I Made It!

I am now officially in REMISSION! I have now officially finished my treatment!!!
It was a really funny feeling turning up at Cabrini Brighton, knowing this would be my last treatment. The staff there have been and still are such amazing women. They are so friendly and such fun to be around and they said I was like a 'breath of fresh air' everytime I came for my treatments. I think that's mainly because I joked around and stirred them a little bit.
I was sitting there waiting and a young girl arrived with a huge arrangement of flowers. It turned out they were for me from all my friends at Church! Then it really hit me that this was my last one. I have MADE IT!
The last few weeks have been mentally difficult....but I got there!!!!!!
Every eight weeks for two years I have to back for a maintenance treatment of a drug called Mabthera. This drug is very new and very sucesfull in the treatment of Lymphoma and it will continue to protect me against any rogue cells.
For five years I will be tested etc., and if everything goes well.......I will then be considered cured.

I feel that I have run the hardest race of my life. I wasn't mentally, physically and emotionally prepared for it when I was pushed to the starting line. I thought at that time that I had already dealt with so much over the previous months that it was time for me to be dealt a good card.
That wasn't to be.
And.....I couldn't shun away from the starting line and say I wasn't going to do this. I have had to dig very deep inside myself and focus on what was ahead in this race and determine how I was going to run it. With fear or with faith.
I choose faith!!!!
Thankfully that was the best strategy I could ever have chosen because it sustained me throughout a cardiac arrest, a serious infection and the general all consumming affects of weekly chemotherapy.
And although it took me longer to run the race than planned, I was able to keep going and now I've done it !!!
Now, I can work on regaining my health and my stamina and at the same time continue to focus on the 'really important' things in my life and bring it all back into balance.
I know this is going to take a long time. But......'baby steps' are a good principle to use and I know that each day will bring something a little better.
I have been dealt a good card. I am in remission!
And.....I am sooooo thankful.