2 down, how many more to go?

NED.

the magic words every cancer patient wants to hear.

'no evidence of disease'

means i can breath for another 3 months.

also means i'm at the point where, now that the treatments are essentially done (except for the clinical trial) that it's time to crash and burn for a month or so.

everyone tells me this is normal.

we'll see what happens.

Time Flies

When you run from one doctor appointment to the next!

I'm almost done. seriously. chemo - done. radiation - done.

all that's left are the clinical trials... 5/3, and then every 3 weeks until November sometime.........

and the scans. every 3 months, either a CT scan with contrast dye, or x-rays.

see, i'm allergic to the contrast dye.

so today, i'm bright red from the hives.......

but it's ok, it's better than having cancer.

now of course, if the scan comes back that i still have cancer, i'm gonna be pretty unhappy!

on other news...... my son graduates high school in 39 days, and my daughter finishes her 3rd year of college in 2 weeks.

and i'm knitting. right now, a pair of socks. after that.... probably another pair of socks!

and i've been pretty good about not buying yarn this year.

but lois and erin got me yarn for my birthday. first birthday A.C. (after cancer)

so........ what shall we talk about now?

R & R

that's what I've had lately.

2/9, i had the first chemo that was ONLY the clinical trial.
no anti-nausea meds........ no gallons of hydration.

and ya know? it was easy. seriously. i can do this.

been to see the radiation oncologist. he's wonderful.

so next week, we start radiation. somewhere around 5-1/2 weeks, 5 days a week.

he says i won't glow in the dark.

i'm not so sure.

but i'm doing ok.

NED

I had a CT Scan with Contrast yesterday morning. loads of fun. did i mention i'm allergic to contrast dye?

means i was taking prednisone in the middle of the night, and double doses of benedryl too.

doctor's office told me i wouldn't have the results till the end of next week, when i see the doctor.

bullshit. i told them that was sadistic, and if doc had results in a day or two, i wanted 'em then, too.

he celled me last night.

"the scans look very good. there is no evidence of the disease"

NED - my new best friend.

so far, so good. i'm still cancer free.

Stage 1 is done -

as of an hour ago, i am officially done with chemo. i survived all 4 rounds. i'm planning on going to the mall tonight and treating myself to something i probably don't need, paid for with money i probably don't have.

and i don't care.

so i get to 'heal' for 2-3 weeks, then i have 5-6 weeks of radiation therapy, then 5-6 weeks to 'heal', and then i start the regularly scheduled scans to make sure it doesn't come back.

but for today, i'm done.

cleaning binge

ok, so since the maids were here on thursday, friday i rented a rug doctor.

saturday, my son and i moved furniture, vacuumed (again) and rug doctor'd every room.

until the vacuum decided not to suck anymore. so we got a new one.

a dyson.

i like my vacuum cleaner!

and the rooms are nice and clean, and smell so nice and clean..

now i need son to move his mattress and box spring OFF of my bed so i can go to bed tonight.... cause otherwise, i'm sleeping on the couch, and i'm thinking that's not such a great thing.

but it's nice to have a really clean place, in time for having both my kids home for the holiday.

oh, and my son? got accepted into college today.

it's a good day.

halfway done

this chemo went easier than most of the others. started on time, ended on time, only had to try once to get the IV started........

and then, after i got home, "the maids" (in menomonie falls) arrived.

five of them.

and courtesy of "cleaning for a reason" (.org if you're looking for them), they cleaned my apartment. dusted. vacuumed. kitchen, bathroom. they even went through all the open 12 packs, organized them, took out trash... they were the most lovely people i've met in a long time. (barring my knitting buddies who keep me going week by week)

this was a fabulous experience.

and they're coming back next month to do it again. every month for 4 months total.
i can't say it makes it worth getting cancer...... but boy, it makes it a little easier.