the day after + happy mail for evan

we are still coming off of the high of yesterday's news, i think that i might still be in a little post-scan shock that we got good news again. i was telling my friend today that i feel like maybe my oncologist will call me and say "oh sorry, i was looking at someone else's file, those weren't really your results." it just feels so good to hear good news that it takes time to let it sink in and believe that it won't be taken away from me.

for yesterday specifically, i ordered a new sweatshirt that i thought would bring me good luck. i was right, and you know that i will now be wearing that sweatshirt for every results appointment from now on. if you like it too, you can get it at mulberry press co.



after we got the good news and had a chance to update everyone, barrett and i asked a woman in the lobby to take our picture to capture the moment for us.

we then waited for beth to come to the cancer care building for her appointment to have her chemo tube removed. it was great to be there to see her walk out of the final chemo appointment - to see her when she was finally done. so proud of her, and so glad that we were together on such an important day for both of us.

we then headed to a celebration lunch with our parents, and guess what, i crossed one of my november goals off of the list and had a hard cider;)

it was a gorgeous day so barrett and i got a good afternoon run in under the clear blue (and super cold) sky.  felt so good to get out and run, seemed like a fitting way to start the next six months.

my dad made his world famous nachos for dinner (as he does everytime we have good news after scans) and i checked another november goal off of my list with another hard cider. it was a very productive goal day:)

there were so many great parts of the day. other than getting the news itself, being able to tell malena that my cancer doctor told us that i did not have any cancer in my body and that i wouldn't have to come back for tests for a long time was the highlight for me. if i could look her in the eyes and have that same conversation with her every 6 months as we both continue to grow older, my greatest dream would come true.

when we talked with my oncologist, we talked about how it is about 5% of patients that do not have melanoma come back within 5 years of a stage iv diagnosis. he said that we will assume that i am one of those 5% until we have a reason not to. someone has to make up that 5% statistic, and there is no reason that i can't be one of them. right? right. i thought so too and that is definitely the plan.

so as we catch our breath we also continue to support all of the other warriors that keep on fighting as well. my friend mary (you all know mary because i talk about her frequently on the blog) decided to start a happy mail campaign for her friend evan who is also currently fighting melanoma. i am going to be sending evan happy mail for two weeks, and next week is my second week. i thought that it would fun to really get him feeling the happy mail love by asking any of you who are interested to join in with me next week. if you would like to help make evan's week a little better and would like to send him a card/postcard next week to keep his spirits up and let him know that has a lot of peeps sending him good vibes, get in touch with me. message me, email me, text me, leave a comment on the blog, send smoke signals up in the air, trip me when i walk past you -- however you know how to get my attention. i will hook you up with evan's address and you can be part of the happy mail campaign for a melanoma warrior that is currently in the fight for his life.

i hope that you all have a great weekend and enjoy all of the big and small moments. i know that i will.

thanks again so much for all of the love and support this week, we could not have made it through without you. xoxo