Kicking Cancer's A** -- My Road to Recovery

Wow! So excited. Guess who's not gonna make the long drive to her doctor's office today? ... I had my FINAL radiation treatment (Day #21) yesterday. I can officially say that the tumor blasts treatments are more hardcore. My residual side effects are as follows: a little pain, some soreness and tenderness, my nipple is darker in color than the other and I have what looks like a rash/sunburn all over the breast. In addition, there is a darker red spot about the size of a golf ball where those last five targeted treatments were. Fatigue is not really much of an issue. I am told that all of these side effects will diminish with time (like my scars) and that I am not likely to have any lasting changes from this treatment. The discoloration may be permanent in that the redness will fade to a tan, but there is no way to know that now and even if that happens, so what? My radiation oncologist says out of a ten point scale where ten is the best, I was a solid ten insofar as how I...

So today is my last day! Haven't had the treatment yet but will soon. Yesterday's treatment (#20) wasn't too bad after having a kinda rough time this past weekend. I have finally had that skin reaction I was expecting all along but it's not too bad. It looks like a sunburn/rash but not too dark or angry. I'm told it will fade with time post-treatment. I hope so. Today is graduation day for me. In a few hours, will have my final treatment. I am looking forward to it ... but with a little trepidation. After this, I am on my own. Sure, there will be further tests and future check-ups. But I will not be in "active" treatment anymore. There are no maintenance drugs I can do and nothing but chemotherapy left as far as any other treatment which I have already rejected. I must divert my attention away from getting through treatments and recovery which I have been doing for the past six months. I will now focus on being as healthy as I can and being proactive...

As I finish these last few radiation treatments to try and keep the cancer from returning, my thoughts and focus are turning to the future. After this week, there are no more planned treatments. After this, it's up to me without medical intervention. Of course, I will be checked and have some follow-up visits with my oncologist and cancer care coordinator and a new mammogram around August/September. I will continue to get healthier, work on my diet and exercise, sleep better, drink more water, etc. This is even more important than ever. I can't slip back into my old bad habits. I have always believed there are Eastern and other more natural, holistic healing methods out there that are very effective. I have tried acupuncture and massage and will do those again. I want to pursue yoga (you know, the little green guy from Star Wars? Lol). Another thing (besides paying more attention to the type of food I put into my body) I have decided to incorporate is the heavy use of essen...

I'm on a short break to do a three-day show now but finished Day #19 on Thursday. While I am still handling fatigue well, the tumor blasts have been a little more difficult than expected. They hit a fairly small area with a highly concentrated blast from three different angles and it is a lot. The area is swollen and very sore. In fact, it is affecting my right arm movement and I am stiff on that side. In addition, I have developed a rash on my chest (not in the area being treated) that's very red and blotchy and itches like hell. I'm not gonna tell my radiation team, but because there was a mark with a piece of tape over it in the rash area, I removed the tape (and therefore the mark) and they will have to redo it on Monday. I had to remove it because it was itching and hurting there. On the other hand, that area under my breast isn't sore (like it has been) and other parts not in the new treatment field are healing and will continue to heal. So I am almost done an...

Day #17. Down. First day (1 of 5) of what they nicknamed, "Tumor Blasts." While that sounds scary, it's really not. All it means is that they refine the radiation field down to a much smaller area around the tumor bed. It also means they are no longer radiating the entire breast and surrounding chest. Which is really awesome because I had my worst day of shooting pains so far yesterday after treatment. I think my body was screaming "enough, already!" Today, I have had very little pain and discomfort. And since I already kicked fatigue's butt and sent him away; none of that either. This visit was a long one because they had to do a lot. They took new measurements and X-rays and drew new marks in different places. The aligning and machine resetting took quite a while. Before, the machine had two different positions for treatment ... one to my far left angled down toward my right chest and the other out to my right side and angled slightly up. Now, I am z...

They say you never know how tough you are until you have to be. While I still don't know who "they" are, I have to concur with them. I just finished what is the hardest physical show I have to work all year with the most challenges this past weekend. It is also one of my favorites. Called the Poteet Strawberry Festival, it is held the second weekend in April every year in a VERY small town most people would otherwise never hear of about 45 minutes Southwest of San Antonio. The population of Poteet is listed at about 3400 people and it is about as sleepy a little town as you could image. Neither a McDonald's or a Walmart here, folks (although the do have a Dairy Queen). There's not even one motel here, ergo, my stay at a motel in South San Antonio which is the closest I could find. So this little town transforms into Las Vegas overnight for three straight days when the festival begins with fireworks, rodeos, all night parties, bands everywhere, vendors lining SH 16...

Day #16. Done. Owned It. Did pretty well today ... less discomfort than yesterday and skin is still holding up well. Of course, I am like a fanatic with using creams/lotions, etc. I can tell the difference with some darkening (mostly the nipple), but it isn't real obvious. I did experience some fatigue and am tired tonight. Will probably go to bed soon and rest up because my 3-day show starts tomorrow. I am in for some long hours of work but will not have another treatment until Monday. Hopefully, I will have the energy I need. In fact, Monday will be final day of my whole breast radiation. On Tuesday, I will start the first of 5 "tumor blasts" which will focus the radiation on the area where the tumor was removed. I should be done completely by Tuesday after next. Let the countdown begin. I am ready to graduate!

Or is it an oncoming train? Lol. Days #12, #13, #14 done. As per my usual, Monday and Tuesday were pretty good; although I had a bout with fatigue Monday night. Had to go to bed at 9:00 p.m. which is so not the norm for this night owl. Was so tired I was shaky. Wednesday (today) brought more pain focused in a couple of areas including the usual under the breast rib area and higher up near the crease where my arm is. There are occasional shooting pains throughout, but the areas I am talking about have a combination of burning, stinging, soreness and itching in equal parts. My pain level today is closer to a 7 whereas yesterday it was more like a 3. I don't feel particularly tired and have napped very little during the day (I think once ... lol) and I have to admit the cumulative effect of fatigue was the side effect that worried me the most. For me, it's up and down rather than a linear pattern getting just a little harder each day. So I see my doctor (radiation oncologist) ...

You know, everyone has good and bad days. With cancer, this can be even more exaggerated. So many times treatment affects your day: from your mood to your energy to your physical state. I have certainly learned why so many call it a rollercoaster. I am not ashamed to say I broke down yesterday; crying for no real good reason. It's not like I had gotten any bad news ... I just wasn't having a good day and the treatment was more uncomfortable and tiring. I slept for 10 hours yesterday, but got up this morning feeling much better. And today was better. I have just completed slightly more than half of my 21 treatments, finishing Day 11. Although I have some soreness and tenderness, especially in that one area, I am more comfortable this evening and as I am traveling to Houston for work tomorrow, done until Monday. So I have some slight skin changes that have appeared including a darkening of the skin pigment on the right side, as well as a few red blotches (like a minor rash). ...

Days #8, #9 #10. In the rearview mirror. Done. I am about halfway done with radiation treatment! Can I get an amen?!? So Monday and Tuesday were easy. In fact, yesterday (Day #9) I felt no side effects. No pain, no discomfort, no fatigue ... almost completely normal. It is wonderful to have days like this while undergoing radiation. Today was a bit tougher. More pain especially in the skin and rib area underneath the breast. It feels a bit like when you scrape your knee or get a burn. I have swelling and it's uncomfortable for sure. There was a lot of heat today and the treatment seemed long. I guess I was overdue for something as I haven't had a bad day since last Thursday. I really feel like lying down and just going to sleep in hopes that I'll feel better in the morning. I guess that's the fatigue talking. Lol. My skin is still holding up well though. No blistering, redness, not much swelling and no breaks or rash. It's between days 10 and 14 that most ...