June 8, 2022

Home Away from Home

Hi, y’all – Great news, I finished the last radiation round for my whole breast radiation treatment yesterday and today I start my booster doses.  My understanding from talking to the radiation techs yesterday is that it will take them longer to get me set up than to do this round. 

The difference is that this one is just a single radiation shot directly into the area where they removed the tumor.  They call this area the tumor bed.  My understanding is that the whole breast radiation treatment was with protons and this one is electrons.  I truly don’t understand the science of it all but I trust what my doctor says here at MD Anderson.  I mean why wouldn’t I – he wrote the protocol for radiation that others use in the United States.  

I also see my radiation oncologist today for my final visit and I’m excited about that.  Tomorrow I have two treatments one in the morning and another one 6 hours later in the afternoon and then Friday morning is my final dose and viola I will be done and can finally go home.  Y’all probably won’t hear from me this weekend as I may not get out of bed.  I might just crawl in on Friday with my dogs and stay there until Monday morning when it’s time to go back to work.  Who knows – could happen.

Mano made it into town on Sunday and it’s been a fun challenge in this small condo with us both taking calls.  The room is big and echoey so if we both have calls at the same time then one of us usually has to retreat to the bedroom for their call so we don’t have competing sounds.  Oh and by one of us, I mean me.  Hahaha!

Anyways, this is a quick check-in. I just wanted you to all know that I am still here.  Still alive and kicking in the Houston area just counting the hours till I can go home.  You guys take care and I will check in again soon.  Sending lots of love and hugs to my village – I will be back in the saddle again soon.

Xo,

Tracy