Not Much New.....

It's been almost 4 weeks since my last chemo, and I continue to feel good, more energetic, and happier. I started exercising again, well, OK, just a couple times, but that's a move in the right direction. I have lost 15 pounds since I started chemo, but since I'm feeling better, I'm eating more, and I'd like to keep that 15 pounds off for good. Still in a holding pattern until I see the surgeon next week and he tells me what the MRI tells him. Most of the other doctors seem to think more surgery is indicated, but the surgeon himself says "we don't do breast MRIs very often on people who have had a mastectomy" so he wanted to consult with the radiologist, so that's what I'll hear more about next week. I had originally hoped the surgery decision would be made about 3-4 weeks earlier than it WILL be made, but I guess I get a little "feel good" time in between phases of treatment, and that's not all bad.

I took Kristin's Girl Scout troop to Savannah Ga (home of Girl Scouting in the US) over the long weekend (took Becky too) and really enjoyed getting away with them, enjoying the sun and being outside a good bit, seeing the girls enjoying themselves, laughing with the other moms, and just really feeling a little better.  I got a bit more tired walking around than I remember from the last trip, but being 3 years older will do that to you too!

Last Week After!

Not a bad week. A little tired, things taste a little off, a little moody (well, Jim might say very moody, but he doesn't read this blog anyway), but not too bad, and the best part is - LAST time! I go next week for an MRI to see how things look POST-chemo, and then the next week to the surgeon to determine what's next. I still have to go back to the oncologist for a hormone therapy every 3 weeks, its an IV drip like chemo that I've already been receiving along with the chemo, and I'll continue to receive that drug every three weeks until October. But the chemo is complete, and this hormone drug doesn't have the side effects, so that phase is definitely behind me, and I am so glad! Thanks to all for your support and your prayers, and please continue to keep praying as we figure out what comes next.

The "Almost-Kind-of-End" Part 1!!

The light at the end of the tunnel. Well folks. Here we are. Today is Mom's last chemo session of the cycle. If all holds to what the plan was- it should be the only cycle. Which means that the following week should be the last week of crappy-feelingness. It's definitely a checkpoint- a time for celebration that she has completed phase one of what really is a journey of several phases. While we know there is still radiation and at least one surgery to come, we are so thankful and proud of her to have gotten through this part with the grace, peace of mind, trust in God, and strength that she has. And hopeful that the rest of the journey will continue as positively!

And thanks to you all, again and again, for your support and prayers!

Some pictures from Disney

A Pretty Good "Week After"

It's been a week since my last chemo, and not a bad week at that. I got a pretty tired one day, but then felt better the next couple. Maybe it was the extra week since my last chemo, maybe it was the sunshine in Florida and the nice break over the holidays, maybe I'm getting used to things, maybe all those prayers made everything smoother. Two more weeks until the next chemo, and then just one more "week after" - I am SOOOOO looking forward to the first part of February when THIS phase of cancer treatment is behind me!

Wowsa.

As we enter what is usually the bad week for Mom, I was amazed to see the statistics for this blog. As of the time of post, there are over 2200 views of this blog since October. There are hits from all over the world including Canada, UK, Iceland, Sweden, Guatemala, Belgium and Singapore. Thank you all of you for fighting this fight with our family. I'd like to think that over 2200 views from all around the world means that there have been 2200 prayers from all around the world, which has got to be part of the power behind mom right now.

Millions of spiritual creatures walk the earth
Unseen, both when we wake and when we sleep.
~John Milton, Paradise Lost

Now entering the final stretch

Mom's in having her fifth treatment today. We had a great time at Disney and she was feeling very refreshed. That one extra week between treatments made a difference I think. She's been consulting with her doctors on all of the details of what comes next after the chemo. It will be a combination of radiation, more surgery to remove her reconstruction, and possibly some other things they've been talking about. She's been getting loads of second opinions from a website of doctors, so she'll have to explain those details and dad has been consulting with the same people. So they'll have to share those developments, but mostly those doctors have reaffirmed what their doctors have been saying and their methods of treatment. So after this chemo, mom has one more and then she's done with this whole pump toxic chemicals into your body thing! I know she was having a hard time visualizing getting through it back around Thanksgiving time, and now here she is and I think she's very much refocused. However, as she's nearing the end of this cycle, she seems to feel the side effects more severely in the week following treatment. She can't taste much at all. So hopefully this round that energy won't be hit so badly.

Thanks for prayers and thoughts!