Things have been busy around the Musser household. It feels like it has been so long since I've posted that I don't know where to start or how to organize my thoughts.
Most importantly, Matt's MRI yesterday caught something questionable in the same area of his prior surgery, but the doctors aren't sure what it is yet. Matt's had a bad feeling about it for almost a month. He went in to the doctor for a CT of the chest in May but they had not ordered the MRI and CT of the pelvis and abdominal region. At his visit in May, he visited with Dr. Myron after his chest scan (which was clear of disease) and Dr. Myron apologized for the mistake of not getting all of the appropriate scans ordered. He listened to Matt's symptoms and appeared concerned about them but on physical examination couldn't observe any problems.
What is strange is that on that very night after Matt's appointment in May he began noticing pain in the same area when sitting which he described exactly like the first pain he felt when he first had a tumor. We knew that was NOT a sign of anything good. We waited to see if it would go away, which it didn't. We questioned how bad the pain was on a pain scale, which was higher than the normal 1 or 2 he feels on a regular basis. We tried to ignore it longer. We knew his next scans weren't for a few weeks (those are the ones he had yesterday) and debated whether to call the doctor and get an appointment sooner. But again and again, Matt felt like the best course of action would be to wait till June 15th.
We could feel something there that didn't feel normal. It is like an area of hardness that hurts when you press it but it is deeper under the skin than the first time. I tried and tried to feel a tumor-like shape, but I never could. I often found him rubbing his bum cheek trying to figure out what was wrong. I told him, you better not do that in public!
So, now we know something fishy is going on. Dr. Myron called him as soon as we arrived home and delivered the news that there is something there but couldn't yet determine what it is. He mentioned that it could be an abscess. But that is hard for Matt or I to believe because this whole stupid cancer thing started with his surgeon thinking that the tumor was an abscess. Dr. Myron is referring Matt back to his two oncological surgeons who have well cared for Matt in the past. We hope to hear from one of them very soon. Maybe they will biopsy it. Maybe they will cut it out. Maybe they will wait it out (that would be torture).
In the meantime, things have been VERY busy at home. Last month we closed on our Spanish Fork house. That is a relief because we don't have the energy to focus on that "project" anymore. We also got our house here in Missouri ready to sell. Our contractor finished the beautiful 3-car garage which is now attached to the house. We installed new flooring in half of the house. We removed wallpaper and painted most of the interior including all doors and windows and trim. We majorly decluttered and got it ready to show. We listed it with a local realtor on Monday and it sold on Wednesday! Full price offer! It happened so fast I felt stunned for a while but it is a 45-day closing so we still have time to figure out what our next move is.
While all of that has been going on, I took a 6-day real estate course to get my real estate license. That was SO fun and interesting! I took my test this week and passed! I have a 3-day course next week and then I will be able to apply for my license! I don't know if I will work as a real estate salesperson or use it solely for my own flipping business, but I am so excited to crunch numbers and analyze deals and help people (including ourselves) find a new home to live in! Our move-out date is July 28.
Also, in the past month we took a 4-day vacation to Southern Missouri including Branson. We met with a man who lives in Branson who Matt taught on his mission and baptized! That was cool. We stayed at a state park and Felicity made a friend with a girl from another camping family. They were so cute playing till it was so dark we couldn't see anymore. We visited museums, we went to a fish hatchery, we toured Laura Ingalls Wilder's home where she wrote all of the Little House books which Felicity loves. Each of us took turns with a stomach flu that week but thankfully Maggie caught it the night before we left and didn't erupt in the car while traveling. We also got to experience the excitement of our Suburban stalling out on us several times while pulling our travel trailer and buying a new fuel pump while on vacation. But amazingly, our travel plans never really got interrupted and we just dealt with each hiccup as they came.
If I hadn't mentioned before, we bought a travel trailer! It sleeps 8-9 and it was taken care of so well by the previous owner that even though it is 2007, it looks and feels brand new. Matt has always wanted one because his family grew up traveling in one. It has a tiny bathroom and a kitchen. It has a bunk bed with a double bed on bottom for Ella and Maggie (Felicity and Klaus on top). It has a dining room table that changes into a bed for Abby. Kian sleeps on the couch that folds out into a bed. And it has a "bedroom" with a bed for Matt and I. There is lots of cabinet space. The kids and I loved it!
The morning after arriving home from that vacation, Matt was on his laptop planning the next trip! From June 27 through July 9 we will be traveling to and from Washington D.C!
Klaus has started T-ball. He has a rough and tough-appearing and sounding couch that at first I was afraid he would be too harsh on the kids. It turns out, Coach Donnie is patient and caring and teaches the kids well! Klaus is loving it. And I am really impressed with the YMCA program!
Abby, Felicity and Kian go to play practice EVERY NIGHT except Sunday. Matt and I take Ella, Klaus and Maggie to the park or to the tennis court or for a walk while we wait for the other kids. It is getting so hot though, we might have to find somewhere to go indoors.
Abby went to Girls Camp for her first time. She actually had to come home for a day or two because of Strep throat but she did go back up when her doctor told her she could. Kian is at Scout Camp this week. Matt went up this morning to stay for a couple of days. It is HOT!
The kids have all had various sickies over the past month. Some had Strep throat but got over it on their own. Maggie has a fever today but I'm not sure what it is...
So, life is BUSY!
