Hello... from the other side

I had my LAST herceptin treatment on Thursday, last ever, last needle, last trying to find a vein. It was a 2 try attempt again and Nurse Jenny told me I have done particularly well, as most people restricted to using only 1 hand and having treatment over a year, end up having a port [and not in a glass] so yeah for me.

It was a very emotional farewell to the RNs, how do you thank them properly for being calm, reassuring and friendly, every time they treat you, without fail? There were tears on my part, I had said I was going to dance my way out however this session there were a few patients who looked like they were having a tough time and I didn't think it was cancer etiquette to be celebrating in front of them. I do intend to do a bit of salsa sway or elegant pirouette after my last specialist appointment though, and I don't care who does see that.

I have returned from my "Adele" celebration, extra special as my friends completely spoiled me and I had a night in a gorgeous hotel in the Waitakares with another surprise being 2 of my friends swapping their Thursday night tickets for Saturday so they could celebrate with me. Adele was worth the extra hour in traffic it took to get to Auckland and the queues to get in, and the being tired today. Although that could partly be the celebrating with champagne and port back at the hotel afterwards

Not sure what I've done to deserve the awesome support of my friends and family but you guys have got me thru this, so stand up and take a bow. I must confess that I'm going to miss pulling the cancer card on you all, however I am ecstatic to be able to say "Hello ....from the other side" [see what I did there?] and I have decided that I am cured. 

The next episode will update you all on what I'm planning to do next, I bet you can't wait, get the G&Ts ready...

Joy to the world...One year on!

26 Jan 2016 was the rogue mammogram
05 Feb 2016 was diagnosis
02 Mar 2016 was surgery

01 Mar 2017 - Passed my mammo WOF whoop whoop.

Despite being pretty convinced I have got this beaten, I have been having annoying visits from the horrid "what if" monster in my head, and oh my god has it been vocal in the past 2 weeks. It's nasty little nagging voice constantly popping in and out. It has now been squashed..dead..deader than the dead parrot in the monty python sketch....AND I have had my penultimate Herceptin round today...AND despite being particularly eye watering and I'm going to have a massive bruise, it was a hole in one...AND a box of cupcakes was waiting for me when I got home.

Joy to the world
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2wutEzjy_E

In da club....and almost out of the club

It's been a very busy 3 weeks, I've put my stuff in storage, I'm now living with Mum while my sister takes a break (she's living with my other Tauranga sister) and I'm going thru the process of getting my house rented. This is all so I can save some money and get travelling later in the year, the polar bears are getting closer!

Herceptin on Thursday didn't have the best start, the usual fine veins problem cropped up again and this time a new RN took one look and told me she was chickening out and getting someone more experienced. Kirstie was the more experienced RN called in and she took one look and got me to soak my hand in the bucket of hot water again, and then she got it first go. Phew, last 3 times it's been two goes each time so very pleased she could get a vein. Thank goodness I only have TWO more rounds, and it's only 39 days to go before my last session. 

I was talking to Kirstie waiting for my veins to behave, sitting in the chair next to the radio, and we got talking about songs and associating them with events in your life, and I told her that I'll always remember the first song I heard in the car when I was driving off after my diagnosis, which was "In da club". It actually made me laugh because I thought, yeah you're in the cancer club now.

I'll probably never meet you 50 cent, and you'll probably never read this but thank you anyway for making me laugh at a very stressful time. I've always loved your song and because I'm slightly weird I don't feel like I can't listen to your song any more, it has the opposite effect because I'm sooooooo almost out of the cancer club and back in da real club man!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qm8PH4xAss

And because I know you're all dying to know, I've almost achieved my aim of sitting in every chair in the treatment zone. Some I've been in more than a few times because somebody else has been in the chair I was eyeing up, I wonder if I have the nerve to ask someone to move because I have to sit in their chair to achieve my stupid goal???

Moves like Jagger

Getting really tired of all this, especially the muscle aches probably caused by my medication, or Herceptin or the combo of both.

It was another 2 attempts to get my line in because the veins in my left hand just don't want to come out and play anymore. I was feeling pretty knackered and tearful when I got to the traffic lights again, and then the radio station started playing "Moves like Jagger" and you can't be having a moment with that song playing can you!

Then when I got home my care package was waiting, my two friends Patsy and Margo to the rescue again with a very timely delivery of 3 mini bottles of port. The first one didn't even touch the sides, the 2nd one I saved for after dinner, the 3rd one I'm having tonight.

Port solves everything, especially if you don't have any chocolate in the house
If they ever do a medical research thing on the benefits of either,  I'm first in line for their volunteer patients... as long as I don't get a freaking placebo. 
I might mention that at my specialist appointment on Monday, the poor Registrar who gets me is in for a long list of questions.

Today I've had a special treat, an actual hair cut and now my hair looks like a proper hair style...on my way to getting my mojo back.

and now for the 3rd bottle

Cheers

Yes I drew OW and a :(
on my plaster after the first port

...and then there were none

The new do

Wake me up before you go go...

It was Herceptin round 13 today, unlucky number for some, but I'm thinking lucky last of the year and now it means I only have 4 to go.

It also means it's one step closer to the end of 2016, a year that I am exceptionally glad to be saying good bye to. Not just because it's been a rough year for me, but also because of the number of relatives and friends of family who have passed away this year, some far too young.

I am tired, I may even go to bed early New Years Eve, or I may have a sudden burst of energy and put on Wham! down at Fergusson Park and dance naked to Wake me up before you go go.. while watching the fire works.

You have been warned, strange white lights seen over Tauranga may just be me flashing my magnificent boobs, scars and all

Farewell 2016, don't let the door slam you on the arse on the way out

This post is in memory of George Michael and Jim, Mona, Caroline, Jackie, Isla S, and Alvara

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIgZ7gMze7A

Rumour has it.....

YES - Cinders does get to go to the ball 

I have tickets to Adele, I had a gut feeling she'd put on another concert and she has delivered! Thanks to the coordinated efforts of Patsy and her sister (who needs an alias too) who were able to go online as soon as ticket sales opened and watch and wait like vampires out for blood,  I shall be going to the Saturday show, 2 days after my last treatment. 

I feel Adele owes me, I have had to go thru physio to my knee after my little "last of chemo celebration" boogie to her song.

Today was round 12 of herceptin, slight issue finding a vein but Nurse Jenny did it again, so done and dusted.

Bit disconcerting to see a Xmas tree up in the treatment room and realising my next round is AFTER Xmas which means there's less than 3 weeks to go...

This week's post is in memory of Molly, a stroppy cat with attitude but who stayed by my side whenever I was down and tired. Even if it was just in case I made a move to the kitchen...

Keeping me company when
4pm radiation tiredness hit

What else is a planter pot for?

We're watching my show!

The final countdown...

This week during my treatment, I finally remembered to ask how many rounds of Herceptin I have left and was overjoyed to hear the Nurse say "well this is round 11 of 17 so you've got 6 more to go" 

I do love a countdown, happy happy joy joy

I thought I'd worked it out right, so unless the schedule changes my last lot is (queue the drum roll) ..........................................................................
              23rd March 2017 

...and wouldn't you know it, this is the ONLY date that Adele is playing in NZ. I could probably do both - what a way to celebrate!

I'm also happy to report that after much procrastination and thinking it would be too hard because I haven't been since March and I'd probably have to stop after 10 minutes and that would be mortifying, I ran out of excuses and dragged my arse to Spin class on Tuesday.  

It was with much trepidation that I got on that machine, when there was just 10 minutes to go and I knew I was actually going to make it thru the whole class I was so super proud of myself I almost started to cry.

So another one ticked off the list of "this means my life is getting back to normal"

..and the final countdown begins....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jK-NcRmVcw


https://goo.gl/images/Dnr9th