Saturday, December 22, 2012

Down to the wire!

Three times a day.
My friend Mo told me what her Dad used to say:
"How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time."

I am down to my last bite of Radiation Elephant this Monday the 24th. The last time I will ever have to lie down under that huge Linac machine and have my head bolted to the table via The Mask. Hurrah!

The only thing I will miss is the wonderful people I have met along the way. I am having a hard time gathering my thoughts because of all the meds I am on, but my new buds, Theresa & Don have been pestering me to make a new entry. So, this one's for you, Theresa & Don! Don is undergoing the same treatment as me, as far as the mask & radiation schedule goes. We will both be done radiation on the same day. Don is much braver than I, as he is undergoing chemo at the same time :'(
Theresa & Don
A handsome ER doc. (Yeah, I had an overnight at the ER)
I sighed to Craig, "I can't WAIT for this to be over!" & he replied, "Yeah, but you will miss the people." I've got to say he is correct. Here's some more pictures of people at HUP who have made me smile &  inspired me... 
Kimberly & Paul. Paul rang the bell last week.
Add caption
Kay & Carol, volunteers in our
little corner of HUP. (They are not
conjoined twins.)

How I productively spend my days...


Friday, December 7, 2012

Radiation Vacation


Mo's Creations ~ beautiful, huh? I have to give the toolbox back after Christmas:)
I seem to be having a hard time gathering my thoughts enough to create an interesting post for you-all. They scatter here & there more than usual. A friend told me this was the case with her also when she was on one of the same meds. *whew* So that's why I haven't updated for a while.

Today will be my nineteenth out of thirty treatments, so I feel as though I'm coming down the home stretch... Come On Sea Biscuit! the crowd in my head roars.

Today's appointment was pushed back until 6:10 tonight... because the machine broke down. Ummm, huh? I wouldn't want to be the person it broke down on, nor the first person to go after it has been fixed. My one nightmare as I lie strapped to the plank under the humming machine is that it will run amok and keep radiating me until my neck burns away from my body, while the techs frantically try to turn the machine off.
There. I said it.

Christmas lights covered in snow.
I put up lights & decorations (such as they are) several weeks ago. I sure like me some Christmas lights!

Thin & crispy ~ not what I was going for. 
I saw a cooking show where Sand Tart cookies were featured. My mouth watered as I viewed the soft, puffy cookies. "I'm going to make them!", I vowed, and got the butter out to soften. Well, I screwed up somewhere along the line because instead of soft, puffy delishishment, I got hard, crispy, radiated throat-ripping flat cookies that sat around the house for days and were finally banished to the trash can. The first time I can ever remember throwing away cookies :(

Elephant Eating Chart
So says Miz Ellie

And here's a snappy saying from my antiquing bud, Ellie Carroll, who always has such a sunny outlook on life :)

How I'm Feeling (Bitch & Moan section)

At my eighteenth treatment, I am on Gabapentin; a nerve pain reliever, Magic Mouthwash; a numbing agent, a mouthwash for thrush (a condition that seems to come with the radiation territory), a topical numbing gel for the inside of my mouth, a (what I think is a) mild narcotic for throat pain and (Oh how it kills me to say this word...) a STOOL softener because all the meds do a number on the pipes. Oh, plus fluoride for the teeth every night. I was contemplating getting myself a pretty pill case then thought in horror: "Old Lady-hood is raising its ugly head". Plastic baggies will do just fine for a few more weeks.

Laundry Station
a.k.a. Dining Room Table
My throat & mouth still hurt, despite the meds & I am tired lots. Instead of doing the wash, cleaning & marketing all in about a half a day or so, I now choose which one task has to get done. The family is not complaining one bit, and in fact, probably don't notice the wafts of dog hair. As long as clean underwear and socks magically appear on the dining room table, they are fine. 
Bless their hair covered hearts.