7 down only 1 to go!

Well i have about 1 week until my last taxol treatment! Today is the worst for the side effects. This drugs seems to make my joints not only hurt but slide around. My knees and ankles try to seperate and my hips pop and try their hardest to dislocate which is the most painful. Basically I feel like im 90! Im shocked that a drug can do this, but i also know that its flushing through my bones and muscles killing any microbastards that may be in hiding. Ive learned many things in these past few weeks not just about surgery but about breast cancer in general. Just because youre stage 1 and node negative doesnt mean it wont show up later as stage 4 and claim my life. Theres no way to know until it happens (which it does) but thats why im getting chemo. Its a scarey thought but in the end i have an 85-90% chance for a cure after all my treatments. There is no real cure but those are pretty hopeful numbers.

Some good news! I still have eyebrows and lashes :) im told i will likely lose them after my last treatment but for now it makes me happy to have them! Also the thing i was most worried about the neuropathy i have only had a little bit. Mostly in my feet, and one time in my hands, arms, and even my face! (i gotta ask about that) its that really unfun waking up after falling asleep tingling. Its nowhere near as bad as imagined though :) also after Taxol number 3 i did start to get the metallic taste in my mouth ive read about, which is gross but i just avoid pop cans or metal silverware and it seems to help! Also my nails are lifting which freaks me out but i havent lost one yet ! (that rarely happens)

I totally have "chemo brain" and really hope this goes away quickley when im done because i feel so stupid a lot of the time :/ which doesnt help when im meeting with surgeons and trying to decide things that will impact the rest of my life. January 23 is my chemo graduation and im so excited! Ill still feel terrible for the two weeks after but atleast ill be able to get this picc line out of my arm! Im so sick of it I could scream! For me it was better then a port though, but i still want it out!!

Ive learned that there are 8 women in their 20s being treated for the big bad BC at Rush currently. (me being one of them) the chances of getting this in youre 20s is 1 in 2,000. And each year it goes up. Something is wrong in this world that is causing this to happen.

The Avon walk is coming up in June and im hoping ill be well enough to participate, theyre great because part of the money goes to organizations that help young women with no health insurance.

Zoey is happy that chemo is almost done too! Shes been really wanting to go to the dogpark! We both kindof have cabin fever :p