Hi all!

Wow - I think back to my diagnosis on June 8th and I remember it so clearly.  Very surreal, very scary.  Things then moved so quickly; I had so many appointments and tests the following week to come up with a plan of treatment (surgery, then chemo, then radiation).  It seemed like such a long road, and it certainly has been!  Surgery and chemo are a blur to me now - I think I've blocked out the bad memories :)  Radiation has been pretty easy; the hardest part has been making the 45 min round trip drive every day, and then, obviously, getting burned to a crisp (but, compared to chemo, it's been a breeze).  I'm now SO happy to say that the journey has come to an end!  I had my last radiation treatment yesterday (and had dinner and dessert with my sweet family to celebrate).  I'm also even happier to say that I had a CT and bone scan and everything came back clear, so I can officially state that I'm cancer-free!

While the journey isn't completely over (I still have 3 surgeries to go, which I'll do later this year), those are more preventative and reconstructive in nature.  I'll have checkups with my Oncologist every 3 months and I'll be on meds for quite awhile.  But to overcome this devastating hurdle feels amazing.  I can't wait to be able to look back in 5-10 years and think of it as just a blip.  

I've always been a pretty positive person, and I've always treated others as I want them to treat me.  However, going through something like this, I feel even more assured that the best way to live your life is by showing kindness however and whenever you can, as well as taking a step back and looking at the larger picture.  So many things that used to be a "big deal" just aren't.  There's a weight that comes off of you when you realize that, while we are fairly insignificant in the big scheme of things, it all comes down to being grateful for life, taking advantage of the opportunities that the world gives you, and impacting others' lives in a positive way, even if it's just a smile.

As always, thanks for all of the kind words, thoughts, prayers, positive energy, etc.  It's meant so much to me.  Love to you all!

xo
Anne