Six Weeks and Counting

As I sipped my tea and wrote this post earlier this morning I had a "moment," if you will, of being overwhelmed with thankfulness.  Not by coincidence (I'm sure) my devotionals this week have really focused on thankfulness in all seasons of life.  Here I sit six weeks away from one of the most important days of our life - Drew and I - we're REALLY about to be married!  I cannot even describe the weight that has been lifted off of our shoulders as we realize it really. is. coming.  The day will soon be here when we get to be husband and wife.  We are SO ready to start our life together - and we are beyond excited about celebrating with our family and friends on May 25.

Speaking of joyous days - we had a pretty great day on March 28.  First and foremost, we celebrated another year of my amazing Mom's life.  I won't announce her age - but my dad did feel the need to share over breakfast that morning that she still weighs the same as the day he met her...and to that he said, "How many guys can say that about their wives?!"  Great Dad, I'm sure Mom is just overwhelmed by your enthusiasm of her consistent weight (and even more enthused that I included it in today's blog - oops).  We all had to laugh - but with a bit of hesitation - as we sat in the 64th St. diner waiting to see Dr. Sherman at Memorial Sloan Kettering.  Those mornings are tough to describe; we are thankful to be seeing one of the best doctors; our nerves are through the roof as we anticipate the results; but there's also a sense of "God's totally got this."  That last feeling is what allows us to still laugh together even as we anticipate the doc's report.  God is so good, He is so faithful, and He is the Great Physician.  He's got this...it's too big for us.

So, we met with Dr. Sherman.  And my scans and lab work are stable.  Praise. the. Lord.  We looked at a calendar and he said, "Pick the date that you'd like to come back after your honeymoon - we'll see you after the wedding."  At that moment my pulse went from about 125 to 80 beats per minute.  Then, he shared some more news with us.  The research part of Memorial Sloan Kettering is offering a test to patients (that wasn't really available a year ago for people with my type of Cancer) - I'll be going for another thyroid biopsy (a 10 minute, non-invasive procedure) at the beginning of June.  This biopsy will be able to tell them why type of mutation I have that essentially is the cause for the Medullary Cancer.  This information will help us someday if/when we discuss a route of treatment because they will be able to specifically target the mutation (only the bad stuff), instead of using a general drug that might target the good and bad.  Patients who are able to make use of a mutation specific drug have had really great results - tumor shrinkage, slowing of the disease etc.  I won't need to have scans and the "whole work-up" until the end of July - so I'll see Dr. Sherman again in August.  Best feeling ever?  To be able to say - "See you at the end of the summer, and when I'm a 'Mrs.' doc."

The recap?  Dr. Sherman said this was all really his hope when I came to see him a year ago.  We have fourteen months of data on my specific Cancer and my scans and labs are virtually unchanged.  When my numbers are charted - it's a flat line.  This is a SLOW growing disease that I've had for a majority of my life (of course only having known for a year - but we trust that was all in God's timing).  We can have hope that treatment is a ways down the road, and that there will continue to be great advances in that treatment before the time comes for me.

Praise the Lord - am I right?!

Your prayers are felt and your continued support is so heartwarming.  We love all of you!  Please continue to pray for us as we field the challenges of these next six weeks - preparations, patience, excitement and heavy work schedules to manage.  And of course, as Drew and I pray together each day, for healing, guidance and wisdom.

Know that we're praying for all of YOU too!  To my USC friends who are beginning new jobs in new places - I am so proud of you!  The world of higher education is blessed to have you - and I know you'll make an incredible difference in the lives of your students!  And, to my little sister - who will graduate in just 4 weeks from college - we love you and can't wait to celebrate this great accomplishment (and cheer you on as you pursue even more education - woohoo!).

It's an exciting spring, and we're sending all of the glory up and living today in His presence knowing that through Him we can face uncertainty with perfect peace.

Hugs from PA!

Sarah