Often when you are tempted to forget cancer is a part of your life, something happens to remind you of its presence. 2023 provided great opportunities for me to appreciate where I'm at in this season of remission, and 2024 began with a reminder that I need to continue to trust that whatever happens, God is in control.

The melanoma walk in September was a fantastic experience. Thank you to everyone who supported my team! I was so grateful to have C. R., Elizabeth and some good friends walking with me, and it was a privilege to share a little about my story with the walk participants.

This fall I felt ready to move forward with my post-homeschooling path and started a Master's Degree program. I am pursuing a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from Gateway Seminary online and despite the steep learning curve of becoming a student again (it has been quite a few years since I have taken higher education classes), I am loving it.

Thankfully, my last 2 sets of scans (September and December) were clear. Any areas they were watching have remained stable or are smaller and no new concerns were noted. My labs are also stable, including the iron levels that have given me so much difficulty in the past. 

Though my lymphedema continues to be controlled with treatment, I experienced a small "bump" in that journey during a recent trip to Arizona. After having some strange symptoms, my oncology clinic recommended a trip to the ER to obtain an ultrasound and rule out a blood clot in my right leg. After a negative result, I was diagnosed with cellulitis (a common infection for lymphedema patients) and received a round of antibiotics. The infection eventually cleared up and thank God my leg is back to "my normal" again. 

Our biggest recent hiccup comes from a significant life change for C. R. His software engineering company (VMWare) was recently purchased by Broadcom. The new acquisition resulted in two large changes. First, C. R. is no longer able to work remotely and must commute 40 minutes one way to work. He has been working from home full time since 2019, so this has been a big transition for us. Second, the insurance change has been less than smooth. The documentation prior to the acquisition seemed to indicate I would continue to see my same oncology team, but when I showed up January 2 for my labs, the hospital told me that they were out of network for our plan. We later discovered that none of my current doctors are part of the new insurance plan. In addition, the new plan doesn't appear to cover my ongoing targeted therapy (you know, the one that God used to cure me) and the cost of the drugs is quite high until we meet our out of pocket max. So, we are exploring a transition of care plan to allow me to continue with the current treatment plan and doctors as we explore where I will go to receive my ongoing monitoring. Personally, I would like it to be somewhere with specialized experience treating melanoma. It looks like returning to Huntsman Cancer Institute (where I was treated initially in 2017) might be an option, so we are praying that is the case. 

So, as you can see, the roller coaster doesn't end-it just takes a different turn. But that's ok. I am confident that God is good and will continue to faithfully direct us in the path He has for us. I love David's words in the book of Psalms. They are what I need in the midst of uncertainty. 

Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living. Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.

Psalm 27:13-14 New Living Translation

I appreciate you all following my ongoing journey!

Praise God (all Glory to HIM!!) for:

• Continued cancer free scans.
• My fantastic oncology team.
• Mostly normal life.

Pray for:

• No side-effects from continuing on the targeted therapy long term.
• If it's God's will, that He would halt any cancer from returning or spreading.
• Smooth transition of care in the next year and insurance covering my medications.
• God to use my cancer journey in whatever way He would like-that I might be able to encourage someone else going through a similar journey.