Thursday, January 29, 2009

Pink Panther

Today was Lucky 13 of 16 radiations. Almost done!

I'm not sure if my skin would have held up if I had the usual 30-36 radiation treatments. Yesterday, I was pinked out. Today was the same. It hurts like a sunburn (when was the last time your ta-ta or armpit was sunburned?).

Fatigue is starting, though. Not as bad as the chemo fatigue, which hit like a ton of bricks and hit quickly. This is more gradual. I've also noticed that the chemo fog is back . . . trouble thinking or finding words, trouble remembering! Part of fatigue, tho, is the thinking and find words issue.

In fact, two nights ago, I forgot that one of the burners on our ceramic cooktop had been on. Yeah, you got it - burns. Second degree burns on two fingers. Vic had turned off the burner and removed the pot of pasta for to drain it. The sauce was still cooking; I took off the lid from that pot, and placed it upside down on the burner. Didn't want to get the burner dirty! After stirring the sauce, I went to pick up the lid, putting my hand underneath the lid to grab the top knob. My hand was directly on the burner. It took quite a while of soaking the hand in cool water to get the pain down enough to bandage. Oxycodon was my friend Tuesday night!

It's almost the weekend . . . thank goodness. I need some rest and will hope that the fatigue lessens. But what I've been told by the doc, I keep cooking after radiation stops . . .and the fatigue and sunburning will continue.

Peace and blessings to you!

5 comments:

  1. Renee..

    You sound pretty upbeat regardless of the sunburn. Ouch! burned fingers. You know what helps burns, WD40.. you got it. The stuff that helps sticky locks and squeaky doors. Read it somewhere and tried in once and now I keep an extra can under the kitchen sink just for that purpose. Surprisingly enough, I don't think I have had scarring either afterwards.

    Hope you get your energy back soon.
    Hugs, thinking of you everyday.

    Love.. Toni

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  2. Renee,

    So glad you're almost done with the radiation. And so sorry to hear of you burning yourself. That is SOOO painful!! I've never heard of WD-40, like Toni mentioned. I'll have to remember that.

    Hope you can have a nice relaxing weekend with Vic. Hope all is well.

    Love you!
    Kim

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  3. Only 3 rads to go! I am so envious. Let the healing begin!
    Sue

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  4. renee, let Vic cook when you're feeling kooky. Please?

    Thinking of you!!

    -Sharon

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  5. Thank you ladies!

    I think Vic feels like he is a part of this journey when he is "doing". It's not like he can take the chemo or be zapped. So maybe I should allow him to be a part of the journey more often :-) Vic? I'm too tired to cook tonight. Vic, would you rub my feet, Vic, my neck hurts from laying on that radiation table, can you help? tee hee

    He'll kill me now for sure.

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