I know I haven't filled you in on all the details of my radiation experience but I hope my last post gave you a good enough idea! To be honest, that month of 5 days a week of treatment, after 5+ months of other treatments, took a huge toll on me. I was physically, mentally and emotionally drained and the last thing I wanted to do was rehash everything on here. I hope you can understand.
Now onto happier news ... Last weekend was incredible! It was truly the first weekend since my diagnosis last August that felt normal.
Ricky has been working so hard to make our yard an oasis and he recently cleared out an area in the back of our yard so we could do some planting. Saturday morning we went to a nursery and I picked out three gorgeous rose bushes (ALL at 50% off!) along with two salvia plants.
But the thing we really wanted, a pink weeping cherry tree, was not to be found! So we headed to Lowe's where we found exactly what we were looking for and guess what? It, too, was 50% off!
No, I can't explain why I have an accent in this video.
We got our beautiful new plants in the ground, then we cooked dinner together. If you know me well, you know I don't cook - Ricky loves to cook and is far better at it than me (yes, I'm blessed haha)! But it felt SO GOOD to do something together and feel like we were having a normal night. I realize I keep using the word 'normal' but you have no idea just how fantastic 'normal' is until it is taken away!
Sunday my oncology office put on a Survivor's Day brunch for patients, past and present. Ricky and I went and met up with a friend of mine and her boyfriend. We had a great time. It was amazing to be in a room full of cancer survivors.
We were all given raffle tickets, with over 20 prizes we could allocate our tickets to - everything from hand painted garden benches to movie night baskets. Ricky and I chose to put several tickets in a few baskets. We sat eagerly awaiting our number to be called ... the last basket we put tickets into was for a bunch of scratch off lotto tickets. And in a totally surreal and funny moment, our number was called!
I know, you are all waiting for me to tell you we won the jackpot. Drum roll please ... We won $46! Big money, big money! But in all seriousness, it was such a generous event and I was so thankful for our oncologists, nurses and staff that helped make the day possible.
While I appreciated the yummy food, fun prizes and the community spirit, there was one small moment that really made the day for me. When we were standing in line waiting to get into the event, a woman was handing out stickers that said "I'm a ___ year survivor." I got a little nervous as she got closer to me. What was I supposed to say? Am I a survivor ? I haven't finished treatment yet, so how could I be? When she came to me, she surprised me by asking when I had been diagnosed. I told her last August and so she wrote on my sticker "9 months." That struck me. Even now, a week later, my eyes are filling up with tears. I became a survivor the day I was diagnosed, the day I decided to fight.
Never has a sticker meant so much to me before (which is saying a lot since I collected stickers as a kid). I wore the sticker for the whole day, feeling proud of what I have survived. I am a survivor and it is a great feeling.
Updates & Prayer Requests:
I am still waiting for more information on the fourth receptor that was tested and what that will mean for my oral chemotherapy regimen. I saw my oncologist briefly on May 28th and she felt I needed another month to heal before we could start OC. I will have an update on this after June 25th.
My burns from radiation are looking so much better! I am still dealing with some discomfort and itchiness but things are on the upswing.
I gave myself my first trim! Trying to make this crazy mop look less like a bad buzz cut, but there's only so much you can do!
I am dealing with a lot of fatigue and some emotional upheaval. I am slowly trying to reintegrate into society, but it is a process.
Please pray for my family. Our amazing matriarch (nearly 95 years old!) seems to be approaching her final days here on earth. I have been able to spend time with her the past few days and I am so incredibly grateful but it is heartbreaking to think of having to say goodbye.
I hope you all are well!
All my love,
