Eyes On the Prize

It's been a while since the last post, due to a combination of lack of new news, hectic schedule, and not feeling terribly well. The not feeling well part has nothing to do with the radiation, but more than likely has to do with high pollen counts and a slightly upset stomach. The stomach stuff has been floating around work the last week or so, and a little bit of it seems to have visited my intestinal tract.

The latest news is that my surgery has been scheduled for Tuesday, July 17, at 7:30 am. I've got my pre-op physical and (hopefully) final MRI with contrast on Wednesday, July 11. I have to say I'm ready to have the "lump of my life" residing outside of my body instead of inside of it. I'm just tired of carrying it around. The radiation treatments have become routine, and to this point haven't produced any noticeable fatigue. I see my radiation oncologist every Wednesday after treatment, so tomorrow I'll see her, which coincides with the end of two full weeks of radiation. I just keep telling myself - every day I get one day closer to being rid of this growth. I'm really looking forward to recuperating from the surgery and starting physical therapy. I just feel that I can get back to pretty close to full function after the surgery, even if it proves to be one of the harder things I'll do in my life. Bring it on - my eyes are on the greater prize of a cancer-free arm that does most of what my arm did before.

The folks, both patients and staff, at the Radiation Oncology center are a fun group. There's an unspoken bond between the patients who see each other 5 days a week, a family of hope and shared experience - everyone there lays on the same table and takes radiation in different parts of their bodies. Some are getting chemotherapy at the same time. All are positive and encourage everyone else with their demeanor. Everyone greets each other warmly, wants to know what's going on in your life, trades stories, recipes, whatever comes up in the course of the 10-15 minutes we're in each other's company. The staff join in the fun as they can with processing all the paperwork and managing appointments and dealing with the doctors. A very special confederacy.

Memorial Day weekend is approaching, so I get an extra day off from radiation on Monday the 28th. As I'm off from work as well, I guess it's a day to sleep in.