Today on Thursday Turtle here at Ashley's Art Closet you get to watch a video. Yay! The video was filmed using my iPhone one day when I finished cleaning their aquarium. They love it when it's clean. This is the only time they swim around like this. Usually they are more in hang out mode. Enjoy!
Showing posts with label turtles thursday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label turtles thursday. Show all posts
Tracy's Thursday
(Tracy-liver cancer survivor-Minnesota)
(Cupcakes from Tracy's 3 year survivor party)
Only thing green here today on the blog is green for honoring Tracy O. from Minnesota. Tracy is pushing towards being a 4 year liver cancer survivor. She joins us sharing her story this October day for Liver Cancer Awareness month. Usually on Thursdays, I share the green turtles who reside here at The Murphy Lodge, Thursday Turtles.
How did your work family handle your diagnosis?
My work family had been walking beside me the few weeks leading up to this and I am forever grateful for their support. Their support continued as I went through my liver resection and was off work for the next 6 weeks. They blessed our family with food, treasures for Lesley, and monetarily. I will never forget their support.
How did you find out? What were your symptoms?
I had been having a work up for some side pain for about 6 months before my diagnosis on April 27th 2011. I ended up in the ER on April 12th due to the side pain being so severe. The doctor thought for sure it was my gallbladder causing the issues but after the CT they ruled that out. He sent me home with pain meds and that was the end of that. The next day I got a call from the ER that the radiologist read it as a "spot" on my liver and I should follow up with my regular MD. So the following day I had an ultrasound, which was still too general so I had an MRI the following day, the 15th, and got the results within an hour that I had a mass in my liver. All the testing happened very fast for me which led to a quick diagnoses. That is all in all a great thing. I was referred to a liver specialist. On April 21st I saw the liver specialist and he said that a biopsy was needed along with some blood work to check tumor markers. The tumor markers were negative and I was scheduled for my biopsy the following Tuesday the 26th.
My phone rang at work on the 27th and I got the news that has changed my life, that it was fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma. I was so lucky to be scheduled with the liver transplant specialist and liver surgeon the following day. Both were incredible, kind doctors. Both of them agreed that a liver resection was the way to go and I was scheduled for surgery on May 2nd.
Tell us a little more about the day you received the call at work.
What type of treatment did you receive?
I was off work for about 6 weeks. No chemotherapy or radiation was needed.
You mentioned to me your moms help, explain…
During that time my mom helped to take care of me so that Jon could go back to work. I knew my mom was the best before all this happened but God truly blessed me when he gave her to me as my mom.
Emotionally how did you handle everything?
Tell us what you have learned along this journey?
Tracy how did you find the Fibrolamellars of the World Unite Facebook group?
I was searching online for anything I could find to do with fibrolamellar. On the American Cancer Society website I dug and dug and ended up finding Casey who was already a member of the fibrolamellar group on Facebook. She connected me with Tal, the founder of the group, and I became part of the group in summer of 2011.
Might I add, the Fibrolamellar of the World Unite group is where you and I met just after you joined. I've noticed you've had some involvement more in depth with the group, share with us a little more about that.
After I had been an active member of the group for about 2 years I was asked to be an administrator. As an administrator, I welcome new members and try to connect them with someone if I know they have a "similar" story, if they are located close to someone, or just take the time to listen.
Also, I've noticed your fundraising for The Fibrolamellar Cancer Foundation, share about that.
I have done 2 different fundraisers for The Fibrolamellar Cancer Foundation. I sold t-shirts last year and this year I am selling coffee as part of October being Liver Cancer Awareness month.
I saw you recently went to Vermont tell me about that.
I have been blessed with going to the family gathering for fibrolamellar patients and their families for the last 2 years. This has been held at the Trout Lodge in Stowe, VT. It is hard to explain in words how much those 2 weekends have impacted my life. Meeting others going through this journey, meeting families of fibrolamellar patients that have passed... being a face of hope. I do struggle with survivors guilt but those parents that I have met, have made me feel so loved. Shout out to Martha Ann and Harry!
Lastly, I know your family has not only been touched by cancer with you but also your father tell me about that.
I was exactly 18 months into my journey when my dad was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic lung cancer. His battle only lasted 3 months. As hard as this was on me, it brought up some really hard questions from my daughter. Like "mom, is your cancer going to come back? Will you die from cancer mom?" No 7 year old should have to know stuff like this. I will fight on every day… knowing I will continue to beat this for my dad!
(Tracy and her family)
(Tracy's trip to Vermont this year with the Fibrolamellar Cancer Foundation)
Tracy, I can't thank you enough for taking the time to pour out your precious heart. Meeting you just months after your surgery has brought us through a lot together. We have coached each other along the way, cheered others on, watch many of our friends gain their angel wings and you've read my book allowing your soul to know me on a deeper level. All those things have brought us so closely together. I know I can reach to you anytime. Not only or we survivor sister but we are sisters in Christ. We shall meet in person one day when you come to Mississippi, lol! I seriously thank God for your journey and will continue to pray for clean scans for you sweet girl. Giving Him all the glory knowing we shall seek His face through it all especially "scanxiety".
Thursday Turtles
This my friends here above is a clean turtle aquarium. Below is the unclean turtle aquarium, where we actually start todays journey, cleaning the turtles aquarium. Yuck, nasty, I know! (Be sure and see at the end of this post for a look back on Thursday Turtles-click on each one to look back)
Let the process begin, I start here with a net to fish out each turtle one by one.
I place each one in a small clear plastic container. They climb over each other repeatedly to a settling stance waiting to see what's next.
Using an old toothbrush, I lightly scrub their back to remove what amount of yuck I can.
While they continue sitting in the container, I begin the process of dumping the water and washing the aquarium out. If you notice there are two rocks laying next to the aquarium. One is a floating rock, it's the big one, and the small one is a regular heavy rock. Both are removed and scrubbed down.
I love to wipe the glass with a paper towel removing the water spots.
Crystal clear, I start the process of putting water back into the aquarium. The aquarium is set back on the table on top of a black towel. I place the water hose into the aquarium slightly turning the water on. This process of putting water back into the aquarium doesn't take long at all. Usually I only fill it up half way. What does take a long time is the entire process start to finish and taking pictures of each step take even longer.
Get me out of here!
Almost full!
Full!
They love when their water is clean. They swim for hours once they adjust to being back into the water. I did a video one day of them swimming around in clean water to my grandfather. He loved it!
A look back:
Engine's Day
Spend the day with Engine!
Well, you're not going to believe this but Engine was found the afternoon Sammy was found. Once I got Sammy settle in at home I dashed off to pick my daughter up from school. It was on our ride home from school we found Engine. How on earth did my eyes find these little guys in the road. From there on out I just drove with my eyes closed. Not really, but I sure wanted to.
We should have named this guy peanuts. Look at his upper circles on his under shell. They look just like peanut shells. He was name by my daughter before I even got the chance to put the car in drive that day. She chose Engine since we were in the car with an engine.
Engine's ranking in second place in size!
So next year, I am not praying for another turtle, but I'll sure look for them. The turtle lodge is full here at The Murphy Lodge so I'd have to find them room and board else where.
A look back:
Can you remember which turtle is the biggest?
Do you think I'll find more next turtle season, March or April?
Sammy's Day
Spend the day with Sammy!
Swiftly on a drive down my street days later after finding Pedal, I was coming home from Bible study. Not nearly half way down my hilly road I see something small in the road. Passing it, I pulled over with the clear notion it was another turtle.
With the car in park, I promptly walked towards the turtle making sure no cars were coming. He was the most precious one of them all. Smaller then Fred or Pedal on their found date.
This little guy rode home with me in my cup holder as I continued driving down my street. Some say be careful what you pray for and here I was finding a third turtle.
(notice he acts the same turned over now as the day I found him-see picture further below)
Often, I pick one day there will be a giraffe with lions and tigers in my yard or near by in the neighborhood. Since living in our current house we've seen giant turtles, giant snakes, a fox, big pretty turkey's, tons of deer, a hawk, an owl and even an actual alligator in my driveway one day!
How'd we come up with his name? Well, the area of the street he was found was close to a neighbors house who's name is Mr. Sammy. So, what better name. Sammy!
Sammy is still the cutest of them all to me and still remains the smallest of all.
(his ride home in my cup holder)
(look how darn precious-the moment I found him)
He was so hot and dried up looking when I found him. I love those perfect circles at the top of his under shell.
Can you believe I found a third turtle?
Which one is your favorite so far?
Pedal's Day
Spend the day with Pedal!
Well, not only did I pray to find a turtle like my childhood turtle one day, I also prayed to find another turtle so our Fred wasn't lonely. Almost a year to the date later my youngest daughter and I were out riding bikes. On the ride back almost home I saw something in the street. When I got closer looking down it was another turtle. This is where he gained his name, Pedal. Since we were on a bike with pedals, Pedal it was. We can pick him out from the slight little pedal looking mark on his under side on the lower left. See picture above.
(the moment we found Pedal on our bike ride)
(meeting Fred for the first time)
Fred liked having a new friend once they settled in better together.
This little guy is knocking on 2 inches. He wasn't this big when we found him, but has grown a little.
Look at his little feet trying to push away.
Those eyes…
and nose…
Below are the pictures I posted to instagram the day we found him.
Read more about the turtles:
Can you tell Pedal is a baby compared to Fred?
How long should we keep them?
Do you like the turtle series?
Fred's Day
Spend the day with Fred!
When I was younger say around sixth grade I had a turtle who looked just like Fred. We found him on our front porch one day. Mom let me bring him inside. Where he lived in a white bowl on a bookshelf in my room. I put rocks found from our street along with water in the bowl. He was such a fun guy to have around. By say the time I was in 9th or 10th grade he went to be with Jesus. Sad! But it happened…
Often I prayed I'd find another one like him.
Many, many, many years later I did. Well, let me say this, my youngest daughter found him. It was towards the later part of spring, school was about to be out. She was playing down by the pool probably chasing our dog. I heard the back door burst open. "Mom"! When I went to see what was up she was holding a bright green turtle who looked just like mine from childhood. My eyes sparkled. "Oh, babe!" He was precious.
After sharing my story of my childhood turtle my daughter decided to honor him naming her turtle Fred also. My childhood turtles name was Fred. Can you believe that! Moments of memories formed right before my eyes.
Fred lived in a small bowl on our back porch for a few days. My soul was not as brave as my mothers. I wasn't about to let that turtle in my house.
On to realizing we should get a bigger bowl for Fred.
Leave it to my daughter to encourage me to stop at Petsmart one day. She picked out a 9 gallon glass aquarium for him. It was perfect.
See how much he has grown and changed in color. He was so bright when we found him now his color has darkened. His spots on his under side have smeared somewhat. He's truly one of a kind.
Below are additional pictures from the day Fred was found.
Look how bright green he was!
(down by the lake)
P.S. Fred is celebrating my birthday with me today!
Do you have a turtle?
What's his name?
Or have you had one before?
On to realizing we should get a bigger bowl for Fred.
Leave it to my daughter to encourage me to stop at Petsmart one day. She picked out a 9 gallon glass aquarium for him. It was perfect.
See how much he has grown and changed in color. He was so bright when we found him now his color has darkened. His spots on his under side have smeared somewhat. He's truly one of a kind.
Below are additional pictures from the day Fred was found.
Look how bright green he was!
Above is the picture I posted to Instagram that day.
Below are additional things that happened on that day.
(keeping the sun off her back as she reads)
(our afternoon bike ride)
(things I was on a mission for, notice the date, the day Fred was found)
If you haven't already, you might like to read Meet the Turtles from last Thursday. Check back next Thursday to see which turtle I am spending the day with.
P.S. Fred is celebrating my birthday with me today!
Do you have a turtle?
What's his name?
Or have you had one before?
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