Three more weeks of Radiation!

Well, as of today (after today's radiation treatment, actually), I have 3 more weeks of radiation treatment. The final "regular" radiation is on March 31st...then I have 5 "boosts" that will target the area along the scar line. So...the last day should be April 8th.

So far, I have had 3.5 weeks of radiation. I have developed a mild "tan" to my skin on the areas they are targeting. I am using aloe gel (bottled and purified) and/or aloe directly from the plant (just cut off the outside and smear it on!) The aloe seems to be helping, but my skin is still tender and dry where they are treating. I have a couple of small sores in the general area where I have scratched some tender skin...it just opens up and bleeds quite easily. Fun fun!

I don't know if it is the position they have me in each day or the radiation itself, but I have had some lovely neck and shoulder-area muscle spasms. These usually get worse after each radiation treatment...and I have had neck and shoulder pain just about daily. During the weekends, I seem to get a bit of a reprieve...and just after I get my Wednesday massage I do much better. The massage I had last week (March 10th) loosened me up all the way through the 16th...I had no pain until that afternoon! Yay massages!

Really, radiation is just a pain to have to endure each day (an inconvenience). You get used to it...it becomes part of your daily routine...and it becomes less emotional the more you go...well, as long as there is an end in sight! I will say that having fun, happy and upbeat folks at the radiation center makes a huge difference...they make me laugh, and they make me as comfortable as possible...kudos to them!

Week 2 of Radiation is complete!

Wow...so I am now finished with week 2 of my radiation treatment...I think I realized mid-week just how tired the treatments were making me! I've been getting somewhere between 8 and 10 hours of sleep per night (going to bed early and getting up around 7), and I am just plain tired by midday. It really seems to catch up with me by late Wednesday or Thursday morning. I suppose I am a little surprised by this, but when you think about it...I guess logically I shouldn't be!

The doc explained that he would be killing off (not his words) somewhere around 100 lymph nodes...I am certain that my body is royally pissed off by this fact.

I will say (again) that massage is an incredible benefit to me. I have now gone three times in the past few weeks...I afford this by visiting the local massage school (Cortiva Institute). The students are wonderful and the benefits are numerous! I have so little edema in my legs now...and the pains from radiation are greatly reduced after the massages (sadly, I get them right back the next time I have radiation).

Pain from radiation? Not really direct pain, just pain from holding my arms up above my head, completely still in my "mold" for around 10 minutes. I have pain in my neck and shoulders from this...and now the pains are traveling down my arms (feels like pinched nerves). You can try to relax all you want while on that table...getting radiation...it is just not natural to be in that position like that and it pisses off my shoulders and arms. Oh well...

There has been little to no visible effect on my skin on the radiation sites so far...really I just see some minor dryness--especially along the scar line for my mastectomy. I am using aloe vera gel (99% aloe vera...great stuff) every day, sometimes more than once a day, in the general area being "zapped."

So, dry skin, neck and shoulder (and arm) pain, and fatigue...that is where I am at with radiation treatment. I met with the Radiation Doctor on Tuesday...things are going fine. I also got 4 recommendations from him for surgeons who do reconstructive surgery. Will start on that next.

Keeping my chin up and my attitude very positive...

With love,
Tory