CROSSING THE FINISH LINE!
Today is the day I have been looking forward to, my last breast cancer treatment. It's been a special day and I have been soaking up the attention. Everyone around me has been smiling, congratulating, and cheering me on. My co-workers had a surprise pitch-in and left balloons in my office. Someone even made my favorite cake, German chocolate! Yummmm
I left work ten minutes early for my appointment because I couldn't concentrate anymore and while I was sitting in my car outside the doctor's office Jeff pulled up on the motorcycle. He even brought my helmet so we could go for a ride together afterwards.
When we walked into the Oncology center the lady at the front desk smiled real big before I was even close to the desk and said "Last One!" I asked her how she knew and she said it was highlighted on the computer. Isn't that nice! I would like to shake the hand of the person who thought to add that to the scheduling program.
After my radiation treatment one of my favorite techs was waiting at the door to hug me. All the attention, smiles, hugs, and celebrating made me feel like I was the queen of the parade.
Jeff and I went for a short ride after the appointment and then I picked the kids up from school. Grace told me that she and her friends all wore pink ribbons today to celebrate. I'm glad she has a support group as well. We picked up my favorite food for dinner and brought it home rather than eating out. I may be done with treatments, but my body doesn't know it yet. I am still SOOO tired.
My mind has only briefly thought about what is next. I see the oncologist in 4 months and will continue to see him every 3-4 months for the next 3 years and then twice a year after that. Each time he will do a cancer marker blood test to see if there are any signs of breast cancer activity.
I see the radiation oncologist in a month and will then go to twice a year for who knows how long. He said he will probably do a mammogram when I see him then. I said I wanted one now and he told me I needed to let the breast tissue heal first and get away from this place for a while. (you got that right!)
I'll be sweating it with every appointment from now on. Blood tests and mammograms will be scary. I'll never again think, "It won't happen to ME"... because it did.
I'm going to rest now. Soon enough it will be time to pack away the wigs, scarves, and hats. We'll have to patch the holes in the wall where Jeff hung up racks to hold them. I need to continue to loose the weight I gained from the steroids, emotional eating, and lack of exercise. And I need to practice balancing my work and family life so I remember what is important.
I'm not sure if this blog will end today or not. It has been a great healing tool for me and I'm not so sure I'm all healed up yet. I realize now that beating cancer is about more than beating the abnormal cells growing in your body. It's also about beating what it does to your spirit and to your loved ones. That fight won't be won with trips to the doctor or drugs. It will be won through prayer and obedience as God leads me to what he wants me to do next with my life.
Today is the day I have been looking forward to, my last breast cancer treatment. It's been a special day and I have been soaking up the attention. Everyone around me has been smiling, congratulating, and cheering me on. My co-workers had a surprise pitch-in and left balloons in my office. Someone even made my favorite cake, German chocolate! Yummmm
I left work ten minutes early for my appointment because I couldn't concentrate anymore and while I was sitting in my car outside the doctor's office Jeff pulled up on the motorcycle. He even brought my helmet so we could go for a ride together afterwards.
When we walked into the Oncology center the lady at the front desk smiled real big before I was even close to the desk and said "Last One!" I asked her how she knew and she said it was highlighted on the computer. Isn't that nice! I would like to shake the hand of the person who thought to add that to the scheduling program.
After my radiation treatment one of my favorite techs was waiting at the door to hug me. All the attention, smiles, hugs, and celebrating made me feel like I was the queen of the parade.
Jeff and I went for a short ride after the appointment and then I picked the kids up from school. Grace told me that she and her friends all wore pink ribbons today to celebrate. I'm glad she has a support group as well. We picked up my favorite food for dinner and brought it home rather than eating out. I may be done with treatments, but my body doesn't know it yet. I am still SOOO tired.
My mind has only briefly thought about what is next. I see the oncologist in 4 months and will continue to see him every 3-4 months for the next 3 years and then twice a year after that. Each time he will do a cancer marker blood test to see if there are any signs of breast cancer activity.
I see the radiation oncologist in a month and will then go to twice a year for who knows how long. He said he will probably do a mammogram when I see him then. I said I wanted one now and he told me I needed to let the breast tissue heal first and get away from this place for a while. (you got that right!)
I'll be sweating it with every appointment from now on. Blood tests and mammograms will be scary. I'll never again think, "It won't happen to ME"... because it did.
I'm going to rest now. Soon enough it will be time to pack away the wigs, scarves, and hats. We'll have to patch the holes in the wall where Jeff hung up racks to hold them. I need to continue to loose the weight I gained from the steroids, emotional eating, and lack of exercise. And I need to practice balancing my work and family life so I remember what is important.
I'm not sure if this blog will end today or not. It has been a great healing tool for me and I'm not so sure I'm all healed up yet. I realize now that beating cancer is about more than beating the abnormal cells growing in your body. It's also about beating what it does to your spirit and to your loved ones. That fight won't be won with trips to the doctor or drugs. It will be won through prayer and obedience as God leads me to what he wants me to do next with my life.
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