One to go.

I realize that on October 1, 2017, I wrote a post about being “One down”, in reference to completing my first chemotherapy treatment, which was on September 27. It seems only fitting that this post, on the day before my last radiation session, be titled “One to go”. The funny thing is, the phrase that springs to mind a little more frequently is more like “What the f**k just happened to me???????????”

A quick recap for those of you who joined this party late:

I had my second mammogram on July 31, and the radiologist confirmed she saw areas of concern on both breasts. That afternoon, the surgeon confirmed it was breast cancer and ordered a biopsy.

I had the biopsy on August 1. The following Monday, August 8, I went to cancer school at the Mass General Hospital Cancer Center.

On August 31, my daughter started the sixth grade.

On September 1, I had a bi-lateral nipple-sparing mastectomy with immediate reconstruction.

On September 5, my other daughter started the fourth grade and my son started first grade.

On September 27, I started eight rounds of twice-monthly chemotherapy.

On January 3, I finished chemotherapy.

On February 7, I started a regimen of 28 doses of radiation.

I remember hearing when I was diagnosed that the next year or so of my life would suck. It would be horrible and uncomfortable and at times nearly impossible but at the end of that time I’d get right back to what I was doing and put it behind me. I’ve heard too, that this type of experience is one that usually hits people after its over. That is, people going through this are too busy just surviving to process things and so once it’s done, THEN they are start to process.

I don’t know what I’ll do tomorrow but I know that while I was surviving, I saw some things with more objectivity and clarity than I ever have before:

• People are kind.
• It takes a village.
• Kids are resilient.
• Cold caps work.
• Prayers help enormously.
• Cancer is just as hard on the people around the patient as it is on the patient.
• Even people who look perfectly normal can be going through big, scary, weighty things.
• Reaching out to someone who is going through a big, scary, weighty thing really does make a huge difference. We just want to feel connected and not alone.
• My people are my everything.

Tomorrow, I have my last radiation session and then I will ring the bell at the door three times. And this chapter will be over.