Soul Shot
I was really hopeful that I would be able to start radiation this past week, but it turns out to be more complicated than I thought--which I'm pretty sure I've now said about every aspect of this cancer thing.
Last Monday, I went for the intake appointment where they scanned me in a CT scanner to ascertain exactly where the breast clip (the marker left behind by the surgeon so the radiation oncologist can find the spot now that the cancer is gone) is so they can formulate a plan for irradiating it. They tattooed the coordinates—who would have thought I would ever have a tattoo?
(Also, all props to those of you who have real tattoos because those tiny dots hurt!)
Anyway, they told me it would take a week to ten days before they would have the plan for my radiation because it had to go back and forth between the radiation oncologist and the technicians. Once we get started, though, it's six weeks of daily treatments.
So I looked at the calendar and it was clear that I wouldn't be done in time to be able to go to California to help my older child Ramona move back into her dorm in August so I booked a ticket and left before dawn on Tuesday for a really quick trip to see her.
It was like a Vitamin B-12 shot for the soul. She's doing so wonderfully and seems to just be exuding happiness. On the first day that I was there, she got the call that she got the part time job she wanted, plus she got a high A in the class she was taking! She's subletting a tiny apartment (which I scrubbed within an inch of being able to perform surgery on any given surface because: Gross.) and getting to play house in the sweetest way. She's learning to cook and finding out she's good at it!
It was just the loveliest three days. I flew back on Thursday in the wee hours (my flight was delayed and I can't tell you how happy I was about that!) and will live on that visit for a long time.
I got home in time for my younger daughter Jane to start work as a lifeguard. Gosh, there are a lot of hoops to jump through if you want to work for the City of Austin. But she did it and is now gainfully employed and liking it, I think. She's had such a tough year --this really seems like the start of something better. As always, I am so impressed by her tenacity.
I'm still gutting it out in school this semester, thanks to the willingness of my professors to work with me on deadlines. I'm not entirely caught up, but enough so that I am not stressed about it. I am learning that perfectionism is still an issue with me, and it's the enemy of getting my work done and submitted.
Yesterday, I went back to the radiation oncologist's office so that more people could draw with sharpie on my breast. (Seriously, the number of people who have felt me up since this whole journey began is legion.) And today I start the six weeks of radiation treatment that will hopefully stop the cancer from recurring.
Last Monday, I went for the intake appointment where they scanned me in a CT scanner to ascertain exactly where the breast clip (the marker left behind by the surgeon so the radiation oncologist can find the spot now that the cancer is gone) is so they can formulate a plan for irradiating it. They tattooed the coordinates—who would have thought I would ever have a tattoo?
(Also, all props to those of you who have real tattoos because those tiny dots hurt!)
Anyway, they told me it would take a week to ten days before they would have the plan for my radiation because it had to go back and forth between the radiation oncologist and the technicians. Once we get started, though, it's six weeks of daily treatments.
So I looked at the calendar and it was clear that I wouldn't be done in time to be able to go to California to help my older child Ramona move back into her dorm in August so I booked a ticket and left before dawn on Tuesday for a really quick trip to see her.
It was like a Vitamin B-12 shot for the soul. She's doing so wonderfully and seems to just be exuding happiness. On the first day that I was there, she got the call that she got the part time job she wanted, plus she got a high A in the class she was taking! She's subletting a tiny apartment (which I scrubbed within an inch of being able to perform surgery on any given surface because: Gross.) and getting to play house in the sweetest way. She's learning to cook and finding out she's good at it!
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| Don't we both look so happy? |
It was just the loveliest three days. I flew back on Thursday in the wee hours (my flight was delayed and I can't tell you how happy I was about that!) and will live on that visit for a long time.
I got home in time for my younger daughter Jane to start work as a lifeguard. Gosh, there are a lot of hoops to jump through if you want to work for the City of Austin. But she did it and is now gainfully employed and liking it, I think. She's had such a tough year --this really seems like the start of something better. As always, I am so impressed by her tenacity.
 |
| Also looking pretty dang happy. |
I'm still gutting it out in school this semester, thanks to the willingness of my professors to work with me on deadlines. I'm not entirely caught up, but enough so that I am not stressed about it. I am learning that perfectionism is still an issue with me, and it's the enemy of getting my work done and submitted.
Yesterday, I went back to the radiation oncologist's office so that more people could draw with sharpie on my breast. (Seriously, the number of people who have felt me up since this whole journey began is legion.) And today I start the six weeks of radiation treatment that will hopefully stop the cancer from recurring.
Comments
You astound me with your tenacity, and ability to make the best of a difficult time. God bless.