Fruit & Nuts, Part 2
I can't remember if I wrote about what Dad called "Fruit & Nuts Day" in the chemo center, but today was "Fruit & Nuts Day" at radiation. I'm only sad no one was there to witness it with me. You see, it's important that my family be reminded how sane I am by experiencing the poor behavior of others. Shortly after I arrived and sat down in the waiting room, a much older woman came in for her treatment. She kept asking for a walker because she felt like she might have a little diarrhea. (I'm not exactly sure how these two things are related, but this is when I started to pay attention since I knew I was supposed to be the last person on the table before lunch. I didn't want to have to follow someone who might not have control of their bowels.) She had several demands that weren't within the power of the radiation staff to meet, so finally someone had to actually take her to the bathroom so she wouldn't have an accident on the table. I don't mean to mock her medical issues, but the way she handled them was actually quite hilarious. She had no problem announcing that she had diarrhea within earshot of 30 people. The technicians actually thanked me for being so low-maintenience when I was done with my treatment.
I've just had my final whole breast radiation treatment! After I got zapped, I got marked for the next round of treatment, the "boosts." These will focus on a much smaller area right around where my tumor was located. I'm having nine instead of the standard eight because the margin was so close on the chest wall. I'll have to live with the Sharpie markings for two weeks because the tattoo that marked the edge of this field fell in an area I wasn't willing to tattoo.
My doctor is clearly as blind and/or insane as the doctor I saw last week because she, too, said "Your skin looks great!" I have an area right under my arm, exactly where the under wire from my bra hits, and another right on my breast that are completely raw because the burnt skin has peeled away to reveal the new, pink skin underneath. I got some nursing pads from my sister and now each morning I'm going to slather one with Aquaphor and put it on the raw spot so that my clothing doesn't rub it and so the Aquaphor keeps it moist. If nothing else, cancer makes you a creative problem solver.
I've just had my final whole breast radiation treatment! After I got zapped, I got marked for the next round of treatment, the "boosts." These will focus on a much smaller area right around where my tumor was located. I'm having nine instead of the standard eight because the margin was so close on the chest wall. I'll have to live with the Sharpie markings for two weeks because the tattoo that marked the edge of this field fell in an area I wasn't willing to tattoo.
My doctor is clearly as blind and/or insane as the doctor I saw last week because she, too, said "Your skin looks great!" I have an area right under my arm, exactly where the under wire from my bra hits, and another right on my breast that are completely raw because the burnt skin has peeled away to reveal the new, pink skin underneath. I got some nursing pads from my sister and now each morning I'm going to slather one with Aquaphor and put it on the raw spot so that my clothing doesn't rub it and so the Aquaphor keeps it moist. If nothing else, cancer makes you a creative problem solver.
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