What I have learned in the last month...

1. That my test results came back with clean margins. This means they got all of the cancer and that makes me happier than I could ever imagine. I had to bite my lip not to cry when the doctor told me...oh, and try not to leap out of my chair to hug him.

2. That I am NOT a patient person. This last month has been sheer torture. I hate waiting.

3. Being 30 doesn't mean you can't get cancer.

4. That melanoma is the second most common cancer, breast is the first.

5. I have A-MaZiNG friends and family.

6. I don't do well waiting for surgery. I talk A WHOLE LOT. And fidget.

7. The kids had so much fun with Grandma Tina that they now ask every day if they can go play with her and I can go have surgery. Niiice. :) (HUGE thank yous TINA!!!)

8. I thought I talked a lot before surgery...not nearly as much as I did coming out of it. Josh and my Mom recorded it (thanks guys) and showed it to me. The chances of putting it up on the blog...a big fat zero. Let's just say I had a "princess voice" and told everyone how big the lights are in the operating room and just leave it at that.

9. If you ever ever ever question something on your body...GET IT CHECKED!

10. My throat hurt more from the intubation than my incision in the first 24 hours. Weird huh?

11. I am starting to feel more like myself and can turn my head to the right more! Hooray!

12. I just feel like a vampire bit my neck. :)

13. I have tried coming up with a story about how I got my scar since saying "I had melanoma" is kind of a bummer...all I can come up with is that I was so vain that I hated the neck fat I had on one side and went in and had a neck tuck.

14. I thought if I ever went to a plastic surgeon, I wouldn't be paying him to cut my neck.

15. Prayers are answered.

16. I am starting P90x ASAP because I also tend to eat when I am worried. Not a good month.

Thank you everyone for your sweet comments and for your prayers. They mean more than you will ever know. It has not been the easiest month but I am so glad that it worked out as well as it did. It is scary to not know what is going on inside your own body. To top it off there is nothing you can do. I am so grateful for the technology we have and for awesome doctors who take the "C" word as serious as you do. And I know it sounds cliche but really honestly and truly, this experience has changed me. For the better. Hug those you love tighter, say "I love you" more, don't waste a single day you have. To quote President Hinckley...

"Life is meant to be enjoyed, not just endured."

Thank you again everyone, for everything.

Love,
Rachel