The View from the Top

Well, I've reached the summit of this climb - thanks to all of my friends and sherpas helping me, and coaching me, along the way!  :)    It's time to part company with my alter-ego "Foam Lori" but it's also time to rest here at the top for awhile before getting the "all clear" on the path ahead.  

It's wild to think about how quickly the past few months have gone by and it's anguishing to stop and realize how much I've gone through during that time.  The upside to all of this is the realization of how wonderful life is and how many amazing people there are in this world - and how many of those have touched my life.  I am truly blessed. 

I can't thank my friend Jorinda enough for coming with me to my final day of treatment.  It's funny  - they (my medical team) continued to tell me that I'd be in a lot of pain and not able to transport myself to treatment in the final weeks so I organized a few friends to be on "stand by" for those days I wasn't able to get myself to treatment and they were a little disappointed that I never called them in to action.  How wonderful is that??    But I was so thankful to not go to my last treatment alone. :) 

This is my radiation team extraordinaire -  Lisa, Diane (in back) and Mark.   All of the people at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre have been utterly amazing and all so generous with their support, kindness and help.  I am truly impressed and so grateful for their kindness and expertise.  (I don't think I look like someone who has just had 6 weeks of massive pelvic radiation & chemo, do I??  :)  )

Foam Lori - her final day of employment.  From here she was taken back to the "simulation" room to be repurposed and reshaped into another body.  It was a tearful good-bye as they wheeled her away.   :(

Now I just have to battle the exhaustion, radiation burns and GI issues for the next few weeks and then full-fledged recovery begins.  April 22nd is the first of the "look see" appointments with my surgeon and oncologist to make sure the cancer is gone and hasn't spread.  THEN the beginning of the "rest of my life" powers up into full force! 

I've been too tired to write much in the past few days but I will get back to writing more about this in the coming weeks but I truly can't find words to express my thanks to all of you who continue to support, encourage and believe in me.  Friends truly are the best!