Recovery Mode

 Finding out that you have a cancerous lump is scary.
What is even scarier is the speed with which all the wheels of treatment start.  Scary because when there is speed in treatment means it is very serious.

Two weeks after finding out, surgery. Three weeks later meet with the Radiology Oncologist, one week later the Medical Oncologist.  Two days later radiology mapping is done. Eight days after that starts the radiation which for me will be 25 treatments over 5 weeks.

Three months of giving your life over to the medical establishment completely and absolutely if you choose that route.  Which I have.

At this point I am a day away from mapping where I hear I will have a CT Scan and be marked up with permanent marker. (These colours will join the still blue stains from blue dye injection to locate sentinel lymph nodes. I am over joyed. I am a colouring book.) Then I will get 3 small pinprick tattoos to assist in the actual radiation procedure.

All of this is to reduce the chance of cancer returning because it was all removed in surgery.  I am glad..no not the word... thankful ...that I got my lump checked on. I am thankful that it was a small tumour that I could feel while it was small.  I am thankful there is a location and a system in my community where I can get help keeping the cancer away from me for as long as possible.

I had a day away from all of this on Sunday when I spent a day on the beach. Yes under a canopy with lots of sunscreen and a hat. No sunburn this year. I needed to stop and breath deeply before more dragging through the healing system.

Sunset over Georgian Bay

Happy 65th Birthday to my ever patient husband.