One Rad To Go

Yep, that's correct. One radiation treatment left on Monday. It is still so vivid in my mind that phone call that came in the early morning hours of January 10, 2011, and still feels like yesterday. Until.... I realize that I have been through months of treatment, chemotherapy, surgery and the perplexity of deciding what was best for me, weeks of radiation. And we aren't over yet, but we have traveled oh so very far already. It feels good right now.

And the skin breakdown is healing very well right now. The underarm is no longer red and fiery. The only issue seems to be under my breast in the area where the boost is still hitting. But it is a small area and I hope that only one more treatment won't cause further breakdown.

I talked to my Radiation Oncologist about what it is that causes the breakdown. And apparently the easier you tan, the better off you are, which is what I thought would happen. But, you also need to tan well, and be rail thin, or close to it. Because you see, the larger your breasts are, or bigger you are, the more radiation is required to treat the entire area in question. So the woman I met the other day who thinks because she is fair skinned she will do well with radiation, isn't correct. Although she was pretty thin, so she has that part going for her. 

Yesterday I delivered five plates of cookies to each of the different departments at Redwood Regional Cancer Center; one for the front desk and scheduling, one for the Oncology doctor and nurses area, one for the Radiation treatment team, one for the Radiation Oncologist doc and nurses, and lastly one to the infusion room for the Oncology nurses and team. I attached a Thank You card to each, which also included the photo of Mark and I with Nico. The Infusion team knew I was to become a grandma but hadn't seen me since May, so I wanted to brag a bit to them. Mark and I made two batches. He made his favorite of oatmeal cranberry, and I made the Kayak cookies, which are so yummy and have oatmeal, coconut, choc chips, and nuts. The Rad Techs (is that what they are called???) were very thankful today. But it is I who is very thankful for them. My card read, "Thank you for all the tender loving care this year."

And once treatment and the Radiation Oncologist followup was complete yesterday, I headed to Davis to be with Alura and Nico. I was so very tired, but we had a great visit. I helped her with some decisions on their birth announcement, and we made a trip to downtown Davis to have her borrowed breast pump serviced, get a gelato, and just browse around town for a bit. We returned to her home and I fixed dinner, and joined them and Stephan for dinner, before heading home. It was a lovely visit and I am so very proud of her and the mother that she is becoming. Even when little Nico was screaming around 7pm, which apparently is what he tends to do about then, she was so patient and gentle with him; trying to figure out what he needed and soothe him as best she could. This sure makes a mom very proud.

So now I am off for a weekend with girlfriends. My sweetheart of a husband once again is holding down "the fort" of Brookfarm for us so I can galavant around for 2 days and nights. He is loving me through it, FOR SURE!

Hugs,

Debbie... aka the cancer warrior ... AND SURVIVOR!!!

LIVESTRONG: 

I AM STRONG. I AM LOVED. I AM HEALTHY. WE WILL WIN!