Jen's "Wonder Women"

Some amazing women from our home ward in CT participated in a 199 mile race ending up in Boston. They made T-shirts and called themselves "Jen's Wonder Women".

My mom hasn't driven more than 1 hour outside of our home since last December. She wanted to go support these tired women who had been running for over 48 hours but was nervous about going to Boston.

But she did it.

They even made her a shirt

It was pretty emotional for everyone

Ummm--I think you're facing the wrong way mom (hehe)

Here are her girls with a big hug!

The last leg of the race! My mom got to walk with them the last 1/4 mile

She does love her girls!

I want some of those socks!

her heart was full!

Thanks girls!
Everyone wants to be involved in my mom's cancer process because we all love her so much. Thanks to those who have run, bike ridden, shaved your head, brought food, given rides, taken care of my dad and brothers, made bracelets, gifted wigs, hats, hugs, kisses, times, and other presents , etc. for my mom. She may not like to be in the spotlight--but she certainly is the light of our lives!

Random Pics

Random pictures from the past month...

Look at how much of mom's hair has grown in!

Trav and momma saying good-bye (off to BYU)

Cute hat! Wait is that a wig? Looks like your normal hair!

It is growing in! So cute!

Mom and Dad looking sharp

Zach first day of school...looking good! 10th grader!

7th grade! Looking like a CA surfer boy!

Fact: Cancer does not take away artistic talent

She's still "got it" folks. Yes it's true, cancer has NOT--I repeat, HAS NOT taken away my mom's artistic talent and creative abilities. (She's gonna hate that I wrote that because she doesn't even think she's creative).

Here are pics from Zach's Eagle Scout project. Yes, he is only 15, and is a STUD for getting his eagle so early.

Dad looks cute here--and sweaty from the humidity.
There is momma painting Florida. Mom it looks like you're dressed for snow!

Tyler's attention span is about 12 seconds...he's off in a far away land by now in the picture.

Zach attack! The director, leader, organizer, King, etc of the project. Looks awesome Zach!

Is that a goatee on your face? TRAV! Pic taken a few days before leaving for BYU

Wish I could have been there to help! It looks awesome and the kids at the elementary school are gonna love it!

hip hip HOORAY!

This is a letter my mom sent out (my comments are in bold):


Dear Family near and far,

Yesterday was my last official chemotherapy after 6 long months!!! (haleluyah). All the boys came a half hour before I was done with balloons and sat with me. Morgan and Daniel had a tour of the Radiation room (I know they loved the free chips) with the 1 foot thick concrete door, while the other boys sat and watched "Hello Dolly" with me. (I bet the boys were wishing there was Nintendo) (I watched lots of movies while getting my treatments) When they took out the infusion I got to wear a crown and there is a little bell in the corner of the room All of the infusion nurses and doctors who have worked with me, and the boys all came and stood around while I "rang the bell!" It is a ritual they do at this Cancer center, and it was kind of a closure for my boys. (I’m sure each boy rang that bell, including dad) I will begin radiation treatments in 2 weeks which will last for 6 weeks. I go every day. I was even tattooed for that...3 freckles. I told them if I had to do that, I would like hearts but they didn't think I was being very cute. (I think she should have gotten skulls tattooed).

I actually I will be going back for a full year as a participant in a clinical trial for more infusions, (boooo) so I thought it was anticlimactic to ring the bell, but we decided it would be good for the boys. Especially since summer is going to soon be over and everyone will be getting back to their schedules, and mom will too as my energy level comes back! I am starting to get my hair back, and it even gets disheveled when I take my hats off..."hat hair!

Thank you so much for your love and support through this very interesting experience. I will need your continued support as I continue to heal. Cancer seems to be a life time process of constant tests and checks and I will always be on some type of medication to keep it away. My new adjustments to life! But that is okay!

But for now we are celebrating. I came home to streamers and a big sign with little cancer men drawn dead on one side and a circle with a slash over the word cancer! The boys even did fireworks in the driveway at 11:00 at night to celebrate (to be honest, our boys never need an excuse to do fireworks). It was a good excuse to try out some of those big ones they bought in Ohio on the family reunion they went to.

Here is a thought: Many people believe that the basic issues of wellness are (1)disciplining ourselves to eat well and (2) exercising regularly. Not true. The single overriding objective to wellness is creating constant personal renewal where we recognize and act on the truth that each day is a miraculous gift and our job is to untie the ribbons.

Living life with joy! Joy--the emotion evoked by well-being. Delight. Bliss. Genuine happiness. True wellness is the ability to generate a joyful stance toward life on a daily basis.
When you feel this you will want to praise yourself and do things that make your feel at your best.
I love you all,
Jennifer, Aunt Jenny, Mom

Katie and Grandma's Visit

A few months ago my gma and I went to visit my mom. We felt so much more apart of her life and this cancer process after being with her. It was so great to add some estrogen to that testosterone house too! To see more pictures visit www.JimmyAndKatieRobison.blogspot.com

Hanging out with just the girls!


Eating out as a family.

I love this picture. Mom and dad--exhausted! I loved just talking with them and hanging out and laughing. I felt like I was still living at home!

My grandma at south school next to the tree my mom made.

Gma peeling potatoes and mom in the background doing stuff for relief society.

mom and gma in the monopoly room (that my mom did of course)

This is one of the FAKE flowers from my wedding. My mom brought them to all the people at the cancer center. Well the valet parking guys thought it was real so they've been watering it for the past few months! hahahaha

Happy Birthday to you! Fried Rice! July 5th was her bday.

mom and gma at the cancer center. Gma giving mom a foot-rub!

You guys look tired! (notice the flowers taped to the pole...that's my mom's doing!)

My gma brought her mother's silky blanket that everyone loves. It was so that my mom could have her mom's arms around her when she wasn't there with her.

Yee Haw! Mom getting creative with her hats! Make a wish.

For those who have been following this blog, my mom only has 4 more taxal chemo treatments, a 2 week break (heleluyah) and then 6 weeks of radiation every day! Doctor says that during the radiation process mom will be able to microwave any item just by touching it! Cool huh! She will also attract all magnetic objects as she walks by so hold onto those necklaces and earrings. (hehe! love you mom!)

How many mom’s would let their kids do this? ONLY OURS! For fourth of July my family was actually in CT! For the past 10 years my family has celebrated the 4th of July at Lake Tahoe with extended family, parades, BBQs, fireworks on the lake, etc.

Due to the rigorous schedule of cancer treatments, my family stayed home this 4th of July and got to celebrate it with our whole city up at Waveny Mansion. But of course what is the fourth of July without a little decorating? We have the coolest mom ever! (and p.s.—mom, is that hair I see growing on your head? I think it is!)

I love the painted fingernails too!

Daniel doing his handiwork

Songs from the Heart

Doesn't my momma look so cute? This is when she had to speak at Stake Conference! Yes, you read right? As if giving a talk isn't tough enough, try doing it when your white blood cell count is down, you feel weak and nauseous, and did I mention she had to give a talk in front of the stake? GULP! I love that Heavenly Father has allowed my mom to keep her LOOOOOOONG eye lashes! And mom--where did you buy that cute suit?

So my mom loves music. She is also an appreciator of music (if you look downstairs in our basement you'll see what I mean. Or just come over to my house and you're bound to hear drums, electric guitars, violins, pianos, etc).

Well--she wrote some lyrics to popular tunes to help her and the other cancer patients smile through the chemo process. ENJOY:

Itsy Bitsy Needle (Sung to the Itsy bitsy spider)

The itsy bitsy needle won’t poke my arm today!
Down came my sleeve and I said “Good-bye—Hooray!”

Up came the sun and they gave my arm a rest,
But, hey that itsy bitsy needle now pokes me in the chest!
(I have a port that is surgically placed in my chest for infusions)


Oh where oh where has my little dog gone

Oh where oh where has my lovely hair gone?
Oh Where oh where could it be?
With my head gone bald ,
And my nose grown long
Oh where oh where could it be?


The Adams family song:

Its creepy and its kooky,
mysterious and spooky.
Its all together ooky .
My new Cancer Family

The place is a museum
When we go in to see ‘em
They help us not to scre-um
My new cancer family.

So now when I feel freaky
I don’t need to get weepy.
They help me all so sweetly.
My new Cancer family

Oh what a beautiful Morning

There’s a bright golden shine on my bald head
There’s a bright golden shine on my bald head
The white of my complexion is as white as a ghost
And it looks like I’m gagging and need a piece of toast---

Chorus:
Oh what a beautiful mirror
Oh what a beautiful girl
I have that yucky yuck feeling
I think I’m going to hurl!

2nd: All the nurses and doctors take care of me
All the nurses and doctors take care of me
They poke, prick and pick me so I can be healed,
Then they smile, wave good bye, with me leaving chemo-filled

[chorus]

They say one day I will feel healthy,
They say one day I will feel strong.
But now when I go home I lay on the couch,
And when people come over I feel like a grouch.

[chorus]

Jingle bells

Jingle bells, my nose smells, my nose hairs have gone away.
Oh how nasty it is to pick, my boogers every day.

Jingle beads, my nose bleeds, my tissues are my friend.
Oh what fun it is to ride on the chemo coaster again.

The grand old duke of york (my favorite)

Old captain Nupagen,
He had ten thousand men,
He marched them down my bones and cells,
Then marched them up again.

And when your white count is up,
And when it’s down its down.
And when it’s only half way up
Your smile turns to a frown.

Popcorn popping on the apricot tree

I looked in the mirror and what did I see?
A scary old lady impersonating me.

Cancer has brought me such a weird surprise.
A bald headed person right before my eyes.

I can take an armful of chemo to heal.
Cancer is a tough bug and needs to be healed.
I wish it wasn’t so,
But it was you see,
A bald headed girl that’s reallyimpersonating me.

Mom of the Year Award

It's official guys--according to CNNBC the mother of the year award goes to...[drumroll please]... Jennifer Edwards! Don't believe me? Click here

http://news.cnnbcvideo.com/?nid=xn6dgbypjyTUaUmpC.F.qzcwMTcyMzg-&referred_by=16018519-rJoQYpx&p=moveon

Happy Mother's Day momma!


also: regarding the chemo coaster schedule:
my mom just finished her first chemo round called AC which has been once every other week, for 2 months.

She is now beginning her second round of chemo therapy which is called Taxal. She is able to receive this once a week for the next 12 weeks.

After Taxal she will have radiation therapy EVERY DAY for the next 6 weeks.

Thank you to all those who have brought meals, ran/biked races, shaved heads and in any other way supported my mom and our family!

That is "SO MOM"

My mom is creative and always thinking of others. Does this sound like my mom or what?

On the first day of spring it was snowing in CT (not to rub it in, but it was 75 here). It was the end of the week of her first round of chemo and mom felt well enough to drive to the cancer center all by herself which is a huge thing for her! She wanted to do something, and she went in the basement and found all of my wedding flowers sitting in a closet. She gathered the entire huge pile and took it to the center (pink, purple, green, orange, and yellow flowers).

When she got out of the valet parking the 2 spanish guys' eyes went big and I told them to pick a flower--Happy Spring. They choose the brightest pink one. Later when she came out they had it in a vase in water (they are fake flowers by the way--silly boys). It is still there to this day. They won't take it out and they think it is real!

So I guess there is a giant room where everyone sits all together to get infused with chemo. My mom brought the huge bouquet in that room and started taping the flowers on all the IV infusion poles while the people were sitting there. She barely had the energy to do it, so she had her own spunky volunteer help her and really talked it up! They taped all the flowers on the poles. Now the infusion room looks like a garden of giant, bright Daisys to cheer everyone up as they are getting 'chocolate syrup' poured into their bodies.

My mom also brings them treats all the time... and they love her of course. The 2 ladies that check her in still have people come and ask if the flowers are real. They have them right behind their computers. They put perfume in them because people say they smell so good! (what a great idea!)

One lady told one of the girls that one is starting to wilt. I swear people will believe anything...especially in a cancer center. They have a bright orange one in the poker room where you have to give blood every time. Mom is called the flower lady when she goes in which I think is cute because if anyone knows my grandma Calvert (mom's mom), we know her as the flower lady. Not to mention the fact that everyone says my mom has a black thumb (hence why she brought fake flowers...haha).

But the flowers are still there. They walk around with them on the poles and my mom's doctor has them on his door. They are every where and they love them. My mom's next "do now and get forgiveness later," is that she is naming all the chairs. My mom says "I plan to sit in"gorgeous" the next time I go in!" There will be 'Big Hunk, King, Queen, Princess, Beautiful, Happy,' you get her drift.

It kinda reminds of the movie Count of Monti Cristo when the main character is in prison and says he's counted all the stones in his cell: 3,587. Then the old man says, "oh but have you named them yet?" haha!

All For One--and One For All

So I guess the boys were jealous that my mom was going to be the only one with a shaved head--so Tyler and my Dad decided to go for it. My mom's college roommate Peggy came out (she's a hoot!) and buzzed everyone up. Of course the boys had to have a little fun first. Mom-you are so brave! And I can't believe you can pull it off!

Tyler man

You look like GI Jane

Rocker!

Punk Rocker!

Why is Tyler always in his McDonalds shirt?

The "before" pictures

(dad looks REAL nervous)

'after' (not too shabby)

Here they are!

Peggy and Mom