MONDAY MEMOIRS - Chemo Courage

Lately, I've been hearing about several people who are just starting chemo, and it has reminded me of my chemo days. I remember my first chemo treatment - I was so scared. I had just had a bi-lateral mastectomy two weeks earlier, so I still didn't feel well. I didn't have numbing creme that first day, so it HURT when the nurse poked into my port. Here's a few pictures...

In this one, I'm looking pretty worried because the nurse is trying to find my port!

And here is where she found it!


The rest of my chemo "sticks" weren't so bad - I came to LOVE that numbing cream.. I am very glad that I had a port put into my chest - it made things much easier.

I won't tell you the whole story of my first chemo here, but I will say that I was frightened beyond belief. I watched the first drip and started crying - I wasn't sure what to expect. Would it hurt? What would the chemo do to me? But, it didn't hurt, and I made it through 6 treatments. Little by little I lost things... my hair, my strength... but, I'm happy to say I finished, and I'm better now.

Today, take your journal out and write down everything you can remember about that first day of chemo or radiation. Write the details, your feelings - everything. And then write down one or two things that you learned from this part of your cancer journey... "I am stronger than I thought I was", "I survived losing my hair, and nails", "I learned about charity, love, and service". These are all things that I can say about that part of my cancer journey. It's good to recognize these kinds of things - it's especially good to recognize the strength in yourself.

“Courage is doing what you're afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you're scared.” - Edward Vernon Rickenbacker