Herceptin #16: DONE FOREVER!

Brett came with me for my appointment with Dr. Panwalker this morning. Which was way nice of him since I admit that I had a mini-freak-out this morning, ended up crying and told him I would just go by myself.  Going to bed late, getting kids up and off to school, making breakfast, getting Glory ready, shoveling part of the driveway (yes! It snowed AGAIN this morning), getting myself ready, trying to do something with my ugly hair, driving in the freezin' cold and snow-swept roads to drop Glory off to the Gills (in the opposite direction and in a truck that isn't running well lately), picking up Brett at work on the way and making it to the RMCC by 9:10 AM (not to mention that I am so tired of treatments I could scream) was a little too overwhelming for this non-morning-loving Cancer patient. So... a big apology and thanks to my amazing Hubby for putting up with me and coming anyways. XOXO. Luv ya, Honey!

Honey- Are you "leaning"?
You must love me! LOL

Our appointment with Panwalker, our Oncologist went well. I was not as melancholy as last time so I didn't freak him out as much. [My old tease-y self made a semi-comeback] The doctor did his regular questioning, examing and discrediting any of my symptoms. (I like to tease him because the things that I feel I have as side effects like my brittle nails, my heart racing for a couple days and my urine smelling like mouse ovaries I guess are NOT real symptoms. What do doctors really know anyways? LOL)
He did say everything is looking great! Well, except that my weight is up by 5 pounds. Grrrr! Not that he cares or is worried about that [In fact, I'm the one that brought it up] but I did inform him that it is because I did Pilates yesterday and it's ALL muscle. He completely agreed. LOL
Then, we discussed how my treatment is almost over. I told him that today was my last Herceptin that I had scheduled and was wondering if I needed to set up one more. OR..... If this could be my last one? He totally surprised me but he said it could be. WHAT???? You mean I can be done? Hallelujah! Today is my LUCKY DAY!!!! [I told him I actually wore my "LUCKY" shirt today, just in case it would help. Looks like it did! Wahoo!]

* It looks like for follow-ups we will meet with him every 3 months until next year and then every 6 months after that until the 2 year Cancerversary from my surgery. But no more infusion so I am so ecstatic!

Back in the Infusion Center, Theresa was my Herceptin nurse for today. She was awesome! I have been really lucky to have some amazing nurses on my journey. I actually feel bad that I didn't do anything BIG to celebrate my last day. You know, gifts for all my nurses or throwing a party or something. LOL But then, the fact is that I was trying not to get my hopes up just in case I had to do one more treatment. {This is a first for me that things have gone my way so I was completely caught off guard!} So... perhaps I'll have to do something and take it in sometime. Any ideas?
I did think it was ironic because I actually forgot my camera today. Can you believe that???? Figures! It's my last day and I am without a way to document it properly. Grrrr! Thanks heavens that I decided to throw my iPod in my bag. Crappy pictures are better than no pictures if you ask me!
Despite my lack of preparedness for this momentous occasion, I sit here in my own little, secluded room at the Roger Maris Cancer Center Infusion Center for my final Herceptin treatment, taking inventory of all the things I will do for the last time. Nothing bitter-sweet about it but for the record, this will be the last time that I...

Borrow an iPad to blog during my visit. And get a hole
poked in my left hand to insert plastic tubing.

Get a warm blanket and a treat bag
of Chex mix, pretzels, cheesiest and m&ms.

get hooked up to an intravenous (IV) infusion pump
in a Cancer Center 

Get my blood pressure taken with an IV 
in the same arm. Ouch!

 walk down the hall connected
to a machine to use the bathroom.
And have to flush twice!

Wrap my Hand up like a Boxer so I can go home!

Also (without photographic evidence), it will be the last time that I:

* sit alone in an Infusion room for hours.
* tell the Nurse that I didn't have lab work done because Dr Panwalker says, "I'm fine!"
* spend a week having my urine smell like mouse ovaries. [You can't even photograph that anyways!]
* whine about having to take drugs that may or may not keep my cancer away.

Good riddance to all of that! Wow! What a year! No words can say how happy I am to be done with Herceptin FOREVER! Farewell you stinky, icky mouse ovaries!