Graduation Day for me

This week was a week of medical appointments. Monday I went in to Little Rock and had a CT scan of my chest, abdomen and pelvic areas, and then I had a bone scan of my entire body. The whole purpose...to see any suspicious activity on the scans in case the cancer has returned.

Most cancer survivors approach their scan days with some anxiety. It is very hard not to. I try not to but there is always a little voice in the back of my mind that mentally battles recurrence.

I had the tests on Monday but had to wait until Wednesday for the results. And the results were...(drumroll)... once again, they saw no cancer on the scans! Yeah!!! Yeah God.

After my doctor talked about the scans she said that I don't have to come back for 4 months. I have been going to the oncologist every 3 months now for 3 years, and sometimes more often than that. She also said I will not have another scan for 8 months. I have been doing those every 6 months. And the last "graduation" proclamation was that she gave me permission to get my port out. THAT is big news.

A friend of mine said "I didn't know you still have your port, Lisa." I explained that after I finished my treatment I asked my doctor if I could get my port out and she said "not quite yet". Then about 1 year later I asked again and she said "does it bother you? If not, let's keep it awhile longer". It wasn't that it was bothering me as much as it being symbolic that she did not QUITE think this journey was over and that we should keep it in "just in case". She didn't say that, but when she steered me away from getting it out, those were the unspoken words.

SO...now she has given me permission! Again...it is a huge symbolic step. I am thankful. I'll probably try to get it out before Christmas. It's an outpatient surgery.

My nurse called it "graduation day". Yes..it is. The first year was filled with lots of fighting the disease with medical treatments; the second year, filled with an extraordinary surprise healing, rocking my theology and seeing God move a mountain; and the third year has been learning to fight the battles in my mind against cancer recurring.

And now, I begin Year Four...filled with a grateful heart, filled with hope. I know to not look too far ahead. I'm a one day at a time girl. It's all I can do...it's all I have been called to do.

That's all. November 11 is my graduation day...which was also Veteran's Day. World War I came to a close on that day in history. It was a day of declaring Peace.

God...Thank You for the victory You have given me in this flesh and blood called me. To You be ALL the glory, ALL the praise and ALL the honor. I am a veteran Lord. I am a stronger warrior in the kingdom of God today than I was 3 years ago. I do not declare peace against this enemy. I will continue to wage war against the enemy of this earth, by the power of Your Name, O God, and Your Son, Jesus. Thank You for every victory You have given to me all my life. Thank You.
In Jesus' Name.