Final Chemo and guess what?!! I just plucked some eyebrows!

So, as you can tell from the last post, WOW!!! Thank you to all who bought a shirt and donated to us. We have been overwhelmed at how expensive everything is when it comes to a medical need and traveling…to have this money is a God-send. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. The 2 biggest fundraisers we have had have been the CCS basketball game and the Aly’s fight shirts. Lee Taylor and CCS is amazing. Thank you for your incredible support to both me and Josh.

It is March 26th and I am one excited girl! Friday is the day of my last chemo treatment- EVER! I am excited. Every time I get weighed and have my blood pressure taken, there is a bell on the wall beside me that cancer patients ring once they are done with chemo. I have looked and looked at that bell praying that I would have the chance to ring it. Sadly, many patients don’t ever get to ring that bell, but I am SO thankful that I will be able to. Sooo, be listening around 1 or 2 on Friday…if you hear a bell in the distance, it is ME!! Thank God with me for his healing power and we can celebrate together:)

Over the last 3 weeks, my hair has started growing back. I’m not really sure why, but I’m not complaining. I was under the impression it would not start growing back till I was done with chemo, but it is growing! When I take off Raquel or my hat, I have a crease in my hair or a callac and it is exciting! Every day, I make Josh note the growth. I have told Josh many times that I will no longer complain about my hair on bad hair days. Not only because I am to do everything without complaining or arguing, but because I will have HAIR!! No complaining from me! I even plucked a few eyebrows yesterday.. I was pumped! Yes, I just said that:) ha. My eyelashes are super duper short, but they are starting to grow back too. God is good!!

These last few weeks have been great- I have actually felt the best I have felt since October. I have had more energy and gotten some things done around our house. We moved in our house in January and there are still so many things that have to be done, and I just haven’t had the time or energy to get them done! But, I had more time in the last few weeks and a ton of energy… I have felt so great and it feels wonderful to be productive. God is proving to me time and time again that He is sovereign and worthy to be trusted. Whether it be through increased energy, unexplainable peace, or the absolute certainty of my healing, He gives me many reminders along the way that He’s got this. It is up to me to stand on nothing less than His word, believe His promises and obey His laws.

“It is the Spirit who gives life: the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are in spirit, and they are life.” John 6:63

I may have already posted this verse, but I really don’t re-read my blogs, so if I have already posted this verse, forgive me:) It just says so much. Who gives me life? The spirit. And where do I get this life? His words- They are LIFE!! Why would I choose to stand on anything else. A doctor’s report? no. Another’s story? no. The ONLY thing I can fully hope in is the Lord and His word. He is sovereign. He is my rock and I will stand on nothing less. I LOVE Jesus and His word!!!

So, we will leave Thursday morning- Josh, my mom and Ms. Renea for my last chemo treatment. We will head back Friday after chemo and then will have 3 weeks before surgery! I told Josh last night that I just can’t believe it is less than a month before surgery. I am ready. I could literally write so much of how God has prepared me for this surgery, but it would take too long to write and read. One day I will write it all down– our entire story–God’s hand is so visible in EVERY detail. He is a God of the details. So, April 23rd is the surgery. On April 11th and 12th, I go to MDA for a doctor’s appointment with my surgeon, Dr. Babiera, as well as an ultrasound and mammogram. These are needed for the surgery for her to know where the cancer was and to make sure she takes everything out that needs to be taken out! I am ready for that ultrasound to see how well I’ve responded to the FAC, since the last ultrasound I had was in February. So, on the 11th and 12th I have those appointments, then on the 19th, I have all my pre-op appointments, and then the surgery on the 23rd. It will be here soon:) What is the recurring word here? READY!!!

I am continuing to resist the devil and claiming that He has no place in my body. He has tried to destroy me, but what he meant for evil, the Lord allowed to happen for good.

“But as for you, you meant evil against me: but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.” Gen. 50:20

God has meant it for good. It is amazing the emails and cards I have received of people saying how God has spoken to them through my story. This makes my journey SO worth it. I want lives to be saved to further God’s kingdom. To know that I played a part in this makes me so happy, I can’t even explain. But, as I’ve said before, this story is not about me. It is God’s story. He is the hero- my healer, my provider, my comforter, my strength, my portion, my constant, my father, my friend. He is all of these things to you too, if you allow Him to be.

Continue to pray for me and thank the Lord for my last chemo. Please continue to pray and believe for my healing. One HUGE part of the process is about to be over–Ahhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hallelujah, hallelujah! Yes, I just sang that out loud:) LOVE YOU!