Last Day & TV Interview

Yesterday was my last day of radiation. Thank goodness. Ta ta, Zofran; you’ve been a life saver. I'm very thankful that I did not spend 5.5 weeks with my head in the toilet this time.

We celebrated my last day the best way I know how — with kittens!!!

Check out my interview on the local news! [Skip ahead to 12:00 min].

http://www.channel3000.com/news/newscasts/36165558

Fight like hell.

Halloween & TV

This year I’ll be dressing up as KJ with hair for Halloween.

Just kidding —I really don’t care who sees my bald head, but I thought it’d be nice to get a wig just in case I wanted to have hair at times. Otherwise, I’ll continue to rock the G.I. Jane look. Many thanks to the Friends of the UW Hospital who fund raise to provide wigs to cancer patients free of charge!

I’ll be dressed in my usual pirate costume to hand out candy. Thanks to my big ass brain surgery, I have a legit eye patch to complete my costume this year. Heh.

Yesterday, N. and I were interviewed by Channel 3 about my battle, our love of the Badgers, and to help promote the “Beat Cancer” buttons that the Carbone Cancer Center is selling to raise money for research and patient services. We’ll be on Channel 3 at 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm. The interview will also be on the Channel 3000 website. I’ll post the link when it’s up.

tOMORROW IS MY LAST DAY OF RADIATION!      

Fight like hell.

Awesome Day

Yesterday was so awesome. I won tickets to the Matt Nathanson Studio M session at the 105.5 Triple M studio. We had to jet straight from my radiation appointment to make it to the show on time. After he played, we got to meet him. I took off my hat for the picture, and he was a little surprised at my bald head. I told him that I had brain cancer and that we had just come from my radiation appointment. He hugged me three times and told me that I was a badass. He asked if we would want to come to his show yesterday night. I replied, “I would love to!” I’ve always wanted to see him in concert.

And then I took a nap ... 

When we got to The Majestic for the show, we found that Matt had gotten us hooked up with VIP seats — So, so awesome. The concert was fantastic. I’m paying for it today with exhaustion, but it was worth it!

Fight like hell.

No Hair, Don't Care!

The deed is done. No hair, don’t care!

Last time, I was so concerned about my hair. This time, I really don’t give a damn. I was so over pulling out handfuls of hair, and it had only been going on since Saturday. Off with the hair!

You can definitely tell where I have balding spots versus just shaved hair. The three surgery scars are very visible. Oh well, the hair will grow back in a few months.

My N. was very sweet and shaved his head with me. We gave the neighbors a show, shaving each other's heads in the driveway.  

12 days of crockpot radiation left!

Fight like hell.

It Has Begun

It has begun; the hair loss is upon us. It's like my hair hurts [because the follicles are irritated from the crockpot radiation]. My sister actually lint-rolled my head today to catch all the hair falling out.

I feel like the balding started sooner last time, but I could have just been more traumatized then, too. Seeing a pile of waist-length hair on the floor is a little more demoralizing than short hair. Plus, I really don't give a shit about my hair this time. No bald spots yet, but depending on my balding pattern, I may go #nohairdontcare.

Fight like hell.

Same Old Routine

Sweet Jesus, having your port accessed is no joke. I didn’t watch, but N. did and told me how long the needle was. ::shudder:: That was not pleasant. I was trying to suck it up and see if I could do it … Nope! I have Lidocaine cream now to put on before they access my port for the Avastin infusions. Yesterday, the infusion was given over 60 minutes; my infusions going forward will be over 30 minutes. That means no more bed for me; I’m hoping that I at least get a reclining chair to nap. I could hardly make it through the appointment with my oncologist because I got radiated beforehand.

My routine has been about the same every weekday – nothing new to report really. I get radiated and then I take a lot of naps … with the boy kitty. The girl kitty is not much of a snuggler, but she decided to grace me with her presence yesterday afternoon.

One thing I've noticed is that I don't seem to have a meat aversion this time like I did the first go round.

16 more treatments to go after today!

Fight like hell.

Fight Song

I mentioned this before, but when Rachel Platten’s “Fight Song” came out, I thought about how it was too bad I didn’t have anything for which to use it. [Be careful what you wish for!] I had also said to N. that I didn’t know if I could be as strong if I had to go through this whole circus again.

Well, here we are. I don’t know if I’m being as strong as I was the first time, but I’m doing it.

Today started the 3^rd week of crockpot radiation. I have 19 more treatments remaining, so that should put my last treatment on October 30^th. I have yet to vomit – yay for Zofran and a doctor that understands pharmaceuticals!

I’m just waiting for the hair to start falling out.

Fight like hell.