3 more to go!!!

I can hardly believe that there are only 3--yes, 3 more treatments left!!!!

It has been such a long road; many times rocky and misleading, but I am finally coming to the end.  The end of this week may result in the end of my entries all together but I hope for everyone who has followed my progress and has gotten me through this, I hope you will continue to keep in touch by phone and/or email.  I have truly been so blessed with the best of family and friends, I can't imagine what would have happened without all the prayers, well wishes and support.  I still have another 4.5 years before I can say that I am completely cancer free but I am not only hopeful but very positive that with all of you behind me I will make that huge milestone.

No pain, no gain?!

I woke up this morning from shooting pain on my right side.  I have definitely developed some skin changes--not only from radiation but from chafing during my work out yesterday (oops!).  I met with my personal trainer for the first time yesterday and even though we concentrated on core and lower body exercises, I still managed to do quite a number on my right side and underarm.  It was bad enough that my radiation oncologist had to prescribe a topical medication to use with some special bandages to help with healing.  So not only do my legs feel sore but my right chest is so irritated right now that it hurts to have anything rub against it.  I'm not so sure that old adage "no pain, no gain" is all that true in this case! :-/

The countdown begins...

I am down to my last 8 treatments as of this evening!  It is a bit surreal to me, I can't believe that this ordeal will be behind me very soon.  There is a huge part of me that is giddy inside at this realization but there is also a small part that worries about the future and whether I will stay cancer free.  I know that this is not something I should worry about now but it has crossed my mind a few times.  I feel like I've fought such a brave fight but am so scared that the battle may not truly be over.  I guess for now I should just concentrate on getting through my treatments and crossing that finish line that lies not too far away!

Coming to the end...

Tomorrow will be the end of week 5 of radiation.  The end of radiation is in sight and it is quite bitter sweet as to me it means the end of treatment all together!  Yes, I still have 5 years of daily Tamoxifen but taking a pill every day seems so insignificant compared to the past 6 months.

Now, I look forward to new beginnings--new hair, new nails and new courage to live as a breast cancer survivor! :)

Sigh!

I am exhausted!  I don't know if this is the exhaustion that comes with radiation or just me working and playing too hard and not getting very good sleep.  Either way, all I want to do when I get home is sleep.  I am doing my best to get little chores done around the house but I've already fallen off the exercise wagon, the personal trainer I was supposed to start working with cancelled on me yesterday and I didn't quite take that long walk I was planning to take.  All I could think about doing when I got home today was crashing but laundry and dishes got in the way--although I'm not sure where I dredged up the energy to do what I did.  And once again, I made some excuse not to work out.  I'd just like to sleep through the night without waking every couple of hours and it's been a long time since I've woken up in the morning feeling like I actually got a full night's rest and feeling refreshed.  Maybe this weekend I'll actually get a chance to sleep in and catch up on some needed rest.

Summer in April

Today was an absolutely beautiful day with highs in the 80s!!
Just a tiny taste of what's to come in the coming months but a frustrating tease as a storm is headed our way with cooler temperatures for the rest of the week.
Today, I have started a diet and hope to keep up with my light work outs to become ready for the summer months ahead and to be able to fit into my spring/summer clothes.  I hope all of you will keep me accountable and on track to achieving my goal of getting back in shape!

A month full of X's

Believe it or not, one whole month of treatments is done!  Yes, I have made it though 4 full weeks of radiation.  I realized that my last blog was Tuesday and it is currently Sunday, but it only felt like yesterday that I posted my last entry.  Time is truly flying and it is really scaring me.  I feel like I have so much to do and very little time to do it.  It is already April and before I know it, it will be the end of 2011.  I had wanted to re-certify this year but I've already let a quarter of the year pass without having lifted a single text book or review book.  I have 3 weeks of radiation to go, maybe I should concentrate on getting through the next 3 weeks before I worry about anything else!