About Me!

Hi there! I'm Tracey. Wife to Jeremy. Mother of three. Thanks counter. Not so many years ago, God chose to redeem my mess and allowed me the privilege of walking though life with my best friend. We've been walking side by side figuring out this marriage thing for 21 years now. He also saw fit to arm me with the responsibility of raising three girls. Our dearest friends call them the KP's. They are each uniquely different and have been one of our greatest gifts.

In a whirlwind of a day on April 8th, 2015 our family went from warp speed, over booked, average American family to a family living with cancer. After battling months of nonstop headaches and losing peripheral vision in her right eye, Kelsie (then 13) had to undergo surgery to remove an egg-sized Glioblastoma from her left occipital lobe.
After recovering from surgery she went through 30 days of radiation and chemo, followed by a year long course of chemotherapy. Kelsie thrived during the time after treatment. She was actively involved in her school, community and church. She participated as a cheerleader and majorette for her high school, was involved in missions, and loved music and singing.
Kelsie went 18 months off-therapy with no evidence of disease (NED).
On January 14, 2018 Kelsie had a seizure. Her first seizure ever since her diagnosis in 2015. A scan revealed multiple, inoperable, recurrent tumors. She started the HSV G207 clinical trial with Dr Gregory Friedman at Children’s of Alabama. That was followed by a new chemotherapy as well as another 25 rounds of radiation, these treatments caused a positive response, but not enough to keep up with the aggressive nature of her disease.
By this time Kelsie was feeling the effects of the disease and the treatment. A speech deficit, and loss of mobility on her right side were just two of the many difficulties she experienced as a result of this terrible disease. After 10 months it was decided that our last hope was a clinical trial in Georgia headed by Dr Theodore Johnson. After a few weeks on the trial the disease proved to be too aggressive for anything anyone had to offer.
After a hard fought, battle, after living a life full of faith, hope, and unimaginable courage, Kelsie, one of the great loves of our lives, gained her eternal reward. She impacted everyone she ever met, and our lives are better for having known her. Her light continues to shine even in her absence. Cancer can take many things from us, but it can never take the love and the legacy our loved ones leave behind.
We covet your prayers as we live out His plans for our lives, and as we trust in His will for our family. Please know, that we pray earnestly for you all and take each concern that you share, to the foot of the cross.
Thank you for sharing in this journey.
"A threefold cord is not quickly broken..." Ecclesiastes 4:12
"You love people with your eyes & ears. Focused attention & active listening is a healing gift you give to anyone." -Rick Warren
Learning as I go,
Tracey
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Comments

  1. Beautiful sharing here Tracey and I enjoyed getting to know you better as I stopped in from 5 Minute Friday.

    Blessings!

    ReplyDelete
  2. The more I read of your blog, the more I agree with you that we would be irl friends! I am glad we got connected!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Tracey,

    Just wanted to encourage you...I was a missionary (with a bible translation organization) and I found that non believers didn't really listen as well to what I was saying unless it was about those areas that totally touch their lives; children and/or money! Yes, my children have been my greatest tool to minister to others. They prove that I am "real." They make me approachable...and, as they grow, they minister all by themselves (actually the little ones minister by themselves just by being delicious little children!).

    Jill Farris
    www.generationalwomanhood.wordpress.com

    ReplyDelete

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