3 December 2023
VOLUME 11 – NUMBER 532
Veidi’s birthday party
Me, Mom, Caleb, Troy, Quinn, and Joanna went to the German Christmas Market. We met Endia, Cougar, Ashton, and London there. I got to pet a kangaroo and a camel. The kangaroo was really soft, and the camel was fluffy. It reminded me of a scene in Zootopia when Nick is playing with Bellwether’s hair. It was big and you could squish it up and down.
We also had waffles on a stick. I got one that had powdered sugar and chocolate on it. It was so delicious. Ashton had one with powdered sugar on it, and when he went to go take a bite out of it he inhaled it and then coughed it out and it got on me and it was really gross but funny at the same time.
Veidi and Ashton at the Christmas Market
We got home and ate dinner. Then me and Mom went to walk Flynn, who is a training dog. Mom also took me and Kai shopping for new shoes. I got black and white Adidas. Then I realized that Kai got Nikes, but they looked a lot like my shoes!
When we got home I went inside. The house was dark, and it was super quiet. I was really confused. Mom said to turn on the lights, and then everyone popped out from behind the couches and said, “Surprise!”
I was really confused and very surprised! Monte, Gloria, Mom, Caleb, Ashton, and Isaac planned a birthday party for me and invited friends. I was so happy.
A few weeks before, I started to plan my 15th birthday party, and I was taking to Monte and Gloria about it, but we didn’t finish planning. Also, the day before my party, Gloria was acting really suspicious, but I did not pay much attention to it. Now I know why!
Veidi’s birthday party
I had a really fun time at the party. We did donuts on a string in groups. Isaac won the first group and Monte won the second.
Then we played a game Caleb learned on his mission called El Gato y la Rata. (The Cat and the Rat). The cat wants to catch the rat. If the rat gets caught, the person that it landed on has to answer questions for one minute. I am so glad it did not land on me. Later on Caleb added a third one—the dog. The dog is trying to get the cat, the cat is trying to get the rat, and the rat is trying to escape. It was so fun and funny.
Then we did a tournament on Super Smash Bros and Isaac won it all. We had cake, and then I opened presents. I had a really fun time.
Veidi’s birthday party
I'm just going to start this one off by wishing Veidi a Happy Birthday! It's been a crazy week, but I think the main thing that I'm gonna write about is Elf: The Musical. It was a pretty good play, and it was different enough, but it wasn't as good as the movie.
I laughed here and there, but in my personal opinion, nobody can replace Will Ferrell as Buddy the Elf. It almost felt like someone was acting like Will Ferrell, and not as Buddy the Elf, if you know what I mean. Other than that it was an enjoyable play.
Joanna at Christmas market
Elf: The Musical was such a fun experience, and I always look forward to going to the Hale Center Theatre.
It was also my friend Brit’s birthday this week, and she asked if I would make her some cannolis. We also threw her a little dance party and she invited all of her friends. Honestly it’s one of my favorite things—to just go crazy and dance my heart out without trying to make anything look good!
Caleb working on his birthday Lego set
When Caleb started building he R2-D2 Lego set, it was really cool watching him build it. I remember that he got the set for his birthday before he left on his mission, and it’s crazy that he is back already. I am so glad he is back.
We also went to the Christmas market with Endia and it was cool. We got to see different cultures and different types of food, like there was a waffle on a stick, and it was delicious. We also got to pet some animals and even a camel, which tried to eat Caleb!
Family at the Christmas market
Endia and I went to see Isaac perform in the Christmas Carol this week. We got to our seats just a few seconds before they dimmed the lights. I was very impressed, I hadn't seen Isaac perform before, but he did a great job. He seemed so happy to see everyone there that could make it.
That same afternoon we headed up to the German Christmas market and fought off the cold for a few hours. Every time we go, Endia shares lots of stories from her mission in Germany, and she gets so excited about the little things. We didn't see Elder Uchtdorf this year—he usually comes—but we still had a great time.
Family at Isaac’s play performance
This week was my performance, and I was a little worried. The first couple of days we were in the actual theater, the runs were a little clunky. After doing it over and over again, it improved a little bit, but a lot of the cast was wondering whether or not it was going to smooth over.
I had a really hard costume change that I had to do, in like a minute, and put on a puppet thing, and It was really stressful. For the first performance, I ended up not having my gloves or cloak on all the way, or my belt. But other than that, it all worked out and everything smoothed over.
I ended up nailing my costume change, although it was still stressful, and I had an overall really fun time. I would totally do it again!
Isaac with cast member after performance
This week has been a super busy for me. School has been a little bit of stress because the semester is almost over. I finished two of six classes, but I'm almost done with a few of them. I could finish a few next week.
On Thursday, I went to Provo with Dad so I could get driving hours in. I like going and seeing Dad teach his class and seeing what he does.
On Friday morning, Mom woke me up and asked me if Monte and I would like to throw Veidi a surprise party. I said yes, and I started planning. I stated by making invitations and deciding who to invite.
Later that night Monte, Aiden, Riley, and I went shopping for ugly Christmas sweaters. By the time we headed home we all came out with a lot more then ugly sweaters.
Refreshments for Veidi’s party
Saturday morning Monte and I went to the store and got stuff for the surprise party. We went to few stores to get what we needed. After we got back home, Monte taught me how to play the video game Spider-Man 2.
When I got close to the time for the party, Riley came and helped us to make sure the party was ready to go. When people started to show up, we told them the plan. Veidi was a few minutes away, so we turned off all of the lights and got behind the couches.
When Veidi came in and turned on the lights, we said "Surprise!" All she said was, "What the…?" The party turned out well and we always had something to do.
Caleb, Veidi, Ashton at Christmas market
London and I had a temple Christmas party this week that our shift put on because the temple was closed for cleaning. It’s always such an interesting dynamic at those events because there are usually two distinct groups of people.
First, you have all the young, usually single college folks, and second, the old retired couples who can’t understand how such a good group of young boys and girls could be so single when they are surrounded by all these righteous options—Ha ha!
I joke a little, but it does make for a fun time! I also enjoyed going to the BYU folk dance concert called Christmas Around the World. The amount of coordination and talent they all had was jaw-dropping. Afterwards we got some tacos, which were absolutely delicious!
Family at BYU Christmas Around the World
Last week I went out to lunch with my friend Jack. While we were there, I got a call from doctor Warner telling me that they had gotten results back from Florida where they sent some of my biopsy samples so that a specialist could add in an opinion on what might be my problem.
He told me it looked like it might be a type of lymphoma. I didn't know what lymphoma was so I kind of assumed I didn't have cancer.
Dr. Warner asked me if I could come in that same afternoon for another biopsy to see if they could figure out exactly what type it was quicker, that way they could start treating me quicker. So I finished up with Jack, headed home, and then went to the hospital for the biopsy.
Caleb building R2-D2 set (meds on table)
It was kind of crazy, I didn't expect that they would do the biopsy as quickly as they did. We entered doctor Warners office then another doctor came in, she told us a few things then had me lie down and then did the biopsy.
I wasn't on any drugs except a numbing shot that they had given me. So I was conscious while they were taking out the bone marrow. It wasn't painful at all just slightly uncomfortable while the needle went up and down breaking through my bone. I could feel the echo going through my whole body.
This week on the 1st of December I got the official confirmation that I have lymphoma cancer. It's honestly been really hard, but it's almost a relief for it to be known, now I feel like I have a direction I can start working towards, and I don't feel stuck in the same uncomfortable spot.
Training dog—Mello
We just got home from three appointments—one for an echocardiogram, one with the oncologist and one with his pain doctor. Lots more doctor appointments next week.
Caleb’s doctor has told us that he is famous in the cancer community here locally, as several doctors have weighed in to try and figure out what he has. This week we finally got a specific diagnosis. After the bone cancer specialist in Florida sent Caleb’s information over to a blood cancer specialist, we finally found out what is really going on.
Caleb has non-Hodgkin’s, large B-cell, germinal center lymphoma. It is presenting on the bone, which is very unusual and caused the initial confusion.
The good news is that we were told by his doctor that of all cancers to get, this is a type of lymphoma that is relatively easy to cure, with a survival rate of 94%. Arkin and I are guessing that in patients as young as Caleb, that rate is probably even higher.
Family at Christmas market
Caleb has been trying to decide whether or not to stay at Intermountain Healthcare’s Utah Cancer Specialists (where we have been going), or to switch over to the Huntsman Cancer Institute (one of the best cancer hospitals in the country).
After getting an official diagnosis, he decided that even though he has liked his doctor, Dr. Warner, he would like to switch to Huntsman. We are meeting next Tuesday with Dr Shah from Huntsman for a second opinion on the diagnosis, and then we plan to switch doctors. Then he will probably start six rounds of chemotherapy, with one round every three weeks.
I think Caleb is relieved to finally have a firm answer on what is going on, and I hope he feels relieved that his cancer has a high survival rate, and is relatively easy to cure. I also think the weight of what is about to happen is also hard for him to take.
Family at Isaac’s play performance
Caleb and Mom have worked out a good schedule with medication so that he stays in the pain range of 1-2 (scale of 1-10). Usually that only involves a higher dose of Ibuprofen three times a day.
On days that he is out and about lot (like a couple times last weekend) his pain can spike at night, and he has to take extra medication. At those times, Caleb is in a lot of pain, so Mom will go in on those nights and help him through it, massaging his legs until the medication can take full effect, sometimes for several hours.
Joanna, Caleb, Quinn playing video games
I am so proud of my son Caleb! He has good days and bad days, but goes through each with a patience and humility that inspires me! Thank you Caleb!
I also so grateful for Mom, and her constant efforts to help Caleb, especially on the rough nights. She has been with him every step of the way since he arrived home, and I can only guess how much that helps Caleb. It’s very hard for me to think of how Caleb had to go through so much of this alone when he was still serving as a missionary.
Joanna and Quinn building a snowman