Grateful

The treatment was intense.

She lost some of her hair and eventually shaved it.

They started with steroid medications to fight inflammation and swelling.

Then chemo..

Then surgery.

They did not find cancer anywhere else in her body.

Jesse went to every session of chemo and learned what to do to help her deal with it.

Chemotherapy was the hardest part of the journey.

They flew to Houston for the surgery.

The Mayo clinic.

Erik was beaming when he got the news from the surgeon who performed the operation.

"Jesse, they got it all and there is no sign of it spreading, she is cancer free!"

Jesse felt like he'd just won the lottery.

"Prayer is a powerful thing bro, while you doctors did your thing, 

I asked, and had a bunch of folks in heaven asking the Lord to do His thing."

The recovery took some time.

She had to go through rehab to tune up some of her motor skills.

The part of the brain where the tumor was removed controls hand eye coordination,

two months after the surgery she was doing well.

Her hair grew back thicker, 

it was fuller and darker than before.

Jesse told her everyday how beautiful she was with short hair..

"Girl, you even looked good bald"

Isabelle was home for summer break and helped out while Anne was in rehab.

Seth was with a friend out in New Mexico Team Roping.

He called every day to check in. 

Anne finally told him she was fine and he didn't have to call every day.

Jesse started five new colts in the spring...

Summer was here..
The coldest winter in memory was behind them...

Jesse and Anne sat on the front porch swing drinking iced tea.

Russ lay on his back with his feet in the air on Anne's lap.

She stroked his belly and looked out at the setting sun.

"You know Jess, we have some incredible friends."

Steve and Barbara had made sure the animals were looked after.

Joe and Mary brought meals over during the hardest days.

Joe the neighbor more than once left a dressed out ready to grille chicken in the garage freezer.

"Yea, we sure do Shuug."

wkm

The Horses

Nashville