SCANS WERE ALL CLEAR FOLKS!!! No need to beat around the bush on this one. See, I told me it was nothing. Maybe next time in life when I have to talk myself down from something, I’ll actually listen.
Before we allow too much excitement to hit, I do need to clarify what clear scans means. That means that there is no cancer large enough to show up on radar, so to speak. There can still be lingering cancer at a microscopic level. We won’t know if she is cancer free until they do surgery and can pull out cells and look at them under a microscope.
We CAN be excited by the fact that the gigantic mass that was estimated to be as big as 15 cm (almost the size of a lemon at one point) is not showing any activity on a PET Scan. That is huge. Praise the Lord.
As I sit here on April 18th, looking out at a snow storm (what the heck..), I’m reminded of the things that matter. It is easy to get down or frustrated that Michigan has once again decided to remind us how temperamental it is. But I cannot help but be happy right now. I get to send out a message to a massive group of people who have loved on us and prayed for us for seven months that we have wonderful news of progress and healing.
We are slowly getting unpacked in the new place and trying our darndest to get the commercial kitchen space up and running. Just a reminder, keep a look out for a party invitation. We gunna have some country fun late this summer/early fall. We have to celebrate life and this wonderful community of ours.
As for next steps in the treatment process, we are meeting the surgeon on Wednesday to schedule and plan out the surgery. Most likely early to mid May will be the timeline. After that there will be five to six weeks of radiation, pending on what they find in the tissue removed. It is nice to finally have an idea of a “finish line”. I put that in quotes because as anyone who has been through cancer treatment knows, it is not quite as simple as being done. There is much monitoring and medication that comes after. The part where your life is completely interrupted and turned upside down is what is done ish.
Easter is such and amazing holiday for this season of life for us. What a wonderful reminder of the fact that Jesus has beaten death and disease. That there is hope beyond our struggles and trials in life in eternity. That there is new life in the spring time. It is a new hope and not the Star Wars kind… even better!
We have said many times to many people, that we cannot imagine going through this trial without our faith or our faith community. I (Duncan) am a broken messed up dude. Elizabeth is pretty much perfect, but I need work all the time. I can only hope that some portion of my life can effectively reflect my faith in Christ. Just know that I have immense meaning and weight when I say to you, I love you.
Thank you for continuing to love on us as we navigate a new lifestyle and perspective towards life. God is good and we lean on Him still. For our praying fellows out there, please continue to pray for our nerves and for successful surgery and radiation that is coming soon.
The beginnings of the strawberry/wild flower garden.
My dad working hard at prepping the ground!
Much love,
The Bones