting to do something new for a while. I love my family and I certainly love the community of support and YES, I'm going to miss my family, my friends here, and that overwhelming feeling, but I've also got this feeling about GU. Something tells me that I'm about to find something that will be far more than just a college education. I've spent the last year around adults, and I've spent most of my life around "adults". It will be nice to be around people my age for an extended amount of time. I do worry. I'm going to be doing a lot more activity than I've been doing. Am I going to be able to keep up? Will I be able to keep up with my classes, given my "foggy" memory? Fears and worry. Always a part of me. I think that it is in my genes. I know that I will have exactly what I need in the next year. I've never felt more ready in my fear that I do heading away from home. Last year at this time? Not so much. Maybe that's a perk. Cancer got me ready for college, and well, the real world, life. love and hugs, -N

Promises

Hey Everyone, Do you remember when you where little and promises meant the ENTIRE world to you? That small pinky promise meant the entire world. About a year ago when this crazy thing I call my life took me on an awkward turn my eye doctor Dr. Whittaker, PROMISED me that after brain surgery if my eyes we'rent fixed, He would personally do it. He promised that I would get my sight back. I was fixedated on him making that promise come true.Dr. Whittaker made his promise come true. I knew going into the OR that we were giving this the ol' "college-try."Maybe this wouldn't work. Maybe I would wake up with the same vision that i went to sleep in. But Dr. Whittaker did his job. I am SO thankful for him. I could just hug the guy. As I am typing this, I have my glasses, yes, but they are prism free and it makes life so much sweeter than with a prism attached. Woooooo!!! Sometimes when you are little you have to be able to forget about little promises that where made with whomever, but this was one promise that I never wanted to give up. I wanted my eyes back, even if that means glasses. There are worse things. I will touch on this quickly, before I went back to the OR, I got to meet with Dr. Whittaker one last time. He went over the operation and what exactly he would do. A little bit of me was freaking out about the possible pain I would be in when I woke up. Then Whittaker did something I wish every doctor would do. He grabbed my hand, and said a simple prayer to our God to guide the surgery and keep things going well. Instantly after "Amen" was said I was at ease. I knew that things would go well. What a relief. God has blessed me immensely. Not only by God, but also by all of you and your love, prayers, and support sent my way. Love and Hugs -N

Seeing Again

Hey Everyone, Today goes to a tally on the good day board. I can finally see only one of everything again. Its been an entire year with glasses that had prisms and the Doctor told my parents after surgery was other that we can take those babies off my glasses!!!!! Score for Natalie. I may need the prescription part of my glasses, but I can handle that. No big deal. I might even get new ones. I know mine have gotten me lots of complements,but I'm ready for a change. I feel the change in the air. The most wonderful winds of change. Can you feel it too?? As of right now, just hours out of surgery, I in no real pain, mostly the stitches in my eyes are causing discomfort, and for that I am Thankful. I can handle discomfort even. I return to see the doctor on Thursday and I've got my fingers crossed for a good report. He said that by Sunday that irritation should be fading, and blinking wont be so bad. Im trusting him, that guy is smart. I've been extremely lucky with doctors this year. from Dr. Smith coming back to KU for oncology, getting one of the best brain surgeons with Dr. POllack, to June when Dr. Coupe referred me to KU. What a blessing. I've always had the best working on my team. That includes =ALL of you beauties too. Love and Hugs,-N

Big Changes..

Hey Everyone, I really don't have much going on. My life is starting to take on a same day cycle. For maybe the first time in my life, I am 100% okay with it. I like not having to go anywhere or do anything. I have about three more weeks in KC before Im off to the big town of Lamoni. After today, Doctors are taking over my life, yet again. Pre-Anastasia tomorrow afternoon, Pre-op. with Dr. W on Thursday, and surgery on Friday. Then I plan on spending my weekend resting, and hopefully not in to much pain from the stitches in my eyes. Ill have about a week before I'm back to Dr.W for a post op. appointment.Tired yet? Me too. I am trying to spend as much time as I can with my family and friends before I head off to school. But, I am getting so excited to FINALLY be on campus and starting my education up again.There is just something about being out of something like that, that makes you happy about getting it back. Given I didn't always love school before, I am excited now. Its new, its different, its focuses, its independent. Ill miss my friends and family so terribly much, but I know that I will make new relationships that will mean something to me and my life. I will be making lots of trips home to see the doctor, so my face will pop up every once in a while. I may be done with cancer and all that entails, but cancer/doctors aren't done with me. Love and Hugs. -N

Chicago and Dream Factor

Hey everyone, Wowie wow. Its been quite the last few days. Last Saturday. Mom, Dad, and I left to go to Chicago, IL to see our old neighbors for their oldest son's graduation party. We didn't tell them we were coming, so it was nice to be the surprise for once. It was a blast!! We got to also go to the do some shopping at their HandM, visit the Navy pier, ride on a tall ship, and go to the Planetarium. After the Planetarium we drove in five o lock traffic (why? Yeah, We sometimes don't make the smartest choices_ to take my first visit to IKEA. Can you be in love with a store? If you can, Its this place for me. We got a few things for me to take to school with me, and even some fun toys for the kiddies. After a night in the outskirts we woke up and headed to Springfield, IL to visit President Lincoln, AKA the BEST guy around. We went to his house, street, and to his bronze statue. It was SO hot, but I managed to get a photo in before my butt seemly burned off. After deciding it was much to hot, we went back to our hotel, got a swim in and headed to dinner and bed. Before we left Springfield the next morning we went to th Tomb. We have been there before, when I was much younger with my sister, Michele's, softball team, so It was fun for me to go back and see it. How amazing. We got home on Wednesday. Thursday was a doctors visit to Dr. Kim. He said everything was looking good, but he wants to see me once a year for a while. Not a big deal. Friday was the start of Tax free weekened in MO. We headed to best buy to get me a computer for school, and got in and out just in time for a quick lunch before our afternoon at the cancer center. Dr. Smith continues to like what he is seeing on the scale (+2 LNS) and my blood. I love getting good news from him. I won't see him again until September 7th (HUZZZAHHHHH!!!"After seeing him, I was sent up to three for my LONG wait for my monthly drug. Talk about a wait. Every month we do this, and yet, this hour long drug takes us about three hours from start to finish. Friday night we went to Dream Factory's event "Boulevard of Dreams" sponsored by Boulevard Brewing Company here in Kansas. It was a super fun and nice event for the KC chapter of Dream Factory. We were all so happy to be able to be there, and hope to be there for many years to come. Today, was a tax free shopping day with my sisters and mom. Tomorrow is family pictures and its looking to be a beautiful day here in KC for them. The massive packing is going to have to start soon, but this coming week is doctors on Wednesday and Thursday and surgery on Friday. I'm in for a big week so prayers are much appreciated. Love and Hugs, --N

Caringbridge...

Hey All, As I finished reading through my caringbridge and all the guestbook entries I found a few that I want to post back to. There was one not to long ago from someone special (as you all are to me) that said: "Okay Sweetness, do you remember the first time we met and I told you there would be peaks and valleys.... mountains to climb and curvy roads to travel? This is them. You just fasten your seat belt; hang on to the steering wheel; and sing at the top of your lungs!!" How true is this statement? I feel as if I have been climbing a mountain since last August, and it is as if I can see the peak, but I'm not quite there yet. I'm getting there! The curvy roads have been tough but they have at least been semi fun. I've had my seat belt on the entire time, still do. Do you? I sure hope. Life doesn't stop around here. Just keeps on rolling. I'm also not sure if you could hear me, but my lungs are starting to hurt! whew! But, Im not planning on stopping anytime soon. I think its about time to change my tune though. There where lots of comments about how the road is long, and how I must have felt like it was never going to end. That is absolutely correct. In January it seemed as if it would never be over, but the big Guy blessed me greatly and kept it short! What a great guy!! And another one I want to chat about comes from Jori Hume. I have to call you out on this because not only did I wish to mirror your family's strength during my battle, you all where shinning stars while Sam was sick, and I think that is partly where I learned how to face things during the hard times. Also, you said that if there is ever a made for TV movie on lifetime about my life (fat chance) that Miss. Sam would like to play me. If one the off chance that this happens, She's got the part! It would be an HONNOR to have that beautiful young girl play me. And you all call me a rock star. That would be her. I wish that I could go over ever single entry and give a comment back, so maybe I will attempt to do so. It may take a while but maybe that's what I can do. Love and Hugs, -N