That was the longest and fastest four months of my entire life. But I am so grateful to be done with that part of it.
Tuesday my friend Jen took me to chemo. She's so sweet! I even got a card from her today... a congrats for finishing chemo. Love her. Christine popped over again at her lunch break too... she brought over a card and the cutest unicorn beanie baby. I have it up on the shelf in our living room now.
The nurses wrote congrats to me with little notes and they came over clapping when I was done. It was really nice. But as nice as they are, I'm glad I don't have to keep going back there every 2 weeks!
Here's a picture that Jen took of me with my nurse Ashley and the sign the nurses gave me.
Doesn't Ashley look like she's 12? :) So sweet!!
Now I'm managing the side effects from chemo. My oncologist said to not expect things to change for a few months. I will still most likely be sleeping 12 hours a day, especially once I'm a few weeks into radiation. Wonderful.
Now is the neuropathy from the Taxol. This time around it started on Wednesday. Last night it picked up a bit in intensity. I felt it earlier during the day today, when I normally have it more at night. Right now? Its starting to kick up a bit. NOT fun.
The pain this time around has been more intense and if it keeps to as it has in the past, tomorrow night it will peak. NOT looking forward to tomorrow night. Two weeks ago on Saturday night I was in bed crying from the pain and that was with Vicodin. Since it has been more intense after each treatment, I'm expecting this weekend to be tough to get through.
BUT... this was my last chemo so after this, I won't have to deal with these side effects again! YAY!!
I'm still doing physical therapy a couple of times each week to help with lymphedema prevention (and the small amount of fluid I already have in my right arm) as well as trying to increase the range of motion in my right arm. So far so good.
Today I had a massage too. Considering I'm not working, going through PT and having massages regularly, shouldn't the knots in my back, neck and shoulders be getting better? Um, NO! Luckily the massage therapist I see at Dana Farber is also one of my physical therapists... Michelle. So the massage she gave me today (which is only $20 for patients, LOVE that part!) was great and focused on what I need with PT too. But she knows how bad my back is... even though I was in there all relaxed today, starting it without being stressed or anything.
When I was at Dana Farber on Wednesday for my shot and for a couple of other appointments I had there, I stopped over to say hi to Debbie at Patient Resources. She had a blanket for me. Someone made it and donated it. She asked that it was given to someone special who was going through breast cancer. Debbie put the blanket under her desk to hide it so she could save it for me. How nice is that of her?
It is almost weird to say this, but I'm going to miss seeing some of the people I see now, regularly, at Dana Farber, once my treatment is done. Like Debbie. Plus so many others too. They are all so nice and positive and just give such incredible energy. I'm going to miss seeing them. They have made such a positive impact on me while I have been going through my journey.
Tuesday night after I was home from chemo, Jim and I went out for dinner. He's not much of a card person... HATES Hallmark. For my birthday and Christmas, I have to specifically say I want a nice, thoughtful card included. Well when I got home on Tuesday, he had a card waiting for me. A cute card with puppies on it, saying congrats for getting through this part. That night he took me out to dinner to celebrate too.
Things with him and I have been really good too. Yeah, we've had our ups and downs over the past 8 months but things are really good now. We got through this part of it and I really things will start to settle down more now that chemo is done. Plus, it will be a HUGE help to us when I have energy again.
Right now, that's about it.
I think its time for another nap!
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