The best Christmas gift ever!!

Yikes, was this round hard. Nauseau hit fast and hard this time, something very new to me in the chemo-experience. Not being able to eat is a major problem for me, as I do love to eat!! I timed my chemo this time so that I would feel decent (Day 1 and 2) to take Drew to visit Santa (no Santa for Ty this year - germs are too risky with his age and my chemo) and be able to see him sing in his preschool program - both precious moments that I did not want to feel too sick to get to experience. It was a delicate balancing act to perfectly time chemo so that I could squeeze those crucial things in, but leave enough time on the other end so that I would feel good again in time to celebrate Christmas!

Despite honestly thinking that I might never make it back from "crappy Chemo-land" and ever be able to eat or drink anything (let alone Christmas brunch, cookies, mimosas, etc.) again, I finally rejoined the land of the living yesterday, and shortly after, received my most coveted Christmas gift - THERE WILL BE NO MORE CHEMO FOR ME!!!!!!!!!!!

Unfortunately, the reason chemo #6 will not be in the future for this lucky lady is that I have been experiencing some, ummmm, unpleasant GI issues which have my doctor concerned that the chemo is doing irreversible damage to my ummm, GI parts. So I do get to go see a GI doc next week, and possibly get to experience some unpleasant tests, but hey, I would do just about anything to not have to do round #6! My doctor apparently thinks that the difference between doing 5 and 6 rounds is not worth the risk of doing further damage, so 5 rounds it will be.

Needless to say, Brian and I are ecstatic. In fact, I'm not sure who is happier! We are giddy to have the major treatments behind us (I'll still get infusions of herceptin every three weeks for 7 months, but since this is not a "chemo" drug, the side effects are apparently minimal, my hair can begin to grow back, I can start doing more intense workouts again, etc.) and excited to move forward with the process of reconstruction! I never thought I'd long for fake boobs, but am so ready to feel whole and "normal" again, and if that involves having perky, albeit silicon breasts, then so be it! We're so ready to put this chapter behind us and get back to somewhat normal life again. Yes, there will still be doctor visits and surgeries to complete the reconstruction, but we can say goodbye to the really bad stuff and start looking forward to good times ahead! We are psyched to celebrate this day, and every day after it - life and health are true gifts, ones that we appreciate more than ever before.

We hope that you all will have a wonderful holiday filled with so much love and happiness, and thank you again for all your love, encouragement and support. We know we will still need it in the journey ahead, but are so happy to have weathered the worst of the storm.

Hug your loved ones and celebrate every day as the gift that it is...

Amy