A final entry from Linda:

I know Dan submitted a final entry a while back and was going to shut down the site, but it is still up and I have a few thoughts to share. It was one year ago this week (on the 19th to be exact) at 8:00 in the morning that I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I could not have been in a more vulnerable position when the surgeon called- naked as a Jaybird on the toilet getting ready to shower for the day! I’m not sure where this expression, "naked as a Jaybird" comes from because every Jaybird I’ve ever seen isn’t naked---it is beautifully adorned with blue feathers from its head to its tail that juts out with dramatic splendor. Nothing naked about it. But that’s how one feels in this process – naked, vulnerable, dramatically exposed, and not nearly as beautiful.

But here I am a year later! A survivor! I am still naked at times, and still vulnerable-sometimes emotionally raw, but I have been adorned with beauty. I have been adorned the beauty of your prayers, your love, your support, your meals, your cheers, your companionship, your many gifts, your hope and your belief that this will not define nor end my life. For that I am eternally grateful.

I also have good news. The process of healing has not been complete for me without some evidence or proof that it actually worked. At the end of October, I saw my oncologist for a three month check-up after the end of my treatments. He did a blood test, looking for "tumor markers" and it came back negative! They are happy with any number under 38 and mine was 20! I felt like I had lost 40 lbs! I was carrying a weight I didn't realize I had. People (even complete strangers who could tell by my lack of hair) would ask me my prognosis (did they get everything? how ARE you? Is everything okay?). I would always say, "yes!" but it felt invasive and raised my anxiety. I only recently figured out why. In the back of my mind, I had no idea if my answer was true. I had no evidence the chemo got all the runaway cells if there were any. When I got the results of this test, I thought, "now I have a true answer to everyone's question!" Praise God. I don't feel so vulnerable.

Dan said he always knew this test would come back negative. I am grateful for his and your belief. It is different to be the person waiting for the results and it is good to be adorned with the beauty of others' faith. Thank you for being beautiful for me. I am not naked as a Jaybird anymore!