Week 2 of Radiation

Life is getting better and better.

This week was the start of week 2 of radiation for me. I was able to get scheduled with the first morning appointment of the day, so I’m out of the house by 6:45 but I’m back home by 7:45. I get home just in time to make breakfast for hubby and baby girl, as well as pack hubby’s lunch. I’m starting to appreciate the craziness that is our mornings. It makes me feel as if nothing bad ever happened to me.

For those of you wondering why cancer patients undergo radiation treatments, I’ll give you the quick answer. Radiation targets the specific part of the body that had cancer. The radiation beams change the DNA of the cancer cells so that they can’t replicate and die off. Normal cells are also effected, however, they can restore themselves and recover. Combined with chemotherapy, the two are extremely effective in getting rid of the cancer for good.

So far my side effects have been mild. My right breast is sore and sensitive. I’m also suffering from lymphedema. Lymphedema is when there is swelling in the body because the lymph nodes can’t/won’t drain properly. I have to massage my skin in a specific order to get the drainage going. Hopefully this will subside within the next few months.

On a random note, I ran into one of my managers from my previous job. They had heard I was diagnosed with breast cancer and I had heard that they didn’t believe it. Anyway, baby girl and I were in Target just browsing (I needed to get out of the house) when my old manager completely walked by me. Didn’t even blink or recognize me. As she walked by, I called her name out and she turned and gave me the “Who are you?” look. I said “Hello, it’s me, Miss May, remember?” You should have seen the look on her face. She was absolutely stunned. She recovered quickly and we exchanged superficial pleasantries. I could tell she thought I looked bad. That night, I came home and really looked at myself in the mirror. My eyes are sunken, my skin super dry. I’m still puffy all over and I’m missing eyebrows and hair. I’ve just let myself go during this time. I’ve felt like I look a man with earrings. I guess my outside reflected how bad I’ve felt on the inside. So the next day I went to the Nordstrom beauty counters and asked for help. The girls hooked me up with eyebrows, eyelashes and moisturizers. I walked out feeling like a million bucks and I finally felt like a woman again. Isn’t it crazy that something as simple as eyebrows can make you feel better?

And on to even better news…my hair has started grown back! I have soft long peachy fuzz going on. My scalp is now much less visible.

Things are starting to looking up. 🙂