Health Update~

Hi all~ today I had my monthly Zometa treatment and Lupron injection. Not sure why but this time I am really feeling it, starting with my hip where they gave me the injection. It is extremely sore, much worse than the others. The Zometa gives you a flu like feeling. Usually I feel well enough to run even on Zometa days, not this time :) So I begin the Advil/Tylenol every 4 hours till I feel better routine.

Maybe going into it after a very physical weekend has something to do with it. We hiked for 6 miles on Saturday, my toes are killing from that ~ time for new hiking boots :) We then went mountain biking for 3 hours on Sunday until Chris's bike broke down. My neck and shoulders are killing from all that jarring on rocks, trees, stumps,etc. :) But... we sure had fun!

With the exception of the self inflicted pain :) and the side effects from my treatment today I have been feeling very good lately! My blood pressure is up a bit these last couple of days but for the most part I have not had to take my BP medicine. All other meds remain the same and I am finally adjusting to living life while on them.
Some other improvements we have noticed; my strength and energy are much better and the pain in my rib and spine come and go but mostly my body feels much stronger now. I notice it throughout the day as well as in my running. I plan to begin training around April/May for the Dallas marathon in December! Meanwhile we are easily running 4 miles 3-4 times a week to keep in shape.
I have started training clients and love it! Planning to begin a 5k run/walk group in April which will end on June 6th with the Komen Race For The Cure!
Usually I meet with my counselor once a week, I have now graduated to once a month! So big improvements with anxiety, fears and peace~
It has been a very long time since I have felt well in ALL these areas at the same time. We continue to pray for Gods healing, recovery and peace that only He can give.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Winter trip to Lake Murray~

Enjoy the photo album from our weekend get a way to Lake Murray in Oklahoma.

Zometa® Improves Outcomes in Premenopausal Women with Hormone Receptor-positive Breast Cancer

Among premenopausal women with early-stage, hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, treatment with Zometa® (zoledronic acid) improved disease-free survival. These results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine, and were previously presented at the 2008 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Each year more than 180,000 U.S. women are diagnosed with breast cancer. Many of these breast cancers will be hormone receptor-positive, meaning that they are stimulated to grow by the circulating female hormones estrogen and/or progesterone. Treatment of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer often involves hormonal therapies that suppress or block the action of estrogen. These therapies include tamoxifen [Nolvadex®] as well as agents known as aromatase inhibitors.

Zometa is a bisphosphonate drug that is used for the treatment of cancer-related hypercalcemia (high levels of calcium in the blood) and of bone metastases in patients with advanced cancers. Recent research has focused on the potential anticancer effects of Zometa and the ability of Zometa to prevent treatment-related bone loss among women with early-stage breast cancer.

The current Phase III clinical trial evaluated Zometa among 1,803 premenopausal women with Stages I-II, hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. The study was conducted by the Austrian Breast and Colorectal Cancer Study Group.

Following surgery all patients were treated with hormonal therapy consisting of goserelin (for ovarian suppression) and either Arimidex® (anastrozole) or tamoxifen. Some patients also received Zometa. Treatment was given for three years. Women have now been followed for a median of four years.

• Disease-free survival was 94% among women who received Zometa in addition to hormonal therapy compared with 90.8% among women who received hormonal therapy alone.

These results suggest that Zometa decreases the risk of cancer recurrence among premenopausal women with early-stage, hormone receptor-positive breast cancer.

Reference: Gnant M, Mlineritsch B, Schippinger W, et al. Endocrine therapy plus zoledronic acid in premenopausal breast cancer. New England Journal of Medicine. 2009;360:679-691.

Response to an e-mail question today

I received an e-mail from someone wanting to know what my thoughts were on having a double mastectomy for women that are at risk or who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. Also, what I thought about having the BRAC analysis test done. I am no expert in these areas and this is the limited response I sent back to her.

HI ~ there will be a lot of different factors to consider about weather or not to have a double mastectomy. For instance the type of cancer, if it is an aggressive cancer or a hereditary cancer. Honestly the best thing to do is to discuss the pros and cons with the oncologist. For instance, I had a mastectomy ( was considering going back to have the other side removed) but before that happened I found out the cancer had come back. However, a double mastectomy would not have made a difference as it had spread from the original site to my rib and spine ( having nothing to do with the other side). It is a hard decision.

On the BRAC analysis test~ it again is a personal decision. My current thoughts on it are If you have a family member/ members that have had breast cancer it would probably be a good idea to have the test OR ask your family member if she knows if that test was performed on her. If she is negative, I may not have the test. If positive, I would. Here's why; there are many things you can do if you know ahead of time that you carry the gene ( including the double mastectomy). I know that sounds so huge to consider but IF you did carry the gene, and ended up with breast cancer you may feel differently then about what you might have done. Nothing is 100% with BC. Again, good things to discuss with a doctor, ob/gyn or even an oncologist.

One of my friends (in her 30's) was diagnosed with BC. Because of her age they did do the BRAC Analysis test which came back negative. She wanted to know because she has daughters, so that is another thing to consider are daughters and granddaughters. Even if a family member is positive it does not mean all daughters will have it. One family had a mom with a positive BRAC test and she had 3 daughters ( young adults) that were all tested. I believe 2 of them were also positive, one was not.

I hope I have not confused you even more. I have not had the test but will be asking my doctor if I should have it. I don't have daughters, I have 3 sons ( all adults) and my concern is for their future daughters. My best advice is for your friend and/or you to discuss these things with a doctor that can look at the individual situations. I can give you the name and # of my oncologist ( who I think is the best :) and you could call and ask if you could come in for a consult. That is how I met him, I went in for a consult many years ago. Otherwise I think a gynecologist may be better to discuss this with than a family doctor.
Hope some of this helps~ one of the "rules" I live by in all of this is "there are no right or wrong decisions, you do the best you can with the information you have, trust your feelings, you know your body best and pray about it."
Elayne

Valentines Day~ our weekend

Hope everyone had a great weekend and a Happy Valentines Day! Chris and I did our usual Friday night run (4 miles) and then home for homemade Pizza and a movie. Matt joined us for Pizza! I woke up Saturday to a dozen yellow roses and the movie "Nights In Rodenthe" :) That evening we watched my new movie as well as a movie I got Chris" Fireproof"with some soup for dinner and a fire.

We spent most of the weekend working around the house. On Saturday we painted and re-decorated the guest bathroom and on Sunday we began working in the garden. Pulling weeds, raking, adding new soil and planting some red onions.

Even though it is getting close to Spring here in Texas we still could have more winter weather so I am holding off planting the rest of my herbs and veggies. This is our 3rd year with the garden and we are learning more and more each season. My Foodfor Life blog has sevearl recipes using herbs and veggies right from the garden. http://elayne-foodforlife.blogspot.com/ This year we wanted to get started a little sooner than the previous years , we will see how it goes.

Hope you all had a great weekend too~

The Boomerang Pillow for pain relief

This post will be helpful to a handful of people but I hope this information brings you some physical comfort and relief as it has for me.
I found this pillow at Sams called the boomerang pillow. As you can see from the shape it supports the neck and back very well.
It is common when you have metastatic breast cancer for it to spread to the ribs and spine as it has with me. The pillow supports these two areas perfectly and helps to relieve some of the pain and discomfort.
Hope this helps, if anyone tries it out let me know if it has helped you.

"You Can and You Will" by Art Ritter

"You Can and You Will"

It’s easy to say
That there’s simply no way
To succeed and you’re at a standstill
But go for it now
And I think that somehow
You’ll find that you can and you will

Someday you might find
That deep in your mind
Comes the thought that you can’t climb that hill
But if you dig deep inside
With all of your pride
Then I tell you, you can and you will

Some people will rant
And shout loudly “You can’t!”
And grave doubt in your mind they’ll instill
Be resolved and take heart
For what sets you apart
Is believing you can and you will

Put your fears on the shelf
And have faith in yourself
If your goals you’re to ever fulfill
With a difficult chore
You can give up or soar
So believe that you can, and you will.

Go and set your goals high
Give things your best try
And don’t listen to nay-sayers shrill
For you never will know
How far you can go
If you don’t say “I can and I will”

Art Ritter
Cancer Survivor
Three Time Marathoner (slow but a marathoner all the same)
Three time TNT fund-raiser
All in my 50's!

This is why we run!

I watched this INCREDIBLE video on my fellow blogger and friend, Art's blog, http://racn4acure.blogspot.com/ Many of us hear "your crazy " at the thought of running a marathon. As I have now made the decision to run my first marathon in Dallas and have recruited my husband and running partner Chris as well as my son Kevin, his friend Steve and I think my sister-in-law Cindy?? Which leaves us just 2 shy ( Carla & Chris??) of the original Team Ambo that ran the Dallas Half Marathon for our brother Jim Minich who lost his life to Leukemia.
Please take a moment to watch this inspiring video, this is why we run~


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtiSEKx7Yfk

Race Planning for 2009!

This is my friend Donise and I getting ready to go for a run today. Donise started training for her first 5k! about 4 weeks ago. We are working on picking a local race around the end of March, beginning of April to run together.

I am pretty sure I have settled on which race to do for my first marathon. I decided to stay here locally for this first one. It is an event I have had my eye on ever since high school when I ran track for Richardson High. Sometimes we would go to White Rock Lake to run and I always thought it would be great to someday "Run The Rock".

As of now the race calendar for 2009 looks like this;
March/ April - 5k ( TBA)
June 6th- Komen Race for the Cure 5k, Plano,Tx.
December 13th- White Rock Marathon! Dallas, Tx.

MRI & Tumor Marker Test Results

NORMAL-NORMAL-NORMAL!!!!!!

So far what I know is the MRI today was normal! I do not know what the PET scan had picked up last week, but TODAY with the further testing, all of you prayer warriors and our Lord's hand of protection, my tests are all normal and my tumor markers are back in normal range!! I will have some more info. tomorrow, however my very good friend ( you know who you are :) called tonight and told me I needed to put "something" on the blog to let all of you know how today went :)

It was a long day, the test took 2 hours, but by the time I got home I already had an e-mail with the good news! The staff , technicians, doctors & nurses are some of the most wonderful people I have ever met. They all take good care of me during some of the most difficult moments. I am so thankful for all of them :) Thank you Dawn and Emily for being so patient today and waiting :) It is our tradition to go get lunch after testing, usually at Brio :) We were all starving and it was good! Thanks for all of your thoughts, prayers, e-mails and calls. I went today feeling very calm and at peace. I could feel your prayers.

My wonderful nurse & friend wrote in the e-mail " you are so normal, it is not normal"! Now that's what we want to hear ~

So I'll stand on Your truth, and I'll fight with Your strength
Until You bring the VICTORY, by the power of Christ in me

Monday @ 11 am

MRI will be on Monday morning @ 11:00 to look at the lymph node area in between the pectoral muscles. They will be trying to get a closer look to determine what is showing up on the PET scan.

If possible, please lift this up over the weekend and Monday @ 11:00 am.
We are praying specifically that the test is conclusive, shows nothing to be concerned about or that the area of concern is gone altogether, and that my tumor markers are normal ( lab results also on Monday).



chorus to "In Me" by Casting Crowns

I'll go, but I cannot go alone
Cause I know I'm nothing on my own
But the power of Christ in me makes me strong

Cause when I'm weak, You make me strong
When I'm blind, You shine Your light on me
Cause I'll never get by living on my own ability
How refreshing to know You don't need me
How amazing to find that you want me
So I'll stand on Your truth, and I'll fight with Your strength
Until You bring the victory, by the power of Christ in me

Thanks all~ Elayne

PET scan results

Well, we may have clicked our heels together just a little too early. I saw my oncologist today and received the test results. Good news and not so good news.

Not so good first~ The PET scan showed a very small ( about the size of a q-tip head) area which they feel is located in the lymph node between the muscles in the pectoral area. This is on the same side as the original cancer. At this point, no-one is sure exactly what it is and the challenge is going to be figuring it out. Because of the location ( between the muscles) and how small it is, it will be very difficult to get to so a biopsy does not seem to be an option. If needed, they will have to do surgery to cut it out. This apparently will be complicated again due to the size & location.
So... what we are doing first is an MRI to try to take a closer look at it. This is where the prayer comes in ~ please pray that the MRI reveals what it is so I do not have to have this surgery and that it is not cancer. God has answered us so many times before so we need lots of prayer warriors on this one :) It could be that we just keep an eye on it and check it again in 3 months to see if there is any change. Just don't know right now.
They also did more labs to check my tumor markers ( which were elevated last month). Please also be in prayer that they have returned to normal and have not increased.

The good news~ There are NO other areas showing anything from all the tests! Other than a bit disappointed I am feeling well. I had a Zometa treatment today and experienced a lot of dizziness , however it seems to be going away. Tim came over after work to get dinner and a movie for us so he would be here with me until Chris got home :) Gotta love having sons!
I will keep you posted~ our dinner and movie are here :)

One more test ~ Monday

Tomorrow morning ( Monday) at 10:30 I have my final test hopefully for a few months. This will be the PET scan.

Then on Thursday morning, I will have a Zometa treatment followed by my check up with the oncologist.So, another busy week with apts., tests, etc.

Specific prayer requests~ My right arm is pretty messed up from last week, so they may have to try to get the IV in the left arm for both the test and Zometa. We are praying for "1 stick" for both of these. Also that there are no complications and the test results from the PET scan also show NED ( no evidence of disease) as were the results from last weeks tests. Thank you all for remaining so faithful through this journey~ Elayne

Test Results

Great News today! Tests look good :)
Here is the e-mail from my oncology nurse ( who knew I would be waiting for these results :)

"HELLO
THOUGHT YOU WOULD LIKE SOME NEWS. YOUR REPORTS READ NO EVIDENCE OF DISEASE. YOUR T 11 AND T 12 IS STABLE, EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD. NOW YOU CAN BREATHE".

Thanks everyone~ Still have a PET scan on Monday, but this is great news!

What a wonderful God we have -- He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of every mercy, and the one who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials. And why does he do this? So that when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them this same help and comfort God has given us. 2 Corinthians 1: 3-4

A long day~

The tests for today are over. It was a long day and I am glad to be home :) I don't have any results yet but want to thank all of you that are thinking about and praying for me/us. I wanted to share something that happened today because I believe there is so much power in prayer and I love to share these experiences when we see God working in big or small ways.
When I arrived at the hospital, they put an IV in my arm for all the injections for the tests. In the past we have had a lot of trouble with my left arm getting the IV in because of so much scar tissue having formed from all the needle "sticks".
So, we began using the right arm which we were unable to use for many years since 13 lymph nodes have been removed. Usually it goes pretty well but not today :( The IV was started and the injection successfully put in for the bone scan. Then I went to have the CT.
Something was telling me that something was wrong. I felt strongly that I needed to tell the person getting ready to load me up with the CT injection that I felt she needed to check the IV. Sure enough it was not working properly, there was a kink in it. It would not have been fun for that stuff to go into my arm instead of the vein. She looked up and said "Oh, Thank you".
After getting Deb ( the one that puts the IV in) and 4 sticks, 1 IV line popping out and 3 "blown" veins later we were good to go!
We always pray for protection, wisdom & discernment, as well as for my doctors, nurses and technicians. Today, we once again saw the answers to prayer .So, thank you all for praying today, please continue to pray as we await the test results over the next few days.
Now, it's time for Advil and my Dead Sea salt bath :)
Goodnight all~

Prayer for tomorrow's tests~

Hello everyone!
Well, tomorrow ( Tuesday) is test day once again. I will ( after drinking that nasty contrast) be having a bone scan, CT chest/pelvic scan and chest x rays. It is a long and difficult day but it will be over tomorrow and Chris will be with me :) Next week I head to Arlington for a PET scan. There has to be one week in between these tests because of all the contrasts, dyes etc. that is injected.
Specific Prayers;
I am a bit more concerned this time as my tumor markers are elevated and the CT angiogram showed a small area of concern on my spine ( T11). These may or may not mean anything.
I would really appreciate prayer for today, tomorrow and as we wait for results. Please join us in praying for NED ( no evidence of disease) OR better put~ for healing!

Otherwise, I have felt ok, the pain in my rib and neck has increased and we are also praying for relief from that again.Advil does seem to help and there is a lot of tension in the muscles around those areas. I am doing yoga, massage, and Sea salt baths for that. My parents brought me Dead Sea bath salts and minerals from Israel ~ how wonderful! My blood pressure has again gone up too high and I am trying to find a balance with my meds. to keep it under control. I am once again back on the beta blocker and BP medication ( half dose).

I have been able to run and do all as usual. I am very easily running 4 miles at a good pace and still have my sights on a marathon. I have started training a couple of clients and am fortunate to be one of those people who "love their job"!
Thanks everyone for hanging in there with me~

So ever since we fist heard about you we have kept on praying and asking God to help you understand what He wants you to do; asking Him to make you wise about spiritual things; and asking that the way you live will always please the Lord and honor Him, so that you will always be doing good, kind things for others, while all the time you are learning to know God better and better, We are praying, too, that you will be filled with His mighty, glorious strength so that you can keep going no matter what happens -- always full of the joy of the Lord, and always thankful to the Father who has made us fit to share all the wonderful things that belong to those who live in the Kingdom of light. Colossians 1: 9-12

My friend has cancer~

What do I do, how do I be a friend when my friend is living with cancer?

I decided to touch on this because I think this is a tough area for everyone. Just last week I sent an e-mail to a few friends after talking with my counselor and decided I needed to be specific about how they could help. Realizing that others don't know what you need if you don't ask. Many people can't or won't ask so I hope this puts a voice to those that need it. There are some do's & dont's here that I hope you find helpful. I realize that it is very difficult to know what to say or do so hopefully some of this will help you and your friend. After 10 years of living with cancer these are a few things that I have found helpful~

~ phone calls, cards, e-mails, comments on their blog, etc. Sometimes phone calls are too much, especially if your friend is going through treatments and does not feel well. If you are a caretaker, maybe encourage letting voice mail pick up the calls until the person feels up to returning them. Don't be discouraged if you don't hear back from them, it still means a lot.

~ going for a walk or run together if your friend is well enough. This is always a nice change and helped me both times. Getting outdoors and moving is very therapeutic however sometimes your friend may need encouragement to get out there.

~ Staying positive about your friends future. Talk about goals, plans, life. There are plenty of doubts regarding the future and talking about moving forward is very helpful.

~ talk about your life and family ( hopefully the positive things). Your friend wants the distraction of other people's lives. Not to dwell on theirs all the time.

~ No-one wants to be in this situation, and your friend definitely does not want to be perceived as "unable". If they are up to it give them opportunities to help you or others. This may be in a big or small way. Whatever they may be up to, use your discretion so they don't feel "obligated" if it is too much. Many people going through or that have been through cancer like to "speak" to groups or encourage others in any way that is helpful. If there is an oppurtunity, ask them.

~ Get together. Do the things you always did together. Go out for lunch, coffee, shopping etc. If your friend is not up to that just visit, talk, watch a movie together. Work on a project together ( photos, painting, family journals, etc). Especially during times that family members are away. Idle time is very difficult, so filling in some of that time is helpful.

~ Let your friend know you are praying for them. I can personally tell you I know when there is prayer being lifted up for me. Trust me-they know.

~ Let them know how you feel about them, that you love them and what they mean to you.
~ Have Fun! Laugh!

What to avoid~
~ Questions, questions, questions. It is very difficult for the person with cancer to continually be answering questions. Each time it brings the situation to the forefront of their minds and they have to then work very hard to "shake it".
It is understandable that you want to know what's going on and how your friend is "really" doing. I have been in the same position with many friends. If they have a blog or newsletter that is the best way to keep up with the details they want to share. Otherwise asking someone like their caretakers, or family would be a better alternative.

~ Don't ask them if they are going to die or how long they have to live. Yes, people do ask these questions. This is troubling enough with out having to answer that question. Remember, be positive and look forward with them. If they want to share that, they will.

~ please do not feel the need to tell your friend about everyone you know that has cancer and how horrible a time they had or that they did not make it. This really does not help. If the story does not have a happy ending it is not appropriate to share with your friend or their family members.

~ please avoid introducing your friend as "this is the one with cancer" or "cancer patient". Your friend is trying to live a normal life and their "normal" name works just fine :)

~ If your friend is in treatment, be encouraging about the beautiful person they are to you. Avoid focusing on what it may be doing to them physically. It is temporary. It is not helpful to your friend if you take one look at them and begin to cry or have a horrified look on your face. Just remember who that person is~ your friend.

Most people are affected by cancer in one way or another. I hope that sharing this is helpful to you and your friend should you ever be in this situation.

I know some of you are also survivors, family members, caretakers, etc. Your thoughts left in the "comments" section would be great to share on this subject from your own experiences.

New Years 21 mile Bike Ride~

Happy New Year everyone! Chris and I had a very nice time ending 2008 and beginning a new year in 2009. It was just the two of us this year.
We sometimes like to do "movie marathons". I think it began one year when the boys were younger and we watched all the Rocky movies in one night. Last night we made it through 3 , had a glass of pink champagne at midnight, put in movie #4 and we were out.
New Years Day 2009!

Today we did one of our favorite things. It is a 21 mile trail ride on our mountain bikes. The weather was perfect! We started riding this trail many years ago and I noticed today how easy it has become since we have started running. I used to struggle to make it to the 6 mile stop point and by mile 21 I was hobbling to the car. Thankfully we are past that part now :)

We like to go at all different times of the year as the beauty of the landscape is so different depending on the time of year. Texas, for the most part is ugly in the winter but out here there is a natural beauty that I love.
We always see different animals and wildlife. No snakes this time :) I did, however almost run over an armadillo. There was a large group of people out riding their horses today and we rode past bunch of cows.

We always enjoy seeing so many people out, riding bikes, horses, running, hiking, kayaking etc. We even ran in to a few we knew, including the headmaster and his wife ( the boys former English teacher) from high school. We rode the last 2 miles in with them and enjoyed visiting.

This stop was very cool. We parked our bikes and walked down to the creek where there was an old bridge, or what is left of it. It is the bridge that Bonnie and Clyde escaped on after robbing the Pilot Point bank~ as the story goes. All these years and we have just whizzed by on our bikes never knowing it was even there.

Famous Bonnie & Clyde bridge

This is a not so famous bridge but a pretty part of the ride.


We had a great time and a great start to a new year! I hope you all had a great day today too and pray for a safe and healthy 2009.

Does Your Life Have a Purpose?

Does Your Life Have a Purpose?
by Dan Miller

People living on the islands of Okinawa and Sardinia are more likely to reach 100 years of age than people living anywhere on earth. These people attribute their long lives not to healthy eating, leisure living, or great genes, but to a term they love to use -- ikigai which in essence means "sense of purpose."

To expand it a little, ikigai is related to positive life-satisfaction, self-esteem, morale, and a sense of having meaning in one's life. So people who possess ikigai have defined "that which makes one's life worth living." Unfortunately there is not really an American English equivalent word, but we certainly understand the concept -- it's what all of us long for, as well.

This goes beyond a basic spiritual sense of purpose and eternal connection. Having resolved our spiritual position, it's that feeling that our life is valuable and that our future is worthwhile, even if our present circumstances are dark. In studies of these island dwellers it appears that having ikigai is not connected to economic status at all.

Now what about you? Is your sense of having purpose and a life worth living independent of your circumstances, or has your current situation also deflated your confidence in the value of your life? While the holiday season can be a delightful time of year, for some this upcoming month will also be stressful, emotionally taxing, and a reminder that goals were not achieved this year.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself:
1. Do I know where I stand spiritually and have I resolved how I will spend eternity?
2. Have I discovered my "purpose" now -- here on earth?
3. What did I accomplish this year that I should be celebrating? (It's easy to get too busy to notice all you have accomplished.)
4. What can I do to have a daily sense of ikigai in 2009?

Got the go ahead to train for a marathon!

Hi all~ today I saw my cardiologist to go over the results in more detail from the CT angiogram. Everything with my heart looks good and I have the ok to train/run a marathon! I will remain on a very low dose of the beta blocker as it seems to keep my BP where it needs to be with out much in the way of side effects. I go back in 3 months for a follow up. So, that was all good.

I have been concerned about the report referring to "multiple areas on the ribs & spine" so the doctor called and spoke to the radiologist to get more details. It appears the rib that was noted is the area that we already know about and the spine seems to be something new but was noted as being very small. This is an area (t 11) that has been noted before but not as cancer. So... the tests in January will tell us more but for now that was overall good news. I am feeling good, just have some pain in my rib area but have been able to continue running. Chris and I braved the cold tonight and ran a "quick" 4 miles :)

Please continue to keep the upcoming tests/results and Gods healing in prayer with us.
Merry Christmas!!
Elayne