Update: Spreading the News

I'm sorry that you all are the last to know!

But I just was released from the hospital last night and have been conserving my energy since I don't have much of it yet.

But I did want you all to be able to celebrate the joyous news that I was given just five days ago!

The surgery was a complete success in more ways than one. They removed my omentum and multiple lymph nodes plus did biopsies of

many areas inside my abdomen and

NO CANCER WAS FOUND!

And yesterday we received the final confirmation from
the second set of pathology reports done on all the tissue samples -

No Chemo will be necessary!!

I can say with all honesty that this was not the outcome I expected. It was certainly the one I hoped for and the one I asked all of you to pray for - but it isn't what I expected.
I had already done my bargaining with God,

reasoning out which parts of this I would rather experience

since I didn't think it was fair to expect that

I wouldn't have to endure any of it.

But God has always been full of miraculous surprises.

A little over fifty days ago I was told that I had cancer -

stage 3 was alluded to briefly.

I was told that I would never be able to get pregnant -

that a full hysterectomy would be inevitable.

And I was told that I would certainly need chemo -

they were even willing to start it prior to the staging surgery.

Today, none of that appears true.

While I haven't had a long discussion with my oncologist, I believe my cancer will still be classified as Stage 1. It has not spread to any other part of my body from all the tests they have run. I have no reason to think I won't someday get to experience pregnancy - plus, I don't have to worry about menopause at 30 either. And lastly, chemo is not needed - no losing my hair, being sick, or worrying about missing work.

I am still not sure how to process all of this.

All that I know is that God has granted many many prayers. And that I am so very very thankful. I know that God did not make this decision because I had so many people praying for me. I don't believe God makes those decisions based on who has the biggest prayer chain. I do not feel that I "deserved" this outcome -

it is purely God's grace in action.

But I do believe that God has used this ordeal to promote His plan, to reveal certain truths to me and maybe even to some of you. I thank you all from the very bottom of my heart for pleading with Him on my behalf. I do believe that this entire ordeal would have been much more difficult if I had not had each and every one of you supporting me.

I hope that some of you will see the ways that God used this to grow your own faith in His goodness and mercy. I certainly have had my eyes opened through all of this - and I believe I will continue to have some of the reasons revealed to me.

I will continue to keep you all updated on my recovery and on any further doctor appointments. I will see my oncologist in about a week to have my staples removed and to discuss follow up monitoring.

So, for now I just request your prayers for only one thing:

THANKSGIVING!
I can not thank God enough for seeing me through this and bringing me to the other side with such a miracle!