Lessons in Kindness

Ann will have her last radiation treatment tomorrow. I can't believe that I just typed that. Time seems to have gone very quickly the past 6 weeks. Thankfully, Ann has felt very good throughout all of it. Aside from a nasty scar and no hair, most people would have no idea the extent of all she's just been through. As our favorite singer TA says, it's the fiercest calm we've been in.

We have been amazingly blessed by all of your kindness over the past few months. When my parents and I learned we were unexpectedly going to Japan in 12 hours, you all stepped into pivotal roles that kept things going in our homes, at our jobs, and paved the way logistically for us to get Ann home safely. From cleaning our homes, to calling cell phone companies to give us international access, to spending hours on the phone with Delta to get us tickets, to instant messaging with me in the middle of the night from a hotel room in Tokyo, to offering your cars, your homes, your vacation homes, large sums of money, to drive Ann to radiation, to fly across the country to hang out, to arranging a caravan of cars to pick us up from the airport stocked with sandwiches and toothbrushes, to welcoming Ann into your dance classes and supporting her as she re-learned, to sending cards, flowers, fruit baskets, and many other gifts, to praying for her, forming prayer groups to pray for her, thinking of her, willing for her, WE COULDN'T BE MORE GRATEFUL! And, to our God, who has shown the greatest kindness of all, WE PRAISE YOU AND GIVE YOU GLORY!

Because Ann is about to finish up her radiation and she is feeling so good, this will probably be our last blog. Thanks for joining us on this journey! Thanks for your kindness!


With love, Meagan

Wigged Out

Hello friends and family. We just wanted to check in with an update. Ann has been doing so well with her continuing recovery from surgery and radiation treatments! Every day we're so thankful for how well she is progressing and are aware that things could easily not be going this well. The only real side effect Ann's experiencing, that can't be controlled by meds, has been hair loss. Last week, I did some trimming with kitchen scissors to make her remaining hair pretty short. Throughout the week, she lost the bulk of her hair, so I shaved the rest today. (Yes, I did read all the directions that came with the razor pictured above. Thankfully, we had an entire semester on hair styling in dental school. Unfortunately, I'm not currently accepting new customers.) When Ann saw her doctor on Thursday, he wrote orders for a wig. If the doctor ordered it, we figured it was time to go for it. So, today we went wig shopping. Ann was hoping to channel her inner rockstar and find a lovely neon pink bob, but ended up with a nice, less neon, natural look.

In international news, Doug made it to Tokyo and is doing well getting back into his work routine there. With Doug on another continent, Mom has been chauffeuring Ann to radiation. I've noted a few fingernail imprints on the steering wheel. We are certain that her experience in navigating Red Oak's rush hour has been invaluable in navigating the traffic here.

I was looking through some emails this week from when we were trying to get Ann home from Tokyo. In some ways that seems like so long ago, especially when I see how far Ann has come. I was reminded again how incredibly lucky we are to have such a wonderful support network. Thank you for continuing to be a part of it all. Love, Meagan

Halfway There

Hello Everyone! I am just about to finish up week 3 of radiation, which means after today, I will only have 17 sessions left! YAY! The only real side effect I am experiencing is the hair loss, but I knew that was coming, and I would much rather lose my hair than my energy!
Doug has arrived safely back to Tokyo to continue where he left off at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and then he will finish up July and August at JETRO, the Japan External Trade Organization. He was able to attend my follow-up Brain Clinic in Rochester on Tuesday, and thankfully everything seems good to go for me, so hopefully I won't be too far behind in returning as well.
Since I am still unable to drive, Hoolia, one of my closest friends, left her 11 month old twins in Denver with Gma and Gpa and came to take care of me instead this week. We had a blast together! On Wednesday we hiked about 4 miles through a preserve near our house and enjoyed a sushi dinner with Macey and her friend Bethany. Yesterday, we spent the day at the Science Museum and Como Zoo. This weekend, my mom is graciously moving up to the big city to help me get to my remaining appointments. I am so lucky to have such a strong support system around me! Thank you always for all of the well wishes and happy thoughts being sent my way!!!!

Look How Far She's Come

This is the week Ann was supposed to get out of the hospital. Instead, Ann is walking around like a miracle on legs. She had a 7 hour surgery on her brain that left her paralyzed, and now she has been going to dance class, pilates, long walks/jogs, and bungee jumping (OK, not that last one). {A special thanks to Ann's good friends Ray, Paulette, and Colleen for making the transition back to classes so easy.} We are so incredibly thankful for this gift. Ann is motivated mentally and seems to be having fewer and fewer 'bad brain days'. I know that God would have provided the manna to get by if Ann were still in the hospital or doing poorly, but we are SO INCREDIBLY thankful that she is not. I think the skies must have been filled with prayer for Ann. Thank you all for being such an important part of that.

Ann and Doug are still making the daily treks to radiation. So far, everything is going just fine. We are hoping that this continues. Ann told me she's not going to 'play into that side effects of radiation stuff- NO SETBACKS!' Her attitude is amazing right now.

We definitely appreciate the continued prayer, cards, flowers, phone calls, emails. They mean so much to all of us. With love, Meagan

A Normal Day

(From Ann)
Today was about as close to normal as I can get. Doug and I started out the day hitting golf balls with Doug's parents. My swing definitely isn't what it used to be, but I had a good time! Then my boss and friend at DanceWorks, Ann Proudfoot, invited me down to the studio to do some busy work, which was great! It felt like home to be at the studio again!

I wanted to share a list I've been compiling of things it never occurred to me to be thankful for, until now.

-Not having to be escorted to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
-Going to the bathroom without pressure from nurses to perform.
-Sleeping in a bed without a bed alarm.
-Standing up while taking a shower.
-Not getting frustrated while getting dressed.
-Not needing help to get dressed.
-Being able to sing along with the radio.
-Being able to stay on the beat of the music while dancing.
-Being able to squeeze toothpaste out of the tube.
-Being able to comb and curl my hair.
-Being able to swing my arms while I walk.
-Being able to chop vegetables.
-Being able to blow my nose with both hands.
-Being able to butter toast.
-Being able to make normal conversation with friends and family.
-Being able to fall asleep AND stay asleep.

Tomorrow, I have a mock run through of radiation. And, on Monday radiation begins. Thank you all so much for your prayers and support. Love, Ann

The Perks of Having a Brain Tumor

I have just returned from a weekend up north. (That makes me sound very Minnesotan, doesn't it?) The Iverson Family, from Red Oak, graciously offered us their northern Minnesota cabin for a little getaway. Ann and I used to go there throughout junior high and high school with Christa and Jenn Iverson. It was so great for Ann and I to remember some of those truly fun times. I think that being away for a few days is a nice distraction for Ann before radiation starts. Thanks Iversons!

Several times this weekend I forgot that Ann's left side is weak, until she'd say something like, "Doug, will you move my arm for me?" Ann was even trying to dance a little yesterday. She says that she has no rhythm or coordination since the surgery. It looked to me like she had more than Doug and I combined. She'll be hip-hopping, square dancing, ballet-ing, break dancing, modern-ing, tapping, and jazz-ing in no time. Well, maybe not the square part. Mentally, I think it's still overwhelming for Ann to use so much brainpower to move and talk, but I see glimpses of it getting easier for her.

On behalf of Ann and Doug, still lounging at the cabin, and me, thanks for your continued support!

Phase II

Ann continues to do well here at home. Since coming home, she's especially enjoyed going to the bathroom without an escort and wearing clothing that closes all the way in the back. However, today was not Ann's favorite day. While some of us are afraid of snakes, going over Niagara Falls in a barrel, clowns, or the Jonas Brothers, Ann is afraid of IVs and blood draws. Ann had the pleasure of having both today at an appointment with her radiation oncologist.

Beginning on May 10th, Ann will have radiation treatments Monday through Friday for 6 weeks. This will cut into her mani/pedi schedule. So, don't ask her about it :). The clinic where Ann will have her treatments is about an hour drive from Bloomington. Ann and Doug have been thinking of different topics to discuss to pass the time in the car. Some of these topics include, but are not limited to: Where did God come from? Why are cats so much better than dogs? Why is going to the dentist so awesome?.

All kidding aside, Ann has her good days and bad, just like we would expect. We are hoping for an uneventful course of radiation treatment, so that Ann continues to heal well. Thanks for all of your continued love and support. Love, M