Cheers!

Hello everyone!

I just wanted to stop by and say thank you to everyone who has been following this blog! Steve and I are so very grateful to everyone for the support and help that you have all provided!

I finished my radiation treatment a few weeks ago and am just finishing up the worst of the recovery period. My skin in that specific area has come a long way. I like to think of it as a phoenix:  it was on fire, it burnt off, and voila a shiny new skin came bursting out from under all the crispy stuff!  Rarrr!!!

I The great news is that I have been so busy I have not had time to sit down and write. I’m getting back into the groove of regular life. The worst of my side effects are mostly gone and the swelling in my face and throughout my body has gone back down significantly. One of the after affects that I am struggling with right now is to maintain my finger and toe nails (the tips are starting to peel back and off as the chemo killed the nail and it is starting to grow. The trick is to never ever use nail clippers and keep them filed back as short as possible. A nail buffer cleaned up the surface and removed the worst of the ridges and helps with the peeling and a nice top coat clear coat gives it some extra strength while maintaining a clear view of what is going on.  The ridges are kind of neat as they show each of the 8 treatments like rings on a tree.

The great news is my hair is growing in, I have a proper fuzz going on now and it almost looks like I have just shaved my head. I know this now as a) children stare but don’t ask their mothers why I’m bald and b) adults actually stare again as they think I’ve just shaved my head instead of having been sick. It’s a nice change.

Life is slowly starting to find a balance more similar to before. However, it is important to remember that things will never be the same. It’s about building new normal’s for ourselves and moving forward.  One of the things I was most concerned about was getting back into work as statistics show that it can be very difficult to get back into the work place. I can attest to that. It is.  being a head down and charge kind of girl I went back to work a bit early and although I wouldn’t recommend it to many people it was the best thing for me as it was something I had to prove to myself sooner than later. I also believe that cognitively I would not be in the same place as I am now with out the “mental work out” that starting a new job brings. Sometimes the timing is just right as a great new position came available shortly after when I started looking. I have been so lucky to walk into an incredibly supportive environment where I can pop out for treatment and pop back in, or take rest days as necessary. My new work family has been amazing and I cannot be thankful enough.  Not only am I back to work I am also back in the saddle which aside from returning to work is the most significant part of my “previous life” that I had lost during treatment. I have a new project horse that I absolutely adore and am enjoying the progress we are making together.  So between the lovely new horse and the wonderful new workplace I am able to take my future firmly in grip and march forward.

Although we still have another six months left to  “ChemoLITE” treatments I believe the biggest events on this journey have past and now we are just writing the epilogue.  Because of this I believe this will be our last official "update" post.  I will leave the page up and when the urge strikes me to write I may write a little more however it will may not be for quite some time as any time not spent at work or at riding is generally spent resting.

We would like to thank each of you for following along and all of your love, support and concern during this crazy turbulent year.  I really struggle with coming with the appropriate words of gratitude as words never seem enough and seem so hollow. So please take our sincerest gratitude and remember that you have made a difference in our journey! Thank you!

As Steve and I are focusing on finishing up the new year, moving forward into the new year with our new beginnings and new outlook on life. We leave you and remind you, when in doubt left foot, right foot... left foot, right foot...

Merry Christmas!!!

 Steve and Alyssa

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
  The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
  The frumious Bandersnatch!"

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
  Long time the manxome foe he sought --
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
  And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,
  The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
  And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
  The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
  He went galumphing back.

"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?
  Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"
  He chortled in his joy.

               ~ Lewis Carroll