Radiation and Routine

I am a bit more than one third of the way done with radiation. My appointment time changed to 11:10am so that's when you should be thinking about me. In my last post I mentioned that the door that protects the rest of the office and staff from the radiation is about one foot thick, well it also weighs about 2,000 lbs. Isn't that amazing. So far my skin is looking the way it should according my doctor. And I am tired just as predicted.

All three of us have been watching the Tour de France every morning and some evenings. It's additive! It becomes part of our routine in July every year. Mark and Calvin are getting ready for work and don't always get to stick around to see the morning finish. Most of the days have been pretty exciting, with falls, attacks and wild sprints to the finish line. One of the radiation technicians is a big bike rider and Tour fan. We have discussed the Tour since my first set-up appointment in May. I am still wearing my yellow LIVESTRONG bracelet (as are Mark, Calvin and other relatives). That always makes it easy to start a conversation with other biking enthusiasts. Each day we talk about what happened the previous day. I have promised not to mention the current days race as he doesn't watch it until the evening and of course wants it to be a surprise. The Tour de France riders are now in the Swiss and French Alps and it reminds me of the area where we hiked in the Italian Dolomites last year - incredibly beautiful.

After Mark and Calvin go off to work in the morning, I do a few things around the house and then get ready to go to radiation. With driving time I am usually gone for at least an hour and a half. If I have my teenage driver, Millie (see photo), we often run some errands on the way home. We have become great friends... I text her the times I need her and always hear back immediately! The other day her mother (who is one of my dearest friends) asked her who she was texting and Millie replied "My new BFF" (Best Friends Forever) - I am honored. Often I have her drop me home and then I send her out to go to the store, etc. Saves my energy for other things. I now refer to her as my personal assistant. She will be a senior in high school next year and I will miss her when she goes back to school.

As mentioned previously I have to have some time on the couch every afternoon. It's about fatigue and also about getting my body horizontal. Laying down gives me some relief some the pain from the expanders. I watch movies, (many for the umpteenth time) but lately have been hooked on the TV series "Mad Men". It was a great gift from one of my FINS. Calvin and his girlfriend have been watching it too (at different times than me). It's set in New York City in the 1960's in an advertising agency. It is so true to that time period. Everyone smokes (even the pregnant women), they drink all day in the office and the booze in set out on the credenza just like you would put it out for a party. The women's fashions are great to see. The men do not treat the women very well - secretaries are there for office flings and all the men are having other affairs. Great character development and it is certainly keeping my attention. The second season was just released and I can hardly wait for my "rest time" to watch the next episode.

I have also read a few books, the most noteworthy is "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett. It tells the story of three women living in Jackson, Mississippi and the relationships between the African American servants and their white employers. The times are starting to change but not quickly enough in the deep south. I lover her writing style and I will recommend it to my book club for our next meeting.

My baby boy turned 20... no longer a teen and hopefully he will rid himself of some of those dreadful teen habits. However no sign of that happening yet and I am not holding my breath!