Goodbye 2016 - Hello 2017
I hate to wish my life away, but I am very ready for 2016 to end! While there were several good things that happened in 2016, mostly I am ready to put it behind me. April 6, 2016 basically changed my life. What I thought was a routine colonoscopy ended with a cancer diagnosis and began a whole new life routine for me, my husband, and many who worried about me. Surgery - which was scary on its own, six months of chemo for a total of 12 treatments - that many thought I couldn't complete because of their toxicity, and the side effects that linger long after the chemo is done. It has been one hell of a ride. I finished my last chemo treatment on November 1, 2016 and rang the bell, although I was still wearing the chemo pump, so it was a little less sweet than it should have been. Since that time, I have anxiously waited my first CEA check which was scheduled for December 13. My CEA level when I was first diagnosed was 4.6. From my unde...