My friend Val from Cordova Tn, sent me this ribbon on Wednesday to celebrate my graduation! She's the one that also sent me the lovely bracelet when I was first diagnosed. Thank you so much Val for your friendship, thoughts and prayers and your gift of love and hope.
Wednesday June 10th, I graduated from chemo treatment! Someone donated a bell wall plaque to the chemo treatment room in Little Rock where I go to the doctor. It has a neat saying on about ringing the bell three times to declare that your chemo treatment is done. I never heard anybody ring the bell since I started going although I do know that some folks have completed their treatments since I was there, I just wasn't there on the day they had their last treatment. But Wednesday I got to experience first hand being the bell ringer.
When you are finished with your treatment, one of the nurses proclaims to the room that "we have a bell ringer" and you go up to the plaque and read the inscription out loud and then ring the bell three times to proclaim your end of chemo! It's a celebration that only starts there with the ringing of that bell. There is such a relief, a feeling of freedom and triumphant victory at completing one stage in your treatment of cancer when you know that is the last treatment.
I got to move the last pink bracelet to my left wrist, leaving my right wrist, pink free! I got to ring the bell to proclaim my chemo was over. I got to celebrate by eating at the Red Lobster with Jimmie who has been such a wonderful support person and always there. I stopped to visit my longest and such a dear friend from childhood, Reba on the way home and to top it off had a strawberry shortcake from the Bulldog resturauant in Baldknob. When I got home on Wednesday I was totally exhausted but even so, I've never felt so good. It's just great to know that there is NO MORE CHEMO!!!
Have a great weekend! When I get the pictures of the plaque and bell I will post them here for you to see!
My friend Val from Cordova Tn, sent me this ribbon on Wednesday to celebrate my graduation! She's the one that also sent me the lovely bracelet when I was first diagnosed. Thank you so much Val for your friendship, thoughts and prayers and your gift of love and hope.
Wednesday June 10th, I graduated from chemo treatment! Someone donated a bell wall plaque to the chemo treatment room in Little Rock where I go to the doctor. It has a neat saying on about ringing the bell three times to declare that your chemo treatment is done. I never heard anybody ring the bell since I started going although I do know that some folks have completed their treatments since I was there, I just wasn't there on the day they had their last treatment. But Wednesday I got to experience first hand being the bell ringer.
When you are finished with your treatment, one of the nurses proclaims to the room that "we have a bell ringer" and you go up to the plaque and read the inscription out loud and then ring the bell three times to proclaim your end of chemo! It's a celebration that only starts there with the ringing of that bell. There is such a relief, a feeling of freedom and triumphant victory at completing one stage in your treatment of cancer when you know that is the last treatment.
I got to move the last pink bracelet to my left wrist, leaving my right wrist, pink free! I got to ring the bell to proclaim my chemo was over. I got to celebrate by eating at the Red Lobster with Jimmie who has been such a wonderful support person and always there. I stopped to visit my longest and such a dear friend from childhood, Reba on the way home and to top it off had a strawberry shortcake from the Bulldog resturauant in Baldknob. When I got home on Wednesday I was totally exhausted but even so, I've never felt so good. It's just great to know that there is NO MORE CHEMO!!!
Have a great weekend! When I get the pictures of the plaque and bell I will post them here for you to see!