Monday, August 8, 2016

The end of the road



I've spent a lot of time thinking about when I should end this blog. I thought about using my Vegas trip as the ending, or maybe the one-year anniversary of something (my diagnosis, first surgery, chemo, etc) as an appropriate time to end. But nothing felt right. Today, however, I woke up and knew that today would be the day.

Why today? It just feels right. I feel good, I only have one revision surgery left, and hopefully I'll go many years before cancer comes back (if it does). I've also realized that maybe my words are not as powerful or understood as well as they were before. Several weeks ago I wrote a blog post from a place of sadness, and too many times since then people have thrown my words back at me in a hurtful way. So, I'm done.

Writing was really helpful for me during the last year, and I hope I had an impact on my readers. I hope I made you think about where you are spiritually. I hope you've checked your boobs. I hope you've considered getting physically fit. I hope I've given you a little look into what it was like for me to go through cancer and the treatment.

I have had a lot of support over the last year, and I am so thankful. I am equally thankful for the people who continue to have me on their prayer lists. At church a couple weeks ago a very kind man told me that he still prays for me, that the cancer doesn't come back. I was so appreciative of that.

So, as this blog closes and I ride off into the sunset, I would like to specifically call out a few people for their continuous love and support. At the top of the list is my husband, Troy. He's done so much, from cleaning my drains post-surgery to shaving my head to dealing with all of the side effects of chemo and my moods. My parents spent countless hours taking care of me, cleaning my house, and making sure I had everything I needed. Jen Owens put together my meal train and benefit, watched me vomit in the hospital, and was a huge supporter. Angela Hall was my chemo warrior and voice of reason and perspective. Laura Eads sent me McDonald's gift cards and random texts just to keep my spirits up. And of course, I have my church community, work community, and countless other friends who were with me along this journey. So, to everyone, thank you. 

My Vegas crew - Angela, me, Ashley and Marianne

My sweet little family

Jen and I having way too much fun on the teacups at Adventureland!