YEE HAH!!

Well, the "fireworks" are still to come, but Cathy received her final chemo today and it does have that feeling of completing your FINAL final exam. If the last two treatments of Taxol are a reliable guide, we can expect 2-3 brutal days with some relief coming by late Saturday or mid-day Sunday and feeling pretty spunky by Tuesday ... THEN we can say the chemo is "a wrap"!

We found out last Friday that Cathy will begin radiation oncology sometime after her "scheduling meeting" on March 3rd. What we know for sure is that she will incur 25-28 treatments, 1/day over the course of 5 - 5 1/2 weeks. Fatigue will evidently set in ~ week three. The GREAT news about it is it'll take place across the street from CDH and easily en route home from her work in Wheaton. We've been told the whole process from entrance to exit can take place in approximately 15 minutes.

We have been reminded how volatile / unpredictable Triple Negative breast cancer can be, often coming back in different parts of the body as a different type of cancer. As Dr. Bayer has stated, however, "we're going for the cure, not just buying you time", thus the aggressive chemo AND radiation regimen. It is not living in denial, it is not looking at the world through rose colored glasses, but we will remain upbeat, positive and most importantly relying on God's sovereignty for Cathy's future. His providence through all of this seems to indicate more years to enjoy Cathy's company. Please join us in prayer to that end. God's richest blessings to you for your love, care and prayers through this long [and continuing] journey.

1 To Go!

Last Tuesday saw Cathy receive chemo #7. While the side effects of Taxol are intense, it seems they may be shorter lived than Adriamycin/Cytoxan. Saturday afternoon found us in the Ogden 6 theater enjoying "Australia". Due to the rather regular "irregularity" that has happened with each chemo, she was unable to attend church today. Eyelashes are beginning to fall out and Cathy's fingernails appear to be dying. But Cathy's energy seems to be getting stronger earlier in the Taxol cycles.

Nine days from now Cathy will brace herself for her 8th and final chemo and we are anticipating this phase to be completed.

We found out last week that, due to her impending radiation therapy, Cathy's final surgery will be postponed until sometime in the fall. Just maybe we'll be able to enjoy a respite this summer!

Thanks for following Cathy's Journey.