April 24th is a kind of birthday for me. It's the day I completed breast cancer treatments. And fittingly, this year's local Relay for Life is on April 25th. So I'm looking at this year's Relay event as a "birthday" celebration of my third year as a cancer-free person. But I'm not only feeling celebration … Continue reading An Upcoming “Birth”day: Three Years After Cancer Treatments
breast cancer chemotherapy
Celebration of the end of treatment – and reflection and thanks
Today I had my LAST radiation treatment! The gremlins were at work to make sure I stayed nonattached to this being my last day when they made the radiation machine have a glitch which required a computer restart and delayed my treatment for a while. But the computer came back up and synced properly with … Continue reading Celebration of the end of treatment – and reflection and thanks
If I’m feeling better, it must be time for another chemo treatment
In this breast cancer chemotherapy cycle, when I start to feel better that means another chemo treatment is imminent. As in tomorrow. Today I'm not achy and can actually taste food (somewhat) without a chemical taste in my mouth and don't have mouth sores and don't feel generally rotten. Tomorrow morning all of that will … Continue reading If I’m feeling better, it must be time for another chemo treatment
Prednisone-induced ramblings
I had the second Taxotere chemo infusion yesterday, and the prednisone that came with it kept me up last night and has me eating voraciously. I don't know how long it will last. Such is the cancer-treatment roller coaster. I was discouraged and resentful on Wednesday, did well with the treatment yesterday and had a … Continue reading Prednisone-induced ramblings
Shrunk tumor and lumpectomy
I saw my surgeon today in preparation for my surgery on Monday. He could hardly find the tumor because it has shrunk so much. He was excited that the chemo has done so well in shrinking the tumor that was chestnut-sized in September. I told him it was chemo working with lots of prayers and … Continue reading Shrunk tumor and lumpectomy
Rough week after Chemo #4. . . and grace
I'm still learning not to have expectations. I'd hoped that by now, over a week after Chemo #4, I'd be starting to feel better, stronger, but I haven't. I can tell that the thrombosis is improving, but I've felt especially weak and have felt faint several times the past couple of days. My blood counts … Continue reading Rough week after Chemo #4. . . and grace
Emptying
Cancer and its treatments have brought a kind of emptying for me. Often now I'm so present with what is that I don't worry about the usual list that used to preoccupy me - making money, meeting obligations, communicating with others about various to-dos, chores and errands, committees, planning. Those are mostly gone. I'm the … Continue reading Emptying
Good days, bad days
Just as the title of the scarf Claire made for me, I'm having good days, bad days. Yesterday was a good day. Today so far is a bad day. I'm nauseated and jittery and grouchy. No food is appealing. I don't want to drink anything, either, but I'm making myself both eat and drink a … Continue reading Good days, bad days
Dread
Cancer and its treatments are making me deal with a variety of feelings, both physical and mental. One of them is dread. This last round of chemo has been tougher on me than the first, so now I'm trying not to dread Round 3 which is scheduled for Thursday. My mind can conjure up all … Continue reading Dread
Expectations
This breast cancer treatment journey is forcing me to let go of expectations. Since the second chemo treatment last Thursday, I've been thinking that the days will get better. Well, the reality is that some days are a bit better and some are not. Saturday and Sunday were pretty rough, even rougher than the day … Continue reading Expectations
eddies and currents 