I'm not sure if you know this but my last radiation treatment is tomorrow! Did you get that? I said...
MY LAST RADIATION TREATMENT IS TOMORROW
I think that deserves a little Christmas Carlton Dance, don't you? Here you go!
We're pretty excited around here. Even Ptheven is exphited...
...about something. ;-)
Yes friends, I'm happy to say that the treatment journey of 2014 is about to come to an end. I still have my maintenance stuff to do for a while but the heavy stuff is coming to an end. I'm really having a hard time believing that it's true. My emotions are all over the place - I'm excited but I'm also dealing with some unexpected emotions. Everything happened so fast after my diagnosis - we took action immediately and have been going full throttle ever since. I haven't spent too much time pondering what was going on and what a big deal it was. I went from diagnosis to surgery in 2 1/2 weeks, chemo started 4 weeks post op and you know the rest. So much has happened and I have learned so much this year. You've heard my "what I'm thankful for" speech multiple times at this point so I won't bore you again. If you (somehow) missed it, feel free to go back - it shows up in multiple blog posts. That said, I feel somewhat blessed to have gone through this experience. I hope I never have to go through this again but if I do (God forbid) I know have the strength to handle what's to come. My husband is stronger, my children are stronger, my family is stronger and closer than ever. I don't wish this on anyone but you do come out changed on the other side. Cancer really does "touch lives". You don't have to have it to be forever changed by it. I have so much I want to write about so there's no shortage of material, trust me. I just need to make the time to sit down and get it all out. The future is a little scary for me but I've got this...and you know me, I'll be sharing all along the way.
Enough of that. Let's get back to our treatment wind down. I had my last weekly appointment with my Radiation Oncologist today. She's the one who has been telling me that she didn't want treatment to end. She and her nurse are spectacular. I so enjoy seeing them and chatting with them each week. I'm going to miss them...really! I know it sounds crazy to get attached to people but when you go through a life changing event, you tend to remember those folks who walked through it with you. Ask the nurse who took care of us when I lost our first child. Ask our NICU nurses. We stay in touch. Back to the story - we finished our appointment/chat this morning and she asked if she could hug me. WELL OF COURSE!! I have been so blessed with a spectacular cancer care team and I cannot say enough good things about them. From the day I was diagnosed right up until today, I haven't worked with anyone who wasn't awesome. Seriously. Nurses, Nurse Navigator, physical therapist, surgeon, medical oncologist, radiation oncologist, radiology technicians (is that the right term?) - every single person has been the best.
So, tomorrow I step off the ledge and into the deep end of the pool. I close out another crazy chapter in my crazy life. Dance with me, won't you?!
Love to all!!
Andee