Thursday, March 14, 2013

Radiation should be a 4 letter word

I started radiation on March 6th. The first visit was a little longer because they had to take extra films (like x-rays) to make sure everything was lining up like it had before. They told me then I would have to come for 20 visits, so that's only 4 weeks (with 5 visits a week on week days).
Now from the title, don't get me wrong, because I really do like all of the people at the radiation department, they make it more enjoyable. But going every weekday does not give you a week day that you feel normal, a non cancer person. And last Friday I started feeling nauseated. They gave me anti-nausea pills, which are good and helpful, and after the first day I was able to eat more normally, but food still seems like something I have to carefully choose. And that is kinda ok, because I have started loosing some of the poundage I put on since the surgery, but DARN IT! I would rather loose the weight by feeling good and exercising, not by feeling like I should get a baby in 9 months...
So I'm tired, and that makes me cranky. And apparently too lazy to remember to write an update (sorry!!), but otherwise it's going okay. I haven't had a claustrophobic reaction to the mask, which apparently some people do, which I can kinda understand. And I have been eating a lot of yogurt, and thankfully that has helped with the nausea, so I don't feel actively nauseous.
Today was extra hard because I had my easy chemo treatment after radiation, which usually isn't too big of a deal. But they had a hard time trying to get the IV started because they had used that vein to draw blood for regular blood tests, and so I passed out. Luckily they had already removed the needle, and another nurse was able to nicely find a vein in my hand.
But today I am done. Not in the "yippee, let's celebrate!" way, but in the "just shoot me now!" way. I'm sure I'll feel better tomorrow after a good night's sleep.