I am finally DONE with treatment! Totally done as in finished, through, and ENDED! No more chemo, no more radiation, no more Herceptin! You can tell by the snazzy, autographed certificate they gave me today that this means my treatment if officially over! As I told Nurse Denise today, it's hard to believe I started treatment a year ago this month. Last year, at this time, a year of treatment seemed like it would be f-o-r-e-v-e-r. Today, the time seems to have flown by.

I even got to meet with Dr. Holmes today, instead of NP Janice, which was an answer to prayer. It's not that I don't like Janice; she's really personable and very skilled. I just wanted to talk with Dr. Holmes today, and it had been a long time since I had an office visit with her. We had a long visit, talking over everything from my test and lab results to the aftermath of my father's death ("Are you depressed? Do you need something?"). She took time to answer each and every one of my questions in detail. It was a good visit and very encouraging.

My tests and labs all came back looking great! My heart is functioning well, in spite of the Herceptin, and the tumor markers are right where they should be. There is nothing present right now that warrants further investigation. In short, I am FREE until my next check up which will be in 3 months. It is a very good feeling (feeling a Mr. Rogers song coming on here....).

I meet Wednesday with Dr. Reddy, the radiation oncologist here in Tomball. I haven't seen him in 3 months; my last visit with him was 2 weeks after I finished treatment there. I am looking forward to going back there and meeting with everyone again. They were a fun group, considering they were responsible for shooting radiation in me and burning my skin! Other than that appointment, the only other thing I have to do is call my surgeon to schedule getting my port removed (since I don't need it anymore!). It's only outpatient surgery, so it should go without a hitch.

We watched the movie, Facing the Giants, on Saturday evening. It's an overtly Christian moving with a very simple and poignant message....."Good or bad, I will praise Him." That was the attitude that I took to this doctor appointment today. I had no idea what those test results would show. We can pray and petition the Lord for healing. We can beg and plead; we can even try to bargain with Him. But the bottom line is that He is in control, and He decides what is best for each of us. So, my only choice thoughout this cancer journey has been "Good or bad, I will praise Him." In light of the good news I received today, that seems like an easy perspective to expound. However, I know that had the news not been as good, I would still be writing the same thing. It might take a little more time to think about, but the end result would be the same. What a mighty God we serve!

Great is Thy Faithfulness (Thomas O. Chisholm, 1923)