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Radiation treatments, that is.

I am red and sometimes my skin feels sting-y (new word??) - not to be confused with stingy...

I feel a tightness of muscle and skin - but not bad, and I feel the sting occasionally. I am slathering on the lotion to cool and soothe and moisturize my skin. I am doing exercises to keep the muscle able to move over the bones as Marvelous Marilyn the lymphedema specialist advised. My neck is feeling better a bit at a time. I am doing what I can.

I really must say - I feel GREAT!!!

After chemo - this is a piece of cake people!!! Yes, it is painful for my neck while I am undergoing treatment. The fact is - even when it brought me to tears once I was able to move out of the position for radiation -- done. Done with pain, done with discomfort even. YAY!!

So today (Monday the 19th of September) will mark the midway of radiation treatments unless Dr. Newman sees some reason to go for more than the expected 28. I haven't felt much in the way of fatigue, although that is a side effect of radiation that can come later, even after I am done with therapy.

I need to start doing research on what I will take for the next 5 years (okay, according to Moffitt I will need to take it for the rest of my life) because I think it is important to be an informed patient. Plus, I would like minimal side effects.

Please keep my friend Randine in your prayers. Today she starts her chemo - for the second go around - in her ongoing battle against appendix cancer. Having had chemo cocktails the one round - I don't know right now if I could do it again. I think that if I had to I would find the courage, but oh my goodness. Having the knowledge of how bad an experience it is would make it something to fear facing again. So - keep her uplifted, please. Her cancer is a rare and difficult one anyway!