Radiation Vacation

That is Tom's term for our month of May .   When we were trying to make plans for this venture into treatment, we thought of the different ways to handle the four weeks in Scottsdale and I think what we are doing worked out well.   There have been a lot of things going in our favor.  The weather has not turned to really hot on the temperature gage.  Most of the snowbirds and seasonal residents have headed north so the roads are not congested.  Treatment takes very little time out of my day so it leaves lots of free time. And I am having no side effects and not feeling "sick".  We have yet to run out of things to see and do in this area.  I really haven't done as much photography as I thought other than cactus flowers, etc. but we have explored many neat places.  This is including Nordstrom's Rack. . wonderful place!  Tom patiently sat reading his kindle while I shopped for an hour. What a guy!  And after tomorrow's      8 AM treatment I am halfway to the finish line.  And we get to go home and spend 3 nights sleeping in our own bed.  Grateful for that!  A lot to be grateful for as I was reminded of last night as we came out of the Red Lobster and an old man on an old bicycle asked if we knew of a "shelter" in the area. When we told him we weren't locals and didn't, he said he was hungry and humbly asked if he could have my leftovers I was carrying.  As we drove out and turned the corner, we saw him devouring the scraps from my meal.  Little doubt that he was genuinely hungry. I forced myself to not be judgemental about his circumstance. Pandhandling? Maybe. Alcoholic? Maybe. How he gets some good eats? Maybe.  But this I know for sure. . There but for the grace of God etc. .  Yep, we all have a lot to be thankful for.  Gratitude bigtime here for so much.

 Love and Hugs, Sandy

Thank You God, But Could You Please. . .

All at once I am realizing that I am hearing so much about other cancer patients.  Those so much younger than I, those with families, those still in their youth and not even having the chance to live their lives.  I am so grateful for the easy path and positive prognosis I have had, but I grieve for those who are fighting the hard fight and not all of them winning.  Today my prayer was a " thank you" for all that has been handed me, and for help and a few miracles for the others.  And I was even so bold to ask God to please give someone out there the wisdom to find a cure for this horrible disease that takes so many lives too soon.  They say ask and you may receive.  So I asked.  I even said please.  

Hugs and Love,

Sandy

Mother's Day Musings

Delightful Mother's Day here.   No children close by to share it with but daughter Heidi called and I had online sharings with many people.  Tom greeted me with a hot cup of coffee, a sweet card and even sweeter bag of gourmet chocolate.  Scooby-Doo greeted me with a wagging tail and wanting her morning hug.  I lingered at home while Tom went off the Sunday morning Quaker meeting.  It would have been good to go but I am trying to pace myself with all the traveling for treatment. We went to a late brunch at a favorite place of ours, Bear Mountain Lodge. And finished the afternoon with a concert from a local chorus group singing a lot of "oldy but goody" songs. We enjoyed!  We are having a quiet evening with repacking suitcases for our next week in Arizona.  I was determined to pack lighter, didn't happen!  Just kept pileing clothes in the bag.  It happens.  I will do better next week.  I was thinking(this is the musings part) that it seems strange that this is Mother's Day and it was the ducts that carried the mother's milk that fed my children that have brought me into  the battle with cancer.  Were they the enemy that created the deranged cells that threatened my life?  Or did they encase the bad cells till I had the time to have them removed instead of cancer cells dangerously wandering  through my body?  I prefer to think the later.  I could be wrong but I prefer to think that my milk ducts allowed me to nourish my babies and came to my aid again when needed. It's Mother's Day afterall and Mother's get special privileges. . .even in musings!  Today I am grateful for this 69 year old body that is my partner in fighting this disease.   Happy Mother's Day to all of you moms. . Love and Hugs. .

Day Six-Treatment Five

That's tomorrow.  There was a thoughtful offer by my doctor  to make up my missed Monday treatment with a Saturday morning treatment so. . we are making a really quick trip home on Saturday and back on Monday.  But the good news is when I am finished tomorrow I am 25% complete!  1 week down and 3 to go.  I am feeling well but it will be nice to be home even just for 2 nights and 1 day.  It will definitely be a busy day,  putting out the kitty food and water for Sophie and Fifi, picking up Scooby-Doo from the kennel on Saturday afternoon and delivering her back on Monday morning.  Watering thirsty plants and doing a couple loads of laundry.  Too much to do for one day, but for this week we will have to make it work.  I am just glad that I can do the make up treatment on Saturday and not have to come back in in June for just one treatment.  All seems to be well with treatments, I am napping in the afternoon most days but many days at home I do that anyway.  So no fatigue and the scales keep verifying no loss of appetite !   The good wishes and kind thoughts and prayers are so appreciated.  I see so many others here that are so much more ill than I that it is hard to not feel guilty about using this special facility to treat me.  And I do think "Thank heavens for early diagnosis".  So friends and family, if you haven't had your regular cancer screenings, do it!  It is the best gift you can give yourself and those you love.  Love and hugs to all, Sandy

In The Pink!

Day two of radiation.  Fast and easy.  I found the cabinet with the pink tops to wear for treatment.  It felt better than the oversize robe type garment that I ended up in yesterday.  It definitely did not make the proper fashion statement! I had never practiced visualization in relation to cancer treatment but strangely found myself visualizing during treatment radiation pieces chasing around my breast looking  for straggling cancer cells!  Go figure where that came from! Treatment was at 8 AM and we planned on looking for some good photo opportunities afterward..  The photo above is a blooming giant yucca on the grounds at Mayo.  There are blooming cactus everywhere.  Anyway we stopped at a mall to get a new battery charger, and started exploring and the photo safari was all downhill from there!  This mall was like a village.  Just beautiful, with water features and tons of little shops as well as eateries and major stores.  We ended up going to the movies to see Water for Elephants, having popcorn for lunch and coming back for a nap and a swim.  I am waiting to find American Idol on TV for the evening entertainment.  Good day.  Tomorrow another early treatment followed by an appointment with the radiation/oncologist.  No problem, but the doctor appointment seems to be a once a week thing during radiation.  Things are going well and I am grateful for the no problems!  We are enjoying the area.  I am sure that the interest will wane in the coming weeks, but right now we are just two over-aged kids enjoying the big city. Love and Hugs,
Sandy

1 Down, 19 to Go

Everything lined up perfectly today and my first radiation treatment was completed.  When it happened, it seemed too quick, too easy(my job was to lay still) for something so important.  The preparation was meticulous.  The actual treatment took 4 minutes at the outside.  But Yippee. . only 19 to go and it seems likely that I can do a makeup for the first treatment that was missed yesterday before the original end date of May 27th.  I go back in at 8 am tomorrow for treatment #2.  And then it is off on a photo safari!   The photo above is one of the sculptures at the Heard Museum.  We spent most of the day at the museum.  Fabulous!  So much to see there, I know we must have missed some of the exhibits.  The courtyard is a peaceful, lovely spot where we had lunch.  Such a nice day we had!  Gratitude overflows!  Love and Hugs to all. .

Sandy

Size Matters!

And I just didn't measure up!  No radiation treatment today.  I was ready.  I was properly undressed  and redressed in the glamour garment that opens in the front.  And then. . .it seems that swelling had decreased as had the size of the subject body part to be radiated and so today's treatment was cancelled.  And scans and measurements and x-rays were done again  and everything for the radiation treatment is being recalculated.  I am to go back tomorrow at 4 and hopefully then the treatment will be possible.  The technicians apologized.  The doctor apologized. They said this happens sometimes. I told them that I had come to Mayo because I had confidence in their expertise to get it right.  And that I was glad they were taking the time to do that.  So I was disappointed in not getting treatment underway and that my 4 weeks here now looks like 4weeks and 1 day of the 5th week.  But I am grateful for the perfectionist culture at Mayo Clinic.  In the scheme of things, that one day doesn't matter.  Getting it right does.. . . Love and Hugs,
Sandy