2022, I'm Counting on You!

Today is the last day of 2021. As I look back over the year, I had many blessings and lessons.

I started a new job. Learned new things, made new friends, gained more experience and got a better understanding of healthcare paperwork. I continued my cancer battle with metastatic cancer to the liver and lungs. Thanks to mixed up pills I found out that anti-nausea meds really do work. Thank goodness it only happened once.

I gained confidence in my new career and took on more responsibilities. I offered to help out at our Mandan clinic and the morning I drove into the parking lot I was greeted by the song of a Red Wing Blackbird. I took that as a sign I was where I belong.

During the summer I learned more medical terminology and patience as I healed from an emergency appendectomy. I learned to slow down even more in order to heal. I also found out that due to all my body was dealing with, that the heat of summer, which I used to love, now made me ill at times. But I still made memories with good friends.

My family grew and we had gatherings to celebrate different milestones. We had lots of good times with graduation parties, a baby shower and baptisms, birthday parties and holiday gatherings. Out of state relatives and friends came for visits and more memories were created.

In September I was declared No Evidence of Metastatic Disease. I shed tears of joy and thanks that I had once again beat cancer. I became a mentor to friends who got the awful cancer diagnosis. I shared what worked for me and offered personal insight as they started their battles.

I got involved in road races again. I walked one and jogged another, seeing old friends and having fun making memories while raising money for good causes. I took a couple of fun classes with family members and learned new things.

A couple days before Christmas I found out the reason for my abdominal pain, the cancer was back. Peritoneal Carcinomatosis. Once again learning new terminology and educating family too.

So, I will begin the new year, fighting my hardest cancer battle yet. I will not give up. God obviously has a plan for me, he never gives us more than we can handle. I will continue to make memories. I will continue to receive blessings and lessons.

Happy New Year to you. May your year be filled with blessings and lessons.