I’m Jennifer. I’m a 36 year old mom of 3, wife to Jeremy. I was diagnosed with Inflammatory Breast Cancer on February 4, 2008. I thought I had a plugged duct while nursing my son Elijah. A week later they found a grapefruit sized tumor in my left breast (which was odd because my breast wasn’t even that big….lol). So with Inflammatory Breast Cancer infultrating my entire right breast and a grapefruit in the left, things didn’t seem to be going too well. After 5 months and 6 rounds of chemo (taxotere, carboplatin and herceptin for a year) my MRI came back clean. Amazing: yes, miracle: most likely! Despite my desperate attempt to get out of it, I had a double mastectomy on July 30, 2008. The pathology report came back completely clean of cancer. We were relieved and elated! I finished 6 weeks of radiation treatment in early November 2008. I started the process of reconstruction with the DIEP Flap at Northwestern. I finished the first of this three (maybe 4) part reconstruction in April. I’m debating my next steps of reconstruction and learning how to live as a cancer survivor.
This site is to help people who want to keep updated on my progress, how I’m feeling day-to-day, my spiritual reflections and how you can pray. I also consider it a resource for women and families who are going through a similar situation and I am happy to connect with anyone who has recently been diagnosed. Feel free to email me privately at clergygirl@yahoo.com.
I am a graduate of Greenville College and Asbury Theological Seminary. I served as the festival director for Ichthus Christian Music Festival before pastoring in Brockport, NY (associate), Baltimore, MD (associate) and Kalamazoo, MI (Lead, church planter). I now serve as th Vision Implimentation Pastor at the Portage Free Methodist Church.
Any counsel I give here is purely from my own experience and reading. I am not a doctor so the nutrition info comes from a completely lay perspective. Please feel free to borrow any material I have written about, just be sure to give credit where credit is due. Thanks.
RSS - Posts
March 6, 2008 at 2:49 am
Hey Jen -
Love the blogsite – and I love the background. It’s very you!!!!! Thanks for the link and I will be checking back frequently
Kim
March 6, 2008 at 9:21 pm
You are loved! Your blog site is perfect! Rest and be well and know we are praying for you.
March 9, 2008 at 1:38 pm
Hi Jen,
Let’s see, I’m related to you via Korey, via Kevin, via Amy. Is there an official in-law twice removed title? I don’t know.
I do know that I’m in the midst of my own cancer scare right now (not diagnosed but always thinking about that next test looming on the horizon) and that the very first thing my mind goes to is my kids. We are always mothers first, aren’t we.
I have resolved that these are days to be informed, fight hard, make the time for extra hugs, and be of the mindset that someday I’ll tell my grandkids about this dark, but temporary, time in my life.
All of my prayers are with you,
Sarah
March 9, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Hi Jen! Just stopping by to say hello from Florida…I like your blog site- Amy sent us the link. We wanted you to know you and your family are in our thoughts…we hope you are getting rest and you are surrounded with lots of love and support…take care.
March 12, 2008 at 7:48 pm
Jen,
I was glad to be able to read your blog and catch up with you on the latest info. I know we don’t see much of eachother but, I think of you and the family daily and you are in my prayers, if I can do anything more at all call me or email me. Thank you for sharing.
Love ya,
Karisa
March 13, 2008 at 11:15 am
Jen
This blog is very cool and I read with interest all your progress. I will definitely keep you in my prayers.
Love, Trish Roekle
March 15, 2008 at 10:27 pm
Jen
We just want to send our love and prayers for you and Jermey and the kids.
You are a strong bright light and God has His plan for how He will use this in your life for the positive.
You are all in our thoughts and prayers.
Angela
March 17, 2008 at 6:16 pm
Jen,
I just wanted you to know that there are people who are praying for you that you don’t even know. Isn’t God great!
Stephen
March 23, 2008 at 10:25 pm
Hey Jen!
Thanks for keeping us updated on your progress. Our community group has been and will continue to pray for you and we’ll be sure to pray extra hard for your family, too. I have passed on your link, so more people can follow and pray for you too. You can never have too many prayers!!
With Much Love,
Sarina, Jerrold, Zach, and Alec John
April 10, 2008 at 8:07 pm
Jen,
We are keeping you in our thoughts and prayers. When we all wish there was something we could do for you, we need to remember there is… PRAY! The blog is a great way for us to be able to pray for specific needs that you have. On a side note…. you look cute in your scarves.
Karel
April 23, 2008 at 5:30 pm
Hi Rebecca,
I started praying for you when I heard about your situation at the Come to the Water conference in Nashville TN. The Lord has brought you to mind many times and I have been praying for you. Today I read through your blog site – It is great! Your honesty and enthusiasm speak volumns.
I am a mom of 3 young boys so I can so easily imagine some the realities you are living. We are missionaries in the Dominican Republic. We are currently in the US be headed back to the Caribbean in August. I will be ordained in June.
I want you to know that I will continue to pray for you and your family.
Kendra Luna
May 29, 2008 at 2:41 am
Jenny,
I just wanted to let you know I am thinking about you lots! My third graders are praying for you everyday! Tomorrow we have an all school rosary in honor of May or the month of Mary. My rosary will be dedicated and said for you, your good health and your family! Stay strong and know our prayers for you will continue. If you need anything please don’t hesitate to call. It sad sometimes friends lose touch and it takes something so difficult to reconnect.
Leslie Ballentine
June 5, 2008 at 1:12 am
Hello from Kevin and Amy’s Aunt (the late Sherry Kwilinski’s Sis). I am unfamialiar with replying to any blog, so hope this reaches you. I just learned about your condition, and I want to wish the very best to you and your young family! I remember the rollercoaster of my Sister’s illness. Yes, those darned blood counts, and those awful side effects of chemo!!! Well, now you have another sending the most positive of vibes out to you and yours (please insert smiley faces here, since I don’t know how to).
August 15, 2008 at 7:33 pm
Just a voice (or uh, text?) from the past of the Craft. Was having a PFMC facebook reunion with Christa Hauke and she gave me a heads up about your blog. I know it’s been ages, but I wanted to share with you my thoughts and hopefully give you words of encouragement. I’m really glad you stayed strong and didn’t lose faith not only in GOD, but also yourself. GOD is the only one that determines our time here on earth. He created our bodies to be extremely resilient. Have faith and trust in that. Your will to fight and make healthier choices as well as your love for GOD is your strength. I will be praying for you. And yes, I know, a little awkward to reconnect like this. lol.
August 17, 2008 at 10:12 pm
I’m so glad I came across your blog today. I will pray for you and your family!
October 2, 2008 at 1:57 am
Hey Jennifer –
It sounds like you and I are on the same time table this year with breast cancer — from diagnosis to radiation schedule. Not to mention that I also have three kids and my husband works for our church. I’m sure you would agree that it’s been a huge year of learning and growth in the Lord. On the other hand, it’s been a really hard year and path that I would have never chosen. I also blog about all this on our site, sicks.com. May the Lord continue to speak tenderly to you, remind you that you are his beloved, and give you the strength you need each day. I’ll be doing the same thing on my end!
Sara Sicks
December 12, 2008 at 6:32 pm
Jennifer,
I have enjoyed your website, and I know that you also participate in Mothers with Cancer. I recently wrote a memoir about my late wife, who passed away from breast cancer in November 2007. This book, My Life with Laura: A Love Story (see http://www.prleap.com/pr/129600/), tells of the struggles that we went through as a newly married couple with a new baby. Your website speaks to me, as you continue to intertwine faith with your own breast cancer struggles.
I have approached Toddler Planet about a proposed blog book tour of my book for the week of January 12 (see http://moutray.wordpress.com/2008/12/03/blog-book-tour/). She said that she was interested but would need to get another mother from Mothers with Cancer to do it. Would you be interested? If so, let me know. I think that your readers would appreciate and be inspired by this story.
- Chad Moutray (moutray@comcast.net)
December 15, 2008 at 1:56 pm
I’d be happy to help get the word out. I’ll look forward to reading the book and blog too!
January 26, 2009 at 8:58 pm
Hi Jennifer,
Like yourself, I am also a breast cancer survivor and after reading about your efforts to spread hope to others with cancer, I wanted to let you know about an initiative by the Michigan Department of Community Health to raise money for breast cancer and prostate cancer research in the state of Michigan.
What we’re doing is a simple campaign called the Michigan Breast & Prostate Cancer Income Tax Check-off to encourage residents of Michigan to indicate on their state income tax form an amount they’d like to donate to cancer research. By checking the donation box in the Voluntary Contributions Schedule on the state income tax form, all of the funds raised will go towards services and cancer research within the state of Michigan.
If you’d like to share this with your readers, visit http://www.michigancancer.org/taxcheck-off.cfm. On the site, there are badges for bloggers to grab and share to show their support. These can also be placed on Facebook/MySpace pages to help spread the word.
Let me know if you have any questions or if you want some more information. The more people know about this, the more strides we can take towards conquering cancer.
Sincerely,
Ellyn