Writing with good news! I finished my FINAL CHEMO infusion yesterday! So I'm going to write this now to celebrate before the meds make me violently sick come Monday! After this, I'll have a break of about 6 months where my life will return to mostly normal before my reconstruction surgery in December, and where I'll be working ferociously to lose the weight gained during chemo. (my least favorite drug side effect!)

Ironically, just a few weeks ago there was a 10-year study published that is arguing that for people with my exact diagnosis, chemo is not necessary to prevent recurrence. Really lovely to read this with only one chemo session left! From now on I will use this as an example of why academics should publish in a more timely manner. I mean, if they had gotten this out four months earlier I could have skipped chemo. I was reading ALL THE STUDIES four months ago! At one point - when dealing with a post-surgical infection - my plastic surgeon was talking to me about options and said, "what do you think - I know you're reading all the studies I am on this." So we talked about a few recent studies that suggested using Dermacell instead of AlloDerm might have prevented this during the initial reconstruction, but at this point we were a little too late to make the change! This is also where I learned that AlloDerm is made from cadaver skin, which seems super gross. Guessing this is the reason my oncologist told me that when you have a cancer diagnosis the internet can be a dangerous place!

For now, I'm glad to be over chemo and looking forward to being through these final tough side effects in the coming weeks.

The good news is we have a lot of new jokes in our house. Olivia thinks its so funny that I have no hair. She's making up lots of new jokes and often draws me bald in family pictures! She likes to rub my hair for good luck and occasionally asks if I'll take off my wig in public to show someone the "underside!" The "Oh where is my hairbrush" silly song with Larry is also getting a lot of playtime!

In the midst of all this, its wonderful to be surrounded by my people who make all the things better!

Pics above: The bell I got to ring when I finished my chemo, and a picture of me during chemo that Olivia drew in the Doc McStuffins "big book of booboos!'