Showing posts with label radiation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label radiation. Show all posts

Monday, July 18, 2011

Allll done!

I'm very excited to say that as of last Wednesday, I am finally finished with all of my treatment!  I'm not really sure what to do with myself now that I don't have to go to the doctor every single day.  It feels great to sleep in a bit (because I'm still a little fatigued).  I should probably use that time to workout but I haven't had much motivation...it's also been pretty hot here and I don't enjoy working out in weather that makes me sweat when I'm just sitting in the shade.  I hope that I will soon develop an internal motivation that will get me out the door no matter what. Any suggestions from those that workout regularly? 

Every single doctor has mentioned that regularly exercising will help my chance of keeping cancer at bay and it will also be better for any possible side effects from surgery/radiation (i.e. lymphedema).     I've been thinking of getting a trainer to motivate me until I develop this internal motivation.  But again, open to suggestions. 

My hair is slowly but steadily growing.  I don't have enough to feel comfortable to go without a wig but it feels great to finally have some fuzz growing.  I'm seeing some grey and I want to pluck them out but at this point, beggars mustn't be choosy. :)

So, what's ahead?  I have a checkup with my surgical and radiation oncologist in a month.  I'm already clear to do 3-month check ups with my medial oncologist (the chemo doc), which I will do for the next 2 years.  Aside from a blood test and being checked up by the doc, there's not much monitoring that I need to do.  And since I don't have any breast tissue left, I don't have to do any more mammograms.  But as I said before, I do need to start exercising more regularly and eating healthy (i.e. lay off the cupcakes -- I'm looking at you, Dad -- stop driving by Sweet Mandy B's!).  I'm also enrolling in the Northwestern Ovarian Cancer Early Detection & Prevention program because I'm also at a high risk for ovarian cancer. I'll see that team every 6-months.  And, I hope to have my reconstructive surgery at the end of the year, around the holidays.  Thankfully that surgery should be much less invasive than the surgery I had last year.   

Though I'm taking a sigh of relief for making it this far, I still have some work to do.  But I made it through the toughest part...it's nice to have that behind me!

Monday, June 13, 2011

Waaaay behind on blogging....

I know -- I'm waaaaaaay behind on blogging.  My blame is equally distributed between being too busy and too tired.  I'm back to working 5 days a week (which is the first time since the new year) so I think that's contributing to my tiredness, coupled with fatigue from radiation. 

One of these days I will upload pictures from my weekend celebration in Milwaukee with my girlfriends.  I had SO MUCH FUN.  I laughed so hard that I think my abs are still a little sore.  It was so nice to get away with the girls -- now that many of my friends have families, it's sometimes a challenge for us to all get together; which makes our time spent together all the more special. 

I started radiation on May 26th and I'm 13 treatments in.  I think I have to do about 33 treatments total and I go every weekday.  I haven't noticed any significant side effects except I do find doing to the doctor's office everyday annoying.  But I'm one-third of the way done and expect to be done in about a month or so. After that, I'm planning on going away to Florida with Katie C. for a relaxing beach getaway.

I'm looking forward to having all of this behind me so I can get on with my life. I don't expect my life to go back to the normal that I knew prior to my diagnosis but I can't wait to (ranked in no particular order):
  1. Having hair and eyelashes again
  2. Not having to go to the doctor so frequently
  3. Having a normal amount of energy
I'm sure there's more but that's all I can think of right now. 

Before I sign off, I just want to ask you to please keep my friend Bonnie in your prayers.  She had her bilateral mastectomy on Friday.  Please pray for a speedy recovery without any complications.

Love to all!