Hope

Hope

Friday, April 21, 2017

Scan Results 4/21/17

Well, this is my fifth year into living with lung cancer.  It's been a hell of a roller coaster, that's for sure.

I've had a cold for about 2 weeks, which had us all a little concerned because my cough was bad.  But let me just skip to the point.  My scans were not only stable, but one of the three nodules is now gone!

And even better, my oncologist feels it's fine to begin to do CT scans every 20 weeks instead of every 12 weeks.   PRAISE GOD!

My mom said the best part of the news was on the way home when I said, "I think I'm going to live".   Those of you who have followed me and continue to do so throughout this journey, I can't thank you enough for your prayers.  They have not gone unnoticed and please let me know if you need mine.  I am so freakin grateful today I could scream.   And although I'm so grateful for myself....in seeps that survivors guilt.  But, we can't do that to ourselves.  We have to celebrate our own small victories as they come.  Life is to short to be anything but happy and silly.

One of my friends isn't doing so well, so in addition to prayers for me, please pray for her as well.  And Team Draft, thank you for giving us the opportunity to give back to Piedmont the funds raised during the Super Bowl Challenge.  It felt good to give back to the hospital that saved my life.  Didn't get to see Amanda. Brad or Mandy this time but definitely next trip!  I miss them!

Well, that's it for now.   Oh, and thank you God for letting April the giraffe have that baby.  I actually watched it live.  I wasn't sitting there for days, I just woke and it was on the news.  I feel bad for all those people that waited on that.  Anywho, heading back to SSI now  to see my girls and hubby.  As for my cold, I got a prescription and it should be gone soon!  Once again, Praise God.  This is the best news I've had in a long time!  Enjoy the pics.  I love playing with snapchat.













Thursday, April 6, 2017

April...and not the giraffe

I'm not really even sure that giraffe is pregnant. Kidding! Maybe...

Well, it's been a while since my last blog.  I've probably been back and forth to Atlanta 3 times since then.  We got home this past Tuesday from Karley's Volleyball Tournament at the GWCC.  I love to watch her play, all of them really.  

I spent some quality time with my mom, who is still recovering.  We binged watched shows and ate in bed.  My dad visited some too.  We were  both super tired.

The last day of Karley's tournament, we saw Beauty and the Beast after she finished.  We went with my best friend, Amanda, and her children.  I love it when our kids get together.  They make us laugh just hearing their laughter.  Of course my child would yell out "he gone" during the movie to make all of us laugh.  She definitely has John's sense of humor and my fearlessness.  

All in all, it's been a great start to April, until about two hours ago.  My friend's mother passed away of lung cancer.  Although this is devastating for them and our prayers go out to them, I've realized that I'm not getting out of this cancer world.  It's awful, filled with death after death.  Grief and more grief.  Heaven gained another angel.  That's how we have to look at it if we are to survive.  The world won't stop for us, no matter how much we think it should.

I don't know if it'll ever get easier, surviving when so many others aren't.  But I am so grateful to still be here.  I praise God for every single breath I take and every moment with my loved ones.  

Believe me, once you face death head on, it changes you.  You will never be that same person again.  I know it's changed my mom.  I can see it in her eyes and just the way she is living right now.  My dad met that change a long time ago.  And I met it in 2012.  It's a humbling experience and if not for this struggle, I wouldn't be as strong as I am today.

So, Easter is coming up.  No, not about the bunnies and eggs but about the gift God gave us, his only son, who died for our sins and rose from the grave. 

After Easter weekend, I have scans.  And the weekend after that, I'll be heading to the LUNGevity Hope Summit in D.C.  This will be my second time and I'm thankful to be making the trip again.  This time I'm actually speaking and leading a group (pray for those people with me as a leader!)

But, really, I do ask that you please pray for my friend and her family as she deals with such a tragic loss.  Also, thank you and please continue your prayers for us too.  They mean more than you know!

And please, someone let me know when that giraffe has it's baby....

God Bless.