Bell Ringing and Health Healing

So yesterday was my last chemo treatment. I have an oncology appointment on Friday to find out the status of my Beta HCG markers. Lets hope they are still undetectable!! CT Scan on March 3rd and an appointment to explain the details of the scan on March 11th. I need two lymph nodes to have reduced in size in order to avoid a lymph node dissection. This is a very invasive operation that would literally take months to recover from. Google it if you want. It ain't pretty!!

Side effects are thankfully beginning to subside. Stomach issues have abated. Other than that I shall spend the next few weeks trying to get my health back to pre-chemo levels. I had just got back into running and some squash so I look forward to having the energy to resume those activities.

As I rang the bell yesterday afternoon to signify the end of 21 chemotherapy treatments I could feel the tears well up in my eyes.

Tears for the wonderful caring staff at the Princess Margaret Hospital who i will miss. They undoubtedly make a world of difference to the patients they look after on a daily basis and without whom a positive attitude and outlook would be tiring to maintain.

Tears for I am humbled to have met so many others in a similar situation, a lot of whom are far braver than I.

Tears for this has been the single most traumatic experience of my life so far. The fear of cancer notwithstanding but having to endure the side effects of the chemo for nine weeks coupled with a nine day stay in hospital with an infection and fever.

And finally tears for the support from my family, friends and colleagues without whom my journey would have been arduous at best.

This has been a life changing experience and while I would not wish it on my worst enemy I am glad it has happened to me. It has changed my perspective and allowed me to realise what is of value in my life.

Livestrong!!