Icing on the cake!!!!!!!!!

Guess what?! I went for my last chemo treatment this past monday and as we met with my oncologist, he said I didn't need to have the shot the following day! That is amazing because I was anticipating a few days in the bed with intense bone pain as last time. But now, I won't have that.

Now, last night, though, it did hit me. My legs hurt so bad, esp. my knee caps again. weird huh. James suggested I take benadryl to knock me out so I would be able to sleep and not feel the pain. So I slept good and am still sore some this morning. But at least this time I know it won't last very long! I am also having pain under my right arm where they took out 12 lymph nodes. It doesn't keep me up at night but I need to do my exercises. I hope to play tennis again one day.

My next step is meeting with the doctor again in four weeks to discuss the next phase. He said it is just as important but a lot easier on me. I will need to take a pill everyday called Tamoxifen, for probably 5 years. This is an estrogen blocker. I know it will give me hot flashes, but I already have those! Which is kinda funny, because I have always been so cold. Now I'm cold/hot/cold/hot! ha!

I have been trying to gather my thoughts together to list what I have learned from this experience. I'm still working on it and will post it on a later post.

I am so grateful for all of you who follow this blog and what I post on facebook. The support my family has gotten during this time has really held us up. We have been through so much in such a short time, but we have the light at the end of the tunnel. I remember four months ago, crying to James saying, "I don't know how I'm going to do four more months of this!" And now I'm on this end. It feels good. I won' t lie to you though. I still have my moments of uncertainty. What I mean is, I think about re-occurrence and it can be paralyzing. I have to stop thinking about it and claim His healing. I am not to fear. I am to trust.

Or I'll get down about the fact that I feel like I'll be under the radar for the next 5, well, really 10 years, checking me all the time. But I guess that is good. They will check me every 3 months to begin with, then 6 months, and then eventually every year.

I am grateful that they are aggressive in checking me so much. I don't want to approach every appointment with anxiety though.

So I will keep you posted. I go back to the doctor on Sept. 27th.

My cousins have a place in the mountains and they have graciously given me and James a few days there together next week! So my parents are going to be with the kids. I hope it will be a relaxing time for all of us. Thank you so much Kelly, Brian, Laura, and Greg for this treat in the mountains! I love ya'll.

And much thanks to my parents and Alyssa and John and my friend Christine, who have so selflessly watched our kids. We couldn't have walked this journey without ya'll and it has definitely been a joint effort.

Holli