Final Chemo

My final chemotherapy is tomorrow, March 24, 2016. First off, FUCKIN' A!!!!! It has been five months of going to my oncologist's office to infuse poison into my body to combat breast cancer. When I first learned of my need for chemo, I was prepared for tiredness, nausea and the unknown. Luckily, the chemo train has only encountered a few unknowns. For the most part, tiredness and fatigue have been constant companions.

I didn't realize how life changing being on chemo would be. It's like you're in a secret club, only other chemo patients, and your oncologist, understand what you're going through. Terms like chemo brain become a joke, because it's real, and if you don't laugh you'll cry. I tend to be scattered brain at times, but on chemo it's hard to focus let alone multi task. As a person who prides herself on being able to take on multiple tasks and excel at juggling a busy schedule, chemo slowed me way down. Planning for a dinner seemed like a chore, trying to commit to a rescue event became a challenge.

I am thoroughly looking forward to my very last chemo appointment tomorrow with pride and awe. I did it.... I made it through five months and sixteen rounds of chemo. This is where kicking cancers ass comes into play. I still have my job, my friends, my rescue community and family; I don't believe anyone has felt alienated and I still feel like Randi. I know that I still have Herceptin infusions through the end of the year which has a few side effects but the worst is behind me.

My wonderfully fantastic niece Sidney made me a poster to proudly display tomorrow for my last chemo day. I couldn't be more thankful of her taking the time to focus on me and making me smile. At 13, I imagine hearing your aunt has breast cancer is overwhelming and she has been a supporter. I have seen many women on Facebook proudly display their similar posters and truly didn't understand the big deal. Now that it's my turn, I get it, I survived... I'm able to talk about my experience with a smile and a hug if needed to a newbie boarding the chemo train.

The only setback may be my low white blood cell count but I'm not even throwing that to the universe. I am confident I will show up with my poster, blanket and T-Rex Mortimer ready for pictures and congratulations. March 24th will become a date I remember and hopefully my last time I enter chemo into my Google Calendar. Thanks to everyone who has cheered along the way; your support has been invaluable in getting to this point. Look for me on Facebook, I plan to check in around 2 tomorrow and hopefully post my selfie, including my poster and Mortimer, once my blood test comes back good to go.

Almost time to schedule my pedicure...