Big day

So yesterday was a big day. It started with an appointment with the radiologist Dr. Hoppe. He gave me all the risks of the radiation therapy I will be getting and more details. Radiation will be 13 days long with one "mock therapy" session where I won't actually be getting any radiation but they want to make sure ever thing will go correctly. My sessions will be short (5-15 minutes, monday through friday. Although radiation could cause other cancers later on, breast cancer being one, and hypothyroidism (because my thyroid will be in the radiation area) risks are low. I am getting a VERY low dose of radiation and because of it should have very many side effects. Mayby nausea for a few days at the begginging and maybe some skin irratation there at the end. I do have to start getting mammorgrams and the other test (forgot what it is called) in 8 years instead of when I am 40. and I do have to start thinking heart healthy becuase my heart maybe affected. If I ever get diabetes or high blood pressure I am suppose to treat those aggressivly. I should start eating right and exercising regularly and keeping my weight in check. This I am very excited about. It gives me a reason to make myself a priority. I have always put the money elsewhere... (should I take a class at the gym.. pilates, or yoga? or maybe a swim class at the rec department?) Yes I am still cheap, so of course I will start small.. but this could be fun! by the way half of this stuff I am just putting here so I can remember it later.

Then I got my picc line pulled out! Serious seperation issues here... that picc line had been though a lot with me and had saved me from passing out more than a few times! It was pretty cool to see them pull it out. All 22 cm of it. We thought it was a lot longer than that!- pics to come of my old friend.

Then I got my CT scan done... We went back to Stanford at 4 and got me all put together in radiation. I laid on this big linear accelerator and they made a pillow that is formed to my head, and then then put this mesh mask over my face and bolted me to the table so I couldn't move, then they gave me three tattoos! yes tattoos!.. ( I kept telling myself that this is not what the Prophet had in mind when he told us not to get tattoos!) they are three little dots, blue, all below my sternum one on each side and one in the middle (you would never know they were there with out me telling you) but I have to say that it was painful and that people are crazy for getting them! They use mine to make sure I am lined up in the machine correctly so the right parts of my body will get the radiation. I am hoping that the worst part of this radiation thing will be the whole bolting me to the table thing because it really sucks. Tyler asked me "so how ya doing?" and I couldn't move!.. couldn't move my mouth to talk, couldn't shake my head or anything. I was stuck to the table!.. yikes.. Oh well, I guess I can handle it for 5-15 minutes for 14 days. (but I will be counting down the days)

So all great news, low doses, only 13 short sessions, no more picc line, and I buzzed my hair!.. it is now 3/4 inches long, all over. It sticks strait up on top.. so hilarious and kinda lays down in the back. It was a very emotional experince but I really do like it a lot better now. (should have done it a while ago- pics to come) anyways... that was my very big day!