Keri's Breast Cancer Story: The End of Keri's Second Round of Chemotherapy Treatment is in Sight

Doug Haberstroh Caregiver Breast Cancer Husband My wife (KERI) and I were diagnosed with breast cancer in March of... Send Message Subscribe: Doug Haberstroh

Friday, October 05, 2007
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My name is Doug Haberstroh, and my wife Keri was 25 years old when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005. It was Keri's wish to share her story with the world. This is her story from start to finish. In this message, Keri informs friends and family that she has just one chemo treatment left. We were both excited to be, seemingly, so close to the end of our battle with breast cancer.

Subject: The end is near

Sent: Monday, December 5, 2005 2:29 PM

Hello All,

I just wanted to let everyone know that the end is finally in sight. My last treatment is tomorrow morning. Yeah!!! Funny how I dreaded them all, but this one I'm actually kind of excited about going to. I thought about even taking balloons in to help celebrate. I have been reassured that this time will be the last so there will not be anymore sneaky last minute added treatments. I have appointments next week to visit again with my surgeon and plastic surgeon so that plans can be made for my last surgery to finish reconstruction and remove my port. Things will be coming to a somewhat normalcy soon. With the holidays around the corner my plans are to wait until after the New Year to have that final surgery. The last thing I need is to be in the hospital to ruin my holidays so waiting is not a problem.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving visit in Kansas. We saw a few snow flurries which was just enough for us and the freezing weather didn't hit until a couple days before we left. This is the longest amount of time I have ever lived so far away from home and now with two families that I would love to see all the time it makes these visits so much more special. We really take the time to spend with family and friends without rushing around too much. Also, a lesson learned from a previous visit, we spend more time behind a camera to capture those special moments. Needless to say even though we thoroughly enjoyed our visit we were glad to return to a warmer climate. Although now it feels much warmer having experienced the cold for a few days. Sort of unbelievable to imagine December at 80 degrees.

Quickly though things have returned back to normal. Doug is busy at work again and I am just awaiting the finality of treatments. If things go as well this time as they have been so far this round I should only have some tiredness to deal with. My hair is once again growing back and will again be something interesting to look forward to as it grows. I have heard from others who have been through this and have a full head of hair now that still there are times when they look in the mirror and think they are seeing someone else. I always wanted to try a new look so I guess this is my chance.

I will email again soon and let you all know how the last treatment bodes. Keep me in your thoughts tomorrow morning. The light is getting brighter and the end of this tunnel is getting closer. We'll be on the other side in no time.