HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVE!!

Don't be afraid to give your best to what seemingly are small jobs.  Every time you conquer one it makes you that much stronger.  If you do the little jobs well, the big ones will tend to take care of themselves.  ~Dale Carnegie

Je suis tout fini!  Mimi ni wote kumaliza!  (That’s French and Swahili for “I am all finished!”)  I was in French and Swahili mode this morning because we’re trying to think of a name for our boat, so I was trying to come up with something cute in French or Swahili – no luck.  We’re open to suggestions in English or any language.  It can’t be too long because the transom isn’t too wide. 

Anyway, that’s neither here nor there!  I finished radiation therapy on 12/20, and I am so happy to be done with it.  They even gave me a cute diploma signed by radiation oncologist and the nurses and technicians at the Viera center!  I’m still coping with some really nasty burns, which is quite a drag, but they ARE actually starting to heal now that the assault of the radiation has been terminated.  I actually had to go back to Space Coast Cancer Center on Wednesday so the nurse practitioner could look at the wounds and make sure they’re not getting infected (they’re not).  She was really nice and gave us some pointers on using the Domeboro soaks and the Silvadene cream.  It’s a tedious process; it takes Kenny about an hour per session to remove the bandages and then soak the various areas and then re-bandage them.  He’s such a trooper.  I just lay on the bed on a doubled-up towel, and he puts a huge pad (5 x 9”) soaked in the Domeboro powder on my chest area and then re-soaks the area every few minutes.  Then I have to roll onto my side so he can do the same process on the burns under my arm.  When we’re all done soaking, he has to apply the Silvadene cream (I have a huge tub of it now) and then apply new bandages.  I now have 4 large (3 x 4”) pads covering the 4 worst burns.  I’m tired of it all, but at least we’re finally starting to see some progress/healing.

Still having problems getting my INR stabilized.  On 12/16/11 it was 1.5, but I didn’t actually get those results until 12/19 because it was too low to register on their machine so they had to do a regular blood draw (instead of a finger prick) and send it across the hall to the lab.  They said somebody would call me that afternoon with the results.  Nobody ever did.  And the office was closed that afternoon for their Christmas lunch, so I couldn’t call them.  Anyway, I got the results on Monday and she said to increase my dose to 7 mg/day.  Then I had it rechecked on Wednesday -- it was 3.0!  Geez!  Enough already!  (It’s supposed to be between 2 and 3).  Back down to 6.5 mg/day and recheck on 12/28. 

My hair is coming back, but it’s dreadful.  I can’t explain it other than to say it is:  gravity-defying, reach-for-the-ceiling, looks-like-I-stuck-my-finger-in-a-socket, mad-professor-type hair!  It sticks straight up in places, straight out in others, and has bald patches in others.  Seriously contemplating shaving my head again and starting over.  In my online support group, some of the other women did that and said it came in much better the second time.  What have I got to lose?!  Another woman said she just cut off about half an inch, all the funky curls, and then it started laying down better.  I think I’ll try that first.  Meanwhile, I’ll just continue to wear bandanas – in every color imaginable! 

Well, it is NICE to have my body back and feel in control once again.  They cut, poisoned, and burned it all they wanted.  I didn’t exactly go “there” kicking and screaming.  I did have my serious doubts and reservations about going the “conventional” route, but “they” (the big “they”) dangled the bait and convinced me that that was what I needed to do.  I bit, and the rest is history.  I don’t really have any real regrets at this point, although it was a very rough journey – for me, for Kenny, and for my family.  I’m absolutely convinced the cancer is GONE and very hopeful that it will NEVER EVER return.

Now it’s time for me to take charge of my body again and start doing healthy things once again, which I’m actually very much looking forward to.  Eating healthy and exercising are very high on the priority list for the new year!

We’re enjoying a relaxing Christmas Eve afternoon, and I hope you all are, too.  Kenny just finished doing my soaking and bandaging; we watched a Christmas movie while doing it.  I’ve already cut up the veggies for dinner tonight, which is going to be lobster, over-roasted veggies, and wild rice, with a nice bottle of Cabernet.  Tomorrow morning we will have lobster omelettes for breakfast.  Dinner tomorrow afternoon will be a turkey breast (cooked in the crockpot), awesome sausage and sage stuffing with sausage, celery, onions, cranberries, apples, etc. (I already made it), mashed sweet potatoes with honey and applesauce, little white onions, and steamed veggies.   Now we’re going to go outside and enjoy what’s left of the beautiful afternoon – it’s sunny and 80 degrees here! 

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year!  Thank you ever so much for cheering me on this past year – for all your love and support and encouragement!  Knowing that you’re all out there being my cheerleaders really helps me tremendously!  It helps me maintain a positive attitude and stay focused.  Just because my treatment is over doesn’t mean my “battle” is over.  Cancer changes your life forever.  And I have to remain vigilant and conscientious about my lifestyle choices, etc.  So keep sending those positive thoughts!  We sure do appreciate them!  HUGS TO EVERYBODY! 

You know you’re a cancer patient……when you let nearly everyone who comments on your "cute, daring hairstyle" know that this isn't a fashion statement. I am so ready to have my "old" hair back!

My diploma

Our Christmas tree

Some of our Christmas decorations

The dogs on Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve