A Winter (?) Wonderland

Snow in SC? In nearly five years here, it's the first time I've seen it. The last time it snowed (about 3 years ago in our area) we were in Cancun! It's pretty though - and it melted fast!

Steve is starting to feel better. Even without chemo, for the past couple of weeks he's still been feeling pretty crappy, lethargic and not eating. The metal taste in his both has been the big problem in terms of getting some eating going on. But over the past few days, he's started to have a little bit of a taste for food and he's definitely developing an appetite.

He needs to get some food in his system so he can get some energy and start exercising and getting himself strong again. He's lost a lot of muscle tone and it's hard for him to get motivated - especially when he's here on his own all day. I'm hoping he'll start working out soon - that will both build his muscles and give him some positive energy.

I haven't updated much lately because things have been pretty normal. Just trying to get better and get on with it.

Ring that bell!

Today was Steve's last chemo treatment. As is traditional - at least at the Cancer Centers of the Carolinas - when a patient leaves after their final treatment they ring the bell and walk out to the applause and good wishes of fellow patients and center staff. Steve got a big hug (me too) from Marianne - the nurse who takes care of him each week. I had to take the photo with my cell phone because I brought our good camera BUT without the media card in it (!!).

There were some bittersweet moments today as I talked with some of the other patients who we see weekly and have struck up a relationship of sorts with. You are walking out - and you hope never to return - but you don't know what fate has in store for all the others you see each week.

The last treatment seemed to take forever. We were there for almost five hours today. But it was worth it to walk out with that bell ringing in our ears. We see Trocha (the surgeon) and Stephenson (the oncologist) next Friday for a checkup and go back in a month for blood tests and an office visit. But hopefully that's all on the downside of the mountain and this is behind us. We are ready to get on with enjoying life in 2008!