Tuesday update...

I am starting to feel better from the final round of chemo. My feet and shins still hurt quite a bit today but hopefully that will end by tomorrow. This time around I was living in "Hot Flash Hell"! I am not sure why there are so many jokes about hot flashes because I don't see anything funny about them at all. Maybe it is worse when you don't have any hair and you can reach up and feel the whole top of your head covered in sweat...gross is the only word I can think of. I have a lot more numbness in my toes this time also. I guess the technical word for this is really "neuropathy". A lot of people on chemo have a big problem with this in their hands and feet but I have been pretty lucky. To me, it always feels like my toes are really swollen but they aren't....I hear that this can linger for months after chemo but I don't think I will have that problem.

I don't know if I have written about "chemo brain" but it is certainly time for that. Supposedly, the doctors will tell you that chemo does not affect the brain or your memory or concentration skills....I definetely am living proof that it does and I have read so much about this with other chemo patients. You all know that normally I have a great memory but now having a conversation with me is like playing a trivia game.....I can ususally only remember part of what I am trying to say and I will force you to try to finish my thoughts or guess what I am trying to say. I guess it's kind of funny in every day life but it has gotten tough at work....I just hope that it will get better soon.

I did hear back from Myriad labs about the insurance approval for my genetic test. The cost of the test is $3100 and it will be fully covered under my plan...since I have already met my max out of pocket for 2008 (how sad is that...) I won't even have a co-pay. They said the results should be back in 2-4 weeks. I have to say that United Healthcare has been really good so far with all of my expenses. You hear so many horrible things about insurance companies these days I am just so thankful that I have not had to fight any claims or that I haven't been denied any types of tests or treatments.

Tomorrow Bret and I will meet with the plastic surgeon. I feel like I have forgotten everything she said when we met with her last fall but I have learned so much more about reconstruction with my online support group...I will have lots of questions for her...it just seems a lot more complicated than I thought it would be.

Here in Cinci today we have a weather mess...school is cancelled because we had snow last night and now we are getting freezing rain. On top of that the flu and all kinds of other illnesses have hit the tri-state area. I guess the daycare has told the kids to stop hugging each other because there is so much crap going around. Bret feels like he is getting another cold but the kids seem to be ok. I have been so lucky to stay healthy thru chemo I definetely don't want to get sick now.

I am REALLY looking forward to this weekend. Sue and Cheryl (friends from Crawfordsville) are planning to visit this weekend. I have not seen them since October so it will be so great to hang out with them. We are planning to go with a group from my MOMs club to the comedy club on Saturday night....laughter is great medicine!!!

I want to thank all of you for "celebrating" with me as I finished chemo...I received some beautiful cards in the mail yesterday and Kathleen brought over some lovely flowers last night. It has been a long four months and I don't know if I really believe it is over....this stupid cancer stuff has become such a big part of my daily existence....when I went to bed last night I was thinking that at this time last year we were getting ready to leave for our Orlando trip.....so many days I still wish I could wake up to find that this has all been just a horrible dream......

Here is some good news! Two of my wonderful friends had beautiful, healthy baby girls last week. My neighbor Heather gave birth to Addison on Wednesday and my friend Joanna from work gave birth to Alana Grace on Thursday. These were first pregnancies for both of them so it has been so much fun to watch them move thru each phase until the big day arrived. Both babies are just precious and I can't wait to hold them someday soon! I am so very happy for all of them!