IT'S BEEN FOREVER AND A DAY

WELL, LIKE THE TITLE SAYS, IT'S BEEN FOREVER & A DAY SINCE I POSTED ANYTHING (HOW ABOUT NOT SINCE DECEMBER).  I COMPLETED TREATMENT ON DECEMBER 15th, 2011 AND I MUST SAY, IT TOOK A LOT OUT OF ME.  THAT'S PART OF THE REASON I HAVEN'T POSTED.  I'VE SPENT THE LAST 6 MONTHS TRYING TO RECOVER. I RECENTLY TOLD SOMEONE THAT HAVING CANCER IS A LITTLE LIKE GETTING RUN OVER BY A BIG MACK TRUCK. IF YOU SURVIVE THE INITIAL SHOCK, IT TAKES A WHILE BEFORE YOU CAN SCRAPE YOURSELF UP OFF OF THE PAVEMENT & MOVE ON. YOU ALSO HAVE A FEW TREAD MARKS ACROSS YOUR BODY TO REMIND YOU OF WHERE YOU'VE BEEN.  I THINK NEXT TIME, THOUGH, I'LL LOOK BOTH WAYS BEFORE I CROSS THE STREET. HA HA.  I RECENTLY HAD A MAMMOGRAM WHICH WAS 6 MONTHS AFTER TREATMENT WAS COMPLETED.  I'M NOT SURE WHY THEY MAKE YOU WAIT SO LONG WONDERING IF TREATMENT WAS EFFECTIVE OR NOT, BUT PRAISE THE LORD THE RESULTS WERE NEGATIVE! I'LL HAVE TO REPEAT MAMMOGRAMS & CHEST X-RAYS EVERY 6 MONTHS & CONTINUE TO SEE DOCTORS REGULARLY, BUT AT LEAST I DON'T HAVE TO GO FOR TREATMENT ON A DAILY BASIS ANYMORE.  MY BIGGEST ISSUE BESIDES TIREDNESS, HAS BEEN DIFFICUTLY REMEMBERING & THINKING CLEARLY. IT'S COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS "CHEMO BRAIN" OR MORE OFFICIALLY AS CHEMO INDUCED COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT.  THEY SENT ME TO SEE A PSYCHOLOGIST TO CHECK THE EXTENT OF THIS & HIS CONCLUSION WAS THAT I HAD A MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT.  THE TESTING LASTED CLOSE TO AN HOUR & I CAME AWAY WITH A VERY VERY TIRED BRAIN, BUT I REALIZED SOMETHING IN THE PROCESS. THE MATH PROBLEMS HE MADE ME DO IN MY HEAD I WAS  ABLE TO DO EVEN THOUGH IT TOOK ME A LONG TIME TO FIGURE THEM OUT. A MONTH AGO, ANYTHING HAVING TO DO WITH ADDING, SUBTRACTING, ETC. & MY MIND WOULD HAVE GONE COMPLETELY BLANK & I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE IT OUT EVEN THOUGH I'VE ALWAYS BEEN REALLY GOOD AT MATH IN THE PAST.  JUST IMAGINE A NURSE TAKING CARE OF YOU WHO CAN'T CALCULATE YOUR MEDICINE DOSE CORRECTLY. THAT'S A SCARY THOUGHT!  THIS AT LEAST GIVES ME ENCOURAGEMENT THAT THINGS ARE IMPROVING SLOWLY.  I' M TRYING TO START EXERCISING ON A REGULAR BASIS AT MY DOCTOR'S SUGGESTION.  GETTING INTO A NEW HABIT TAKES TIME & EFFORT ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO MUCH OF ANYTHING FOR A REALLY LONG TIME.  I KIND OF LAUGH AT MYSELF AT HOW WIPED OUT I FEEL AFTER ONLY 15 MINUTES ON THE TREADMILL.  IT'S NOT MUCH, BUT IT'S A START. I'LL BE SLOWLY INCREASING MY TIME ON A DAILY BASIS & EVENTUALLY ADD OTHER EXERCISES IN TOO. ONE STEP AT A TIME THOUGH. I ALSO FELT LIKE I'VE DONE SO LITTLE AROUND THE HOUSE FOR SUCH A LONG TIME THAT I DECIDED TO TRY DOING A LITTLE BIT OF HOUSEWORK EVERY DAY. I THOUGHT I WOULD START WITH SOMETHING SIMPLE LIKE CLEANING THE TOILET. MY HUSBAND HAS DONE GREAT THROUGH ALL OF THIS & TAKEN ON A LOT OF EXTRA RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE THINGS I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE SAME CLEANING STANDARDS, IF YOU CATCH MY DRIFT. I PROCEEDED WITH CLEANING & THOUGHT IT WAS GOING PRETTY WELL UNTIL THE VALVE DECIDED TO BREAK.  SUDDENLY I HAD A HOSE IN MY HAND THAT WAS SHOOTING WATER ALL OVER THE PLACE & I WAS SCREAMING FOR ARTIE TO HELP.  IT'S AMAZING HOW QUICKLY A TEENY TINY ROOM CAN GET FLOODED.  NEEDLESS TO SAY,  HE CAME RUSHING IN & IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE VALVE ON THE WALL BEHIND THE TOILET.  I WAS GREATLY RELEIVED TO BE RESCUED  BUT FELT SILLY THAT I DIDN'T THINK OF TURNING OFF THE WATER MYSELF. OH WELL.