RISE AND SHOUT, the tumor comes OUT!!!

I'm doing the happy dance!!!  We met with the surgeon on Friday and he had nothing but good news for us!  He started out by saying that I have had a dramatic response to the chemo.  He kept using words like incredible and amazing.  When I had my first scan before the chemo, the tumor was "red hot".  Now he says they can't really tell it's there...what a miracle!!!!!!!!!!!!  He said some people have no significant response to this chemo, but my response has been amazing.  No other hot spots anywhere in my body.  He was very happy and excited.  How often do doctors get to give pancreatic cancer patients news like this?  My guess is very rarely.  It has been a feeling of "Shock and Awe" for me.  I always knew that Heavenly Father could make this tumor shrink, but I wasn't sure if that was what his will was for me.  I am overwhelmed with gratitude.  I now have to ask the question: "Why Me"?  Most people ask that when they get cancer, but for me, this question is so important to ask now.  I have thought of all the good people out there with terrible illnesses who are praying for good news and don't get it.  My heart breaks for them.  With this total gift from God, I feel an enormous responsibility to spend every second the way He needs me to.  I am praying to be guided so that I don't waste one single bit of this miracle.  I still have some hard things ahead of me.  The surgery is pretty brutal with a long recovery time, but one thing I've learned this summer is that I can do hard things when the Lord is by my side (and countless loving family and friends). I may have to do 3 more months of chemo after I recover from the surgery, but I can do that too (even though that's the LAST thing I want to do).  If 6 more rounds of chemo buys me more years, so be it. 

 I want to thank you all for your constant love, thoughts, prayers, kindnesses, cards, messages, etc.  You have no idea the positive effect you have had on me.  The Lord has heard your prayers, witnessed your faith, seen your service and has blessed us all with many miracles and tender mercies.  

Thanks to all, we're on our way to a cure, I can just feel it!  I LOVE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU!  Put your dancing shoes on and do your own happy dance...yippeeeee!