Well, this is the third try to get a post up about the journey over the last year! I’ll try it once more and hope it all works this time. I’ve had three chances to get exactly what I want to say on paper and still struggle with the words… this probably will seem a little random and like I am blabbing… feel free to skp to the health update at the bottom! :-)

It was 365 days, 4 hours and 51 minutes ago that the call came that changed my life. I mean, but who's counting??

The call that in that very moment was devastating, life altering and yet, the very thing that I am grateful for. I’ve gone back over the last few days and re-read my posts from the beginning of the journey to now. I can look back and see how God has been gracious and guiding my every step. As I said in the beginning, and will say again, God knew the outcome of this journey long before it began. He knew that exactly 365 days, 4 hours and 51 minutes from last year, that I would be reflecting. 

Does anyone remember that poem about footprints in the sand? It is crazy how real that poem feels to me. God has carried me through the last year. I am forever grateful. I write this with tears in my eyes wishing I was more articulate and that I could really impress upon anyone reading this, just how blessed and how thankful I am.

The internal struggles and physical struggles over the last year have been very real, very hard, very stressful producing so much anxiety at times, I felt smothered as I prayed for God to just take me home. It hasn’t always been pretty and I haven’t always been faithful in trusting God. I’m not proud of those moments, but those moments, too, are all part of His plan for me. I’ve grown in my faith and grown in my ability to truly give thanks in all circumstances as we are called to do.

I am thankful for the cancer that rocked my world. I am thankful for the cancer that has drawn me closer to my God. I am thankful for the cancer that has saved me. I know… it probably sounds weird to say it has saved me, but, y’all, it has. I am thankful…

Seems only fitting that I am thankful at this time of year… I wonder if thats why my diagnosis fell at this time of year… just to remind me to be thankful. Hmmm… those questions we will ask when we get to Heaven!

I would like to go on for many more paragraphs trying to share with you my feelings of gratitude and share the thousands of blessings… it’s probably more for me than for you! I realize most just wanted a quick health update, so I’ll move on.

I am healing nicely! I only have some soreness in my abdomen on occasion. It kind of feels like I’ve done 100 situps and then wake up the next morning. Let’s just say that situps ARE NOT on my list of things I’m doing, yet. Maybe soon. I go back to the plastic surgeon in December and the breast surgeon in January. I anticipate that I will have a full release from the plastic surgeon. I will continue to see the breast surgeon every 6 months for a few more years. I have not had any side effects from the medicine prescribed by the oncologist. My next appointment with her is in February and I don’t anticipate much will change. All in all, I am doing really well and again, am very blessed. I am regaining energy and feel a little more like normal each day.

Thank you for those that have followed along over the past year. I will update a few more times as I have these upcoming appointments. 

2 Corinthians 12:9

But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness so that Christ's power may rest on me.

With love and much gratitude,

Anjanette