Eight down, 24 to go (cancer stuff, horse stuff)
Well, that’s 25% of the radiotherapy done. It would have been a bit more, but today’s treatment was cancelled at the last minute because Medusa was in a snit and they had to call the engineer and the physicist to appease her.
And apparently my battery noticed that it was the first really cold day of the year, because it died on me while I was waiting in the parking lot. I assumed I must have done something dumb like leaving my foot on the brake (and the brake lights on) to kill it, but the Triple A guy said it was just that the battery had given up the ghost, so the one time I turned the car on and ran it for five minutes to warm my toes up while I was waiting to see if Medusa could be bargained with and I could get my grays was enough to murder it.
So I have a new battery now.
No treatment tomorrow and a short week next week because of the holidays, which just means my last week of treatments will now have five days in it instead of four, or the just two it would have if not for holidays.
Assuming I don’t miss any more days, which sadly I probably will.
I’m definitely starting to have some edema in the treatment area (as they euphemistically put it) and some skin sensitivity from the radiation burns, though they’re not bad yet and I am slathering myself in alternate coatings of aloe vera and calendula cream. I’ve never been so well-moisturized in my life.
Tuesday I had my weekly checkup with my radiation oncologist and the oncology nurse specialist. I’m assured that the twinges I’m feeling are normal and no cause for concern unless the pain becomes consistent. I admit, I’m feeling some dread about the whole process—not looking forward to five or six more weeks of increasing pain and fatigue. (And the side effects linger for several weeks after the treatment ends. Mmm, radiation poisoning.)
But the only way out is through.
My energy levels seem to be okay. I’m getting up at 5:45 in the dark and driving myself in for treatment, so my schedule is a little different than it usually is in winter, and I’m tired from all that. (In summer, I usually wake up between 5:30 and 6:30; in winter it’s usually between 7 and 8. My biological clock wants that daylight kickstart, so I’m the weirdo that actually likes the time change.)
My oncology nurse is encouraging about continuing to remain as active as I can. My elbow tendinitis is still acting up, of course, which means that lifting, riding, and yoga are all somewhat curtailed… but I can still walk and jog and play with the horse. Ormr is enjoying the ground work, and we did manage a little trail ride last week. That doesn’t involve much steering, because he knows the way, so my elbow can handle it.
We’ve been practicing his tolt and other gaits while free-lunging, which he loves. Cookies! Clicks! Praise! Guessing games!
Today we had a real lesson, too—shared with Scott and Magni. I’ve missed riding.
He really has blossomed into an adventurer as he’s learned that guessing is always fine, as long as it’s cooperative guessing. (It’s okay if you get it wrong as long as you’re trying, and not being rude or dangerous! And if you guess right, you get a reward! For a smart horse that gets bored easily, this is apparently heaven.)
And tomorrow I get to sleep as late as middle age will let me. Amazing.
Happy holidays, folks. Talk to you soon.
Bear