This post was written by Bethany. This is our third update on Bethany’s cancer journey, to see older posts scroll down. Thanks for reading.

July 24

Some tangible things have gotten better over the past couple of weeks. The days are still a rollercoaster, emotionally and physically, but we’ve had good news and some positive steps to celebrate in the midst of the storm. Some good highlights to share:

We had a really encouraging meeting with my oncologist. Ben says that in a past life, my doctor was probably a spin instructor, haha. He is extremely upbeat and makes everyone in the room clap for me during every visit. We found out that my tumor is almost gone, so the chemo has been working really well.  All that’s left to get is the rest of the tumor, residual tissue and any microscopic cancer cells throughout my body.

Though we still wish I could just be done early, especially with that positive news, it is helpful to know that no matter what, we are sticking to the original 6 month treatment plan.  I won’t have another scan until after my last chemo. As odd as it sounds, it’s nice to just take the option of being done early off the table, so we don’t have to spend so much mental energy poring over that outcome. I have a firm finish line, and we can look forward to that.

In response to my positive progress, the doctor removed one drug from my chemo treatments. It’s the harshest of the 4 that I was on, and can cause significant long term damage to your lungs. Along with the relief of avoiding those long-term effects, my post-treatment side effects are a little less severe, and I get my energy back a couple of days earlier.

I had been on blood thinner injections since I was in the hospital, giving myself a shot every morning and night.  It wasn’t too bad at first, but when my dosage changed, the needles were different and the whole process became extremely painful and stressful. Last week I finally got to transition to a pill instead, which has made a huge difference! I’ll be on blood thinners until chemo is over, just to be safe. Cancer and chemo can cause blood clots, so I can’t take any chances.

I started going to therapy to process this whole experience, and it’s been really helpful so far.  I really enjoy my therapist, and I feel good knowing that I’m doing something for my mental, spiritual, and emotional health. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a very long time, and I’m grateful for the motivation to get in there!

Trying to celebrate every small and large win along the way.  Thanks to everyone for your prayers, encouragement, and support. xoxo