This past Saturday. Chocolate fudge sauce. From scratch. It was the first time in weeks I have stood in my kitchen by the stove. It was a good feeling, and the results were better than expected! Everyone loved it. And I have to share the link because it was so yummy -- click here for deliciousness! :-)

Resting today. Eating/drinking a kale/orange/wheatgrass smoothie. Catching up on some thankyou note writing. Petting my cat. Listening to the rain and the birds. And thanking my Lord for His death and resurrection - which sounds like a fairytale, but is true. (Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief.)

My infusion, scan, doc appointment all went well yesterday. I kept a copy of the ultrasound report because it's so encouraging! The tumors have shrunk an average of 50% since I began treatment March 10. The last line of the report says, "All measurements are smaller than previously and show good response to chemotherapy." I want to frame this report! 

Last night I celebrated with coffee icecream and hot fudge sauce. Life is sweet!

Tim and I had a Lord of the Rings marathon this past weekend. Each night we watched a different film. There is SO MUCH story! Tim had never seen them before and loved them. He is such a boy. He even stood up and practiced his sword swings during the battle scenes.

I love a good story. And this one in particular moves me. One friend, upon learning of my diagnosis, texted me and said, “Take the tumors to Mount Doom!”

So I am.

I’ve had two infusion treatments at which I received the drug Herceptin which is a smart drug effectively targeting and shrinking the largest of the tumors. I’ve had two shots in my abdomen which make my body stop producing so much estrogen (because estrogen was “feeding” the other tumor), which has put me straight into menopause. I also take two cancer medications orally every day.  The tumors are shrinking. That’s good news! There is still surgery and radiation on the horizon. This journey has only started.

Next week, on the 21^st, is another infusion treatment. I’m tolerating all the drugs better than I expected to. I feel almost normal some days and then others I’m just tired. Or dizzy. Or my skin hurts. But the good food we keep receiving is doing wonders for my overall well-being.  And the help we are receiving on so many fronts is making me able to spend more time resting, or walking, or working, or watching super-long movies with my children. What a blessing.

So, I’m walking this path to Mordor to rid myself of this burden.   “One does not simply walk into Mordor.”  It’s a long path and it’s not easy, but I have so much help in so many ways. So many warriors coming to my aid. So many good things happening on the journey....

Monk has become one of our good friends. Watching him makes me forget I’m even sick. The whole family enjoys the show, and we laugh, not only at him, but at how we each have little quirks like he does.

Thank God for little escapes from daily life. It’s so good to simply turn my thoughts from myself and from others, and just focus on something fictional. I don’t want to hide there (well, actually, I do), but I do need a break sometimes. We all do.

Reality has its upswings, too. I saw my oncologist on Monday, and the news is good. The tumors in my left breast are shrinking like they’re supposed to! Chalk some points up for “smart drugs”! We are all very encouraged by this. Looks like I’m right on track in this treatment.

So, it’s back to our new normal for a couple of weeks before more meds, tests and doc visits. Feeling very hopeful this Spring.