Welcome January 2023!

Two years ago I honestly didn’t know if I would be ringing in the new year of 2023. I had no idea if my newly diagnosed stage IV cancer would respond to treatment. Of course we know it did. We know I’m still here.

The five-year survival rate for stage 4 breast cancer is 22 percent; median survival is three years. Annually, the disease takes 40,000 lives.

Reading these statistics makes me sad and scared but also makes me smile. Being year three for me, it’s hard to read that I’m hitting the median survival time but…….

…..I also remember I’ve been here before, 34 years ago. I was 11 years old, three years out from a stage IV Wilm’s Tumor diagnoses.

God had and STILL HAS a HUGE unimaginable plan for my life, to change the course of generational sin of a proportion I could never have imagined. He is SO SO good! I will continue to trust HE has my end day in His hands, not statistics!

Our children will also serve him. Future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord.
Psalms 22:30 NLT

I had survived a seven hour open heart surgery, the cancer had spread from my left kidney, to my liver, stomach then into my heart. It was a very spongy like texture that was extremely hard to remove. But it explained months and months of high fevers, vomiting, extreme abdominal pain and being winded walking, not being able to walk a flight of stairs. I spent a week in ICU. Tubes draining, IV’s in both hands, a wire monitoring my heart.

Six weeks of radiation to my entire abdomen.

Sixty-Five weeks, over 16 months of horrible chemotherapy. Extremely thankful for the advancement in medication to help alleviate some of the chemo side affects. These weren’t available in the mid-late 1980’s, I was a very sick little girl.

I continued to have several visits each year to the IWK to follow my progress. I was on the verge of puberty with my medical team not sure if I would mature properly, with all the treatment to my entire abdomen, no one was certain of my future health. I can remember being told several times that having children may not be possible. (We all know how that turned out!🤣😜)

Your faithfulness extends to every generation, as enduring as the earth you created.
Psalms 119:90 NLT

I grew up normally, healthy! I loved my close friends and family (had small tight circles even then), all things horses, my dog Tiffany, playing in the snow and all things water.

I was blessed with a trip to California to see my Aunt and Uncle, to visit Disney Land, Sea World and other theme parks!

I continued visits to the IWK until I was into my twenties. I still take part in an international study group following children affected by Wilm’s Tumor. I give them a yearly update on my health.

Tell your children about it in the years to come, and let your children tell their children. Pass the story down from generation to generation.
Joel 1:3 NLT

We began 2023 with an evening in. Homemade pizza, later steak on the smoker, a movie and a nerf/light saber war! Don’t you love my safety glasses. Lol

A family skate was enjoyed in that lull between Christmas and New Year’s.

Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13 NLT

Each year from December 14th to January 14th we celebrate 5 birthdays in our house. This year for our three January birthdays we decided to have one big party at Tru by Hilton Yarmouth. It was SO fantastic, so worth the money. We all had so much fun celebrating with friends and family.

My health has been stable thankfully. Those praying for a PICC line, it was a no go. I hadn’t felt peace in the time leading to the appointment. The doctor and two technicians spent my appointment searching for a vein to place the PICC line in. There was none to be found. Normally easily accessible veins were extremely deep and squashed into tiny lines that were not suitable for a catheter to be placed. My hard, thick skin is the cause.

But my infection completely cleared after 17 days of antibiotics and daily treatment for over a month now. Today it looked great and we’re finally ready leave it the weekend. VON is absolutely wonderful but having a couple of days break is welcomed. Just a very shallow area is left to close in.

After another oncology appointment it was decided that the best next step is to have a Hickman line placed. This will be accessed very similar to a PICC line but placed in the area of a portacath. I’m awaiting a call from Halifax radiology for placement.

Please pray that a Hickman line is the right procedure for me, that the insertion will go smoothly. I currently don’t need emergency access but can not restart my scleroderma medication without having bloodwork done. I’ve also missed my Zometa (bone strengthening med) infusion that I’d like to reschedule.

God is quietly working on something else that’s huge for us, good and exciting but we need to wait to share His plans for us. Please pray for God’s will on this unspoken prayer.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.
Psalms 107:1 NLT