Let the break continue!

Me, Tenley, and Shawna

Well...  I have some great news! Yesterday I spent the afternoon and into the night at the Huntsman Cancer Institute and well, I'm still healthy! Besides the usual stomach and tooth issues as of late, my cancer is still holding still. Theres still the one little flare up but it looks the same so let the fun begin! After meeting with Dr. Glen I feel so much better about everything. She said majority of people have it come back within the first 2 years, most of those people coming back in the first year. Praise the lord, I beat the first year! If I can stay healthy now throughout this next year my life expectancy goes up way high which is always a plus. As for the stomach issues. The biopsies came back clean. No cancer was found which is nice. They said I have some acid reflux issues and for whatever reason the sphincter that holds my food in. So while some people get a stomach ache and just are in pain or get heart burn, instead I just throw up everywhere. So to help I'm on a higher does of my medicine. I was also given a list of foods I should stay away from. Some of those things are chocolate, caffeine, carbonated drinks, any kind of mint, tomatoes, citruses, and dairy. Dr. Glenn said not to necessarily avoid all of these foods but to eat them minimally. So time to change up the diet even more. For the past few months I've been off red meat. It's been really easy except when I drive by In-N-Out. Then I realize how much I miss red meat after all. Oh well those things happen. Turkey burgers taste way better anyways! I talked with Dr. Glenn and we thought it would be ok for me to take a break from ALL cancer doctor appointments until after school and basketball wrap up. That means nothing until end of May/June. All I know is I'm going to sleep much better at nights not stressing about my check ups!

Amy, Tenley, Shawna, Mary, Gypsy Lady, Me

Along with my visit to the Huntsman I also stopped and visited my new hero Miss Tenley Wilson. I talked about Tenley in an earlier blog post but here's some more detail about her situation and my connection to her. Before my family relocated to Provo we lived up in Holladay, Utah (small area in SLC). One of Corbin's best friends was a boy named Taylor Cox. They played basketball, soccer, and baseball together so we became very close to Taylor's family over the years of sporting events. I would consider their family one of our closest family friends. Taylor's parents Neil and Mary were some of my parents close friends. After we moved we did our best to keep in touch but distance always creates some barriers as everyone knows. The Cox family has had some trials throughout their lives. Taylor's father Neil passed about a few years ago and as of recent Taylor's older sister Shawna has had two little girls of her own. Shawna's 2-year-old Tenley was recently diagnosed with AML (acute myloid leukemia). So once again we find ourselves close to the Cox family. Yesterday we stopped by their house and visited little Tenley. I've never seen such a cute little girl and with so much energy! She was all over the place. Running around with the dog, showing us books, going through pictures, and just from one place to the next never holding still. I think back to when I was sick and I would have done anything to have that energy! I could tell from when I saw her she was a fighter. She has a feisty little spirit about her that made me want to be just like her. Keep Tenley in your prayers though. I know she's going to beat this, I just wish she didn't have to go through it at such a young age.

Future Elder Kaufusi

Current Elder Kaufusi

Well there you have it! Break continues until after the semester and basketball. Some other exciting things are coming up though I think you'd all like to be aware of...

1. Corbin's mission call comes TODAY! (we think)
2. BYU spring football is around the corner... Corbin is playing in the spring ball game!
3. Tomorrow my team and I will take on Gonzaga! This is probably the biggest game of the season. Its Thursday the 9th, 7:00 at the Marriott Center. Come watch if you have nothing to do we need all the fans we can get for this one!
4. Tooth extraction maybe a bone graft? We will find out later this week. 
5. Valentines day... I don't have one... But I'll be enjoying the Lady Antebellum concert with Corbin, Steph, and Jess. 
6. Bronson comes home this July! Watch out ladies Provo's most eligible bachelor is coming home

Well those are top events I can think of. I'll keep you all updated on everything going on in my life as well as the Kaufusi family. Thank you for all your prayers. They are working!! Love you all and have an amazing February and Valentines day!

Love, 

Alexis 

PS... If you haven't ever been to ME Crepes in Provo, go now! Strawberries and Creme with ice cream is the BEST crepe ever! https://www.facebook.com/mecrepes