Yippy! Mom finished radiation this morning....rang the bell really loud. Dad took her picture. There were some tears with the radiation ladies. Now they are packing up the apartment & heading to Beaver Dam. No doctor app'ts until Jan 15 & that is with the plastic surgeon & the physical therapist. Thanks for all of your love and support. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

21 radiation treatments complete, 7 to go. Actually going very well, some redness, but no burning or blistering "yet". Met with the Medical Oncologist today and he said, "you're breezing right through all of this". I hope & pray daily that he's right. Can't wait to ring the bell on my final day - will explain this when I see each of you.

Duane spent Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday in Beaver Dam this week for some meetings and a men's steak night at Old Hickory, so our good friends Darlene Laihinen and Barbara Martens were able to come to Rochester with me to keep me company and go with me to all of my appointments. We never left the subway and skyways, but had fun shopping, playing cards ( I won $ .60) and dining out, along with all the appointments. Put quite a few miles on I think, walking back & forth between the apartment & the clinic.

I've decided to have my port removed and that's been scheduled for next Thursday, 12/20. I have a feeling my final week here will be very busy trying to fit in all of the necessary appointments before "checking out" so to speak. I'll be "released" on 12/21 till March 18 & 19 when we'll travel back to Minnesota for a CT scan, blood work and Dr. visit. Guess that will be the routine, every 3 months for 2 years then every 4 months for a year, every 5 months for another year, then 6 months & so on. MRI and Mammogram in June too.

I am so blessed to have so many wonderful, caring friends and family - it means so much - I can not tell you. Merry Christmas to all and a Blessed New Year! Love, Kathy