About
I am a wife, mother, grandmother, friend, and more importantly, a child of God. I am also a cancer survivor.
Ovarian cancer crept into my life undetected. I didn’t know it was there, and so I didn’t fight, kick or scream. It simply moved into my body and made a home. I don’t know how long it had been there before it was detected. Years, maybe. It stole life as I knew it.
It sits on a cliff above my consciousness. It is always there, and I know it. I try to ignore it most days, but it is waiting. At some point it may hurl itself into my life again, and I will have to battle once more. I am watching, waiting.
If it attacks again, I won’t be so shocked or surprised. I am more prepared. I have an army of supporters and knowledge I didn’t have before. I am aware that the thief may come back, but I don’t choose to live my life in fear. I am optimistic that I will remain cancer free.
The thief may ultimately take my life, but it won’t be today. It won’t be tomorrow. I can live life to the fullest, savor every moment. I won’t hold back anything. I will ignore minor problems and enjoy all the wonderful people and times in my life. For the moment, the thief is handcuffed, and I am glad.
ibeatovca 
Sep 14, 2012 @ 18:01:31
Dearest Connie…I thank God for bringing you into my life. You and Ron were not strangers to Pete and I…just friends that we had not met yet, but what wonderful and special friends we were to become!!! Thank you for being there for me…Love you much…Marsha
Nov 01, 2012 @ 10:41:16
Thank you for sharing your story. After reading several of your blog posts, I am encouraged in the Lord. My mother is currently battling lung cancer. It has been very difficult and we are thankful that at this point the chemo is doing its job and she is doing better.
God bless you!
Nov 01, 2012 @ 11:19:06
I pray that the chemo does its job and your mom recovers.
Treatment isn’t fun at all but there
is life after cancer & it can be good. Just be
there for her. I know she needs you now. God bless.
Connie
Dec 12, 2012 @ 09:19:40
Continue on strong woman of God! What an inspiring testimony you have. I am so grateful that it hasn’t made you bitter but rather more determined to experience God in your lifelong struggle.
Dec 12, 2012 @ 09:34:07
Thanks so much for the kind words, Ellie. No time to whine! I’m on a mission to raise awareness about OC and share what God has done in my life. Can’t imagine a day without Him! God bless. Connie
Jan 15, 2013 @ 10:53:39
Thank you for sharing your story and being an inspiration 🙂
Jan 15, 2013 @ 12:08:34
Thank you for reading and following my blog. May God bless your day. Connie
Jan 22, 2013 @ 13:55:20
I do hope you won’t think this is silly but you are such an inspiration to me that I’ve nominated you as a Versatile Blogger Award nominee. You may check out the details at my site. Congrats!
Jan 22, 2013 @ 14:20:03
Thank you so much, Ellie! I’m honored. I’m very new to this, so I appreciate your encouragement. I pray that God will continue to use my words to empower and encourage. Thank you again for reading my blog and for the nomination. God bless. Connie
Apr 08, 2013 @ 12:06:52
I’ve nominated you for the Leibster Blogging Award ❤
Apr 11, 2013 @ 09:53:18
Thank you so much, Tricia. I really appreciate the nomination and will start the process of acceptance later. Crazy week for me so time for blogging is limited. God bless. Connie
Apr 11, 2013 @ 10:06:51
Thanks for your life my friend. God really do something to strengthen us. God bless!
Apr 11, 2013 @ 10:11:36
Without Him, I am nothing. May He bless your day.
Apr 11, 2013 @ 10:14:21
Same here, I’m nothing w/o Him. 🙂
Apr 26, 2013 @ 03:15:16
Hi Connie 🙂
Your are very brave and through God’s grace will continue to be free 🙂
Apr 26, 2013 @ 09:50:15
Thank you so much! He strengthens me, renews me daily through His grace. My blog is about that today. May His life-saving grace be abundant in your life. God bless. Connie
Apr 26, 2013 @ 09:50:39
Good morning my dear friend. Would you give some prayerful thought to assisting me as a guest blogger, with a post I just thought of writing this morning, regarding how a positive godly attitude trumps illness? I’d send you non-invasive questions via email (you can find my email on my site I think) Feel free to decline but I believe your testimony is incredible and God’s certainly not done with you yet!
I haven’t even written the questions and you’d have plenty of time to consider the answers. It’d probably be posted in a month or so. I feel you can be such an inspiration to my many followers who are going through trials of their own. Stress can kill a person but a positive attitude can heal the body as well as the soul. Blessings,
Apr 26, 2013 @ 09:54:04
I would be honored, Ellie. I’ll pray about it and make sure God is on board. Without Him, it will just be my words on a page. Pretty useless w/o Him! May He bless your day. Connie
Apr 26, 2013 @ 10:19:20
I truly believe that a positive attitude can heal. I also think diet and stress play a role in our health, and I know you agree. Case in point: every January my tumor marker is up. It goes back down in March. I truly believe it is the stress and diet change associated with Christmas. Even though I try not to stress about Christmas, I do. And we eat more sugar, less healthy stuff, and too much of it. I am convinced my body notices and reacts to it. Something causes my tumor marker to rise. I’m going with that assumption until someone proves otherwise! Just thought you might be interested in that little bit of news.
My OVCA was stage 1. Most are diagnosed at Stage 3 or 4. My daughter jokingly says it was because of all the broccoli I ate. We laugh and give God the credit in my diagnosis, but we both believe in the power of food. Can broccoli cure cancer? No. But good food can certainly help the body, cancer or not.
Just some musings off the top of my head. I’m jumping down off my soapbox now! Hugs, Connie
Apr 26, 2013 @ 10:49:05
Excellent I am so pleased you are taking it to the Lord in prayer because I agree – without Him on board, life itself is pretty useless! I’m not in a hurry and if you are still willing, I will send a few open ended questions that you’ll have time to answer. What you stated above is exactly in my line of questioning. It’ll all be for His glory, not ours!
Apr 29, 2013 @ 16:27:37
Hey Chemocurls, you ought to be the first to click 5 stars on your own blog. That gets things rolling. 😀
May 02, 2013 @ 15:37:12
Thanks! Who knew?
May 03, 2013 @ 10:39:19
🙂
May 16, 2013 @ 08:33:08
What a beautiful family. Your spirit is lovely.
I think you’ll find this pertinent…
http://aholisticjourney.wordpress.com/2013/05/15/faith-and-suffering/
Blessings!!
May 30, 2013 @ 22:29:45
How beautifully strong you are. I’m inspired by your fight and determination. 🙂
May 30, 2013 @ 22:32:57
Thanks so much! God bless.
Jul 02, 2013 @ 15:01:44
Hey friend, are you up for another award (actually two in one) Please check out my blog post today for the rules – you have given me so much inner peace, this award was made for you!
Nov 08, 2013 @ 09:59:48
I know this must be getting “old” but you of all people deserve these two awards! I’ve nominated you for the Sunshine and the Inner Peace awards. Who better to epitomize hope and grace amidst tribulation than you? How I love you and your spirit across the miles! Blessings to all,
Oct 01, 2016 @ 23:45:52
Thank you for the Hopebook. I had started my own this summer for the unbelievable amount of paperwork. But it is both reassuring that i was halfway on the right path, and more importantly, someone cared enough to out it together for me and now a sisterhood and brotherhood of cancer fighters. Please know what you are doing matters very much.
Oct 17, 2016 @ 08:53:05
Hi, Jacque–I’m so sorry to hear of your cancer diagnosis. It’s a very scary thing to hear, but you are not alone. I would love to connect with you, so let me know what is easiest for you. I’m on Facebook if that works for you. Let’s figure out a way to connect so that I can offer you support, answer questions, whatever you need. Blessings, Connie