No More Chemo!

My friend Val from Cordova Tn, sent me this ribbon on Wednesday to celebrate my graduation! She's the one that also sent me the lovely bracelet when I was first diagnosed. Thank you so much Val for your friendship, thoughts and prayers and your gift of love and hope.

Wednesday June 10th, I graduated from chemo treatment! Someone donated a bell wall plaque to the chemo treatment room in Little Rock where I go to the doctor. It has a neat saying on about ringing the bell three times to declare that your chemo treatment is done. I never heard anybody ring the bell since I started going although I do know that some folks have completed their treatments since I was there, I just wasn't there on the day they had their last treatment. But Wednesday I got to experience first hand being the bell ringer.

When you are finished with your treatment, one of the nurses proclaims to the room that "we have a bell ringer" and you go up to the plaque and read the inscription out loud and then ring the bell three times to proclaim your end of chemo! It's a celebration that only starts there with the ringing of that bell. There is such a relief, a feeling of freedom and triumphant victory at completing one stage in your treatment of cancer when you know that is the last treatment.

I got to move the last pink bracelet to my left wrist, leaving my right wrist, pink free! I got to ring the bell to proclaim my chemo was over. I got to celebrate by eating at the Red Lobster with Jimmie who has been such a wonderful support person and always there. I stopped to visit my longest and such a dear friend from childhood, Reba on the way home and to top it off had a strawberry shortcake from the Bulldog resturauant in Baldknob. When I got home on Wednesday I was totally exhausted but even so, I've never felt so good. It's just great to know that there is NO MORE CHEMO!!!

Have a great weekend! When I get the pictures of the plaque and bell I will post them here for you to see!