PRAISE THE LORD!!!!!

Dr. Sneed's nurse called me this morning..the brain scan was negative...NO CANCER!! I am so happy and grateful. Thanks everyone for all the prayers and encouragement. Prayer is so powerful and God is good and He is good all the time. This is a great way to end the year and start a New Year. I see Dr. Sneed next Monday and have my next chemo then. I am hoping that maybe we will cut back on the chemo then. I will do what he says and follow his advice...I want to make sure the cancer doesn't come back and he has gotten me through this past year just fine..

Pete will have his scan checking for a stroke next Tuesday. He is feeling some better, but not back to normal yet...praying for good results for him so that we can both start the New Year off right and feel better...both at the same time..that would be awesome! Trying not to worry because I know that God is in control and He has the plan for both of us.

Wishing everyone a good week and a very Happy New Year!

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2010!

The holidays are never the same without your loved ones who have passed away...you sometimes wonder how you can make it through without them. Yes, you have sweet memories and pictures of Christmases past, and you are so grateful for all of those good times you shared. You think of all the things you did together and the traditions that were formed and became your Holiday traditions...like the Christmas dinner, the church services, helping people in need and even watching your favorite Christmas movies together. You would love to have just one more Christmas with them...but you know that isn't possible and there is no way that you can change that. You don't have a choice...you just have to get through it somehow and keep going. 2010 has been a tough year for me...have been taking chemo this entire year, fighting my second battle of cancer, have lost a friend and family members, have friends and family now fighting cancer and having to retire from the job I loved so very much..but am so grateful for the promise that I will see my daughter, family and friends again one day when God chooses. I have my faith and trust in Him and know that He is in control and He is good and good all of the time! I just want to follow Him closer and let others see Him through me. I want to do something each day to help someone else. I want to keep the memory of my loved ones and friends alive...I want to do something that they would want me to do that keeps them alive in the hearts of others. I want my walk with Him to be closer each day. I want others that are going through fighting cancer and other diseases to know that you can and do get through it...and somehow you become a stronger and better person because of it....you certainly learn what is important in life and you learn not to worry about the little things that don't matter. You know that there is such joy in seeing the world through the eyes of a child or even sitting outside and watching the birds, a beautiful sunset or sunrise....God has given us so much to see and enjoy!

Our family chain is broken and is getting shorter...for most Holidays, it is just Pete, Kimberly and me. As I have said before, I am so blessed to have such an awesome sister...she is my rock as well as my pillow. She is always there for us..doing way too much for us...spoiling us! This year, she wanted us to have a non traditional Christmas dinner..it was awesome. Instead of our traditional turkey dinner, she prepared a feast of crown pork roast, asparagus, spiced apples, mac and cheese that she baked in a bundt pan and Paula Deen's banana pudding...I am telling you...this dinner could have easily been featured in Southern Living magazine...I vote for this to be our new traditional Christmas dinner...Thank you, Kimberly, for another wonderful day! I love her to the moon and back.

I am also blessed to have a large family on Pete's side of the family. I am grateful for them and happy that they are a part of my life...I am so blessed to have so many wonderful friends and my church family...I love and appreciate all the love and encouragement they give me.

Merry Christmas to all...hope that you all had a wonderful day with friends and family!

CHEMO ROUND 21 DOWN!!!

Started yesterday with Round 21 of chemo...it hard to believe that on Tuesday, the
21st, will be a year of chemo treatments. I am so very grateful for the doctors, the wonderful drugs, the love and grace of God and the love, support and encouragement from my friends and family. I am so thankful that the treatments are working. I will have a brain CT on Wednesday...hoping they can find my brain LOL!

Kimberly made adorable goodies for the chemo nurses, Dr. Sneed and the patients in the chemo room...what would I do without the best chemo buddy ever? She always makes the day fun and special. After chemo, we met Mandy and Lisa for a wonderful lunch..thank you, Lisa...and the Kimberly treated us to a heavenly massage....it was so wonderful. We were supposed to meet for Pajama Mama's after the massage, but we postponed it until after Christmas since my hubby has been ill this week. It is probably a good thing, since I was pretty pooped after such a long and great day!

It is hard to believe that Christmas is just one week from today..I really don't where my time goes, but it sure goes....still have a few projects to finish, but trying not to stress...remembering that Jesus is the Reason for the Season!

I still have my pink gloves on and am "Fighting Like a Girl"!!!!

Merry Christmas to all....friendship is the best gift of all and I cherish each and everyone of you!!!

IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK ALOT LIKE CHRISTMAS!!!

It not only looks like Christmas, it FEELS like Christmas! Started the week off Sunday with a great church service...the best thing about having to retire from the job I loved so much, is being able to go to church most every Sunday...chemo allowing. My week just goes so much better when I am ble to go to church and then spend time with my yaya sisters!

Had quite a scare yesterday, Pete woke up really sick, having to go to the bathroom every hour during the night and having back pain...I suspected it was his kidney, which is very scary, since he only has one kidney. I was able to get him into the doctor and it was his kidney. He got a shot, antibiotics and mdicine to help relax his bladder. I am happy to say that he is much better today, even going to work. Prayer is so powerful and I know that alot of people were praying for him.

I don't know if it is because I got a short break from chemo over Thanksgiving, but this chemo has been so much easier for me...a little achy, but no nausea or chills...so happy, because I have alot of Christmas projects that I am working on and want to get finished this week.

Will have chemo again on Friday and then lunch with Kimberly and Mandy...then Kimberly is treating us to a massage....ahhhh! After all this, I will go to our Pajama Mama outing at IHOP with Sandra, Patti and Joanna. Beverly may join us this time....sure hope so...we always have such a fun time.

Wishing that everyone is enjoying the Christmas season...do something for someone else...it is a great gift to yourself..helping others.

I still have my pink gloves on and am still "Fighting Like a Girl"!

Merry Christmas to all!!!

CHILDREN ARE WONDERFUL!!!

I have to share this hilarious conversation I had on Friday with my precious, six year old great nieece, Breanna. She called me to tell me they would soon be leaving to go to Shreveport for a weekend visit with her Mom's family. After talking for a few minutes, I asked her what she wanted for Christmas...she said "I don't know". After a bit, she said that she wanted one of Santa's elves! I explained that Santa was really busy and that he needed his elves to help him. She said "He has lots of elves...I just want one of them to help me with my chores and homework"! That is the funniest thing that I have heard in a long time...don't we all wish at times that we had our own little elf? If she gets one, I know that I will be asking him to come for a visit LOL!

ROUND 20 DOWN!!

I can't believe that it has been this long since I have posted....this past month was a hard month for me physically and mentally. I had the PET scan, which is always stressful and makes me anxious...so grateful that it showed no cancer...only gall stones and a pleural effusion that we will just watch, since it is not causing any problems. Had chemo again last Friday and was hoping to be able to space out the treatments a little, but Dr. Sneed said we need to keep doing what we are doing right now and make sure the cancer cells stay dead. I totally trust him and am very grateful that he has gotten me through this past year so well..I will have a CT of the brain in 3 weeks, to make sure we aren't missing anything there...my sweet hubby says that I won't have to worry about that one, because I just have a hole there LOL..isn't he sweet?

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving...I was able to delay my chemo a week and we had 24 people here for dinner...it was raining all day, but we had a good time and enjoyed everyone here so much...this is such a hard time for Sue's family and everyone who has lost loved ones...it seems the Holidays seem to intensify the feeling of loss.....I know how much I miss my precious Jennifer and my parents everyday, but this time of year really makes you feel empty at times. I will miss Sue always and want her children and the rest of the family to know that I am here for them.

It is very cold here...the heavy frost makes it look like a winter wonderland here...so beautiful...we may get some snow flurries this week too...that will make it really feel like Christmas.

Had a wonderful church service yesterday on Hope...Christmas is our hope...the birth of Jesus! He is the REASON FOR THE SEASON...

Wishing everyone a wonderful Christmas season....try not to get all caught up in the rush and commericalism of it....take time to enjoy the Season and be grateful for what we have and do something for others.

I am still wearing my pink gloves, FIGHTING LIKE A GIRL...I get by with a little help from my friends and the love and grace of God...He is good and He is good all the time!