Revised Normal

Yesterday was my last radiation session, hopefully forever.

Woooooo Hooo!!!!!!

I have been breaking into the Snoopy dance all day long. Here's a video that shows exactly how I feel.


Now life gets back to normal, or some semblance thereof. Of course, "normal" gets a severe redefinition once you have been diagnosed with, and completed treatment for, any type of cancer. Hence the title of this post. While I certainly will be ever more keenly on the lookout for signs of trouble, I won't let the events of the last 6 months weigh me down. In the immortal words of Edna Mode, "I never look back, darling, it detracts from the Now."

For anyone who may be looking down the gullet of radiation treatments for cancer, let me give you a couple of tips that made my life easier. First, exercise. I kept up my daily workout and activity schedule and it really helped. A common side effect of radiation is fatigue, though to be honest, I didn't notice anything. I found that, in the middle of the 6 weeks of treatments, I would be fine until about 9:30 at night, then WHAM, I'd hit a wall and head to bed. I think keeping up the exercise helped stave off worse fatigue.

Second, creams. My doctor loaded me up with Elta, Elta Light, hydrocortisone and other skin treatments to keep the treated area from drying out. I also bought Jeans Cream, on the recommendation of my friend Marilyn, who went through it. I kept a bottle of lotion in my bag and would apply it before getting dressed after radiation. It really helped. While my skin still got dry and itchy, it never blistered or had any severe problems.

Third and final, attitude. Radiation never scared me. Chemo did. Radiation was physically and psychologically much easier. Logistically it was a pain in the ass, because it's Monday through Friday for 33 sessions. My Facebook friends know that I counted down as the sessions went along. It helped me knowing that each day I completed was one less that I had to go. I always walked in with a big smile for the staff. They were great, and they made sure I was as comfortable as possible. As I said to the nurses, they made a sucky situation a lot less sucky. I brought a big box of Godiva chocolates and goodies for them on my last day. In a weird way, I will miss them all, but I hope I only see them again outside the Radiology center.

So today is my first day in 6 1/2 weeks without obligations to be at some doctor or another's office. Wow. I can start traveling again and hopefully we've put this entire episode behind us.

Freedom!!!!!

Now, back to the sewing room!