Radiation started

I started radiation on September 19.  It will be 30 rounds so every weekday for 6 weeks.  I asked the radiation therapist to take a picture so I could share it here.  This was before I started the treatment that day so the machine does move closer to my body and I do have to uncover my chest area for actual treatment.  They said they don't take naked pictures. ;-)  

Sometimes you need a break

I can say that this is the most emotional roller coaster year (2018) that Andy and I have had.  We're coming up on our 20th anniversary (together for 23 years) and this has been the most challenging of all those years.

After we dropped Abigail off at Cal Poly, we took a couple extra days coming home.  It was a nice break.  Part of me wasn't ready to come home to our "new normal" with her not here.  Another part of me wanted a little time away before radiation started...

Here's a few pictures of our slow trip home...

Something harder

I've discovered something harder, emotionally anyway, than going through BC treatment.... dropping your daughter off for her first year of college.  It's been an emotional roller coaster for all of us.  She's always been independent and I think we've done a fairly good job of raising her.  BUT... she's still my baby girl and leaving her was TOUGH TOUGH TOUGH. 

We are beyond proud of everything she's accomplished so far.... and I know it's just the beginning. 

Hair update

I haven't given a hair update lately.  I'm still very glad that I did the cold caps during chemo.  It was definitely quite a process (and expense), but it was worth it.  I'm still only washing my hair once a week mostly because I'm still losing a lot of hair when I wash it.  Because of my hair being curly, it gets more tangled than straight hair.  I think that's why I'm losing a lot of hair.  I think the hair loss is slowing down so that's good.  I look forward to being able to go back to washing it more often and styling it like normal.  It does cut down on my morning getting ready routine to not have to wash and dry it. :)

Update

Just realized it's been 3 weeks since I updated here. 

I had my first Herceptin/Perjeta (chemo light) infusion on August 23.  It took about 4 1/2 hours this time but future ones will be much shorter.  Hopefully 2-2 1/2 hours or so.  I didn't have any side effects other than feeling a little tired afterwards, but I think sitting there for that long made me tired too.  No cold caps this time- yay!  Herceptin and Perjeta don't cause hair loss so it was so nice not to have to use the cold caps.  It did make the time go by slower though. ;-)  One good thing about the cold caps (and having to change them out every 30 minutes) was that it made the time go by faster.  The next infusion is September 13.

Yesterday, I had my radiation "simulation" appointment which is essentially getting me setup in the same position that I'll be in for radiation, a CT scan, and 4 tattoo dots (2 on my chest and one on each side).  My first radiation is September 19 and then 29 more rounds after that.  It's every weekday for 6 weeks.

I've been feeling pretty good.  I still have swelling in the armpit area from my surgery.  That makes it tough to get comfortable at night so I haven't been sleeping all that well.  Hopefully that will get better.

One day at a time....

New technology in Cancer treatments

I haven't updated in a couple weeks and I will, but I wanted to share this awesome new technology:  check out THIS article in the San Francisco Chronicle.  Not only does this kind of stuff encourage and intrigue me, I know the lady in this article.  Lea is my sister's mother-in-law and she's super awesome!