The Final Blog in This Series

When I started the cancer journey blog, I thought that it would be a 4-6 part series. Well, this is will be a wrap up of this phase or "hiccup" in life and it is blog number 14.

It's the final in the series because last week, I had my follow-up with Dr. Callahan where he said the words, "You're cancer free." Now, I knew it already because Dr. Stockrahm told me my recent CT scan was good and to "Go on and live my life," but to hear Dr. Callahan actually say the words, "You're cancer free," was like reading "THE END", to a book.

At this point, I am functioning back to normal with no worse the wear it seems. The only thing that has changed as been my hair and it has been an enjoyable reprieve not having to shave for several months. It's amazing how much faster you can get ready in the morning when you don't have to worry about fixing hair or shaving your legs. Now I know why Andy can get ready so quick. The hair on my head is coming in white, which is okay. Let's face it, my hair head was basically white before chemo. I was just pretending I was a youthful brunette. The great thing is the other hair on my body is blond and fine. I have toyed with not shaving my legs because you can't really see it. "Why not go all hippy and just let it go," I thought. Because it is starting to drive me crazy when I wear pants. It's like my pants get caught on my leg hair. So, although I may not be as giddy as 10-year-old Jodi was to shave her legs, I think I will shave my legs this week....sometime. Now, I had hoped with all my heart, that the facial hair that shouldn't be there would be permanently killed off with chemo. Folks, over the decades, I have tried everything to get rid of my facial hair- wax, shaving, electrolysis, laser, creams, but it always came back and came back fast. It was a DAILY thing I needed to deal with. Seriously, for the last several years, I have been wanting to make sure I remained in our daughters' good graces just for the fact that they would come and shave my facial hair in the nursing home. It's no joke. We have had those conversations. I have even had a Plan B in case these kiddos I birthed and raised didn't have the decency to make sure their mother didn't look like their father in the nursing home by asking other youngsters in my life if they would come and make sure I was shaved in the nursing home. Out of all my body flaws, the facial hair was the most bothersome. It really was a dream that during chemo, I had no facial hair. It was the one positive to chemo. But guess what? It came back. I've decided to wax for as long as I can. So far, I have waxed 5 times..... 5 TIMES. So far, it's still the fine blond hair. I hope it stays that way and it can be dealt with on the weekly instead of the daily. I think I have a better chance of the girls coming once a week to wax me in the nursing home. If they split it up, that's only 26 times a year for each of them. The hair I am most excited to see come back is my eyebrow hair. It was the last to go and I was the most sad to see it leave. I never realized how eyebrows affect a person's overall look. It seems like in the next couple of weeks it will be back to normal. For that, I am thankful.

This journey hasn't been one I would have wanted, but it is one that I think has made me a better person. It has made me more compassionate, I think. It has given me a point of reference. It has made me simplify a bit. It has made me want to be better in dealing with my overall health. It has given me the mandate to make sure to work in time to stop. breathe. enjoy.

So many people have told me that they have read my blogs and that is a wonder, a joy, and humbling bit of news. It's a wonder that what's going on in my life is worth reading about. It's a joy that people seem to enjoy reading it. And it is humbling to think that they would take the time to read it and in many cases go on to pray and to have me on their mind. It's simply amazing really.

This blog has helped me to connect with other folks who are struggling with cancer or other diagnosis. I have a list of those who have reached out with their own "hiccup" that I pray for. It's a blessing to have other folks share their story because they know you are a safe person. That's something the diagnosis gave me and something for which I am very grateful and want to maintain.

I started this series because I wanted to make sure I controlled the narrative to the telling of my story. Living in a small town, news spreads fast and sometimes isn't always correct. Owning a small business, I didn't want exaggerated reports of my early demise to affect our business just when we needed it the most with unexpected medical costs and increase in staff wages. I wanted people to feel the freedom to talk to me about my story and not feel awkward around me. I wanted to be transparent.

I think this series has done all it was set out to do and more, which is why I am ending this series. However, I don't intend to quit writing blogs. If you continue reading future blogs that I write, you will probably be reading quirky blogs about a day in the life, things I have learned, and memories. My new main motivations for blogging will now be to hopefully bring a smile to your face and to have a record of what kind of person I was for my future generations to read. Down the road, I might add some cooking blogs, but those just seem so cumbersome.

In the meantime, I hope you stop.breathe.enjoy

Blessings,

Jodi