NOTE: I copied this from Steph's email. She was having trouble getting all the email addresses working so I thought I would duplicate on the blog. If you received the email, no need to reread. Thanks!

I have been meaning to email for weeks but time just keeps slipping by.  I know most of you have been following our blog at www.bushcrew.com.  For those of you who have not, many things have taken place and many praises to report.  I had a bi-lateral mastectomy and reconstruction surgery on October 23.  I was in the hospital for 4 days.  The week following my surgery, I received the blessed news that my lymph nodes and tissue surrounding the tumor were clear of cancer (which translates to NO chemo or radiation).  A big PRAISE GOD! 

Since the surgery, I meet with my plastic surgeon on a weekly basis.  I chose to go with the implant reconstruction surgery which means that I currently have expanders in place that will be there for approximately 3 months before my next surgery to put the implants in place.  The skin on the “cancer side” is not quite responding the way we had hoped since the skin was radiated with my previous diagnosis.  My plastic surgeon mentioned this week that if the skin doesn’t respond like we need it to, we’ll likely have to go to “plan B” which translates to the reconstruction surgery I opted not to do.  The reconstruction surgery I chose not to do was a much more complicated surgery with a much harder and lengthier recovery time.  My prayer is that the skin will start responding and we’ll be able to stick to the plan we have in place today. 

I will likely wait until after my next reconstruction surgery to schedule my hysterectomy and thyroid surgery.  I do have a few more surgeries ahead of me but soon enough, I’ll be “as good as new!!!” 

There have been so many of you who have sent flowers, cards, gifts, brought meals over, personally visited, called, etc.  I hope that I have not been to medicated to remember the many thank you cards to each of you.  But for those I missed, I hope you know how much you have truly blessed us and I feel forever indebted.  Kevin and I just keep talking about how truly blessed we are to have so many great friends and family in our lives who have truly blessed us in so many ways.  It’s been overwhelming, really! 

The only thing I could ask for is that you continue to pray that God will continue to work all of this to His glory!  He has truly blessed me and it’s been such an amazing journey.  Stay tuned to our blog and I will try to help Kevin stay on top of the updates!!!

Much love, 

Steph