On Friday January 13th 2012 we had our Relay For Life kick-off in Blount County. We had the blessing of hearing Lindsay Jones who is now 15 years old share her testimony. Lindsay was 4 years old when they discovered she had a very rare cancer rhabdomyosarcoma, this disease took Lindsay's eyesight. Her outlook on life is more than most people who still have all their senses. I met Lindsay in 2006 when we both won awards from the American Cancer Society Life Inspiration. She can sing, goes to a regular school, is in all kinds of programs. Her saying "Even though I have lost my vision I have not lost my vision for Living". Lindsay blessed my heart, she gave me the passion to continue this endeavor of finding a cure for cancer.
I also had the honor of sharing my testimony. Many of you know that not only do I have to battle this dreadful disease, so have many of my family members. The loss of my parents, brother and son has been so hard. Each day as I awake I don't know just what will unfold, however I do know that God will provide a way. On Saturday morning January 14, 2012 I stood on my back deck at 8:30 am, I could see the moon. I quickly looked back because I caught a glimpse of something. As my eyes looked back I could see my sweet Daniel's face, he had a big smile as if to say mama I love you. Oh how my heart leaped for joy, it is these little treasures that God gives to me that keeps me remembering there is HOPE.
My passion in life is to not only serve an AWESOME GOD, it is to also help those who battle a terrible disease. Once you have walked the road of being hurt, sick, scared, a feeling of lostness you can never forget what a diagnosis of cancer does to your friends and family. This is what drives the passion of helping others in need.
In January of 2011 I went for my yearly colonoscopy and they ran the upper EGD to make sure that I had no polyps in the upper small intestine. The doctor came out and said I am sorry but you have a lot of polyps on your duodenum. I said what is that, I had no idea.
duodenum [doo″o-de´num]
the first or proximal portion of the small intestine, about
25 cm (10 inches) long, extending from the pylorus to the jejunum. It plays an
important role in digestion of food because both the common bile duct and the
pancreatic duct empty into it. It is subject to various disorders, the most
common of which are peptic ulcers and obstruction due to
dilatation of the intestine and stasis of the duodenal contents. The duodenum
also may be the site of diverticula, fistulas, and occasionally tumors.
The doctor said we did a biopsy of these polyps and will
know in a few days if they are pre-cancer or cancer. She referred me to a
special doctor who could perform surgery if needed. So I began a new journey
not sure just where it would end. My new doctor said all the biopsy's came back
positive for pre-cancer. Surgery was a must to get rid of these before they
developed into cancer.
This is the procedure I had done on February 15, 2011.
Pancreas-Sparing Distal Duodenectomy
I am currently still healing from this surgery. I had a lot of complications due to infection, the loss of proteins and vitamins. In March I will have my 1 year test done to make sure there are no polyps on what is left of my duodumen.
I pray each day that there will be a cure for my disease. I still have HOPE that my phone will ring and the doctor will say we have a pill for you to take to keep the polyps from growing. I am not fearful for that would give the devil an inch into my life to torment me with his power. I have the POWER OF MY GOD, SAVIOR, LORD, AND HEALER. I am just like you, I laugh, play and enjoy life. I love my sweet Donald who encourages me to be all that I can. I will continue until there is no more cancer to hurt, kill and destroy the lives of those who are in the world.
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