On Wednesday, January 16th it was a typical Professional Dance Team Practice, it started at 6:30pm as usual and by 8pm Crystal needed to sit down.  She felt very weak.  Crystal felt as if she a had not eaten and was getting a shaky feeling.  At the next practice, January 23rd the same thing had happened.  This weak feeling seemed to happen when she would be dancing her heart out at our weekly dance practice.

Do to weather, our next Professional Dance Team Practice, February 6th, was a night of shooting a dance video.  Crystal didn’t feel good but was not going to sit out.  However, we noticed that she was breaking into sweats even when she was not doing much activity. Again, this weak feeling seem to only happen when she would be at the Professional Dance Teams Practice.

For the next couple of practices we tried bringing dinner and snacks to get her though the night.  However, on Wednesday, February 20th Crystal was dancing and sat down with tears in her eyes and said, “I can’t get up, I am so weak”.  I then learned from her that the previous week while she was in class or at work sitting, she would have that weak feeling that she needed to eat or she was going to pass out.  She would begin to shake and now sweat profusely.  Michelle Lee on the team, who is also a nurse at Mercy said, “she needs to see a doctor”.  Thursday, February 21st was at her 1st appointment with Doctor Geodken.

Of course it was routine blood test.  Which they felt Crystal was Hypoglycemic.  They wanted to do more blood work but in the meantime eat a little different.

On Friday, March 1st the Spirits had a Performance, I could see in Crystal’s eyes she looked tired.  As she worked with her Tiny Spirits to get them ready to perform, I could see the sweat abover her lip.  As she tried to stay focused with her students, she got ready to perform herself.  I also noticed her looking very bloated/puffy which I had noticed the previous week.  After we performed, I told Crystal that in my heart I felt something was wrong.  I can see it your eyes.  I think you look bloated/puffy…She then thought I was saying she was fat.  That broke my heart.  But then Crystal stated, “well my skin feels tight and my fingers and sometimes my tongue is numb”.  I talked with Rod and my mother who also agreed that she looked puffy.  I called the doctor that following week.  He wanted to do a CAT Scan, we set up an appointment.

PINK Concert in Chicago was really next on our list.  We got all our healthy foods for the trip thinking she was Hypoglycemic and off to making wonderful memories.  When I think back to that weekend get away, I bet Crystal was so weak but she made the best of everything.  Crystal wanted to be there and be a part of the experience.  I also Thank God that she went and had the weekend with the team and me.

When we got back from the weekend it was off to the CAT Scan.  They found a mass on her liver.  She had to stop birth control immediately.  We were told she should never have children.  Yes, that broke her heart but things could be worse.  Dr. Geodken had us still go on our family vacation to Panama City, FL since we were still waiting for the blood results.

On Thursday, March 21st we received a call from the doctor stating that the blood results were not good and a MRI needed to be done the minute we got back home.

Her symptoms were getting worse.  Her blood sugar was as low as 34.

Once we got back from vacation, more blood work was done.  The MRI was done by 3pm on March 26th we got the results by 5pm the same day.  We learned there was a tumor on her pancreas, a doctors appointment was made immediately the next morning when the office opened.

On Wednesday, March 27th at 9am.  We learned that the pancreas has a tumor  and spread to the liver.  Our family doctor felt it was a rare form of cancer called Insulinoma.  Crystal needed to go to the best place.  The Mayo Clinic.  We were in shock, very sad and praying to get answers as fast as we could.