It is finished!

I am happy to report that I am DONE with all of my treatment. For good! My last infusion was on the 26th of December. It was low-key...no big bells to ring, not celebrations, and a quick getaway when I was done. I liked that part because I never really enjoyed going there and leaving is always the best. I like my doctors, my nurses was always so wonderful, compassionate and helpful. The people at the clinic were always so good to me. But I always felt like I didn't belong there. I still kind of wonder what the point to all of this was?
Here's what's next. I go in every 8 weeks to flush and clean my port which may stay in for up to a year. Although if I have my say, it should come out in February when I have reconstruction. I'll go in every once in awhile for bloodwork, but really that is it! I don't ever have to go in for body scans. Ever. I was surprised to hear that one, but pleasantly surprised. I've talked a bit about my claustrophobia before and have had anxiety thinking about going into the enclosed space for a scan. My doctor explained that because this chemo treatment was precautionary, future scans are unnecessary and would actually cause more harm than good by exposing me to radiation that I don't need. If my bloodwork ever comes back abnormal, then plans will change. I don't anticipate that happening!
Here's the gist of it. I had a very aggressive, relatively rare and if not caught early, deadly form of breast cancer. People die of triple negative, invasive ductal carcinoma regularly. What I was blessed with is the fact that I found it early, before it spread anywhere. It was stage 1...now stage none! This is why I have no scans ahead of me. I DO have a 15% probability of it recurring within the next 3-5 years, but if it doesn't, I'm in the clear for life. This is the whole reason that I had the mastectomy and heavy doses of chemo. Get it done now!
The next few months will be hard...maybe the hardest with reconstruction, but so worth it. I'm even beginning to make plans for my swim season in the summer and getting back into swim suit shape, getting strong and finally growing some hair! Things are looking up!
I cannot even begin to describe how much I've learned through this process. SO many things, like learning how to let others help me. Learning the true meaning of compassion and love and that people need things without asking for them. That I have an incredibly loving and supportive circle of friends and family that I can count on for anything at all. I have a husband who has been supportive and is now ready for life as we once knew it. My children thankfully treated me the same. Loving, but the same which I found comforting. Sometimes you need normal. No, always you need a little normal and although losing my  hair in the beginning was alarming to them, they never acted embarrassed about me having it gone. I have the best kids in the world!
I'm looking forward to having my mom and sister come spend some time with me in February. Although it may be for reasons that aren't great, I'll have the comfort and love from family that I've always had when I needed it most...even from all the way across the country. I have learned through all of this that I am ridiculously blessed. I knew it before, but I felt it more now than ever. Sometimes blessings come disguised in strange packages, but are blessings nontheless.
You know what? At the beginning of 2014, I remember making a comment to Adam that this was going to be a great year! We had so many things going for us and I just knew that good things were coming our way. I'll never say that again...(although I do have the same opinion of 2015), but the truth of this was evident. I have never had a more difficult year. We've had a house flood that left half our downstairs devastated for 6 months. The financial burden of that was overwhelming, as well as the toll it took on day-to-day living. We've had every single computer crash just this last month. We've had identity theft twice in the last month. I've been stretched physically and Adam has been stretched emotionally. But our children are healthy, happy, smart, beautiful and just very good people. I'm blessed to be able to stay home to recuperate because of my husband who is talented and runs a successful office and career as an attorney. I couldn't have done this all very well if I knew that I had to work outside of the home as well. Really, I can go on and on, but the point is this: What gets people through difficult times is to recognize God's hand in your life. Recognize your blessings and know that even in the hardest parts of life, you can get through it. Not alone, but with God. He'll put people in your life...living angels. Now it's my turn to be that for others.