CYBER🔪: Day 2

Yesterday was my second Cyberknife session. Two naps down...one to go. I spent most of last night laying down and throwing up water. 

It's not the most fun I've had...

...doing much better this morning. Just nausea. I really didn't want the anti-nausea meds the doctor offered so I've been hitting the ginger pretty hard. For the record, fresh ginger has been way better than the chews and stuff. But that makes sense, right?

Today I took off from work and will be kindly chauffeured to the hospital, I thank the universe for kind friends. 

I believe that the symptoms build and may get a little worse before they are better..

...the important thing is that today will be my last radiation session!

Cyber🔪

Well, I started Cyberknife today...three concentrated, one hour sessions of radiation that are supposed to be super precise.

Very high tech...

...I asked the therapist if I could sleep. She said that would be perfect. 

That...in case you were wondering...is the right answer. 

Besides, I was going to fall asleep as soon as I laid down anyway.

I returned to work after the hour long session. Now I am home, not feeling so hot. Nauseous, lower back pain, and super tired. I can't tell what's a side effect and what is not! Here is to me feeling better tomorrow and finding out that it was a fluke!

In cooler, happier news...the Hello Kitty balloon that a friend brought to the hospital when I had surgery is STILL FLOATING! She began her descent last week...and it super close to the ground...but she is STILL UP!

The top photo is Hello Kitty in November 2014, at City of Hope. Bottom left is Hello Kitty in January 2015, bottom right is Hello Kitty in February 2015, after I finished radiation to my chest. Here she is today...

She may be on the ground, but she is STILL KICKING! I was hoping she would make it through radiation...and she might. Hello Kitty is a survivor...she's not gonna give up...she's not gonna stop...

...SHE'S GONNA WORK HARDER.

Woohoo!

I haven't had a PET scan since the scan that nudged doctors to recommend surgery! I'm supposed to scan every three months, but...it took about six months for me to get around to my next scan. 

So I finally scheduled the PET and I went in on February 23. The Sunday before was hard, it was my first time doing the prep diet (no carbs...at all, no caffeine, no exercise, etc) on a weekend. Terrible idea. It's way easier for me to diet at work. I go in Monday, starving, only to be told that the nuclear medicine was an hour late, so I had to wait an hour to get injected. 

You know when you go somewhere and there isn't a public restroom...so you immediately have to use the restroom? I experienced this - I was immediately starving and sad. 

I also asked if my favorite PET tech would be doing my scan. They told me HE WASN'T WORKING. I was so bummed.

So I'm sitting there waiting, when all of a sudden, HE walks in. My fav Indian PET tech. This is my face:

I can't even tell you how upset I was. I assumed the lady at the front desk lied to me.

Until...suddenly, he calls my name. If you've ever been wound up ready to get rowdy, only to be pacified immediately, you understand why I was stunned into silence. So, I follow him silently into the room. I'm finally able to choke out, "They told me you weren't working today."

He kindly let me know that he was taking a regular break from PET scans, since they rotate areas to limit radiation exposure. But...since I had been so pushy, he came to start my IV. I can't tell you how happy I was. Seriously, I barely know the guy, but to see a familiar face that I trust, it was amazing!

The week waiting for results was really long. I had my standing appointment for my shots on Friday (last Friday), so I knew I'd probably have to wait until then. Only, I DIDN'T WANNA. I had become so nervous because of the huge span between scans. I was kicking myself for not remembering to mention getting a scan after surgery. In my mind, if something spread, it had a ton of time to grow and flourish. I was so scared, it was a rough week. I called the doctors everyday to ask about results. 

Finally, Thursday afternoon, the OC Oncologist called me. 

RESULTS: no new cancer. 

I was so happy, I cried. If you know me, that's not surprising, I cry all the time. I'm so relieved and so grateful. I'm still not cancer free, the tumor in my spine lives on...but I'll start radiation for that soon.