Radiation is a Pain

The treatments themselves aren't bad, but after about 11 I started getting really irritated under my breast. Ended up with radiation burns and have not had treatments for almost 2 weeks as they heal. I can't even say how much  it hurt, but imagine burning yourself on a stove and then going out and getting a sunburn. I had bright red spots and was bleeding, too. I have been on antibiotics (my last dose is tomorrow morning) and Dr. H gave me good pain meds. I had a narcotic at first but started getting sick from it, so then I got Tramadol. 

It has been hard to sleep and I've mostly done it in a chair since laying flat makes my breast flop and it pulls the skin.

As of now, though, I would say I'm 85% better. I still have more treatments to do, but she isn't going to start me up again until I'm completely healed.

People talk about being cancer survivors. I would say I'm a cancer treatment survivor!

Radiation

 I started radiation treatment this past week. One week down, 4 to go--25 total treatments! Now that I know how easy it is I'm okay with it. Would like to not go at all, but if I have to, at least it is only about 5 minutes long. I have to lay there topless (yuck) and I don't like having to hold my breath here and there, but overall it isn't bad at all. 

This is supposed to get rid of any 'invisible' cancer that might be in me. I hope so! 

I will be on chemo meds for a long time. My hair is thinning somewhat but I still have most of it. I just need a decent haircut. My friend Tina, who is also my  hair stylist, moved to South Carolina. She's going to try to get up here but the whole Covid thing is making this hard. 

A sad thing that happened this past week is that Katherine lost a dear friend to Covid. He was only in his 30s, but had HIV so that was hard. He checked into a hospital and was brain dead a few days later. It happened so fast! Katherine was devastated. Ryan was such a good guy. He was a food critic and often took Katherine with him to some nice restaurants. I'm sure she will keep many memories of him.

I am 65

 My 65th birthday was last week. Mike has not been feeling well so I went out with Michael, Megan, Katherine and her boyfriend, Andrew (do they still say 'boyfriend?'). Jamie and Nicky were at work.

We were supposed to go to Catfish Annie's but it was closed so we went to a diner. I had duck a l'orange. Not lobster but still delicious.

On the health front, I found out I have to go for 25 radiation treatments to make sure all the cancer is gone. I was not too happy and worried. But I talked to the doctor today and learned there are few side effects. I won't get nauseated from it, my biggest fear. They took measurements in a CT scanner today. I had to lay there with no top or bra on. Could be embarrassing but after all the things I've been through, having my boobs exposed isn't going to mess up with my head.

I will start treatment in a little more than a week.

Surgery, etc.

Well, first, today (Jan 2, 2021) would have been my mom's 98th birthday! Happy Birthday in Heaven, Mom!

I had my surgery as scheduled on December 29. It went well. I have two incisions and Percocet. I wish I had more Percocet. The incision under my arm, where a lymph node was removed, suddenly hurts like HELL. I literally walk around holding my b**b in place so the stitches don't pull. Then again, at least I still have my b**b. (I kind of hate that word. "Breast," otoh, sounds too formal.)

Christmas was lovely. Just had the kids over, plus Katherine's boyfriend, Andrew. It was a very low-key holiday. I did not even go to John and Noreen's. Had to keep away from germs because (God Forbid) if I got sick I might not have had my surgery on time. We needed to get it done in 2020 because I switched to Medicare and other insurance as of yesterday (Jan1, 2021).

Current pain aside, at least I feel I can get moving on with life.   

COOKIES

 Katherine and I baked a family favorite last night (Mon. Dec 8), Spritz Cookies. Actually, she did most of the work with dough I had made earlier. The cookie gun is fun to use.

It's so much fun to use we actually broke it. I've had it for a few years now, and it's my second one. Looks like I'll be buying #3 for next year!

Almost Gone

 The PET scan I had shows the cancer is 'resolved.' That means there is no visible cancer, but not that I'm totally out of the water.

I will be having surgery later this month to get rid of nearby cells so that will hopefully mean I'm done, at least as far as breast cancer. 

Dr. S is aiming to December 29, but it also might happen Christmas Eve. I guess that would just mean we do our 'party' at another time. I hope for the later date, but either way we are getting it done in 2020. 

I have to call Dr. B for a pre-op exam. And I will have a Covid-19 test a few days before the surgery. Damn Corona Virus just wants to hang around. They are talking about vaccines. Soon, I hope!

Forty Years

On Sunday, Nov. 29, 2020 Mike and I celebrated 40 years of marriage. "Celebrated" is a relative term since we stayed home and had sauce like every other Sunday. Between Covid (restaurants aren't running at full power) and worry about my recent tests (no results yet, but mammo looked okay) I just said we could celebrate another time. And that was fine! After all these years, we don't need to do fancy romancy. 

Kids gave us a card and a gift card. Mike gave me a card with the promise we will look for a new couch soon. The one we have is a hand-me-down from Michael and it is awful.