Temporarily Normal

This morning was the first morning I woke up feeling more or less normal in weeks. I went to a children's play with my friend Kym and her four-year-old boys: James and the Giant Peach. Shortly I will go to a grown-up movie with Kate and Bob, something about Miss Pettigrew, with Frances McDormand, one of my favorite actresses.

Last night I went out to dinner to celebrate Francine's birthday; even though we left the house early -- 6 p.m. -- I was pooped by the time I got home and asleep by 9. So my energy still is not what I would like, but I have much to be grateful for. I want to remember this weekend NEXT weekend, when I should be in recovery from my fourth, and final, chemotherapy treatment, scheduled for this coming Tuesday. I expect I'll be out of it for two to three weeks, then slowly wend my way back to full strength.

My doctor told me I should be recovered fully by the end of May; my nurse says it will be more like the end of June. Let's hope the doctor is closer to the mark, but in any event it will be what it will be. I approach this Tuesday with mixed feelings of dread and relief that this is the last round, and I appreciate the fact that there's a war going on in my chest between the cancer and all the chemo-radiation I have undergone to try to combat it. I haven't done as much during the last three months as I thought I would while I was off work, but I give myself permission to heal. Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I head into the home stretch, and many thanks to all of you for your love and support.