A New Map of the World

well, sort of....

My life has been dictated by medical issues this entire year. Just the fact. So last week we took a much needed break and took a short trip to New Orleans to visit my uncle and aunt.

They were so cute - they were worried that Ruben and I were probably "bored hanging out with the old folks." We actually had a very nice visit and we had fun. They are interesting, funny, kind people. My uncle at 83 is really a very good driver. Does that sound scary? To have an 83 year old drive you around and into N.O. proper? Well, take a deep, calming breath people!! He is seriously an alert driver with very good reflexes and consciousness of other driver and their foibles.

We visited the World War II museum, we went antiquing (oh, I found a FABULOUS hat that my sweet husband bought for me), we went to the Abita Springs Brewery, we visited my 2 cousins, we ate like kings and queens and we R-E-L-A-X-E-D!!!

It was great. I really needed to just get away and unwind for a bit. And we laughed a lot. I must tell you, Ruben is a huge Dallas Cowboys fan and my little firecracker aunt Jo is totally ready to poke fun at him for that. We were talking Saturday morning (after {who dat?} the Saints kicked butt in their first pre-season game) and she casually mentioned that, yes, The Saints had played pretty well and had a good margin of victory unlike the Cowboys who just eked by the Broncos. I started laughing immediately and it took Ruben just a moment to realize he had been dissed. He cracked up too. As much as he dishes out, he is certainly able to take it. He just had not expected aunt Jo to dish on him... very funny, indeed.

Before we left last week, I had an appointment with my Radiation Oncologist, Dr. Newman. We both liked her very much. She is personable (which always helps) and very thorough. After she came in and spoke to me she asked me if I had any questions. She was SO thorough, though, that she had addressed any questions I had at that time. I did reserve the right to come up with more - you don't know what you don't know until you find out you didn't know something.....

She did advise me that I am healthier than most of the people who work in the building! Once I start taking the tamoxifen or WHATEVER pill I will have to take the rest of my life that will be my only prescription! Go Melanie!!

So - we had set up an appointment, which I had yesterday, for "mapping." I am now mapped and marked. In a teal blue. No tattoos (yay!!), just permanent marker - which WILL fade away and have to be re-marked. And I have my own personalized "form" which will hold me in the proper position for radiation.

They wanted to start me next Thursday. Uh-oh. I have a Herceptin infusion that day. At 10:30, which was when they wanted me to begin radiation, and the infusion will take about 3 hours. So Radiation will begin the following week. I will go on Monday for a "dry run" and to talk to Dr. Newman, then Tuesday will be the first of the "real deal" appointments and I will be able to set up appointment times. I should have no problem setting them for my convenience. The people I met yesterday, Sam (what a cutie he was) and Brandy were very nice.

The radiation treatment proper will take only a few minutes. However - I will have 6 1/2 weeks - or 28 (or more if necessary) of radiation. Monday through Friday. I'll just have to plan what I will come in to town to do in addition to radiation since you just don't go all the way in to town for just one thing when you live out as far as we do, not with gas as pricey as it is!! And besides which, it will take longer to get there than the appointment will take!!!

I can expect to get fatigued (nothing new there compared to chemo!) and possibly burned, but all in all - this will be a cake walk compared to chemo. I say that now! Really, I do know it will not be anything like this first part has been, and I am happy as a clam to not be in a box, you know???

So - my journey continues, and I am quite happy to say so!!