Wednesday, September 19, 2007

A Long Journey

It has been 2 years since my surgery and diagnosis of cancer and a year and a half since my last chemo treatment....I was diagnosed just 5 months after bringing our daughter home from China....
Below are some pictures that remember the long journey of faith, love, and hope....
My chemo-brain has trouble remembering. Looking back at the pictures makes it all feel like a bad nightmare with "spirit"....
Cancer and chemo make your world as you know it disappear. You are treated fragile while going through treatments, then after your hair grows back life goes on. Unfortunately, that is not exactly how it is...My body and mind are not the same or as sharp...I have trouble remembering what a "file cabinet" is called! Talk about frustrating! (
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/10/061006072544.htm) Not to mention every time I hear a certain song, or wait for the next oncology appointment to tell me if the cancer is back or not...I bawl my eyes out or stress in some way...
The chemo treatment for ovarian cancer is different than for other cancers, as is for any cancer - they all need certain combinations of chemotherapy to kill the cancer. I had the long version, as the doctor called it with two drugs: Taxol and Carboplatin. I called it 6 hours of sitting in a chair with an I.V. It was sort of relaxing, since I was able to get off work and TOLD to sit! I don't take time to relax often. But there were many times that I passed out or had a bad I.V. (One I.V. started blood spewing all over the floor!) So, in that aspect the chemo treatment made life hard. Not including the 4 days after each treatment that I couldn't get off the couch!
BUT, with prayers, love, faith, and friends...I'm here! AND, I have to say THANK YOU! To my sister that sat with me in the hospital after the surgery and my mom that cried because she wanted to come, but couldn't because of health reasons! To all of those that visited me or called or sent cards! To my boss, Mary, who came to meet me before my first treatment! To one of my dearest, longest friends, Penny, that came during my Christmas treatment just to bring me cheer! To two of my friends that called every few days to check in on me! To those of you that didn't laugh when I didn't wear my wig, those of you that brought me food, those of you who went shopping for me, those of you that took Jesse to church, to grandma and grandpa that watched the kids on weekends, and to the one that took care of me and sat with me during treatments when he hadn't had any sleep from working all night...my dear, loving , caring, Steve....THANK YOU!
THANK YOU LORD for another year!

No comments: