Phase One- COMPLETE!!!

CHEMO IS FINISHED!!! I am so happy to be able to type those words!! My last treatment of chemo ended today. Although I'm trying not to get ahead of myself because I still have 6 long weeks of daily radiation to get through and then a few other minor things to do after that, but that is less than half the time if took for chemo so I'm hoping it will feel like it goes quickly!
Some other positive news that we talked about today besides it being my last treatment was that my cancer came back hormone positive there are some other big words to describe that, but basically what it means is that my cancer grew and survived on estrogen. This is good because it means that by forcing my body to suppress the production of estrogen it increases my chances greatly of the cancer not coming back. The chemo has already pushed me into menopause, but because I'm done my body may revert back to normal so once radiation is done I will start taking a pill (tamoxifen) for 5 years daily so that it will suppress those hormones, and my oncologist is considering a 2-year monthly injection that will suppress my ovaries which is basically like having a non-surgical hysterectomy. That isn't the greatest news since for the last 4 years I've been wanting to have another baby, but I know that birthing a child isn't the only way for us to grow our family, although through-out the last 5 months God has given me a peace about not being able to give birth ever again.

On another note, about 2 weeks ago we made the decision to put our house on the market and move back to the Goshen area. Although, Columbia City has been extremely supportive through-out the last several months, since even before my diagnosis my heart has ached to be back closer to family, and as soon as I found the lump on my breast and knew that it was abnormal I told Nate, that if it was cancer I wanted to move back. Nate has been gracious, supportive, and loving and finally honored my request despite his own wants so as soon as our house is sold we're headed home it will be a bitter-sweet ending to this journey, and my prayer is that we are honoring God through-out the entire process.

As we move forward I would ask that you pray specifically for me as I travel to and from Goshen daily beginning in February and for the family that will buy our house, that they will be as blessed in this home as we were. Also for our family as we prepare the house for each showing that it is not stressful, and once sold that the transition for the kids is smooth.

Everyone that is done with treatment gets to ring this bell!!