Last chemo …

Did my last chemo. It was incredibly uneventful … and that’s a good thing.  🙂

The night before I made the nurses/staff a bunch of cookies/tarts as a thank-u for all their help during my chemo. They were all so impressed that I baked everything myself … don’t they know who I am? Ha ha.

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Nurse M. (who is one of my fav nurses) was the nurse who gave me my very first chemo at the start of my treatment. I don’t know if it was planned but she was my nurse for this last chemo and I was so thrilled it was her.  She’s the kind of nurse you want to have. Confident. Funny. Sassy. Chilled out even on the busiest day. I love her … and luckily she also works in the radiation department so I hope she’s there for my first rad appointment.

Gosh it feels good to be done  this part of my treatment … So good that I made a little video. 🙂

(if the video doesn’t work that means it’s time to update your browser)

The hardest part this week was knowing I was going to feel shitty for at least 5 days after but after 12 weeks of this I know the schedule. Wed I feel ok. Thursday I’m manic. Friday I’m exhausted but still a little manic. Saturday I’m a hot-mess and feel like shit and Sunday I wake up feeling almost normal again.

This week was a little different because I flew in Gerry’s best-bestie Jay in on Thursday as an early birthday surprise. We tucked Jay into a box and Gerry was SO surprised. It was awesome. 🙂

That’s not what my real voice sounds like BTW. I was quoting Brad Pitt in Se7en. I don’t want to spoil the movie if you haven’t seen it – but “what’s in the box” is not as good as what was in Gerry’s box.  🙂

Having Jay here was such a treat. Gerry and he have a deep bro-friendship. Jay is such a good friend that I was walking around the house with no make up on and only one boob without feeling self concious. That makes him family.  🙂

The best part for me was seeing Gerry smile from ear to ear. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen him so happy.

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On Sunday Gerry had a bro-love motorcycle day with Jay, Stu and Jeff. They rode off on a day-long motorcycle adventure. It was exactly what Gerry needed to unwind and get rid of some of this chemo stress we’ve been carrying around.  🙂

As for me? I’ve been doing a lot of sleeping this week. Lots of rejuvenating naps and Fergus seems to be sooooo fine with it.

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One thing that happened this week was ALL my eyebrows fell out. It’s weird because they fell out and then grew in and now they’re all gone again. It makes me feel like I look like a thumb.

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Gerry tried to help by filling in my brows for me. Ha ha.

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It’s ok. I know it’s only temporary and I’m pretty good at drawing them on … I hope they start to grow back soon. Same with my eyelashes!! Not having eyelashes sucks more that anything. I get weepy in the wind. I get sand in them on the beach. I got carrot juice in them when I was juicing yesterday. ha ha. I need my eyeball protectors back pronto!!!

I’m starting to feel more normal today … and this week I only have three appointments.

#1 is to see my naturopath to talk about my upcoming radiation
#2 is to get my bloodwork done for my oncologists appt next week
#3 is to to a very she-she-froo-froo spa to have a couples massage to celebrate the end of chemo and Gerry’s upcoming birthday!! I am SO excited to be pampered.

I don’t start radiation until the 14th so I’m going to try and get some of my fitness back in these next few weeks before chemo. Today Fergus and I went for a good 30 minute walk around my neighborhood. Yesterday we went to the beach and walked for 45. I wish I could do more than just “walk” right now but I’m like a weak little kitten.

Perhaps I’ll try and sneak some yoga in there too … There’s a fine line between doing what you need and doing too much and I’m trying to find what that is.

Does anyone have any after-chemo exercise/rejuvenate yourself/well-being tips they want to share?

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12 Responses to Last chemo …

  1. John says:

    Woohoo! Congrats Sarah! Great videos too 🙂

  2. malloreigh says:

    love reading your updates. congrats on the end of chemo!

  3. Those videos are full of so much joy!

  4. Those videos are full of so much joy! They actually made me cry a bit. Your husband looked so profoundly happy. God, I love bro-love.

  5. Maureen says:

    Wonderful post. You are THE BEST!

    Rebounding on a small trampoline is great exercise and is also an amazing tool to start working on detoxing your lymphatic system. Of course, I’m no MD, but shaking my tush and massaging my nodes is a good workout in my book. Xoxo times a million!

  6. Chiara says:

    So inspiring! You have an amazing attitude!

  7. Esther Patrick says:

    Yay – last chemo! Congratulations! Great to have another update from you and I hope you have a fab time at the spa 🙂

  8. Ilana says:

    Hey there – yay you with the last chemo! Mine was also uneventful, except that one of the nurses made me a cake, as it was also my birthday, with pink princess plates and a giant jug of Hawaiian Punch (because they call the Red Devil Hawaiian Punch at my cancer center.) I asked if she was trying to give me more cancer with all that nasty red dye. I brought bagels, so it was a regular carbohydrate festival!

    I had my surgery October 1st, and I started radiation yesterday. Ask lots and lots of questions. I didn’t, then when they started I freaked a little because I didn’t know what was going on. The first session was long, lots of setup and so on with your hands over your head, plus 6 new little dot tattoos (where the heck are they going to put your little dots???) and the neuropathy in my left hand was pretty awful, but my right hand could have hung out all day. 🙂

    I wish I could offer some exercise advice, but it’s all I can do to get out of the bed every day. I gained so much weight with chemo, it’s the equivalent of carrying around a toddler all the time. I feel like shit on toast, and if one more person uses the phrase “your new normal” in my direction, there’s gonna be bloodshed. But, I guess the end is in sight, so I got that going for me. When I got diagnosed, my surgeon said she felt I was going to be ok, but I was going to have a crappy year. Man, did she get that right.

    I have brows and lashes again, a little more than 2 months PFC, and I am so pleased. I no longer feel like I constantly have something in my eye. Hey, look, it’s a bright side!

    Onward, lady friend, we can totally do this! (Wow, that way more positivity than I thought I had in me.)

    xo,

    Ilana

    PS – Please get those moon shoes and post video.

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