Time line

I've been thinking a lot lately about the past seven months.  Seven months.  It has been almost seven months since my life wast turned upside down.  I can't believe how much has happened.  Troy and I often talk about the "pre-cancer" days.  I don't even feel like they exist.  We will be discussing an event, or a situation, and I'll say, "wow, that was before cancer..."  Then, I immediately start thinking about how carefree I was then.  Any worries I had were nothing in comparison to the months that would come.  

• August: Move back in with mom and dad.  We decided to rent our townhouse and during the transition, we thought we'd save some money and move back in with my parents for a while.  We didn't think it would be for that long.  
• September: School started, it was in full swing and Troy was busy trying to find a new job. 
• October: I went in for my yearly gynecologist visit.  It was pretty normal, except for the fact that she found a lump that was probably nothing.  I could either get it checked out or go get an ultrasound.  

After this-I get pretty specific with dates.  

• November 14th: 3 hour Ultrasound turned Mammogram (I think I've talked about that night before) 
• November 20th: biopsy with Dr. M.  (insert longest night of my life here)
• November 21st (day before Thanksgiving): I get the call from Dr. M that we will be moving forward with surgery and chemo and that the tumor did test positive for cancer.  This conversation is a bit of a blur now, but it sparked everything that has happened from that moment to now.  

It is VERY hard to believe that this happened only seven months ago.  It's very hard to imagine life without the big "C" as a part of it.  It feels like it has always been an integral part of my life.  Now, May 7th, the last chemo treatment is only 23 days away, and I'm one step closer to being done with treatment.  People sometimes look at that fact and say to me, "Wow, this has gone by so fast."  

Hah.  I know it's meant to sound positive, but man is that far off.  It has not gone by fast.  In fact, it's not  even over.  It won't be over for a long time.  Even if you took away the fact that I am going to be having herceptin infusions every three weeks for the next year, this whole ordeal will not be over for a a while.  So, no, if you ask me, it has not gone by fast.  

But I do finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.  After this Thursday, there will only be three more treatments left of chemotherapy.  That will shortly be followed by five and half weeks of radiation, another surgery AND a year of herceptin treatments, BUT chemo will be done.  

So that, my friends, is something good.