Halfway.
I'm at the Kansas of my 33 radiation treatments.
Will be done Tuesday December 28th. I thought I'd be done before Christmas, but I didn't factor in Thanksgiving and Christmas days off. The last eight treatments are intense booster treatments, where they target the lump site specifically.
How do I feel? Glad to be here, is what I answer. As that is the truth. Wherever I am.
I told Dr. S (radiology oncologist) Monday I was tired. He said, increase coffee. WHAT? I drink green tea. Super Anti-oxidant Yogi Green Tea. His response, this week is the most energetic I will feel for the next two months. Maybe longer. So for the next six months, he says, drink coffee. I will appreciate the caffeine. He talked about the Christmas flavors Starbucks has, try the Peppermint and Caramel and something else. Starbucks, here I come....
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My lymphocytes are below normal. I am told to stay away from too many germs. Red blood cells are in the normal range, WAY TO GO GUYS!
No other effects. I am visualizing my lungs, heart and bones in that area being shielded from radiation. The radiology technicians continue to be in such good spirits, very up beat and sensitive to me the patient. Yesterday they were taking extra x-rays before the treatment (again.) After the x-rays, I was lying there in position (hands over head, head tilted to right) for about three minutes, which seems like thirty when you are lying there wondering why they aren't doing the treatment. They came in to tell me we were waiting for the computer to reboot, not that the x-rays were an issue. Just nice to be told.
I continue to be achy in my muscles and tendons. Not the joints. Last two weeks, I woke up middle of the night with my outside upper arms aching. This week it is much better. Top of hamstrings and quads ache if I have been sitting too long. It seems they don't quite recover from motion as normal cells do, like they don't have the blood flowing in and out at a normal clip to remove the lactic acid built up from routine muscle use. That's my theory. Dr. M (oncologist) said this week (yes, lots of doctors visits this week and next) to give myself a full year after chemo for the side effects to subside. okay.
Good news, I am not experiencing any nerve pain. Your prayers worked great guys! This is wonderful!
More good news, to those of you who have been following the saga of our basset hound, she has slept a night in her new crate. She has risen above the horrors of chewing out of the old metal one, forgotten the trauma of the cheeping smoke detector, and goes into her new crate voluntarily. Phew.
Mike and I have started yoga, now twice a week. R comes to our home, we roll out our mats, ting the bells, and flow through our postures. LOVE IT. I feel less achy after yoga.
I continue acupuncture weekly. And daily afternoon meditation. Some days for sixty minutes, some days only ten. Several different CD's of it on my IPAD. Variety is the spice of life.
Exercise every day. I took Sporty for a thirty minute brisk walk at lunch.
Today the first of our Orlando Home Grown Groceries will be delivered. Local and organic.
Had a vegetarian dinner last night for the first time I can remember, Lentil Soup (tumeric, cumin, onion, carrot, garlic, tomato, spinach, chic peas) with bread from Antonios, fresh Manchego Cheese, blueberries. Organic Blackberry Jam bars for dessert.
Who are these people living in our home? Did aliens take our Mike and my bodies?
Last night Corey practiced yoga and ate with us. And pointed out that the Jam bars had sugar and butter in them. YES they did, you don't want to shock our bodies, it's baby steps.
I am peaceful, and confident God will lead me to whatever changes and redirections he wants me to make in our lives. We are trying things, some will stick, some not. How comforting to know he is in charge.
And even more comforting to know he will be with me tomorrow loving me, and with me all my tomorrows.
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matthew 28
