However the chemo effect on the taste buds seems to be lingering. I had not thought it would, because it seemed to come and go after every chemo infusion over the winter. However.... my last chemo was 1/22, and it's still going in and out. I bought apples today, convinced that my troubles tasting them are now over. (I have had some days where I've eaten apples and they've been good!) However, not today. Apples, and lots of other food (mostly fruit) are missing a good part of their taste.... and I know it's me, not them. They all have some taste in common, for one thing, which they shouldn't (& don't usually.) Maybe it's a metallic-like taste. I wonder how long this lasts. Maybe Susan Love says something about this.... maybe I will go check.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
taste buds
YOu know, I have heard that chemo fatigue lasts for a long time after the chemo is done. I think I have been extremely fortunate about the whole chemo fatigue thing -- I really didn't have much, and what little I had (which mostly reared its head when it was time to figure out what to cook for dinner..... but maybe I always had that!?) didn't last long after the chemo was done. I don't think. I supposed I might wake up one day with lots more energy and say Hey this is what my energy used to be like! I swear that's happened to me before..... after a viral illness so mild I hadn't realized I was sick..... but I did notice my energy was low. It was soon after I'd turned 40, for 3 days I was just not psyched to do anything, like work out -- course I did it anyway. I was just thinking that maybe I'd had 40 years of superior energy (which is a lot more than most people get!) when I woke up and realized I'd been sick. (I was so happy!) But I don't that's what's going on now -- for one thing I feel pretty good, not tired, biking faster than the Babes who took the winter off.....
Well DOne
I'm 2/3 through radiation. It's fine, no real complaints.... it's like a sunburn. Thing is, if it were a sunburn, I pretty much would have gotten the idea by this point (even given my stubborn nature) that it's time to keep that area out of the sun for a bit, & let it heal. It's not real painful, just a bit tender. I'm wearing only large and extra large bras, so that they aren't tight.
There was a clearance at Target recently on sports bras. I was psyched because they were bright colors, and because they are flat until you put something in them, so they fit both sides of my chest... the one with the breast and the flat one. And when I tried them on it turned out that I fit most of the sizes, which at the time was cool because they only had a few left in each size. Now it turns out that those large and extra large bras are the only ones I'm wearing -- and at this rate I might stop wearing them before I'm done. So my remaining boob will droop and my nipple show. I go braless now sometimes anyway.... it's way less big a deal than it used to be with 2 breasts!
ANyway I'm going to walk today I think.... and maybe swim later. (It's beautiful out, warmer outside than in!) I got some great ideas about swimming, thanks to Jennifer and Barry. I think I'm going to try the vaseline idea first, maybe with some plastic wrap between it and my swim suit. Tegaderm turns out to be something they use on me at radiation; I have a small piece of it on me now. The last one they put on me stayed there for weeks, and when it fell off, the skin was dry underneath ...... which means no moisturizer would get into an area covered with tegaderm either, and I don't know that I want to peel it off before it comes off, as it might take some skin with it. So I'll start with vaseline. WHo knows, maybe it will work so well I'll want to use it when I swim after radiation ends, too -- since I have never figured out how to protect my skin and hair from all that chlorine..... Actually I hear there's a product that protects skin -- but the woman who told me didn't remember what it was! I don't want to rely on google because how will I know the good producte from the crap? SO if anyone knows... do tell!
In other news..... I don't know that Emily will appreciate my posting this, but we've had a little trouble with lice. It's going around her school and, well.... it has come to her head. This time, however, it took awhile for us to realize that she had it, because our usual harbinger of lice was silent -- me! Every time in the past that the kids have had lice I've been the first to know, because I always got it too, and having had an awful case of it as a kid, I knew the feeling right away, every time.
But this time....... You know, lice is always a pain in the butt to deal with, but if it has to come to my house, let it come when I'm bald, I say! :-D
There was a clearance at Target recently on sports bras. I was psyched because they were bright colors, and because they are flat until you put something in them, so they fit both sides of my chest... the one with the breast and the flat one. And when I tried them on it turned out that I fit most of the sizes, which at the time was cool because they only had a few left in each size. Now it turns out that those large and extra large bras are the only ones I'm wearing -- and at this rate I might stop wearing them before I'm done. So my remaining boob will droop and my nipple show. I go braless now sometimes anyway.... it's way less big a deal than it used to be with 2 breasts!
ANyway I'm going to walk today I think.... and maybe swim later. (It's beautiful out, warmer outside than in!) I got some great ideas about swimming, thanks to Jennifer and Barry. I think I'm going to try the vaseline idea first, maybe with some plastic wrap between it and my swim suit. Tegaderm turns out to be something they use on me at radiation; I have a small piece of it on me now. The last one they put on me stayed there for weeks, and when it fell off, the skin was dry underneath ...... which means no moisturizer would get into an area covered with tegaderm either, and I don't know that I want to peel it off before it comes off, as it might take some skin with it. So I'll start with vaseline. WHo knows, maybe it will work so well I'll want to use it when I swim after radiation ends, too -- since I have never figured out how to protect my skin and hair from all that chlorine..... Actually I hear there's a product that protects skin -- but the woman who told me didn't remember what it was! I don't want to rely on google because how will I know the good producte from the crap? SO if anyone knows... do tell!
In other news..... I don't know that Emily will appreciate my posting this, but we've had a little trouble with lice. It's going around her school and, well.... it has come to her head. This time, however, it took awhile for us to realize that she had it, because our usual harbinger of lice was silent -- me! Every time in the past that the kids have had lice I've been the first to know, because I always got it too, and having had an awful case of it as a kid, I knew the feeling right away, every time.
But this time....... You know, lice is always a pain in the butt to deal with, but if it has to come to my house, let it come when I'm bald, I say! :-D
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
swimming
I'm halfway through week 4 -- so I have 2.5 weeks left. So far so good, though Alan and Em agree that it's not pretty. It's a bit spotty and red I guess, and if I touch it in the middle of my chest it feels a bit itchy. Also, when I roll over to sleep face down it bothers me sometimes, so I've started using that pillow I got in the hospital (moon shaped) that i used to sleep fact down soon after the surgery. It works well.
I'm also still using vitamin E oil and the stuff Janet sent me on the chest site, and washing my chest in the morning before I go in -- since I think those things help my skin heal, and the doc is worried about the oil making me burn more.
SOmetimes bras hurt, but only tight ones -- so I'm wearing mostly large and extra large ones now. Sports bras, these are -- it turns out all sizes fit -- everything from small to XL. (I figured this out when target was having a clearance on their brightly colored sports bras.) The cool thing about sports bras are, they fit any size breast -- or non breast! And the two sides of the chest don't have to match; I don't have to wear anything on my right side for the bra to look fine. I think it looks quite nice -- I think people are just used to women looking symmetrical. So now I'm not symmetrical. People will get used to it. I got used to wearing mismatched earrings -- which was hard at first! And now the mismatched earrings go rather nicely with the lopsided chest! Course.... if I had realized I would be losing my right breast maybe I would have had the extra two piercings done in my right ear to balance it out -- so I'd have more earrings where the chest is flat Now I'm left-side heavy, both boob and earrings. It's not really noticeable though.
ANyway -- today I saw the radiation onc. He said that if he were in my situation he'd stop swimming now. He can see that I feel fine, though, and he knew just looking at me that I'm not ready to give up swimming. I will keep an open mind, and watch the skin for breaks..... I think he likes my spirit....
I have this stubborn voice in my head. People said I might not be able to bike through chemo, and the voice said, just watch me. Now I am hearing that maybe I should stop swimming..... and I'm thinking, maybe not.
Probably should go to bed, though. Going....
I'm also still using vitamin E oil and the stuff Janet sent me on the chest site, and washing my chest in the morning before I go in -- since I think those things help my skin heal, and the doc is worried about the oil making me burn more.
SOmetimes bras hurt, but only tight ones -- so I'm wearing mostly large and extra large ones now. Sports bras, these are -- it turns out all sizes fit -- everything from small to XL. (I figured this out when target was having a clearance on their brightly colored sports bras.) The cool thing about sports bras are, they fit any size breast -- or non breast! And the two sides of the chest don't have to match; I don't have to wear anything on my right side for the bra to look fine. I think it looks quite nice -- I think people are just used to women looking symmetrical. So now I'm not symmetrical. People will get used to it. I got used to wearing mismatched earrings -- which was hard at first! And now the mismatched earrings go rather nicely with the lopsided chest! Course.... if I had realized I would be losing my right breast maybe I would have had the extra two piercings done in my right ear to balance it out -- so I'd have more earrings where the chest is flat Now I'm left-side heavy, both boob and earrings. It's not really noticeable though.
ANyway -- today I saw the radiation onc. He said that if he were in my situation he'd stop swimming now. He can see that I feel fine, though, and he knew just looking at me that I'm not ready to give up swimming. I will keep an open mind, and watch the skin for breaks..... I think he likes my spirit....
I have this stubborn voice in my head. People said I might not be able to bike through chemo, and the voice said, just watch me. Now I am hearing that maybe I should stop swimming..... and I'm thinking, maybe not.
Probably should go to bed, though. Going....
Thursday, February 26, 2009
almost halfway through
When I saw the doc this week he said I might need to stop swimming for awhile...... actually he said I would want to stop swimming for awhile. I had to press him to clarify, because I would keep swimming if I could, and pain would not stop me..... Aside from my knee jerk stubborn reaction (when they tell me "YOu won't be able to" I think "Oh yeah? Just watch me!") swimming's been real helpful for the post surgical troubles....... I've had just a slight bit of lymphadema (1 cm swelling in the top of my right arm, gone after PT) but I have roping under my arm -- like trolley lines! I think the swimming helps address it -- not to mention working out the biking kinks, helping my knee, and helping me sleep and relax......
ANyway when pressed the rad onc said that I might need to stop swimming for as much as a month, starting in a week. He said that I can swim if the skin is red, but if it breaks he wants me not to -- he's worried more about germs and infection than chlorine. (With all that chlorine, you'd think the germs wouldn't have a chance!) I am going to work on keeping my skin in good shape so I can swim -- or at least cut that month down to a week or two. And.... I hear tell there is something that can be put on the skin to protect it during swimming. If anyone knows what it is...... please share!
ANyway when pressed the rad onc said that I might need to stop swimming for as much as a month, starting in a week. He said that I can swim if the skin is red, but if it breaks he wants me not to -- he's worried more about germs and infection than chlorine. (With all that chlorine, you'd think the germs wouldn't have a chance!) I am going to work on keeping my skin in good shape so I can swim -- or at least cut that month down to a week or two. And.... I hear tell there is something that can be put on the skin to protect it during swimming. If anyone knows what it is...... please share!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Radiation Protection
I've been getting radiation every day for the last almost 2 weeks -- and additionally I get x-rays on Thursdays, so the doc can check on what they are doing and make sure it's still right. It's a very nice team and the radiation onc is great -- quite possibly the best doctor I've seen yet, though that's a tough one. (Have I mentioned that since I changed medical oncologists to do the last course of chemo I am now in a quandary about which one to stick with, because I like them both, and they both seem to be good at what they do.....?)
I haven't had to wait very long yet, except for the first two days when they were working on getting the positioning of my radiation exactly right. Usually that's just one day but the doc said he decided afterwards that there was a better way he could aim the radiation which would involve less of my lung. (I'm lucky that the breast cancer was in my right breast, so no heart issues with radiation.) About 10% of my lung will be affected, which should be okay since I'm not a smoker, the doc said. And of course you know my theory on all this stuff: as long as I keep biking and swimming and walking, lots, as usual..... well I mean it has to be like the opposite of smoking, to some extent, right? except for when I'm swimming and somehow there is cigarette smoke at the far end of the pool..... I've never SEEN anyone smoking; it might be in the next room and coming through the vents..... and there was a time when they actually had people come paint on the far end of the pool.... during the midday swim! At the high school pool, while school is in session! OKay, the pool is open every day, but if they had waited til summer the doors are open, at least.... Sorry, major digression there.
Anyway, back to the radiation thing. While I'm doing radiation I see the radiation oncologist every week, generally on Tuesdays, after I've had radiation -- though he's flexible if I have something else I need to do. He's good at explaining things, and he has okayed my bringing my bike in, should I be planning to ride with the Babes after rads, in which case I need to ride my nice bike to treatment. (I am unwilling to risk locking it outside -- bike theft is apparently big business around here, and no lock is unpickable.) MOst days I ride my 20 yr old mountain bike, and double lock it out there, hoping it would not be worth the trouble to steal -- most of the other bikes on the rack certainly look more tempting. Anyway last Tuesday I asked the doc why I have no lead protection while I am getting radiation, for the parts of my body that don't need it. I can feel it in my eyes..... (I close them, but my lids are not lead.) I was thinking he would say it was aimed very specifically, and that lead was not needed. Alan thought so too. I was planning to ask for lead aprons anyway, for my peace of mind. I still want them. I will have to try again. I was so taken aback by the doc's response that I forgot to ask for them.
What he said was quite the opposite of what I was expecting. There is so much radiation, he said, that I would need something the size of a safe to protect the rest of me from it -- and of course it would crush me. However, he also said that we have been conditioned to fear radiation, when in fact it is mostly children that are at risk from it, while their cells are still flexible. He said that it's not a big deal for the rest of us. (I did find myself wondering whether some of us have more flexible cells as adults..... but then I decided it probably bears no relation to personality....or inner youthfulness....) He said that they do sometimes administer radiation to children, but it's sad -- because they only do it when they must, when the child has something that would kill him or her now -- because s/he will probably get some kind of tumor 10-15 yrs later, from the radiation.
That gave me some pause, and some perspective on my situation. Whew, thank goodness I only have breast cancer, and not a kid with cancer who needs radiation badly enough to have it despite the likelihood that s/he will get a tumor later.....
I haven't had to wait very long yet, except for the first two days when they were working on getting the positioning of my radiation exactly right. Usually that's just one day but the doc said he decided afterwards that there was a better way he could aim the radiation which would involve less of my lung. (I'm lucky that the breast cancer was in my right breast, so no heart issues with radiation.) About 10% of my lung will be affected, which should be okay since I'm not a smoker, the doc said. And of course you know my theory on all this stuff: as long as I keep biking and swimming and walking, lots, as usual..... well I mean it has to be like the opposite of smoking, to some extent, right? except for when I'm swimming and somehow there is cigarette smoke at the far end of the pool..... I've never SEEN anyone smoking; it might be in the next room and coming through the vents..... and there was a time when they actually had people come paint on the far end of the pool.... during the midday swim! At the high school pool, while school is in session! OKay, the pool is open every day, but if they had waited til summer the doors are open, at least.... Sorry, major digression there.
Anyway, back to the radiation thing. While I'm doing radiation I see the radiation oncologist every week, generally on Tuesdays, after I've had radiation -- though he's flexible if I have something else I need to do. He's good at explaining things, and he has okayed my bringing my bike in, should I be planning to ride with the Babes after rads, in which case I need to ride my nice bike to treatment. (I am unwilling to risk locking it outside -- bike theft is apparently big business around here, and no lock is unpickable.) MOst days I ride my 20 yr old mountain bike, and double lock it out there, hoping it would not be worth the trouble to steal -- most of the other bikes on the rack certainly look more tempting. Anyway last Tuesday I asked the doc why I have no lead protection while I am getting radiation, for the parts of my body that don't need it. I can feel it in my eyes..... (I close them, but my lids are not lead.) I was thinking he would say it was aimed very specifically, and that lead was not needed. Alan thought so too. I was planning to ask for lead aprons anyway, for my peace of mind. I still want them. I will have to try again. I was so taken aback by the doc's response that I forgot to ask for them.
What he said was quite the opposite of what I was expecting. There is so much radiation, he said, that I would need something the size of a safe to protect the rest of me from it -- and of course it would crush me. However, he also said that we have been conditioned to fear radiation, when in fact it is mostly children that are at risk from it, while their cells are still flexible. He said that it's not a big deal for the rest of us. (I did find myself wondering whether some of us have more flexible cells as adults..... but then I decided it probably bears no relation to personality....or inner youthfulness....) He said that they do sometimes administer radiation to children, but it's sad -- because they only do it when they must, when the child has something that would kill him or her now -- because s/he will probably get some kind of tumor 10-15 yrs later, from the radiation.
That gave me some pause, and some perspective on my situation. Whew, thank goodness I only have breast cancer, and not a kid with cancer who needs radiation badly enough to have it despite the likelihood that s/he will get a tumor later.....
Saturday, February 14, 2009
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!!
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!!
Monday, February 9, 2009
First radiation treatment
It was fine. They even gave me pretty much the appointment I need, given that I have to have the same time every day and some of them are biking days ..... though it is going to be a &%@#$!!! getting myself up and out in time to Georgetown at 8:50am every day!!!
They drew an outline on my chest marking the outside boundaries of where they were to radiate, in black marker. It looks like a great big continent outline. I thought, Cool, I'll have something cool to show the kids. The only thing is...... they never warned me it would come off on my clothes...... it's because I biked home -- I biked more than that actually -- and I sweated. I was wearing proper biking clothes.... I have this nice new new white gore-tex shirt that I got at the last Spokes Babes special...... It's cut nicely, and unzips at the belly for ventilation (or overindulgence, some of us joked.)
Well the marker got that and my new yellow sports bra. I have them in a bucket of cold water & salt..... I really hope it comes out! I will have to wash my chest off every time before I leave, if they are going to do that every time..... They knew I was biking. ONce again I have to wonder -- have they really NEVER had a biker before? That seems strange, especially given the daily thing, which means that you have to choose a radiation place that is at least somewhat convenient..... Maybe no one mentioned it before? All the bikers had the forethought I lacked and realized before they got on their bikes that they would sweat and the marker would come off on their clothes...? Well I will be sure to tell them -- so that the next biker gets warned.....as long as I remember!
There wasn't much choice about appointments, but luckily I got one for the time I needed. All they asked was "morning or afternoon?" I got 8:50. It will be brutal to get there that early all the time, but it ought to help me make bike rides...... And maybe after this week I will be able to offer Matthew rides to school on Tuesdays and Thursdays -- which will mean driving to Georgetown straight from his school. This week I have too many appointments (which I will bike to after radiation, so I'll need my bike there) and besides it's springlike weather this week. He seems to be interested in cooperating, though -- he's asked me to wake him a little earlier. COurse what I want is for him to start out by going to sleep earlier..... well it might happen..... I told him I'd be needing to get myself to sleep earlier, and that I'd miss our time together -- and he said he might go to sleep earlier too.
I know the path to h#@(( is paved with good intenions, but sometimes they are the start of something positive -- aren't they...? Maaaaybe?
They drew an outline on my chest marking the outside boundaries of where they were to radiate, in black marker. It looks like a great big continent outline. I thought, Cool, I'll have something cool to show the kids. The only thing is...... they never warned me it would come off on my clothes...... it's because I biked home -- I biked more than that actually -- and I sweated. I was wearing proper biking clothes.... I have this nice new new white gore-tex shirt that I got at the last Spokes Babes special...... It's cut nicely, and unzips at the belly for ventilation (or overindulgence, some of us joked.)
Well the marker got that and my new yellow sports bra. I have them in a bucket of cold water & salt..... I really hope it comes out! I will have to wash my chest off every time before I leave, if they are going to do that every time..... They knew I was biking. ONce again I have to wonder -- have they really NEVER had a biker before? That seems strange, especially given the daily thing, which means that you have to choose a radiation place that is at least somewhat convenient..... Maybe no one mentioned it before? All the bikers had the forethought I lacked and realized before they got on their bikes that they would sweat and the marker would come off on their clothes...? Well I will be sure to tell them -- so that the next biker gets warned.....as long as I remember!
There wasn't much choice about appointments, but luckily I got one for the time I needed. All they asked was "morning or afternoon?" I got 8:50. It will be brutal to get there that early all the time, but it ought to help me make bike rides...... And maybe after this week I will be able to offer Matthew rides to school on Tuesdays and Thursdays -- which will mean driving to Georgetown straight from his school. This week I have too many appointments (which I will bike to after radiation, so I'll need my bike there) and besides it's springlike weather this week. He seems to be interested in cooperating, though -- he's asked me to wake him a little earlier. COurse what I want is for him to start out by going to sleep earlier..... well it might happen..... I told him I'd be needing to get myself to sleep earlier, and that I'd miss our time together -- and he said he might go to sleep earlier too.
I know the path to h#@(( is paved with good intenions, but sometimes they are the start of something positive -- aren't they...? Maaaaybe?
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