I have been gone for so long, wow. I have to say this past summer, summer 2011, has been one of the most  stressful and hard in my entire life. I was diagnosed with melanoma stage 0 mid July. I remember making the appointment to go and get the mole checked the day after my 26 birthday and being so nervous. It was an appointment on a Thursday and I was scared. They took the mole off and sent it off to be biopsed. Within a few days, I got a call saying it was melanoma stage 0. Stage 0? What is that? I was confused and so was everyone around me. I ended up looking up this stage, because really, how can something be a stage 0? Thankfully, it was the BEST time to find a melanoma - it was completely superficial. As you get further into the stages, the deeper it goes and the more serious it is. praise #1. 


I went back into the doctor for the surgery. Stressful, I must say. Even though it was a stage 0, the thought that were was cancer in my body sent up alarms. All those times in the tanning bed in high school. How dumb I was. I look at my skin these days, its white and healthy and back then it so dark. Almost orange. Not a good look. ((Please, ALL you young girls AND adults. Don't go to tanning beds. It's not worth it. You don't have to have moles to have skin cancer. Okay? Please. Spray tans are amazing these days - do it. Enough said.)) Back to the surgery. They ended up taking out as deep as about 5-8 quarters. Gross. It was not a good time. They stitched me up and sent me off to heal. Little did I know, this healing process would take up the rest of my summer. But, praise Jesus - they got the cancer! praise #2.


My stitches started popping open. True story. Where it was located, (lower mid back), your muscles are so strong and it's a very hard place to heal. The doctor, whom will remain nameless - due to his toolness, decided to take my stitches out EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE NOT READY. Fail. I ended up getting a huge, deep hole in my back. This was not fun. I had to go BACK in to get MORE stitches in. I then had to take a lot of time of my job to let the stitches set in a lot better - and they FINALLY did. praise #3.


I had our annual family beach trip the week after I got the stitches in. Fearing I would not be able to swim in my beloved ocean, the husband and I went back to the doctor to get the stitches checked on and to talk about our vacation. Thankfully, the doctor said ocean water would do wonders on the wound, "JUST KEEP IT CLEAN!". We kept that sucker clean and guess what!? It healed amazingly! We came back and it was healing from the inside out, just like it was supposed to. praise #4.


Yesterday, I went back to the doctor to get the stitches out. They literally were hanging out of my back, gross, I know. I waited an hour and a half in the waiting room. Ridiculous.  BUT, when they took them out - I FELT NOTHING. It's healing still - but it's almost there! Thank goodness. I do not think I could have gotten through all of this summer without my family and WITHOUT MY PRECIOUS husband. He cleans my back EVERY morning and EVERY  night. God has blessed me for sure. praise #5. 


Now, onto the husband and I's next endeavors. Adoption? Prayers as we think about this and what our next steps should be.

Love you all friends!