3, 2, 1........

Happy New Year! My theme for 2024 is "Improvement". My motto is "**** Cancer"! Yes, rather vulgar and uncouth. But in all my soul searching, this seems the most fitting and urgent saying for the year ahead.. I simply must finish all my treatment and move the heck on! I am tired of this insidious disease that literally takes control of all aspects of one's life.

So this week is technically Week 19., but as far as my active treatment counts go, it's Week 16. So both chemo drugs, wrapped up in a 6.5 hour day at Cancer Care. Nonetheless, I am excited! It has for some reason suddenly dawned upon me that I am really and truly almost done with this stage of treatment. Two more weeks of chemo......Hooray!! I am almost there.

I have likewise begun preparations for my upcoming radiation treatment. I met with the breast surgeon to review what constitutes a surgical problem that can crop up during radiation. We also discussed potential damage to the implant and how sometimes removal is advised and/or necessary. I am also being scheduled at the hospital to begin the preparations that occur there. So after I finish chemo, then I have around a three week break, then I begin the five day a week for eight weeks radiation portion of the party.

Today was an interesting day at chemo. Steph was my returning Special Guest. She was very kind and patient as I would be a little drugged up and have no clue what I was talking about mid-sentence and other fun cognitive changes. It was also my cancer friend's last chemo treatment. I got her a little cake and gave her my bell. I was done way before she was (earlier startt time) so unfortunately I was not there for the festivities. But she did it!

My labs today included tumor marker tests. I would be a liar if I said I understood anything about it. But apparently they measure how I've responded to the chemo treatment. It gives us an idea of if I've made any progress at all. Now that's scary and I will be anxious for the results. Probably early next week, I was told.

However, I did receive some fantastic lab news! January is my annual leukemia remission evaluation month. In preparation for my appointment with that oncologist, one of the labs run is called a BCR-ABL. In my layman's terms, it looks for the chromosomal change that exists when I am in no longer in remission. But the results were negative!! Now they hedged it with it only applies to that specific kind of leukemia, which is also not the kind of leukemia that cancer treatment can create. But I'll take it!

This past week/cycle has been full of challenges. John Paul decided to return to school early. Oh how my heart broke to see him go. And my heart was so happy for him to get back to his life and do what he is meant to do. He did a fantastic job of helping to take care of me and my house and did so much. I already miss him deeply. What a blessing that he was able to be here.

On a lighter note, the last of my eyebrows finally came out.I was down to like five on one side and two on the other . The indignities never cease to amaze me. Burt at least now they are "even".....

I really struggled with nausea and vomitting. On New Eve, of course, I either had a reaction to some undercooked pizza (why, oh why, did I eat it?) or it was the chemo. Regardless, I threw up all night, necessitating a trip in for iv fluids and iv meds. It broke the cycle and by the following day I was already significantly better. But get it all out of me, chemo and cancer!! I'm leaving you behind soon.

On my last day of chemo, as promised, I will reveal the meaning of the two morse code bracelets that I wear. It started with the phlebotomists asking what they meant, word spread, and now many are curious. I'm going to reveal their meaning and then cut them off, one at a time. I put them on the first day of chemo (August 28, 2023) and I continue to find their meanings quite appropriate. However, I must warn you, there is a strong curse word involved. This cropped picture might give you a hint on one bracelet. But oh so appropriate!!

I'm close, you guys, 3, 2, 1........