Lately quite a few medical folk are commenting how thick my file is. My first reaction is sadness: I’ve had so many appointments and tests that the paperwork is ridiculous. My second reaction is gratitude. I wish I’d never needed a cancer file, but now that I’ve got one I’m glad it keeps growing! While I wish we could close it down and file it away deep in the archives, the reality is that I’m still living – with cancer – but living!

Part of my file: my oncology nurse leaves the rest in the office since it’s too heavy to carry!

Yesterday marks the one year anniversary since I started this clinical trial, and I’m thankful that the clinical trial nurses have run out of pages for my pharmacology file and had to make more copies to fill in my chart. I am currently in cycle 18 and my latest scans are still good. Praise God!

I am thankful for these pills I take every morning.

I’m thankful that although I suffer side effects, they are manageable and the pills are effective. Many people can’t tolerate the side effects and have to discontinue this drug. I’m thankful that my numbers are good.

blood pressure, pulse, blood oxygen%, temperature

I’m thankful that I don’t have to travel long distances for good medical care. (Some cancer patients travel hundreds of km, or even to a different continent for treatment.) I’m thankful to receive cancer medication free of charge – a benefit I receive from being on the clinical trial.

I’m thankful for Spring and the explosion of vibrantly colourful beauty! (Way too many photographs to post here!)

I’m thankful to have celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary last week, and for the friends who brought and ate yummy dessert with us.

I’m thankful for field trips, music recitals, school bake sale fundraisers, and so many more moments that I get to share with family and friends … even ones that may seem mundane. I’m ridiculously thankful that I was able to bake four cakes for my kids’ school fundraisers this past month, and volunteer for a few different things. I keep praying for wisdom and trying to stretch myself further while asking the Lord for “daily bread”: everything I need for each day. He gives generously, pouring an abundance of grace over our lives.

I’m speaking at the fundraiser for clinical trials next week – can’t believe it’s next week – and very grateful for the difference that generosity can make!

While I would love to be completely healed of this disease, in the meantime I am very thankful that my medical file keeps getting thicker!