No Hair Days

In line with my eternal sunshine philosophy, here are my top 5 reasons why "no hair" is the way to go:

5. Think of the money you'll save on hair care products-no shampoo, conditioner, gel, mouse, hairspray, and all that other funky stuff people put in their hair. Plus no cuts every 8 weeks.

4. You'll gain at least 20 minutes a day that you would otherwise spend shampooing, blow drying and styling your hair.

3. Your natural beauty will shine through.

2. With winter just around the corner, no need to worry about messing up your freshly styled hair with your stocking cap!

1. No more bad hair days!

Here is another one courtesy of my 14-year-old: A sleek, aerodynamic design.

Plus, Nicole knows that her hair will grow back (unlike some guys I know)!

Well, here it is-the long awaited photograph of Nicole's new hairstyle (courtesy of her oncologist & Bryan)! Sitting on her lap and sporting the same hip hairdo is Miss Karlye Deutsch.


Karlye is my cousin's daughter on my husband's side-are you following me? She needs lots of prayers also as she is embarking on the next step in her battle against Ewing's Sarcoma. She was diagnosed with cancer in her femur just over 3 years ago on her 3rd birthday. She had a recurrence in her lung this spring and finished more chemo. Monday morning she goes into the hospital for 4-6 weeks to undergo a bone marrow transplant. Her mother, Denise, keeps a great blog for her at www.caringbridge.org/visit/karlyedeutsch. Add the website to your favorites and pray her through the next few months!





We had a birthday party for my husband, Brad, on Saturday and had a chance to see Nicole & Bryan and the kids. When Karlye's family arrived, Nicole was wearing her wig. She took it off to show Karlye how her head looked the same. The look on Karlye's face was so precious. She kept sneaking glances and smiling! Later, she was surprised to see Nicole has a port under her skin just like hers.





Nicole looked great, and other than a runny nose from chemo, feels good. Brock had fun playing outside with his cousins, dad and Uncle Shawn. I got my Griffin fix for the week & took lots of pictures. Nicole has labs drawn tomorrow afternoon. Her PET scan and MRI are going to be this Thursday. She will meet with the oncologist the following Monday and review the results. Her next chemo is scheduled for Wednesday October 8th which is the week she was going to return to work. So, she is actually going to work this Wednesday and Friday. That will be a nice way to ease back into it and she won't feel so bad missing a day or two next week. I think Brock will love being back at daycare and Griffin will be in good hands.





Here are some more pictures from Saturday:

Uncle Shawn & Brock playing tennis-

Lab Results

Nicole's lab appointment was late yesterday afternoon so she didn't have results until today. Everything looked good! Her liver function test remained the same, probably because it is now within normal limits. Her ANC was 3.1. Her platelets have continued to drop but she was told that was to be expected. She was feeling achy and tired today but nothing too severe.

Believe it or not, Nicole's baby leave will be over in 2 weeks and she is planning on returning to work! I think she is looking forward to putting some "normalcy" back into her life. I just can't believe how quickly the past 6 weeks have gone!

Griffin's infection is almost completely healed. Nicole said he is getting much more attentive and likes watching his big brother. He is also smiling and laughing. I can't wait to see him this weekend-and take lots of pictures!

The follow-up PET scan and MRI will be in about 2 weeks. Continue to be in prayer for excellent results!

The Lord is Near

Nicole is feeling much better than last time I updated. On Friday, she even made her first "public appearance" with her newly bald head. She wore a hat to the park and while running a few errands with her mom and boys. It wasn't nearly as bad as she had anticipated! Linda left yesterday and I know Nicole loved having her help.

Poor little Griffin has been dealing with a skin infection that has gone into his ear. Bryan brought him in to the doctor's office on Thursday night and they put him on an antibiotic and ear drops. It sounds like the swelling and redness in his ear have gone down quite a bit so the medicine must be working. He is still up about every 3 hours at night but hopefully once his ear is completely healed, he will start sleeping for longer stretches.

Tomorrow is back to St.Cloud for weekly labs. I'll update when I hear the results from Nicole.

This is one of my favorite group of verses. I think it's a great reminder to all of us no matter what our circumstances.
Philipians 4:4-7
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus

Dropping tumor markers

As anticipated, today is the day the chemo side-effects hit the hardest. Nicole feels tired and sore. Her mom, Linda, is up until this weekend to help out. The hard part is getting Nicole to rest instead of getting up to help when the boys need something (hint, hint)!

Her scalp has been feeling weird and her hair has thinned, so Bryan shaved her head on Tuesday night. Brock said he was scared and wanted to stay in his room while they were using the clippers. Afterwards, he asked Nicole why she wanted to be a boy now. I guess in the eyes of a 3-year-old, hair is what makes the difference between boys and girls. Also, he thinks her wig is a Halloween costume!

Tumor marker is a substance found in blood and can be elevated when cancer is present in the body. The normal value should be below 30. Doctor's monitor the quantity of tumor marker to make sure treatment is working.
On August 21st Nicole's TM (tumor marker) was over 700. On Monday, it had gone down to the low 200's! That is a huge drop and shows how well this chemo is working. I was soooo excited to hear that!

Keep the prayers coming!

Where Two or Three Come Together...

Today was a long, busy day for Nicole and Bryan. She started out getting labs drawn this morning. The results were great! Her ANC went way up. Hemoglobin and liver function test stayed about the same. Her white blood count and platelets were also normal. They then met with the oncologist who was very surprised and pleased to see her ANC had gone up so much. He told them he wasn't even sure she'd be able to get chemo judging by last week's results. He discussed her PET scan results more with them. There are "more than 4" spots on her liver measuring about 1/2 inch each. The mass on her kidney didn't light-up during the PET scan which is a good thing. It could very well be a cyst but he wants to do an MRI on it in 3 weeks and will continue monitoring it. She also asked about a lumpectomy or mastectomy. He said they never used to do it with stage 4 but lately studies have shown it to be beneficial. Once she is in remission and stable for one year, he will do the surgery. Nicole and Bryan said he sounded positive and happy with her progress.

She was able to get her second chemo treatment following the appointment. Other than a 2 hour wait for the meds, that went well. Tomorrow afternoon she goes back to St.Cloud for an injection of Neulasta. Neulasta is used to help fight off infection in chemo patients. It boosts white blood cell production which helps prevent infection. The down side is the main side-effect which is body aches. Her next scan will be in 3 weeks. I am confident it will show that the chemo is working and her tumors are shrinking!

Thanks to Shawn & Erin for taking Brock again today! He is getting a lot of time to play with his 2-year-old cousin, Weston, but I know it isn't always easy to keep 2 toddlers from arguing over toys!

Keep praying for the chemo to do its job and for positive, peaceful thoughts to surround their family.

Matthew 18:19-20
"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them"

You Made My Day

To all of my wonderful coworkers you are the best! What a great surprise! Of course I cried tears of happiness when I saw the picture. I am truly blessed to work for a company that is standing behind me, supporting and fighting with me. I'm looking forward to returning to work and seeing you all soon. You made my day!

Real Men Wear Pink

Nicole has such awesome coworkers! Here is a picture they took yesterday to show their support for her. Thanks for sending this, Tenille!

Bone Scan Results

Yesterday was Nicole's bone scan and MRI. They were looking for any evidence of cancer in the bones. Thankfully, the results came back today and everything looked great! That is awesome news!

Other than being tired, Nicole is doing well. On Monday she has labs, an oncology appointment and then her second chemo treatment. Bryan's taking the day off and Linda will be coming up later next week to help with the boys.

That's all for now. I just wanted to share the good news!

Here is picture of Bryan and Griffin from Labor Day weekend:

Do Not Let Your Hearts Be Troubled

Nicole is now the proud owner of a wig! Luckily she doesn't need it yet but she is set once she does. She also received a lot of tips about other ways to cover her head including how to make a turban out of a polo shirt.

Her labs were great again yesterday other than her ANC. It actually went down a little but they expect it to quickly begin rising soon. One of her liver tests was elevated last week but this week it dropped down by over 100 points into the normal range. I think that is such a positive sign! Tomorrow is her bone scan and lumbar MRI.

Emotionally, Nicole has been having some "down" days this week. Postpartum hormones add a whole other dimension. It's not constant but sneaks up on her throughout the day. She has every right to feel this way and I know it is part of the healing process, but it breaks my heart. It isn't fair that she has to worry about anything other than how many times she'll have to get up with Griffin tonight, or if Brock is adjusting to the big brother role. I know that as time passes it will get easier, but sometimes as we are standing in the thick of it, it's impossible to see. Continue to pray for peace, happiness, hope and clarity. Pray for Bryan as I'm sure he experiences much of the same feelings.

Nicole's Grandma H. sent her a prayer shawl made by some of her fellow church members. She was wearing it earlier today and Brock came up and sat on her lap. He asked if it made her feel better. She told him yes. He asked if he could wear it to make his bee sting feel better (he was stung on the foot last Friday). What a cutie!

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

~Jesus

Jiminy Cricket

Thankfully, there is nothing much to report healthwise tonight. Nicole is feeling good. The pain in her back and ribcage has improved quite a bit. She has labs again tomorrow morning. Wednesday is her bone scan and an MRI of her lower back. A week from tomorrow is her second chemo treatment as well as a follow-up visit with her oncologist.

Sandy, Todd and Paige Curry came up for the weekend and despite Nicole's warnings about the weather we all went out on the boat. Within 20 minutes of launching, it began to pour... and hail... and the wind came up. Lucky for us Nicole & Bryan's boat has a bimini top.

What is a bimini, you might ask?

Well, it's the proper name for the umbrella, awning thingy that you can pull over the boat to protect you from the rain and sun.

I just learned this Saturday so couldn't wait to use the word, bimini, in everyday conversation. By the way, it rhymes with jiminy, as in Jiminy Cricket;)

So, where was I? It was raining and we were huddling under the bimini. Claire and Paige C. hid in the pop-up bathroom stall. Griffin stayed perfectly warm and dry under a blanket in his car seat. The rest of us got a little wet & cold. We toughed it out and it ended up being a gorgeous, sunny day. At one point Lake Milacs was so calm it almost looked like glass. Paige N. caught the first fish. Bryan caught 2 little ones and Todd caught 1 or 2 also. I'm sure Paige C. would have caught one also but she had to use the Tigger fishing pole (poor Paige)!

Instead of frying fresh fish that night, Bryan pulled some out of his freezer. We had so much fun!

Here was the rain & hail:

Brock washing his hands: Bryan & me:
Todd & Nicole:

Paige N. & Nicole
Brock & Paige C.:
Cutie Griffin:

Bryan's big catch:
Bryan & Nicole:

The end of the day:

Keep the prayers coming!

Ultrasound Results

Just a quick update with Nicole's ultrasound results. Everything looked good with the exception of a mass on her right kidney. From what I've read, these are usually cysts and it is rare for breast cancer to metastasize to the kidney. The oncologist will talk more to Nicole at her next appointment but doesn't feel it's urgent. They are going to schedule a bone scan since it is more accurate than a PET scan at picking up activity in the bones. Her nurse thought the soreness she is experiencing could be from one of her chemo drugs which is know to cause muscle aches.

Brock was still running a fever today and has some sores on the roof of his mouth. He slept in until 9 which is unheard of for him! Hopefully he feels better in time for The Curry's who are visiting this weekend! He loves playing with Paige and she takes such good care of him.

Thanks again for all of your prayers and support!

Thank You

Hi everyone, I'm finally getting on here to write you all a message, first of all I want to thank my wonderful sister-in-law Stacie, although I'm going to claim her as my sister because she has all the qualities that I would want in a sister if I could choose one, for setting up this wonderful blog. This is such an awesome way to communicate and let everyone know what is going on. Her entries are much better then what I would write, so I will let her keep updating it, if she doesn't mind and I will chime in every now and then. I want to thank you all for the support, prayers, and love you are sending. I am so thankful to have such a wonderful family and friends that are standing by me to fight the greatest fight that I will ever have to face in my life. The comments that you all are posting are great and they encourage me everyday especially when I am having a down moment, which are getting fewer and fewer day by day.

Life seems to be getting back to normal in some ways. This week I have had more energy to do everyday housework and errands, but still getting some rest here and there, when the boys let me. Griffin is waking up about 3 times during the night, which I don't think is bad for being 3 weeks old. I am starting to get used to that again, it is funny how you forget about the little things when you have another baby, but they grow up so fast, so I am cherishing every moment of it. Brock is such a great big brother, he is always letting me know when Griffin is upset and helps me out when I need him, although he has his moments. Bryan continues to be the greatest husband a wife could ever have. He is so positive and I don't think that there is household task that he can't do. I know that he is overwhelmed at times, but he doesn't complain. Last, but not least I want to thank our parents for helping us out the last 3 weeks not only with the boys, but also for the support and conversations. We appreciate everything that everyone has done for us and keep the prayers coming.

Love Bryan, Nicole, Brock and Griffin

I am including a family picture of us that we had taken this weekend, it's not the greatest, but I wanted to get one last picture of us before I lose my hair, Bryan and I keep joking that we will soon look like the conehead family, minus the coneheads, we hope LOL!

He Will Be With You in Trouble

~Benefit Fund Update~
I have to apologize to anyone who may have tried to deposit money into the Wells Fargo account. Apparently you not only need the name, but also the number of the account! So here is the complete information. It is The Nicole Johnson Benefit Account. The account number is 2552966695.


Nicole's labs looked great yesterday other than a low ANC. When someone is on chemo they closely monitor the ANC (absolute neutrophil count) which is a part of our white blood count. It is an indicator of how the immune system is functioning. It's expected to drop down while on chemo but can make the person vulnerable to illness if it gets too low. They put her on an antibiotic to prevent any infection. Her liver function, hemoglobin and platelets all were normal which is awesome news.

They did check her for a kidney infection because of her back pain but it was normal. The pain seems to be under the ribcage sometimes too so this morning they did an ultrasound of her liver, pancreas, gallbladder and kidneys. Hopefully she'll hear results tomorrow so she can put her mind at ease. It may just be typical aches and pains from those nasty chemo meds but she wants to stay on top of it.

Griffin had his check-up this afternoon and Linda said he is doing well. He weighed ll pounds & some ounces (forgot the exact weight). He's eating the amount he should and looks healthy. Linda did say Brock started running a fever this evening so pray that he feels better tomorrow and that Nicole doesn't catch anything.

Keep the prayers coming and spread the word. The more people we have praying, the better! I'll update when she hears back on the ultrasound. Oh, and thanks so much for all of your comments!


Psalm 91

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust."

3 Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare
and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

5 You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,

6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.

8 You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.

9 If you make the Most High your dwelling—
even the LORD, who is my refuge-

10 then no harm will befall you,
no disaster will come near your tent.

11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;

12 they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

13 You will tread upon the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

14 "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.

16 With long life will I satisfy him
and show him my salvation

A Little Update

Nicole, Bryan and the boys spent Labor Day weekend down in Iowa. It sounds like they had a good time and even got a little rest (thanks to Grandma Cheri for getting up with Griffin). Griffin was able to meet Grandma & Grandpa Johnson, Great-Grandma & Grandpa Griffin and other aunts, uncles and cousins. Nicole showed up at her Grandpa Griffin's birthday party and surprised her grandparents. It sounds like her grandma was VERY excited to see her!

She continues to feel fairly well other than some back pain. Tomorrow she'll have labs drawn to make sure her blood counts are not dipping too low. She has also been strongly "advised" to mention the back pain to the nurse;) Griffin has a check-up on Wednesday-I can't believe he's already 3 weeks old! Brock is doing well and I heard he even spent Saturday night alone with Grandma Linny!

I wanted to also thank everyone who has left comments. Nicole does read them daily and I know she appreciates your support!

Here are some pictures I took of Brock in his sprinkler the other day: