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I never thought I’d be looking forward to a chemo treatment, but I am, for one reason.  IT WILL BE MY LAST!  (Knock on wood.)  After 10 months I am finally finishing with my cancer treatments.  I’ve had 2 different chemo cocktails, radiation and surgery since last November.  Now I’m looking at the light at the end of the tunnel.  By Labor Day I’ll be done!

It’s been a tough year, not only because of my own struggles with cancer but also because my mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last spring.  I went to North Carolina to help take care of her in her final months.  She died at the end of June.  It was a difficult time but brought the family together and I’m grateful that I was able to be there.

My mom had a blue bottle tree in the backyard.  It’s a Southern thang.  She cut back the branches on a dead sapling and stuck blue bottles of all shapes and sizes on them.  They looked beautiful in the sun.  When she died we took down 10 blue bottles, washed them and lined them up on the alter at the funeral home.  We put a sunflower in each one.   That image is locked in my memory now. 

After her memorial service  I returned to Whidbey and went directly into a new round of chemo.  My oncologist didn’t want to put it off any longer.  Every 3 weeks I got another hit.  In between I’d try to work as much as possible but my energy level is low.  I take medications for the side affects that put me to sleep or make driving a bad idea.  All summer I’ve been playing catch up. 

Now that I am “sliding into home”, I want to publicly thank all those who’ve helped me get through this.  The City of Oak Harbor, my employers, have been incredibly supportive.  Councilman, Rick Almberg shaved his head in solidarity ( I think).  Friends tied pink ribbons on their bikes in the Holland Happening Parade, and Councilman Bob Severns mentioned me over the loudspeaker (though I don’t know what he said).   While I was gone, Arnie Peterschmidt, a city engineer, managed the Like2Bike campaign and took care of the worm bins at Public Works.   Debbie Meuller kept my hours and leave time straight and checked on me almost daily.  This summer the City hired Tillie Scruton to run the Jr. Naturalsit program and be our public contact person at fairs and events.  Other employees donated their sick leave, gave me rides to doctor’s appointments, made meals and sent home groceries with me. 

Other friends offered rides to work, walked my dog,  brought garden produce and canned soups to my house.  A week before Christmas, friends came caroling at my doorstep!  Girlfriends took me for slow walks.  Even my former in laws let me use their waterfront guest house for a quiet weekend retreat.  Janet Hall, WSU-Ext. Waste Wise Coordinator gave me gluten free goodies after each chemo treatment for my primary caregiver who shares her allergies.   Rhonda Severns, Oak Harbor Water Dept. organized meals for me in the last 2 months of my treatment.   I cannot imagine going through this without their support. 

Four years ago I was in the best shape of my life hiking 20 miles a day on the Appalachian Trail that runs from Georgia to Maine.  I felt like a super star!  I’ve always been health conscious, got daily exercise, tried to eat right and get plenty of rest.  So when I was diagnosed with cancer it was a real shock.  My doctors and nurses kept saying, “It’s a good thing you’re so healthy to begin with.” 

I consider myself fortunate, that I caught it in time, that I have good insurance and access to excellent health care, that I have the support of a great family and awesome friends and co-workers, and that I was “so healthy to begin with”.  In another month or so, I’ll be extremely happy just to feel “normal” again.  I know among many other things, I’ve neglected this blog, so I also want to thank you readers for all your patience and support. 

Live Strong!