This last year has been a wild ride. Full of hope, an honest-to-goodness MIRACLE, and lots of quietly journeying along the road, one step at a time, never really quite sure what is around the next bend. 

(TLDR: I’m doing really really well, so thankful for the miracle of remission, and continuing treatments to take the best care of my body while living life to the fullest and taking care of my family)

In January of last year, I was responding well to my conventional cancer treatments with fairly minimal side effects.  My original tumor had shrunk while the cancer spread to my bones had remained stable. I had spent the better portion of the previous year researching metabolic and integrative approaches to cancer healing, and had discovered the Cancer Center for Healing (CCFH) run by Dr. Conneally in California.  I had seen several accounts of amazing results they were having with patients with really similar diagnosis to mine.  So we decided to go for it and I spent 10 days at the center.  I went through a thorough battery of tests and blood draws, learned a ton more about different options and possible treatment paths to take, and underwent various healing therapies and treatments.  By the end of the trip, I was all set to take on a course of low-dose chemotherapy to lessen the tumor burden on my body.  It was going to mean an intense 12 weeks of traveling back and forth to CCFH, lots of time away from home and away from Joseph and the kids, and I was going to need a lot of help with homeschooling! 

In February, less than a week before I was set to start this process, we received BIG NEWS!  My routine CT and bone scans had come back CLEAR - there was no visible cancer in my body.  I was in REMISSION.  We rejoiced with friends and family, but honestly I felt completely shocked by the news.  It took several weeks for it to start sinking in! 

Many people have asked me what treatment I thought made the difference, and while I was (and still am) on several conventional treatments, and had some treatments at that first trip to CCFH, to me there was no obvious answer to that question.  In the end, it all came back to God’s grace and mercy.  And I was a little in awe that He would do that for me.  

Meanwhile, we switched gears on treatment.  Now that the overall cancer burden on my body was lifted, it was time to dig in and address my overloaded immune system, and bolster my body against any re-entrenchment of cancer in the future. 

March through June I worked on various detoxing and immune boosting protocols, especially targeting some underlying parasite and mold issues. Some of those proved to be stubborn and we intensified the protocols after another trip to CCFH in June. 

In August my routine scans came back - STILL CLEAR!  Praise God! 

In September went back to CCFH for one round of treatment called Supportive Oligonucleotide Therapy.  This goes after any remaining cancer stem cells that may still be lurking dormant in my body. 

In November I had a side-quest procedure to remove a kidney stone that was a whopping 1 inch long!  Yay for no more debilitating “mystery indigestion.”  Let’s not ever do that again. 

Routine scans again in November - still ALL CLEAR!

In between all the medical appointments and the scheduling and paperwork and logistics that go along with them, I continued on with the mundanities of everyday life and homeschooling; continued painting and drawing, began writing again, grew a giant flower garden with my daughters, and spent lots of time just living life with family and friends.  Joseph as always has been the best support, solid and grounding, and pointing me to Jesus when I get all tangled up in stress over one thing or another. 

And now we’ve come through to a new year.  It’s January again.  I’m all set to visit CCFH for a whirlwind day of tests and checkups this month, and then we’ll see what’s around the next bend in the road.  Most likely I will have to go back at least once this year.

I also have a therapeutic day surgery (part of hormone therapy to keep my body inhospitable to this type of cancer) scheduled locally next month.  Hopefully after that the stream of medical appointments will calm down a bit (no more gigantic kidney stones please!).

If anyone would like to contribute, we are opening up the fundraiser again to cover travel and other uncovered expenses related to treatment at CCFH for this next year. 

Many thanks to all of you for your prayers and support, it has been a really humbling and wonderful and sometimes overwhelming experience to be loved by so many people, some of whom I don’t even know your names.  Thank you so much for lifting some of our financial burden, and for lifting us up in prayer.