Happy Holidays

Well, the holidays are fast approaching and we are having a blast!! Ella is so into Christmas (just like her mommy)! She is getting excited about Santa Claus bringing her presents although, she refuses to get within 20 feet of him. We've had a few crisis moments walking by Santa at the mall. She loves all the lights and her most favorite thing is the blue Christmas tree they have at Target. Of course, Ella loves anything blue right now. Work is busy and going great. December is our busiest month! Everyone is trying to have their baby before the end of the year. Joel is doing great. He has been getting some great management experience the past few months. All in all, we're just enjoying the holiday season. We feel like we missed last year's because I was sick so we are "living it up."

Every year Joel and I exchange ornaments. I wanted to share a picture of the ornament he gave me this year. It brought tears to my eyes. He always does such a good job with gift giving!!

He had this ornament made for me from www.ornamentsandmore.com/ and they did a spectacular job. I have a pretty amazing husband.

My health just keeps getting better and better every day. I posted a recent picture so you all could see the curls. My hair is pretty much out of control right now but at least I have hair!!


We were having a great time a the Christmas lights at the zoo. We were with our friends the Barrett's who will be leaving in 3 weeks for full time missions work in Costa Rica. We are going to miss them so much. I'm especially going to miss Sarah. She is a wonderful friend and has stood by me through thick and thin. Check out their story at www.thebarrettsincostarica.blogspot.com/.

God has been opening some amazing doors for me to share my experience with cancer. I had the opportunity to share a little of my testimony at church a few weeks ago. It seems like every week I meet someone who is fighting cancer right now or get a call to contact someone who is recently diagnosed. I am so excited to help these women. I pray the opportunities continue to arise for me to help other women who are going through their fight with cancer.

One last thing, Ella wanted to share a little song and a Christmas wish with you all. Have a blessed holiday season. Don't take one second for granted.

YEAH!!!!

We'll it is official....other than I am the worst blogger ever...I am DONE!!! I unexpectedly finished my Herceptin treatments. I thought I had a few more to go but I finished my last treatment 3 weeks ago. I also begged my oncologist to let me get my port out and he agreed so that' been gone for almost 2 weeks now. So it's done!!!!!! You can probably tell I'm a little excited by all the exclamation points. I'm just thrilled to have my life back. No weekly doctor's appointments, 3 hour infusions, or a port. I can wear whatever shirt I want now!! My hair is growing fast and is super curly and thick. I have to wear headbands to hold it down. Here's a picture of Ella and I at the fair on the carousel, of course.

Ella is growing so much and she looks like a toddler now. She talks non-stop and still loves Elmo. We finally got a DVR so she has many more "Elmo's World" shows to chose from. She is such a big helper and loves to help me cook and do dishes. She is a bit of a neat freak and likes to clean up her toys without anyone asking. (She may have a little of my personality). Ella was a bumble bee for Halloween and has continued to wear her costume, usually on a daily basis.

Everything else is going great. Joel's job is going well and I still love work. We are excited for the holidays this year. Last year's Thanksgiving and Christmas wasn't much fun thanks to chemo. We are going to live it up this year. We are even going to get a little crazy and decorate the outside of our house. I know...I know....don't get to excited right? We are looking forward to some great times with friends and family.

I feel so good and ready to take on the world or maybe just a two-year old.

Happy Anniversary!!!!

Today's the day! One year ago today I was diagnosed with cancer. What a year it has been!!! I am so excited to be almost done with everything. I am so ready to move on. I was reading this morning from a journal I started a few days after my diagnosis. I wrote, "I believe God could just take this cancer if He desires. If not, I will trust Him to take me on this journey. I believe He will guide me, strengthen me, and heal me." The journal entry goes on to say how much peace I felt at that very moment. I get so excited when I think of the testimony I now have and the amazing life God has given me! God has brought me through this experience and I have learned so much. Thank you to all of you who have gone on this journey with me. We can celebrate this day together!!

As many of you may know, Ella had a seizure last Tuesday. She is doing just fine now. It was very scary because she stopped breathing. I was by myself visiting my parents. We had to go by ambulance to the children's hospital in Augusta. Everyone took such good care of us. We don't know what caused the seizure. We have a few more doctors appointments and an EEG in the next few weeks. It didn't stop her one bit. In fact, she has started saying more new words and making sentences that actually make sense. We are just believing it is a one time incident.

Everything else is going great. Joel will be on a normal schedule for 6 weeks while he goes through training for the next level of management. We are planning a trip to the Atlanta zoo and the aquarium in a few weeks. Ella is so excited to finally see a panda!

We received a package in the mail from Wayne and April (Joel's parents). They had sent Ella a gorgeous dress for the fall. She of course had to put it on immediately. They also included some Irish Rovers CD's. I recorded this quick video of Ella showing her true Irish roots. Hope you enjoy!!

Long time....no see

Yes...we are all doing well. I know it's been too long and I am going down in history as the worst blogger ever. I have found it difficult to have a second to spare chasing Ella around all day. We have had so much to do these past few weeks. Ella is growing so much and she looks like a little girl now. Joel and I have a blast playing with her. She has started talking in complete sentences and you never know what she is going to say. She is very much into playing with play dough, coloring, stickers, and oh yes...the jewelry obsession. The other day we went to the mall and she HAD to wear a bracelet on both arms, a huge necklace, her sunglasses, and of course her pink tutu. I think we might have a little "diva" on our hands!

My hair has grown so much that I actually have a hairstyle now. It is SOOOO curly. I am enjoying how easy it is to fix, although the amount of product I have to use is steadily increasing because I have to control the poof!
We were able to take a trip to Washington a few weeks ago for Joel's sister's wedding. We stayed a few extra days to hang out with the family and see some friends. We had wonderful time. I will admit that flying into Portland, OR and seeing the beautiful landscape made me miss it....a little. Ella had a great time playing with her cousin Isabel and "Papa and Mimi." We were able to spend a day at the zoo in Portland with our friends Milan and Miriam. We got to introduce Ella to their son and had a wonderful time just catching up.
The day before we left, Joel, Ella, Wayne, April (Joel's mom and dad), and myself we able to take a trip to the beach. Ella was so confused when I was putting layers of clothes on her and telling her we were going to the beach. She just kept saying "No Mama, No!" But sand is sand no matter what coast you're on and we've got a little beach bum on our hands!
Since being back, life has continued as normal. I have officially completed all of my reconstructive surgery and LOVE the results. Joel has received another promotion with Lowes and we couldn't be happier. God continues to amaze us!!

On October 4th, Joel and I will be walking in the "Walk for Life." The walk is a local fund raiser for the women and men who are diagnosed with breast cancer in the Columbia area. All the money raised stays local and I saw the benefit first hand last year when I was diagnosed. It is an easy 3 mile walk through downtown Columbia and takes about 3 hours for the walk and festivities. If anyone local is interested in joining with us, please let us know.

Until next time....whenever that may be.......

Great Summer Days

Life around the Van Hamme household has been very busy the past month. I know many of you check to see how we're doing and you probably thought we fell off the face of the earth. We didn't and we're back better than ever. I'll catch you up as quick as I can:

• My surgery sites are healing great and I am so happy with the end result. My plastic surgeon is a miracle worker. My infusions are still going well. I really don't like the Tamoxifen but I'm just dealing with it. The side effects are rough (especially the weight gain). My hair is growing so fast (as you'll see in the pics) and I love it. I think I might turn out to be a short hair girl after this.
• Grandpa Herb (Joel's grandpa) came for a visit at the beginning of the month. He took a train to see us, so Ella loved that. Now every time she sees a picture of a train she says "Papa." We had a wonderful visit and are so grateful to have such amazing grandparents. Ella really did like him a lot and we're excited that we get to see him again in just a short month.

• Joel and I celebrated our 7th anniversary on June 23rd. I surprised him with a trip to Atlanta to see the Seattle Mariners play the Atlanta Braves. The Mariners only play the Braves every 4 years and it just happened to be the weekend of our anniversary. We had great seats on the third row and proudly wore our Seattle Mariners hats. We were of course only 2 of the 4 Mariners fans there. The Braves won in the last inning but it was still a great game. We stayed at the awesome Marriott Marquis on the 41st floor. The view was amazing. Joel and I got some much needed rest and Ella had a great time spending the night with my mom and dad.

• Ella is growing so fast. She says a new word or two every day. Her favorite word is still Joel and now we are "Daddy Joel" and "Mama Joel." It's so cute. We snapped a pic of Ella in her first tool belt. I wonder who bought this toy?

• We are trying to get out of the house more now that we can, so we signed Ella up for a swim class. She did great. She kicker her feet, blew bubbles in the water, and even went under water without much fuss. Her favorite trick was to float on her back. She would just relax her head on my shoulder and almost fall asleep. We did learn that she has no fear so I know we are in for some very exciting times!

• The best thing we have done this summer is start taking Ella to the "Little Gym." She gets to play with other kids her age and learn fun things like forward rolls and walking on the balance beam. She absolutely loves it. Her favorite thing to do is dance. In fact, she starts dancing when we pull up in the parking lot. Joel recorded a little video of her dance moves. Enjoy!!!
  
  

Too Long

So sorry to all of you. These past few weeks have been a whirlwind. Things have been wonderful and life really is back to normal. Work has been very busy and I have enjoyed getting back to what I love. Ella's adding more words to her vocabulary everyday. Her newest additions are "grandaddy," "yes," "water," and my personal favorite "Joel." She says it all the time and it is the cutest (Joel doesn't think so). It is so amazing how quickly they grow.

I wanted to make sure I blogged today because I will be having my last reconstructive surgery Friday morning. They will just sedate me and the procedure should be pretty quick. In six weeks they will do the tattooing procedure and I will be DONE and looking great!!!! Thanks for your prayers.

Life in Bloom

Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits- who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. Psalm 103: 2-5

Even though I try not to think about the idea of a cancer recurrence, sometimes I do. I try to get it out of my mind as soon as possible. Fighting cancer is not only a physical battle but it is also a battle within the mind. I am continuing to discover the balance of knowing I had cancer yet living my life to the fullest everyday. Some days are more difficult then others. I am following all the steps advised by my doctor to prevent cancer in addition to many lifestyle changes. However, I know that my peace can simply be found in above the words of my loving God. He can and has healed my disease. The best part is that is He has blessed my life with so many wonderful things.

Life is really getting back to normal. We are figuring out a little routine with my going back to work. Ella is still a little mad about it and not sleeping very well for Joel when I'm gone. Hopefully she will begin to accept it and start sleeping better. We've been doing a ton of work in our yard and we also FINALLY bought a grill. We broke it in with some great chicken last night. Now all we have left is to get a little grass to grow and we'll be done. My surgery restrictions end on Friday and all will be well because I can vacuum again.

My rose bush is really blooming and my hair is growing like crazy so I thought we should take a picture together. My hair is actually coming in with a lot of blonde and it's not curly. I will not know what to do with straight hair!!!


Oh, I received several questions about my secret to soft towels from the clothesline. Check out the following link for more info: http://www.mysticwondersinc.com/. When you use the laundry ball you don't have to use any laundry detergent. I hang the clothes on the line and when they are dry I put them in the dryer for about 15-20 minutes with the dryer balls. The clothes come out of the laundry very soft and smelling so clean. I love it!

Going Green

So, Joel has accused me of "going green." I really don't know how it happened. I mean, I lived in the land of "recycle and reuse" for 3 years (the Northwest) and did not recycle one thing. Maybe it all started with the rising cost of gas. Maybe it was my desire to feed my family healthier foods. I really don't know, but Joel's right.

I had Joel build a clothesline in the backyard where I now hang everything to dry. I've even found the secret to not having stiff towels. I know all you who are occasionally house guests will appreciate soft towels. I also bought several bins that I actually labeled cardboard, paper, and plastic and put them in the garage. And, my lowest green moment.....I put Ella in the jogging stroller and WALKED to the store to get a few things!!!! I know...it's like the little green recycling monster has taken over.

As I get used to my new found greenness, I have made a few promises to Joel. I will not hang our undies on the line. There are just some things the neighbors don't need to know. I will allow lights to be turned on but only at night. (Just kidding) Last but not least, Joel can still use hot water to shower. So, in the attitude of my new green counterparts, I encourage you to think of ways to conserve and maybe save yourself a little money.

Spring Fun

So many of you may not know that I love to garden. I find it therapeutic. I prefer flowers with bulbs and I have an organic veggie garden. I recently planted some trees we pulled up at my mom and dad's house. Ella loves to help me garden. Most of the time she just tries to eat the dirt but she really does love flowers.

I think my love for gardening started with my Granny and Papa. My Granny grew some amazing flowers and my Papa always had the best veggie garden. I remember "shuck'n" corn and "snapp'n" beans while sitting at their aluminum kitchen table or on the porch swing. I spent most of my summers as a child with my grandparents. There is nothing better than eating a tomato fresh off the vine or cutting a watermelon just pulled from the garden. I treasure those times with Granny and Papa. And, every year as my gladiolas bloom I think of my Granny and the wisdom she instilled in me. Granny went to be with the Lord January 12, 2002. (Yes, the same day of Ella's birth). I have often thought of her as I went through the past few months. I could often hear her quoting as she did everyday, "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer." (Psalm 19:14) I hope I can share with Ella the same wonderful lessons Granny taught me.

Sorry about the nostalgia. Sometimes it just comes out! I thought you might want to see a pic of Ella and her new swing set. She LOVES it!! She slides down the slide by herself and she likes to sit in her clubhouse and look for airplanes. We've had a blast just being outside.

My hair is really starting to come in along with my eyelashes and eyebrows (which fell out 3 weeks ago)! I even have to put product in to keep it from standing straight up! Thank you all for praying for my Grandma. She is doing much better and has returned to the nursing home.

Back to work

I survived the first few nights back at work. It felt SO good to be back and I didn't forget how to do my job. It was like riding a bike. I still have to be careful because of my most recent surgery but I can do that. I've gotten lots of compliments on my "haircut." I just say "thanks."

We are sad because Joel's dad, Wayne, will be leaving Saturday. He and Ella have had so much fun. I'll have a lot to live up to when he's gone. Ella got a swing set and has been having a blast swinging and going down the slide. We should both have a nice tan this summer because she LOVES to be outside. . We explore in the flowers and by the birdhouses. She loves to watch for planes and the absolute cutest is when she climbs in the clubhouse of the swing set and just sits down. She helped me plant our organic vegetable garden and was covered from head to toe in dirt. She planted a few birdseed and some rocks. We'll see how they grow

My Grandma Doolittle had to go to the hospital last Saturday. She spent a few days in the ICU and is now on a palliative care unit. She is bleeding and they can't figure out what is causing it. She is in no pain and knows that she is in God's hands. Her 91 year old mind is still sharp as ever. Ella and I will be going down to see her this weekend. I would ask that you keep her and my family in your prayers.

Normal life...whatever that is....

Yesterday, while at the plastic surgeon’s office, I saw a patient who was exactly where I was just 7 months ago. She had received her cancer diagnosis and she had decided her treatment plan. My heart hurt for her as they were scheduling her surgery. She had a look of grief and confusion and her husband just looked sad. As we rode down the elevator together, her and her husband held hands. I felt bad because I stood next to her with my very thin, short hair. I'm sure she was thinking, "That's going to be me." I didn't speak to her at all. I know how she feels. The last thing you need is for someone to tell you it's going to be okay. You feel like your the only person in the world with cancer. So, my resolve was to silently pray for her as the elevator moved . I thought about this encounter throughout the day.

I see people all the time at chemo and we talk cancer. But here was this beautiful women so hurt and confused. She has no idea what is about to happen to her. I realized that as a breast cancer survivor, I can truly help others who are going through this experience. I understand the emotions of breast cancer and felt them all. Maybe that's why this all happened. No, God didn't give me cancer but He did give me strength, healing and a faith that I have never known. As I rocked Ella to sleep last night, I actually thanked God for this experience and for the cancer. I know it sounds crazy. I am so grateful that God loves me so much that He carried me right in the palm of His hand and I desire to be faithful to the direction He wants me to go.

So, what's next? Well, the best news is I return to work TOMORROW night!!!!!!! I have missed it so much. I am nervous because it has been 7 months since I charted, started an IV, coached a laboring patient, etc. But I know I get to ease back in. We are so blessed to have Joel's dad, Wayne, visiting with us for several weeks. He is such a help and will make the transition back to work an easy one. As for the rest of my reconstruction, I have 2 more procedures to go. They will be separated by 6 weeks. By this summer I'll be the new and improved Lisa (and hopefully have a hairstyle)!

As for the blog, it will continue. However, the look will change. We are no longer "just an ordinary family, fighting breast cancer." We are an ordinary family who survived breast cancer! I have some things I want to say. So now.....as I clear my throat....be prepared for my acceptance speech:

• To my amazing husband Joel: there is absolutely, no way I could have done this without you. God knew exactly what he was doing that day back in August of 2000 when we met for the first time. You kept me laughing which was the key to my recovery. You prayed with me, hugged me, and allowed me to cry even if I woke you in the middle of the night. You also allowed me to express whatever feelings I was having and gently led me back to the fact that God would never leave me. You took care of Ella, the house, the dogs, and me during those times I couldn't all while working 5 days/nights a week. I love you more than words can express.

• To my "Ella Bella:" you are the reason I got out of bed. You kept me smiling because who could be depressed when you look at that beautiful smile. I cherish every minute I had to focus 100% on you. You were a champ and I appreciate that you started sleeping through the night during all of this too! Thank you for being such a good baby and for loving me no matter how short my hair was. You are my sunshine!

• To our parents: thank you could never be enough. I appreciate the babysitting, driving me to appointments, cleaning, doing laundry, and encouraging words. I'm sure you all didn't mind getting to spend a little extra time with Ella. Family truly is the most important thing in this life.
• To Candice and Alyssa: thank you for being such amazing friends. Thank you for crying with me and for letting me talk out all my frustrations. Thank you both for taking time out of your busy schedules to spend several days with me. I love you both.
• To our extended family, friends and church family: thank you for the meals, cards, and support. Joel and I were continually overwhelmed with the love and support we received from you. We are blessed.
• To my girls at work: thanks for not forgetting about me. Thank you for the phone calls, cards, gifts, and laughs.
• To Deb in Michigan: thanks for all the words of encouragement you left on my blog. Who would have known that someone I have never met would play such an important part of my cancer fight? Although we may never meet in this life, I want to give you a great big hug when we meet one day in heaven.
• To all of you who prayed for us and supported us: thank you is not enough. I felt your prayers and could not have been so strong without you.
• To all of the cancer survivors and cancer patients I have met: I am honored to join this elite group. You all are an inspiration.

From the words of Deb in Michigan shared with me, "I get up. I walk. I fall down. Meanwhile, I keep dancing!" Believe me I am DANCING!!!

Surgery Update

The surgery went very well today. I'm feeling pretty good and I'm not in much pain. I've just been sleeping since we got home. My Mom arrived last night to stay with Ella today. My Dad will be arriving shortly and they will stay with us until Tuesday. Grandpa Wayne will be in on Tuesday to stay for 3 weeks. We are so blessed to have amazing family. Thanks to all of you for your prayers today. There will be more to come and I promise it will not take me a month to update our blog!

I didn't forget......

I know many of you think I forgot about my blog. Well, I haven't at all but chasing around a little girl changes everything! Ella decided last week she would start walking and she was off! I'm so glad she held up her end of our deal to start walking after I finish chemo. Walking definitely takes motherhood to a different level! Joel took this picture of her picking flowers which is one of her new favorite things to do. She also likes to collect rocks.


We had a wonderful Easter and we were able to spend some time with my family in Augusta. Ella went to her first Easter egg hunt and did super. She found one egg! I don't think she cared a bit though. We jumped on the moonwalk and slid down a huge slide several times (I had a blast too)!

Everything with me is going awesome! I feel amazing. My energy is back and several people have told me the sparkle is back in my eyes. I appreciate everyday so much more and I am so grateful to feel good. I'm continuing to receive my Herceptin infusions every two weeks and I've started taking Tamoxifen. I am feeling no side effects from either one. I am so privileged that I continue to meet amazing cancer survivors. Just this week a young women came up to me at Walmart and asked "Do you have cancer?" Turns out, she also had breast cancer and has finished her chemo and is now receiving radiation. She receives her treatment at SCOA also. She told me about a meeting the next day for women who were receiving Herceptin. I stopped by after my infusion and met 2 other young women with breast cancer. We all had similar stories, similar surgeries, similar treatment and they are all moms too! They were so fun and upbeat. I can't wait to see what God is going to do with this! My hair has also started growing. I actually have a hairline!

I would like to ask for your prayers one more time. On Friday morning (April 4th), I will be having the second reconstructive surgery. This is the surgery where I get my permanent implants. YEAH!!!!!!! I can't wait for the tissue expanders to be gone. My surgery is at 7:00AM and should last about 2 hours. It will be an outpatient procedure so I should be home about lunch time. I thought this point would take forever to get to and here I am now. I can't believe it. God is so faithful! I will try to have Joel or Candice post a message after my surgery tomorrow. Thanks for your support and prayers!

Better and Stronger

I am feeling so much better. I had a rough time for several days. I picked up that stomach virus going around but I couldn't shake it. Joel and Ella both had it for about 24 hours but I had it for 4 days. After my last chemo I did very well. My mom was here to help and I was able to get tons of rest. By Sunday afternoon I was starting to feel very bad. On Monday Joel went to work and I laid on the floor all day. Thank goodness I have a wonderful child who plays on her own. By the time Joel got home I was done and crying. He said "Call your mom and go to bed!" Once again Mom rescued us and came back up and stayed until Thursday. Your a life-saver Mom!!!

We are now all well and I've started to feel somewhat normal. The metallic taste is gone and food actually tastes good again. My energy is back and I'm ready to take on the world. Well, maybe not that but I feel pretty good! I am still receiving my weekly Herceptin but I will go to every 2 weeks after next week.

My next surgery is scheduled for April 4th and I am so ready. After about 2 weeks of recovery, I will be able to return to work. I will be restricted on doing certain things like carrying Ella on my hip, doing laundry, vacuuming, and lifting. Dr. Haines said he would add anything else I didn't want to do! I will have to be careful for 6 weeks after surgery because one wrong move can cause a separation of my muscle. Yikes!!

Thank you for all your prayers the past 2 weeks. I thought I would share how absolutely adorable our daughter is. Just press the play button. I hope you enjoy!

Please Pray

I (Candice) received a call from Lisa today. She was at the doctor getting fluids and it appears that she has a virus of sorts in addition to her chemo sickness. That’s a WHOLE week of being sick. She wants you to know that she’s okay, but isn’t feeling well at all. Please keep Lisa in your prayers.

More to come soon.

It's OVER!!!!

Just wanted to let you all know we made it!!! I couldn't have done it without all the prayers and support from so many of you. We all went through this together. Now, we head into the last few days I'll have to feel bad and then it's really over! I thought you might want to celebrate with me and hear the "Last Chemo Day Song" sung by the amazing nurses at SCOA. Thank you for your prayers the next few days. God bless.

Perseverance

First, I have to say Happy Birthday to my husband, Joel. You are an amazing man. You keep me laughing and you stand by my side to help keep me strong. You are an incredible father and your walk with God is inspiring. You are an excellent provider for your family and your positive attitude is contagious. I am so blessed to have you in my life. I love you!

Ella and I made our TV debut this morning on "Live with Lucas." We had a blast. It was great to meet Lucas and so many other wonderful people associated with Relay for Life. Of course, we met more inspiring cancer survivors. I feel honored to be a part of this elite group. I hope you all will join me in the Relay for Life this year. If your not local, there should be a Relay for Life event in your area. It is a great way to not only raise money for the American Cancer Society, but also to raise awareness about cancer.

We were able to celebrate Joel's birthday a little early this past weekend. We visited our friends, the Guthrie's, in Murrel's Inlet. It is always so wonderful to be around their family. Ella had a blast being with the girls. It was just nice to decompress. We needed it before we headed into this last big week!

My last chemo treatment is tomorrow. After this week, my visits to SCOA will not have to be as frequent. It is bittersweet going into this last treatment. I'm so excited I'll be done but I'm not looking forward to the bad days after treatment. Although, this is the last time I have to go through it. My mom will be coming to stay with Ella and I on Thursday and my Dad will be joining us on Friday. I can't tell you how wonderful it is to know that Ella is in such good hands while I rest.

This past week Joel and I were inspired by the bird feeders at my oncologist office and we decided to put up a few of our own. We now have 3 bird feeders in different locations in our back yard. I was worried the birds wouldn't find the food but they have. We have seen cardinals, blue jays, finches, and a few pigeons (and a squirrels too). It is so nice to walk outside in the mornings and hear all the birds singing. The dogs love it and the true hound has come out in them. We are also trying to get the yard ready for spring. I'll be planting a few more bulbs and getting the soil ready for my organic garden. I can't wait to have all those wonderful tomatoes like I had 2 summers ago!

The last thing today is I want to say CONGRATULATIONS to my sister-in-law Katie. She got engaged last week and we are so happy for them. We are so excited to make a trip to Washington in August to see everyone!

Please keep my in your prayers this week as we finish up with chemo. I was dwelling on these scriptures today and thought I would share:

James 1:2-6, 12

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

12 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

The Light at the End of the Tunnel

Yes...I am almost done with my chemo! I apologize to those who check frequently for updates. My last big chemo on Feb. 2nd really got me good and I was down for about a week. I got some help this week when I went for my weekly infusion. Medicine and IV fluids are amazing!! This last big chemo was a little rough on my body and my hemoglobin (iron level) dropped significantly. (It was 7.7 for all my nurse friends)!!!! That is pretty low. No wonder I felt so drained! The nurses gave me a great shot of some hemoglobin boosting medicine and this week it was back up to 11.1. (Still a little low but much, much better).

I have one more to go on February 27th and the bad chemo will be done. Believe me when I say, I AM READY TO BE FINISHED!!!!! I will then start a medicine called Tamoxifen and continue to recieve Herceptin until November. I'd love some suggestions from anyone who has taken Tamoxifen. I'm a little nervous about taking it. The Tamoxifen is taken for 5 years and greatly reduces the chance of a recurrence of cancer. Of course, there will continue to be frequent visits with the oncologist, scans and blood work, but NO MORE CHEMO!!!!!

All is well with Ella and Joel. Ella's battling a cold this week and teething. She hasn't skipped a beat though. She has started climbing on everything which is interesting because she isn't walking yet. I found her sitting in the rocking chair last night. I guess she was ready for bed! We had a wonderful Valentine's Day. Joel had the past few days off and we just relaxed. It was great. Next weekend we are headed off to the beach for a little R&R and to celebrate Joel's birthday.

For all the local Columbia people, Ella and I are going to be on TV! We have been invited by the American Cancer Society to help promote Relay for Life on a local morning show "Live with Lucas." I am very honored they would ask me to share my story and bring Ella. We will be on the show Tuesday, February 26th on the 6:15 AM segment. I know....it's early!!

By the way, I loved hear from some you. I'm going a little stir crazy. You can only vaccum the floor so many times!!!

Rejoice!!!!

I want to begin this post by saying....ELLA IS SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT!!!!!!! Joel and I have dreamed of this day and it is finally here!!! She just started sleeping in her crib, in her nursery and all night long last Saturday. I don't even know what to do. She is so much happier and rested. It is amazing! She is also taking great naps. I've been able to get so much done and even exercise everyday! YEAH!!!!!

Yesterday, I had a visit from one of my very good friends from college Kathy (Ross) Garvin. We had such an awesome visit. Her little boy, Luke, is precious. We caught up on the last 10 years. We had a lot to talk about!! Thanks for coming Kathy!

I also wanted to share a really neat opportunity I had this week. My chemo nurse, Dusty, asked me a few weeks ago if I would be willing to go with her to a Relay for Life meeting and share my story. The Relay for Life is sponsored by the American Cancer Society. They wanted to have someone who was going through treatment now share their experience. I was honored that out of all the patients she sees on a weekly basis, she asked me. I shared briefly what it's like to have cancer and recieve chemo. It was wonderful and the group responded so well. I also had the privelage of meeting several amazing cancer survivors. After the meeting, I met one of the VP's from the hospital where I work and he asked if I would be willing to share my story with employees of Palmetto Health. Of course I responded, "Yes!!!!" After he spoke with me, a regional employee for the ACS asked me if I would be willing to share at other Relay for Life meetings in the area! I'm so honored that people would want to hear my story and that I truly could make a difference in the fight of cancer. Oprah here I come!!!!!!

Ella's Big Day

We successfully celebrated Ella's first birthday last Saturday. She was a little apprehensive about the birthday cake but as you can see she got the hang of it. She of course had to go straight to the tub! While we were all eating our taco's, Ella decided it was time to open her presents and took it upon herself to start without us. We looked over and she was pulling a gift out of a bag. She didn't want to wait! She has had so much fun playing with her new toys and books. Thank you to all of you who celebrated with us. Check out our flickr site for more pictures of the FIESTA!

I made it through one more treatment on Wednesday. Two more treatments to go!!! I'm so ready to be done. Some good news is my hair stopped falling out and is actually growing back. I guess that chemo couldn't get the best of me!!!

All else is well. Ella is still not trying to walk. She is content to crawl where she needs to go and that's fine with me. We have her 1 year check-up on Thursday and I can't wait to see how much she's grown. Joel's job is continuing to go well. He has actually gotten a chance to work in the garage on some projects. Both my grandparents have had to be in the hospital in the past two weeks. They are both doing better and home now. We are heading down to Augusta on Saturday to celebrate my Papa's 90th birthday. It will be great to see some family we haven't seen in a while.

We got word this past week that the insurance company has some issues paying for some of my treatment. Please help us pray this all works out. I'm not worried but it doesn't hurt rally the troops. Also, please continue to pray that God will give me strength to finish these treatments with a good attitude. I'm ready to feel like myself again! Thanks for the prayers!!!

A New Year

Happy New Year to you all!!! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday. We had a wonderful Christmas, Birthday, and New Year! Ella had a very exciting first Christmas! My extremely talented friend Candice took this picture of Ella on Christmas Eve. I know I'm a little partial but she really is a beautiful little girl! She had fun at all the parties and family activities. She was a trooper through all the craziness of Christmas. We had a wonderful time in Augusta with my family. We were able to see many of our friends and family and Ella had a great time with Nanna and Grandaddy! Ella had so many gifts to open Christmas morning that she got tired and had to take a nap. I think we had more fun then she did.

We are officially halfway done with my big chemo. This last chemo was a little easier because I just rested. I didn't try to keep going like I've done in the past. I also found that sitting in my parents jet-tub helped tremendously with the joint pain. I will be returning to Augusta for a few days after my next treatment not just for the tub but help with Ella too.

This last round of chemo will probably release the last little bit of hair I have. My eyelashes and eyebrows are hanging on (thank goodness)! I've gotten used to wearing hats although sometimes I just get to hot and have to take them off. I get some strange looks but oh well. I meet with my oncologist next Wednesday to discuss how all my treatment is going. It feels good to be halfway through all this. My last big treatment will be February 27th if all continues to go so well. My plan then is to hopefully have my second reconstructive surgery and then return to work. I will continue to receive Herceptin until November and then we will really be done!!!

We are preparing for Ella's big first birthday next Saturday. We are having a FIESTA!! We've invited some of her friends from church and family. We can't believe it's already been a year. What a blessing Ella is to our lives.

As Joel and I prepare for the year ahead, we don't make resolutions. We look at the past year and give ourselves a life/spiritual/relationship check-up. There is always room for improvement so we decide what goals we set for ourselves in the upcoming year. As we say good-bye to the Year 2007, what a life changing year it has been. We've become parents, lost a lot of sleep, changed jobs, and fought cancer. We are stronger for it and forever our lives will be changed. We are excited to see the adventure God takes us on in 2008!