Last day ideas

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  • Afraser
    Afraser Member Posts: 4,373 ✭
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    Congratulations on finishing, well done! However I am with @poodlejules on this one - after 15 months of visiting day oncology (chemo and Herceptin) I was keen to thank the wonderful staff (flowers and chocolates, should have taken champagne even though I had a 9am last appointment!), but was happy to quietly leave. I didn't have any separation anxieties! Visited a few times afterwards as I recalled seeing former patients visit looking well (and with hair!) which made me feel good too, but staff have changed over time and I moved on quite happily.
  • kezmusc
    kezmusc Member Posts: 1,544 ✭
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    Hi @JoeyLiz

    The hospital where I had my radiation had a large tree painted on the wall with huge branches and leaves extending the entire length of wall.  Every one who finished rads got to paint their name on a leaf.  They didn't have a bell when I finished chemo but I was back yesterday for a check up and noticed they have one now.  I just took a ginormous bunch of flowers and chocolates for the nurses after that one.
  • JoeyLiz
    JoeyLiz Member Posts: 339 ✭
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    @kezmusc I love the tree idea!
  • Sister
    Sister Member Posts: 4,960 ✭
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    I thought tree sounded nice, too.
  • kmakm
    kmakm Member Posts: 7,974 ✭
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    I think the tree idea is gorgeous  <3
  • Pahill
    Pahill Member Posts: 40 ✭
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    Congratulations on finishing your treatment joeyliz. It must be a great feeling. Hope your surgery goes well and that you recover from that without too much discomfort. Sending you a hug from the Eastern Shore...
  • lrb_03
    lrb_03 Member Posts: 1,267 ✭
    edited April 2018
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    Love the tree idea. So life affirming, no what stage or type your cancer.

    I didn't get to ring a bell when I finished chemo. I've heard about them. I've also heard about the flip side of how sad it can make someone undergoing treatment for metastatic cancer, knowing they will never finish, therefore never get to ring a bell. That gives me reservations about ringing a bell

    By the way, congratulations @JoeyLiz, on completing chemo. Hope that when youget to surgery you find you've had a great result  <3
  • arpie
    arpie Member Posts: 7,584 ✭
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    JoeyLiz - I really like the idea of the tree too!  It would help bring a bit of closure.

    When I finished my rads, there was pretty well nothing done to celebrate the end!  I'd become quite emotional during that last treatment & the rad nurses gave me a hug before I left the treatment area.  The radiation staff had really become my 'inner circle' for the month - and had been just fantastic throughout the whole period & it was really quite sad to be leaving. 

    Then zippo!  Nothing - I just walked out of the clinic!  I'd brought up the idea of a bell or similar with Tom (the clerk doing the bookings/paperwork) but it was considered to be bad taste, as not all treatment has successful outcomes, as Irb_03 mentioned.    Shame - as I think there should be 'something' ....
  • kmakm
    kmakm Member Posts: 7,974 ✭
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    I didn't associate the bell with successful outcomes, it was all about finishing the wretched chemo!
  • primek
    primek Member Posts: 5,392 ✭
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    Yes @kmakm ..it was like dragging yourself over the finish line and ringing it....a checkered flag or a tape would do the trick too...completing the marathon of that particular treatment. I would have done it after AC ...as it was bloody awful. But for me taxol was just as bad.  
  • kmakm
    kmakm Member Posts: 7,974 ✭
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    @Primek It's such a mixed bag, how we all react differently. I find it fascinating.

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