Last 2 days of chemo - Part 1

Awoke. Breakfast. Eggs. Bagel and cream cheese. Attend to dogs. Get dressed. Put on hat; the one Jenn at the hospital made for me. Lip gloss and jewelry because today is a special day. Put on scarf my roommate Ann Hicken brought me back from Jordan. Gathered items. Mom came. She drove. Actually had a sense of relief on the car ride home that this was over. Finally over. Arrived at IMC and the Cancer Center. Checked in. A nurse took my vital signs and asked if this would be my last day. I let her know that tomorrow would be my official last day of chemo. I was taken into the infusion room and found a seat. A nurse came to access my port and get me started. She drew blood for the tests they would need to run prior to administering anything. I couldn't help but think how glad I was that this could possibly be the last time my port would be accessed for any kind of chemotherapy ever again. Crossing fingers. Crossing toes. Hoping and praying. My mom and I waited. Today was a rather busy day in the infusion room. It seemed alive. Often times in the past, people were sad, asleep, or just kept to themselves in a very quiet and somber way. But today I felt laughter. It made me happy. Happy to be alive. Happy to have such pleasant people and nursing staff to be around. I see an older couple bidding farewell to a younger man on their way out; wishing him well. Their faces were genuine, happy, alive, they were laughing, sincere about one another. These things all have healing powers. We met with Dr Litton in the middle of all of this, who said that I would indeed have this last cycle of adriamycin. I have had all clean chest x-rays this far, but would continue to be monitored for recurrence in bone and any metastasis in the lungs. X-rays, and MRI's every few months and watching for any side effects that seem unusual. Most of our meeting was kind of "chatty." But then, I've enjoyed getting to know him. All of my practitioners have helped save me this year. Literally. We walked back to the infusion room where I heard him whisper to one of the nurses that this was my last cycle. I sat back in my seat after making some hot cocoa with peppermint. The fluids, and anti-nausea were started into my port. And last but not least came the adriamycin. Ann Calder, who is my Sister in Law Stephanie's aunt, was my nurse today. There are some very nice nurses who I've had the privilege of getting to know there. After chewing on some ice chips during the adriamycin push (to supposedly prevent mouth sores) we were all through! We decided on a hamburger since it was close to 5 pm and I had not eaten since breakfast. We packed up the car and left the hospital for I-15 southbound to Provo only stopping once for a hamburger and fry at JCW's. When I returned, I actually felt a little excited for the next day. The last day. The final day. Wow. I really can't even begin to believe it. I am now extremely exhausted. These days wipe me out and I can sleep many hours. With warm peach cobbler in my stomach that Leslie Kay made, hopefully I can wind down now. Tomorrow is a very important day for me. I need my rest. Just took my nightly meds, including anti-nausea. Good night.