My dear friend Mary shared this Max Lucado quote, "What if you woke up this morning with only the things you thanked God for yesterday?" Thank you God for the beauty of Mary's flowers. And for her determination to never give up checking up on me and shining her light with words of encouragement and sharing her faith. God thank you for all the many friends you have sent to me, to help me along my way. Each friend beautiful in their own way. And my family...I could not have made it without their support and love.

I know it has been months since I posted last on November 6 of 2024. Cancer had consumed my every thought and action for so long. I needed a break from it. I gave myself the grace to stop thinking about it and stop writing about it and I spent my time healing. I was happy to not have doctor appointments each week. I needed to find my new normal. I wasn't so sure how to do that.

I can tell you that I am doing well.

The very happiest news was the arrival of our nineth grandchild, Naomi Helen Dobitz who made her appearance the day before Thanksgiving. She joined her sister and four brothers. Matt and Kelsey have a wonderful family and they have a busy house. Thank you God for sending us Naomi. 

After my last chemo treatment at the end of October, it took my body until the middle of December for my blood to return to normal so that I could start a maintenance drug called Zejula. It was a daily chemo pill and the one that my care team said was the best for me. Unfortunately, after taking only seven pills, we learned that my body could not tolerate the drug. I had an allergic reaction of the sensation of my throat closing off and difficulty swallowing. That resulted trip to the ER on December 23 and another on Christmas Day. That second visit showed I had Influenza A. I had that for January and into February. But now I have some immunity right?  And because I had taken the Zejula pill for seven days and had the reaction and then had Influenza A, we could not conclude I was reacting to the drug or the Influenza. So my care team felt I should try it again to rule that out. I tried the Zejula again at a lower dose in March. This time I was armed with an epi pen, Benadryl and Pepcid and I stayed with Kari and Tom in Menoken to be near the Bismarck ER. After taking the seventh pill, the exact same reaction happened. I used the epi pen and went to the ER followed by a second trip to the ER the next day. I received lots of steroids to counter the reaction. I had the same ER doctor both days and he admitted me to the hospital for observation since the ER was past capacity each day. I also was able to stay in the hospital an additional day because my symptoms had decreased but not disappeared. God bless the folks that work in ER and the hospitals. They are truly doing God's work. Thankfully my heart and lungs were strong through all the tests. We stayed with our family for ten days in all until we felt safe enough to head home. We can therefore conclude that I am allergic to Zejula. My care team said there was no documentation of that severe of a reaction to this drug. I must be special. I am relieved to not have to go through that again. 

I am grateful to tell you my recent CT scans were clear. God is so good. My blood is finally back to normal levels. Every single part is normal. That is good. My care team continues to monitor me with appointments and blood tests and scans. I have an upcoming appointment with a naturopathic doctor. Please continue to pray for my body to remain strong and that perhaps I can find a natural treatment for maintenance.

How am I? How do I feel? I am good. I feel normal. I HAVE HAIR! Not only do I have hair, but God sent me curls. Thank you God! That was a pleasant surprise. It is about a half inch long and soft and wavey. Reed says it feels just like petting a cocker spaniel puppy. Guess which hairs were the very first hairs to return? For those of you who shouted, "CHIN HAIRS" you would be correct. One day they magically shot out and since I counted those also, I can report the first crop pulled was twenty-one. I honestly can say that I was never so happy to see a chin hair in my life as I was that morning. My eyebrow hairs jaunt out in many different directions, none of which are the way they should be going. They are unique addition to my new and improved look.

Lately, I have been spending time mostly with my kids and grandkids and working outside when I can. That is glorious!

I am still petrified to go out in public. I guess I will have to ease into that.  

So that should catch everyone up for the last six months. April 23, 2024 was the day that my life changed. Almost a year ago. So much has happened. Thank you God that I can say I am now a cancer survivor. I am forever changed. I love stronger and try to use this second chance at life in the best way possible. Why does it take something like this to open the eyes and heart? I have been to funerals where someone would say, look at all the people here, do you think they had any idea that many people loved them? I feel like I have had a glimpse into the ripples my life has created when so many people reached out to me in the past year to tell me they were praying for me and that they loved me. What a strength that brought out in my battle. You just cannot imagine it until it happens to you.

My cancer could return. Or it could not return. No one really knows that answer or what happens next. I ask that you pray along with me that my body is healed. I have much to be thankful for in how everything has gone. I believe in the power of prayer and the power of positive thinking. God has been with me through this storm. Step by step. I am never alone. Around me is The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit and Mother Mary and My Guardian Angel. Of that I can be certain. And thank God I have all of you.

Every day is a gift. Time is a gift. Love is a gift.

The love and prayers of each one of you has helped so much to bring me through the most difficult year of my life. Many thanks to you, my people. Thank you God for one more day to say I love you.