What you are is God's gift to you; what you become is your gift to God.
I have been given the greatest gift....life!! I am feeling great, have no complaints and look forward to my next MRI which is the end of this month. I will keep you posted when I get the results in early September.
Keep praying!!
+Peace,
Sandy
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Nothing but Great News!!!
MRI on June 23rd....Stable!
Medical Oncologist visit on June 27th....Non-eventful!
Bloodwork results....Normal!
Loving Life....Priceless!!
Next MRI....Late August.
Next Medical Oncologist visit....September 1st.
Next Duke Brain Tumor Center visit....September 12th.
There is no small blessing in life!! God is sooooo Good!!
Peace,
+Sandy
Medical Oncologist visit on June 27th....Non-eventful!
Bloodwork results....Normal!
Loving Life....Priceless!!
Next MRI....Late August.
Next Medical Oncologist visit....September 1st.
Next Duke Brain Tumor Center visit....September 12th.
There is no small blessing in life!! God is sooooo Good!!
Peace,
+Sandy
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Just checking in...
I am so grateful for every prayer, every day!
I'm just checking in....
Next MRI is on June 23rd. Next Doctor visit is on June 27th. I will blog when I get the results.
I'm doing GREAT.....enough said!!! ;-D
+Sandy
I'm just checking in....
Next MRI is on June 23rd. Next Doctor visit is on June 27th. I will blog when I get the results.
I'm doing GREAT.....enough said!!! ;-D
+Sandy
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Duke BTC visit - 05/09/2011
Woohoo!!
I had a fantastic visit to the Duke University Brain Tumor Center (BTC) on Monday, May 9th!! I took the CD of my last MRI, which was from 4/20, for the Doctors to review. I received praising comments of "everything looks great", "all looks stable", "it looks a little better than the last MRI", and the real kicker comment....."you have a beautiful brain"!!!!! How much better news can a brain cancer survivor get??? What a great way to end a beautiful Mother's Day weekend with my daughter and son-in-law!!! Alison and I drove on 'Cloud 9' back to Fayetteville for me to catch my flight back to St. Louis.
Next up on my 'healing' agenda:
I had a fantastic visit to the Duke University Brain Tumor Center (BTC) on Monday, May 9th!! I took the CD of my last MRI, which was from 4/20, for the Doctors to review. I received praising comments of "everything looks great", "all looks stable", "it looks a little better than the last MRI", and the real kicker comment....."you have a beautiful brain"!!!!! How much better news can a brain cancer survivor get??? What a great way to end a beautiful Mother's Day weekend with my daughter and son-in-law!!! Alison and I drove on 'Cloud 9' back to Fayetteville for me to catch my flight back to St. Louis.
Next up on my 'healing' agenda:
- MRI end of June - send CD to Duke for their review
- Medical Oncologist visit in STL on June 27th
- MRI early September
- Next Duke BTC visit - September 19th
As your prayers continue to flow, they continue to carry me to healing. There is no doubt in my mind that I am a testimony that prayer works and I am a living testimony that miracles DO happen. God is touching me to go out and touch others by giving me the opportunity to share my story. HE is definitely rewarding us for our faithfulness.
Forever GOD is faithful!
Peace,
Sandy
Friday, April 22, 2011
Latest MRI Results
My cross transforms my life anew!
My apologies that it's been a while since my last update, but your continued prayers have kept me on a track of healing and health.
If you recall, my last chemo treatment was on February 14th and following that I had a MRI on the 18th. My medical oncologist didn't want to see me for 2 months and we scheduled a MRI for prior to that upcoming visit. All was good, life was good, and thankful for being a 'chemotherapy graduate".
I've always experienced some numbing and tingling symptoms, but for the last few weeks, the tingling, numbness and twinges here and there have become a 'bit more noticeable to me. From a brain cancer survivor perspective, you can imagine that every little symptom tends to cause some concern and wondering. Well, two months have passed, believe it or not, and I had a routine MRI on Wednesday, April 20th. All the while I lay in that tube, I pray for everyone on my prayer list (which includes all of you!) and it makes the time go much, much faster. I left the Pratt Cancer Center just feeling very nervous.
Well.....I visited Dr. Stroud, my radiation oncologist, on Thursday morning. He walks into the office and says, "Hi there! You look great, how are you doing?" I looked at him and said, "Thank you and YOU tell me how I'm doing!!" He smiled at me and said, "You're doing great, your MRI is stable!!" I said, "Oh my gosh!" I felt the tears well up, I jumped up from my chair, gave him a hug and said "That's is wonderful, you just made my day....this is fabulous news!! I was prepared to come in here and ask you to pray with me." He said, "It's stable, but we can still pray together! Why were you worried, don't doubt the power of prayer!"
Obviously I was more concerned about the results than I led on to anyone. We talked about the presenting of these symptoms, which is more likely than not the nerves trying to regenerate themselves causing some small seizure activity. I had alot of radiation 15 months ago, and there are long term effects that can happen from it. This is one of them. I will remain aware of any symptoms and we'll just go on from here. I will talk to the neuro-oncologist at Duke about this too. It is such a wonderful relief to know that there is no re-growth and that my head is 'stable'! :-b
Next up on my schedule is visiting Dr. Hu, my medical oncologist, on Monday, April 25th and then I go to Duke Brain Tumor Center for my follow-up on May 9th. (The best part of that trip is that I get to spend a couple of days with Alison and Isaac, since they live about an hour and half from Duke.) In my opinion, based on the outcome of Dr. Hu's visit, I would think it will be another 2 months between appointments. I also think that I won't need to go back to Duke for ~4 months.....but I guess we will see how accurate I am with that. I will update my blog with all of those results.
You all have been such a blessing in my life as your prayers continue to be a phenomenal source of strength to me. We are just a couple of weeks away from the 18-month mark of that life changing diagnosis. Look how our faith has grown....it's amazing as we stand together and give thanks to our awesome God!!
The rising of Jesus has given US ALL new life!
+Peace,
Sandy
My apologies that it's been a while since my last update, but your continued prayers have kept me on a track of healing and health.
If you recall, my last chemo treatment was on February 14th and following that I had a MRI on the 18th. My medical oncologist didn't want to see me for 2 months and we scheduled a MRI for prior to that upcoming visit. All was good, life was good, and thankful for being a 'chemotherapy graduate".
I've always experienced some numbing and tingling symptoms, but for the last few weeks, the tingling, numbness and twinges here and there have become a 'bit more noticeable to me. From a brain cancer survivor perspective, you can imagine that every little symptom tends to cause some concern and wondering. Well, two months have passed, believe it or not, and I had a routine MRI on Wednesday, April 20th. All the while I lay in that tube, I pray for everyone on my prayer list (which includes all of you!) and it makes the time go much, much faster. I left the Pratt Cancer Center just feeling very nervous.
Well.....I visited Dr. Stroud, my radiation oncologist, on Thursday morning. He walks into the office and says, "Hi there! You look great, how are you doing?" I looked at him and said, "Thank you and YOU tell me how I'm doing!!" He smiled at me and said, "You're doing great, your MRI is stable!!" I said, "Oh my gosh!" I felt the tears well up, I jumped up from my chair, gave him a hug and said "That's is wonderful, you just made my day....this is fabulous news!! I was prepared to come in here and ask you to pray with me." He said, "It's stable, but we can still pray together! Why were you worried, don't doubt the power of prayer!"
Obviously I was more concerned about the results than I led on to anyone. We talked about the presenting of these symptoms, which is more likely than not the nerves trying to regenerate themselves causing some small seizure activity. I had alot of radiation 15 months ago, and there are long term effects that can happen from it. This is one of them. I will remain aware of any symptoms and we'll just go on from here. I will talk to the neuro-oncologist at Duke about this too. It is such a wonderful relief to know that there is no re-growth and that my head is 'stable'! :-b
Next up on my schedule is visiting Dr. Hu, my medical oncologist, on Monday, April 25th and then I go to Duke Brain Tumor Center for my follow-up on May 9th. (The best part of that trip is that I get to spend a couple of days with Alison and Isaac, since they live about an hour and half from Duke.) In my opinion, based on the outcome of Dr. Hu's visit, I would think it will be another 2 months between appointments. I also think that I won't need to go back to Duke for ~4 months.....but I guess we will see how accurate I am with that. I will update my blog with all of those results.
You all have been such a blessing in my life as your prayers continue to be a phenomenal source of strength to me. We are just a couple of weeks away from the 18-month mark of that life changing diagnosis. Look how our faith has grown....it's amazing as we stand together and give thanks to our awesome God!!
The rising of Jesus has given US ALL new life!
+Peace,
Sandy
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Touchbase...
Today is the day HE has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!
Happy day everyone!!! Not much to report...which is a good thing I suppose!!
I continue my journey everyday.....optimistically guarded...if that makes any sense. I had grown so accustomed to the 'support' of chemotherapy and it's destruction of the cancer cells. Not having that chemical 'support' anymore (it's been 6 weeks since my last treatment) can make a person feel somewhat vulnerable as every little ache, pain, twinge makes your mind unsettled. HOWEVER....I firmly and unconditionally believe that the 'artificial' support of chemotherapy is no comparison to the 'authentic' support of GOD in my life. HE is the source that has healed me.
Your prayer offerings and support bring all of us to the truth that GOD is awesome, compassionate and the center of all things. That through HIM, we are truly blessed and carried everyday. I am thankful that GOD has used me and given me the opportunity to reach out to others who are struggling with some sort of challenge in their life...it feels wonderful to be able to give back in some small way. If I have touched at least one person through my journey, GOD has made an impact!
I am feeling great. Life is good.
Where have you seen GOD today?
Peace,
Sandy
Happy day everyone!!! Not much to report...which is a good thing I suppose!!
I continue my journey everyday.....optimistically guarded...if that makes any sense. I had grown so accustomed to the 'support' of chemotherapy and it's destruction of the cancer cells. Not having that chemical 'support' anymore (it's been 6 weeks since my last treatment) can make a person feel somewhat vulnerable as every little ache, pain, twinge makes your mind unsettled. HOWEVER....I firmly and unconditionally believe that the 'artificial' support of chemotherapy is no comparison to the 'authentic' support of GOD in my life. HE is the source that has healed me.
Your prayer offerings and support bring all of us to the truth that GOD is awesome, compassionate and the center of all things. That through HIM, we are truly blessed and carried everyday. I am thankful that GOD has used me and given me the opportunity to reach out to others who are struggling with some sort of challenge in their life...it feels wonderful to be able to give back in some small way. If I have touched at least one person through my journey, GOD has made an impact!
I am feeling great. Life is good.
Where have you seen GOD today?
Peace,
Sandy
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Latest MRI Results
Never give up hope. God has done great things for me.
Had my oncologist appointment on Monday, 2/28. Blood counts look Good!...... MRI results look GOod!...... don't have to see him again for 2 months.....GOOd!......Feeling good.....GOOD!!!
I sent a CD of my MRI images down to Duke because, of course, they want to reveiw them as well. Got a phone call yesterday from them and they too say it looks "Stable".....GOOD!! My next appointment with them is May 9th!! We are now officially in "symptom monitor mode". My next MRI is scheduled for the end of April.
It seems as though my life is falling back into place. I know GOD will carry me as I continue this journey, treatment free. Our prayers now turn to this cancer NOT returning. Can we be anymore grateful for the blessings we receive?
I THINK NOT!!
Sandy
Had my oncologist appointment on Monday, 2/28. Blood counts look Good!...... MRI results look GOod!...... don't have to see him again for 2 months.....GOOd!......Feeling good.....GOOD!!!
I sent a CD of my MRI images down to Duke because, of course, they want to reveiw them as well. Got a phone call yesterday from them and they too say it looks "Stable".....GOOD!! My next appointment with them is May 9th!! We are now officially in "symptom monitor mode". My next MRI is scheduled for the end of April.
It seems as though my life is falling back into place. I know GOD will carry me as I continue this journey, treatment free. Our prayers now turn to this cancer NOT returning. Can we be anymore grateful for the blessings we receive?
I THINK NOT!!
We have witnessed the healing power of GOD.
I will stay in touch.
Peace,
Sandy
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