Something about being halfway is such a psychological boost for me...when I've made it halfway, I know I can finish.  My nurse practitioner Courtney gently reminded me yesterday that the second half is harder than the first (also true in my running days...), but I am encouraged that each day I'm closer to being rid of all the drug paraphenalia and doctor's appointments that I just don't have time for.

I don't do drugs, legal or illegal.  Never have.  So all this cancer drug stuff is just plain yucky to me.  

Part of my medicine cabinet stash...pain meds, anti-nausea meds, numbing cream, and a whole bag of Aquaphor to smear on my sore bottom areas...

...more yuck...

...udder cream...not for my udders, but for greasing up my hands and feet to keep them from peeling and cracking, common side effect of the chemo I'm taking (although thankfully it hasn't happened to me yet).

...poison pills (aka oral chemo)...

...and my twice-daily injection of blood thinner.

I just happened to be reading the fine print on the back of the shot package last weekend, and discovered...

...that it is made of "porcine intestinal mucosa."

Yep...that's mucous from hog intestines.  Lovely.

I wish I hadn't looked.  So much for being informed...

So...14 more daily treatments of radiation will end October 1.  After a short break, I'll have 4 more rounds of IV chemo (like I had at the beginning) which will take me through November, 4 weeks to recuperate and then surgery #1 at the very end of December or beginning of January.  Surgery #2 about 6 weeks later, which, if everything stays on schedule, will be late February or early March. And then, AND THEN...

I'll be FINISHED!!!  And I can get my normal life back.

I'm not usually one to wish away the present to get to the future, but in this case I definitely am.  I can see the light at the end of this long, dark tunnel called cancer now that I've made it...

...halfway.