What's new, right now...

I am happy to report that I have only 4 more radiation treatments remaining. Thank goodness that soon this nightmare will be over or will it? That's my big personal question. Will this horrible calamity return and perhaps be more aggressive and angry than before? I can't imagine any cancer survivor lives without some degree of fear. But today, I celebrate that I have such a short time remaining in my treatment. This last week of treatment consists a concentrated and higher dose of radiation directly targeted at the site of my incision. Last week, Dr. McD, my radiation-oncologist took his trusty magic marker and while probing my breast located and drew along the margin of my excision (Ouch!) Then digital photos were taken as well as a transparency of the dots and dashes he drew on my breast. These illustrations were used today to line up the beams of radiation. Mercifully, the skin under my breast, along my sternum, and that of my armpit were spared another dose of radiation. I don't think it could have taken anymore. Radiation is not kind to skin. My flesh is painful, irritated, peeling, bleeding, and hurts. It is ugly and raw. I told the helpful nurse about it and she graciously gave me 3 different samples of lotions specially formulated for first and second degree burns caused by radiation treatments. Relief in a tube of lidocaine! The treatment itself was 30 seconds longer but the set up: positioning of the table, lining up the beams, changing the scope on the machine, took a significant amount of time. Once finished, I repeated the same ritual of the last six weeks: I took Clarence's hand, hopped off the table, thanked the techs for being fussy about doing things correctly, and breezed out of the room,promising to see them tomorrow. I got dressed after liberally slathering on one of my new ointments, and walked out of the treatment area and into Michael's arms. Only 4 more to go. Onward to victory!