I have been holding off on giving an update until after my lumpectomy surgery, which was this past Monday July 12th.  The surgery went well with no complications, and I am recovering from it without any issues.  The big news to share is that they biopsied the tissue that was removed, and it showed no sign of cancer.  Woohoo!!!  They call this a "Complete Pathological Response" and I guess it's what every Oncologist hopes for regarding their patient's response to chemotherapy.  I got the call just yesterday with these results, and I cried some serious tears of joy.  

I do still need to go through 3-4 weeks of radiation treatment starting in about a month.  The hardest parts are behind me though, and knowing that I am cancer free feels pretty amazing.  

I am so grateful to be alive at a time where there is effective treatment available for breast cancer.  I have never felt as sick as I was on chemo, but those drugs saved my life.  Most importantly, they have made it possible for Greta to have a Mom in the years ahead. 

Speaking of Greta, she is doing great!  She is really turning into a toddler.  She has begun to say her first words which include hat, socks, book, cup, mama, dada, duck and deck.  She is not only walking, but now running all over the house and outdoors.  She is absolutely exhausting but so incredibly entertaining and my heart bursts with joy watching her grow and blossom.  I will post some updated photos of her for you to enjoy. 

I also wanted to let you know that my Mom is making good progress with her treatment as well.  She has five more weeks of chemo to go, but her cancer has responded really well thus far and her medical team is confident that she will survive this.  Me, Jared, Greta and Keji (our dog) are going on a big road trip to Maine the first week of August to visit my parents who we have not seen for almost a year.  My two sisters will be there as well, so it will be a much needed and long overdue family reunion.  It will also be the first time Greta has been in the car for more than a half hour, so it should be interesting!  Wish us luck!

I will wrap things up there, and will plan to write an update once radiation gets underway.  I hope everyone is enjoying their summer and getting a chance to catch up with family and friends once again.  Many thanks, as always, for your continued expressions of love and support.  It has helped carry me through this experience more than I could ever describe.

Much Love,

Laurel