5 Years Cancer Free!

Preparing to go back for his MRI. His favorite nurse, Christa, reminding him of what all will happen.

Waking up!

This past week, Cooper went for his final MRI and appointment with his Oncologist. I am praising God for a clear scan and clean bill of health for my "one in a million"boy! I never take for granted what could happen. Unfortunately, in this journey, you learn quickly that cancer is unpredictable and sometimes strikes again when you least expect it. I don't think I realized until I got the call from his doctor saying, "it was clear and no evidence of disease", how anxious I really was. Relief came over me in a way that I cannot even put into words.

Cooper with Dr. Ho after his scan

So, I thought to myself over the next few days about how good God is to us. I thought about the lump I felt in my throat, and how I felt like I couldn't even breathe the first time I heard the words, "your son has cancer." I thought about all of the fear, anger, helplessness, and exhaustion that Rod and I endured over that year after his diagnosis. I thought of how it ripped at the very core of our marriage at times…when each of us wanted to handle things in our own way, yet needed each other in spite of how vulnerable it felt. I thought about how hard it was to continue parenting my two other boys, in the midst of caring for Cooper. These are just a few of the thoughts I had…then, I thought…

How God never left us and was holding us each step of the way.
How He bonded us closer together as a couple and as a family.
How He put the very people we needed in our lives to lift us up and support us.
How He comforted me, on many sleepless nights in the hospital with Cooper.
How out of our experience, we have been able to help other families through The Cooper Trooper Foundation.
How Cooper has been completely healed, and only has minimal physical effects from his treatment.
And the list really does go on and on…

Celebrating with his big brothers!

A HUGE party in Heaven happened on March 5, 2014, I have no doubt. God is good and just when I start to feel sorry for myself for the hard stuff I have endured, I am reminded of all the goodness and His presence in my life. Then, I think to myself, how can I be anything but thankful?