I can't believe I'm really finished...with my chemo that is! My last treatment of toxic chemicals came on Tuesday, the 4th. It's amazing to me that six months have passed since my first treatment. Time really has flown. I suppose had I felt sick and overly tired, the time would have dragged on. But since I've felt good, I've continued life as normal. Or was it because I continued life as normal, I felt good?!

BREAST CANCER See Pam's Story Her Struggle From Her Husband's Perspective Pam's Last Chemo Treatment E-Mail Pam Spread Word Survival Stories Myths and Facts Cancer Quiz Risk Factors SELF-EXAM How To Do It Diagrams How Do You Check? How Often? ARTICLES: Fitness Center For Patients WEB RESOURCES: Susan. G. Komen Foundation Breast Cancer Info National Breast Cancer Organization National Breast Cancer Coalition

I know that my feeling so good had so much to do with the prayers that were (and are!) said on my behalf. So I want to take the time to thank those of you who have been praying for me. My prayer is that you will be blessed with double the measure of blessing I have felt from those prayers (which is a lot!).

I have so much to look forward to. Hair growing back is one of those things. Although I drove with my windows down today and enjoyed not worrying about struggling to get a comb through my hair when I got home!

I also look forward to not having to apply eyelashes on weekends when I work. If I don't get all the glue off at night when I take them off, I sometimes wake up not being able to open my eyes. They're glued shut! Okay, granted I'm not trying that hard to open them, but glue residue can make them a little sticky at dawn's first light.

And I've already harped about drawing on eyebrows, which I do every day. I'm a person with lots of expressions, and it's a little hard to express those expressions without eyebrows. Thus I've made it a daily task. I had to redo them this morning before church. I was taking my last glimpse in the mirror to make sure everything was in place when I noticed one eyebrow was higher than the other. Pastor Jeff would have though I was questioning his entire message with that kind of look! Then there's the days that I accidentally wipe off an eyebrow without knowing it. That's an attractive look to be sure!

Oh, it's the little things in life, isn't it?! Sometimes we let those little things become great big giants. But when we look at them in comparison to the rest of the world, they can shrink pretty easily, and often we can laugh at them. Laughter is the best medicine, you know. It makes coping a whole lot easier.

I don't mean to say that having breast cancer, or any other type of cancer for that matter, is a small thing. But when those big giant things like cancer do come up, I know that I have a God who is even bigger! I've entrusted my life into His care, rather than letting the big bad cancer take me in its grip and dash me to the ground. In the arms of God I'm able to rise above the worry and the fear. Cancer actually looks pretty small from up here.

And I suppose that too is why time has gone by so quickly. From this place of rest, I don't dwell on my plight and can enjoy the people and things around me. Again, I know I have been blessed to not feel the sickness and pain that many go through with their chemotherapy. Maybe it would be different if I didn't feel well. Even so, I know that God would still carry me through. I know He is big enough to handle anything I'm going through. He's big enough to handle anything you're going through too. Just put your trust in Him, and He will see you through.

I don't mean to be preachy, but many have asked how I can have such a good attitude with not only having breast cancer, but also being in a wheelchair! What I've just written is the reason. You can do with the information what you want. But I know it's the reason for my living the good life!

By the way, do you have any family history of breast cancer? Do you have questions about your chances of getting it? Do you know about the gene test? Last week I met with a few of the people who work for Myriad Genetics, the folks who did my gene test. They have a great web site where you can even take a test to see what your risk is. Go to: http://www.myriadtests.com. Even if you don't' have a family history, every woman is at risk. Remember, the chances are one in eight! And men, don't forget you too can get breast cancer. The site isn't just for breast cancer either, so check it out!

So, are you getting to know your breasts?

Until next time ...

Pam Daale

The Happy Cancer Patient

You can e-mail Pam Daale at Pam_Daale@TheDenverChannel.com.