On Thursday, October 13th I had my last chemo treatment!!!!!!!  Yay!  I was very sick of course and it was hard getting over it, but I survived and now I'm feeling more like my normal self.  My strength is back and I'm no longer weak and miserable.  Now that I'm feeling better we're focusing on the next thing...the testing to see if it's gone part.  My doctor has me scheduled to get a PET scan on October 27th and then sometime after that I'll find out if the cancer is gone.  I'm not sure how long it'll take to find out the results.  It may take as little as a few days or as long as two weeks.  My doctor is hopeful that it is gone and I am too so I'm trying to be positive and not worry too much.  It's hard waiting but I'll be okay if I stay busy.   I'm not able to stress or worry as much when I have a lot to do.  I AM worried though.

If the cancer isn't gone I think I'll be okay.  I'll just do whatever I have to do....to continue to fight it.  If that means more chemo or having radiation treatments then I'll do whatever I have to do, but I hope I don't have to.  I just hope it's gone.  My prayers and thoughts are all centered around one thing.  I just hope that IF the cancer is there, that the PET scan will detect it.  I don't want the cancer to hide or be the kind that is hard to see.  If it's there.......I want it to show up!  That's what I'm praying for. 

This latest chemo treatment was better than my last one.  It was still awful, but it wasn't AS bad.  I felt like my prayers were answered in that way.  Thank goodness for small improvements!  My mom was wonderful to me as usual.  I feel extremely grateful for her help. 

While I was at the hospital I saw several of my cancer buddies.  Many of them are struggling and that was sad.  It's hard seeing people suffer from cancer.  I feel guilty that I'm at the end of my treatment and that I'm getting better when they have such long and difficult roads ahead of them.  

This visit was joyous in that it was my last one and sad too because I found out that a cancer buddy of mine had died.  Many of you probably remember Bob because I've mentioned him before.  I've been pretty sad about his death.  I hope his family is okay.  I know that death isn't the END, but it still hurts and I sure feel bad for his loved ones.  What a great person.  

I saw a lot of my other buddies too.  Many of them are having a hard time right now.  It was nice seeing them but it was extremely sad.  One of them thinks she might have had a mini stroke.  She's having a hard time moving her face muscles and she's in a lot of pain.  Another friend is having issues with a swollen abdomen and with swollen legs.  She says they hurt and I could tell that she wasn't feeling well.  I feel bad for all my sweet friends!!!  I saw my favorite old man friend too, whose name escapes me at the moment, but anyways he's Betty's husband and he doesn't have cancer.  Man, I love him!  He made me laugh so hard and we had such a good visit.  I think if I could find someone EXACTLY like him to marry I'd be super happy.

Many good things happened in addition to the sad things.  While I was at the hospital I received flowers from my former student Kamryn.  They were the most beautiful pink roses I've ever seen!  Oh my goodness, they were beautiful!  I mentioned them earlier, but I just have to say again how surprised and delighted I was to get them.  Everyone in the hospital treatment room enjoyed them with me and it made everyone feel good to hear about all the sweet things she has done for me.  Thank you Kamryn and Jess!  I don't know how to express my appreciation adequately for everything you've done for me.  This would have been a lot harder without all of your love and kindness.  Thank you so much for your service!!!!  I'm always going to remember how you've served me and I hope I can serve someone like you someday.

I love my bald head in this picture.  Ha, ha!

My current students have been super sweet to me too.  On my return from chemo, my substitute had left a gift from them on my doorstep.  Inside the gift were letters from each of my students wishing me a speedy recovery.  I got such a good laugh at how funny some of those letters were.  Several of them said things like, "I can't wait for your hair to grow back."  I loved that!  They also drew pictures of me with my bald head.  The pictures sure cracked me up!   

This is the poster sized card my class made for me.


When I returned to school on Tuesday the PTA and my class had decorated our door with smiles to welcome me back.  It sure was sweet of them to do that for me.  The PTA also made me a beautiful bouquet of smiles and every class signed their name to one of the faces.  They also gave me a bracelet with a crane on it, like the origami paper folded ones.  They told me they used smiles to wish me well because they had noticed that I've been smiling and having a good attitude throughout my journey and they were impressed by that.  They said the necklace with the crane on it was to symbolize hope and healing because that's what they were hoping for...that I would heal and that the cancer would be gone.  I love it so much.  When they presented their gifts of smiles and of hope and healing I couldn't help but get a little teary.  I have the same hopes too.  Thanks PTA!!!  And thank you kids for the beautiful bouquet. 

Bracelet given to me by the PTA to wish me health and healing.  So kind!

I've been pretty spoiled lately.  Just before chemo we had our Parent Teacher Conferences at school.  Conferences were scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday and my chemotherapy was scheduled for Thursday too, so all of the parents in my class agreed to meet with me on Wednesday so that I could have my treatment on Thursday and not delay my treatment.  That might not seem like a big deal, but it REALLY was sweet of them to do this for me.  It made for a long day on Wednesday.  I woke up early and started conferences before school, worked a regular work day, and then met with parents from 2pm until 7:15pm with no breaks so I worked for 12 + hours that day.  I met with everyone too!  I was really happy about that.  It made being sick less stressful, since I wasn't worrying about it.  My mom and I actually went back after nine or ten in the evening to finish a few things so it was actually more than a 12 hour work day.  I also had to prepare three days worth of substitute plans and prepare for conferences.  I was super busy and pretty exhausted when Thursday came around.  When I told my doctor about my busy schedule he was impressed.  When I told him I was actually looking forward to my Benadryl on the day of my treatment, because of it's sleepy side-effects, he and I both had a good laugh.  I really enjoyed my nap on Thursday!  I sure was pooped!

As I sit here thinking of all the things that have happened since my last treatment I'm amazed.  I've received so many cards and flowers and treats and gifts and special visits and phone calls and emails and facebook well wishes.  It would take forever to mention and thank everyone for all they've done for me.  Maybe I'll post again later just to tell more about all the kind things everyone has done.  I've been richly blessed that's for sure!!!!  Thank you everyone for being so incredibly supportive and loving.  Now I'm just going to wait and hope that my cancer is gone.  That would be a definite dream come true.  I'll keep you posted.  Until then...thank you for your prayers!