The difference that one year can make

I had an imaging appointment this morning.  I was so nervous that I had to take medication for my nausea.  When I was called back by the technician she explained that today was the first day for the new machine.  I don't remember what she called it, but Des Moines, Omaha, and Storm Lake have one!  Since the machine was brand spanking new they had a special lady there to help with operation of the machine.

After they uploaded the images the technician came and joined me in the special waiting room.  The Dr. came in and said everything looked good.  Apparently, last year she had looked at my images remotely from Rochester.  She had interesting insight about my tumor.  She also told me about a book written about a study performed in China.

 To boil down her information -
Dairy is the worst thing you can consume followed closely by animal meat (beef, pork, chicken, fish)
She said that this study is not uniformly accepted by the "establishment".  So I have some thinking to do about how I can change my diet.  For starters I should be drinking almond or rice milk - eating coconut yogurt...
Most importantly, I need to stay positive, reduce stress, and surround myself with positive people.

Next week I will follow-up with oncology.

Beating the storm

I have moved my radiation appointment for tomorrow to 8:00 A.M.  Hopefully we can miss the snow!  My driver was happy to take me at the early hour.  Everyone please keep your fingers crossed that I can get my treatment in before the storm!

If you follow B.V.U basketball then here is information for you.  The Thursday game has been moved to Friday and the Saturday game has been moved to Sunday afternoon.

Expect the unexpected

The strange and unexpected has just become expected now.  Yesterday I had quite a bit to ask the radiologist.  Last week something bit my toe in the night.  It itched/hurt so badly that I had to put my prescription numbing cream on it.  The nurse said that it didn't look infected, so I'm O.K. for now.  My tongue has felt like it was scalded, so I asked the doctor about my tongue.  He said that sometimes you can get a virus on your tongue like a canker sore.  

Today I met with the lymphedema specialist.  She gave me some exercises and told me things that I need to differently.  I just need to be cautious and conscious how I am using my right arm.
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People have asked me if chemo was worse or radiation.  I guess that with chemo there was some recovery time before the next treatment, but with radiation the tiredness is an accumulating affect.  The tiredness gets worse the farther into radiation I get.  I asked the radiation oncologist when I could expect to get my energy back.  He told me approximately 4 wks after radiation ends.  

2/3 done with radiation!

This was quite a week.  The doctor was worried about my skin.  He prescribed me a special cream and it seemed to help almost instantly.  The doctor checked my skin the next day and couldn't believe how quickly it improved.

We have the new windows in our family room.  The windows make such a difference in the room.  (The windows in the family room are a long story and I could probably write a blog just about the adventures of the family room windows.  I'm sure most of you don't want to read a blog about windows.)

Radiation makes me very tired and taking Bennadryl doesn't help.  I feel like I will never get my energy back. (I know that eventually I will feel like myself again.)  I am now 2/3rds done with radiation!

Radiation update

Radiation and the simple act of driving back and forth to Sioux City every day has depleted my energy.  (I'm not doing the driving just the riding.  Even still, I just don't have energy.)  Life in the Harder house goes on...we have had a recent flat tire, stomach flu (Will is missing his concert tonight due to stomach flu and Ted had it over the weekend), Buena Vista University basketball, and impending window replacement to work into our busy schedule.  I get up early to help get the boys out the door in the morning, leave around 12:30 for radiation, and arrive back in Storm Lake in time to pick Will up from the after school program.  It is really quite an accomplishment for me to stay awake until 7:00 p.m. these days.  (Last night I was falling asleep on the sofa at 6:00 p.m.)

My rash recall seems to be running through all of the unpleasant rashes from chemo, but it is easing off. The only rash I can't control with Benadryl is the rash on my head.  It can be tolerated with hydrocortisone cream.  I've seen the radiation oncologist two days in a row for skin check.  My skin is getting very red and is developing a radiation rash.  I have special cream waiting for me at the pharmacy.  Tomorrow they will be setting up new coordinates for radiation treatment.  By changing the angles that they position the radiation, for  5 days, they can give my skin a break.

In good news, I am half way done with radiation!  I'm looking forward to Valentine's Day.  Since this has been such a difficult year I decided to help Will make special valentines for his class.  Will is excited!  We had one extra valentine, so Will said that he wanted me to put his name on it!  He wanted a special valentine too!

Improvements at the June E. Nylen Center

Today was a windy drive, but the roads were clear.  There were some trucks that looked like they were really struggling in the wind today.

Last week they started remodeling the changing rooms in the radiation wing.  They took out the old lockers and installed really nice cabinetry with hooks inside to hang your clothes.  The old lockers were very tiny and you had to pretty much stuff your clothes in to make them fit.  (In the summer I'm sure it isn't a problem, but when it is negative wind chill and you have a thick sweater...)  The other advantage to the new cabinetry is that the bottom is closed off.  Nothing can roll under the lockers and get lost (like my earring back).

Each changing room took one day to complete.  The changing rooms are directly adjacent to a small waiting area.  The day that the women's changing room was being remodeled everyone had to use the men's.  The men's room is much smaller, and the door didn't quite close.  I had to hold the door closed with my foot while I changed.  The men's room was the last to get the cabinetry, so I don't know if they fixed the door.

On Tuesday a furniture truck was parked in front of the cancer center.  They were bringing in framed art work.  I didn't get to see where they took all of the art work, but I know that it isn't back in the radiation department.  It is kind of exciting to see what will happen next.  The chairs in the lobby don't look very old, so if something gets remodeled it will probably be in an area that I don't visit.

Today I asked the snack volunteer where all of the snacks came from.  (They have a volunteer that pushes a cart around offering snacks each day.) She said that some of the snacks came from a bakery and some of the snacks were made by volunteers.  Today they had a number of fancy cupcakes.  I didn't try any of the cupcakes, but they sure looked good.

Hair Like Velvet

The wind was really howling last night.  Ted woke up at 2:00 A.M. with a super wet diaper.  Ted had a diaper and pajama change and then a drink with cuddles.  I went to put Ted back in his bed and discovered that his bed needed a new sheet and blankets.  I took Ted back to Ryan and went downstairs to find the sheets.  After the bed was made I went back to get Ted.  I picked him up and he reached up to rub my head.  It was almost like he was saying "Thank you Mom"!  Whatever the reason, it melted my heart.

We didn't get the snow last night like they did in Ames, Des Moines, or Charles City.  This should mean that I can safely travel to Sioux City today and check another day off my calendar!