Month: June 2010

Posted in Family, Health, Music, Tumor

Not going for that annual quite yet…

Posted on by narciejeter

Hi y’all!  So as always there are highs and lows in a day.  (Can’t decide whether watching The Bachelorette right now is a high or a low…much better on fast forward to the decent parts.)  Mike and I dropped off the CD of the previous MRI/CT Scan at the neurosurgeon’s, I got a quick lesson on all this brain stuff from a wonderful Emory friend, and our GPS got us to Carolinas Medical Center.  I’ve never been to the real one – just having babies at the one in Pinevile.

We parked way far away because we had no clue where to go but we finally figured it out and it made for a beautiful day to walk.  Filled out some more forms and then got to talk to the anesthesologist and a nurse.  I’ll get to the hospital at 11:15 am and they’ll take all of us up to the 5th floor and get them settled in the waiting room, will bring me in, I’ll get to see everyone one last time, and then we’ll begin.  They’ve blocked out the room for up to three hours.  I should be in the neurointensive care for at least one night and then in the hospital 3-5 days.  Okay.  There we go.  So then giving a couple more tubes of blood, we were back in the sunshine.

Time to hit up Rock Bottom Brewery.  Completely randomly they sat us in the same booth that we were in over 9 years ago when we talked to Mike’s parents about us getting engaged and began wedding planning with them.  Oh, ironic.  In the midst of this I get a phone call and it’s not a number I recognize and let me tell you – we are screening some calls these days.  So Mike answers “Narcie’s phone, Mike speaking” and I think okay he’ll probably be on there for a while but quickly he hands it over to me and whispers “OB-Gyn.”  I’m thinking what in the heck do they want at this point?  And the very nice lady says, Mrs. Jeter you haven’t scheduled your annual appointment yet.  I know I probably should have just penciled it in to the looming calendar that I had in my pocketbook but I couldn’t help myself and said – welp, I was told a week ago I have a brain tumor and they’re operating on it on Friday and I don’t think I’ll be getting to that appointment any time soon.  LOL.  We both had a good laugh.  She said to call back any time.  It’s important – keep in good health people – but not in the scheme of things right now.

I didn’t realize until today being in there that my life is going to change for awhile.  I mean I’ve had that realization in pieces over the past week and a half but Mike and I also decided at a certain point that I needed to live my life as normally as possible.  In the midst of that though I’m now thinking oh wow what do I need to do before Friday?  We went and bought some books and some toys for Enoch and Evy for the days to come.  I got to play with the kiddos in the bath tonight and put both of them to bed.  Mike asked the nurse today if when I come back home, I can really come back home.  In other words – in our world here there is no rest, Mommy napping, etc.  There is Silly 1 and Silly 2 – my two wild and crazy E’s.  She said we’ll have to ask the doctor.  Should be interesting.

Tomorrow Enoch will go back to school, Evy will have our 16 month check up, and I’ll do some work at Wesley for one of the last times before Friday.  Then we’ll head to MRI land and will see what Presbyterian Hospital looks like.  This has been a sort of weird medical scavenger hunt.

Earlier I posted one of my favorite Laura Story songs.  I actually like most of her new CD – great stuff!  One of my all time favorites of hers though was when she was with Silers Bald and it’s called “Grace.”

  Glad that we can start each morning with mercies anew and grace afresh!  Check it out…http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FribXzqHVE

Posted in Campus Ministry, Faith, Health, Music, Tumor

What to do today…

Posted on by narciejeter

So I’m sitting at Wesley with a million and one things to do and that’s what I love about my job.  However I’m just sitting here eating peanut m&m’s and am thinking how wonderful all of you are to be praying for me.  I kind of don’t want to let any of the surgeons or medical people know about all this because feel the pressure!  =0)  It’s completely surreal that this is happening and that there are facebook groups being created to pray for me.  This can’t be my life.

But it is, and in the midst of everything I feel y’all’s love and support hugely!  It’s been great to catch up with friends from high school and college and grad school and my work at Emory and all of my wonderful Winthrop folks.  One of my favorite messages is from my friend Jan who I met while working in Religious Life at Emory.  Jan is Jewish and wonderful!  She said she’s sending up some Jewish prayers!  Hey if God’s chosen people are praying – tee hee….  The thing that is wonderful is that I love all of you.  Each of you has touched my life in intricate ways and this tapestry of love that is being created around me is powerful.  Again, no pressure doctors.

Just want to give each of you a hug.  One more hour of work before time to go give a copy of the MRI/CT Scan CD to the neurosurgeon.  Oh yes – there are pictures of my brain and the tumor on the CD.  If I could figure out how to post them I would, but I don’t have those mad kind of computer skills.  For some people it helps to see it and wrap the mind around it (it made me feel better like I wasn’t crazy for having a seizure and falling out of a bed randomly) but then padre didn’t feel better after seeing it – totally understandable.  So back to work and then off to deliver some pictures and find out what I need to do for pre-op!

  Love this video.  And her story.  And that she’s from South Carolina.  Check it out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e00JWpre67U.

Posted in Faith, Family, Health, Music, Television, Tumor

MTV Movie Awards

Posted on by narciejeter

I am totally not telling you to watch them because they are rather disturbing this year and there are so many things being bleeped out that you can’t understand half of it but it is pretty funny.

Mike walked in earlier and he’s like “What are you smiling at?” Guess I haven’t done that much today, and I’m like “They’re giving an award to Sandra Bullock and they’re showing clips from her movies.” So we got sucked in. Although now he’s flipping back and forth between hockey and basketball. It’s a night with absolute nothing on tv and all sorts of things to watch on tv all at the same time.

Thank y’all for the prayers! It had to be prayer that got me through this morning. I totally didn’t crash until after church and I know that had to be prayer so thank you!

The rest of the day today and yesterday has been good – hanging out with the kids, going to the park and the pool and watching Enoch play with his new trains, and watching Evy in her new dresses and bows. It’s been good. And there’s been great food (Mike’s grandmother sent chocolate-covered strawberries – who could ask for better?).

I know this is going to be a crazy week with highs and lows and it’s all going to be fine, but I’m tired and it’s a tired day. Enoch has been staying up til all hours of the night not wanting to sleep, don’t know if he feels the energy in the air or if he needs to not ever take naps anymore!

So not much to report in Jeterland today. Tomorrow begins the week of craziness and thankfully the kids will begin summer preschool in the morning so here’s to a good start for them! Thank you all for the prayers and support! I am deeply humbled, overwhelmed and hugely thankful for them. Much love!

Posted in Culture, Faith, Family, Music, Television

Blest Be The Tie That Binds

Posted on by narciejeter

So I love this old hymn.  We sang it at the end of every worship service when we were at Wesley Chapel in Lydia and it was played at my Gandaddy’s funeral with Ganny’s alto voice ringing out as always.   It’s not the greatest sounding recording, but it’s about like I remember in UMC’s with a bunch of different voices and a lot of joy in the harmony and singing out as loud as you can even if you’re not the best singer in the history of the world.  The second video – different tune but also familiar and I think the images are cool with the words. Go to http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=9OfSm2LfX48&feature=related.

What is the tie that binds us?

Love that great cloud of witnesses always before us (can’t help but mention the LOST finale) and that great community of Christ followers that is ever behind us, beside us, and before us.  Love, love, love that in this crazy blog system that people’s posts look like patches in a quilt.  God is sewing community together all around us and that is beautiful.

Posted in Culture, Faith, Family, Health, Methodism, Television, Tumor

Everybody Loves Raymond

Posted on by narciejeter

So the episode is on right now when Raymond gives Debra the “happy pills” to take care of her PMS. It cracks me up every time. I know some people are not fans of the show but when there’s nothing on TV like there’s not really tonight and you want a little amusement – this works.

We had a great 3rd birthday for Enoch tonight! And we’re all pooped now. GiGi picked up a great dinner from Sahara (a Mediterranean restaurant in Rock Hill that we hope will make it because it’s delicious!), the Choo-choo cake was ready to go and Mac Mac and Uncle Josh put together the new wagon. Grammy even gave the kids a bath. I don’t think Enoch could decide which gift he liked more or which ones he wanted to sleep with – the choo choos, guitar, or fish game and finally with the reading of a story, he went to sleep. What a day/night!

To keep you updated with the latest in doctor land, we went to see the neurologist today. Nope, he is not the same as the neurosurgeon, although I never knew those were the same, but hey what do I know? So several pieces of paperwork filled out (I am so excited about the technology being created where all of your medical info is in one place, I can even begin to contain my hope – we need to all invest in it.) and lots of questions later, we ended up with more appointments.

I know that all of these doctors/medical folk need answers and that they’re hearing it for the first time and I should be nice and tell them the whole thing again, but part of me wanted to say – read the blog. Or read the chart. Or communicate with the others. No, I don’t remember if one side shook more than the other. Nope, I don’t think one side was slower than the other probably because I landed on one side. Nope, I haven’t had any seizures before. Sure I can close my eyes and put my arms out and touch my nose with my fingertips (I have now done this for three doctors.)

I am thankful for these questions because I know they need this info and thorough is good. But boy is it frustrating. A friend of mine called shortly after and I was telling him that I think our insurance is going to hate me and he very hilariously said that by the end of this I’m going to be for Obama-care. (No I do not want to debate this and I love you but I don’t want a gazillion op-eds on healthcare reform.) It just made me think a lot about the privilege it is to be able to go to all these different people and have them each treat me. I mean this thing happened a week ago right now. A week ago possibly from this very moment and I’ve been to an er, done a gazillion tests, been driven back to SC by an amazing Edward, been supported and loved by family, been hugely humbled and amazed by the support and prayers of a larger community than I knew existed, gone to see a neurosurgeon and a neurologist. Everyone doesn’t have support like this. Everyone doesn’t have care like this. And I’m complaining about filling out forms. And I am still complaining. It’s annoying. But at least I have that opportunity. I feel like I’ve got so little answers to give but what if I had absolutley no info or answers and I hadn’t even seen anyone yet?

So what do we know today – the neurologist here likes the seizure meds that the neurologist in Virginia gave me so he gave me some more refills on that. He reminded me about the 6 months no driving thing (that still sort of stinks). And he scheduled a sleep deprived EEG for the end of June. What is a sleep deprived EEG you ask? Well, apparently I go to bed at 10 pm and wake up at 2 am and then stay awake without drinking caffeine or eating chocolate and then I go get an EEG at 7:30 am. What that is checking I have no idea, but that’s where I’ll be early in the morning on June 26th.

The only other new info I have is that I got the folder for pre-op, op, and post-op today. Now that is exciting. Still haven’t looked up what this surgery is exactly but a wise nurse friend told me that it would be better to read what it is after the surgery than to gross myself out before. So pre-op on Monday, MRI and functional MRI which apparently has cool colors on Tuesday, and surgery on Friday.

I’m telling you I love this show. Marie just said, “Frank we’re having company.” And he answers, “They better like swearing.” LOL. I like this show because it’s real. And I love y’all my massively amazing community because you’re real. I love that your joining together across the web for the simple fact that I love people being community together but also because it makes me happy that our “connection” is alive and well. I’m not just talking about the United Methodist one although you know I believe that too, but I’m talking about the connection of people of faith, that belief that there is a different world possible. The hope that if we all could unite together we could change our worlds – one can of soup or smile or vote or radical choice at a time.

It’s the life – the every day – the Everybody Loves Raymond moments that are the meat – the good stuff. These are the things we cherish. These are the opportunities that we take for granted but we should be oh so thankful for. The times that we let loose and were our real, God created selves, warts, tiaras and all.

So may we find grace in the little things. May we see the marks on the walls, the scuffs on our shoes, and the grooves in our paths not as just tired wear and tear but as the everyday treasures of grace, hope, and keep on keepin’ on that make it all worth it! Praise God that it’s not all smoothed out and clean – how boring would that be! Will continue to keep you posted. Thanks for the prayers! Keep rockin it out!

Posted in Faith, Family, Health, Music, Television, Tumor

So if life were a musical

Posted on by narciejeter

Scratch that.  Maybe I should use sports imagery.  Maybe this is like halftime.  Or back to the musical this could either be the orchestra warming up at the beginning of a full and fabulous Broadway show or this could be the intermission music.  Either way all’s quiet on the home front.  The kids went to bed reasonably early tonight.  Mike is asleep already – praise God!  And GiGi (Mike’s mom) has arrived safe and sound.

Tomorrow we pick up Enoch’s 3rd birthday cake, some last minute birthday gifts, and we’ll stop by the neurologist.  The MRI has been moved from Saturday to Tuesday and the anesthesiologist appointment is now on Monday.  So after tomorrow’s neuro there’s nothing on the appointment horizon until Monday which freaks me out a little bit but also makes me want to randomly go somewhere that’s not sitting on my couch waiting for Monday.  So is the orchestra gearing up or will it spend all weekend gearing up or better yet in this not completely working analogy – are we going to play a completely different show this weekend – ie. the birthday extravaganza, everyone enjoy life and try not to freak out dance?

In reading people’s posts on the blog and facebook and comments and everything I’ve felt a wide range of emotions.  I’ve cried and laughed out loud.  Part of me wants to start doing the whole Wicked

“Because I Knew You” as I think about so many different people from so many different places and all of the many ways I love each of you and you have touched my life in real and not so cheesy ways.  Another part of me is still just happy to be alive in general and I’ve not been able to get David Crowder’s “O Praise Him” and the video that someone posted months ago out of my head. 
  I’m not a total David Crowder fan – I admit that – but I do lift this song/video.

Also – please don’t read this blog or any blog for that matter and think that anyone has anything all figured out.  That’s crap.  No one of us has the in track to faith, theodicy, or the mysteries of life – much less who the smoke monster really was – but we do serve a God who blesses far beyond our wildest dreams and you guys are that blessing for me.  So if life were a musical what would be your song?  Glee people – what would be your soundtrack?  What is that go to music for you that makes your soul come alive?  The dear friends that light up your life?

We’re cranking up the music this weekend and there won’t be any electric slide at this three year old’s birthday party!

Posted in Campus Ministry, Culture, Faith, Music

For Now

Posted on by narciejeter

So just had a good lunch with some clergywomen!  Love!  When I came back to Wesley playing was a song from Avenue Q called “For Now.”  Love the show and the song and so true…For Now from Avenue Q…

Mike and I had the pleasure of going on the campus ministry trip to Harlem a couple weeks ago and we took the students from Winthrop Wesley to see Avenue Q.  Yep a little on the edge, but totally fitting for college students.

Stuff is for now…but we know the One who is bigger than time and anything else we’re dealing with here on this crazy planet.

Posted in Health, Tumor

Surgery times

Posted on by narciejeter

Thanks for the prayers y’all!  To be honest I haven’t read them all yet because I’m working on a Bible study with Josh this morning and I know that would be procrastinating.  Just to keep you updated – I’ll meet with the neurologist tomorrow and will have the two functional MRI’s Saturday at Presbyterian Main Hospital.  On June 11th at 1:30  I will have a left frontal craniotomy.  How’s that for some big words?  Haven’t googled it yet, but I’m sure I will before it happens.  Looks like I’ll be making just a brief appearance at Annual Conference.  Don’t want to miss the barbeque or bocci ball.  It’s hard to stay focused today!

Posted in Campus Ministry, Faith, Family, Health, Tumor

So…

Posted on by narciejeter

So I was at a campus ministry conference last week and was having loads of fun when I suddenly began not feeling well. Thinking that this sprung from staying up too late and working too hard (yes, we do work in the summers) I skipped lunch and slept and made it back in time for some small groups. Still not feeling well, I headed back to the dorm room at 5 pm and went back to sleep. 5 pm to sleep, do you say? Crazy? I know.

Somewhere in the middle of that, I had a very scary dream where I thought I was having a seizure and couldn’t breathe and felt completely and utterly out of control. The next thing I remember is being on the floor of the dorm room and thinking hmmm….I’m laying on carpet. I crawled back up into bed (oh should have said that the beds were lofted – you gotta love dorm rooms) and then later blew my nose only to find that I was blowing out blood. Yes, squeamish people, this is not the blog for you. If you’re looking for rainbows and leprechauns they are not here. Well, after seeing the blood, I turned on the light in the room and I realized that there was blood all over my face and in my hair because my nose and lip were busted. Some dream! In the midst of this I got my phone and hopeful that morning was soon to arrive, I was saddened to find that it was 12:08 am. The good news is that some campus ministry friends were still awake and hanging out downstairs where I knew there was Tylenol. After a quick run downstairs to them where I’m sure I looked like a mess and crazy because I’m telling crazy stories about dreams of seizures and I’ve fallen out of my bed and I have strange bruises on my arms, I’m back upstairs calling my mom in the middle of the night trying to figure out what in the heck is happening to me.

A very, very wise person called campus police and just as my mom was praying for guards at my door, they literally showed up. I know I must have looked a mess because they quickly unbunked my bed and asked if they could call the paramedics. The paramedics came and checked me out and everything looked good. They asked if I wanted to come with them and thinking that I was finally starting to feel sleepy, I said no, but then I started feeling nauseous and hot again, and so yes, I have now taken a ride in an ambulance. Oh my even in the middle of the night, that is embarassing.

Several blood tests later, I’m checking out pretty well. I think all the ER people thought I was just a crazy girl from South Carolina. Which is true. But somehow in the midst of this the doctor began to listen to my story, and to this “dream” that I had about a seizure and she ran a muscle enzyme test that showed that I had most likely had a seizure. Good to know that I haven’t just started randomly falling out of beds.

So this very wise doctor then does a CT Scan and sees a suspicious place on the scan so decides to do an MRI and lo and behold just before 7 am on Saturday morning I am in the middle of Winchester, Virginia hearing that I may have a brain tumor. Anyone see that one coming? And then here comes my very own McDreamy. Actually it took him several hours and I wouldn’t have described him as Mcanything – steamy or otherwise, but he was very nice and reassuring even in the midst of hearing the whole can’t drive 6 months after a seizure and all that jazz.

So where does that leave me? It leaves me with a waiting game and a fighting game. I get to do a functional MRI in the next couple of days to see how close this low grade tumor is to the extrafabulous part of my brain that helps me to function and then sometime next week I hear that we’ll get to know what the plan of action is. For me, I already know what that is. I’m going to love, I’m going to fight, I’m going to cry, I’m going to feel, I’m going to get mad, I’m going to laugh, and I’m probably going to have some headaches.

I never took the time to write a blog before. Ha ha. But I’m thinking now’s as good a time as any to start. Will post more as I figure things out.  Thanks for all of the prayers!  You can ask questions, but we don’t have many answers.  I think God likes questions though so have at it!