After 28 radiation treatments, that spanned 5 1/2 weeks, every day of the week, with exception of weekends, Kelli has finally completed radiation!!! Today was such a great day for Kelli and our family! 

Our day started right as we woke up. Kelli's lifelong friends from home surprised her by having our yard "flocked," filling our front yard with pink flamingos and breast cancer ribbons. I had taken the day off of work, and we also decided to let the kids miss school today to celebrate with us. After everyone was ready, we drove out to Peoria to meet Kelli's parents for breakfast. Following breakfast, Kelli had to do some shopping at Home Goods and Marshall's of course... I mean we were at Grand Prairie, we couldn't not stop at those stores...lol! We then proceeded to go to her radiation appointment. Obviously, with most hospitals/doctor offices limiting visitors, due to COVID restrictions, we were not sure if we would be able to go in with her to ring the bell, signifying completion of radiation. Kelli did speak with the nurses and they said they would let us in a side door, as they knew how important that would be to our family. Once her final treatment was complete, Kelli called us in. There was a group of nurses standing there with us while Kelli explained to both Olivia and Griffin the significance of ringing the bell to signify the completion. Once the questions were done and the basic understanding was there, all four of us grabbed onto the chain and rang the bell loudly three times. That sound was amazing, and I know it was a giant weight being lifted off of Kelli's shoulders!! To be perfectly honest, I never knew ringing a bell would mean so much, but it truly did. Following Kelli's final treatment, she was greeted at home by many flower arrangements that had been delivered, along with multiple friends stopping by to say hello and offer their congratulations. Kelli was on cloud nine, and couldn't thank everyone enough for the prayers and well wishes.

As a little update on how Kelli is doing with the radiation, she has really started to feel it over the last couple of weeks. She has been very fatigued from the beginning of the treatments, but here recently her skin has definitely started to feel the effects, similar to a very bad sunburn. She has been experiencing a lot of redness/irritation, along with being sore. We have been told that the last two weeks of radiation, along with the two weeks following completion, are the worst of it all. She has continued to work but really cut back on her hours for the time being as she heals. We know that with time she will be back to full time before we know it.

Throughout this roller coaster of a life event, I can't say enough how amazing a wife, mother, and person Kelli has been. Kelli has been an absolute inspiration not only to me but to both Griffin and Olivia. Kelli has taught them that even though you might be scared and might have some nights full of tears, that the next day you hop up with a goal of doing whatever you can, and whatever is necessary to beat cancer. I can't be any prouder than I am of Kelli, she's been absolutely amazing, and fully deserves to put this behind her!

Thank you again for everyone's prayers and thoughts, we truly could not do it without all of you!