Day + 81 Happy (Canadian) Thanksgiving!
Happy (Canadian) Thanksgiving to everyone!!
I have completed 20 Radiation Treatments(RT) so far, & I am feeling good. My fatigue is minimal ....however, it may increase during the next couple weeks or so.....everyone reacts differently to RT. I am starting to have trouble swallowing my food, because my esophogus is directly in the path of my treatment field.....the burning feels like a lump when I swallow. It is not too bad yet.....so I am hoping it won't be too difficult for me to eat Thanksgiving Dinner at Mom's on Monday.....I will find a way to eat her cooking....even if I have to put it in a blender!!!!:) We continue to monitor my blood work every 2nd day....as my WBC remains around 1.4-1.5.....& myANC is around 600...give or take. As long as it stays above 500, we can keep moving ahead with my treatments, without taking GCSF injections.
In my mind, I have a vision that my cancer cells are burnt out already (I am constantly visualizing the radiation killing cancer cells in my chest.....like a video game!!)....& if new ones try to regenerate, the radiation will continue to destroy them for at least 60 days after I am completed radiation.
Dr. Wilke explained to me that if my tumour was measured on the day I finished radiation.......& then measured again 30 days later....it would be smaller.....& then after 30 more days, it would be smaller again.....so that is comforting to me!
I only have 5 treatments left. Monday is a holiday....so I will finish up on Tues., Wed. & Thurs. As it turns out, I will have a CT Scan on Thursday(my last day of treatment) just prior to my final treatment. This has been ordered by my nurse Angie as part of the follow-up to my SCT as per the study I am participating in. I will then meet with Dr. Anderson the following Tuesday, Oct. 17th to discuss the scan& future plans, etc.
In December, Dr. Wilke will send me for another PET/CT scan in Sherbrooke, Quebec. That will be the test that reveals how well the Radiation did its job! As I mentioned before, the radiation continues to work for approx. 60 days after treatment....therefore, this is the reason we wait that long for the scan.
Anyway, that pretty much sums everything up for now! Let me know if anyone has any questions!
I have completed 20 Radiation Treatments(RT) so far, & I am feeling good. My fatigue is minimal ....however, it may increase during the next couple weeks or so.....everyone reacts differently to RT. I am starting to have trouble swallowing my food, because my esophogus is directly in the path of my treatment field.....the burning feels like a lump when I swallow. It is not too bad yet.....so I am hoping it won't be too difficult for me to eat Thanksgiving Dinner at Mom's on Monday.....I will find a way to eat her cooking....even if I have to put it in a blender!!!!:) We continue to monitor my blood work every 2nd day....as my WBC remains around 1.4-1.5.....& myANC is around 600...give or take. As long as it stays above 500, we can keep moving ahead with my treatments, without taking GCSF injections.
In my mind, I have a vision that my cancer cells are burnt out already (I am constantly visualizing the radiation killing cancer cells in my chest.....like a video game!!)....& if new ones try to regenerate, the radiation will continue to destroy them for at least 60 days after I am completed radiation.
Dr. Wilke explained to me that if my tumour was measured on the day I finished radiation.......& then measured again 30 days later....it would be smaller.....& then after 30 more days, it would be smaller again.....so that is comforting to me!
I only have 5 treatments left. Monday is a holiday....so I will finish up on Tues., Wed. & Thurs. As it turns out, I will have a CT Scan on Thursday(my last day of treatment) just prior to my final treatment. This has been ordered by my nurse Angie as part of the follow-up to my SCT as per the study I am participating in. I will then meet with Dr. Anderson the following Tuesday, Oct. 17th to discuss the scan& future plans, etc.
In December, Dr. Wilke will send me for another PET/CT scan in Sherbrooke, Quebec. That will be the test that reveals how well the Radiation did its job! As I mentioned before, the radiation continues to work for approx. 60 days after treatment....therefore, this is the reason we wait that long for the scan.
Anyway, that pretty much sums everything up for now! Let me know if anyone has any questions!
posted by Angie | 5:54 pm
5 Comments:
Hey Angie! Happy Thanksgiving! I'm so glad to hear that you're nearing the end of RT. I, too have a pack-man image in my head eating your tumor- and he is a hungry little bugger. Have a great turkey dinner and try, for a little while, to not think about your tumor- leave that to the pack-men! I'll be thinking of you and your family & sending good vibes as always. -Rhonda.
Hi Angie, and Happy Thanksgiving! Thank you SO much for your comment on my blog...I appreciate it so very much.
I love that you visualize -- I visualized, too!! Only mine was less dynamic and action-oriented than yours. I saw (and WILLED) a sort of zapping of cubes which cracked and crumbled -- evaporating, dissipating into oblivion. I concentrated as hard as I could, imagining I could actually hear a crunching, cracking sound starting loud and growing softer, quieter...till it was gone. Silence and black emptiness.
The first treatment I was so freaked out (silently -- big secret!) that I followed Lorraine's advice and thought of little else but Italy. I thought of my old haunts and favorite streets in Florence, the Tuscan vistas, the sounds and scents, the light. I also talked to God in Italian, praying and talking about my memories, hopes and love.
I'm so happy to hear that you are circling the landing strip....you're almost home, girl. You've fought so hard and with such positive energy and love of life. I know that you will come out of this completely cancer-free....like you're walking out of a dark cloud. You are a survivor, Angie, and you inspire me so much more than you know. I pray for you and think of you so much, and I wish I could take on a little of your anxiety because I know you've got to be exhausted. You keep your head up, though, and your beautiful heart shines through.
I think you're wonderful, Angie, and I am standing in your corner like so many others who know you far better than I. You rock on, sistergirl.
In answer to your question over on my blog, I will indeed have internet access when I'm "on the inside," as it were. I'll have WiFi and my laptop, and you can bet your socks that I'll be checking out your blog regularly to see how you're doing! I also intend to update my own blog, and if I'm not feeling up to it, I'm going to have Lorraine post a little something so everybody knows I'm alive. :)
Big tight squishy hugs,
Sarah (Love ya, girl!)
Hi Angie,
So glad to hear your fatique is not too bad and the treatments are going well. It is comforting to know that the radiation continues to work 60 days after the treatments end. The battle goes on but you are not tied down by hospital appointments. Good news WILL come in time for Christmas and New Year's celebrations will have a special meaning this time around. Continue to fight and stay positive Angie.
With love, D and L
Hi Angie
Hope your feeling better.I know all of this will work out for you...you just need to be patient;as you have been.Get better soon,so we can watch some more hockey games together...maybe with a fire too!!!
Thinking of you and Sue
Love Andrea and Sue
Hi Angie,
You are in my thoughts & prayers every day! Your posotive attitude is more valuable than your treatment, I believe...SO keep it up & wishing you Godspeed!!
Mary
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