I know, I know, I know...I haven't updated in quite some time, but truthfully there hasn't been anything to tell. Let me catch you up on the last couple of weeks...
Wednesday, September 16: I went in for my initial radiation visit. At this first visit, all they do is line you up and do a CT scan to figure out how you will be laying and where your treatment will be directed. Then...they tattoo you. Yes, I mean actual tattoos. I have four little tattoos, no bigger than a freckle. I have one on each side on my ribs, one on my chest and one right in the middle of my stomach. They aren't obvious or anything, but I will have them forever...they are tattoos after all.
Tuesday, September 22: I went back in thinking that I was starting radiation. I was wrong. At this visit, I simply had more preparation. This time they lined me up again based on my tattoos and took my "measurements." I can only assume that means they did something like calibrate the machine for me so they can put in my numbers and direct the radiation treatment to the right location. Then, they did x-rays and sent me on my merry way again.
Wednesday, September 23: I finally went in for my first actual radiation treatment. They scheduled me for every day at 11:20am, so I will be spending every lunch hour (for 35 working days) at the cancer center. On Mondays, I will see my radiation oncologist right after my radiation treatment and on Thursdays I will have blood work--I must say, I thought I was done with weekly blood draws. Bummer.
In the treatment, nothing touches me and I don't feel anything. I'm in there on the table for all of five minutes and then I'm done for the day. It's sort of anticlimactic. There is so much preparation and then the actual treatments are super short. I didn't notice any side effects after treatment #1.
Thursday, September 24-11:20am: I went in for my daily radiation--treatment #2. I had my first weekly blood draw and didn't bother staying for my results. They'll call me if I should be careful or concerned. 2 treatments down, 33 to go. Still no side effects. At this point, I'm getting pretty pumped and I am totally unconcerned with cancer treatment.
6:30pm: I head off to my kickball game. For those of you who do not know, I play adult recreational kickball. I had been incredibly excited to get back to playing and feel well enough to do so. In the first inning, I score a run and make a catch for an out. In the second inning, all goes well and we're winning 4-1. In the third inning, I kick again...it's a good kick and I make it to 2nd base, but barely. I slide in to second and this is what happened-->
7:30pm: Joe makes it to the kickball field to pick me up and take me to the ER so I can get x-rays of my ankle. The ER doc told me that he didn't "think" it was broken, but there was so much swelling that it was hard to tell. He gave me a Loritab prescription and a brace, slapped an ice pack on me and sent me on my merry way telling me that if it didn't improve in a week, then I should get more x-rays because it might be broken. Thanks, doc. Noted.
Friday, September 25: I stay home from work to keep my foot iced and elevated, so I attempt to telecommute. The internet goes down in my office, so NO ONE ends up working. At least it was a good day to stay home with an injury. I went in for radiation treatment #3....on crutches. Sad day.
Saturday, September 26: Today, I have mostly just laid on my couch taking Loritab every 4-6 hours. I'm in quite a lot of pain, though it's nice that my pain is no longer cancer/cancer treatment related. I am VERY disappointed, however, that just as I get back on my feet playing kickball, playing soccer, and joining a bootcamp class at my gym, I get injured and have to take to the sidelines once more. I'm sick of the sidelines. I have never been a sidelines kind of girl. I'm one of those people who likes to be in the midst of the action, in the heart of the game. The sidelines don't feel right to me. I suppose I just have to get ALL of my medical setbacks out of the way in 2009 so 2010 can be a perfect, flawless year! :) So...hoping ER doc was right and it's just a bad sprain (no breaks), because I'm ready to be back on the horse figuratively speaking.
Just as
a note, here are a couple of pictures of how the ankle is 
looking today....icky, I know. In fact, I think it looks considerably worse today than it did at the ER. The picture up above was taken at the ER. In the picture from the ER, the ankle is swollen, but it's just a knot on the outside. Now, it's black all over--down on the foot and on the inside and outside of the ankle. On top of that, the whole foot and ankle is swollen....I mean, it's huge. Here's one more picture (just below) for you to see the comparison. Both feet, side by side. Ewww....
