When I first began this cancer journey nearly a year ago, it was absolutely terrifying and overwhelming as the team of oncologists and surgeon laid out the plans for my life for the next year.

Tests.

Chemo.

Radiation.

More Tests.

More Chemo.

Surgery.

Living with Ileostomy.

Another surgery.

With oodles of misery interspersed throughout.

It was daunting.  And scary.  And seemingly impossible to navigate and survive.

And it would have been impossible...except my Savior, my Great Physician, my God held my hand the entire journey.  And so many, many people came alongside me too, encouraging me with their many and varied acts of love that I will never, ever forget.

And somehow, through God's grace and taking one day at a time (and sometimes one hour or even one minute at a time...), we have arrived here at the end point.

It is over.

Today I get my staples removed from the incision of last week's surgery.  Then, at long last, I'm on the final healing road to recovery!

There is no doubt about it, I have been changed.  My body is different, my heart is softened, my life will never be the same...and I praise God for once more taking something terrible and bringing good from it, as only He can do.  God still has work for me to do on this earth and I am ever-so-grateful that He chose to heal my physical body so I can do that work.

Time to put the last eleven nightmarish months behind me and look ahead to see what awesome things God has in store for me.

It's time to straighten my crown...

...and carry on.