Independence Day came a day early for me. July 3rd marked the date of my last chemotherapy session. I was determined to go in there looking good to celebrate the day. I wore a dress, high heels, a wig and a tiara, and I think I looked rather festive! ( You can click on my picture to get a bigger view of it.)

Chemo went well. There is one thing I want to tell you about chemo. Just because you are done with it doesn't mean it is done with you. It will take me about a year to fully get back to normal, whatever my new version of "normal" will be...

The latest trick is a result of Taxotere, one of my chemo drugs.It causes rapid cell growth to halt. That means cancer cells die. They grow fast. So does hair. My hair started falling out, and I knew it was all going to go; so I had it shaved off. The tiny shaved nubbins of hair ended up all falling out, but now it is growing back.

Just when I think I have aced this chemo thing, guess what? Chemo pulls a sucker punch! It looks like I may be loosing my fingernails and toenails. They also have rapid cell growth. They are starting to separate from my nail beds. This hurts. I am hoping that they don't fall off, but it looks like my wedding ring fingernail and my left big toenail are getting ready to say good-bye for a while.

Like my hair, they will grow back. I can deal with this. Think about it, would you rather have your hair and your fingernails, or your life? This is a no-brainier!

My immune system took a hike, too. I have to be very very careful. I can pick up a bug in a heartbeat. It should start returning in about a month, but it will not be very strong at first. So, I don't think teaching, at least for the start of the school year is an option for me. Kids will expose me to way too many bugs for me to handle at this time.

Another thing that I have heard and read time and time again, is that going through cancer and chemo changes one's perspective on life. Earth shaking changes! Funny. It hasn't for me.

No. what changed my life was gastric sleeve surgery! That is truly where I got a second chance! Weight loss surgery SAVED MY LIFE. Without it, my breast cancer would have gone undetected until it was too late.

Gastric sleeve surgery also has opened so many doors in my life that I thought were closed forever. Simple things, like crossing my legs and running upstairs. Fun things, like taking long walks and dancing all night. Special things like hugging my husband and being able to reach around him because my fat doesn't come between us anymore. Happy things like looking forward to my 40th high school class reunion, instead of being ashamed of myself and hiding at home.

Oh yes. Gastric Sleeve surgery gave me a new perspective on life. I guess it is carrying over to being a cancer survivor. There is just a whole bunch of joy and zest for life that keeps welling up in this girl! Joy, zest, and thankfulness. ( Gosh! I sound like soap commercials!)

I am especially thankful to know, really know, that I am so loved by so many people. The support I have received through my chemo journey has been tremendous. So many encouraging words, care and especially prayer has been sent out for me. From all over the world. This is very amazing and humbling for me at the same time.

Thank you, if you prayed for me, sent out good vibes for me or just thought about me. In my heart, this is the equivalent of prayer. I know one thing for sure. PRAYER is POWERFUL. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You! I thank God for you!

Okay, now for a little less serious thing. After my last chemo session, I felt well enough to go to the grocery store with my husband to pick up a few items before we went home. I was in my pretty dress, heels and I have great legs(!),and on my head I wore a very natural-looking wig and a sparkly tiara.

"Are you going to wear the tiara in the grocery store?" My sweet husband asked. I replied: "I sure am! I earned this tiara, and this is cause for celebration!" He was okay with that.

A funny thing happened in the store. First off, let me tell you there was about the same ratio of men to women in there, maybe it was the time of day. I don't know...

There I was, walking around the store. Chemo makes me kind of slow moving at first, Not like a little old lady,but it is a leisurely pace. I felt happy and confident. I know that I looked pretty, and I was absolutely beaming with happiness.

Every woman in the store smiled back at me. Many asked me what was the occasion, and I told them! I got heaps of congratulations and cheers and expressions of total amazement that I was able to be out and about just after my final chemo.

With the men, it was completely different. At first, I would be noticed. Pretty smiling woman in the grocery store. Then the eyes went to the tiara. Suddenly I became invisible. It was just so weird!

It brought back memories of my very fat days. I was big as could be, but completely invisible. Not just to men, but to nearly everyone. It felt a little eerie to return to being invisible.

...But you know what? No one was going to steal my joy! Never ever again.

Oh, and I am completely cancer-free. I am going to end this with a request: Please, please, don't procrastinate. Get whatever cancer screenings you should get. Don't put it off. You have worked hard to get to this point of your journey. Save your life, you are so worth it!


Love to All,

Patty Wise-Noble