Julie can't eat cheese

I hit my halfway point of radiation this week! It’s been a lot, having to go everyday but the session itself is super quick, if not mentally and physically draining. I’m going into Tacoma to see the radiology oncologist my surgeon recommended, even though there is a radiation center closer. I really like my RO – she is super smart and really up to date on the latest information. I see her every Monday to check in – so far my skin is doing well overall. I’m starting to get a little pink on that side and had one sensitive area, but I am still numb in some of the other areas they are radiating, so if there was pain or itching – I’m not sure I would feel it!

My RO and I recently talked about menopause as I think I’ve entered it from chemo. I have had hot flashes – luckily mild, but I’m having them! I recently read Next Level by Stacy Sims, PhD – a great read on the impacts to our bodies as estrogen decreases during menopause and what to do about it. Highly recommend! [Side note – I also recently finished The Myth of Normal by Dr. Gabor Mate – highly recommend too!]

I’ve been having dizzy spells (when I stand up) since I finished chemo and brought it up to my RO. This is apparently a common side effect of chemo called orthostatic hypotension – the blood vessels don’t respond as quickly. It will get better over time but she also sent me for a CBC to make sure my hematocrit levels looked ok. I was disappointed to see a red exclamation point on my labs! Hematocrit was fine, but neutrophils were low and eosinophils were high. She wasn’t super worried about the low/high numbers as they were pretty close to normal (of course I worry about it). I will get labs again when I see my medical oncologist at the end of September, so we’ll see what those look like. Hopefully no red exclamation point. I was happy to see my red blood count back in normal range! Goodbye anemia!

Everyone is super nice at the radiation office and the other ladies in the waiting room are all super sweet too – I call them my radiation buddies. I think it’s all going well and my main side effect continues to be fatigue. I recently read in a “Life After Cancer” document that fatigue is the biggest complaint after treatment and that it often doesn’t get better with rest, just with time.

I finished my art therapy group a few weeks ago and really enjoyed it – it was a visual journaling group and we usually did an initial drawing after a guided meditation. My first drawings were often of tension of some kind – so I know I need to continue working on my stress and not holding tension in my body. Story of my life. 🤣🤣🤣

I’d hoped to not be wearing wigs by now and my hair is growing back – just not as fast on top as the rest of my head! I have bald patches, but they are filling in. Slowly… My new hair has a lot more gray too. I get a ton of compliments when I wear my lavender wig, so I’m thinking that will be my new hair color (once I have enough to color).

I finish radiation on 9/21 (13 more sessions to go!) then I see my medical oncologist on 9/27 and will also get my port flushed that day. Next up will be hormone blockers and my first post treatment scan. I’m nearing my one year anniversary of this whole roller coaster – 9/11 was when I first felt my lump and I got my diagnosis 9/30. Wild. Are you up to date on your preventative health care?! ❤️

Things we are enjoying that I never thought I’d say: overnight oats. I don’t think I really understood how these worked before and they sounded weird to me, but they are so good! If you like them and have a favorite recipe, please send it my way!

And in other news that surprises no one who has gone through treatment…