I made it!

A picture Alan took of me last summer jumping off a rock into Phelps Lake in Grand Teton National Park, WY. I just love it.. it was such a freeing moment to freefall into a crystal clear, chilly lake surrounded by some of the most beautiful mountains in the country.

I can't believe chemo is DONE!! To be honest, it's a little surreal. It had become a part of my every day life over the last 16 weeks: doctor's visits, lab draws, echocardiograms, pre-meds, fatigue, hair loss, aches, and hours of sitting in an infusion room getting pumped full of poison.... and it's ALL done. YAY!! :)

All that I have left to do here in Minnesota is have one more lab draw and a follow-up with my oncologist....then it's off to Maine for surgery! (It's about a 90% chance I'll definitely be going back there first before I head out West.)


I have a surgeon lined up at Mercy Hospital in Portland.. I have my family and friends to visit and spend time with.. a wedding to attend.. I'd like to visit my family in New York.. I'd like to take a trip to Montreal.. I'd like spend some time on the beach.. and maybe even catch the beginning of the fall foliage before I head back to Utah!


The tentative plan is that I'll head back to Maine on August 18th (the same day Alan plans to head back to Utah for school). And I hope to have surgery the week of August 23rd. I'm also hoping that I will recover within 4 weeks and get the "Okay" from Dr. Molin to head back to Utah. Like I said in my last post, classes start October 4th and I'd really like to get back in time for school.


But for right now, I'm just going to enjoy these next 3 weeks with my family out here and Alan. Starting to feel the onset of the chemo as I write this.. but I'll just keep drinking lots of water and flush it out of me as fast as I can so that I don't feel like this for too long. At least I won't have to go through it again. :)

That's all for now..just wanted to give a quick update. A big thank you to my mom and uncle John for the bouquets of flowers that were waiting for me when I got home from treatment. Very sweet and thoughtful of them! And to Alan for sitting with me at the hospital for 5 hours while I had my last treatment. He's a good sport and very patient. :) And to the staff at the hospital for giving me a balloon that said, "Congrats!" and a card signed by the nurses on duty. :)

Thanks again for all the love and support you've given me. I'm a much stronger and better person because of you all. :)


We match! Alan shaved his head to show his support! I sure do love him. :)

Lots of love always,