FAQs

I know you've got 'em, let me try to answer them! These really are the questions that I get asked the most - but if I haven't answered your particular intrigue, just ask me in the comments below. Promise I'll look - Facebook I'm not as good at getting to, but I'll try, OK?

How are you feeling? Really?
And the real answer is - I feel fine! Boring but true! If it weren't for the extreme fatigue, I would be back to how I was before the treatment. The pain has shifted, but is manageable, and I am frustrated by not being able to do anything, but really I am fine.
Within myself, emotionally, I am also good. I get bored easily, and I am sometimes worried that my brain has suffered somehow from the frying, but that may be from not doing anything. It's all a crazy circle.

Did it hurt (the radiation)?
NO. That's the short answer. The longer one is that the last three treatments hurt a bit when the rays went over where had started to burn. But they don't stay in one place for too long, so it wasn't that bad, although I would not have wanted it to go on any longer!

It's a 1

Do you think it worked?
Hmmmm - now that's a tricky one. Right now if I run my hand over the Fred area, it feels a lot bigger and tighter. The Dr said that I could expect some swelling, so I am sure that is what I am feeling. And of course I cannot feel the whole of the tumour, so it may have shrunk at the ends.
SO no real answer for that right now - but I am relatively optimistic and spend 'nap time' imagining my white blood cells as a pac-man operation eating away dead Fred cells. Fun, huh? Feel free to play along.

When will you know if it worked?
Ahhh - the million dollar question! Again not an easy one to answer though. I'll have an MRI the first week in April which is just a little pre-lim look see. We were told that if it looks good then, then it did a great job. But if it looks bad, then we'll just ignore it. Right.
The explanation for this? That we are expecting to see some swelling and damage from the radiation, so we ignore a 'worse' scan. But if it shows some improvement then it must be a big improvement to get past the fry damage. Make sense? No? It's OK, 'cos I get to have another MRI in July that will be far more reliable (because all of the SE from the radiation will have gone - they better have!!)
However - the radiation doc did suggest that we could see results from the radiation for up to 5 years because of how slow it grows. I think you can guess how well I took to that little piece of news!

So is that it? No more treatment?
That's it for radiation. You get one shot at one spot - so Fred has had all the frying that he's going to get.
The radiation oncologist does not suggest any further treatment. That would be some sort of drug therapy/chemo-ish treatment. I am leaning towards this to be honest, but I am waiting until the July scan before we make that decision. I'm not a patient person, friends, so this is hard for me. I wanted the radiation to just shrivel Fred up to a crisp - but we also know that I have a bit of magical wishing going on in this regard!

is killing Fred considered evil?

I think I'll do a post on patience, or the lack of it, but I am telling you that there is nothing in me that thinks 5 years is an acceptable time to wait. I'm sure you're feeling me, right?

What can I/we do to help?

Awww - thanks! But we are doing fine now. My BSF babes made us meals the whole way through, and after, treatment, and now we are getting through the stash of meals I had frozen before. SO that is taken care of.

Piet is also the world's best housekeeper (save for maybe his Mum!!) and he just does everything around the house. I am NOT ALLOWED to do anything. Truly. Sometimes I can get dinner ready, but that's about it. I'ma actually starting to feel a little bit useless.

I know, I know

When will you be back to full health?

I so wish I knew. The doc suggested about 6 weeks, but I am having a hard time believing that could be possible. I was so optimistic - but it was that magical thinking again. I am trying to be good and sensible (!!!!) with my recovery, but it is so hard.

SO that's it folks. Seriously - if I didn't answer something, just ask me.

And just because I need a laugh...

but I know you know that!

Till tomorrow loves

Hugs,

Megan

Side effects.... and a drive.

I promised you yesterday that I would update you on my side effects (SE), but of course there will be some gruesomeness involved. So for those of you who are a little squeamish, let's do the drive first so you can leave after that.
Aren't you curious? It was the first time I'd been behind the wheel for 9 weeks.
Did I kill someone?
Hit something - or someone?
Have an accident?
Cause an accident?
Take a look see...

so good so far - getting out of the driveway

proof that it wasn't an optical illusion!

The Princess came along with me to make sure I was OK - and she looked petrified! I really am not sure what she was expecting - I can't imagine that she was thinking I was a bad driver. Hmmmm.

So we drove down the road and around the corner all the way to Safeway. Just three blocks. It wasn't painful exactly, but it also wasn't comfortable. We got there and home fine.

I think that the feeling was that I am fine to drive just around here, but anything further really needs to be done by someone else for a while longer.

Consider yourself warned!

Now we move on to the SE. SO consider yourself warned! It won't be too difficult for you - but again, if you are a little sensitive, please spare yourself now!

Firstly - I think I've already mentioned this, but it needs to be remembered, the nausea is gone. Yay! I cannot tell you how amazing those cups of coffee are in the morning!

The fatigue seems to have set in for the long haul ( you can read yesterday's post for a bit more on that). I was being for too optimistic about that leaving soon.

Digestive issues (turn away now - it's not too late!) - still a big problem. Constipation is just no fun at all - and we all know that I think things that aren't fun just shouldn't be allowed! We at first thought that it was because of the meds that I was taking, but I've weaned myself off of the heavy (fun!) pain meds, so that doesn't seem to be it. I think that the radiation got some of my bowel and so now it just doesn't work. I will never, ever again take for granted a daily poo!!!!!!!

I know you're thankful too!!

There is still a lot of skin peelage - hah, I just made up a word. Impressed? Unmentionable places continue to shed skin - layer upon layer. I think Sara Lee may have had radiation!! I also was being optimistic in this area - I thought that once it peeled, it would heal and that would be that. Not so much. How many layers will it take (there may be a very off-colour joke about the centre of a Tootsie roll there - but think it up and laugh all by yourself - I've helped all I can!)  'Unmentionable' places are also still very tender. Loo breaks can be a wee bit painful if I'm not paying attention.(see what I did there? *wink/smirk)

The pain comes and goes. During my absence, the front of my Fred leg (right) became very burnt and just incredibly painful. I couldn't even touch it. I got some amazing numbing cream from the hospital that helped, but I don't need it now, thank goodness. It's now just feeling a little bruised, so as long as I am careful not to hit it onto anything it's really not noticeable. But what is noticeable is the pain on the inside of my leg. It's really hard to describe, but it's almost like the outer skin and fat(and we know there's plenty of that!) are numb and the inside muscle is all bruised and battered. Fried more like it - but it feels more bruised. Fred also feels bigger and angrier - I guess we all would be a little ticked if we were radiated, hey?

So that's it for the SE. Kinda still the same, but just a bit better (besides the BMs)

And now just the cutest picture of how my honey brought me my yogurt this week - I know you are so very jealous!

How adorable is this?

Till tomorrow sweeties,
Hugs
Megan

So Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving Sweeties!

(For my USA friends, hope you had a fantastic day with your family and friends. For my Aussie friends and family - we should totally make a day to do this. Just an amazing day to eat, maybe drink, yourself silly and just think on the way that you are blessed. There's not a thing to complain about... well, let's not talk about Walmart, k?!)

I love a good list - but let's face it - this isn't going to be anything like one of those!

My gorgeous family tops the list. And the hubster really IS my favorite (I know you're not supposed to have faves, but I'm breaking all the rules these days!) He just rocks and has done more than anyone could ever ask while we have been dealing with Fred.

Coffee gets on the list too - if you've talked to me before caffeine in the morn, you'll know why it needs to go on here! If you haven't had that dubious honor - that should go on your list!!!!(so of course the new beast goes on here too - it just makes getting the coffee to my face so much easier!)

The happiness corner, right in my own kitchen!

God. (those of you Aussies rolling your eyes now - STOP IT!!!) I just couldn't have been able to get through this year without Him. Hmm - let's review that to seriously not being able to do life without Him.

Love the color orange too.  So - that makes this year's list!

The best of everything fun right here!

I dare you to tell me that doesn't make you smile.

And the random pick for this year's list? E-cards! A friend gave me a daily calendar last year (thanks Martie!) and it gives me a giggle just about every day.

If you're easily offended,  probably not for you.

So, what are you thankful for?

Till next time,
Hugs
Megan

The pressures of having the best husband in the world...

Today is our 23rd anniversary. Thanks - I know I don't look old enough to have been married that long!

And as usual he outdid himself with gifts. He is the best giver ever.

So first he surprised me with these to die for 'sleefs'. Amazing - and I know I wont have to wait too long to take these babies out for a spin, what with today's high being 37F (3C) and all!!!!

So apparently these make you look like an absolute dork!

THEN on the bottom of the bag were these T-shirts - one for each of the family! We had joked about making shirts for me, and the sneaky one did it! I know - you are so jealous, but he is ALL mine.

Yep - this is what we TRULY look like!!!

So if you see us out tonight, we'll be that cute family with the matching T's.

So once again, I'm the one with the lame gifts. I'm certainly not keeping score (totally AM) but once again I ended up the loser.

So until I lose again
Hugs
Megan