End of rads. . . End of treatment

Elizgrace7

Hi all. . . I'm brand new to this particular community . . But have already enjoyed reading the posts from so many interesting people.

I find myself finishing radiation this week, which will mark the end of 8 months of treatment for me (aside from the tamoxifen, etc).  I'm scared, happy, worried, elated, mortified, anxious. . . Any thoughts? What did you all do out there to celebrate/commemorate?

CypressCynthia

I threw myself a "No Mo

I threw myself a "No Mo Chemo" party back in 1987.  Can you believe?  Lots of friends and family pitched in and it was really fun for me.  It will be 27 years this February since I was first diagnosed.

disneyfan2008

I did the Happy Dance my last

I did the Happy Dance my last day of Radiation...to celerate I treated MY self to a girls week at Disney. (helped me  get through it all knowing that was at the end)

I just reached the start of my cancer this week makes it 6 yrs...finished tamoxifen in Aug..

 

Congrats for finishing treatments..

Denise

desertgirl947

A friend of mine drove me to

A friend of mine drove me to my final rad appointment, because I had had a little bit of a problem with burning.  The staff at the facility presented me with a certificate of completion.  Then my friend took me out to a neat coffee shop for us to celebrate.  I can't say I had a big to-do; but I did something I enjoy.

The time span between surgery, chemo, and radiation was about seven months.  I finished radiation therapy the end of September 2012.  I am doing the hormonal therapy.  My oncologist put me on a four-month rotation my last appointment since I am doing so well (and had asked him how long it is before I get bumped up to six-month checks).  My surgeon just put me on a 12-month rotation.  I have a radiation oncologist appointment in about two weeks and expect that I will be done with that, as that is what the DR told me last year, when I last saw him.

I know that different people get through all of this differently; but for me, I think I have done fine.  This past summer I was part of a group that went to Alaska to help with a building project for a church.  I helped with meal prep.  I was marveling then that exactly a year before this trip, I was just finishing chemo.

I hope that your getting through the treatments has been such that you will find yourself quickly getting back to a somewhat normal life.  You might want to pace yourself, but you just might be surprised at how well you feel.  You also will have a sense of pride in getting through what you have gotten through. 

disneyfan2008

desertgirl947 said:

A friend of mine drove me to

A friend of mine drove me to my final rad appointment, because I had had a little bit of a problem with burning.  The staff at the facility presented me with a certificate of completion.  Then my friend took me out to a neat coffee shop for us to celebrate.  I can't say I had a big to-do; but I did something I enjoy.

The time span between surgery, chemo, and radiation was about seven months.  I finished radiation therapy the end of September 2012.  I am doing the hormonal therapy.  My oncologist put me on a four-month rotation my last appointment since I am doing so well (and had asked him how long it is before I get bumped up to six-month checks).  My surgeon just put me on a 12-month rotation.  I have a radiation oncologist appointment in about two weeks and expect that I will be done with that, as that is what the DR told me last year, when I last saw him.

I know that different people get through all of this differently; but for me, I think I have done fine.  This past summer I was part of a group that went to Alaska to help with a building project for a church.  I helped with meal prep.  I was marveling then that exactly a year before this trip, I was just finishing chemo.

I hope that your getting through the treatments has been such that you will find yourself quickly getting back to a somewhat normal life.  You might want to pace yourself, but you just might be surprised at how well you feel.  You also will have a sense of pride in getting through what you have gotten through. 

doesn't  have to be big

doesn't  have to be big ....even if our own celebration in our Head...I do that each year at surgery date etc..doesn't mean much to others but to me it does..

Denise

disneyfan2008

CypressCynthia said:

I threw myself a "No Mo

I threw myself a "No Mo Chemo" party back in 1987.  Can you believe?  Lots of friends and family pitched in and it was really fun for me.  It will be 27 years this February since I was first diagnosed.

cynthia...WOW 27 yrs...sounds

cynthia...WOW 27 yrs...sounds like a great party...

Denise

VickiSam

disneyfan2008 said:

doesn't  have to be big

doesn't  have to be big ....even if our own celebration in our Head...I do that each year at surgery date etc..doesn't mean much to others but to me it does..

Denise

beside the celebration of this GIANT milestone --

I wrote down several personal messages to myself - hopes, dreams, along with fears.  I chronicle my journey by date so I would never forget - believe in time you do forget dates, names of individuals who help me etc.   I look at my journal from time to time - it helps keep me grounded.

Strength, Courage and HOPE for a Cure.

Vicki Sam

Elizgrace7

Thanks!

Thanks everyone for your thoughts!

2ndxyvonne

Elizgrace7 said:

Thanks!

Thanks everyone for your thoughts!

whoop it up!

Yeah! THAT is an incredible milestone.  Whatever you do, enjoy every single minute of every day.  You whipped THE BEAST. CONGRATS! BE HAPPY!