Getting ready for treatment #6
Can’t even wait, I’ll probably have 3 weeks of Fatique, but I don’t even care. I’ll be ready for whatever comes after this last treatment. Clean my House, no really clean my house. Never thought I’d be so excited to clean my house. Declutter, declutter, declutter!!! Like I’m moving declutter.
Then home to Mass, hopefully the first week in November. Get busy on my brothers place, then Thanksgiving, then XMAS, then a couple months of winter and HOORAY, HOORAY, HOORAY here comes Spring.
New beginning all the way around, maybe the Blog, maybe DDIF, maybe some trips, maybe summer house search, maybe help Denise relocate to DC, maybe even a part time job. Who knows, all I know is I intend live each and every day to the MAX.
Oh and let’s not forget an overdue reunion with my Posse. Yeah, yeah, yeah!!!!
Okay today is the day. Is this last treatment suppose to be the home run? GAME OVER! Feels like it should be. Can’t get too comfortable though, they say once you’ve met TAZ, he’s always lurking around, so you have to do every single thing you can to chase him away. Diet, exercise, antioxidants, good health habits, mental well being, avoid pollutants as much as possible, you name it. I kept reading my Anti cancer book.
Last night I was so excited, anxious, frustrated, and restless I couldn’t get to sleep. I prayed for sleep, I didn’t want to miss my appointment and have to cancel. Let’s get this treatment done and move on. Today I’m absolutely ecstatic.
At the pre exam with my doctor, I found out that the follow up radiation does in fact have side affects. And can you guess what those might be?
Yup, you’re right the big fat “F” word. FATIQUE!!
I’m so sick of that word I could scream. It’s like an invisible fence around you. It’s like a ghost keeps you from doing anything, but you can’t see it, you can’t touch it, and you can’t get rid of it easy, but you have to fight it everyday.
They had a small problem with finding a good vein again. Tried a few times, then they got the expert, and we were on our way. This is me after the last chemo treatment, HOORAY!
Got out pretty early, not sure what to do, wanted to celebrate but was too tired.
That’s me at the top of the EMPIRE STATE BUILDING with a huge flashing sign. Treatment #6 DONE!
Just kidding, instead I crashed on the sofa, Denise went home, and I started double time thinking. OMG, what now? I thought well the worst part is over, now what? Where do I begin to pick up my life again? I’ve got to start planning the rest of my NEW LIFE.
What is this new life going look like? First I have to work my way back to strength and energy. And then, Oh Boy, here we go AGAIN, define Purpose and Passion!
However as usual, Murphy’s Law had other immediate plans for me.
On the day of my last treatment, “AFTER” Denise left to go home, would you believe I had a bathroom sewer back-up.
Evidently, a huge tree in the front of my property had been interfering with my bathroom plumbing for years. It was so interesting that it took close to 20 years to manifest on this very particular day.
Talk about having an “eye wide open nightmare”. I had to double my meds so I could at least keep my sanity.
As it turned out, I had to vacate the house because of no running water, and stay in a hotel room for a few days. Well lucky me, however after checking out a few local hotels, and there are many, I found out it was not only some sort of a holiday, there was also a tournament of some sort, so literally every hotel was booked. REALLY people!!!
I finally found one, and drove over to it to personally check in to make sure I had the room. Talk about frightening, I was in so much pain and then I was taking additional meds which made me so drowsy, I could barely stand up. Not sure what I was thinking, but I drove back home, packed a few things and drove BACK to the hotel.
CRAZY, CRAZY, CRAZY!
That’s how out of it I was. I was terrified. Dumbest thing I’ve ever done!
The rational me would have called Denise, or Carol, or Andrea, or Trish and I also could have called a taxi. No way should I have been driving, the good Lord was definitely watching out for me. Once I finally settled into my room, talk about mixed feelings. On the one hand, I LOVE staying in hotels with clean sheets everyday and room service, just relax all day, not thinking about all the things you should be doing around the house. However that is usually associated with some sort of a vacation stay.
When I woke up the next morning, I felt so good, it gave me just a hint of how ill I was the day before. I had a new side affect though, my legs felt like they were on fire. I thought if I touched them I’d burn my hands. I think my old friend Darth Vader was trying to get back in the door again. WHEW!! Very, very scary. I drank lots and lots of water.
In the meantime I was watching a serious flood situation on TV in S Carolina, people loosing their life, pets, cars, and entire homes and it helped me to get a perspective. At least I’m in a warm comfortable place. Said prayers for “EVERYONE” and just tried to chill for a few days until every thing was repaired. I won’t bore you with the details.
The aftermath of all this drama, was a couple of sleepless nights, and throbbing pain in my foot, like walking over crushed nails. But at least I didn’t have to think about another treatment. However I still had to deal with my constant companion, my Ghost shadow.
My first radiation was October 23, 2015
Radiation was a piece of cake compared to chemo. The most distressing part was that I had this handsome, handsome doctor, and in no way was I interested in him examining me, especially below the waist. On top of that he was extremely personable. Soft voice, very measured in all his explanations, even though I couldn’t process a word he said, because I was too busy daydreaming about him.
The sessions were painless, and relatively quick, but of course I have to remind you of my dear, dear friend, Mr. Fatique the Ghost shadow! It seemed just as bad as the aftermath of chemo. But okay, I’m fighting it, moving right along.
Oct 30, 2015 was my last radiation treatment.
It was the day after my birthday, so I figure this is a sign.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Diane, you get to resume your life!
I wanted to go straight back to the EMPIRE STATE BUILDING and put another flashing sign up!
But instead I go home and crash on the sofa AGAIN! No problem, this is a very temporary situation. Couple of days, and as Denise always says,
“Keep it Moving”