I am BLESSED

Hi guys, this is Val filling in as a guest writer for Marc. I apologize right off the bat because I am not as inspired a writer as Marc .Give me some data and numbers and I can rock  out a darn good lab report along with the best of ’em 🙂 Ask me to share my feelings-that’s a lot harder for me!

Today I had my last chemo treatment. To say that I had mixed feelings about it is an understatement. On one hand I had conquered this challenge that seemed insurmountable at the beginning of treatment. A week of being hospitalized right from the beginning, feeling lousy for 8 weeks, horrible panic attacks related to the chemo, appointments that seemed like they would never end. On the other hand, we have become close with our nurse and will really miss her. There was also a comfort in knowing that I would have someone checking on me weekly and knowing that the chemo was killing cancer cells. Are the cells all gone? I don’t know and that bothers me. My prayer to God is that by the end of radiation all of the cancer will be destroyed. I really want to see my kids grow up, graduate, get married, and have kids of their own. I really want to grow old with Marc. A lesson that God has been teaching me is to be grateful for the gift of each day I am given and to not worry or think too much about the future. This is probably a lesson that I will be working on for the rest of my life. I thank God for having me in the palm of His hand and being with me every step of the way. I am BLESSED!!

My wonderful husband set up a surprise last day of chemo shower. I started the morning with a friend surprising me in the waiting room with balloons and skin lotion. Then after I got settled in my cubicle and chemo was started, my nurse and several other nurses came around the corner with the most flowers, balloons, gifts and cards that I have ever seen! Another friend stopped by with a hug and a card. We needed a cart to get everything out to the car. One sad note; as we exited the building a gust of wind pulled on the balloons and knocked a vase off:-(  Thankfully we were able to rescue the flowers and someone was right there to sweep up the broken glass. When we got home someone had dropped off two sets of balloons and a vase of flowers for me. Tonight we were able to go out as a family and have a celebratory dinner! Even had someone buy us a dessert! To all of you who brightened my day today, thank you! I am BLESSED!

At home with all of my blessings.

Now what? As Marc mentioned in his post from yesterday, radiation is on the horizon in 2-3 weeks. I feel ready to get started ASAP. Time to move on and move forward! I should be done by the end of the year and then think about having more reconstructive surgery in the summer. Thank you to those of you who have been with my family and me on this journey. Thank you for the prayers. Thank you for the meals. Thank you for the cards and gifts. Thank you to the friend who cleaned my house, the friend who made soup weekly for me, the friend who is a cancer survivor and took me under her wing. Thank you to the friends who ran kids around when I couldn’t. Thank you to the people I am forgetting. A big thank you to my family. They have been my earthly rock and  I couldn’t have done it without them. Thank you to my Father God, my ultimate rock. I would not be here now without His strength, love, healing, and intervention in my life. I AM BLESSED!