done

I had my last radiation treatment this week and am enjoying not having to make the trip to the hospital everyday. It has been about a year since I found the lump and now all the major treatment is over, it almost doesn't seem real. I see the doctor in November to start on the maintenance drug, but other than that it is recovery time!

almost there

I had my last full radiation treatment yesterday and start the final "boost" treatments today so am in the home stretch. I am definitely feeling the effects now with fatigue and my skin is really burnt in spots. In a couple weeks the skin should heal so it shouldn't be bad for too long. I have to "air it out" as much as possible so I suggest no unannounced visits!

I made it to the Run for the Cure on Sunday to cheer on my friends that participated. I hadn't been to one before and was shocked at the number of people there. Kimberly and I were at the finish line to greet our friends when they crossed and it was very touching to see my name on their shirts. I am such a lucky gal.

a good day

I had my radiation simulation appointment today for the five "boost" radiation treatments happening at the end and I didn't need any additional tattoos. I am feeling pretty battle scarred so am happy about that. Plus, on another positive note, I officially have bed head in the morning!! Ok, it is more like a slight flatness on one side, but it is growing like crazy so will be much messier soon.

day 9

Radiation started last week and it has quickly become part of the daily routine. It is hard to believe I am having my ninth treatment already. My skin is just starting to get a little burnt but the fatigue hasn't gotten any worse than what's leftover from chemotherapy. They say it will start to hit next week. I feel like I am having my own little Big Brother experience everyday because the technicians leave the room after getting me all lined up and watch me on a monitor and talk to me through a mic while I get zapped. I don't get to vote anybody off though.

so honoured

My cousin Sean LeMoine lives a wonderfully adventurous life and for his next big journey is biking from Vancouver to Austin, Texas as part of the Give-to-Live ride to raise money to fight against cancer. He leaves on October 12th and called my mother to share that he is dedicating his ride to my Father, our younger cousin Jeffrey who went before us, and myself. What an amazing thing.

The following is a link to his fundraising site if you would like to support him with a donation.

http://convio.cancer.ca/site/TR/Thirdpartyevent/IFE_NS_General_?px=1232047&pg=personal&fr_id=4331

with heavy heart

My Father lost his battle with cancer last week, he was 64. He was a wonderful man and I feel blessed that he was my Dad. He was diagnosed 14 years ago with a rare form of Lymphoma (Waldenström Macroglobulinemia) and treatment really ramped up in the last two years having received 7 different ones over that short time. I am so very proud of him and he has been a role model to me in how he faced his cancer - with strength, vigor and grace. I will miss him terribly and will hold his memory in my heart forever.

it is 5 o'clock somewhere

Wow is the summer ever passing by quickly, and I feel like it just started. I went on Friday for my "simulation" appointment for radiation where they determine the position I will be in to receive the treatment. To make sure they get me in the same place every time they "marked" me with four tattoo dots to line me up with. What a nice memento. Overall the appointment wasn't too bad. Though I wonder why they need to keep a room where the girls are going to be on display for a half hour so cold...if you know what I mean. Also the technician kept giving me the tattoos without warning! I wasn't allowed to move my head so I couldn't see what she was doing. I think it is common courtesy to let someone know when you are about to poke them with a needle. I was feeling a bit cranky by the end of it so when she showed surprise that I was bleeding when I got off the table I was quick to remind her that she had just finished STABBING ME!! Hello!!! Anyway, I was glad that was over. But they had a nice parting bit of information for me. They are going to zap me in two positions, the first 25 in one and the last 5 in another, so I have to go back to be marked a second time at some point during treatment. Nice.

Tomorrow is a milestone day. I go for surgery to have the port that the chemotherapy was injected into removed! Dr. Porter, the surgeon who removed my tumour, is doing it and I am looking forward to seeing him again. I don't think the surgery will be too bad. Can't be worse than it going in I figure.

The big news of today though is that my hair has started to grow back! It's kind of like a 5 o'clock shadow on top of my head. I am staring at it daily to try to see what colour it is going to be and to me it looks darkish, but we'll see. Very exciting!!