I’ve been waiting MONTHS to write this blog post…

Yesterday we met with the GYN oncologist for the first time since January…we’ve been seeing his PA over the past several months. I know the PA has kept my doctor briefed on my progress, and has consulted with him when I’ve had complications. But it was nice to be back with the A Team for this visit.

My final pre-chemo blood work was good (in fact, the doctor called it “pristine”!) and we are all set for Chemo #6 tomorrow. THE LAST CHEMO!

So now that I’m close to completing the second leg of the Ironwoman Cancer Marathon (hysterectomy-chemotherapy-radiation), I’m ready to turn my attention to the final leg. And I had lots of questions for the doctor.

I still don’t have a lot of specifics about the radiation plan — first I will need to do another CT scan sometime before my next visit with the GYN oncologist on June 12. He’ll review the CT results and compare them to pre-chemo CT from January to see if there is any indication that the cancer has spread to other organs.

If everything looks good, he will set up a consult with the radiation oncologist to determine how much radiation I will need — if any. Once again, the doctor raised the possibility that I may not need to do radiation. And he told me that the typical course is 23 – 27 treatments…which would come with few side-effects apart from fatigue and the possibility of lower gastric issues.

So looking at the calendar, it looks like I would not start radiation until late June or early July and would wrap up in early August. Unfortunately, I think a trip to Vienna at the end of August will not be an option. Oh, well.

But…and this is HUGE…when I asked the doctor whether I could still travel to Italy in October, which was a goal I told him about during our first appointment in December, he said that there was no reason why I couldn’t move forward with our plans at this time. Molto bene!

Think of me tomorrow (Thursday) around 3 p.m. That’s when I will ring the bell at the infusion center to indicate that I have completed my final chemo. I absolutely can’t wait. Hope I can sleep tonight…