When people ask, “How are you doing?” my answer is “Better and better!”  Every single day I feel a bit better.  What a contrast to three months ago when the last chemo was hitting me so hard.  Or a month ago when I was having a seroma aspirated for the second time during my radiation treatments.  I feel so full and happy because the radiation tenderness is diminishing each day and I’m feeling stronger each day.

Part of the better and better is finishing these doc appointments as I begin post-treatment.  I saw my medical oncologist yesterday.  We talked about my medical path from here and the frequency of my follow-up visits.  I’ll see my surgeon in June for an appointment I scheduled after the last seroma aspiration, then I’ll start the every-three-month sequence.  I’ll see my medical oncologist in September and my radiation oncologist in December.  That way I’ll be seeing a doctor every three months, though it will be different doctors.

Chickamauga National Military Park

I can measure the better and better in the 20-minute walk I took in the battlefield yesterday evening.  This photo is of the same field where I took my first post-chemo walk back in March.  That day I had to creep along and was worn out after covering a few hundred yards.  This time I parked at the recreation field and walked (at a decent pace) almost to the intersection beyond this field – and back.  What a difference!  I still can’t stand/walk for long, but my stamina is improving.  Just in time for my trip next week.  On Tuesday, I’m heading up to visit my sister in New England.  But first we’ll meet up in New York State at a location I’ll blog about later.  I’ll see my radiation oncologist on Monday and hit the road on Tuesday.  One more doc appointment, and I’ll be through with appointments for a while.   I’ll have the freedom to take a long driving trip.  I’ve missed traveling.  A lot.

I’m so grateful that the better and better has me feeling well enough to travel and to take walks and to do those “normal” activities I missed while I was in the throes of breast cancer treatments.  I still try to live one day at a time and not to forget all I’ve learned in the past several months.  One of those “learnings” is how important gratitude is.  So I’ll end this post with that.  Gratitude for no more treatments and diminishing pain and more strength and stamina.  And for walks and trips and fields and grass and highways.  And for life, healthier and healthier life.  And appreciation for all of its gifts.