Nope!

My oncologist just called:
I do NOT have to have a biopsy.
I do NOT have to have further scans for 1 year.
I do NOT have to go in every 3 months anymore. I'm officially graduated to 6 month visits and, best news of all, I do NOT have cancer!
Praise God, I'm crying tears of joy ❤ 
Thank you to all who have been praying alongside me, loving and supporting me ants my family.

As far as that spot on my pelvis, it could be an old injury, calcium deposit, or treated (dead) cancer. It was there prior to chemo so that's a possibility. I've had hip and back pain since my teens so they're thinking it could be advanced arthritis in my spine. That does show up on my scans but, like everything for the last 2 years, they consider cancer first before anything else.

Paint the Park Pink 2018

Tonight's Medford Rogues baseball game honored breast cancer patients and survivors (and their families). It was an honor to be asked to throw (one of) the first pitch(es).❤ I'm so sad Ryan missed it though due to being held late at work and some confusion at the gate with his ticket 😢 Good thing Charlie got video!
The game was great! We watched several foul balls fly out towards the parking lot. When they asked the owner of the blue Durango with our license plate number to come forward, I'll admit I wondered....But no! Lol😂 We won a free car wash for having the dirtiest car in the parking lot!
And then...
I paid $5 for 7 tickets in the 50/50 raffle. I gave Charlie and each of the boys 2 tickets and kept one for myself. Nathan won almost $200!! 😲
After the game, Charlie and I went down on the field and had the whole team sign my ball. What a fun night for my family! 😁

"Love You!"

"Love you!"
I can't count how many times you've said that to me.
I remember when we first met. Your youngest (pictured here) was just a baby but you also had 3 little ones that wanted you to get in the pool with them. I watched your baby so you could be that mom and play with them. It became our habit that summer.
I remember looking forward to homeschool meetings and outings, knowing you would be there with your amazing hugs and genuine smiles.
I remember you going through hard times, working nights at a gas station. I admired you for that, that you would do whatever it took to keep food on the table for your children. You were tired but never complained about it.
I remember when we toured the house next door, you were so excited at the possibility of us living so close was contagious. We didn't move in but we were much closer and that opened the doors to see you more often. I'd stop to buy eggs from you and my kids learned quickly that our "quick visits" were anything but that. We'd try to catch up in 10 minutes only to find an hour had passed by...again.
I remember your love and support through our own hard times, especially when my husband was unemployed. You gave him work I knew you couldn't afford but you did it anyway. You supplemented our boxes from the food pantry with veggies fresh from your garden. You would call me and tell me you needed freezer space and ask me to take pork and beef off your hands to make room. I knew you were just speaking to my pride and letting me avoid the embarrassment of yet another much need hand out. You knew because you'd been there yourself.
I remember the numerous times you hired me for miscellaneous seamstress jobs. Sometimes I thought you must walk around the house looking for things you could have me do so you could give me work. I loved you for that.
I remember the day you stepped out of your comfort zone to support my new business. You and your boy came to model Mommy and Me superhero aprons I'd been creating. You were so nervous but willing to put that aside for me when I struggled to find volunteers.
I remember when I started adding art classes to my growing business, you quickly signed up your girls. Watching them grow from adorable little girls to beautiful young ladies has been a joy. It has been an honor to teach them and have them in class each week. It also meant I got to see you regularly again.
I remember the surprise visit from you just a couple weeks ago. You need a bathroom and were in my neighborhood. You knew I would understand so you knocked on my door. That was the last time I'd see you.
I have so many memories with you, sweet Tammy. You have truly been a dear friend to me and I'm thankful for each one. You did not deserve the ending you got, my friend, but knowing you are now with our precious Lord brings me comfort.
Love you, sister! See you heavenside❤
________________________________________

My dear friend and sister in Christ was murdered by her husband this weekend. She had separated him last fall but the abuse continued despite a restraining order. Her 4 children are left without parents. Please pray for them as they navigate through this time. If you are able, please consider contributing to their care. A GoFundMe account has been set up for them here: http://bit.ly/Hicks4

My friends that knew her, I'd love to hear your memories too.

Misdiagnosis

2 years ago today, I had a double mastectomy to remove the cancer growing within my body. This means that I have been cancer free for 730 days, each one a gift from God, none to be taken for granted❤

This seems like a good time for an UPDATE:
As some of you know, I've had a few issues along the way but overall have been in good health, working and enjoying life with my loved ones. I found out last week that I was (supposedly) misdiagnosed with capsular contracture 2 months ago. I, along with my beloved prayer warriors, had been praying for miraculous healing to resolve the scar tissue causing the problem. I have every reason to believe that this was an answer to that prayer. Surgery was scheduled for later this month and it's now cancelled and I'll go for physical therapy instead. Hallelujah!
We have also been praying for a suspicious spot on my pelvic bone (ischium), discovered in a scan in April, that showed potential growth from Jan. I will have another scan in July to see if there is any change. I'm praying a biopsy won't be necessary and that God will choose to heal this too.
This leaves one last prayer request - healing the pain in my lower back. On a good day, I am active yet careful to not aggravate it. I'm doing all I can to facilitate healing. Other times, I struggle through my days and nights unable to find relief while sitting, standing, or laying down. It's not always easy but I'm choosing to be thankful, to be hopeful, and to be joyful through it all.

Still Choosing Joy

Yesterday marked 2 years since I received confirmation of cancer's presence in my body. 2 years since we were asked to walk through a trial unimaginable. Despite all that has happened, the physical, mental, and spiritual battle that ensued, I'm still choosing joy.

I wish I could say that that is all behind me, but I'm learning to accept that to some degree cancer and it's effects will always be present in my life. Don't get me wrong, it's not all bad. I've met some incredible people, grown closer to my husband, and more importantly, God has grown my faith as he has walked me through this valley.

Last month I called on my prayer warriors again. Not long after I announced and celebrated that my integrative oncologist had released me from my every-three-months check ups to every 6 months, she sent me for an MRI to investigate some severe unexplained pain in my lower back. I had been seeing a chiropractor but things were getting worse instead of better and my onc was concerned since there had been no injury. "We're not taking chances with you. Since you're not on hormone blockers, we will continue monitoring you very carefully." I had an MRI on April 2nd. They saw a "concerning spot" on my pelvic bone (ischium). They compared that to the CT scan I had in Jan, 3 months earlier, and saw growth. The resulting summary reads "a small probable metastases" but my oncologist said it's possible that the radiologist chose that vocabulary after seeing my history of cancer on my chart. I hope so. 4 days later I had a CT scan of my pelvic region and in addition to the spot on my bone, a cyst was found on my right ovary. More tests were done to see if the cyst was affecting my hormones, a concern since the breast cancer I had was hormone receptor positive (both estrogen and progesterone). I have only been taking natural supplements and dietary changes to control my estrogen production but my body is acting like it's in menopause. For the time being, the cyst is the least of our concerns. Instead, I'm in the process of "proving" I don't have cancer again. This is very much like being "innocent until proven guilt", or vice versa. More about that to come...

In the midst of all these appointments, I woke up with a strange squeezing sensation in my chest. I'm 6 months out from my reconstructive surgery and it felt like my right implant was twisted. After having my plastic surgeon check it, I was devastated to find out that I will have to have surgery to correct it. I have capsular contracture and it's very uncomfortable. At this point, I am scheduled for corrective surgery on June 26th when my doctor will remove my implant, clear out the scar tissue, and put in a new implant. Since that appointment, I have reason to believe it is beginning in my left side as well. I am hesitant to undergo another surgery, especially when it is possible this will happen again. There is an alternative option that was my first choice 2 years ago, but due to the long recovery time (3-4 months) I opted out. I am reconsidering that option again but it would likely mean closing my art studio and I'm not sure I want to do that.

All of this has come up in the last month. I am choosing to wait til after Ryan's graduation later this month to do anything else. I do not want to take away from celebrating his accomplishment. My oncologist says this will not change my prognosis. She had a radiologist go over my scans last week and they believe that either the spot on my hipbone is either a "treated tumor" (that we didn't catch before and chemo affected it) or it's a new cancer but dormant or slow growing due to my wellness protocol. Both of these possibilities make sense since I've been tested every 3 months and consistently showing "zero" circulating tumor cells (via CTC test). I realize that this test is only accurate to a point and will only show an increase once it reaches a traceable amount (think "parts per million" in contaminated water for comparison).

What's next?
I will have another CTC test this week, a month earlier than normal. I am continuing with my wellness protocol and reevaluating my work schedule to cut hours and reduce stress. My oncologist was originally saying that a bone biopsy was needed to confirm if cancer was present, but after reviewing my charts with a few colleagues, she does not recommend the biopsy at this time. (Due to the location of the spot in question, it would mean piercing my hamstring to get to it and has a much longer recovery time. She feels it is more important for me to keep moving, part of my wellness protocol, and manage my pain as best as I can. I will wait til July to go in for a CT scan to check for growth and deciding what needs to happen next.

Prayer request
I have no hesitation in praying for total and complete healing in all three of these issues. I ask that you join me in prayer, for the pain in my back to go away and the spot to complete disappear, for the scarring and pain in my chest to heal and not need surgery, and health to continue to improve. I am also praying for how to best go forward with my business. The studio is thriving, way better than I anticipated this soon, but I am exhausted from doing it alone. I have a few ideas in mind but I'm praying for God's direction and wisdom for how to proceed.

Thank you all for your prayers.
love,
Tika

I painted this on May 5, 2016,
the day I found out I had cancer.

Skipper

Tomorrow!!
In exactly 12 hours I go in for yet another surgery. This time I get these super uncomfortable expanders out and my squishy implants in. New FOOBS for this girl!!

Yes, I'm excited.

I'm only a tiny bit nervous.

Prayers are always appreciated💙

And here's a little humor for your trouble😉 (just don't call me Skipper!)

Metamorphosis

met·a·mor·pho·sis
ˌmedəˈmôrfəsəs/
noun

...the process of transformation from an immature form to an adult form in two or more distinct stages...

...a change of the form or nature of a thing or person into a completely different one, by natural or supernatural means...

I couldn't have found a more appropriate word to describe this reconstruction process. I felt like cancer and its standardized "treatments" left me in shambles. The wreckage gave light to why so many refer to this as a battlefield and I, a warrior. I felt broken, maimed, mutilated, empty, and lost. I felt like a shell of my old self. I desperately needed God to transform my shattered pieces into something beautiful again. Whole. Feminine. Restored.

I put on a good mask in public...

I'm quickly approaching the anniversary of my last chemo treatment. I've had much work to do to clean up the mess it caused. Detoxing my physical body was only part of it. I needed to rid my heart from past hurts, my mind from the lies I'd allowed to take up space in my head. The healing has been slow and painful, but good. Oh, so good!

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
2 Corinthians 5:17

My Creator is in control here. I'm looking forward to my new form.

[A very special thank you to Bella Joi photography for capturing my vision and bringing it to life.]