Almost Done!

Friday will be my last day of radiotherapy! While not technically the end of treatment, it's the end of a major portion of treatment. When I look at the timeline, I'm proud of what I've accomplished so far:

12/27/06: diagnosis
01/05/07: lumpectomy and sentinal nodes removed
01/22/07 - 06/04/07: chemotherapy (20 weeks)
[sudden menopause]
06/26/07 - (08/10/07): radiotherapy (6+ weeks)
(08/23/07): scheduled with oncologist to review new bloodtests, tumor markers, etc. *please cross your fingers for me!*
(08/24/07): begin hormone therapy

It's been a long eight months and it's nice to have an end in sight. On the other hand, I'm told to expect a difficult period of adjustment to my New Normal. My body is different now, as a result of treatment, and I don't quite trust it as I used to. It will take time to get to know this new body, gain confidence its strengths, and discover it weaknesses. Once the frequent treatment appointments stop, I'll be thrust face-to-face with the reality of living with uncertainty and fears of recurrence, all while adjusting to new hormone levels resulting from daily medication.

Right now my biggest pleasure is reading. I'm totally hooked on the Merrily Watkins supernatural mystery series, by Phil Rickman. It's set in the Herefordshire border area between Wales and England, steeped in celtic lore and ancient forests. A divorced mother and her teenaged daughter start a new life amongst a traditional village, as the mother begins her new career as the town's vicar. It's very suspenseful, with lots of eerie goings-on, from ghosts to ancient nature spirits. The relationship between the mother and daughter is really interesting, and there are some marvelously strange characters.

At long last I've caved into reading the Harry Potter series, which I read while I'm on the treadmill. The time passes quickly that way, and it makes me look forward to workouts.