Ladies and Gentlemen, Jenny has left the building

Good News! (Insert JennyReeder happy dance here.) Our cancer-fighting superhero is nestled all snug in her own bed tonight. 

Despite some drama at the time when she was going to be released, she was finally allowed to go home.  She said she got teary just breathing the fresh air and feeling the breeze on her face.  (Can you imagine how much we take just walking outside for granted.  After today, I hope I never take it for granted again.) Jenny was also thrilled beyond measure to eat dinner at a real table (with a tablecloth no less!), in a real chair with a glass to drink from. She's been getting a little excercise going up and down stairs as well.

Today was not all sunshine and roses however.  This morning's final chemo treatment gave her her worst reaction yet.  Jenny could feel the burning from the inside, it made her throw-up and put her in a lot of pain. But chemo is DONE!  There is still antibiotics for 3 more weeks, and a huge maze of insurance, perscriptions and appointments to get through, but she knows that somehow things will work out. The Lord is in charge and some how everything is going to be okay. 

The Sister Missionaries stopped by to visit with her yesterday and shared a talk from Dieter Uchtdorf about Patience that lifted her spirits tremendously. President Uchtdorf says: "patience is not passive resignation, nor is it failing to act because of our fears. Patience means active waiting and enduring. It means staying with something and doing all that we can—working, hoping, and exercising faith; bearing hardship with fortitude, even when the desires of our hearts are delayed. Patience is not simply enduring; it is enduring well!"

I am so proud of our Jenny for enduring well.

Now that Jenny is home many of us would like to rush to her side to be uplifted by her amazing spirit and to offer what comfort and good cheer that we can.  In light of that enthusiasm I would like to share some important guidlines that Jenny's Bishop (local church leader) has outlined:

Please call before stopping by to visit Jenny, and please understand if Jenny declines some visits so that she can rest and recuperate.  In addition, visitors who are not 100 percent healthy (or whose families or roommates are not 100 percent healthy), are not permitted to visit -- so if you have a cold or even just feel a cold coming on (or have a sick child or roommate), please wait to visit Jenny until you (and your children and roommates) are absolutely healthy.  And children -- healthy or not -- are not permitted to visit at this time.  Thanks in advance for complying with these restrictions.  We want to do our part to watch over and care for Jenny.

My thanks to all of you who are doing so much to watch over and care for Jenny. I think I speak on behalf of many of us JennyReeder fans who are far away and feeling rather helpless in our long distance status during this time. Our prayers are not only for Jenny, but for the many people who are doing so much to help our beloved friend. Thank you!