I am done!

My fingers feel like they got smashed in the door
My legs are too heavy to lift off the floor.

My toes are as numb as a long day sled riding
My body hairs are still in hiding.

Yeast thinks it has found a new home,
and Tom is not likely to go there to roam.

My weight has skyrocketed up to new heights
and daily with my pants button I fight.

I put my feet up and cut the salt
really people, it's not my fault.

Food is not my friend anymore
what used to taste good now tastes like a chore.

My bones are so achy, they are so tired
to exercise I would truly need to be inspired.

My eyelids- this is such a bitch
just twitch , twitch, twitch.

My eyes won't stop tearing and not cause I'm sad
It's the chemo blues that has my body so bad.

The good news is I am done I am done
I am done I am done I am done.


Yes! It feels go good to be done with chemotherapy! Some things, like my taste, seem to be getting a little better each day. They tell me the heaviness and swelling will probably get worse before it gets better, but that by about the end of February I should be feeling more like myself again.

I met with the radiation oncologist this week. I will go to the Clinic next Friday for a "simulation". This is where they do a CAT scan to determine where and how to aim the radiation. After they complete their computations, about a week later, I will begin radiation therapy. Everyday except Saturday and Sunday for 5 weeks they will aim radiation at the entire breast. The final week, they will do a "boost" and aim the radiation directly at the site of the tumor.

So, I am counting the days. Looks like I will have something besides Spring and 1/2 an inch of hair to celebrate around the end of March. I remember when I was first diagnosed I saw a new doctor for a nasty sore throat. When she was taking my history and I told her I was just diagnosed with breast cancer, she looked at me and kindly remarked, "This is going to be a long year." I had no idea what she was talking about but I guess now I do. It is sometimes hard for me to fathom that I was diagnosed in mid-August. That's 7 months of active treatment! Yikes.

Sister's Weekend 2009

Hello Sisters! 

A few days ago I received a brochure from the Shaw Festival in Niagra on the Lake, Ontario, Canada. They are offering a play that sounds like it would be perfect for us to see as sisters. It is a play about a woman at 5 stages of her life: age 30,40,50,60,70.  It is called "Albertine in Five Times" Check out this link for more details.  

As you can see, the show is running from June 24th to October 10th.  Mary and I were talking and we thought August would be a good time. How is that for everybody else? If we decide we want to do this, it is important to get tickets soon because the good ones go quickly.  For the heck of it I checked "best available" for the 2:00 matinee on Friday 8/7/09 and Row G (3rd row) is available!  These seats are expensive, 83.00 Canadian, but most of the seats in this theater are in this price range, and if we are going to pay that price anyway, I'd rather be close than the last row of the best seats. I can put them on my charge and let everyone know the cost once it is converted. Let me know what you think, and  let me know if you prefer midweek, weekend, matinee or evening.  I thought a matinee would be nice then we could enjoy a leisurely dinner.  Or, we could enjoy a cheaper leisurely lunch and get evening tickets (with the obligatory after theatre snack)!  Let me know if August is good, or if you prefer another time, such as October. September is kind of booked for me already.  

If you haven't been to Niagra on the Lake, I can pretty much guarantee that you will be pleasantly surprised.  I think we should plan on staying two nights.  Let me know if you prefer weekend or mid-week. 

Let me know your thoughts!