6th + Final

#fuckthisshit  March 2, 2016

This bird was really only meant for the side effects: the slimy, yeast-covered tongue, the sore fingernails, the shingles, the hives, the fatigue that took away my running.

The infusion itself went very well that day. Sara placed a terrific IV just like she promised and it was smooth sailing from there. I actually looked at chemo as healing medicine. It was working FOR me, not AGAINST me. It was going to give me another 40 years. I tried to look forward to infusion days because it meant a day with Will surrounded by Dr. Montgomery and the wonderful nurses, staff, and volunteers at MSTI. They made me feel like a VIP and I was truly grateful.

[This is for my friend and partner Kieran. If you think I’m young at 41 to be going through this, he just did 6 months and a bone marrow transplant and he’s 6! He’s also a hero of mine. Hopefully no more chemo for either one of us. From #20gr8 to #4boysstrong – #wrappedinrainbows]

See? Despite flipping the bird to my husband on my way to use the bathroom, I was incredibly grateful. I wore this bracelet to remind me of a little boy in NC who was going through some rough treatments for leukemia. I also bought these rainbow covered running tights to remind me that my spirit was soaring even if my body wasn’t. I would fly over the foothills of Boise one day soon.

[One last shot on the way out.]

#MSTI #letsblowthisjoint #ilovethisplace #youmayneverunderstand #wrappedinrainbows #imsexyandiknowit

HA!

I laugh because I felt bloated and the tights were too tight around my gut. I also laugh because this photo would end up on local tv just 2 months later. Who woulda thought?!

Here are some outtakes:

I had weeks of recovery ahead of me which was daunting, but on my worst day I would tell Will, “This is the day I would usually cry and say I don’t want to do it again. But I’m not crying because I don’t have to do it again!”