2 down 23 to go......

Hello everyone

We are now basking in the loveliness of Eugene, watching the geese with all their fluffy little goslings with the CUTE little useless wings. We  are staying at La Quinta which is right on Alton Baker park, so quite a destination place. Too bad we are not just here to hang around and watch the birds. Funny, likely in the past we would never have taken 5 weeks off just to hang around Eugene.....but we should have.

I have had 2 radiation treatments now, yesterday and today. Yesterday was a long appointment.

I had to lie on my stomach with my butt out there free in the breeze in a rather dark room 

They lined up the markers they had made on my hips and sacrum last week and then took xrays.

They then needed to adjust somewhat, and then took more xrays. They then drew all over my butt with marker pens, following the light that the beam of radiation elucidated.

So the parts within the lines were the parts getting radiated. 4 beams, one from each side, one from the back and one from the front.  So essentially 4 separate "treatments".

They start with one (front) then go to left side, then to back and then right side, or something like that. The machine makes a noise while it is sending out radiation. I feel absolutely nothing.

The hardest part for me yesterday which took a lot longer than today because they were still setting up, is that I was lying there on my stomach in darkened room with my butt in the open and every now and then someone would touch me, to do the marking or move me, and I had no idea when there were there.  I guess I wish they would have talked more so I could tell when they were in the room and when they were going to touch me. Of course I was supposed to lie completely still, but when someone is writing on your butt it tickles..... and every bit I move changes what gets radiated.

At the end of the treatment they "tatooed" me, a tiny needle in three places where they line up the laser lights for subsequent treatments.

It is a bit like a sports club, because I have my own little slot that says BATES for changing my clothes, and keeping my stuff in (like the locker room),... made me feel special... The club that no one ever wanted to join, but once there, more than happy to play the game.

I am still only on day 15 from my last chemo, so blood count is low and likely will be down for another week. I am getting more anemic with each chemo, hoping that the 6 week break from chemo will allow my hemoglobin to come up. (Hemoglobin is the part of the Red blood cells that carry oxygen  from the lungs to the body, so when your hemoglobin is low, you are not as efficient at getting oxygen to the muscles etc.  SO your exercize tolerance is a bit less..

I ran 2.5 miles last Friday, going to try again today. Have been walking about 2-3 miles a day and have been to 3 yoga classes. Hoping whilst being in Eugene, the running city, to get back to running and get a real start on my hopes for running a marathon sometime in the next year.

A couple of little  hurdles to get over before then.

Peace and love

Janet Bates

jankenb @ gmail.com