It’s been a long journey. I had no plans to take this journey. It certainly wasn’t on my bucket list of things I wanted to do in my life. It was scary, painful, tiring, expensive… and it changed my life.

In the fall of 2016, I was diagnosed with a rare sarcoma cancer and ended up having a 10.5 pound tumor removed from my chest wall. The twelve hour surgery included major reconstruction, moving muscles and skin into new places. After two months of recovery, I endured six weeks of radiation treatments followed by the long process of therapy to recover my strength, motion, and weight.

One year after surgery, a new tumor was discovered growing quickly in my left lung. Because of this, chemotherapy was the recommended course of action. My body rebelled during the initial infusion and I landed in the hospital with a major allergic reaction. Apparently I can’t do some things simply! Finally my body decided to cooperate with the plan. Receiving infusions every two weeks out of three for the past year has been my routine and each follow-up scan showed the tumor shrinking. Last week my scan showed no evidence of cancer and my doctor stopped the infusions! I am rejoicing!

My desire in the beginning was that God would miraculously heal me and life would go on. Instead he directed me to this verse:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

He didn’t give me the miracle I asked for. Instead, I’ve had to lean on him and trust him and he’s taken me on an unplanned journey. Through this journey, he has done miracles in my body, my family has drawn much closer together, and I’ve grown in ways I am only just beginning to see. Through this journey, I’ve gotten to know and love people I would never have met otherwise. Through this journey, I’m learning to be grateful for the opportunity to live each day to the fullest.

After two and a half years of silence, it’s been hard for me to figure out how to start posting again. Now that I’ve shared this part of my story, it’s time to go forward. Let the creativity continue!