08/17/2026
Update on Melody ❤️🙏
Melody had a full week of doctor appointments in New Jersey, and we are feeling truly blessed. Every appointment brought great news. Her medication is working well, and her knee is back to about 95%.
They drained over 1.2 liters of fluid from her lung, which gives her so much relief. Her determination to beat cancer continues to amaze me. Even when her energy is low, you would hardly know it by looking at her. She keeps pushing forward.
The grandchildren brighten her spirit every day. Our time with them is always special, and Mikey and Jackie are so sweet and understanding. Melody would spend every minute playing and reading with the grandchildren if she could. I truly believe they are some of the best medicine she could receive. The love and happiness they bring give her even more strength to fight as hard as she does.
Thank you all for your prayers. We truly believe they are working. 🙏🙏❤️
Being at Sloan makes you realize very quickly that you are not alone in the fight against cancer. There are so many people battling this horrible disease. Cancer has no preference for age, race, or gender. It affects everyone.
No matter what stage you are facing, the fight is hard on both the body and the emotions. Treatments can drastically reduce your energy and affect your mood. Every test brings nervousness and fear while you wait for the results. No matter how strong your faith is, doubt can still find its way into your mind.
And cancer doesn’t affect only the person diagnosed.
Spouses and caregivers fight a battle too.
We often mask our fear with confidence and courage. We try to keep a happy face, stay positive, and be strong for the person we love. But never underestimate the emotional power of a cancer diagnosis. It is incredibly difficult to watch someone you love battle a serious illness while trying not to let them see your own fear.
That is why encouragement from faith, family, and friends means so much. Daily faith reading, being surrounded by loved ones, and staying connected with friends create a foundation of strength.
As someone improves with treatment and begins to look a thousand percent better, it can be easy to forget the reality:
They are still fighting.
And even when they win the battle against cancer, the memory and fear of that enemy can remain.
If there is one word that comes to mind when I think about the battle with cancer, it is debilitating. A cancer diagnosis can try to take your health, your happiness, and your hope.
But it cannot take your faith.
The power of God is unmatched. Face the battle with faith, it is the greatest armor of all.
There is nothing more powerful than the Almighty In You.
1 John 4:4
“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”
🙏🙏🙏❤️❤️❤️
