Hello World!!
Tomorrow is the big day. Tomorrow I get to stop weekly doctor's appointments and blood tests. Tomorrow is an end to the taste of a saline flush. Tomorrow is the day that I get to cross "chemotherapy" off of my list of tasks to finish on this journey. When we first started chemo on March 28, there were sixteen infusions and I really anticipated time dragging on as I went through the treatments. To my surprise, the time has gone by rather quickly.
Being able to have the flexibility to work from home when my energy levels were low or non-existent, definitely played a HUGE part for me mentally. Having cancer knock at your door leaves you so many unknowns on its own. I could not imagine having to worry about whether or not I would have a job after I beat it. For those of you that do not have the flexibility to continue to work, I pray that there is adequate FMLA coverage, short term disability, or support from family and friends. Do not be discouraged if you feel you don't have support. Through this I have learned that my family and friends are willing to do just about anything to make any of the process a little easier, even people that hadn't seen me in years.
...continue to be optimistic
Last week was my birthday and as mentioned in my last post, I have not been in a celebratory mood. In past years, I celebrate a birthday MONTH and maybe even a little more than that. This year I have put my birthday celebrations on hold and have been focused on getting to my finish line. Tomorrow is the ALMOST finish line. After tomorrow I will have a few week break from chemo, but still some appointments to wrap up my MD Anderson clinical trial participation. I'm sure that this time will go by quickly and I will be gearing up for the big surgery in the blink of an eye. To be honest, I've been fighting with myself about where the finish line will be. Originally chemo was a big finisher, but in reality the end of chemo does not signify that there is no more cancer. We really don't know if there isn't any cancer until after what is removed during surgery is confirmed to be cancer free through pathology. There's still a waiting game for results. We continue to be optimistic because of the confirmed response to the chemo through the imaging I've had over the last 5 months.
I did do some celebrating last week with a last minute trip to London. Jimmy saw an opportunity to fly first class on Monday afternoon and we decided last Sunday that we would finally take advantage of it. The oncology office worked hard to get me out of my doctor visit and my chemo in time for my flight. It paid off!! Jimmy and I were able to take our non stop flight to London in first class. Needless to say, had limited jet lag due to being able to lay down flat. They even gave us passes to access their lounge once we landed in Heathrow. We both freshened up and headed to the hotel to drop off our bags ready to explore the city shortly after. Our five day getaway was definitely relaxing. We explored at a slow pace and were able to catch up with a beautiful long time friend. My stamina was noticeably low as we walked around London. Very minimal inclines left me severely out of breathe and I was constantly searching for a place to rest in between. My muscles were achy likely due to not having acupuncture and also not being able to soak in my daily bath. However, I didn't let any of these symptoms affect my ability to check things off of my bucket list and to indulge in good eats. Special thanks to my parents for watching our bambinos last week. I am so grateful for the opportunity to spend some time relaxing with Jimmy alone. I hope it helped ease some of the stress he has endured throughout this whole ordeal. Below are just a few photos from our mini getaway.
Something else that I has been occupying my time lately is the start up of my own business! With the anticipation of being at home for an extended period of time post surgery, I needed something to entertain and challenge myself with. I was searching for a business that would be flexible with a small investment amount, and a minimal amount of risk. I found exactly that in Park Lane Jewelry. I love wearing fashion jewelry but found my skin not loving it as much. I would break out with skin irritations or just be itchy. Needless to say, I was very skeptical of the quality of the product when I first tested it out. To my surprise, my sensitive skin is unharmed after many many hours of wear and a bonus is Park Lane uses quality materials and real stones in their pieces. My fellow breast cancer sister, Agnes, threw out an offer for free jewelry and I took the idea and ran with it. I hosted my first show just as a catch up session with some of my girlfriends that haven't been able to see me much since this all started. It was great seeing my ladies and also trying on the wonderful pieces Agnes brought with her. It was a casual brunch with some gal pals that resulted in me earning almost $700 of free jewelry and I was able to join without putting out any of my own money. I have never been the type to ask for money because I have always preferred to earn it on my own. This was the perfect way for me to recoup some of the upcoming medical expenses that will roll into a new deductible year.
I've been asked by many about how they can help me and the family. One way is to share my business with your friends and family. Supporting me by supporting my small business venture. I'm always open to casual meet ups with you and a few friends if you want to check out the quality of the product yourself. If you have a girls dinner or happy hour in the near future, I would be happy to come by and let everyone try on the latest trends. If you're an experienced online shopper like myself, click the photo below to access my online store or copy and paste http://myparklane.com/christievu in your browser.
Please do not hesitate reaching out to me with questions or simply send your wish list. We have amazing customer promotions this month and I can make sure we can make your sparkle for a totally affordable amount. For those you that know me, I will not buy anything unless it is a deal and I always advocate for everyone to save money. If you are reading this and would like to learn more about how to earn extra income around your busy or not so busy schedule, I would LOVE to speak with you to see if Park Lane is a good fit.
Thanks everyone for trucking along with me. My apologies if this post seems a bit scattered. I really wanted to have something for you all to document such an important milestone. For those of you that would like to hear me ring the bell that signifies an end to my chemotherapy, Houston natives can tune in to Roula and Ryan's morning show on 104.1 KRBE from 7am-8am CST, Tuesday, August 13. For anyone outside of the greater Houston area, please visit KRBE.com to listen live. Stay tuned soon for an upcoming post with how my last infusion and the radio segment went!