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		Mary's Journal: January 19

	Hello All, I have been hearing complaints that I haven't said much lately on what has been happening with us. The good news is that I am doing wonderful. (More details to follow.) The bad news is that I feel I have stepped back into the craziness of life. "Be still and know that I am God." I think I have forgotten to be still. Funny that I should be able to keep up on things better when I am feeling better. It is so easy to become too busy. Radiation ended in November. I am still seeing my Radio Oncologist for a few more months so that she can keep a check on me and the possible effects of the radiation. So far the effects have been minimal. They tell some things may not appear for months or even years. I can't worry about this, though it would be easy to get caught up in do so. This is in God's hands and he will give me the grace I need to handle whatever comes in the future. Just before Christmas I had an ultrasound done to check on the blood clot. It's Gone! Praise God. I am no longer taking Coumadin. When I left the doctor's office on December 22nd I felt a free woman. This was the first time since May that I have been able to leave the office without directions on what to do next or feeling sick from Chemo. I there seemed to have been something missing. As I look back on the last eight months I am amazed that it has gone by so quickly. But the wonderful part is that I am cancer free! In May this day seemed to be in eternity somewhere, so very far away. So many months of treatment, doctors appointments, radiation (every week day for four weeks!). I felt that I was to be at this for a very long time. Now it is over. I won't be pronounced "cured" for five years. For the next two years I will have an x-ray every three months and less often after that. In May I would have complained at this schedule. I am not complaining now. An x-ray once every three months is surely better than chemo every three weeks. :-) I praise God for allowing the doctors to know so well how to treat this and for allowing it work so well on me. As the doctor says, "This isn't a slam-dunk." I am also so very grateful to God for allowing such peace in the midst of this turmoil in our lives. I pray that this is the close of this chapter of our lives, never to be revisited again. Love Mary

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