One Week Out From Last Chemo

It's been a week and a day since my last chemo. There are still a few lingering symptoms, which is to be expected. Chemo is a cumulative thing, it gets pumped into your body and does it's damage to both cancer cells and normal cells.

Right this second, my toes are still numb. My fingertips are sort of numb too. My mouth is still really dry. I'm retaining water, which is probably thanks to the steroids more than the chemo, but who really knows? I'm trying to drink A LOT of water in hopes of flushing my system, getting everything out of my kidneys and helping the puffiness in my face, hands and feet.

I'm a lovely specimen of womanhood.

Seriously, though, I think I'm doing pretty well. My sleep is better than it was even a week ago. The numbness should go away. The puffiness should too.

I'm grateful for the chemo. It sucked but it was necessary and I'm so glad there are people out there so much smarter than I am who have been researching this stuff for decades. They are literal life savers.

I vacuumed my house today. I think it's the firs time I've done that since surgery back in early September. Now, before anyone thinks we've been living in filth for the past six-ish months, let me remind you that there is another adult in this house as well as a teenager. They've picked up a lot of the slack when it comes to keeping the filth at a minimum. But it felt good to vacuum to do something to take care of my family.

I get my port out next Friday, March 23rd. This is a huge step in accepting that my cancer fight is almost over. Sure, radiation starts five days after that but again, that's another step in this fight. The sooner we get radiation started, the sooner it will be done.

We're taking steps in the right direction and I'm SO lucky to be able to continue to take these steps. The alternative is all too real and I'm not taking it for granted that I will win this fight. I'm just glad to get to keep fighting.