just a quick checking in , . .

Just wanted to check in with all of you. Yes, today was the last day for my chemo. It went very well. We were there about 5 1/2 hrs. No problems with the IV, although the nurse did look a little nervous and commented many times while looking for just the right vein in the back of my hand to use, how glad she was that it was my last one! Made me a little nervous, I gotta tell ya', but she did great!!

Today was bitter/sweet for me. It was a very emotional today. I had so many mixed feelings today. Today was a day of victory for me and I fully believe that, but I remembered how much I wanted this victory for my dad in January of this year. Before you all start commenting back to me about how he DID receive HIS victory, I know this to be true, but I miss him so much!! He received the ultimate victory that we're all longing for. I would never wish him back here again, but I know that you understand, when I say that I miss him sooo much!! I'm so glad that he was called home before we found out any of this stuff with me. He saw me as the "Rock" of the family and I honestly don't think he could have endured watching me go through this. It wouldn't have matter that it's been fairly easy for me and I'm almost at the end of this journey already, none of that would have matter to him. This would have crushed his heart but more importantly his spirit. I'm grateful that he was spared that kind of pain. Thank you Father for just one of the good things right now.


I DID go out to dinner with the UNC ladies and my daughter Shannon was able to join us as well.
I feel ok tonight, just sleepy. The 25 mg. of Benadryl that they gave me today is still kicking my butt! It usually wears off 6-8 after, but not today. It probably doesn't help that it's been rainy here all day and in fact it's still raining tonight. That always makes people sleepy.
No other complaints though. I feel pretty good. I won't have effects until Sunday night or Monday a.m. that will last until Wed. night. The good part is that this is the last time that I will have to work around days of feeling achy or tired. God is so good!!


I'll have a CAT scan done on Friday, Dec. 5th at 9:30 and a follow-up appt. with the oncologist, Dr. Speca on Friday, Dec.12th at 8:40. I have fallen in love with Dr. Speca finally. We got off to a shaky start. I didn't feel like she was listening to what I was trying to say about my reactions to medications. but by the 4th treatment, she did a complete turn around and I've loved her every since. She's not an outwardly expressive type of person, but she was VERY expressive with me on Wed, of this week. We talked about the feeling that I'm beginning to have and she told me that her and Dr. Soper believe that I'm totally clean of cancer and have been since my surgery in June and that this chemo was only precautionary. They both believe that the CAT scan will show that there are no more cancer cells anywhere. She even hugged me,(so totally out of character for her), and told me to hang in there and that everything was going to be ok. She was looking forward to seeing me in 4 weeks and every 6 months after that. She wants to see me every 3 months but that's not the schedule that Dr. Soper,(the gynecologist has set up). They're alternating my 3 months visit between them for the next 2 years. She told me that she would miss me not coming in because I have a great sense of humor and she always feels better after our visits.

Before any of you put me up on a pedestal, don't bother. It's not like that. She likes seeing me because my case is uplifting compared to other people that she's trying to help. We talked about how different my situation is from the others around me. Most of them are coming in for a round of chemo, which will be followed by a round of radiation, then possibly surgery, and then most likely another round of chemo. That's why all of them each know each other's names. I don't hardly know any of their names. I've never had the same nurse twice until today. It was always someone different. I'm not scheduled for radiation because ovarian cancer doesn't respond to radiation, and I've already had the surgery, so I'm way ahead of the others at the cancer center. My journey(Lord willing), is almost ready to end at least for now.


My next step is job hunting. I'm feeling led to work with kids again. I've applied to be a teaching asst./substitute for the Wake County Public School System and then I've also applied to work part time for New York and Company during nights, and weekends. I applied to work at Target (mini city area), and Walmart(Knightdale). I'm waiting until the end of next week and then I'm going out to apply at Build-a-Bear and maybe a couple of other stores at Crabtree and possibly Barnes and Noble at Triangle. If you think that there's another job that I would enjoy, let me know.


My friend, Leia, has asked me to pray about writing devotionals for Lifeway to use. She's been reading my blogs and has known me now for several years and feels that my blogs are stuff that they're always looking for to help younger women with their struggles and how they can persevere through anything if their foundation is Him. I'm still praying . . .but I'd love to hear your comments. Please feel free to be honest. I'm not sure that I want to write for other people. This blog is not written for others, it's a way for me to express what God has placed on my heart and since I don't have anyone living with me right now, it's easier to write it out.


Well . . .it's hard to keep my eyes open, so time for me to call it a day. Your prayers carried me through today, so thanks. See some of you soon, and those of you in Indiana, maybe before I start working full time, I might need to make a trip to Indiana. I'll see how finances are for Dec. I miss seeing all of you. Please know that I feel exactly like I did during my last visit. I'm not hiding anything from you. I feel great most of the time and even on the 2-3 "bad" days after my treatment, it's not any worse than feeling like a have a slight case of the flu. All my medications are working still and the good news is that now my hair will begin coming back in within the next 2-3 weeks. I'll be really grateful when the eyelashes grow back. That's kind of a hassle to work around right now. The headaches are getting better. I don't know if it's because the weather is settling down, or because I'm trying to read less, and the chemo is close to being done. I can still call the oncologist for any prescriptions that I feel that I might need, but I'm sure I'll be fine. I just need to rest a little bit longer and then gradually try and get some of my life back.

Again, thanks for your prayers, they've made the difference in everything for me.
Love, Cheryl, (Aunt) Sharon
Some of you have asked why I put (Aunt) and Sharon in parenthesis. I'm known as Sharon or Aunt Sharon by all of my family in Indiana. I've never been called Cheryl by any of them, but all the rest of you know me as Cheryl so that's why. . .