For 28 days I walked into the radiation building with a bit of hesitation. Not much hesitation at first but definitely more as those days got closer to today. Today is what we have been calling graduation day. From the early moment in those 28 I saw someone walk out with a certificate in hand and stated they were done. Today was my day to get that certificate. It was well deserved, at the beginning of the treatments I thought 28 treatments would be no big deal but it was a very difficult journey for many reasons. For weeks I have been looking forward to the end.
One of the things in the radiation room were about 6 panes on the ceiling with a picture of a tree backlit. For most of the summer there was also a photo of a squirrel. Shortly after I started treatment a monkey showed up on the ceiling. Someone thought a monkey should be in the tree. About a week ago the monkey "fell" out of the tree and went missing. I wasn't crying but I told the techs 2 days ago they needed a Blue Jay in the tree. I wondered if it would show up before I graduated. Today when I walked back, there it was, a Blue Jay in the tree with a Squirrel. I had a good 5 minute conversation with the tech about birds, bird feeders, Blue Jays, other things birds eat (that they shouldn't in some circumstances) all while they were prepping me for the radiation treatment today.
8:00 AM regular meds (including the one that allows me to retain food for more than an hour)
9:15 AM Zofran (anti Nausea)
9:30 AM food of some sort so as to not have chemo on an empty stomach
10:00 AM Oral Chemo
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM Lunch in between this time.
2:00 PM I NEEDED to stop eating and drinking 2 hours before treatment. They didn't want my stomach expanded
4:15 PM treatment
Immediately following treatment (Get food)
5:00 - 7:00 PM Dinner earlier than Later
9:15 PM Zofran (anti Nausea)
9:30 PM food of some sort so as tonot have chemo on an empty stomach
10:00 PM Oral Chemo
This happened every weekday so literally I was tied to the calendar and the clock. 1 by product of Chemo was an (often) upset stomach. What really helped was more often than not was food. You would find me eating a meal and then turn around 30 minutes or so later be snacking on a muffin or bread or cookies or something calming to my stomach. What most people don't know is immediatly after PM Chemo dose I was going to bed. My guess if you would ask Leah she might say I was running off to bed. Sleeping allowed me to turn my mind off and all the associations it would bring to the front of mind.
To say I get a break is putting it lightly. The only thing I will have for a short time is needing food to calm my stomach. I no longer have the time or daily schedule I had for the last 28 treatment days.
What's Next you might be asking. I recently met with my Medical Oncologist and she wanted a post treatment CT. She was willing to put it 3 weeks out but I had heard from my Radiation Doc that a good month was best for looking at the tumor. So 8/12 is the date for that scan and my Oncologist is interest in looking around to see what else she can find lurking around. I am hopeful what they find in the line of cancer is already treated cancer and that they do not find anything new. I am ready to put time between the past year and any future medical treatments. 8/19 is my follow up appointment to discuss the CT results with my Oncologist. My Radiation doc will also want to have a follow up but will call and schedule something after the CT results come back.
So until 8/12 I get to try live life as "Normal" as possible.
Photos of the shakes are Day 2 and Day 28 post treratment treats.
~Kent
