By Sue Staton

As I sit down to write this column, it was hard not to reflect back on the past three months. It seemed to be one piece of bad news after another coming my way.

I am an open book in my life, as you can tell in my writing. Many of you were aware I received news that my cancer was back in May.

The news came after I had an abnormal mammogram that resulted in several ultrasounds and then I was told I needed a biopsy.

The day of the biopsy, I was told the nodule looked like a lymph node instead of a nodule. I was also told that day the lymph node was sitting atop a blood vessel and if a biopsy was done, I could bleed to death.

Instead, they had to do about six fine needle aspirations and sent them off to be diagnosed and they all came back cancerous.

My oncologist had been called and an appointment was set up for me. After going to my oncology visit, I found out my non-Hodgkin lymphoma was back and he wanted me to have a Cat scan with contrast and dye.

I did that and then went back to the oncologist to read the results. My best friend, M.K. Went with me. I have to admit, I did not expect to hear the good news I did.

I did, however, know I had Christians from all over the county praying for me. I truly felt those prayers Monday when I went back to the doctor and told him I would not doubt my cancer was completely gone since I knew so many people prayed for me and I know what God can do. I know what he did for me when my cancer was at stage four.

The doctor told me my cancer is there, but it is not large enough for me to have to have anything done at the time. I will have to go back again in October for another cat scan to see if the lymph nodes have grown.

I was elated for that news since my husband, Eric, has a major procedure going to be done this week.

I felt like the weight of the world had lifted from me.

I am now a year older and I do have a clothesline in my back yard.

I hung a load of clothes out on the line on my birthday. I actually shed a few tears over the clothesline since I had wanted one for 30 years.

Eric had gotten all the materials and was waiting so he could surprise me but he knew he was going to need some help.

He incorporated or bribed our daughter and son-in-law, Erica and Chad Cline, to help him. Unfortunately, it was the hottest day of the year and the ground was hard as a rock. It was so sweet of them to help and I appreciated it so much. They were still smiling at me when they left and I hope they will come again soon.

My birthday was great since my two daughters, Kim and Shanda, were with me. Kim came from Louisville and cooked my dinner on Friday night and my breakfast on the day of my birthday. We also went for a pedicure together. It was great getting to spend time with my family. It is so hard to get everyone together at the same time with everyone having such busy schedules.

For now, I can say I am a happy camper this week. I hope all of you get some good news.

I still have not found my first four leaf clover this year which is very unusual for me. I may have picked them all in the last few years.