And other things that happened last week…
Ohhhhh, hello Monday Lovelies! Yes. That’s right. I declare today: Monday Lovely Monday. And we all must start off our day by looking in the mirror and pulling a Stuart Smiley and telling ourselves that we’re good enough, we’re smart enough, and doggone it, people like us. Actually, we really don’t care if people like us, right? I mean, we can’t just go around being meany mcmeanertons all the time. But we gotta feel free to be who we are, right? Okay. Good start.
Here’s the poop, my friends… I start radiation this week. What?! I KNOW!
I went into my plastics Fantastics {Village Pointe Aesthetics} for my last fill on Friday morning which brought my two precious pups up to 480 cc a piece {think of each 150 cc as a cup size, generally. And then imagine that on someone who had polenta cakes to stuff in a bra before these love mounds graced her chest}. And booooooy, was Mama B stretched to the max. I then went over to Nebraska Medicine for my radiation mapping.
Now. A lot of people are curious as to why I am doing radiation if I am technically without “the cancer stuff”. I’ve mentioned previously that my cancer was ER+ {Estrogen}, PR+ {Progesterone}, and Her2Nu+ {some random hormone I know very little about}. My cancer was also classified as what is called a “lymphovascular invasion”. This means that when they removed the minimal tumor that was left at surgery, it was present in the lymphovascular spaces of the breast. And originally, it was also determined to be present in two lymph nodes. This raises the risk of recurrence. Radiation is a step I am taking because a) it is protocol when you have lymph node involvement and b) it will reduce my risk of recurrence.
Sheesh. That was too much serious talk for a Monday. And I had to use the word cancer too much. Booooo.
So, back to the story, I went in on Friday for my mapping session. It sounds like a really cool expedition, doesn’t it? Like I was Shelley Long circa 1989 wearing a khaki frock and forest green wide-brimmed hat and trouncing around the wilderness searching for something really freaking earth-shattering. But alas, mapping just means you lie on a table and they map out where the rays are going to shoot at you. It didn’t hurt. And the nurses, Kim and Vickie, were just deeeelightful. Which is clearly a trend that Nebraska Medicine is into.
So mapping. They mapped me annnnnnnnnnd… drumrolllllll!!!
Mr. Lefty was totes in the way. That’s right. I can’t have next door neighbors that are 480 cc each upon my chest for radiation because I’m “too petite” {also. I’ve only been called petite two times in my life. That was one. It pretty much sends my inner self into giggle fitting.}. Anway… wow, tangent day… ANYWAY… I was sent right back to VP aesthetics where Stacey freed Willy… the Lefty who wouldn’t get out of the way… from the stretch fest. So, at the current time… and for the next six ish weeks, Mr. Lefty has 330 cc and Mr. Righty {the original Offender} has 480cc. So if you see me and feel like I’m always leaning right, it’s not because I didn’t drink my V8. It’s because my nipple holders are now uneven steven.
So that’s a fun little deet for ya.
They will fill Willy right back up after radiation. And I am fortunate that it was the Left and not the right because stretching the right post-radiation would be extremely difficult. So YAY for that!
I have a bolus mold being made {think a mix of a dental mold and a pregnancy mold} to conduct the rays even closer to my booby on Tuesday, and then, on Wednesday, I will begin radiation and will start counting down the 28 treatments. I will go every week day for 5.5 weeks straight and then DONEZO! It only takes about 30 minutes. And I have nearly every week day covered for childcare by my BEAUTIFUL friends {thank you!!!!!!}.
I’ve been really mentally strong the last few weeks. Truly. I’ve felt no anxiety {thank you, Lexapro}. I’ve gotten back to a sort of new normal. And I have had ENERGY. Yesterday, I had so much energy. I baked. I prepped food for the week. I stayed awake through naptime. And I felt HAPPY. But then, last night, the crazies swept in a smidgen. I think because the last two weeks have been really real. Really fantastical. Really like this life that I used to live where cancer was a word for everyone but me. And now, I start back up with more treatment.
But I’ve gotta do it.
I’ve got to finish the protocol. In order to prevent recurrence to the very best of my ability, I will do radiation. I will finish the Herceptin infusions every three weeks. And I will then take a pill every day for ten years to combat the hormonal feeding of any cancer cells that are even thinking about PacManning this sitch.
The X marks the spot. Or the spots, as it were. Because I have 4 stickers that will stick with me through radiation and one has an X towards the top of my chest. Those marks show them where my radiation should be dosed. And they tell my docs what my map is.
Last week I had Spring Fake. And this week, I will go get baked {not like the Good Burger type of baked. Like radiation baked … hee hee}. I will begin my next step on this Cancer Coaster. And I will be holding my hands above my head, and screaming at the top of my lungs when we get past the biggest of the loops. Because I just can’t wait.
Other than the cancer life, everything has been going fairly swimmingly. The hubs still loves me. The Middlest dropped trou at the park the other day and dropped a dooce while he was at it. The Littlest is rocking a Donald Trump hairstyle and started saying a couple of his own words for things which is basically rock star city. And the Oldest has decided that riding his bike is the end all be all component to life. Oh, to be 7 again.
Here’s hoping your Monday is a walk in the park. And a sunny, happy park. Not a soggy, dog-pooed park. Full of unhappy people.
Slim Shady, out.
