The Tower

A view not many people get to see.  The control tower of the Soo Locks.

A few interesting facts about the control tower.  It's about 5-6 stories up.  We had to climb up all those stairs because the elevator only fits 2 people at one time.  The elevator is located in the original chimney stack (that is way it is so small).  There is only two people that work in the tower during their 12 hour shifts.  There is a very small "kitchenette" for them to use for preparing meals.  And, since every room has to have two ways out in case of a fire, they have harnesses to repel down the outside of the tower (as of our tour, no one had gotten up the courage to try that form of escape).

Here is the view looking downbound.... towards our campground.

Here is one that Jilli took.

It was gorgeous up there.  What an amazing view of not only the locks but Canada and the surrounding area.  

I know you are all thinking.... Two people up in a tower for 12 hours... they have a little kitchenette for keeping their food cool and preparation, what happens when they eat, and that food and drink start moving in a downward pattern?  Good question...  our kids asked that question too!!  So on our way back down all those stairs, Mike showed us a little stairway tucked around the corner a half-flight down from the control room.

The bathroom is located just around the corner from Jilli, and it is as small as the staircase to get there.  

Well, there you go, a quick glimpse inside the Soo Locks Control Tower!

Blog Reloaded

OK, I think that I have all the pictures back up, so if you want to go back and see those pictures they are there again!  If there is a post I missed that I need to update, let me know!!

RESULTS and What Now...

Sorry to keep you waiting to hear what the results of the biopsy are.  "Rare benign follicular cells" is the what the nodule came back as.  Super exciting for Kevin and I as we had been praying for a cancer free result.

So now what do I do.....

Great question, Kevin and I are still trying to navigate through that one.  I have only two options.

1. Wait 3-6 months to see if my body will absorb the fluid in the cyst.  I will have to have ultrasounds done every 3 months to monitor the nodule.  If the cyst gets larger than 4 cm then I have to have surgery.

2. Surgery to remove half of my thyroid.  If I choose (or am forced to have) surgery, then I will be sent to the University of Michigan where there is a doctor that my doctor trusts.  Apparently this is a delicate surgery as there is a nerve that runs along my thyroid that if compromised would leave me talking very funny for the rest of my life, or not at all.

As of right now, I think we are taking the wait and see approach with a heavy dose of prayer.  I have also have been working on some natural approaches to this issue as well.

My doctor did talk in depth about many aspects of my health with me.  I might share some of that down the road as I digest what was said and what I am going to do about it.

For those that have been praying.... Thank You!!  For the women who circled the wagons around me and laid hands on me... Thank You!!  I was talking with a good friend yesterday and I commented on how God has blessed me with some pretty amazing friends.  I have some pretty amazing family too... the morning of my biopsy my Sister-In-Law was texting me letting me know her thoughts were with me.  My sister was texting me through out the morning as she was at one urgent care facility waiting for a doctor and I was at another medical facility waiting for another doctor.  Besides my husband, I had 3 family members able and willing to take me to my biopsy.  Even our church leaders have been surrounding us in prayer.  That is just a small sample of how blessed I am.

As Kevin and I take a day at a time, please continue to pray for God's direction and healing!

Blessings!!

Courage

I chose to do it alone.  I didn't know exactly what to expect, I had several people offer to take me to my biospy, but I knew that if I was in pain, I couldn't look into the eyes of anyone, especially my husband's, and see my pain reflected there (I would lose it), and I knew that sometimes, being alone, you are braver than being with those that love you most.

Off I went, slowly making my way down to the Lemmen-Holton Cancer Pavilion.  Then I gradually made my way up to the Radiology floor, where they would conduct my test.

I was nervous, I HATE needles.  I guess to be more exact, I HATE needles pointed at me.  I could give you shots and draw your blood anytime, but those needles are pointed at you...  Anyway, I was told that the worst part of the whole procedure was the numbing and then from that point on, it was a piece of cake.  They were little off on that description...

After I registered I sat down to wait to be called back.  There were several people waiting and after a few minutes the nurse walked right up to me and said "Lynette, you want to follow me back?"  She was very sweet, but I am still left wondering how she knew exactly who I was.  The only thing I could figure out was that I was holding a purple folder and the receptionist informs the nurses what color folder you have.  Hopefully I won't be having to make any more trips down there to figure out their system.

I was brought to a "holding cell" for a vitals check, last minute questions, and change into a gown (I so was not expecting that).  Then the nurse left, Oh, she did bring me one of those warm blankets, love those things, I ask for them every chance I get when I happen to be at a hospital (which thankfully isn't often).  Then I waited....and waited...and waited...and waited... the nurse came back to let me know that another procedure ran a little long and it would be just a few more minutes.  I am usually a very patient, patient.  Working in the medical field for several years, I understand how easy it is to get behind schedule.  But today, I wasn't in the mood for waiting.  I wanted this done and over with.  With every tick of the minute hand, my heart rate ticked faster and faster.

When I thought my heart would burst out of my chest, two very sweet young nurses (I think I have 10 years on them easy...I am getting old) came and got me.  I knew I was in good hands when one of the nurses was holding a warmed blanket for me without me even asking for another one.

They brought me to this huge room with all kinds of state-of-the-art equipment. They had me lay on this table and they wrapped me in that warm blanket.  It was FREEZING in there!  The girls hooked me up to machines to check my ever increasing vitals.  They finished getting ready for the procedure, then turned the lights off and turned on the ultrasound machine.  They told me to hold tight, the doctor would be there in a few minutes.

Just typing this again, makes my heart race...

On Sunday we had a really good sermon on courage...appropriate, I thought.  So while I was laying on that table in a dark room that was FREEZING, I was praying over and over for courage.  That God would be there to walk me through this scary time.  I prayed that God would keep me calm and my heart rate steady.

The doctor came in with the nurses right behind him.  He quickly explained what he would be doing and he started setting up.  This was a sterile procedure, so I was mopped with alcohol, draped with sterile towels and told not to move.  He was very kind, because I asked a lot of questions as he was working and he patiently answered all of them.

The time came for the local to be administered.  I took a huge breath and slowly released it.  One of the nurses came to my right side, found my hand and asked if I wanted to hold hers.  I grabbed it, and held on tight.  Poor girl, I squeezed her hand so hard...  The other nurse grabbed my other hand and that is the way I stayed for pretty much the whole procedure.  The nurses were literally working one-handed for the doctor.

The biopsy was  guided by ultrasound, the screen was located just to the right of my head, so I had a perfect viewing of what was happening inside of me.

So the numbing was done and I thought that I was home free.  I was told they were going to take three samples of the nodule and then aspirate the cyst.

*********WARNING STOP READING HERE IF YOU GET SQUEAMISH********

 As he was inserting the first needle, he told me not to swallow (I promptly swallowed), then he placed the needle where he wanted it and start shaking it...this was to shake free cells that would go into the shaft of the needle.  However, the "you won't feel anything once you are numb" was a little off.  I felt a lot.  I think the needle kept hitting a nerve, because my whole body would jump and pain would shoot through me as he shook it back and forth.  The nurses were holding my hands and asking me if I was "OK".

As the "needle shaking" was taking place one of the nurses "said wow, what is that." The ultrasound looked like a snow globe.  Just like my first ultrasound, you saw all these particles falling.  The doctor explained to her what it was and the conversation about how interesting that was ensued.  I closed my eyes and prayed for courage...

As soon as the needle left my body, the nurses commented on how my body completely relaxed.  They said I shouldn't know when the needle was in or out, but I did.  Then we repeated the above process two more times.  I asked the doctor how big the nodule was and he said about .5cm.  He told me he wished it was a little bigger, so that is was easier for him to get samples.

Then it was time to aspirate.  The doctor asked for a 3cc syringe, he inserted it into the cyst and boy oh boy, I almost came off the table.  He slowly sucked out the fluid, removed the needle and I said "we're done now right?"  The nurses squeezed my hands and the doctor said "No, there is a lot more fluid in there than I thought.  I need to aspirate again.  I closed my eyes and prayed for courage.  The doctor then asked for a 10cc syringe.

He inserted that needle for the last time.  I had my eyes shut tight and as hard as I tried to prevent them, tears silently fell.  The nurses we so sweet, talking me through the last of the procedure, willing me to hold on just a minute longer.  The doctor finally finished, told me that he expected the cyst to fill back up again, but that for now all the fluid he could remove was gone.

I asked to see what all they removed from me.  They showed me the fluid the cell samples were in, but of course the cells are too small for me to see.  Then they showed me how much fluid came out of the cyst.  I was amazed, and very thankful it was all over.

******************************SAFE TO READ AGAIN****************************

Knowing what I know now about the procedure, if I could go back, I still would go it alone.  I don't like people seeing me in pain.  The nurses were awesome, they held my hands and rubbed my arms.  And God.... He was whispering "take courage" and never left my side.

I came home, was taken out to lunch by Kevin's parents, then crashed.  I laid on the couch, in the middle of the afternoon, and promptly fell asleep only to be woken up by my doorbell about an hour later.  It was my mailman handing me a package, telling me that he wanted to drop it off right away.  Inside the package...............

My BFF cousin from across the pond sent me the most amazing after-procedure-treat, KRINGLE!!  Oh yeah, and it's just about all gone already.  Kringle is like water in the desert, food for a starving man, blood for a mosquito... ya'll have no idea.    

I am thankful yesterday is yesterday, done and gone.  Now we wait to get the results back.  My neck is quite sore, I still have a lump, but I was told to expect that.  We still are believing that the results will come back "thyroid tissue" and I won't have to have surgery.

For those that have been praying.... THANK YOU!

Cleaning Up....OOPS

Well, apparently my pictures disappeared from my blog because I "cleaned" and "organized" my pictures on my photo-holding website.  I didn't even think that as I moved them from one file to another, their URL was changing as well.  So bare with me as I re-imput the pictures with the correct URL's back onto my blog.

Tour Update

OK, so you know how I showed these two pictures....

And I said they were pulleys to open and shut the locks, but I couldn't remember anymore.... Well... Kevin remembered more than I did, they don't open and shut the locks, they PROTECT the locks.  When a vessel comes into the locks they are moored to the side of the lock.   If the vessel breaks free from it's mooring ropes, these cables are somehow (we can't remember), stretched from one side of the locks to the other, behind and in front of the vessel.  These cables prevent the vessels from crashing into the lock gates and breaking them.

Continuing the Soo Locks Tour

How about more from our tour??  I am excited to show you more of what we were able to see.

I think I mentioned before that while we were on the tour the rest of our family (11 in all) were waiting and watching us from the observation deck.  Toni was gracious enough to share some of her pictures that she took of us while we were on the tour.  I didn't think about including them from the beginning (my bad) so I am going to put the one she captured of us starting our tour and then the rest will be in order of the tour.

Here we are walking across the MacArthur Lock behind the Algolake.

Heading back down below river level... Mike showed us some of the "pulleys" that are used to open and shut the locks.  I wish that I remembered all he said about them... but my memory if failing me... I apologize.

On our way back up to ground level, Mike took us into the old Sabin Lock control room.  This lock is 100 years old and although they don't use it anymore, everything still works.  It is truly amazing to see!

Mike then took us through the mailroom.  It's kind of funny, 100 year old mailboxes, that are still used, with Target bags and Staples boxes on the counter.  It was like stepping back in time and then being slapped across the face to bring you back to reality.  As we were walking through one of the shipmates from the Mesabi Miner was coming to grab the mail for the crew.  A few weeks ago (just after the Locks opened from their winter break) they had to close the Locks down due to a suspicious package in the mailroom.  Our boat nerd buddies were telling us about it and I ever so nicely reminded them that I knew exactly what the mailroom looked like and where it was located in the building.  (just a little friendly game we like to play... keeping up with the Jones') 

Back outside we went, and headed towards the side of the Mesabi Miner. Toni captured me taking.....

this picture......

Mike told us to stand and wait for a minute (Toni took a picture of us standing), he got on his phone.  We had no idea what he was doing, but we waited patiently for him to finish up his phone call.

He ended his phone call and told us follow him and while we were walking he explained what he had done.

He had called up to the control tower and asked if he could have permission to bring us up.  He later explained that they normally don't do that with kids, but since ours were so well behaved he thought he would ask.  Of course the rest of our family had no idea where we were heading.  Toni explains it as one minute they saw us walking and then the next Paul sees us with his binoculars up in the tower.  Toni lovingly captured this picture of Paul... I like to think that this is his way of using sign language to call my name.  But we all know what he was really calling us :)  

I am going to sign off here.  I will wait to share the pictures that we captured in the tower for another day :)  I just have to keep it suspenseful for my buddy Paul :)  

Even If.....Part 2

I was a little perturbed, I had called several times to find out the results of my ultrasound only to be told that the results were in and being reviewed by the Doctor and that I had to just wait to get a call back.  Tuesday night I still hadn't gotten a call and the office is closed on Wednesdays.  I went to bed asking God why I had to keep waiting to hear my results.  I never expected a call on Wednesday but shortly after 10am the phone was ringing, the caller ID told me that this was the call I had been waiting for.

My doctor was on the other end.  He spent quite a bit of time with me on the phone, explaining what the ultrasound showed and what it could or couldn't mean, what I have to do next and then several different courses of action that I can take depending on the outcome of the needle biopsy.

The ultrasound showed the cyst (about 4cm) and inside of it is a nodule.  What we don't know is if it is just thyroid tissue or cancer.  The needle biopsy will be performed next week and at that time they will take a sample of the fluid and also pull a sample from the nodule.

My doctor talked at length about the two types of cancer that it could be, one in particular that he spent a lot of time discussing with me.  At the end of our conversation he said "Lyn, just remember, it could be just thyroid tissue."  And I told him that that is what I was going to be believing.  He told me that he would be believing it along with me.

So... that is where I am at.  He told me, had it just been a fluid filled sac, he would have drained it in the office and called it a day.  Ugh... but as he pointed out, I don't ever take the easy route, I have to throw something into the mix every time.  I hate the waiting, I hate the drama, I hate the uncertainty of all of this.

He did congratulate me on my A1C results, I am still pumped that my sugars are doing so well!

Kevin and I appreciate all the prayers, we are continuing to claim health and healing to my body.  I will keep you updated, but know that after my biopsy, it will be 5-7 days before we get the pathology results....more waiting, God must want to teach me patience, because it seems like everything in my life right now is in a hurry up and wait holding pattern.  But no matter what, God is good, and He knows what I need and the best way to grow me more and more like Him.

Blessings!!

Even If

Well, it's been a week since I have posted.  I wanted to give you a quick update on where I am in the stages of testing.

Yesterday I had an ultrasound of my thyroid.  I had prayed for a talkative tech, that would give me more than just generic "sorry, you will have to wait for the report."  God answered and I had a wonderful women who was very informative during the test.

The right side of my thyroid looks great, she said it is exactly how a normal/healthy thyroid looks, there was no bumps on it or cysts.  There is a "bridge" of tissue over to the left side of the thyroid and that is where we left normal behind.  The left side showed a huge fluid filled sac that had small particles floating around in it.  She kept saying "wow, cool" and then correct herself and apologize and tell me that it was just so fascinating.  She has been doing this for many years and she had never seen anything like it.  I found no fault in her expressions over what she was seeing.  Had it been anyone one but me, I would have been saying the same things.  I found it quite interesting, yet in a way, scary as the only fluid filled sac I have ever seen via ultrasound was holding a beautiful baby, not particles of something unknown.  She warned me that she was very sure I would be undergoing a biopsy to find out what exactly the fluid was and what the particles are.

I came home and did what I shouldn't have done and googled some different things.  Didn't like what I was reading so moved on to an article about Denny Hamlin's broken spine.  That made me feel much better.

Now I wait to for my Doctor to get the report and move forward with the next course of action, which he warned me (and the tech reiterated) would probably be a needle in my neck.  Lovely... looking so forward to that... childbirth is a PIECE OF CAKE, compared to this.  Let me birth a 10# baby again any day before I have to lay on a table with a needle coming at my neck...  Lord help me...

My spirits are for the most part up.  I get a little melancholy when I start dwelling to much on the unknown.  The Lord and I have been having a lot of conversations and I can honestly say that I feel Him throughout my day.  When I breath and feel the lump, when I swallow and feel the lump, when I lay down and have to change positions to breath better, I know He is with me.

As always music has been speaking to me, I love the new Kutless CD, Believer.  It was a gift to Kevin for his birthday from my brother Paul and his wife, Nadia.  They thought they were buying it for Kevin, but God had another purpose, it was for me.  I can't get enough of Even If (click to listen).  You know in the Bible where it says that when you don't have the words to pray the Spirit will intercede for us with wordless groans (Romans 8:26).  I have moments of that in prayer and then this song starts back up in my head, and I can't help but start singing it.  I believe it is the Spirit, He prompts me to remember the words.... "You are God, You are Good, Forever Faithful One..."  I know that His ways are not my ways and yet I can rest in Who He Is... The Great and Mighty One,  The One who is working out all things for my good... He is Faithful and I trust Him.

So when I am laying on the table with a needle pointing towards my neck, don't mind the earbuds blaring this song in my ears.  It is my comfort, it is my refuge, it is my Savior singing to me.  It keeps me focused on what life is truly all about, my Forever Faithful One.