[Mary Jo]

Hello Kelly,

First let me offer a huge hug to you. This disease is much more than a physical thing. I, like you, handled my treatment well and even emotionally did quite well. Of course, we all have our days. I find that as time goes on for me (I will be out of chemo 1 year already this Nov. 30 and finished herceptin Oct. 11) it gets harder sometime. Learning to live with the uncertainty of recurrence is very difficult. What keeps me focused and moving forward though is this................

The only difference between us and someone else who hasn't been diagnosed with a life altering disease is that our mortality slapped us in the face. We were forced to look at it whether we wanted to or not. None of us know from one moment to the next what our fate will be. None of us. The best we can do is trust in the Lord - knowing He is the ultimate physician to all of us. He has our lives in his Hands and when our time on this earth is through we will go Home to be with Him. That goes for all of us - not just those of us diagnosed with cancer.

It is a daily prayer for me to put my faith and trust in God and to let the fears go. I've tried to live by God's promise in Romans that reads "for we know that in all things God works for the good for those who love Him and were called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28) I am trusting that He is working out my life the way it is intended to be. I don't understand why there is so much suffering and we'd go nuts trying to figure it out. So I hang on to God - put one foot in front of the other and move forward each day.

Kelly my prayer for you as I type this is His Peace to shower down upon you. I pray this in Jesus' name.

Love from a Sister in Jesus,

Mary Jo