Woohoo, No-mo Chemo!
Man has life been busy! I keep meaning to post, but then I get busy doing something else. As you can tell by the title, chemo is now over! It ended September 14th! Then I started my radiation on September 28th.
My last day of chemo was a bit bittersweet--I love all the chemo nurses and techs because they are so friendly and funny. It was actually enjoyable to go to chemo because of them. To celebrate the last day, I got a vanilla sheet cake at Sam's inscribed with "I'm Done!" It actually was really good! I also brought my camera and got pictures with almost everyone there. It was really funny getting one with my doctor because he is usually a serious kind of guy and I was nervous asking him for a picture. Yet, one of the nurses told me he likes getting his picture taken, so I asked him and he said sure. Then he rushed into his office to get his glasses, because he wanted to be wearing them in the picture--what a funny guy! I plan on putting all the pictures in a scrapbook of this past year, as kind of a way to record everything, but at the same time have the ability to shut the cover and put it away. I know under my doctor's picture I will put: "The man who is saving my life," because that is really what they do there. All the doctors, nurses, techs, everyone works hard so that I can be well and alive--it's wonderful to have that type of support. If it weren't for them, I know I wouldn't be where I'm at today.
Radiation is so far going well. I have four fields of radiation, so my appointment takes about 24 minutes everyday. There will be a total of 33 treatments, and I go Monday through Friday for them. Again, the people and doctors that work there make the time fly and a very comfortable place to be. My appointment is at 10:20 everyday, so I enter the waiting room/lobby and scan a card I have, and that checks me in. Then I walk to the back where there is another waiting room and lockers (there are actually two of these, one for women and one for men). I then change into a gown, wearing only that from the waist up. I then sit and wait to be called back. Then I'm called back via speaker to room 1800 (there are three treatment rooms along my hallway). This room is large with a very large radiation machine. I then lie down on a special board specifically designed for radiation treatment for breast cancer patients. Basically it tilts my upper body up about 30 degrees or so and I then have to position my arm in rests that lie along the side of my head. From there they rubberband my feet together and I have my knees resting on a triangle cushion. I undo my gown and they line up laser lines to the permanent marker lines on my body. They draw on me everyday, because as they said your skin shifts everyday. The marker points are on my waist and all over my right chest. There are three main ones and I protect them with clear tape everyday. I had the option to get tattoos, but I didn't want them. Besides they draw on my everyday anyways, so what would have been the point of tattoos? I also have to tilt my head to the left to avoid some of the radiation fields from hitting my neck. Then it's just like getting xrays, except I don't have to hold my breath. Every other day they put on my skin what is called a bolus, to concentrate the radiation at the scarline. For me, it's just a wet washcloth folded in thirds. I recieve positrons and electrons to my lymph nodes, chest wall and scarline. Sometimes they take xrays to update their positioning. On Mondays I see the doctor and on Tuesdays I get my blood drawn.
That is pretty much it for radiation. I'm supposed to put aloe and aquafore on everyday, but I don't. Usually people get a bad reaction or their skin becomes red and super sensitive, but mine hasn't. I credit that to this tea I drink, Pau d'Arco, a tree bark tea. I read online about other women with breast cancer drinking it and avoiding skin reactions. So far the nurses and techs keep complimenting me on how great my skin looks so far--yeah for natural remedies!!
Oh, also, the waiting rooms for radiation allows you to meet and talk with other patients and their families. It is nice to meet such wonderful people, but also sad to see just how many people are affected by cancer in their lives. The office sees about 60-90 people a day! Today I saw a young girl in the room with her dad, my guess she was high school age, and it broke my heart to see someone so young with cancer. Life will never be fair.
Halloween in the radiation office is a big deal, with money prizes to the first four places. Patients get to vote on costumes and it is a lot of fun to see! The doctors and nurses were all dressed up yesterday and they looked great! I got pictures with my techs and my doc. My doctor was dressed as a "cancer buster" and the techs were and outhouse and pro bowler. It was a hoot! I put a temporary tattto just about my radiation field on my chest of a bat, and when I laid down on the treatment table the techs saw it and got a kick out of it! It was my small contribution that day to halloween :) Now I'm trying to figure out what I'll put on my last day...
Just as a side note, I hope everyone had a great Halloween--we had about 250 kids at our house! I dressed as a witch and handed out candy with my sister who dressed goth. It was a blast!
My last day of chemo was a bit bittersweet--I love all the chemo nurses and techs because they are so friendly and funny. It was actually enjoyable to go to chemo because of them. To celebrate the last day, I got a vanilla sheet cake at Sam's inscribed with "I'm Done!" It actually was really good! I also brought my camera and got pictures with almost everyone there. It was really funny getting one with my doctor because he is usually a serious kind of guy and I was nervous asking him for a picture. Yet, one of the nurses told me he likes getting his picture taken, so I asked him and he said sure. Then he rushed into his office to get his glasses, because he wanted to be wearing them in the picture--what a funny guy! I plan on putting all the pictures in a scrapbook of this past year, as kind of a way to record everything, but at the same time have the ability to shut the cover and put it away. I know under my doctor's picture I will put: "The man who is saving my life," because that is really what they do there. All the doctors, nurses, techs, everyone works hard so that I can be well and alive--it's wonderful to have that type of support. If it weren't for them, I know I wouldn't be where I'm at today.
Radiation is so far going well. I have four fields of radiation, so my appointment takes about 24 minutes everyday. There will be a total of 33 treatments, and I go Monday through Friday for them. Again, the people and doctors that work there make the time fly and a very comfortable place to be. My appointment is at 10:20 everyday, so I enter the waiting room/lobby and scan a card I have, and that checks me in. Then I walk to the back where there is another waiting room and lockers (there are actually two of these, one for women and one for men). I then change into a gown, wearing only that from the waist up. I then sit and wait to be called back. Then I'm called back via speaker to room 1800 (there are three treatment rooms along my hallway). This room is large with a very large radiation machine. I then lie down on a special board specifically designed for radiation treatment for breast cancer patients. Basically it tilts my upper body up about 30 degrees or so and I then have to position my arm in rests that lie along the side of my head. From there they rubberband my feet together and I have my knees resting on a triangle cushion. I undo my gown and they line up laser lines to the permanent marker lines on my body. They draw on me everyday, because as they said your skin shifts everyday. The marker points are on my waist and all over my right chest. There are three main ones and I protect them with clear tape everyday. I had the option to get tattoos, but I didn't want them. Besides they draw on my everyday anyways, so what would have been the point of tattoos? I also have to tilt my head to the left to avoid some of the radiation fields from hitting my neck. Then it's just like getting xrays, except I don't have to hold my breath. Every other day they put on my skin what is called a bolus, to concentrate the radiation at the scarline. For me, it's just a wet washcloth folded in thirds. I recieve positrons and electrons to my lymph nodes, chest wall and scarline. Sometimes they take xrays to update their positioning. On Mondays I see the doctor and on Tuesdays I get my blood drawn.
That is pretty much it for radiation. I'm supposed to put aloe and aquafore on everyday, but I don't. Usually people get a bad reaction or their skin becomes red and super sensitive, but mine hasn't. I credit that to this tea I drink, Pau d'Arco, a tree bark tea. I read online about other women with breast cancer drinking it and avoiding skin reactions. So far the nurses and techs keep complimenting me on how great my skin looks so far--yeah for natural remedies!!
Oh, also, the waiting rooms for radiation allows you to meet and talk with other patients and their families. It is nice to meet such wonderful people, but also sad to see just how many people are affected by cancer in their lives. The office sees about 60-90 people a day! Today I saw a young girl in the room with her dad, my guess she was high school age, and it broke my heart to see someone so young with cancer. Life will never be fair.
Halloween in the radiation office is a big deal, with money prizes to the first four places. Patients get to vote on costumes and it is a lot of fun to see! The doctors and nurses were all dressed up yesterday and they looked great! I got pictures with my techs and my doc. My doctor was dressed as a "cancer buster" and the techs were and outhouse and pro bowler. It was a hoot! I put a temporary tattto just about my radiation field on my chest of a bat, and when I laid down on the treatment table the techs saw it and got a kick out of it! It was my small contribution that day to halloween :) Now I'm trying to figure out what I'll put on my last day...
Just as a side note, I hope everyone had a great Halloween--we had about 250 kids at our house! I dressed as a witch and handed out candy with my sister who dressed goth. It was a blast!
posted by JD @ 12:59 PM
2 Comments:
At 9:24 PM,
Anonymous said…
yay!!! So glad to see that you're doing well :) Are you still living in Lansing with the parents or have you and Doug moved into the new house yet?
I love reading your blog - it's interesting to hear about what's going on and how they're treating you - sounds like they treat you like a princess!
Be well, and many hugs!
At 4:37 PM,
JD said…
Good, I'm glad you love reading the blog! I'm still living in Lansing with the parents, and Doug has moved into a new house in Livonia. I'll be moving in officially once we get married though. How are you doing?
Hope all is well,
Jill
Post a Comment
<< Home