Sayonara chemo!

Guess what?? As of yesterday, I am DONE with chemo! As leary as I am about saying this as if it's official... this is the closest I have been to officially being finished with chemotherapy.

For any of you reading this that may be new, or in case you need a refresher, I thought I had completed my chemo way back on May 11th. Thought surgery was the next course of action in my treatment. Not so. After finishing that first regimen, I went for an MRI. My original tumor had shrunk down to nearly being invisible, but I still had involvement in that single, pesky internal mammary lymph node. My case was revisited by a group of doctors at a cancer conference, and my surgeon and oncologist decided it best I continue with the next chemo treatment outlined for me. 

Everyone was unanimous in believing it would be a crime to quit while I was ahead. My body was handling the treatment and responding well to it. And, although I didn't know it 100% at the time, this second go with the chemo was planned for me from the start. I had just expected it to be post-surgery and accompanied by my radiation.

So at this point in time, I have just completed my 12th and final infusion of Taxol. That was 3 months of going weekly for treatment. Grand total of chemo I have endured is 16 treatments. Fun times. ;) Haha.

Chemo #16 and 12/12 of Taxol. Guess how many are left? GOOSE EGG!

If I can close this chapter of my treatment, I think I will be over the moon. I need the break both mentally and physically. I have such a profound amount of admiration and respect for anyone who must go through chemo for longer than I have. The people who go for years? Seriously, I don't know how they do it. Who knows though. If I had to do it, I'm sure I could muster the strength too... but only with a little help from a holy fellow named Jesus. Hehe

I will have more info next Thursday on what is happening for me next, but as I have said before, it will likely be a whole lot of rinse and repeat. MRI or PET scan. Wait for results, then make appointment to see my breast surgeon. Get his word and go from there. That's all the peering into the near future I'd like to do right now.

Final bag o' chemo!

I'm in some kind of elated sense of shock that my chemotherapy may be done. It's been my life since the end of March, so I'm waiting for it all to sink in.

Time for another rewind to earlier in the week. This past Monday, my SIL Marylou and our friend Denise (who make up Team Anj for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day in San Diego) held their first fundraiser. Tacos for Ta-tas! It was held at a Rubio's, and everyone who brought a flyer for it and made a purchase had a portion of the proceeds donated to the team.

I was happy the hubby and I were able to attend, because it was very touching to see all the people who are supporting us. So many people I had never even met and some people who have known me since I was a child. Heck, even my longtime close friend Mike, of whom I hadn't seen in probably a solid decade, stopped by after a long day at work to donate!! Definitely melted my heart to be surrounded by all my loved ones along with these other compassionate supporters.

So, seriously... God bless all of you who donated. God bless all of you who showed up. And a huge thank you to Marylou and Denise for doing it! It was a great turn out, and it once again helped renew my will to fight. I simply refuse to let down the Lord, myself, or any of my supporters.

Lovely Marylou & Denise along with myself & all my family at Tacos for Ta-tas!

If any of you reading this would be interested in to donating, please visit the Team Anj site. All proceeds go to the Susan G. Komen foundation which is completely dedicated to the fight against breast cancer all across the world. They help save lives of breast cancer patients and aid in funding for finding a cure.

You'd think I would have more to say this week, but that's all I've got for now! :)

Please keep those prayers coming as they've absolutely helped, and I know I'll be needing them for this next leg of my battle. I'll be posting next week when I have more info to share.

In the meantime, God bless you all and have a splendid weekend!

' Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear… Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” ' Luke 12:22-25

When my second life began

Today I had my second to last infusion. Violet took me again today. I love that woman. She has never been anything but loving and treated me as one of her own. I hope she knows how much that means to me. :) We had our usual awesome talk (and went to Lucille's BBQ for lunch when I was done! Yum!!). With the exception of roughly an hour that is.

We were the first ones in the treatment room, and it filled up to max capacity at one point. Mommy-in-law had to give up her seat and retreat to the waiting room until a seat opened back up. I dozed off while she was away. Hehe.

Chemo treatment #15 and 11/12 of Taxol. ONLY ONE TO GO NOW! P.S. My oncologist nurse Julie lent a hand for this pic. ;) 

Once she had returned, we wound up chatting with a familiar face I have frequently seen in the treatment room. I, sadly, don't even know his name. Jason calls him 'John Lennon', haha... he does resemble him! Anyway, we were discussing our types of cancer and where we were in treatment. He has stage 4 pancreatic cancer. He comes in once every two weeks, and had number 8 (out of a total of 12) of his today.

The thing I have always genuinely admired and liked about this gentleman, is the way he never stops smiling. He's friendly to everyone who enters into that room, no matter how grumpy they are. We talked about how much something like cancer redefines you. Like, really and truly. How much we both believe having a positive attitude helps in your healing, minimizes side effects, etc. I'm not sure if this man is spiritual at all, so I didn't press on it too much but I did immediately think of my faith as the guiding light largely responsible for my positivity.

A neighbor of his who had recently won her own battle against breast cancer described it perfectly:

"The day I was diagnosed was the day my first life ended and my second life began".

In a few days, it will have been exactly 5 months since I was diagnosed. So, it seems surreal to think I may be coming up around the bend on my final chemotherapy treatment. Especially since the majority of that time has been spent getting chemo.

I am not bitter to lose out on that time however. Quite the contrary. I'm alive because of this time I have "lost". How can I be angry about that? Forgive me for sounding like a broken record, but I was gifted this extra time in my life. I like to think it was for a much greater purpose that I have yet to discover. Another thing I will begin praying wholeheartedly about. The Lord has called me, so I know He will also fulfill in enlightening me as to why. How do I know? Well, He's cool like that. Duh. ;)

Thinking back on everything I have been through in these past months, I am impressed with myself that I made it to be so nearly on the other side. I have a mental checklist. After next week, I will be able to cross off rocking the shit out of chemo!  Lol, that is going to be a superbly glorious thing if I do say so!

Dang. You know where that will leave me afterwards though, right? Back to that anxious period of appointments, test results, and waiting. I have decided this time around though... I'm letting go. I'm giving it up to God, fully. It's in His hands anyway.

Speaking of, I suppose I should revisit some days from earlier in the week here. That mystery thing on my port incision scar? Yep. Turned out to be a suture or something after all. Not infected, as I never did receive a phone call saying either way. And no news is good news within the realm of medical anythings.

Tuesday, my parents came out for a visit. It's always so comforting to see them. We had a fun time. Mostly just talking and enjoying being together. And you know, I love them both so dearly. They are some of the sweetest, most generous and loving people on the face on the planet. Anyone who knows my Mom and Dad will definitely agree.

Other than that visit my week was mostly comprised of resting, as I seem to need more and more rest again, and playing World of Warcraft. As exciting as I'm sure that sounds to you all, I still know it could be way worse. And I'm surely grateful that it's not been any worse. :P Haha.

Besides, I need save my reserves of stored up Anj-energy on pwning whatever difficulties are ahead of me with this cancer business.

Although I don't know what all these difficulties will entail just yet, I am giving them a preliminary acceptance of their challenge.

AND HOW DO I INTEND TO HANDLE SAID CHALLENGES YOU ASK?

OF COURSE.

Hahaha, okay... I've got a couple of inspirational songs to share for the week, and then that'll be a wrap everybody!

God bless you all. Hoping you have the best weekend ever with an even better week! And if it isn't turning out to be either, try to make it so!

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."   Romans 8:28

This battle will be won

Getting so close to the end of the chemo finish line now! After yesterday's treatment, I have 3 remaining. Hooray! Also, I scheduled my follow up appointment with my oncologist for a week after my final treatment. I feel better having that lined up because that gives us a good starting point for finding out my next post-chemo steps this time.

Chemo #13 - 9/12 of Taxol. Hubby lending some fingers again.

I was so disillusioned last time by first getting news I was finished with chemotherapy only to be thrown into a longer treatment plan, that I'm wary of saying I'll be finished finished with it soon. But I like to think I will be! Haha. Like, officially and entirely finished with it. You know, being finished with chemo for the rest of my lifetime would be swell, but even if it's just for now... I'll be pleased as punch (Lol, where does that saying even come from? Is punch really that pleased?). I'm pretty sure that my husband appreciates the thought of this chemo stuff being done with soon too. ;)

By the time I have that follow up with my doctor, it will have been nearly 5 months of chemotherapy. I can't believe there are people who have to do it nonstop for something like 15 or 18 months. Poor souls. My heart goes out to them. The physical toll it takes on one is enough on its own, add in the mental/emotional strain and it's just stupidly hard.

But, thank the Lord, I have only three more in my foreseeable future! An end in sight is a mighty beautiful one at that. :) And I'm ecstatic to have my fighting spirit back. I needs it!

I'm only going to have to be a shut in for several more weeks. I miss having a normal immune system! Haha. I asked for my labs yesterday, and my WBC was at 2.6.  Of course I realize my WBC will probably decline some more by the last infusion, but I'll be free to take vitamins and stuff to boost it back up I believe?

Well, ladies and gents, that's all I have for now!  Have a beautiful and most blessed weekend and a wonderful week to follow.

"Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge."  Psalm 62:8