First Week of Radiation

I biked all week. It was just so nice out, i had to. And -- until Friday I didn't stop at just going to Georgetown and back. I will tell the biking/swimming story with the radiation/medical story mixed in. (I know it might be harder to read that way, but it's easier to write -- sorry!)

On Monday I did a late start radiation, got a bone scan, and biked home the long way -- the rest of the "Arlington Loop," which is this wonderful loop of almost continuous bikepath. There has always been a place down by Alexandria where the bikepaths disconnect and we've had to ride on roads -- but the path got finished, and MOnday was the first time I'd ridden it like that!

Starting on Tuesday my appointments have been at 8:50am. that takes arranging for me to get there, because I have to leave home at 8, but as long as Matthew makes his bus I should have almost a half hour to myself before I have to leave. (If he doesn't make his bus and I have to drive him I will have to keep going to G-town in the car. I will try to do this only when I choose.... like on a day that's rainy or something.....) Anyway on tuesday I saw the radiation onc after the radiation -- that's going to be the weekly plan, though I can arrange to see him on a different day if I have plans on a particular Tuesday.

Radiation took forever on both Monday and tuesday because they were getting it right. APparently for all the time they took on Monday the doc decided to try to change the angle to involve less of my lung. He said that 10% of my lung will be damaged, which should not be an issue as I am not a smoker. (I think it must be lucky for my heart that the cancer was in my right breast.)

ANyway between the long radiation time and the MD visit, it was 11 by the time I was done. I had put my pool stuff into my backpack, so I biked to the pool and swam -- only 2/3 of a mile because I had to make it to a 1pm PT appointment. Then I biked home. (I worked at fitting the pool in because sometimes i get kinks from the biking, and my knee complains a little, and swimming really fixes something about both of those things.)

On Wednesday I rode my nice bike to radiation and brought it into the building as I had prearranged. (BIke theft is big business around here, and I hear that no lock is unpickable....) Afterwards I met the Babes and rode the Loop with the group.

Thursday I rode the old bike again, and after radiation biked up to Maryland to see my oncologist.

By thursday afternoon I was kinda sore from all the biking (90 miles) so instead of signing up to lead a Babe ride on Friday I decided to swim. I biked to radiation and then HOME again for a change. Then I had a little rest (really little, like 20 mins. I was surprised that that was all I wanted.) I ate lunch, and went for a swim. I felt bad about driving to the pool, because it was the only day I'd used the car!!! BUT we were out of groceries, and if I biked to the pool I wouldn't be able to bring many home on the way back..... so, boring as it was, I had to bring the car and fit that one errand in.

And then Janet came! Just for the weekend, from Ithaca. Now what were the chances of that? She is helping with so many things...... cooking, kids.... all the things I'm too tired to do a good job of.

WHich reminds me..... I'm pleased and proud that I have been keeping up with the fitness throughout this treatment -- but there is something I have to say. People say I'm amazing and stuff, and it's not quite like that. I realized this weekend with Janet here to help cook and tend to the everyone's emotional needs (mine included) that the thing is..... it's not that I don't get tired, but where the tired shows up is not where you would think. I'd have to be really tired to give up biking and swimming and walking...... like I was the weekend after each dose of adriamycin/cytoxan. But figuring out meals/cooking and dealing with kid squabbles are the first things to go for me. Boy do I get too tired for those things.

Course to be honest I was often too tired for those things by the end of the week, before my diagnosis & treatment.... before I moved to DC.... but the last time I was as tired about meal preparation as I was towards the end of the chemo was I think when the kids were little and I was juggling them with the clinic job, by the end of the week.

So we will see if that happens again towards the end of radiation. I was pretty tired Thursday afternoon after all that biking...... The doc said tamoxifen will make me tired too -- but as Mom pointed out, I can't be tired for 5 years! So I wonder how that works -- do I get used to it, or do I just lower my standards for energy?

And does tamoxifen have side effects about taste buds? My taste was coming back but it's wierd again. I've tasted wonderful oranges for 2 days now, but something else is off. I can almost taste it when I'm not even eating......

I will check. Meanwhile, if you guys find anything out, do tell!

Meanwhile, Happy Valentines' day!!