The end.......which is the beginning.

I think this day was full of signs.  As I left the Mayo Building, the sun was shining, and the bells were chiming in all their riotous joy.  Next, we went to Kohl's to spend some Christmas gift cards (thanks mom and dad), and who should I run into but Lisa, "my" nurse, whom I haven't seen since I started this round of chemo.  I even got to meet her daughter! And, her daughter knows a new player on Mark's soccer team that had moved from the Rochester area.   Lisa and I shared a big hug in the middle of Kohl's.  Maybe a tear was shed.....I can neither confirm nor deny.  Truly, I am surrounded by support and love.

Looking forward to 2017!

19 Minutes and counting

I am counting down the last 19 minutes of this 20-week journey through 16 rounds of chemo.   It is simultaneously hard to believe it is over, and never ending.  I look forward to feeling normal, for food to taste the way it should, for this stinking cold to get better.

I have been getting the on-body Neulasta shot to boost my immune system these last three rounds.  Normally, I wouldn't need it today because I won't have any more chemo, but, because of my cold, I got it again.  We just found out how much it cost........insurance was charged $8,000!  Yes, thousand.   For one.  I thank God for insurance, every day.  Our charges as of the last treatment.... $117,000.  Yes, hundred thousand.   My doctor and I just agreed, something has got to change!

As I finish this........11 minutes to go!

Here is my peanut gallery, waiting breathlessly 😂😂.

A day of lasts

I am currently waiting for my last beeper call to chemo!  I am counting all my lasts.  Lasts completed so far.....

• Last blood draw for chemo 
• Last fill of the $220 pillso to combat nausea 
• Last pre-chemo weigh-in 

Cold has hung in for 8 weeks!  But, it gets better each week.  I am wearing my "Eye of the Tiger" hat for a little extra kick-a#@.

I will keep you updated as I Finish!  

The end is nigh!

I have been a bad blogger lately, and, I apologize.  The good news is, things remain surprisingly easy for me.  I chalk it up to a huge community of family and friends and all their prayers, support, and positive energy.  They have strengthened my constitution.  

Here is the routine, as it exists, during round 2.  This part consists of 2 chemo drugs, referred to as AC.  This is short for

• doxorubicin (also known as Adriamycin)
• cyclophosphamide.

It's the nasty stuff, Folks!

I go every 2 weeks to give my system time to recover.  Total time in chemo is only about 2 hours, start to finish.   The A of the AC, is so caustic,  it must be injected manually, in case my blood vessels collapse!  So far, so good, it doesn't even hurt!

Common side-effects are:

• Immunity system takes a big hit
• Hair loss
• Nausea 
• Vomiting
• Diahhreah 
• Mouth sores
• Strange tastes 
• Pain at injections
• Tiredness

Whew!   What a list!

My constitution must be tough.  My actual side efffects:

• Slight mouth sores
• Strange tastes
• Fatigue 
• Digestive issues
• I can't quite shake this cold I have

That’s it!  I still have some hair, I have never vomited, only slightly nauseated!  I have only missed one extra day of work! 

I consider my journey blessed.

Only 1 more treatment left!  

The end is SO NEAR!