Unexpectedly Done

It's been two weeks since I've had chemo. Last week's chemo was delayed due to my nail infection. After a week of antibiotics my finger nails were improving but still not completely healed. My neutrophils were acceptable to get a full dose. However, they definitely were not as high as I'd thought they would be.

Xhevat and Matias drove me in for chemo this morning. The nurse took a look at my fingers and thought it would be wise to get my oncologist have a look at them as well. He looked at my fingers (yes, I gave him the finger again... twice... and to my nurse's delight, I got both a smile and a laugh out of my oncologist). Then he reviewed my bloodwork and chart.

His suggestion was to stop chemo and switch to an oral medication. Having finished six rounds of chemo, my body (both my finger nails and bloodwork) is showing signs that it is not recuperating as it had been previously.

The oral medication is a daily pill that comes with its own list of side effects. It is a specific drug that targets the kind of cancer I have. I've started taking this medication today and the plan is to be on this medication until my cancer starts growing again... and then I'll do chemo again.

So I'm done chemo... for now!

Xhevat and I were talking in the car as we were heading to the Cancer Agency this morning. I was saying that I felt at peace with how things were going and that I was coming to a place where if I didn't get chemo today (because of my nails) that I would be ok with that. I hadn't expected that I'd be done with chemo but I'm thankful that God has been preparing my heart and mind for this transition to another new normal. I'm not sure what I'll do on Fridays without chemo and my chemo nurses -- nor what my chemo nurses will do without me... :-).

It's been quite a day already... and it's only half way done! I'm still absorbing this change... so here's to chemo-free Fridays, the unexpected, and God's preparation of my heart!