Sarah’s Story

Site created on August 2, 2023

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Last weekend (July 27-30, 2023) we went on one last family vacation before school starts back to the mountains! We had an absolute blast with my moms side of the family including my Aunts/Uncle/cousins and 13 kiddos in an amazing cabin in Pigeon Forge. On Saturday evening, after hiking, I started feeling tired, crampy, cold. Throughout the night it continued and by Sunday morning I was in tears through sharp pains. We had to tell the kids our plans to have lunch at our fave, The Apple Barn, and our plan to go outlet shopping for back to school was not going to happen because I needed to get on home.

Jesse was hustling to get us out of the mountains in hopes to just get me home and start feeling better. After about an hour of driving it was just unbearable and I was crying and yelling in pain in my abdomen. Graham saw a blue H sign and Jesse followed. We ended up at a hospital in Clyde, NC off I-40.

When arriving there was a lady checking in but the waiting room was empty so that was a good sign. They called her name and the sweet lady said “let her go she’s in much more pain than me.” I got all checked in and back pretty fast. Jesse left his phone with the kids and he had my phone so he could check in on them.

The dr ordered a shot in my hip for pain (something you would get if you had an IBS flare up) and they started an IV on fluids. After about an hour pain was still intense and dr decided to order a CT scan and put morphine in my IV for pain.

I finally was getting some relief and able to rest and get somewhat comfortable. The dr came back in and grabbed a seat. He said, well we have the answer on where your pain is coming from and we are going to admit you. Jesse and I completely ready to hear I need my appendix or gallbladder removed.

“You have colon cancer and additional spots on liver and lungs and we need to get the ball rolling with oncology.”

Jesse immediately said, we aren’t from here. Our 4 kids are in the waiting room alone. We are on way home from vacation. Can I please get her home and go to our hospital?!

He seemed puzzled and completely caught off guard but he said he’d mull it over. He walked out of the room and Jesse and I were in complete shock and disbelief.

You see I’ve been having these cramping symptoms for months at the end of my period. I’ve been to the doctor about them. I have been told “your 40 now”, “your periods are different.” “You’ve got a lot of scar tissue from 4 c-sections.”

I had a clear pap smear in January. After my period in June, Jesse took me to urgent care while the cramping happened because I had to stop multiple times while we were walking around the zoo with our kids and he said your going right now while it’s going on so they can see it and I was diagnosed with UTI and given an antibiotic. No one has ever scanned my actual abdomen until this rural mountain hospital.

Thankfully they prescribed some pain medication for a couple days and gave me all the paperwork for me to give my doctors and we got medicine filled and then headed back home to Lexington.

Monday morning my PCP was contacted and he got me in with oncologist on Tuesday morning.

Basically we know it is cancer. We don’t know exact type or stage but we should within the week (so by next Tuesday.)

Wednesday morning I will have a PET scan and Wednesday afternoon we will meet with the surgeon regarding biopsies and port placement.

I will try to update on here so everyone can stay in the loop. It has all happened so fast and not ideal for me as I return to a new school year but we trust that Gods timing is perfect and I’ve already seen some God things like the fact I set up my classroom while Jesse and the kids were at Run Hard camp so that’s finished.

We covet any and all prayers as we know God is the ultimate healer and he uses all stories for his glory. ❤️

Newest Update

Trial Update

Journal entry by Sarah Harmon —

Shout out to Natalie and her sweet momma that booked my tickets for these next few weeks with SkyMiles. I sent her a fairly complicated schedule and she got it all done Monday night including tickets for me to meet Jesse in Tampa next weekend for his Run Hard race there and for Graham to come back to Houston with me the next week! 🙌🏻

Tuesday Jesse had a few appointments so I rode with him for the day! Got to go to Run Hard practice at RCE and get lots of hugs and sweet Alex even gave me his “get your rear in gear medal” from last weekends race! Grady and his team had another exciting win for flag football that night and we took the boys to Sonic for Sonic night at school. ❤️

Erin and I flew out Wednesday and got in Houston that evening after celebrating that she’s a top 5 finalist for teacher of the year!!! Jen fixed some amazing dinner and then we got some sleep.  Yesterday I had labs and a follow up for the trial and the best news is that I’m still feeling well and week 2 is a go! We hung out by the pool and honestly just chilled yesterday. It was so nice to not have anything going on and just relax. 😊

Erin and I are going to head to Galveston today and enjoy some time in Houston this weekend and then I have that 12 hour monitoring appointment on Monday so that one is long. 

So far I’m feeling well so my prayer is it is working on keeping the cancer from spreading! 🙏🏻

I’ll take prayers for my liver function too to continue to work. Yesterday’s labs had some elevated things they will watch all regarding the liver but it’s not a first. They were elevated in March too but they will be keeping an eye on it! 



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