Yesterday was my last day of radiation!  Praise God!

On Wednesday, I met with the doctor who has been filling in for my radiation oncologist (who has been out on maternity leave), and we both agreed that I didn’t need five extra radiation treatments along my scar.  He was very kind and encouraging, saying that my prognosis was good, and that hopefully this cancer treatment would be my last health crisis for decades to come.  Honestly, that’s the most encouraging thing any doctor has said to me since I was diagnosed with invasive cancer in August.  So that was a lovely way to end cancer treatment.

As I drove home from my last radiation, I couldn’t stop crying.  I was crying with joy and relief for having completed treatment but also with sadness over everything I’ve come through.  In some ways I am still in shock at everything that’s happened since June when I heard the words, “it looks like cancer.”  I’m certainly not the same person that I was a year ago, but, for what it’s worth, I’m all the better for it.  I’ve never felt so loved, cared for and supported, and I have never been more reassured of God’s faithfulness, particularly in the midst of trial and despair.

A friend sent me this text at the beginning of my cancer treatment: “I keep thinking when I pray for you that God has counted you worthy of this suffering. That you have a special call (one that no one actually wants to sign up for, but in the eyes of Christ is mysteriously a privilege and a partnership with Him) --a call to suffer well. And you will--you will bring glory to Christ through this journey. It is absolutely my prayer that when you have walked through this fire you will come forth as gold--healed completely and a radiant, shining testimony of what the Lord has done: not just healed a disease, but also kept a soul safe through a searing fire, kept weeping eyes stayed on Him, kept a hurting heart trusting in the goodness and faithfulness of its Creator.”  

God has answered that prayer in the affirmative, but I want to continue to pray this prayer even as I move beyond cancer treatment – that I’ll continue to trust Him in whatever other storms may come. 

Thank you for reading these updates, for caring for me and for praying for me.  I think this will be my last update for a while.  I’ll close with some practical prayer requests and concerns regarding these next few months:

1. That I will never suffer a cancer reoccurrence.
2. That my lymphedema would completely resolve as I complete physical therapy over the next 6-7 weeks, and that it would not be a reoccurring problem in the years to come.
3. That my skin and body would recover well from radiation – I’m in quite a bit of pain, but I should see a marked improvement in 2-3 weeks.
4. Sometimes the damage caused by radiation can, in turn, cause reconstructive surgery to fail. I am praying for a successful reconstructive surgery (which won’t be for another 4-6 months). 
5. I’ll have an echo cardiogram of my heart this summer to check and make sure that chemotherapy did not damage my heart. My heart will continue to be monitored for several years, as the damage can occur years after treatment.  My bone density will also be monitored, as the hormone therapy I am on often causes osteoporosis.  I’m praying for protection from all complications due to past treatments. 
6. Please pray for my body to tolerate my hormone therapy well. It’s advisable to be on this estrogen-reducing monthly injections and daily medication for 5 years. 

Phew – what a list!  Obviously, even though cancer treatment is technically over, I still have quite a bit of healing, re-strengthening and renewing to do, but I am very much looking forward to that. 

With love, Kim