The coming months

Today was my last Taxotere infusion which means, least chemo! YIPPIE!!!  That also means no more side effects from steroids after tomorrow evening. (Which means less or no more insane hunger pains, no more moon face, no more major mood swings.) No more numbness, dryness, or slight tingling, in my fingertips.  No more arthritic-like tightness in my hand, foot, knee and ankle joints.  No more dry mouth.  No more mouth sores.  No more dry or watery eyes.  Etc, etc etc...

I am so ready to move on from all this.  I have no idea how long it will take for all of the side effects to subside, but the fact that within a few weeks I should notice feel more like myself is extremely encouraging.  I am back to work and back to mommy-hood and hopefully back to being a homemaker too, although I do not mind sharing the many tasks with Frank!

In the coming months a lot is happening even though I am done with Taxotere.  Next week I have to get another echo cardiogram to make sure there is no damage to my heart.  They happen every 3 months.  I will also get my first "long" infusion of Herceptin.  I will get it for an hour and a half instead of 45 minutes.  Since it will be my last weekly infusion, Frank and I are taking soft pretzels for the whole staff and all the patients to celebrate.  YUM!

On October 10 I will begin getting infusions every 3 weeks.  I will also get my breast MRI.  They will check my lymph nodes as well.  Hopefully everything will be clear like they expect.

On Nov. 21 I will get my next back MRI.  This will be my second scan since radiation.  Hopefully this time some of the inflammation will be down and the doctors can get a clearer picture of the cancer shrinking!

The infusions of Herceptin will continue every 3 weeks until March or April.  I will continue to have back MRIs and echo cardiograms every 3 months, breast MRIs and mammograms at least once a year.  Sometime in April or May at the end of the Herceptin infusions I will get another PET scan.

I am through the worst of it.  Chemo is done.  Now it is time to move forward.  Time to begin physical therapy to rebuild the strength in my back so that each day is a little easier.  I still have a long road, but thankfully it will be less taxing and without as many drugs!

In celebration of my last day of chemo my family and friends have given me flowers.  They know me so well!  I do always love getting flowers :)

                                                                  Flowers from the hubby!

                                                                Flowers from the in-laws!