A wise Shrek once said...

"Better out than in..."

Now Shrek may have been talking about something other than a Power Port, but it still applies, sort of. Pam is scheduled to be in the ambulatory/surgical unit at Methodist Hospital tomorrow morning to have her port removed. That port has been part of a combination of outward symbols of Pam's ongoing fight with this cancer. It is rarely used now and despite the $23,000+ it cost to have it put in (yes, you read that right) it is coming out. Hopefully there won't be a need to have this "lump" put back in. Pam's goal is to be lump-free from now on.

Speaking of lumps, back in January, post cancer surgery/pre-chemotherapy, Pam found a few more small lumps that concerned her. The plan was to watch them through chemo and radiation. She did. No change during chemo, growing or shrinking, and it was thought that perhaps they were scar tissue. Radiation finished a couple of weeks ago and Pam noticed something. Actually she didn't notice something. SomethingS. The lumps disappeared with the radiation. So what were they? Don't know, but they are gone.

So here we are in August. Pam spent the summer in low key mode, doing treatments, going to the occasional baseball game, not much else. The day to start the anti-hormone therapy has come and gone, still in deliberations on that one (with herself). She wants to feel well for the first time in a long time. She wants to feel like she felt a year ago when she helped with Erin's cheerleading team and ruled the chain gang every Saturday, be it at home or away games. (On a side note, she is mildly bummed that Erin isn't cheering and Josh isn't playing football this year, rather he is playing baseball for his school team, meaning she is out of a job.)

Our kids survived the summer quite well. Erin had a hard time determining which day of each week was her favorite. She eventually admitted it was Monday at the Bergen's enjoying time with all the other kids there and the pool. A sheepish admittal from Josh came a couple of weeks ago as he and I talked about our vacationless summer. His words, "I know it was a hard for mom, but I had a great summer." Pam didn't mind, that was the goal. Our kids tend to be overly penalized because of cancer, and it is nice to know they didn't feel so this time. It took a great deal of effort and a lot of help, but it was worth it. Everyone has problems/issues. It is hard enough for kids to be kids these days. Double hard when they have to carry their parents problems around.

So we will carry on and pray for the best as Pam begins (maybe) the next treatment phase that will present new and interesting challenges.

Rom. 12:18

radiation completion

Pam finished radiation last Friday afternoon. She did so with a bit of mixed emotions. Complicated. But it is done. The schedule for the next few weeks will be much lighter for her. She will have a chance to catch up on some rest, a chance to create new and more satisfying routines. Her goal is to build herself up to a healthier place before she begins hormone therapy. She can do it.

It was almost 24 hours exactly after her last treatment that she met up with our Chillicothe St. Jude Runs team and ran the 1.3 miles through town. 1.3 miles is a far cry from the 21 she ran on Saturday a year ago, but a huge victory for her this year. The event is about raising money for kids with cancer and for the past 5 years has been her thing. The thought of not participating the day of the event was a tough one and she is happy she was able to run a bit, raise a lot and join in with the team at the telethon Saturday night.

Thank you for being with her both in prayer and in person as she has battled every day of this year. The struggles will continue, we accept that. We take things one day at a time and that is OK.