Friday 5.16.08

Radiation Treatment #17

Daniel was up and gone before I got up this morning, a golf outing, of course. I got over to the radiation center and changed into a Gown, and went into the waiting area. There were a couple of other patients and their people; one of whom was the husband of the 8:30 woman. Sure enough, a few minutes later, Lisa came out for me. As we went back, the other woman was coming down the hall towards us. Ron and Lisa get me positioned on the table, and with a hum, a click, and a bzzzzzzz, the machine repositions, Ron comes out and slides the plate on, click, hum, bzzzzz, done. Ok, that does it. Ron comes in and lets the table down so I can get off of it. See you next week, have a good weekend...

I change back into my clothes. The woman at the puzzle is the wife of a patient; she said something to me, and I went over to her. We exchanged pleasantries. I told her I was Kathy, she said her name was Fran. Nice to meet you, good luck on the puzzle, I've got to go.

I went back home, and got in the shower. When I was dressing, I noticed the entire square of the radiation field was pink on my chest. Hm, what did they do, change the bulbs?? (like in the tanning beds...) I put a little of the aloe vera gel on, got dressed, and went over to the physical therapy place.

I waited about 5 minutes for Ike/Eeka to come get me. We went back to room 2 today. She asked me how was my arm, and did I think she was doing any good? Oh, yes, I said. The cord is definitely less than what it was, but it's still there. And I think the breast itself, and the incisions, and around the axillary incision are a bit puffy, like there's fluid there. She looks at me, touches, pokes, runs her hands down my arms, looks at the pit, and decides she will do just the manual lymph drainage today. Ok, whatever you think is best...

I change into a gown while she is out finishing another patient. She comes back in and starts at the base of my head, and does what she does. She works on my abdomen and chest for about a half an hour, gently pressing and pulling, moving the tissue and the fluid. She massages my arm, too, and it amazes me how much more "normal" it looks to me after she's done. When she is massaging over the lymph channels, I salivate, or my mouth starts watering, and I'm swallowing a lot. Very strange, I know. That happened, too, when I saw the lymphedema person in Jackson a year ago February. I would have gone back to her, but it's a 70 mile round trip. I'm very happy with Ike/Eeka, and I believe that she is doing me good.

We're done, she verifies that I have appointments for next week as she walks me out. I go home, prepare my food and eat, change clothes, and head to Jackson to work the rest of the afternoon.

I find a parking place, but no shuttle, and walk the 2 blocks into the hospital, and forget to clock in. I remember after I've been there an hour... The floor is kind of busy, and I'm able to step in and do some of the little things that needed to be done. We have a good afternoon, the night shift comes in, and we leave. The shuttle is there tonight, and takes me over to the car.

Home again, Daniel is back from his golf event. He says he had a good time. We visit a while, and I catch up with the email and write here. He drifts off to bed. I'm tired, but often don't go to sleep readily, so I stay up a little longer. I've had just little bits of nausea through the day today, not anything that kept me distracted.

Tomorrow I hope to finish planting my pots if the rain holds off, and shop for Breon's bridal shower gift.

Thanks for reading, for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers. Hugs.