I am looking forward to the day that I am done with treatments and thinking about how we might celeb

BobsProstate
BobsProstate Member Posts: 56
edited April 2020 in General Cancer
Did you celebrate after your final treatment or just let it pass by with no hoorah?

Comments

  • legaljen1969
    legaljen1969 Member Posts: 763
    edited April 2020
    I think it should be celebrated in some way. After all, you have been waiting and waiting to come to the end of treatment. It is a milestone and you should mark that milestone with something happy.
    I know there is a growing movement to eliminate "ringing the bell" because it apparently makes people sad when they are not yet there or they have received a prognosis that means they may never get to "ring the bell." It saddens me because I believe there is a large number of people who look forward to that day and they are happy to see someone overcome the fight. I think for a great many people, hearing someone else laugh or cry gives them hope that there is an end in sight for them too.
    How you choose to celebrate is up to you obviously. Though I am taking medication, and didn't have to do radiation or chemotherapy, I am still waiting to celebrate the news I didn't have to do any of that. I got all of my news just before the orders for social distancing, when all of the restaurants closed, and the world shut down. I will still celebrate when I am able.
    I don't think people realize that even the smallest celebrations can buoy our spirits so much.
    Don't let it pass without any hoorah if you are looking forward to celebrating. It is YOUR victory and if you want it celebrated, then do it.
  • cllinda
    cllinda Member Posts: 153
    edited April 2020
    I had been pretty sick through treatments. So after I finished chemo, it took a couple months to feel better. My neighbors took me out to lunch and it was very nice. It was my celebration for getting through chemo.
  • Bengal
    Bengal Member Posts: 518
    edited April 2020
    Like clinda, I was pretty sick throughout treatments. It left me exhausted, physically depleted, with eye issues, stomach problems; trauma from the many tortures I had endured, and the post treatment medication (AI) was just an additional nightmare. Don't get me wrong. I was very happy I didn't have to go anymore but I couldn't really find that celebratory mood.
  • legaljen1969
    legaljen1969 Member Posts: 763
    edited April 2020
    Bengal and Cllinda, I am sorry you both had such a hard time with treatments. I can imagine it is hard when you have been through so much and you don't feel like celebrating. I continue to hope and pray for the well-being of all who have become part of this club none of us wanted.
  • GregP_WN
    GregP_WN Member Posts: 742
    edited April 2020
    My first one was celebrated at work, my boss and a coworker took me out to eat. The third one my Wife and sister-in-law attacked me with silly string when I came in the office after my last treatment, We had a cookout at our house about a month later on Memorial Day to celebrate. I remember having everyone we could think of over. My last one, still in the middle of the process, there's no celebrating yet. I still am navigating the recovery from the laryngectomy and waiting for another surgery. We shall see.
  • po18guy
    po18guy Member Posts: 329
    edited April 2020
    For some, there is no final treatment. I have been in treatment for nearing twelve years and will be so until my last breath. What then to celebrate?

    Each morning!
  • Bengal
    Bengal Member Posts: 518
    edited April 2020
    poguy, I wish I could "like" more than once. This is definitely "best answer" .
  • LiveWithCancer
    LiveWithCancer Member Posts: 470
    edited April 2020
    I didn't realize i had had my last treatment (until my cancer decides to grow again) when I had it. When i learned we were going to take a wait and watch approach for awhile, i wrote to a couple of friends, elated that the treatments had ended after 6+ years. But then i started wondering if i should be celebrating not getting treatments any longer when i still had live tumors in my lungs...

    It has been a year ago since we started wait and watch. It has been phenomenal not to have to go for treatments all of the time.
  • Whitey61
    Whitey61 Member Posts: 26
    edited April 2020
    Unfortunately with a cancer like prostate..MPC4, there is no end of treatment , yes milestones along the way , but will be in it the rest of you life.
  • Afterglow
    Afterglow Member Posts: 5
    I only had radiation, not chemo so the end of treatment was easily identifiable. And my wife and I did celebrate. First, she treated me to a huge, delicious brownie at the hospital coffee shop. Then I went home and ordered a huge bouquet of fruit and candy for the radiation lab staff. This was followed by a four day trip to one of our favorite bed and breakfasts. It was definitely a time of celebration.

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