Cancer Journey in Photos

My husband took these shots. Kind of holds the story in photographic bullet points. 

And so it begins. Standing at the top of the hallway, the journey of discovery and treatment still ahead of me.
This was taken at Group Health Capital Hill.

One ultrasound where we found a tumor (Feb 17, 2012), two needle biopsies, a lot of crying
and a little bit of hysterics later, we find out definitively that it's cancer on May 23, 2012.
Taken at Group Health Tacoma Medical Center.

When I'm afraid (and I was totally terrified in this photo), I close my eyes and pray that I will become a tree.
That my roots will reach deeply into the Source and Center, that my trunk will hold me up and flex in the wind,
and that my branches will see far visions of what I can't see anchored to the ground.

I thought I would be so nervous about the surgery and I was super relaxed that day.
 I surprised myself. June 22, 2012.

Surgery time! That's my ID number so that Randy could
watch the screen and see my surgery progress. Very cool.

There I am, Dr. Harper's patient. 

Not having cancer is WAY sexier than having cancer!

Dr. Amy Harper from GHC, my awesome surgeon. She was fantastic.
She came to check on me but I was completely out of it.

It didn't take too long for me to feel well enough to sit up a bit and even eat.
It was slow healing, six weeks without a voice, but I still made sure I was heard. ;)

The next day, we went home. I thought they were crazy to let me go so soon.
We stopped on the way home and had the best Pho, so healing.
My nose ring was an unfortunate casualty.

Surgery to remove cancer: complete.

Thanks to my amazing husband for taking these shots and documenting the journey. :)