So, Tom is already picking out his tattoo. The Cubs won it all, and we've been busy. Our "lucky" place to watch the World Series turned out to be Benchwarmers here in Freeport, where we dined on crabcake burgers for three games straight. =)
I go in for my radiation treatment every weekday at 1:20. With a week and a half of treatments behind me, I'm glad to report that it's mundane, not terrifying. I go back to the radiation waiting area and change into a gown and robe, and sit in my spot on the couch to wait for a tech to come get me. One tech comes out to let me know to go back to the radiation room, and goes to get a warm blanket to lay over me. I lie down on the model/cast thing that they made of my shoulders, arms and head and the techs position me using lasers aimed at my teeny, tiny tattoos. Then the techs go out of the room, and talk to me via an intercom, telling me when to hold my breath for treatments. The "arms" of the machine move around me and make focusing and beeping noises, then I'm done.
I have to hold my breath during the actual treatment (they break it up into manageable bits of time) to minimize the risk of damage to my lungs and heart. Like probably every other person who's had radiation, I spend most of my time hoping not to sneeze or cough, sending radiation to burn the stuff I actually need.
I am back down to part-time work, which is good, because it seems like the fatigue is catching up to me. Today is Saturday, and Jeff had to go down to his office and work. I had plans to drive to Monroe to get some more Fromm canned food for Tiger, clean out my baking cabinet and organize the cat and dog food, and rake leaves if I was feeling really good (and let's be honest here, I haven't felt really good in a while, so that was probably not happening, anyway). I got up to Monroe, but ended up sleeping the rest of the afternoon.
I don't feel as bad as I did after chemotherapy, but the fatigue is real. I can pretty much sum up my life like ... well, let me just lie down here and take a little nap. (Wakes up 4 hours later.)
One thing that is bothering me is that the neuropathy in my hands and feet seems to be getting worse. I get sharp pains in my right foot that feel like I'm stepping on a live wire - I literally jump when it happens. And my fingers are more numb and dead-feeling than they seemed before. But the oncologist said it would be up to a year before I was feeling better.
The neuropathy is weird. When I first mentioned it, my oncologist asked if I dropped things, and if I could still hold a pen. He even had me write my name to see that my fingers were working. They were working fine; I remember thinking that it would suck to not be able to hold a pen. Well, I can still hold a pen, but it's somehow awkward. Like, if I'm writing a check, by the time I get to my signature, it's all I can do to make a squiggle on the signature line.
I've been trying to keep hydrated - the radiation treatment is dehydrating, and I'm still recovering from chemotherapy, which is also very dehydrating. The skin on and around my left breast should start to look and feel sunburned soon, and I'll need to take special care of it (super-hydrating cream twice a day). I already can't wear deodorant on my left side, and have to use a non-soap cleanser when I shower.
My hands get really rough every winter, and I'm trying to keep that from happening. I noticed last weekend when I did the laundry that the dry skin on my fingers is catching on some materials when I fold clothes. It's weird; I don't actually feel them catch - I hear the staticky sound of rough skin on smooth fabric.
While we were watching the Cubs' first World Series win at Benchwarmers, my hands were feeling really rough, so I put on some of the lily of the valley scented hand cream I carry in a small tube in my purse. I got the tube a couple years ago, so it's almost empty. Well, we'd been there for a while (had a few beers), so I decided I would order some more. I must have been very concerned about hydration - I bought 3 BIG tubes! So I'm smelling like lily of the valley lately, and will be for a long while.
