My Cancer Story
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Meet Our Son, Levi! + His Birth Story
A Little Oopsy: Although I was 39 weeks pregnant, Andrew and I went to church and enjoyed the day together just like any other Sunday. We went to lunch at one of our favorite spots, went on an evening stroll with our dog and watched a good ol‘ movie. Before we knew it, the day was almost over! That evening, Andrew added some final items to the hospital bag and walked it downstairs to put in the car. I sat in the rocking chair in our baby’s room eating my favorite vegan ice cream with anticipation for our son’s arrival. After some time, I realized that Andrew had been gone for…
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I Am Woman: My Maternity Photos!
NINE MONTHS PREGNANT. Boy did this pregnancy fly by! It seems like it was just yesterday that we saw those double lines on an at-home pregnancy test. I’m very grateful that my husband is my partner in crime in photography! It was so special to have him take my maternity photos and share this experience together. We can tell our son that his dad took these photos while his mama carried him! This pregnancy has been such a journey with preparing for motherhood as I witnessed my body completely transform. Initially, I hesitated to share my maternity photos because they show the weight gain, stretch marks, and quite frankly are a…
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WE’RE PREGNANT!
WE’RE PREGNANT! Okay, so maybe you’ve already known for a while due to my posts on social media but we’re expecting our first child! Looking back, it’s funny how things work out. In February, I was afraid that we’d have more trouble conceiving even after my operations. Before we discovered that we were expecting, we sat down in our living room and discussed our family plans. Plan A: Continue to hope and try for a baby for at least a year. If that didn’t work out, then we’d result to Plan B: contact my doctor to discuss IVF. However, unbeknownst to us, we were already pregnant! The following Saturday I had…
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I Was Diagnosed: Part Four, I’m Cancer-Free!
Hi reader, Happy New Year! Thank you for stopping by to read the final chapter of my cancer story. I encourage you to read my other posts to follow along! Late December of 2017, I had surgery to remove my right ovary and fallopian tube. Weeks leading up to this day, I felt confident and relaxed that everything would be okay. However, as the surgery date approached, I was struck with anxiety and restlessness. I suddenly wasn’t my typical positive self anymore. I prayed and asked the Lord “What’s happening to me?!” I soon realized that I was saddened at that fact that I would be losing a part of…
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I Was Diagnosed: Part Three
Hello reader! Thank you for keeping up with me in this chapter of my life! Please read Part Two to stay up to date on this story. After a long-awaited call from the oncology department, we finally scheduled my appointment. My husband and I arrived the following morning at the hospital looking forward to learning more about my condition. As he parked the car he reached over and held my hand and then whispered, “Don’t worry honey, everything is going to be okay. We’ll get this all figured out.” On a typical day, his gentle words would ease my weary heart, but today was different. Very different. Somehow, I gathered the…
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I Was Diagnosed: Part Two
Congratulations, you’ve made it to part two of my story! I encourage you to read I Was Diagnosed: Part One to ensure that everything makes sense along the way. Okay, let’s dive in! As you may know now, I’m pretty sensitive to anesthesia. Due to my post-op discussion with my husband about accidentally stepping on a snail. I mean, a serious mini meltdown and my poor guy went along with it too! I was completely out of it for a few days as the anesthesia hadn’t officially worn off. Somehow, I gathered the strength to go for a stroll in our neighborhood the next day which I slightly regretted later on. I…
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I Was Diagnosed: Part One
I waited for this procedure for months prior. Something we thought was a right ovarian cyst that is actually quite common for women. My physician and I have monitored this mass with ultrasounds every three months for over a year. Because the mass continued to grow, she was concerned and suggested I get it removed. I knew in my heart it was the right thing to do, considering now at this point we’re unsure of what it is but not once thinking of the worst. Five o’clock in the morning on October 30th, 2017, my husband, Andrew, and I gathered ourselves to prepare for a long road ahead. It…
