Promised Photo

I promised a photo from the radiation party. Here it is.... the resolution is so bad that hopefully the other ladies won't get upset with this going live on the web. We were drinking pink champagne in fluted glasses. Quite the party at 8 AM. I came close to flashing with open gown but I guess that's appropriate for a breast cancer radiation party pic.



All is well. I've met with the surgical oncologist who doesn't think he needs to see me for a year now, the medical oncologist who I'll visit with again in 3 months (checking effects of tamoxifen) then every 6 months, and I'll meet with the radiation oncologist next week. I'm scheduled for my first digital mammogram in November, then a breast MRI in April '09. This will cycle every 6 months, mammo, mri, mammo, mri,... for about... ever. Makes me feel good to know that they're all watching out for me. And you too! thanks for thinking of me and continuing to check in. xox Beth

Weee......

I'm here, just busy with work, kids, etc. Radiation is DONE!!! I have to scan the photo the rad staff took of me and my morning radiation friends having some pink champagne to celebrate the last treatment. I'll get the pic up soon.

Appointment update. I saw the new surgeon for normal follow-up after radiation and he said all looks good so next check-up will be a year out. I see the medical oncologist June 23 (most likely start hormone treatment then.) I see the radiation oncologist July 3 for normal follow-up. I'll go for digital mammogram in November 08 and breast MRI in April 09, one or the other ever 6 months for....ever.... All is looking good.

I'm having a slight end of cancer treatment related mid life crisis where I'm contemplating buying a pink scooter named Stella for my commute to work. Hmmmm.....

And did I mention that I had no skin reaction to rad treatment? Nice. Off for now, thanks for thinking of me! Beth

Time flies when you're having fun!

I'm on my last week of radiation treatment, wahoo! It's unbelievable how quickly the time has passed. My skin is a tiny bit rashy but not bad at all. The radiation technicians say I'm doing amazingly well. The treatments this week (and three days last week) are a "boost" to the cancer site rather than the all over breast treatment (first 25 days.) I noticed that the breast being treated has tightened and shrunk a bit with radiation treatment. I was told that this could be a side effect. It was a tiny bit smaller after surgery anyhow and seems much more noticeable to me now. The unaffected side is a bit larger and sits lower. I said to the radiation nurses this morning that perhaps we should hit the other side with the rads to even things up. Ha.

My hair is still coming in. It the texture of teddy bear fur on the top, Phoebe loves to rub it. It's maybe a quarter inch long and sticks up on top but lays flat on the sides.

I went away with some other Mom's to the cape for an overnight last Friday to Saturday. The weather was beautiful on the cape although oppressively hot back home. We went out to dinner... played games... walked a long beach on the bay side... picked up shells... did a bit of shopping... sat on an outer ocean side beach and watched some seals frolicking in the waves... wonderful get-away (thanks again Sue!) Then we had a long drive home back to slightly cranky hubbies who had to deal with slightly cranky kiddos in 95 degree heat and humidity. All was better after a good night sleep Saturday night.

Hair

Updated photo 2 months out from the end of chemo. The pic was taken last week in the radiation oncology changing room after treatment. The hair is coming back... can you see it? Hair on head, eyebrows, eyelashes, yay, hair on legs, under arms, random bizarre chin hair, boo. Ah well, can't have your cake and eat it too.

A difficult week.

I've lost count of the radiation treatments. I'll map it out on the calendar tonight. All is well. No side effects.

Phoebe had a reaction to poison ivy, or oak, or something on our Mother's Day hike up the mountain and was in and out of school last week with full face rash. It's cleared up now. Phew.

And a young Princeton couple was killed in a car accident on Mother's Day evening. They have 3 children, an older daughter and two young boys who are connected to Sander through baseball and school. The dad was one of Sander's baseball coaches. It's such a horrendous tragedy that it's difficult to wrap your mind around it. My heart aches for these kids.

Why we have healthcare...

I just received a bill in the mail yesterday from the hospital. One month of chemo costs $25,465.40 so the four months of chemo treatment would total $101,861.60!!! This doesn't include surgical costs, radiation treatment, or hormone treatment. I received this invoice because my insurance company only made a partial payment so the hospital is looking for me to cover the remaining $18,846.10 - so much for that new car. Each single Neulasta shot is billed out at $9,423.05 - this is for one single 6 mg injection and I had 8 of them. I called the insurance people and have them looking it for me. The rep I spoke to seemed to think it's an invoicing glitch. Man, I hope so.

Update on the crazy eyebrows. I plucked them. Couldn't take it anymore. New baby brows growing as I type.

And, I've been off the sleeping pills for over a week now. I ran out of the pills and was going to call in a refill but thought I'd give it a shot on my own instead. It was very rough the first couple nights but now not so bad. I still wake up a few times a night but seem to be able to get myself back to sleep fairly easily. Yay.

5 down 28 to go.

The first week of radiation was pretty uneventful. I have a great time slot, 7:45 AM, yay! My morning consists of getting myself and the kids up between 6 and 6:30. Making sure they're dressed, then getting myself out the door by 7 AM. James takes care of breakfast and bus, nice. No more detentions for tardiness on his watch. Parking at 7:40 AM is a breeze at UMass. I walk from garage to hospital and go straight down to B-level. Check in at the front desk of Rad Onc, pick up parking voucher (awesome) then go down to change into a gown. Wait and read the paper for a couple min in the patient waiting room before they come and find me. We head in to the treatment room. A couple minutes of small talk while positioning properly using tattoo dots then the nurses leave the room and radiation begins. I lay in place, the equipment turns around me shooting from 3 angles, 4 opening sizes so zoom in on the treatment location. The entire thing takes 5 minutes at the most. Then I go back to changing rooms, slather myself with some Aquaphor, dress, and head back to the garage. I'm to work anytime between 8:30 and 9 AM. Not bad. I put Vitamin E and Aquaphor on again after a shower at night. No reactions on my skin so far and energy level is good.

Every Friday I'll be seeing the Radiation Oncologist after treatment. Yesterday was quick as it's early on, all looks good, no questions. I checked in to make sure my immune system is back up to speed and not at issue with radiation. I've had people concerned about being around me if they're ill. Dr. T. said all should be fine. Don't hug anyone that's obviously ill and wash hands often. I'd say this should be the rule for everyone. I think the problem is that I still look like a chemo patient so people are extra cautious around me. It still shocks me when I look in the mirror. My hair is really just starting to grow back. It's such a tiny amount of fuzz with my scalp still glowing through. The kids like rubbing my head, maybe it'll bring good luck.

I'm starting to see something happening around my eyebrows as well, thank God. I think I missed those more than the hair on my head. I had a few that didn't fall out but they're my crazy long eyebrow hairs, the ones I'd normally pluck or trim. I contemplated pulling them all out but don't think I could face myself with completely naked brows.

I worked a full week last week. The great morning appointment time helps. I left a bit early yesterday afternoon. We raced to see Ironman (Phoebe's new favorite movie) then to the school for Girl Scout Family Bingo. This morning was Sander's first baseball game. It was FREEZING out. Lack of hair is seriously easier to deal with in warm weather than cold. I wore a baseball cap to keep the heat in but needed fleece for ears and neck. I spent most of the game wrapped in a blanket or in James' truck with heat running. After the game it was back to the house for a long hot shower. Ahhh, much better now. Today Phoebe has a massive project in the works and I may clean the kitchen then head in to the studio. The kids want to see Ironman AGAIN with James. Tomorrow we go in to West Roxbury to help Susie celebrate her birthday.

Happy Birthday Sue!