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