Radiation

April 15th  This has been an interesting week.  Had a couple of different doctor visits.  One with my oncologist and one with my new doctor, Dr Price.  She is my radiologist.  She will be the one to administer the radiation treatments.  My first appointment with Dr Whitaker was a little nerve racking for me.  When Dan & I arrived we weren't sure what he would tell us.  We knew that 3 of my lymph nodes still showed cancer.  We had hoped that when they removed them in surgery none of the nodes would show cancer, so now what???  Dr Whitaker was as optimistic as ever.  He said that he hadn't been surprised about the lymph nodes.  We asked him about more chemo, fortunately or unfortunately, however you look at it, there is no other chemo that will benefit me.  He said that I have had both kinds.  Sometimes the chemo is given, one type before surgery and one type after surgery.  I had both types before.  So now on to radiation.  I truly loved the radiologist.  She put everything out on the line, the good and bad.  We were in her office for over an hour.  All of my doctors have been like this, never rushing.  She gave us a list of the side effects, short term and long term.  Okay, the one that I cringed out the most.....the effected area cannot be exposed to the sun, at all, for one year.  What? I can't do this.  My favorite thing is to be outside soaking up the sun's rays.  So how do I find a bathing suit that covers my left arm, left breast area and left shoulder?  Okay, covering my left breast won't be hard but my left arm and shoulder?  That's a pretty crazy bathing suit.  I guess tshirts it is.  Dr Price also said the worst side effect will be tiredness.  Haven't we had that before?  She said that I will need to take a couple of naps during the day.  Shouldn't be hard.  I've been doing that since chemo.  I will have 33 treatments.  Not sure when they will actually start.  I go next week for a CAT scan with markers.  This is how they measure exactly where the laser will zap me.  Oh yea, and I can't shave my left arm pit.  Are you kidding me!  Well I guess I really won't be wearing a bathing suit anyway.  More like a long sleeve shirt if I can't shave.  Isn't it funny, no hair at all while on chemo and now more hair than  I'll know what to do with.  Talk about swinging from one side of the pendulum to the other.  Cancer, what an experience.....