Cancer has brought us many blessings, it has also brought us much sorrow. One cannot experience the good without knowing the bad. We are so grateful that our little Erin is doing so wonderful. She is happy, strong, and enjoying life. Sometimes it is hard to believe that she is 4 1/2 months off of treatment. She has her 5 month check-up this coming Thursday. Every day one of the kids asks about our upcoming Make-a-Wish trip to Disneyworld. We feel overwhelmingly blessed in so many areas.
In the beginning of Erin's cancer we didn't know anyone, but now as we reach our one year mark I cannot help but think about all the new dear friendships we have made. We have supported one another and rejoiced and cried together. Our hearts always feel heavy as we learn about others who are just starting into this rough life with cancer. Some of our friends are still inpatient, some are just starting, some are finished, and some have angel children living in heaven waiting to be reunited with them.
Cancer was hard and the thoughts of loosing Erin still linger in the back of my mind. But, this life is not the end. When we die, we go on to a much greater and beautiful existence and we continue to live, for eternity. This life is such a small, yet vitally important part, of the whole grand scheme, a stepping point to a much greater existence. I wish everyone in this world understood the importance of this life and the importance of the choices we make.
When Erin was first diagnosed, our Stake President came to visit us and he said some things that have remained etched in my heart. He told us that it would be hard to have a child die, but it would be even worse to have a child suffer spiritual death.
The Family is the central part to God's plan and I am so thankful to be married to John. Yesterday my younger sister, Annie, was married in the Logan Temple. It was a beautiful ceremony performed by my father's cousin, Elder Christofferson. She and her fiance were sealed together for eternity; not death do you part, but to be married and be together forever, even after death..
Every day I am continually reminded about how important life is. A few times a week I check up on the blogs of my cancer friends. I cry when I hear bad news and I cheer when I hear successes. We will always remember Kim Nelson who passed away 6 weeks ago from relapsed AML. We have had ALLeukemia Friends who have just finished 2 1/2 years of treatments, that is such a long time to deal with Leukemia. Our friend Rachel who was diagnosed the same time as Erin, but received a bone marrow transplant, just got her "tube-ees" out and is gearing up to be the student body secretary at her High School this next school year. Aubree, almost 1 year old, recently had a bone marrow transplant from her brother, but she is back inpatient suffering from some serious sicknesses and hasn't eaten for a very long time, she is on over 15 oral medications right now. Little Andrew just finished his last of 5 rounds of chemo and will be getting to ring the bell soon. And just today, I read that our friend from Logan, Tanner, has received some really hard news. He is suffering from 3 very serious issues (pancreatitis, typhlitis, and third space - where his plasma is leaking out of his vascular system into his chest cavity). He has also found out that his body has become immune to the chemo and that he has too many cancer cells and is unable to get a bone marrow transplant. This is such hard news for his family and we hope that he and his family can receive some peace and strength from this challenge. When you find yourself on your knees talking to your Father in Heaven please remember these kids and their families in your prayers.
Tags: "Acute Myeloid Leukemia"
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