Pace yourself girl

This week whipped my behind.
I enjoyed it though. I knew it would be hard. Plus having terrible sleep doesn't help.
Coughing is still frustrating... Medicine does not help. I have seen an increase recently but am hoping that will turn around soon... Friday was the worst for this, to be honest. But somehow I got thru all the class library times and didn't break down coughing as the narrator during the puppet show yesterday (that was my biggest concern, phew).
Enjoyed time with my family this week. Little things like my kiddo finally getting new shoes felt like such a success story. Felt a little sad that I didn't have energy to go to one event that I'd committed to and another one I was excited about but being careful is more important.
Got x-ray done. Shoulder/neck pain is so annoying. Distracting. Curious to see what my oncologist says. Hoping to get a referral note to see that specialist, shall see.
Gotta say, these past three days waking up and being free of the hospital trek was a beautiful thing.
Enjoyed the children's book week, a bit going on next week as well with an author visit and also a favorite author friend visiting my home...  all good things...

So... I sorted and organized all my paperwork again for medical info. I tend to allow it to accumulate (in a somewhat organized manner) during each treatment and then at the end sort it out... another form of closure. It's amazing how thick this health documentation file has grown since my diagnosis in August. What a long time it has been, yet so short in the scheme of things I suppose. Happy to have things sorted there. Now on to organizing little areas so that when we move it will be easier to pack...

I have an issue that I've been really quiet about. I suppose this journal hasn't really felt like the place to reflect on this but now... I'm ok with it:
I'm not fond of how Susan B. Komen for the Cure manages the funding that is raised. I find that there is enough awareness of breast cancer, I dream that they could refocus on funding research... I find that pamphlets about breast exams and encouragement about getting mammograms is important, don't get me wrong... but I find it disturbing how little of their fundraising goes towards research and innovation presently... I follow one woman blogger who has started a change.org petition... I was happy to sign this, thought I'd share.
https://www.change.org/p/keep-a-breast-foundation-i-ask-that-komen-commit-at-least-50-of-total-donations-to-medical-research-and-innovation-rather-than-to-awareness-and-education-i-request-all-other-breast-cancer-non-profits-do-the-same?after_sign_exp=member_sponsored_donation

One sweet kiddo this week came up to me with big eyes and said, "You've been so brave." I asked, "What? Doing the puppet show?" She said, "No, when you were sick..."  I told her, "Yes I am brave." And then moved on. It is amazing how being at work can distract me from illness. A very good thing sometimes.

Thanks for journeying with me as always...

See my Dr. Seuss converse shoes? I love them...
inspired from the book If I ran the circus. I dressed as Where's Waldo/Wally.
Thanks to some wonderful people for loaning me, my kiddo, and some other colleagues the costumes,
made life much easier.

Third time saying DONE

Hallelujah.
   Grateful to be done with this radiation crap. Walking down the hall every session. Going into the room to remove clothing and jewelry each time. Putting it all in a little locker and wearing the key bracelet down the hall. Putting the key on the little counter. Kicking off slippers, climbing up on the table, fitting into the body cast, laying down with arms painfully above head, covered with a sheet, adjusted left and right writing on my skin near my "tattoos", getting my other tattoo checked in the center of my chest, covered up in a fleece blanket, and going in and out of the tube... Done. Done. Done. So grateful to be finished. Hallelujah.
   Loved when I heard the words, "Ok Debbie, for the last time, it won't be long now." Brought tears to my eyes. She knew I was listening. Lovely woman... Hope she helps everyone like she did me... so kind and patient with my questions and always a smile when I came out of the changing room.
   Can't believe I have gone through three rounds of radiation treatment. This one was the most amount of treatment days. This one was the oddest because I was focused on the radiation going and killing a specific cancer tumor vs. just killing possible stray cancer cells after a tumor was removed.
Now. Waiting. Healing. I know I'm still burning from the inside out. I'm grateful to not have my skin burning this time though. I'm not fond of the side effects, but I know I'm lucky in comparison to so many others who went thru radiation in this area.
   Tomorrow? Happy to not be heading to the hospital after school.
   The next day? lung x-ray... gotta dig thru my x-rays to find my other old lung x-ray so they can compare and see if there is any damage. Then time to see my oncologist and see what he thinks and when he wants me to have that PET scan.
   Getting thru. Day to day.
   Wiped out presently. Shall see how I'm feeling in a week's time. My husband is happy I have a little recovery time. I need it. It takes over a month to feel almost like myself after radiation treatment. I remember this all too well. Energy is low. Healing is slow.
One other thing to be grateful for is not having to see that radiologist. I've been anxious the whole time I went for radiation treatment because the last two treatment rounds he made sure to see me part way through and at the end. Glad he never was there. Perhaps my oncologist told him to stay away.
Really glad that he did his part planning how the radiation should go and then let the experts run the machines and take care of me. Goodness I'm grateful. Need to stay away from his negativity as much as I can.
   Moving on. Moving up. Treating myself with care. Hoping to get over sleeping issues I've had this past week sooner than later. Shall see. Same with the neck pain. Appreciated emailing a lymphodema specialist to find out more about how to treat my neck. So glad that I learned about risks. Now I know what to watch for and how to treat my body, especially good to know to avoid heat and ice packs... I certainly want to meet up with him soon but waiting to talk with my oncologist about it first.
   I did get to celebrate a little bit after treatment by attending a Hong Kong librarians meeting (love my colleagues) and meeting a wonderful, talented author and illustrator. Then I came home and slowly ate dinner, redirected my brain to a few shows, and chilled out with family...
Many thanks for all the support all. Appreciate you journeying with me. Feels like a major step I accomplished today, even for the third time...

Goodbye locker. Goodbye hospital gowns.
Goodbye yucky hospital slippers. Goodbye treatments.
Thank goodness.