Millman's Blog: Chemo Down, Radiation To Go, Work In Sight

A lot has gone on the past few weeks... first thing's first: I finished chemo! I was so excited to get that behind me. After 5 months of taking those drugs I am happy to be done with it. I am including a picture from my last chemo session.. it was quite the party! As you see, I received a pink boa for the occasion. The ladies with me are my wonderful friends -- some I've known since 7th grade. I really don't know what I would've done these past months without them. They've been there for me at chemo, on the other end of the phone when I've needed to talk and even in the dressing room with me when I picked out my prosthetic breasts ... yes, Nordstrom carries those, believe it or not!

Today marks another milestone of sorts. I'm going under the knife again but this time it's to have my "port" removed. The quarter-sized gizmo was implanted on my left side, in the collarbone area, when I had my double mastectomy in September. This is how the nurses were able to give me the chemo drugs. Many chemo patients use the port instead of getting chemo through a vein in the arm. I'll tell you, it'll be great to have this thing out of me -- because it really means I am DONE with this part of my treatment.

I saw my medical oncologist yesterday -- the first time I've seem him since finishing chemo on the 8th. Now I know why I am feeling better: both my white and red blood cell numbers look good and continue to climb. What this means now is I can go back to eating apples WITH the peels and salads in restaurants, but I'll probably continue to stay away from raw cookie dough! I took all of those precautions when I started chemo because my body just couldn't fight germs the way they can now. I also took to washing my hands -- all the time! Here's something I'll share with you: I haven't had one cold (knock on wood) this entire time! I will keep up this habit but I will also need to keep plenty of hand lotion with me at all times -- my hands have never been so dry!

This coming Monday, March 1st, I will start 7 weeks of radiation. I've already gone in for the "mapping." That's where a patient is tattooed so the technicians know exactly where to radiate. The picture here shows my radiation oncologist, Dr. Eric Taylor, doing some final markings before the tattoos. I'm not sure what we were laughing about in this picture, but I'll tell you, laughter has helped me tremendously during the past 7 months. There are some unknowns about radiation. Each patient reacts differently so it's hard to know how my skin will take the 33 treatments. I'm a bit anxious about the possibility of my skin burning. I have a prescription lotion and ingredients for another home-made lotion -- let's hope one of them works! I'm also told radiation can cause major fatigue by week #5 -- I'll keep you posted.

Michelle Millman - radiation mapping

Another big deal happens Monday: I am going back to work! I am so excited to get back into the newsroom, with my "other family." As I've blogged, my co-workers have been wonderful to me and I am ready to be back. To be honest, the girlfriends in the picture think I should wait until after radiation to go back to work (they are always watching out for me) but I want to work my brain again. As far as being back "on air" -- I'm hoping it will be the following week. My News Director has been so understanding about my return. Since neither one of us has been through this before, we don't know what to expect. He wants me to take it easy and see how I feel. Although it's difficult for me to ever take it easy, I will do my best to listen to my body.

I want to thank all of you for taking the time to read these blogs and for those who've emailed me. I am humbled by how many wonderful, caring people are out there cheering me on! As I start this next part of my journey -- radiation and returning to work -- you will be right there with me.

Until next time, Michelle