D, I heart you. Thank you for putting up with my solu-medrol induced irritability. Thank you for braving the cold and snow to get sprite, chocolate, and anything else to keep the metallic taste out of my mouth. Thank you for cleaning the house, dishes, and laundry so that I can rest. Thank you for understanding.
I am so sick of MRI's. In six months, I have had three MRI's, one of which was on Wednesday. I am not claustrophobic, but being confined to a small tube that makes really awful banging noises for an hour does not fall into my list of fun things to do. Dr. Foley ordered this latest MRI to see if any lesions have developed since my last scan. We are hopeful that the results will be favorable and few or zero lesions will be visible. The new hospital, Intermountain Medical Center, or IMC, has a new MRI machine with a really powerful magnet that allows a better view of my brain than any other machine in the state. I am grateful for the new equimpent that will allow Dr. Foley to better view my brain and in turn, better treat the MS.
Dr. Foley has also ordered another round of Solu-Medrol to be done next Tuesday and Wednesday. I am actually looking forward to this infusion because it will give me more mobility and decrese my tone. That means that Dustin and I will hit the slopes to go snowboarding during Christmas break.
Dustin and I can not thank you enough for being so supportive. We appreciate all of the prayers, fasting, temple prayer rolls, well wishes, kind thoughts, and encouraging words. We feel that the Lord has answered our prayers, and yours by giving us such a wonderful support system.
With Love,
Libby and Dustin
Today I took Z and T on their first outing to the toy store. The store of choice was Toys R US. When the doors opened, the kids ran inside and stopped. They both looked at me and I said "go look!" That was all the permission they needed before they were off and running . After a few close calls with shopping carts, adults, and kids, we had the system down. Z was the leader, and T and I followed. I told the kids they could each pick one toy, and off they went on the hunt for the perfect toy. T, went straight to the pink isle where she chose a baby doll, but Z had something else in mind. During the hunt for Z's perfect toy, the kids rode all the bikes they could fit on, got into all the Power Wheels they could, and looked at every single isle in the store. After forty minutes of chasing two kids in two different directions I broke down and bought a stroller. T got into the stroller, and Z continued his hunt for the toy he wanted. Who ever knew a three year old could be so picky. Finally Z saw his toy. A John Deere tractor that makes all types of sounds and has working headlights. We were ready to check out and go back home to wake up Uncle D from his nap and show him our toys. On our way out the kids saw a boat with Tiger in it that they just had to sit in. Two rides, and a dollar later, we left the toy store with smiles on our faces, and toys in our hands.
It has been far to long since I have written anything on our blog. However, we were recently approved for a home loan, and put in an offer on this cute little bungalow. Our offer was accepted by the seller, but it is a short sale. In short, we have to wait for his bank to decide if they want to sell it to us at our offer price. Our real estate agent thinks we will get it, so we are keeping our fingers crossed. It is in South Jordan at Daybreak. Daybreak is a master planned community by the point of the mountain that was designed after the neighborhood I grew up in. It has great Traditional, Cape-cod, Bungalow, and Victorian style homes with very little stucco. I don't have anything against stucco, but too much of one thing is never good. The home has three bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, and a backyard. The backyards in Daybreak are small because it is a walkable community. This means that there are parks every few blocks and open green space. This brings people out of their homes and gives the community a chance to meet one another. The community boasts two swimming pools, basketball courts, volleyball pits, a temple (The Oquirrh), a dog park, over thirty miles of bike and jog paths, community gardens, community center with a gym, picnic areas, and a lake for fishing and non-motored boats (we can't wait to buy a used canoe). We are very excited for the opportunity, and will keep everyone updated.
Four weeks ago school (work for me) started here in the Salt Lake City School District. I would be lying if I said I was not nervous regarding my ability to work full time. The good news is that I have not missed one day of work! Dustin and I consider this quite an accomplishment and are grateful for the energy and health I have been blessed with. The only work I have missed is for doctor appointments that were made previous to the start of school.
I work at Northwest Middle School in Rose Park. For those of you who do not know, Rose Park is considered the "hard core" inner city part of Salt Lake. Northwest is comprised of 75% Hispanics, 10% Caucasians, 8% African-Americans, and 7% other. (Mostly refugees form various parts of Africa, Thailand, Bosnia, Pakistan, and other countries) I am a Para-Professional in the self contained behavior classroom. My supervising teacher is a wonderful teacher who has amazing classroom management skills. The bedrock to running an effective classroom and being an effective teacher is classroom management. The class is for seventh and eighth graders who display behavior that violates the "safe school policy." Currently the class has six students and they are meshing well.
I am looking forward to a great year working full time at Northwest. If I am successful, I will be looking into a full time teaching position next year. I am grateful for my health, my family, my wonderful husband, and all the people supporting me in my endeavors. Love to all.
Libby
On Sunday, all Haglunds that could, met at Grandma's house for a birthday celebration. There was cake, ice cream, and A LOT of birthday cards. Everyone, from the great-grandchildren on up sent Grandma a birthday card with a two dollar bill enclosed. When the grandchildren were younger, Grandma would send them a birthday card with a two dollar bill in it. Betsy came up with the idea to have every member of the family do the same for her. Kudos Betsy! Dustin and I are so happy to have such a wonderful Grandma. A Grandma who calls to see how we are doing. A Grandma who we admire for the example she sets. A Grandma who laughs and cries with us, but most of all, a Grandma who loves us. Happy Birthday Grandma!
On Friday September 5th I had a spinal tap, also known as a lumbar puncture. Dr. Foley ordered that I have one done to rule out lesions on the spinal cord that the MRI can't see. It came back inconclusive which is the same as negative. I am happy that I am still lesion free but not happy that the test will be repeated every year. It was very uncomfortable and caused me a great deal of anxiety and panic. If I did not know that they threaded a 9cm needle up through my spinal cord I might have been a little more composed. First they gave me a shot of lido-cane in my lower back. I did not mind that part at all. It is the needle that follows that got me sweating. I was having an anxiety attack on the table and literally soaked the pillow case my head was resting on in sweat. The nurse helped me to calm down which I really appreciated. After about thirty minutes they got a clear sample and finished the procedure.
Again, thanks to family and friends for your love and support. It is felt and sustains us, especially when things get hard.
Love
Libby and Dustin
I have never had an interest in yoga, but recently decided to give it a try. As would be expected, I have been doing a lot of research about Multiple Sclerosis lately. It turns out that people with MS who practice Yoga 2 to 3 times a week feel an average of 70% better than they did before they started practicing yoga. That 70% is all the convincing it took me to start yoga. I am really lucky to live four blocks from a great yoga studio (Centered City Yoga) that provides a variety of classes and is sensitive to my medical needs. My first class was yesterday. It was called "Yoga For Stiffer Bodies." Stiffer is really an understatement. However, when the session ended I felt looser. Looser is a term I now use to explain how my muscles are feeling. Most the time, they are pretty tight and stiff, but Yoga gave me some relief from the stiffness for a few days. It also made me sore. I never really considered yoga a form of exercise, but I stand corrected. Some of the poses made me sweat and I felt like I had been on an treadmill for an hour at the end of the class. As I learn more about yoga and the theory behind it I understand why it is beneficial. I am excited to feel 70% better and learn something new on my journey through MS.
Namaste'
It is nice to have good news to report to everyone. Round two was a success! Not only did I get half the dose of Solu-Medrol, it was also extremely diluted. Dr. Foley and Kara think that the reason I had such an awful reaction to the first infusion was because my body did not absorb the medicine correctly. Needless to say, whatever they did worked. I am experiencing what are considered the "normal" side effects of the medicine. These include a headache, metallic taste in the mouth, red face, elevated heart beat, slight fever, and acute alertness. The alert part has kept me up at night for the past two nights with little sleep which is really quite bothersome. However, compared to my last infusion, I feel wonderful! When I walked out of the Dr. Foley's office on Wednesday, my muscles felt really loose, something I have not felt in several months. It is nice to have some relief from the dizziness, pain, and stiffness. Again, we appreciate all of the love and support and know that your prayers, fasting, and thoughts have played a role in the outcome of this infusion.
Love
Libby and Dustin
My Doctor called and scheduled my infusion for Wednesday and Thursday. The good news is that it will be half the dose. I will receive half a gram Wednesday over two hours and half a gram Thursday over two hours. I am also receiving this infusion at Dr. Foley's infusion clinic so he can monitor me and watch my reaction to the Solu-Medrol. Hopefully it won't be as bad as last time, keep your fingers crossed. We will keep everybody posted over the weekend and update the blog regarding how I am feeling and reacting to the infusion. Thanks again for all the support.
Love
Libby and Dustin
Yesterday Kara Menning, Dr Foley's Nurse Practitioner called me back about the dizziness I have been experiencing for the past four days. She has decided to order another round of the Solu-Medrol at half the dose I had last time. That means I will receive one gram over two days instead of two grams. Dizziness is part of MS and can last months if you don't receive aggressive treatment. If another treatment is what I need to get better, I will do it, side effects and all. Dr. Foley's office will call me today with the dates for my treatment. Kara also told me that I don't have any MS on my spine. That's really good news because lesions on the spine deteriorate faster than those on the brain. It is nice to be lesion free for the time being. Thanks again for all the love and support. Dustin and I are grateful for all the wonderful people who have rallied around us during this time.
Love
Libby and Dustin
I have recently had the desire to preserve our memories in an aesthetically pleasing way. What better, more time consuming way to accomplish this than by scrapbooking. I have to be completely frank, I do not enjoy the art of scrapbooking but I do enjoy the finished product. This means that I spend endless hours at my dining room table with a paper cutter, a mish-mash of papers, ribbons, brads, glue dots, mounting squares, and little patience. I turn on some tunes so I don't have to fully concentrate on what I am really doing and start working. About an hour later I have an aesthetically pleasing presentation of my pictures. The hope is that some day, generations down the line, a grandchild will look at the scrapbook and say "Oh, they were so cute!" or "Look how funny Grandpa looks!" At least that's what we hope.
Wednesday was my six week follow up appointment with Kara Menning, Dr. Foley's Nurse Practitioner. She examined me, looking for signs that the Solu-Medrol treatment had improved the weakness on my left side as well as my peripheral vision. The double vision in my periphery is gone, but the weakness on my left side is the same. Kara said that I had an adverse reaction to the Solu-Medrol and should not have experienced severe pain and dizziness. Next time I have a treatment, it will be half the dose over two days. As far as a diagnoses, we are still at the same point. Dr, Foley and Kara are feeling slightly more confident that it is MS, but I can not be given an actual diagnoses until lesions appear on an MRI. It can take a few years after the first symptoms for the lesions to appear. I was given a medicine to help with the nerve pain I have been experiencing on my left side that seems to be working well. In general, I am feeling well. Some days are better than others, actually, some hours are better than others but I am doing well. Dustin and I are grateful for all of the prayers, family fasts, and well wishes. Your love and devotion helps sustain us.
Love
Libby and Dustin
The blog posts previous to this outline our trip to DC, and the the things we were able to do. Thanks again to the Sabota family and the Williams family for letting us stay at their homes. We are grateful for them and had a wonderful time spending time with them and their kids. Happy reading!
26 July::..
This morning we went swimming with Jeff and the kids at their community pool. It was fun to play with the kids and go for a swim. Around one o'clock Dustin and I went with Ellie, Jeff, and the kids to the Dulles Air and Space Museum. We regret that we saved this jewel for last. It is an absolutely amazing museum. It is the home of the Enterprise space shuttle, the Enola Gay, a Concord, and many other historic aircraft. Jeff told us that the Air and Space museum on the mall only holds five percent of the Smithsonian's collection, while the Dulles Air and Space Museum holds ninety percent of the collection. Jeff's company has a rocket that launches satellites on display right next to the enterprise. It is unbelievable how much rocket fuel it takes to launch a rather small satellite. We only had two hours to spend at the museum because we needed to catch our flight. Next time we go to DC, the Dulles Air and Space Museum will be our first blog entry instead of our last. We are grateful to Ellie and Jeff for allowing us to stay at their home, play with their kids, and chat until the early hours of the morning. So long DC.
25 July::..
Dustin and I are very interested in, and looking at moving to a new urbanisim community. New urbanisim is a type of residential planning that has smaller traditional homes and walkable communities. About forty-five minutes from Ellie and Jeff's house is one of the first new urbanisim communities ever built called the Kentlands. We decided to go take a look at the community and take some pictures. Kentlands is rather established and houses run in the millions but it is gorgeous. We loved the traditional architecture mixed with community centers, opens space, and shops. We also love that brick is a staple medium in Kentlands. It was nice to spend time together doing one of our favorite things, looking at houses.
24 July::..
As our vacation started coming to a close, Dustin realized he had never been to an Aquarium. We decided to meet Anna, Jack (he LOVES ocean animals), and Elsa at the Baltimore National Aquarium. We spent the night at Ellie and Jeff's house and had the opportunity to take Elizabeth and Sarah with us to Baltimore. We met Anna and her kids around two o'clock and went straight to a dolphin show. We made sure we sat well clear of the splash zone. It is always fun to watch what tricks and skills trainers are able to teach dolphins. It was pretty amazing to watch the dolphins shoot out of the water and high into the air. After the dolphin show we went straight to see Jacks favorite animal, the shark. There was a variety of sharks, and all of them gave me the creeps. There was a shark called the snageltooth shark that desperately needs to see an orthodontist. It was fun to be with family and enjoy all there is to see at the Aquarium.
23 July::..
Our Pentagon tour was quite the memorable experience. Dustin and I woke up early to print off the documentation verifying that we did indeed have a Pentagon tour that day. When we arrived at the Pentagon, we waited in line for twenty minutes or so in a security line. Security was really disorganized and we had no idea which line we needed to be in and what was expected of us. Once we got in, we checked in at the tour window and sat down in the waiting chairs. About thirty minutes later, we were called into a room where we put on security badges and received instructions about how the tour would proceed. Long story short, the tour was a mile walk that took us from one side of the Pentagon to the other with a little commentary regarding the history of the building. When we reached the far end of the building we were able to see a Memorial Chapel honoring those who lost their lives on September 11th. It was a small room with a book of remembrance that family members contributed to so that visitors could read about those who lost their lives. After we saw the chapel we walked back to where we had entered and our tour was finished. When all was said and done, Dustin and I decided that the tour was a lot of work for a mediocre tour. However, we are glad that we had the opportunity to see the hallways of the Pentagon.
22 July::..
The Library of Congress was one of our favorite buildings we saw during our vacation. We could not stop craning our necks to see the amazing mosaics on the ceiling. It was interesting to find out that the mosaics were put together on big sheets of paper in a workshop and sent to the Library of Congress where they were installed. Dustin and I both love education and loved the vision statement of the Library of Congress:
"We will foster a free and informed society by building, preserving and providing resources for human creativity, wisdom and achievement. We continually strive to place these resources at the fingertips of the American people, their elected representatives and the world for their mutual prosperity, enlightenment and inspiration."Our tour of the Library of Congress was very informative and we enjoyed learning that anything you look at has an explanation. Nothing is "just art", it all has relevance to learning and achievement. The Library of Congress now has a website www.LOC.gov that gives you access to the endless documents, maps, and books located in the library. We hope to utilize the services of the Library of Congress in the future.
21 July::..
The National Gallery of Art is the one place I had to go when we were in DC. The last time I was at the Gallery, there was a Mary Cassatt exhibit. I fell in love with what is by far one of my favorite pieces of art. It is of a mother and child in bed. The mother is laying down and the child is sitting on the side of the bed with a teacup on the nightstand nearby. I have never fallen in love with a piece as quickly as I did with this one. Unfortunately, the Mary Cassatt exhibit was a traveling exhibit and was long gone when we got there. However, Dustin loved seeing the Van Gough's, especially his self portrait. We love how beautiful the National Gallery of Art building is. It has huge marble columns, wonderful woodwork, and amazing artwork which culminate in an amazing experience 
It was SO HOT that we had not seen any of the major landmarks, Monuments, or Memorials, so we got tickets for the Twilight Tourmobile. The Tourmobile is an open air bus that goes to all the major sites in DC and has a tour guide that tells you facts and history about what you are seeing. The Twilight Tour started at 7:00 and went to all of the Monuments and Memorials in the DC area. The tour lasted about three and half hours and was a really neat experience. We learned things that we would not have learned if we would have seen the sights on our own. The tour started and drove by the Capitol, the National Gallery of Art, the Natural History Museum, The Washington Monument and stopped at the Jefferson Memorial. We enjoyed about twenty minutes to walk around the Jefferson, take pictures, and appreciate the beauty of our surroundings. We got back on the bus and headed to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Monument. The Roosevelt Monument has four chambers, each representing a different term in his presidency. Each chamber focuses on something significant that he was known for. The first chamber had sculptures depicting the depression, my favorite of which is a piece depicting five men in a bread line. The second chamber was focused on the civil programs and services President Roosevelt worked to establish. The third chamber depicted his International relations and war, and the fourth was dedicated to his family, and his death. We absolutely loved the Roosevelt Monument and the time and effort that was put into making such a wonderful place for people to visit. We headed back to the bus and went to the Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and the Korean War Veterans Memorial. The sun was setting and it seemed to make the Korean War Veterans Memorial come to life. The soldiers really seemed to be on patrol and I felt like I was walking with them keeping my eyes out for the enemy. Our last stop was the World War II Memorial. The sun had set by now and it was a really amazing experience to see the fountains, wreaths, and stars at night. On our way back to Union Station where the tour originated, Dustin and I felt blessed and grateful to have seen such wonderful Monuments and Memorials erected to honor those who have made our nation great.
July 20::..
In the morning I had an awful toothache so we went to see the on call dentist in Falls Church Virginia. He was a young guy who diagnosed me with a dying tooth, remedy, root canal. I decided I could tough it out until we got back to Salt Lake due to the many horror stories I have heard of getting dental work done by an unknown dentist. We took a cab and went to Anna and Luke's house where we stayed for the next three nights. We had a good time talking to Anna and Luke, and hanging out with their kids at the pool. Thanks to Anna and Luke for letting us intrude on their lives. We had a blast!
Later that day we went to the National Archives. We had to wait about twenty minutes to get into the building because of security screenings. Once we were in we moseyed around looking at all of the exhibits. There were some really neat exhibits that showed letters written to various Presidents of the United States. My absolute favorite was a letter from three teen girls in Idaho pleading with President Eisenhower not to give Elvis a GI haircut. It was really funny. Among that same exhibit were letters pleading to stop war, start war, step down from office, thank you's, praises, well wishes, and suggestions on how to run the country. Of course, the main reason to go to the Archives is to see the Deceleration of Independence, the Constitution and other important documents relevant to the birth of our great nation. There is something sacred about seeing those documents on display and we are grateful to those who toiled to make them.
We met Anna, Luke, Jack, and Elsa at a local diner for dinner later that night. Dustin and I both enjoyed some of the best omelets we have ever tasted. Besides Elsa being terrified of the new faces, we all enjoyed ourselves.
19 July::..
On the 19th, we barely made it to our tour of the White House. We were not aware that the Metro was undergoing scheduled maintenance so we caught a cab and arrived just in time. After getting through security, we walked along a pathway with several guards on it and arrived at the White House. To our surprise, it was a self guided tour. The beginning of the tour was a long hallway displaying portraits of several Presidents as well as pictures of various Presidents at National Parks, and other popular vacation spots. We were able to see he ground and first floors home to the Library, Vermeil Room, the famous China room, the Diplomatic Reception Room, the Green Room, and many others. In the East Room is a Steinway piano donated to the White House 1938. It was very square in shape but was one of my favorite accessories at the white house. If you are ever in the DC area, we recommend the White House tour.
Later that evening, we could not resist and saw The Dark Knight. We went to the only theater in Old Town Alexandria which was just that, OLD. For those of you familiar with The Villa theater in Salt Lake City, it was about a quarter that size. the screen was about an eighth the size of a regular screen and the sound was so so. Despite the small theater, tiny screen, and sub par sound, the Joker still managed to scare the living daylights out of me. However, Dustin and I enjoyed a night out on the town in Old Alexandria which is rather romantic.
Yesterday we went to the National Air and Space Museum and the Natural History Museum. Both museums are Smithsonian museums. I had no idea that The Smithsonian owned and operated seventeen different museums. I don't know how they do it, but there exhibits are amazing and very informative.
When we arrived at the National Air and Space Museum we immediately noticed the flight simulators. We both knew that we had to try it. The simulator we chose was an F-4 fighter plane with room for a pilot and a gunner. Because I am such an ace, I was the gunner. We had a short two minute training and we were ready for liftoff. Liftoff was the easy part, everything else was hard. I am pretty sure that we spent most of the five minute flight upside down or doing barrel rolls. Despite the crazy flight, we managed to kill four out of five enemy planes. Hooray for teamwork!
Last time I was at the Air and Space Museum, the original Wright Brothers Plane that they flew in 1903 was hanging from the ceiling in the front foyer. Now there is a whole exhibit dedicated to the Wright Brothers and their first plane. The plane is now on the floor, enabling you to walk around it. There is also an explanation of what the plane is made of and how it works. It is amazing that with wire, wood, and cloth, the Wright Brothers created an airplane.
It was a long day, but we got to see and experience some amazing things. The National Air and Space Museum and Natural History Museum are so full of information and activities that we feel we would have to go back again and again to fully appreciate it.
Today we left the National Harbor and crossed the river to old town Alexandria where we will stay for the next three days. We dropped our bags off at our hotel and headed for DC. Our destination, the International Spy Museum. This was the one place that Dustin really wanted to go while we were here. I was skeptical that it would be (for lack of a better word) lame, but was pleasantly surprised. When we arrived we participated in a hour long interactive spy mission. We were spies in Kandar trying to obtain a nuclear trigger before it got into the wrong hands. We got to use a listening post, surveillance cameras, and ransack the office where we suspected the trigger was. When we successfully finished the mission we took a look around the museum. It is really well put together and walks you through how to be a spy, the equipment spies have used over the centuries, and the history of spying. We did learn that DC has more spies than any other city in the world. I will keep my eyes peeled.
Iwo Jima, a heavily fortified Japanese stronghold was essential for the U.S to win the war, and also for the Japanese to stave off defeat. The battle to win this island is considered one of the fiercest battles in military history. Less than 300 out of 21,000 Japanese survived the attack. The U.S lost 6,821 soldiers and over 19,000 were wounded. One of the most highly distributed photographs ever made was taken during the Iwo Jima campaign. Joe Rosenthal, the photographer who took the famous picture of the marines raising the flag was awarded a Pulitzer prize for his work. The Iwo Jima Memorial is a duplicate of that famous photograph. The 32 foot bronze figures are shown raising a 60 foot flag. This memorial was dedicated by President Dwight D. Eisenhour on November 10th, 1954, the 179th anniversery of the United States Marine Corps. Inscripted around the base of the memorial are the words of Chester W. Nimitz "Uncommon valor was a common virture."
Last night we attended the Marine Corps "Sunset Parade" at the Iwo Jima Memorial. Hundreds of people come every Tuesday night during the summer months to watch the United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps perform a variety of musical selections, watch the precision of the Marines' Silent Drill Platoon, and pay respects to fallen soldiers.
Dressed in red coats and white pants, and holding there shiny silver instruments, the members of the Drum and Bugle Corps performed an excited selection of music. They played a medley from the musical "Jersey Boy," as well as the well known song "Stars and Stripes Forever." The formations they made while playing were precise and really enjoyable to watch.
Following the Drum and Bugle Corps, was the presentation of the colors. This presentation has been performed since the Revolutionary War. The Marine Corps battle colors is decorated with oak leaf clusters, ribbons, and stars that represent the more than 400 awards and campaigns of the U.S Marine Corps. The crowd was asked to stand to honor all service men and women who had given their life to serve this great country.
The Silent Drill Platoon has performed at the Sunset Parade since 1948. They travel all over the world executing their routine for hundreds of thousands of spectators annually. This routine is performed without any verbal cues and is performed with amazing synchronization. The M-1 rifles they carry weigh 10.5 pounds and are fixed with bayonets. After the Silent Drill performance, we stood and again honored fallen soldiers to a twenty one gun salute and a bugle call that honored all of the service men and women who have given there lives. The Sunset Parade ended with the retirement of the colors performed after a loud salute of rifles and the performance of taps.
Dustin and I really enjoyed the Sunset Parade and feel a special connection to soldiers who serve their country, and even die for their country. I felt a sense of pride well up inside of me when I saw the Iwo Jima Memorial flanked by Marines who serve this country every day. We are so grateful for the freedoms that we enjoy.
Sitting in bed, with my laptop and my thoughts I realized that I am not Super Woman. I wish I had control over what happens to me and my family, but I don't. I wish, like Superman, I could see something undesirable before it happened and stop it, but I can't. The past few weeks have made me painfully aware of how vulnerable and human I am. It has been a good reminder of how grateful I am for everything I have, even my health.
The Solu-Medrol caused me to be in more pain than I have ever experienced. I was in pain from my head to my toes for three days. Pain medicine gave me a few hours of sleep but also made me nauseous, so I preferred not to take it. When the extreme pain subsided, I was exhausted and had shooting pains in my legs and back. Today, I feel pretty good. I still have some pain in my legs, and tire easily, but compared to this time last week, I feel wonderful!
I am grateful for a wonderful husband, family, and friends. Thank you for all of your love, support, fasting, and prayers. Dustin and I appreciate the large network of people that are cheering us on and hoping for the best outcome. We are praying for a good outcome and feel confident in my doctor's abilities to care for me.
Next week Dustin and I will be in Washington DC for a few weeks to relax. We couldn't have planned a better time to escape daily life and enjoy a vacation together. I am sure that I will be feeling well and be able to enjoy all of the activities DC has to offer. We love all of you and can not thank you enough.
Love
Libby and Dustin
We have waited several weeks before letting you know what has been happening to Libby. At the beginning of May, she experienced severe blurring in her left eye accompanied by some pain. She went to see her ophthalmologist, Dr. Barker and was diagnosed with Optic Neuritis. Optic Neuritis is an inflammation of the optic nerve. A retinal specialist confirmed the diagnosis and informed us that 50-70% of the time, optic neuritis is the first manifestation of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Dr. Barker ordered an MRI which showed good news, no lesions on Libby's brain. Lesions on the brain indicate without equivocation the presence of MS. We were then sent, on June 25th to see Dr. John Foley, a neurologist here in Salt Lake who only sees MS patients. Dr. Foley reviewed Libby's MRI and agreed that lesions were not present. However, the examination showed a definite weakness in her left side and a sensitivity to heat, cold, and pain. These are all symptoms of MS.
Libby was immediately sent to LDS Hospital to receive her first treatment of an IV steroid called Solu-Medrol. This first dose was followed by a second treatment on the 26th. The side effects of the IV infusion therapy were very harsh and have lasted a full week so far. Libby has been in a great deal of pain, but it is starting to go away. She can do more each day and tries to do as much as she can. Dr. Foley said, "I won't say you have MS, but I am not ready to say you don't."
The silver lining in all of this is that the PA who assists Dr. Foley indicated that if this is MS, then the continued treatments will ensure that Libby will be able to go skiing with her grandchildren. This statement filled Libby and I with hope. Libby has a follow up appointment with Dr. Foley on August 6th to see if the infusions helped to quell her "flare up" symptoms and decide on a more definite treatment plan.
We are so thankful for your prayers and concern. The family has always been here for us and we truly appreciate the comfort and support that you provide. Dr. Foley's knowledge and the advanced medicine that is being used to mitigate this possible condition are a blessing as well. Again, thank you for your prayers and love.
Love
Dustin and Libby
On June 14th we spent the evening at the Venture Outdoors Festival. It is held in a park in the Millcreek area, a suburb of Salt Lake City. The purpose of the festival is to get people outside and participating in healthy, fun, outdoor activities. We spent the first few hours taking a crack at some of the activities the festival had to offer. Our favorite was archery. It turned out to be really fun! We also played some soccer, and tried to guess how fast we could throw a baseball. I could throw 39 miles per hour, but Dustin threw an amazing 54 miles per hour. There were booths set up all over the park to raise awareness of current issues facing Utah. The most predominant issue was that of Italian nuclear waste coming to Utah. Other booths informed residents of summer activities in Utah. Snowbird now has an alpine slide and many of the same summer activities that Park City offers, at a smaller price tag. 
At about eight thirty we went to the Dan's Amphitheater to listen to a local band called Ivy League. They were really entertaining. They seem to be influenced by artists like Cake, Bob Marley, and Panic At The Disco. 
The reason we had decided to attend the festival (beside it being free) was a fire performing group called Incediary Circus. They are based out of Salt Lake City and take elements of circus performance and fire dancing to create a really fun show. They also bring awareness to important causes such as domestic violence, energy conservation, and serving others. We had such a good time at the Venture outdoors festival and will be attending again next year.
Dustin and I met Roy (Dustin's Dad) at Scofield Reservoir early in the morning to go fishing. I have been fishing before and found that I really don't have the patience for it. However, Roy is a very experienced fisherman and knows his stuff. When we showed up, Roy had everything set up and I cast out. I immediately got a nibble, but soon found out that hooking a fish is a whole different story. Roy and Dustin got a kick out of watching me try to hook a fish. My grunt and pull tactic failed but drew some laughs. My jump and pull failed miserably, but my pull really, really, hard tactic was the trick. Once I got the hang of it, I was hooking fish after fish.
Roy likes to keep the spawners (the fish with eggs) to harvest the eggs. Trout like to eat their own eggs, so Roy makes egg sacks with them. Fish love em'! Dustin and I kept thirteen fish. We gave a few to my parents and kept the rest. We are excited to go fishing again and catch what Roy calls the "pole breakers."
We spent Presidents Day at Brighton this year with my Dad, Richard and our friend Trent. Richard and Dad skied while Dustin, Trent, and I snowboarded. It was a beautiful clear day and it was great to escape the smog and retreat for a day on the mountain.
