special thoughts and prayers

a close friend and co-worker in dallas has been hit with some life changing news and needs all the thoughts and encouragement she can get.  here is her story that she has posted on her caringbridge blog....

I'm Tiffany, 30 years old, wife to a loving husband, Ben, and mommy to two cute little puppies, Chloe and Lucy. I've had a pretty great life so far. Attended Texas A&M and received a bachelor’s in Architecture. Started a career in interior design about three years ago and am a registered interior designer. I love my job, love my friends and family, love my church and everything in between.

I started out my 30's with the attitude that it was going to be the best decade of my life yet. However, I was struck with the biggest news of my life just three weeks ago. On Feb. 25th I was scheduled for a surgery to remove what was thought to be a tubal ovarian abscess. When the doctor opened me up he found more than that. Immediately he sent the mass down to pathology and found out that it was cancer. The next steps he took were very important, and he later told me that he wasn't going to let this thing take me. After a complete hysterectomy, removing the omentum (fatty layer of the belly where cancer cells can sometimes hide), taking several biopsies and doing a wash (filled me up with water, sloshed it around and sucked it out several times), I was on the road to recovery. The biopsies indicated that I have Stage 2 ovarian cancer, and this was only because the mass was in direct contact with my colon and uterus. My doctor is very optimistic about beating this, and because I’m so young, he wants to be very aggressive in treating the cancer.

I start chemo treatments tomorrow, Tuesday, March 22nd. I will be getting two types of chemo: taxol, given intravenously, and cystplatin, given through my IP (intraparataneal) port. I will have treatments every three weeks for a total of six treatments. My last treatment will be given on July 5th, and I can’t wait for that day.

This is not something that I would want anyone to go through, but I know that it’s part of God’s amazing plan. I’m hoping my story will touch many lives and that they may be transformed by it. I know that the fight I have ahead of me is God’s fight, and it’s to Him that I give all of the glory and honor….He knows what He’s doing and I’m encouraged by the strength He gives me every day.

it's hard to think that someone so young can be going through something like this.  i know it happens all the time, but it doesn't make it any easier.  tiffany is a fabulous and talented girl and will come out on the other side of this only stronger!

here are some fun pics from one of our neocon trips to chicago a couple of years ago....

back in the fall of 2009 i took some photos of Tiffany and Ben, her husband, you can see here....such a sweet and fun loving couple!

you can follow tiffany's journey through her blog,

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/tiffanywittman

please keep her in your thoughts and prayers. if you have any words/thoughts/prayers/encouragement that you would like to pass on to her, you can email me at rubyjewelstudio@gmail.com or post comments on her website.