CANCER FREE-5 YEARS

This is supposed to be a milestone for cancer patients, so I'm claiming it. Just had my 5 yr. chest ct scan last week, and got the results today. I never felt like I had cancer. Didn't know I had it until after my surgery in recovery. They got it all and I had 6 wks. of radiation. Some may call it luck. I call it listening and obeying the spirit within me to quit putting off getting the chest ct scan. In the time the scan was done and the surgery (2 months) the tumor had attached itself to my heart lining. Ignoring the still small voice to get the scan done would have given the tumor permission to continue to grow and perhaps squeeze my heart to death. I know of a sweet lady in my church who died with hers b/c they could not find the problem. In her situation the thymus gland was BEHIND the heart and it wasn't showing up that it had a tumor. Thymoma is a rare tumor and still even more rare to be malignant.

Little did we know, while I was going thru this, colon cancer was making a home in my sister's body. She put off having a colonoscopy just like we ALL do. (I just had my 1st one done in September. And I should have had one when we found out about my sister) We get busy and can make all kinds of excuses to avoid THAT test. 6 months after MY ordeal, she honored me in a cookbook the bank employees made up to honor cancer patients-survivors and deaths. Had we known, she could have put herself in it also--b/c 6 weeks later she found she had cancer. She fought the good fight, but her body just couldn't deal with it all and about 18 months later cancer overtook her life. I sure do miss her. She wasn't in my everyday life, but on the special times, she was always there. For instance, I would be calling or emailing her about today. She'd be so happy for me. When I go home to my parents now, there's a void. That's when we always got together and did something--anything from garage sale shopping to fried ice cream at Cuco's to driving around and looking at Christmas lights with our kids crowded in the car. And by ourselves when the kids were too old to want to go.

Here's to Jean----she left a void in quite a few people besides me. My parents, my sister Debby, her children, her grandchildren, her husband, neices, nephews cousins, aunts and uncles, co-workers, many many friends and a host of fellow church members. One grandchild she didn't get to see, who's having her 2nd birthday right about now. Maybe she can see from where she is, or better still maybe she was present when that little soul left heaven to join her earthly body. Maybe she kissed her bye as she was leaving the Father's arms. Hmmm! I like that idea!!

Hold to what's dear, ya never know when you'll have to let go.

I give God All the Glory!