Today I completed #11 out of 16 radiation treatments, plus had a second X-ray to make sure they are on target. So far, so good. This is a much less "invasive" therapy than the chemo. So far the side effects are a little bit tender skin and moderate fatigue. The end is in close range...
Okay, so hair is growing in. Which makes wearing the wig/liner like putting a nylon on a stubbly hairy leg. Not the most comfortable thing in the world. When I leave my half+ day of work and head out to my car (usually race out, since I'm almost always close to being late for my appt.), I kind of look both ways & whip that thing off my head & quickly replace it with a nice sporty hat. Instead of hat head, I am experiencing wig head, which is a red line all around the edge of where that liner sits. Oh well, it could be worse! Oh, the wig also squeezes my glasses against my head, so my vision is not always right on, either.
We are gearing up for back to school & back to normal life sometime soon! The radiation oncologist and the nurse practitioner both recommend easing back into full time. So, continue with 1/2 days the first week in Sept, then 3/4 the next week, and then full time after that. I'll see Dr. Bellairs again on Thursday and she'll formalize that plan.
The boys are getting kind of "antsy" and I think they are ready to get back into the learning routine. And they'll enjoy seeing more of their friends, too (but probably not that "no talking" part of the classroom!). They are hoping for excellent teachers, but it will be difficult to equal or top last years!
We are also planning on the MN State Fair next week (starts this Thursday already!). We have tickets to the Mark Schultz concert. If you are not familiar with him, he's a great Christian singer/story-teller. Kevin loves his songs and sings along often ("He's My Son" and "Letters from War" are two well-known ones, yes, that tend to make me cry!).
Mike and I went out to dinner at Ristorante' Luci last Saturday evening while my mom watched the boys. This was to celebrate the end of chemo!! I had to wait until my taste buds were back in action. I even enjoyed my first glass of wine - a nice Chianti - since my diagnosis. It was very nice - not at all like turpentine (the dietitian warned me it could taste that way during chemo).
Mike just took a fire call, so I better to find out what those boys are up to outside! Since it was close to 90 degrees today, I think water may be involved!
Thanks again to everyone for the continued positive thoughts & prayers! You all have helped me to keep on moving to the light at the end of the tunnel, which is finally in view! Blessings to you today & every day! :O)
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Final phase....
Just a quick update (do I ever actually do that - keep it quick?)...
I have my "dry run" radiation treatment tomorrow around noon. Then I start the real thing on Tuesday. As I mentioned previously, this course of treatment will run for 3 weeks and a day (Canadian protocol) with a 25% higher dose (vs the 6 week protocol). This radiation should seek and destroy any remaining microscopic cancer cells to help prevent recurrence.
The current plan is for me to work a half day, in the office, then go have my treatment and head home. Because the primary side effect is fatigue, I'll probably schedule an afternoon nap! Just writing about this brought on a hot flash! Funny how anything somewhat "stressful" brings on one of those little buggers! If all the components of the office part become too exhausting, I'll work those daily hours from home.
This last week was our annual family vacation. For a variety of reasons, we didn't make it to the Wisconsin Dells this year (sorry boys!). But, we did have a 3 day visit to the Duluth area at the Edgewater Waterpark Resort. We took in many sights including the Split Rock Lighthouse, the William A. Irvin retired cargo ship, the Vista Fleet harbor boat tour, Gooseberry Falls, and watched some HUGE barges come into the harbor. I'm talking 1004 feet long! Enormous! Overall, we had a good time. Ate at many nice restaurants - so nice not to cook and clean up! The boys liked the waterpark and the seagulls the best!
I will say that I was very surprised to find that my legs were not up for the Gooseberry Falls hiking (just walking, really)! Turned out I had far less energy than I thought, so "Mom" kind of slowed things down this time. I'm still dealing with quite a bit of neuropathy in my left foot, which doesn't help. I am hoping/praying that will resolve sooner than later. My hair is definitely starting to grow again, which is great news! :O)
One of my dear friends had a little gathering on Friday evening, and since all of my boys were at Cub Scout Camp this weekend, I was especially free to attend. It's such good medicine to just laugh and chat (and eat!)! I was, however, the BIG loser at Polish Poker! Oh well, someone had to fill that role!
I will close for now, with again, so much thankfulness for all of you! One more quick quote: "It's not how long you live that matters, but how you live." My goal is to live such that I will hear "Well done, good and faithful servant!" when I move onward and upward to my eventual heavenly home. There is so much to learn and experience - I thank so many of you for providing a great example of the kind of caring and compassion Jesus showed us! God bless!
I have my "dry run" radiation treatment tomorrow around noon. Then I start the real thing on Tuesday. As I mentioned previously, this course of treatment will run for 3 weeks and a day (Canadian protocol) with a 25% higher dose (vs the 6 week protocol). This radiation should seek and destroy any remaining microscopic cancer cells to help prevent recurrence.
The current plan is for me to work a half day, in the office, then go have my treatment and head home. Because the primary side effect is fatigue, I'll probably schedule an afternoon nap! Just writing about this brought on a hot flash! Funny how anything somewhat "stressful" brings on one of those little buggers! If all the components of the office part become too exhausting, I'll work those daily hours from home.
This last week was our annual family vacation. For a variety of reasons, we didn't make it to the Wisconsin Dells this year (sorry boys!). But, we did have a 3 day visit to the Duluth area at the Edgewater Waterpark Resort. We took in many sights including the Split Rock Lighthouse, the William A. Irvin retired cargo ship, the Vista Fleet harbor boat tour, Gooseberry Falls, and watched some HUGE barges come into the harbor. I'm talking 1004 feet long! Enormous! Overall, we had a good time. Ate at many nice restaurants - so nice not to cook and clean up! The boys liked the waterpark and the seagulls the best!
I will say that I was very surprised to find that my legs were not up for the Gooseberry Falls hiking (just walking, really)! Turned out I had far less energy than I thought, so "Mom" kind of slowed things down this time. I'm still dealing with quite a bit of neuropathy in my left foot, which doesn't help. I am hoping/praying that will resolve sooner than later. My hair is definitely starting to grow again, which is great news! :O)
One of my dear friends had a little gathering on Friday evening, and since all of my boys were at Cub Scout Camp this weekend, I was especially free to attend. It's such good medicine to just laugh and chat (and eat!)! I was, however, the BIG loser at Polish Poker! Oh well, someone had to fill that role!
I will close for now, with again, so much thankfulness for all of you! One more quick quote: "It's not how long you live that matters, but how you live." My goal is to live such that I will hear "Well done, good and faithful servant!" when I move onward and upward to my eventual heavenly home. There is so much to learn and experience - I thank so many of you for providing a great example of the kind of caring and compassion Jesus showed us! God bless!
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