Hi friends!  Thank you so much for all of the prayers this week.  Mark and I are happy to report that I was healthy enough to receive my 10^th chemo treatment on Thursday!   Thank you Lord!  I’ve received a lot of texts wanting to know how I’m feeling.  I wish I could tell you that it’s always easy, that the smile you see in the pictures is what chemo is like from beginning to end, and that the next few days are wonderful.  The truth is that some days/treatments are harder than others for whatever reason.  This week I had more drugs in my IV than normal, so that could be why it took me a little longer to recover.  During each treatment I typically receive all of my “pre-meds” in my IV, then I have two different chemo drug infusions.  This week’s infusion was a little longer because every 3 months I get a bone strengthener in my IV (which was on Thursday) and every 3 weeks I get immunotherapy (which was also on Thursday).  So basically, this week was the “gumbo pot” of chemo (my friend Meg gave me that description which seems pretty on point!  I suppose you could also call it the “Long Island Ice Tea” chemo treatment….whatever suits your fancy.)  Either way, yes this week was rough….but I’m SO thankful that I was able to receive my 10^th treatment.  It feels like a milestone! J And that’s not all…

I know many of my friends and family want to be in the loop on the latest developments….so this next paragraph is for those who want the details.  Feel free to skip over this part if the word “breast” makes you uncomfortable 😉 It won’t hurt my feelings.  Anyway, when I see my oncologist in Baton Rouge each week she physically examines me and “measures” the tumor in my left breast with what looks like a flexible measuring tape.  I realize that sounds a little odd (and rudimentary), but this is apparently how they keep a general eye on the tumor from week to week since it isn’t feasible to do scans each week.   DISCLAIMER: the measurements my oncologist gave me this week could be off (or not accurate) for a number of reasons…..BUT for the first time in a LONG time she said that the width of the tumor seemed to be smaller! That’s right, SMALLER! The vertical measurement of the tumor seems to be hovering around 4cm which hasn’t changed, but this week she said the horizontal measurement *seems to be around 2cm!?  I can’t tell you how much this news encouraged me.  God is SO good.  Seriously.

Shortly after receiving this news, thanking God, and high fiving my doctor and my husband, I walked into chemo and did a legit high kick. My “cool cap crew” can vouch for me.  Fortunately, I didn’t pull a hamstring.

I know there will be ups and downs during this process, that’s why so many people call it a “fight” or a “battle”.  But hearing just a little bit of positive news (even though this hasn’t been confirmed on an ultrasound or an MRI) is still encouraging!  In my devotional today it said “though I may lead you along paths that feel alien to you, trust that I know what I am doing.”  So many times this “cancer journey” (as it is referred to) does feel very alien.  It feels like I’m living someone else’s life.  But, I have to keep in mind that God has a plan for my life and to trust in that plan.  All I can do is pray, keep the faith, and keep moving forward.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

p.s. A female fox is called a vixen. Eyelashes optional 😉