I went to my radiation treatment this morning. Tomorrow will be the last treatment. I can hardly believe it. I’ve spent most of this year having doctor appointments, tests, surgeries, and treatments… and I will be finished tomorrow!
I’ve already started the transition… I’ve been walking at a nearby park. I walked 2 miles yesterday… doesn’t seem like much, but it’s a start. I’m walking even though I’m still experiencing fatigue. My legs have never quit aching from the chemotherapy, so I thought maybe exercise would help. I was right… with only 3 days of exercise, my legs feel so much better. Dr. Plants said it would take about 2 weeks to a month to recover from the radiation therapy.
At any rate, after tomorrow… the healing begins in a new way. Actually it’s more like the recovery begins. I’ve always felt that the surgeries to remove the cancer began the healing process… and the treatments were insurance against the return of cancer. But the treatments themselves caused some unpleasant… often difficult… side effects. So once all the treatments are over, I’ll begin recovering from that.
I’m happy, but you’d think I’d be excited. I was definitely excited to have my last chemo treatment, but the side effects of that were so devastating. Radiation’s not been so bad. And another thing… even though it’s not the way I would have planned the year (!), the visits to the hospital have been a routine part of my day for a long time. Now it’s all going to change… for the better of course… but it is change… which always makes me a bit apprehensive. Plus I’ve met some really wonderful people along the way… people who’ve been encouraging, energizing and life-giving. So I’m, in a way, leaving good things behind too. Many of those friendships will continue. And during numerous follow-up visits I’ll be making to the cancer center, I’ll still be seeing the wonderful people I’ve met throughout the medical procedures! It’s still kind of strange though… the way I feel today.
Some of the little things that I’m looking forward to:
It’s been a hassle to use the seat belt in the car. When the port was still in place in the right side of my chest, and I was in the passenger seat, I had to hold it out away from my chest, because the strap went right across the port. Now recently, while driving, I’ve had to hold it out on my left side, because of a radiation burn. So one of the little things that will be nice, will be to use the seat belt on either side… hands free!
I can soon remove the Aquaphor, Hydrocortisone, baby powder, and Aleve from my purse too… maybe even go back to carrying a smaller purse!
I can finally wash off all the Sharpie marks!
Ah… but what am I going to do with that extra hour in the morning? Duh… SLEEP!
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