Auntie Susu's Cancer Journey

Six months ago to the day, I was sitting in the chemo chair getting my last dose of treatment. I had a bald head, and feeling quite emotional for making it through everything that I had faced since my July 2020 cancer diagnosis.  Ringing the Cancer Bell for the final time... There is an overjoyed sense of relief that you are done... but then chemo starts to do its thing to work internally. The chemo flashes where your whole head gets hot, the cold flashes where your whole body is freezing. Michael would laugh at me sitting in a 24c temperature under my cancer blankie, then I would drop dead to the world into an exhaustion sleep, only to wake up 3 hours later wondering who and where I am. Feeling like sh*t was the norm, taking my anti-barf pills to fight nausea (and I still take them sometimes), and the metal chemical taste that lingers way longer than I think it should have.  Thankfully, I was provided with the rinse bottle and simple mouthwash recipe which helped a lot with that metal...

Well July 17th I reached the 5 months cancer free mark in my recovery.  I am still suffering from neuropathy in my feet, insomina, fatigue, and chemo brain.  Sometimes I wonder if I will ever regain my old level of self back.  I know it is a slow process, and I have to tell myself be kind and rest when I'm tired.  In the meantime to stimulate my recovery, I have taken on some tasks to help rebuild my strength and mental capacity again.   I have been keeping myself busy with caring for my raised bed garden.  It has been growing like a crazy weed, and I have already had a couple feedings of lettuce, beans, and peas.  It is a joy to watch it grow, and it stimulates me to keep checking to see when to harvest my carrots, beets, and potatoes.  My family has jumped on the garden bandwagon this year too.  Mom has a massive garden growing.  My siblings helped her with some of the planting, and my uncle Raymond (her brother) comes often to check it too.  I think they have the potato bug prob...