One of the ladies that I run across in the dressing room said that she likes to go by weeks not by the number of treatments because they don't seem so overwhelming...I thought I'd do that today because I did not blog on # 4 or #5. The only thing that I can say is different is that I feel stuffy on the right side of my head. Sort of like I am swimming under water. That may be a start of a cold or maybe one of my drugs has that side effect.
Summer, Dominic and Autumn were here on Thur. and we had a great time. Whitney, Julianna & Logan joined us outside and it was wonderful to see all my grandchildren running in every direction in the yard. Sort of like little chicks :) My heart felt full of gratitude and wonder at the goodness of God. To watch my daughters with their children all having a good time (with a few tears mixed in there from Dominic). Life truly does go on. I hope that they will remember the memories that were made in this yard. Quite a comedy act when the kids all hit a wall and the fun is over!!! Kids need a nap and moms are ready for them to do just that!
Just as quickly as all of the activity started and all of the laughter and noise began, it was over...What a great feeling to have my family so close that we can all meet in a matter of an hour or so. I am truly blessed...I know I keep saying that but it really is true.
This Friday I had lunch with my dear friend Vickie from Lewistown. We had a great laugh fest over too much food and then we had a little crying jag over life and what survivors we both are. We patted each other on the back about how wonderful we are! HA! DANG! We are awesome!!!
Tomorrow is my appointment with the radiologist oncologist and am guessing that he will tell me what all the x-rays told him before they started radiation. I will keep you all posted.
Love you all and thank you for all of your prayers that have carried me through.
Aug.2012
Mark and I ready for Blades wedding
The first ring
Dec. 7 2011
the bell of Victory!
Reading the plaque
Patients ring this bell on their last treatment.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
# 3
Treatment went as the other two have and so nothing exciting to report...EXCEPT...met another lady in the dressing room and she is half way through her 6 weeks of radiation. She LOVED my hair and asked me how many treatments I had left. We visited for quite awhile and we discovered that we both have watery eyes and figure it is from the chemo. Interesting. Then she shared that she was afraid to take her hormone therapy pills. I was able to share that I also am on hormone therapy and not to be afraid. Nice. I got to help and encourage someone today. She was very bubbly and chatty and we carried on quite a conversation. It continued out to the waiting room where Mark was. We go out there in our gowns and wait for out turn so she was in her gown and I was on my way out the door (fully dressed in my own clothes).
I noticed another lady in a different waiting room and I thought that I remembered her and it in fact was her. She has been diagnosed with double lung cancer and it has gone to her brain! Yikes! Another moment of gratitude for me.
Today there was a man in the waiting room with me. He will be done with his treatments on Monday. He has prostate cancer. He and Mark had quite a little visit while I stared blankly at the cooking show on the tv over head.
By the time I am done with these treatments I will be able to find my way out of that place. The girls that work the machine that zaps me tell me to follow the daisy pictures but I can never find any daisy pictures after the first one... There is a whole community behind the scenes. I think I have stumbled across most of it trying to find my way out of my assigned space.
# 4 tomorrow. So far so good :)
I noticed another lady in a different waiting room and I thought that I remembered her and it in fact was her. She has been diagnosed with double lung cancer and it has gone to her brain! Yikes! Another moment of gratitude for me.
Today there was a man in the waiting room with me. He will be done with his treatments on Monday. He has prostate cancer. He and Mark had quite a little visit while I stared blankly at the cooking show on the tv over head.
By the time I am done with these treatments I will be able to find my way out of that place. The girls that work the machine that zaps me tell me to follow the daisy pictures but I can never find any daisy pictures after the first one... There is a whole community behind the scenes. I think I have stumbled across most of it trying to find my way out of my assigned space.
# 4 tomorrow. So far so good :)
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
#2 done :)
Mark and I went in all prepared for me to get my blood drawn and I read on the doctors orders that I need to fast! Grrrrr... So I will have blood drawn tomorrow at 8:15.
My second treatment went well except that I was not supposed to take off a little sticker that was left on my body for a purpose...I don't remember anyone telling me to leave it on. Now I know.
When I was in the dressing room getting my clothes out of the locker, there was a lady standing there trying to figure out who was in her dressing room (there is only one) and I told her that it was me. She smiled and told me that today is her last treatment and how many did I have left...she tried to sound encouraging when I said 31 :) She asked me if I had breast cancer and I said yes and when I asked her about her cancer, she said that hers had metastasized by the time that it was discovered. She had gone in complaining about back pain near her kidney and they found a tumor deep in her breast. When she said " there is no cure for me" I felt a sort of out of body experience. She has been going through one chemo or another and now a few radiation treatments to try to slow it down I guess. She's been doing this for over 2 years! She looked great! If you saw her on the street you would not know that she is not well! We chatted for quite awhile about our treatments and how we feel and so on. She asked me if I had lost my hair and that it was gorgeous :) and she made my day of course! I introduced myself just as I was about to leave ( I got ungowned and dressed in front of her) and she introduced herself to me. I felt like I had known her for a very long time. I think there is a certain kinship with 'boobless' women. There was a quiet strength and courage that I felt as I walked out of that room.
Then I cried as I told Mark about this brave lady and once again determined that I am so grateful for every day that the Lord has given me. I also committed not to whine because my head feels like it has cotton on the right side and because I have a sinus headache (I think)....of course you know that is not true...I will whine again and again the Lord will put someone in my path like this lady today to remind me that all is well....don't sweat the small stuff and it is all small stuff!
My second treatment went well except that I was not supposed to take off a little sticker that was left on my body for a purpose...I don't remember anyone telling me to leave it on. Now I know.
When I was in the dressing room getting my clothes out of the locker, there was a lady standing there trying to figure out who was in her dressing room (there is only one) and I told her that it was me. She smiled and told me that today is her last treatment and how many did I have left...she tried to sound encouraging when I said 31 :) She asked me if I had breast cancer and I said yes and when I asked her about her cancer, she said that hers had metastasized by the time that it was discovered. She had gone in complaining about back pain near her kidney and they found a tumor deep in her breast. When she said " there is no cure for me" I felt a sort of out of body experience. She has been going through one chemo or another and now a few radiation treatments to try to slow it down I guess. She's been doing this for over 2 years! She looked great! If you saw her on the street you would not know that she is not well! We chatted for quite awhile about our treatments and how we feel and so on. She asked me if I had lost my hair and that it was gorgeous :) and she made my day of course! I introduced myself just as I was about to leave ( I got ungowned and dressed in front of her) and she introduced herself to me. I felt like I had known her for a very long time. I think there is a certain kinship with 'boobless' women. There was a quiet strength and courage that I felt as I walked out of that room.
Then I cried as I told Mark about this brave lady and once again determined that I am so grateful for every day that the Lord has given me. I also committed not to whine because my head feels like it has cotton on the right side and because I have a sinus headache (I think)....of course you know that is not true...I will whine again and again the Lord will put someone in my path like this lady today to remind me that all is well....don't sweat the small stuff and it is all small stuff!
Monday, October 24, 2011
treatment 1 done!
I'm baaaack!
Mark and I had a little lunch before my treatment at the little snack bar at the cancer institute. Yummy chicken with wild rice soup. I got to swipe my little card and walked in like I knew what I was doing except I didn't know where I was going until I saw 'women's dressing room'. Mark went in with me and we got to know the lay of the land :)
There were lots of x-rays taken and finally I was given my treatment. No it didn't hurt and I didn't feel a thing except tired from holding my arms up. The left side of my chest is all marked up and I am guessing that is where they 'zapped' me. I was told that my immune system will not be as compromised as it was with the chemo but to try to stay away from people with colds or that are sick in any way. So pretty much the same as when I was going through chemotherapy.
I was also asked to kiss my grand babies on the top of their heads if they have the sniffles and not their precious little faces.
Tomorrow I go in at 11:45. I will be bouncing around for awhile until I settle in at 10:15. I think that starts on Thursday.
Will report in manana.
Mark and I had a little lunch before my treatment at the little snack bar at the cancer institute. Yummy chicken with wild rice soup. I got to swipe my little card and walked in like I knew what I was doing except I didn't know where I was going until I saw 'women's dressing room'. Mark went in with me and we got to know the lay of the land :)
There were lots of x-rays taken and finally I was given my treatment. No it didn't hurt and I didn't feel a thing except tired from holding my arms up. The left side of my chest is all marked up and I am guessing that is where they 'zapped' me. I was told that my immune system will not be as compromised as it was with the chemo but to try to stay away from people with colds or that are sick in any way. So pretty much the same as when I was going through chemotherapy.
I was also asked to kiss my grand babies on the top of their heads if they have the sniffles and not their precious little faces.
Tomorrow I go in at 11:45. I will be bouncing around for awhile until I settle in at 10:15. I think that starts on Thursday.
Will report in manana.
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