Radiation-less Week!

Yup, I graduated from radiation! 8 boosts to start with followed by 25 "regular" sessions, equalling 33 appointments (notice how I did the math for you there!). I am all done and my coconut is officially toasted. They told me that the burning would continue to build during the week following, much like I was still getting treatments, but I did not experience that. In fact it has already started healing. I am peeling and the edges look like I am dirty...lovely! ;o) They also told me to expect fatigue but I can't say I suffered from that either. All in all, this was by far the easiest part of all of this and my car practically drives itself to UCSD now. I wish I had to do more radiation instead of chemo!

I think a good part of what made this the easiest part is that I loved my doctor, Dr Yashar, and I loved all of the wonderful techs that took care of me! They were the sweetest each and every day. What a blessing they all were. On one of my appointments I was laying on the table and I told them (okay, I bragged to them...whatever) that Cameron was Gaston and that we were seeing him perform that weekend. One of the girls excitedly said that he was the second person she had met that had worked as a Disney character since her college friend played a character in Florida. I laid there and asked myself whether I should share my history...I decided to go for it and said, "actually you have met 3." I then told her of my Snow White past and that I truly married Prince Charming. They loved it but it meant I had to dig up an old photo to show them. Well...on my "graduation" day all of the techs working that day all took me out to ring the bell in the lobby and then they presented me with a very special, one of a kind, certificate!

Unfortunately when my friend Wendy and I went out to the parking lot, I discovered I had locked the keys in the car! Yes I did! I was in Cam's car since she and I went on a bike ride in Coronado that morning. We got to celebrate by waiting for an hour for AAA.

My beautiful set of rings from
my family is now complete.
I just love them for thinking
of doing this for me!
SO blessed!

The next chapter in all of this will be on April 15th. I will be seeing a specialist in NY for some input on this chemo decision. No, I am not flying back there just for this. Our family is traveling back to join Cameron for a last "Sczempka vacation" since Kendall is tying the knot soon! I thought that if I could get the pieces to fall into place with seeing her while I was there then it was meant to be. Guess God had it in His plans for me because they made time in the doctors schedule to fit me in. Please keep me in your prayers for a great appointment and total clarity on this next step.

Blessings

So something hit me today. I said something along the lines of, "I have cancer" and I realized that I need to believe and buy into that I DON'T have cancer any longer. I mean the surgeon removed the cancer that we knew I had and the radiation has now made sure that any linger cells in that area are killed off. Technically I AM CANCER FREE and that felt wonderful! I guess it never really hit me before now. I AM CANCER FREE! That sounds and feels wonderful. I need to just keep focusing on that and enjoy it. After all, this second round of chemo is precautionary and I am going to only think of it that way. 

These last few days have been filled with so much enlightenment and joy. I have been overcome with a sense of peace and growth. I am sure that being Holy Week has helped with that. May you all have a beautiful and blessed Easter!

Quick Update

Not much to tell but Joe and I met with my oncologist yesterday. She is willing to do more chemo for me and has offered 2 choices. One is carboplatin and the other is Xeloda. The first is an infusion like my others and would be done at the infusion center through my port (aka Arnold the Terminator). The second is in pill form and something I would do at home/work. There is more research and results with the carboplatin in this setting but what I read is that it is more successful with BRCA+ patients and I am not. I have a lot of research to do still but have time for it since I need to wait a minimum of 2 weeks after radiation finishes (which is this Friday!!!). My doctor is out of town the 3rd week and I am out town the 4th week so it looks like a month before things get started. We are running a blood test on me to make sure I can have the Xeloda. I guess a small percentage of people don't have a certain enzyme that is needed for it. That could make my mind up for me!

That's really it for now. Please pray for clarity for me so I know what to do here. It is so hard to CHOOSE which chemo to have when you don't particularly WANT it...I just know it is a good idea and will make me feel like I did everything I could do. I guess this is like the saying, "Pick you poison!" lol

Home Stretch

I am so sorry I have been so bad about blogging on here. Between going all the way to UCSD in La Jolla every weekday and going back to work part time, it has really tied me up. I am still good about not going on the computer about cancer stuff from the late afternoon into the evening so finding time to do this has been a challenge!

Is this a remote control or what?
They use this to position to table
I lay on for radiation.

I officially have 5 more radiation treatments to go! I started with 33 total and as of next Friday, March 18th I will be all done with that phase of things!  All in all it has gone pretty smoothly. It helps that everyone there in the radiation department are wonderful! My coconut is pretty darn toasted at this point but the girls there tell me that I am doing well. I am told that the skin irritation will continue to progress for about 5 more days after treatment finishes though. Other than the driving every day it has been the easiest part of all of this so far.

There really isn't much to update you on either. Just kind of the same old routine as I get this radiation done and behind me. I will be going to see my oncologist next Tuesday to discuss further chemo. I am pushing for it because I feel I should throw a little more at this since my tumor was not free of disease at the time of surgery. As much as I don't want more chemo, I want to give this my best shot! I will certainly update everyone as soon as I make a decision. 

Great Distractions

Having a little fun with Gaston.
He beats up LeFou all through
the play so I was getting him
back!

I had a blast having Cameron here and it was so much fun being able to see him play Gaston again! The only bad part was that I got to see so much of him his last few weeks here that now I am having withdrawal symptoms from him being gone. He is back in New York hitting the audition scene. I am so happy he is there pursuing his dream since he walked away from it to be here with me. Now he just needs to get on Broadway so I can go see him in a show again!!!

Kendall and Christian's wedding is just 5 months away and we are in full wedding prep around here. It is so much fun and keeps me in a positive spirit! Having distractions like Cam's show and the wedding are so healthy for me.

Blessings

Decision times during all of this are always my toughest moments and this is a huge decision time with more chemo and what kind. During these times it is always harder to pull myself out of the "mire" and spot my blessings. Don't get me wrong, I am so appreciative of being alive and I don't take that for granted for one minute! It is just harder to be inspired to sit down and write about it at these times. One thing in particular stands out though. The other day I was at home having a little pity party and doing some crying. Christian walked in very unexpectedly and caught me. We had a very heartfelt talk and it really helped me so much, he probably doesn't realize how much actually. Afterwards I got to thinking how blessed I am that this incredible young man is going to be Kendall's husband! My heart is so full of peace knowing he will be by her side through life and it brings such joy to my heart. Now if that isn't a blessing, I don't know what is!

We got the whole family there finally!

Off he goes to take on the Big Apple!
(insert tear)