:(

[SmokinReinvention 2.0 2]

Hey Tekara, How have u and your daughter been? Hope all is looking on the up for you two. Just thought about you and wanted to check in.

[Dooter 1,457]

Hey everyone,

My first oncology appointment is on Wednesday. Wish me luck!! Hopefully I'm cancer free! I don't even know if they can tell me that, but after removing the tumor I hope everything is just fine and I can breathe again! Staying positive for my daughter, but some days are harder than others.

On a lighter note, should hear from the surgeon this week with my insurance approval, going to double check with the oncologist about getting sleeved, but since the other doctors and my surgeon Dr. Looser already sad it was fine I'm feeling confident that I will be sleeved soon!!!!

Thank you everyone for all your love, prayers, support, means the word to me!

Have a wonderful Monday and remember to smile and appreciate everyday!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!!! I'm glad it's looking good. Praying for you. Any update??

[Katie713 423]

Tekara....such great news that it seems they got the tumor out and hopefully, all else turns up negative.

For whatever reason, you were meant to take your health into your hands, and this decision, which led to the discovery of your polyps is so life changing.

Enjoy every moment with your guy and your little girl !! I hope you get your sleeve surgery very soon so you can look your best and feel your best!!

God Bless you and yours!!!!

[SleeveandRNYchica 1,155]

Wishing you the best. What a blessing that you were able to find this out through a procedure that would not be considered for prevention. I am 37 and have never had an endoscopy. I think with the numerous types of cancers people would be more inclined for "nontraditional" testing if we knew that it could save our lives. I wish the medical community would stop boxing people in and thinking that cancer only strikes this person or that person. None of us our immune. I am so thankful for you that you found this out early. God bless you and your family.

[On my Waaaay 21]

I am praying for you! You will get through this...you are a fighter! Please keep us posted!

[TracyZ 11]

Big Prayers coming out!

[ShouldBlittler 89]

Any news recently?

[Tekara3927 265]

Holy SMOKES!

you guys are amazing! Thank you to everyone for all the love, support and prayers. I am so overwhelmed to log on this morning for the first time in a WHILE to see all these questions and prayers sent out for me . It honestly chokes me up! Thank you so much!

So here's an update, although its not much! Wish I had more but the truth is, no one knows what to tell me, they usually never find neuroendocrine cancer in someone my age! Usually its caught when people are older and when its too late to do much. So needless to say I am being featured in all sorts of studies! haha.

I go to Dana Farber In Boston at noon today!I am hoping they do more tests, i havent had much testing done to ensure that the cancer is no where else. they said this tumor i had was a low grade and may have been the beginning of all of the tumors. I saw the local oncologist about two weeks ago who told me unfortunetly that I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET THE SLEEVE. I am so heartbroken over this because I have put so much money and time into this journey, between support groups, pre op groups, psychologist, nutritionist, physical therapy, etc. But I am forever in debt to god for choosing this path for me, for pushing me toward getting the sleeve, so that with the endoscopy they found my cancer! I have been talking ALOT with doctors, surgeons, oncologists, etc to hopefully be able to tie in a weight loss with the upcoming surgery i will have (AGAIN!). They want to remove the whole area where the tumor resided. They say if not removed, it will come back over and over again. And we truly do not want that! I wish they had just done that when we had the last procedure. LAME! They are talking about the "whipple procedure" to fully remove my duodenum, part of my pancreas, and part of my stomach. the problem is, with this procedure, i am then a diabetic. I am hoping they could just do the sleeve, remove my duodenum, and that be it.. but we will see... im also trying to get them to consider the gastric bypass (although totally not my first choice). then when they bypass the stomach and duodenum they could just take both out and GOODBYE CANCER HOME!

It was really sad when I got the call yesterday from my surgeons office for the sleeve "Ms. Stevens I am proud to inform you that your insurance has approved you for the sleeve. How would August 13th work for you?" I was so sad. Because I can't say yes no matter how bad I want to! I want the sleeve more than anything. But I know my overall health with the cancer is first and foremost. So we will see what the specialist at Dana Farber says today and maybe I can convince her to help me get sleeved! Did I mention my health insurance is up in October? I will be turning 26 and no longer allowed on my parents insurance. So ALL of this needs to happen STAT! I will figured something out, but at this point i am having a hard time trying to find a job. I can't commit to anything right now not knowing what the future holds for surgeries and appointments. But I plan to work again soon i hope. I am however thrilled to be staying home with my daughter full time .

Speaking of my Sweet, Sweet Caroline, she is fantastic. She will be 14 months in just two more days. She's talking like you wouldn't believe. All day, "mama, whats that?" she's a little genious. I will share a pic of her on here Hope she can make you all smile. Happy Friday, and thank you so much for all the love and support. I am so thankful to have such a support group! I honestly havent told anyone about the cancer besides my immediate family, and i suppose the hundreds of you sleevers! You rock my world guys! I have so much love for alll of you! I will update soon!!! xxxoooo