I Made It!!!!

Today I am officially a One Year Survivor – whoo hoo! I hit my 6 month post-chemo mark last month and also received a clean bill of health from both my oncologist and surgeon.  There is one more surgery planned for this summer that is related to my reconstruction and then my financial contributions to the medical community will dramatically decrease :) – lol.

So much has happened over the past year and I have been reflecting on how my life has changed in a relatively short period of time.  I am so grateful to be on this side of cancer, and physically I feel like things are pretty much back to normal in all respects.  Spiritually and emotionally, I will never be quite the same – and I count that as one of the gifts I received from the experience. 

Yesterday I took a two of my nieces out for their birthdays - they haven’t stopped praying that my hair will grow back fast (I think it’s working).

On Friday I received some sobering news that a wonderful woman I know passed away suddenly.  She was a beautiful person with a smile that brightened everyone’s day.  I only saw her a couple of times over the past year but on both occasions she took the time to share some heartfelt words of kindness that made my day.  Her passing has caused me to reflect on how I am using the precious moments I am given each day and how much more I can be doing to serve and appreciate those around me.

I hope and pray that I can live with more gratitude, more awareness of those in need and more hope for the future that promises to be full of adventure.

Not long ago I was talking with a friend of mine who shared something that I think is quite profound about hope.  She said it takes a lot of courage to have hope, because if what you hope for doesn’t happen, then you feel like a fool or a failure  - or whatever negative situation you associate with not seeing your dreams come to pass the way you wanted them to.  So if you don’t hope for anything you are safe and feel less vulnerable . . . but you also don’t take the actions necessary for your hopes to come true.  We must be prepared to accept the result of the path we choose - I hope we can all choose faith over fear.  I know that great things await those who make this choice.

When I am faced with hardship, even though there is darkness and even fear, I can’t help but feel hope for a brighter tomorrow.  A favorite scripture comes to mind:

Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.  - Ether 12:4

See you at Race for the Cure . . .