Kuts for Confidence

This past year has been full of ups and downs, highs and lows where do many memories have been made. One of the highlights of the year for me was at the last chapter meeting for my sorority (Kappa Delta) this past spring when council made a huge announcement...

Our Zeta Iota chapter of Kappa Delta at Saint Louis University has been faced with an overwhelming presence of cancer. Two girls in our chapter, Sarah Wielgos and I, were diagnosed with cancer within 6 months of each other, both of us having to leave school and face the fight. It was really hard for both of us, and I cannot speak for Sarah, but it was pretty amazing see how much love and support we felt from friends, our KD chapter, and the Saint Louis community as well as everyone who sent well wishes or just said a prayer for us. So, at our last chapter meeting last semester, it was announced that we had began planning to hold a university wide hair donating event, teaming with Pantene Beautiful Lengths and the American Cancer Society to provide women going through chemotherapy and radiation with wigs! This of course brought me to tears and over the last nine months, we have been planning, preparing, and finally executing the first ever event we named Kuts for C∆nfidence! 

We want to show our support for anyone going through cancer and show that hair should not be a symbol of beauty. When I first started losing my hair, I was one month into treatment and every part of my scalp began to feel tingly. It slowly started leaving traces on my pillows, in my bed, and started to really affect me mentally. I was really nervous about losing my hair because it was my identity. One night in the hospital I was so uncomfortable, in a lot of pain, and felt so disgusting feeling all the shedding hair covering my hospital bed. I crutched to the bathroom with my IV pole and in a bout of frustration climbed into the shower and sat (I couldn't stand) scrubbing all the shedding hair off of me. For the first time, I sobbed in the shower as a pulled chunks of hair from my head holding the wet, dead hair in my hands. I watched as a mess of hair started piling over the drain, unable to contain my sobs. I didn't want my family to see how upset I was about my hair but I couldn't hold it in anymore. My sister helped me blow dry what was left of my hair and brush out as much of the loose hairs as we could and I sat silently the rest of the night, unable to eat or think of anything except my hair loss. 

The goal of this amazing event is to show that you don't need hair to be confident, it's meaningless and beauty comes in all forms, long hair, short hair, or no hair. It's about your personality and what truly shines through, not your appearance or your hair. I cannot even put into words how amazing this event is and how much it means to me that we are doing it. We have over 65 people signed up to donate 8 or more inches of hair and I can hardly wait.

So, the day is finally here. Tomorrow, Tuesday, December 10th, 2013, the first ever Kuts For Confidence will take place on Saint Louis University's campus! The schedule of events goes as follows:

We will be having FREE drop-in haircuts or trims all day (12-5 pm) in the Simon Recreation Center with stylists who are graciously donating their time! We ask that if you are able, please donate a few dollars for a haircut where all the money will go to the Confidence Coalition, an organization founded by Kappa Delta Sorority committed to the promotion of confidence in women around the world. 

At 7 pm, the big hair donating event will take place in Tegler Auditorium where anyone donating 8 or more inches of hair, or boys shaving their heads, will be on stage and there will be a big ceremony as we watch the big "Kuts" take place! I will be giving a speech and assist in kicking off the night!

We are so incredibly excited for this event! If you would like to learn more about it, or want to participate in the event, please check out our website:

www.kutsforconfidence.weebly.com 

There you can learn more about the event, sign up to donate 8 or more inches of hair, or make a monetary donation! Every little part is so greatly appreciated! I cannot wait for tomorrow, I am so excited and blessed to be surrounded by so many people who are committed in making a difference. This is going to be an amazing event.

As my beautiful roommate Alex who is studying abroad this semester told me, "Life isn't about what happens, it's not about places or material things. Life is about feelings, seeing the qualities in yourself and in others that truly make them shine." I think that really sums it up for me, that's why this event is really special. Thank you all for your continued love and support, tomorrow truly will be an amazing day.

#longhairDOcare

www.kutsforconfidence.weebly.com

Em

One Year

When you look back at your life, how quickly and how minuscule does one year seem? Doesn’t time just fly? I can’t believe this semester is almost over, and even more so…I cannot believe it has been one year since I finished chemotherapy. Wow, its weird to say sometimes, chemotherapy…still doesn't seem real. But, thanks to so many amazing people, and events in my life, I am now a one-year cancer survivor.

Last Friday, November 16^th, 2012, I was admitted for my last treatment. My dad and I checked in and my mom met us in M50 carrying so many decorations, bags, streamers, posters, and pictures and we set up for a night that I will never forget. My nurse was Diana, who moved around floors a lot and it was a complete surprise and irony to see her…she was my very first chemo nurse. I had some amazing visitors, Katie and fellow cancer survivor, Mikaela, and Matt. Mackenzie and some of her friends came to visit too. Not to mention, my best friend, Ali and her wonderful mother Connie, coming fully prepared with cupcakes, hats, and a “0” piñata for “Zero” more treatments. I will never forget the feeling of relief, the feeling of weightlessness, the feeling of pure happiness as I watched the last drops of Methotrexate drip into my IV. In that moment, 7:30 pm on November 16^th, 2012, I was the world’s newest cancer survivor.

It’s been a year now, and boy has it been crazy. Going back to school, jumping into “normal life,” cheerleading, and all the other activities I picked back up, I was super busy. My friends can attest that this year was a year of ups and downs. Some of the highest high’s and the lowest low’s, but I made it through. From cheering in March Madness, to burying my dear friend, Cora, this year has been a year of trials.  Nothing seems impossible anymore which is for sure a blessing, but there isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t think of the word “cancer,” think of my leg which still doesn’t feel “normal,” and think of something I wish I was able to do better.

This weekend was kind of whirlwind but the best weekend I could have dreamed of. Our favorite school/football team, the John Carroll University Blue Streaks, were taking on Mount Union on Saturday for the last game of the regular season, both teams being undefeated. This is a HUGE rivalry in the OAC (Ohio Athletic Conference) and was going to be an intense, sold out, war. A few weeks ago, I purchased plane tickets for Mackenzie and I to fly into Columbus and meet up with our best friends, basically family, the McDonnell’s and the kids decided to drive up to Mount Union and SURPRISE our parents at this football game. Mackenzie and I arrived in Columbus Friday night, had a wonderful time with Cassey, Emily and Sam, and being reunited was amazing. We drove up and walked right up to the tailgate yesterday morning and my parent’s jaws hit the ground. It was so awesome. We spend the day watching a great game, although the score wasn’t in our favor, we will always love the Streaks.

After the game, Cassey, Sam, Kenz, Joe and I drove home where we had part 2 of the surprise waiting…Mr. and Mrs. McDonnell were waiting in my kitchen (with Pizzazz of course) and we surprised my parents again! There was no one I would rather spend this celebration with than the close family and friends I had surrounding me yesterday. Dancing around my house to “Come on Eileen,” “ Hotel,” “Angel,” “All for you,” “It wasn’t me,” and “90’s power hour” with my parents and friends was the best evening I could’ve asked for. Thank you to Mr. and Mrs. Fanning, Mr. and Mrs. McD, Mrs. Reesing, Frank, Andrew, Nick, and our course Cassey, Emily, Sam, Kenz, and Joe for keeping the surprise and for giving me the best gift of amazing family and friends.

So, to all of you reading this, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for always caring, for the love, prayers, and well wishes, thoughts, hugs, and friendship. You helped me through the most difficult time in my life and I am proud to say now that I am a one-year cancer survivor. I would not be here today if it wasn’t for you. Thank you for everything.

Love,

Em

All battles are won.

WOW it has been a long time since I posted, but I am sitting here, in my new apartment, back at school, starting my "jophomore" year as I like to call it (should be my junior year, but academically a sophomore) and some things just crossed my mind. Real quick: life is great, I am doing well, loving classes, my sorority, and starting a new job, my roommates and I always say "this is the happiest we have ever been!" Everything is so great right now, and I am very thankful. Kenz is at Villanova and loving the start of freshman year! That girl will rule the business world someday, and I can't wait to see how she conquers school! Joe is a sophomore at St. Ignatius back home in Cleveland, and working hard to come back to full activity and football after a nasty concussion. He's a trouper though, hopefully he will be good to go next week! Jane and Todd, the rents, are doing well. Mom is busy as JCU (homecoming is this weekend!) and Dad is working hard all the time. I miss my fam, but teamevans seems to be doing just fine right now.

So since I last posted, many things have changed. I had a rough end of the school year when I got some terrible news. My friend, who I fought Osteosarcoma with, passed away on May 5th, 2013. I was fortunate enough to be introduced to Cora on her very first day in S20 when she was diagnosed with the disease in her Humerus, or upper arm. It was August of 2012, she was about to start her senior year in high school and boy, she was a BEAUTIFUL girl. I'm not kidding, she was gorgeous, and our doctor wanted to introduce me because she was a cheerleader, too. I could tell she was caught off guard, and a little upset when I walked in the room but she kept a smile on her face the whole time. Your first day in the clinic isn't the greatest experience because you're forced into an unfamiliar place that you eerily know is associated with questions of mortality and an unfamiliar world of poisons, shots, and bald people. I am not kidding, I cried the first day in the doctors office when I saw other patients because I was scared and it didn't really hit me I would lose my hair too. It's just a weird feeling, like a foreshadowing into your future. 

Anyways, Cora and her incredible father, Brian, welcomed me and soon enough, I was hanging out with Cora whenever we were in the hospital together. M50 bonding, we loved it. We chatted for hours about our lives, boys, what we wanted to do, where she wanted to go to college, and I got to meet some of her amazing friends when they would visit her in the hospital. It was great, Cora, Ashly, and I, the three oldest girls on the floor became so close. When I went back to school, Cora and I would text often. She was hilarious, and we never talked about cancer which was funny. We would catch up on life and talk about the same old stuff, boys, school, she asked me how college was and we would get so excited planning our summer hang outs when I came home in the spring. She meant alot to me and I guess I meant alot to her in return. When I finished chemo, she posted this on her facebook, and it was the first time I realized how important our friendship was:

"When I was first diagnosed with cancer I met a girl named Emily Evans, my dr. told me I want you to meet her she cheered and has the same cancer you do, So when I saw her and talked a little and she left I told my dad it was good seeing her she looked good and healthy and she was so pretty and it gave me a heads up to what i had coming for me, so emily was in the hospital the same time i was this week and she came and visited me in my room and we talked and she told me that she had her last chemo and that she was completely done and going back to school in jan. she told me "cora, just wait for this day it is the best feeling ever" I have never had a true role model to look up to unless it was a family member but she is my true role model and I look up to her on so many levels, she went through everything i will be and ive never been so happy for someone! and she looks A M A Z I N G♥ Congrats Emily for beating cancer! YOU are my inspiration"

The last time I saw Cora was two days before her 18th birthday, two days before her tumor resection surgery. She was smiling and all too excited and nervous for her tumor to be removed! On her way to the hospital, she blasted "Safe and Sound" by Capital Cities. She never gave up hope. I could lift you up, I could show you what you want to see and take you where you want to be. You could be my luck, Even if the sky is falling down, I know that we'll be safe and sound." Cora's diagnosis from the beginning was a difficult one. It was much more aggressive and had already metastasized in her lungs when she was diagnosed. Cora fought a much harder battle than I ever had to, but not once did she question her mortality or life on Earth. She always kept her head held high and just approached life and the present truly as what it is; a gift. When one chemo wouldn't work, she would say, "alright, whats next?" Thats the kind of girl she was. Cora was my inspiration. On Sunday, May 5th, I was sitting in my friend Alex's dorm room with my other three best friends. We were all on high stress and it was the week of finals...emotions running wild. I saw a status from one of my Nurse friends and I said to my friends, "guys I think something is wrong on my floor (M50)." When I found out Cora had passed, I crumbled.

My family scrambled find out how to get me through finals, get me moved out of my dorm, and home for her funeral which took place on Friday, May 10th. At her funeral with my Dad closely holding onto me, I couldn't control myself. It was the first time I truly faced the mortality and seriousness of this disease. Cora hadn't told me she was sick, she and I talked the week before and she was still staying strong, that beautiful person she was. I couldn't stop looking at her casket, I couldn't stop picturing her, and it wouldn't process through my head she was actually gone. I was able to sit and talk with her best friends at the services and they mean so much to me still today. But I will never forget that feeling I had of just wanting one more day, one more day with her. We shared a bond and went through something not many people understand. I spiraled into somewhat of a dark time when all this was happening. I lost faith in God, I lost faith in life, I lost faith in myself. I was home for about 3 weeks just moping and hating life, so resentful that Cora was gone. I only admitted to my family and to my close friends, but for awhile I was praying I would get cancer again. I prayed to have God give it to me, I could handle it, don't give it to my friends, let me take it...truthfully I missed the routine of going to the hospital everyday and that being my only worry in the world. It took me a few weeks to move past all of it. 

Some people would say that Cora "lost her battle" to Osteo on May 5th, but that phrase couldn't be more wrong. Cora never lost. No one has ever lost a battle to cancer. The fight to the finish means she won, she won because she didn't let the disease take her spirit. She and all others who have gone before us won, no battles are lost. Cora is on my mind everyday and I proudly wear her bracelet to remind me of my special friend, the angel watching over me. Cora's life motto was "Hakuna Matata" which I'm sure you all know, "mean's no worries, for the rest of your days." It's nice to think about and it helps me stay centered when I get caught up in the mess of this beautiful world. 

I recently finished reading a book that just changed my perspective on life. If you are interested, please read "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green. It is an amazing book and I don't want to give anything away, so that is all that I am going to say about it. I guess the point of this post is to ask you all to remember Cora, to remember all those who have WON their battles but have passed. And, of course, please remember all those still fighting. Rest in Peace, Cora. I miss you so much!
P.S. I love you too.

Celebrate. Remember. Fight Back.

This is it. Tomorrow, Saturday, April 20th at 6 pm, Saint Louis University is taking on the "little c." SLU is fighting back at Relay For Life 2013! This is a huge, nationwide fundraiser for the American Cancer Society to find a CURE for the terrible disease.

Coming back to school, I was fortunate enough to be welcomed on the Relay For Life committee with some truly amazing people. I have attended many Relay's growing up and most recently, a special one at John Carroll University last year while going through treatment. This year, I am a part of the planning, supporting, and executing one of the biggest college Relays in the country. Here at SLU, we set a goal of $150,000 to fundraise for the American Cancer Society. Every one on our committee is so passionate about Relay and we are determined to do our part to find a cure. For many different reasons, we all Relay. For our grandparents, for lost loved ones, for friends, for more birthdays, for HOPE.

Relay For Life has always been special to me, but is even more special this year. For the first time, I will be participating in Relay For Life as a survivor. I have so many thoughts and emotions swirling in my head as we approach the start of this big event. Every thought, memory, letter, interaction in the last year of my life is coming to memory. This is something that is so important to me. Relay For Life is much of the reason I am still here today. Because of money that goes to cancer research, I am a survivor. Our money that goes to the American Cancer Society goes straight to the search for a Cure, to give people hope, and longer lives, like me. 

I feel as though it is my job to continue the fight. I don't understand why cancer exists. The pain, the suffering, the darkness, it's so devastating. I don't know why I got cancer and I have come to realize that the emotional and mental recovery is a lot longer than the physical recovery. It is a fight every day, and I am still fighting. This is something we have the power to stop. We have the power to contribute our talents, our resources, our energy to make sure that someday, no one has to hear the word "cancer." One day, we won't hear words like, chemotherapy, radiation, tumor, cancer. But, it is up to us. It is something that we have the POWER to HELP fight. 

I ask you to please keep the SLU community in your thoughts as we do our part to fight this disease. Keep all who are fighting their battles in your hearts, remember those who have lost their fight. We are not alone, you are never alone. One day, I will live to see a cure for cancer. If you are interested in contributing to our fight, here is a link to my page. Feel free to explore and see what were about. 

http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?fr_id=48667&pg=personal&px=31374409

Also, please keep Boston in your prayers as they fight through such tragedy. I thank you for all your continued love and support, I can feel it with me every day. Just so you know, I relay for you.

Infinite Relay Love,
Emily

Spring Break, Cleveland style!

Happy March everyone! I hope this day finds you well and with a smile on your face! To many of my friends, I hope you're having a fun and SAFE spring break! Just wanted to give a little update on my life lately and an update from my doctors! As Ke$ha (yes, I'm quoting a pop singer) would say, "I'm in love alright with my crazy, beautiful life!" 

(This is my version of "spring break- Cleveland style, laying out in the back yard!)

School is GREAT! I love being back, it finally feels like normal, like I never left. I am blessed to have the best friends a girl could ask for and I'm having a blast as well as enjoying the opportunity to receive an incredible education here at Saint Louis University. And...for all you crazy sports fans out there like me, there's much to get excited about at SLU!

The Saint Louis University men's basketball team has had an INCREDIBLE season so far, but let me tell you, the bills aren't done yet! This past Saturday, the bills had their last game of the regular season at home against LaSalle and with that win, the Billikens became the outright CHAMPIONS of the Atlantic 10 Conference! This hasn't happened since the 1956-57 season! It has been an honor to come back to cheerleading and help cheer on these guys to the top. Also, I am extremely grateful and honored to have the opportunity to represent Saint Louis University as a cheerleader at the A10 tournament this weekend in Brooklyn and in the upcoming weeks in the NCAA tournament - March Madness!! This is so unreal, growing up filling out brackets and religiously watching games, and now I am able to be a part of it, and be on the sidelines so proudly cheering my team on, it's a dream come true. I firmly believe the Billikens are going to make history, with our proud Coach, Rick Majerus, watching down on us. There's so much to get excited about, GO BILLS! (Chaifetz Arena and the blue themed font inspired the blog layout right now!) 

My dad and my sister Mackenzie drove down for the last game and we enjoyed a beautiful Friday, went up in the arch, and an amazing game and senior day Saturday before headed home Saturday afternoon. It's nice to be back in Cleveland for a few days relaxing with the fam. I head back to St. Louis Wednesday to head to Brooklyn for the A10 tournament Thursday! 
                                     
Also, today has been another great day to mark in the books...I had my 3 month post-chemo treatment check up at the Cleveland Clinic. I honestly have missed that place since it was my life the last year so I thoroughly enjoyed seeing my doctors and nurses. The check up I had today will be routine for about 5+ years to make sure all is good and healthy. I started off the morning with a CAT scan of my chest, then X-rays of my leg, an appointment with my surgeon, and then a blood draw in the S20 clinic where my doctors are. Osteosarcoma is funny because the first place a tumor of bone will appear if it comes back is in the lungs, weird, right? So the CT scans show any signs of nodules or imperfections that could be tumors. The x-rays of my leg are also to see if the Osteo came back because it would appear in the original sight, but I'm now titanium so that's not an option, sorry cancer! :) Lastly, the blood draw is to check my body functions and make sure all is running smoothly now post treatment. Finally, I am proud to say everything is clear and healthy! The little c is still defeated! My lungs are clear, the X-rays are amazing and bring my mom to tears every time, and my blood results show I am extremely healthy and functioning like normal again! 

(Blood draw like a champ...kind of)

I am constantly reminded of how precious life is and the blessing I have to still be here. The big man upstairs and I have a pact that He will never give me too much that I can handle so I have faith whatever results that came of today are exactly what they needed to be. I am so grateful to be back at school, to be cheering and cheering for such an incredible team and school, and to have in my moms words, "A+ health!" 

Thank you for all the prayers, thoughts, and kind words. Still keeping my girls Sarah and Cora in my prayers as they continue in their battles! This upcoming month will be exciting and I can't wait to see what is in store. God bless you all, and GO BILLS! 

Xoxo Em

Reflecting on the past year

One year ago today, my life, my family's life, my friends' lives, changed dramatically. It was about 3 pm, when my doctor at SLU hospital came into my room. He was supposed to be on a flight to California for a medical conference. My parents and I quietly knew something was seriously wrong. He came in with my incredible nurse who helped me stay calm through the biopsy process.

He was choked up and tried to spit out words that didn't even make sense. On Tuesday, February 7th, he performed a biopsy on my femur and determined that I had a bone infection. The fact that he returned to my room with a solemn look scared me and my parents. He sat down at the end of my bed and touched my "good leg." He began to speak softly and quietly. The following words loomed in the air before they sunk into my thoughts. 

Emily I am so sorry. Pathology finally came back with the results. They found cancer cells in your biopsy. You have something called osteosarcoma, or bone cancer.

I blacked out. I don't remember much of that conversation. I remember my mom screaming and my dad silently crying, and I think I had tears but I don't remember. The next words were, "We will probably be able to save your leg.....chemotherapy....reconstructive surgery...." It was too much. My parents and I tried to process everything and immediately decided that I should leave school and come back to Cleveland to receive treatment at the Cleveland Clinic. A few minutes later, doctors scrambled to pull some tests together for me. At 3 pm, on a friday afternoon, not much is available because everyone is headed home for the weekend. But, I got in for a CT scan of my lungs and a full body bone scan. At 3:30, Greg came in the room with his backpack on, thinking I was going to be discharged from the hospital finally, and we had about 30 seconds to sit him down and tell him I was diagnosed with cancer. That was the first time I cried, I couldn't speak, it finally was hitting me, I had cancer. Greg stayed with me that whole weekend, never leaving my side, and I am so grateful I had such an amazing friend. I was rolled down in my hospital bed for the CT and bone scans. My parents will say that February 10th, 2012 was the worst day of their lives, and the best. With the scans, we confirmed that the osteo had not spread. My lungs were clear (that is the first place it would spread to), and the bone scan, ticking 1% at a time over my body, showed no signs of tumors anywhere else. Laying in that machine and seeing my parents and Greg watching the results on the side killed me inside because we were all so scared.

God bless my family and my parents, they are the strongest people I know. That night, my brother won his basketball tournament and we had family friends come over and prepare for a skype date they will never forget. We decided I cannot tell anyone until I tell my family so my phone had been turned off since we got the news. My brother and sister appeared on the screen with my "2nd mothers" and we told them the news. My brother kept stepping away from the screen because he was crying but didn't want us to know. That was the most difficult part of the day, telling Mackenzie and Joe. My parents left Greg and I at the hospital with some food and went to the hotel where they stayed up all night calling every doctor friend we knew asking for help. How do we get an oncologist? What hospital do we go to? How do we find a surgeon? How do we get help. By morning (Saturday), My parents had flights home booked and me scheduled for appointments at the Cleveland Clinic on Monday. 

Saturday was a whirlwind. I was discharged from the hospital around 2 pm. My parents dropped Greg and I back off at SLU where I had the difficult task of telling my friends that I have cancer and that I was going home in the morning. I am so sorry for all the pain I caused my friends, they went through everything with me. It was a shock to everyone because we all thought it was a bone infection...



I was able to tell as many people as possible in the short 4 to 5 hours that I had on campus and pack up my things in my dorm. My friends, my parents, and I crammed into my dorm room and sat and talked. One of my best friends, Wolf , gave me a pair of boxing gloves and said, "Emily, use these. You are going to beat cancer." another one of my best friend, Greg, gave me his Cleveland Indians hat I used to wear and wrote on the inside, "you're a champ." These are some memories I hold so close to my heart. We didn't know what to expect, and I was so scared. I am so grateful I have incredible friends that got me through that day.

So, one year later after 30 rounds of treatment, a knee replacement, a partial femur replacement, and the loss of my hair, I am still here today and that is the best blessing I could ask for. February 10th is my D-Day, (diagnosis day) and I am so thankful I am alive. Who knew a year ago, when I was leaving school, I would be back here and back to the life I had. I am so lucky to have such amazing friends and family. Although today is an emotional day for me, I am proud to say that the hell has made me a stronger person. Thank you so much to every single person that thought about me, prayed for me, sent me cards, gifts, anything at all through this. I am eternally grateful. February 10th, 2012 changed my life forever, but I am going to use this experience to help others and give back. God brought me through this for a reason, it's now my goal to find that reason and pay it forward. 

So much love to all of you, a world without cancer is my dream and I am determined that I will see the day when that comes true.
Em

"Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya, tomorrow.."

"YOU'RE ONLY A DAY AWAY!" This is too crazy and exciting! Just a quick update to announce to everyone, I AM OFF TO ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI TOMORROW!

After being home for 330 days, in and out of the hospital, and on a "road trip" from hell, I am SO excited to finally be taking the Road Trip with my parents to SLU! Saint Louis University has been so accommodating, generous, and thoughtful throughout this whole experience and I am so proud to be a part of the SLU community. I am also pleased to announce that I will be returning to cheerleading! So if you ever want to tune in to watch the 11-3 Billikens, check out the cheerleaders and dancers on the sidelines, and you might see a girl with short hair out there!

I am so excited for all this positive change in my life. My leg keeps getting stronger and stronger and I am finally feeling like myself again! Back to good health and I plan on staying that way. The next time I will be home is for a quick 2 day trip to cleveland for spring break on March 9-11. I have my 3 month post treatment scans and check ups again. Hopefully if the Bills keep playing great I will be consumed with post-season play the month of March! GO BILLS!

Thank you all again for the prayers that have pulled me through this. I am finally to the moment in time where I can start my life again. I am moving in Wednesday, and you can find me in Chaifetz Arena on Thursday night for my first game back! Bills take on UMass! I hope everyone had a great holiday season and a very Happy New Year, there's so much to be thankful for. So thankful my friend Mikaela is about to start school next week and have her LAST CHEMO TREATMENT! SO proud of you, girlfriend! Sarah is also finding out she can go home after a 4 month hospital stay before her bone Marrow transplant! Continued prayers to her and all those still fighting. To all my friends studying abroad, take the world by storm! I'll miss you in my return to school, but so excited to watch all your adventures unfold! Thank you everyone, to all my friends and family at home, I truly will miss you. Funny how leaving for college a second time is actually more difficult.

Goodbye to Cleveland and all its love,
..."Meet me in St. Louis"

XOXO
Emily

"When you say SAINT LOUIS, you've said it all."

SLU!

The Athletic fields and CHAIFETZ ARENA!

Aerial view of part of campus...notice the arch in the background...only 3 miles!