NO MO' CHEMO!!!!

Well, I had my last chemo treatment on Friday! YAYYYY!!!! Praise the Lord! It was a day I will never forget. Even though it was my last chemo treatment, I still have about 3 weeks until the chemo is mostly out of my system, so I am looking forward to having a poison-free body:)... Even though I know Jesus was healing me with that chemo...just one of the avenues He used and is using.

Josh, my mom, and Ms. Renea and I headed down to Houston and had a great time at the Stanfill's on Thursday night, and then we were off early on Friday morning! It was great to have my mom and mom-in-law with me on this special day. They are the best:) I woke up super early Friday morning to a video that my husband made for me..pictures throughout my journey, scriptures, and words from him. It was so special. When I figure out how to post it on here, I will. I am still debating whether to share it, because it was such a sweet, sacred thing, but I think I will in a few days. I have the best husband in the world- seriously, I do. No question or debate about it! I DO!!!

On Friday, I had blood work and a really fast visit with Dr. Litton. My blood work looked great and we had a good, short visit with Dr. Litton. She examined me again and still really couldn't feel the lymph node under my arm!!:) I am ready for my ultrasound on April 12th to show just how normal and cancer-free that lymph node looks. I am learning more and more that just so much can be seen through tests. It is not until actual surgery that the doctors can truly know what is in my body, or what was at one time in my body. My surgery date is still scheduled for Monday, April 23rd.

We found out a potentially exciting bit of information that we weren't expecting. There is a chance that my port will be removed during my surgery on the 23rd. We asked Dr. Litton when it would be removed and she said that Dr. Babiera could "pop" that out during surgery. I'm not too sure about the "pop" part, but it was exciting to know it could be taken out. It really doesn't bother me any more, but it will be great to have another foreign thing taken out of my body. We do not have the final word on that, but I am assuming that once we talk to Dr. Babiera, we will know when the port will officially be taken out, but I thought it would be in much longer, so that was a great potential surprise. She once again brought up babies in the future and stressed the importance that I undergo many different tests over the next year or so before we start a family. Regardless, to have a doctor on board with us and our future family continues to be encouraging.

We waited a VERY long time to get chemo, but finally went back shortly after noon. I stayed awake as long as I could, but passed out after the "A" part of my FAC chemo. I woke up to Josh saying my name and saw my best friends standing over my bed. Bring on the waterworks!!!Yes, they drove to Houston to just see me ring my bell and love on me. These 3 girls (Kelly, Ainsley and Margot) have been LIFE to me. They have prayed and prayed over me, read scripture with and over me, preached to me:), loved me, and have believed nothing less than God's healing over my entire body. I can't explain it, but these girls are literally medicine to me. They were with me for my first chemo and there with me for my last. You cannot (it seriously is impossible) have better friends than these. Josh knows that when I need a pick-me-up or encouragement, all I need to do is talk to one of them. There a few things better than faithful, encouraging, Spirit-filled, funny, Godly friends! They are like Elisha was to Elijah--

"And Elijah said to Elisha, "Please stay here, for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel." But Elisha said, "As the Lord Lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So they went down to Bethel. "2 Kings 2:2

They will not leave me. They stand by me and stand on nothing less than the flawless word of God.

Proverbs 27:17
"Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another."


So, after chemo, I RANG THE BELL!!:) Josh,  my 3 best friends, my mom and Ms. Renea gathered around while I rang the bell! It is still surreal that chemo is done forever. We walked out into the lobby after ringing the bell and everyone was clapping for me. It was amazing. I was of course kind of out of it because I just had chemo, but what I can remember was really special. I got to visit with my favorite girls for just a while, then we headed home.

Chemo being done is wonderful, but it is bittersweet because chemo has been somewhat of a comfort to me since October. I routinely have my body infused with it, and I no longer will, which is great, but it is an adjustment in my mind as well. Something I have been taking that has been aiding in killing my cancer--I will no longer be taking. I have complete faith and belief God is healing me- chemo or no more chemo, but it is a weird feeling. God has given me much peace about this, but it is a definite adjustment. I got used to doing things a certain way and now things are changing--but bring on the change- I am ready. Just wanted to be a little transparent...

Josh and I are SO excited because dear friends of ours from our church offered up their beach condo for us to stay during my school spring break. The timing could not be any more perfect. We are so looking forward to some quality time spent together and some sun:) With my surgery coming up on the 23rd, it is a great vacation to take before I take the next big step in my healing journey. I am so thankful for this trip and a little break from school and work. We will head back mid-week though because of my appointments in Houston. I will have a mammogram, ultrasound, meeting with genetic counselor, and an appointment with my surgeon, Dr. Babiera, next Thursday. Please be praying for GREAT results from my tests. We will also get some more questions answered regarding what to expect in surgery etc...

Here are some pictures from my last chemo and make sure to scroll to the bottom to see the video of me ringing the bell! The Lord is so good to me. He is faithful.

                                              This is of me and my doctor, Dr. Litton.

This is a picture of my and my first nurse, Amiee... LOVE her!

                                     My WONDERFUL best friends!!!! Margot, Ainsley, and Kelly

                                                     Getting ready to ring the bell!!

With Josh, my mom, and Ms. Renea after #16!

Thumbs up! I'm done!!

Here's the video.