Almost There

You guys. The end is in sight. Next week at this time I will be DONE WITH CHEMO!!!!

I am starting to make plans like a normal person. It's awesome. My mom is coming to visit next weekend, and then the weekend after that we are staying at this *F*I*V*E* *S*T*A*R* *H*O*T*E*L* *A*N*D* *S*P*A* called the Umstead that is 20 minutes from our house. Look at it! Even the standard rooms are somehow as big as our first apartment.They have afternoon tea with live harpist accompaniment! Obviously we have never stayed somewhere even close to this great before so it's going to be a nice reward for getting through the last 12 weeks.

It's pretty crazy how 12 weeks seems like foreverrrrrrrrr. We both agree it has both gone quickly and also cannot remember what life was like before. I am so lucky, though, that I caught this thing at Stage 1A because people in later stages have to get 18 to 24 weeks of chemo that is much worse than mine. I can't imagine being 12 weeks in and only halfway done. Cancer sucks.

After this I have to get radiation, but I'm not sure how long that will go for yet - probably 5 to 7 weeks, 5 days a week. I meet with the radiation oncologist next week to learn more. The only side effects are potential temporary skin damage in the irradiated area (I'm hoping my relative youth will be an advantage there) and fatigue that builds toward the end. I think it will be a picnic compared to chemo, but I guess we'll see.