The Home Stretch

This afternoon I completed chemo treatment #15 of 16 ... just one more week and the chemo part of this journey will come to an end!

I've also been counting down the blood work days that fall on the day prior to chemo ... but they gave me appointments today for blood work next week before chemo, AND the Monday after I finish chemo ... and an appointment with the medical oncologist the week after I finish chemo. Didn't think about needing to get in there the week after I'm done to have them review the blood counts ... so only 1 chemo left, but 2 more times for lab work. At least for chemo, I'm sure I'm destined to many more lab sticks. Part of moving forward with surgery is to be sure my body is as strong as possible with normal white and red blood counts and platelets. Thankfully, I haven't had any counts outside of normal range the entire 20 weeks I've been taking chemo now, so there is no big fear that my counts will be off and set my surgery back.

It will feel strange to walk out of the chemo room next week, hoping with all my being that I never have to sit down in one of those chairs again for treatment. When you go somewhere for 20 weeks straight, you obviously get to know the other people around you ... clinic staff, nurses, patients. While it sounds strange, I will miss the positive interactions I've had with other patients (while there are some more grumbly ones that I can't honestly say I'll miss, haha). I never thought I'd be the woman walking in there with a bandana on her head, ready to fight the cancer beast with a host of drugs being injected into my veins. But I am that woman, and I have walked in without hesitation every week since April 17.

My surgery is just 4 weeks away now ... I know that time is going to go very fast. So I just march forward in  finishing chemo and preparing my mind and body for surgery. Recovery is so different for everyone, and even though I tend to tough my way through these situations, I know there will be challenges and discomfort. How intense and for how long is the individual part. Thankfully I have an employer who just wants me to get better, and I'll be able to rest when I need to rest, and work from home when I'm not 100%. Can't ask for much more than that!