Here is a picture of Madison, Jackson and me with Hagrid during the event at Borders for the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. You may be able to tell that Jackson was a little unsure of getting this close to Hagrid; he felt some better when Madison and I told him it was a guy dressed up in a costume just like at Halloween.
I had signed up to be one of the first to receive the book but it required that I be at Borders by 11:00 PM. I was not sure if we really could stay up that late but I am so glad that we did - it was another memory made.
(A quick note about my hair: It looks as if I have had it streaked with gray, auburn, and brown. It definitely is time for a hair cut - it has grown back with curls and waves. I've tried gel and paste but it is out of control unless it is wet!)
Another memory made this month was a trip to see family in Missouri. April, the three little kids, and I flew to Tulsa where we rented a car and drove a couple of hours to my father's home. During our twelve-day trip we celebrated my father's 80th birthday, enjoyed great fireworks, went to the zoo, and had a great time with family. Madison expressed it well the day before we left to return home, "I'm glad to be going home but in two weeks I'm going to miss Missouri."
All three kids were great travelers! Here are some pictures of the girls on the return flight home - both boys are asleep.
Herceptin infusions are also now a memory - I had the last infusion two days after we returned home. Dr. Risbud and I agree that the port-a-cath will not be removed yet, so every four to five weeks I will go in and have the port flushed with Heparin to prevent a blood clot from forming.
The idea of completing treatment is still a little scary but I am learning to be more comfortable with it. I was due for a check up in July but by the time I returned from vacation Dr. Risbud was leaving on his vacation. The check up has been scheduled for early September.
In addition to blood tests, I would love to have CT and Bone Scans because I want to be told, "There is absolutely no sign of cancer cells in your body." I do realize that I could hear these very words and then be in a fatal car accident on the way home or, even a short time later have cancer cells begin to develop. I know that none of us have a promise of more than this moment but I still want to hear those words. I'm normal, I want as much good news and any guarantees possible.
Shortly after my diagnosis last year the following poem was sent to me by Janice. Our daughters are friends and Janice is a 10+ year survivor of breast cancer.
What Cancer Cannot Do
Cancer is so limited ...
It cannot cripple love,
It cannot shatter hope,
It cannot corrode faith,
It cannot destroy peace,
It cannot kill friendship,
It cannot suppress memories,
It cannot silence courage,
It cannot invade the soul,
It cannot steal eternal life,
It cannot conquer the spirit.
I really appreciated Janice's card and her thoughtfulness of including this poem; I have read it many, many times. It is true that ultimately cancer may shorten my life; however I get to control the most important aspects of my life.
I have heard other survivors express that they felt the same after completing treatment, "What now?". We spend so many months focused on surviving the treatment only to realize that we are afraid to no longer have the drugs fighting for us.
My next journey is living life after cancer, I'll keep you posted on the progress!
As always, thank you for checking in on me and don't forget to play the Glad Game today.
