Certificate of Radiation Completion
(Adapted from family updates and journal notes 11 years ago.)
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
No more chemo or radiation! Hopefully, no more Tootie.
Yes, I’m done with treatment; no I don’t feel much better in the treatment area. My mouth sores are gone and I enjoyed a glass of wine over the weekend. Saw the dentist today for a cleaning and my gums are in good shape again.
Tess drove me to my last radiation “boost” treatment on Monday and I swore I felt electrical shocks subtly zapping my insides. On my way out, I received a hug from the therapist, a certificate of completion, a small angel pin and some random dismissal papers. Haven’t heard anything about the blood draw, so I assume that’s still normal. Tess took a picture of me with “nurse Mary Jo” who initiated my first chemo treatments on May 1. We learned that she was a gymnast in college, just like Tess is now. It felt good to walk out of the Cancer Center, knowing I’ll (hopefully) only have to go in for routine monitoring and sporadic Dr. visits.
I was in the mood to do something celebratory, but we didn’t have much time. Perhaps tomorrow we’ll all be available. Since I can only sit in a slouched position, I can’t quite jump in the truck and drive myself around yet. I feel like a slug just schlepping around the house, not being particularly productive. Each day I see Pikes Peak in all its glory, I’m reminded of what I’m missing:
*pre-dawn trips up the mountain for trail running with other driven athletes, all training for some upcoming event
*spectacular views, aching quads, burning lungs and sweat-soaked baseball hats
*dodging rocks and roots
*watching Aspen chase bunnies, birds and squirrels
*coming home completely spent but energized, soaking in a bubble bath and then getting on with the business of the day
Instead, the hours of my day mush together like my softening thighs and I drift between reading and resting, prayer and writing, laundry and kitchen puttering, trying not to think about what’s still damaged and reminding myself of all the positive things to be thankful for.
I’m reading Two Days Longer: Discovering More of God as You Wait For Him, a book by a good friend who lives down the street. Her stories continue to remind me that God is never late in answering prayers. His timing for everything is perfect and He “will always weave together good from our dangling shreds of disappointment and weariness – even if, this side of heaven, we can’t see the lustrous beauty of the tapestry he’s weaving.”
Couldn’t have said it better myself. Thanks, Beth!