To finish the timeline of our experience, I don't recall ever looking forward to a new year more than I looked forward to 2010. 2009 had had some other challenges beside the cancer so the prospect of a fresh start was pleasant. It was another of those "things to look forward to" that we tried to keep in front of us to help us keep going.
For the first six weeks of 2010 we went through the weekly treatment regimen, only briefly interrupted by a visit to the emergency room, not really knowing if any progress was being made. A scan on February 22 told us that, in fact, no progress had been made and the cancer was worsening. In addition, the scan revealed the lungs were again collapsing. A few hours after the scan we were again in the hospital and stayed for five days, only to come back again four days later with recurring issues related to the lungs as well as pneumonia that had developed.
So here we are in our third floor condo and now you are up to date. Several words come to mind in summarizing the past nine and a half months, among which are: unique, challenging, frightening, faith-building. Through it all though I can say that I can't think of a time when we lost hope. We've never really faced any long-term challenges in our lives. This is a first. All those years of studying God's inspired Word (the Bible) and committing it to heart and mind have, I'm convinced, built a wall around us that is protecting us from despair and doubt.
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Mike and Shannon Gifford
An Introduction
Our foray into the world of cancer began on May 27, 2009 when we learned that Shannon had a rare, uterine sarcoma. Through the surgeries, hospital stays, visits to doctor's offices, and all of the other trappings of cancer, we have found strength in each other that has helped us both not only cope with this disease, but conquer it. To the end that other couples dealing with cancer can benefit from our thoughts and feelings we dedicate this site and intend to make regular, if not daily, updates to it.