2 down, 8 to go

Radiation treatment started yesterday, and I've already had my treatment today. The Zip car arrangement is working out nicely and now Kevin knows the route and the routine. These treatments are very quick. I was in and out in 15 minutes today. I have a little ritual of chanting internally "Die, you f###ing cancer cells!"each time the machine zaps me. It helps me feel actively involved in the process. :)

Yesterday I saw my neuro-oncologist, Dr. Liu, for the first time since all this latest drama. I was heartened to find that he has the same focus I do, i.e. we get rid of all the cancer cells in my brain with this radiation round and get back to a period of stability and surveillance. There is one spot on my right gluteal area that appeared thickened to him on the last full-body CT scan, and he wants to do a PET scan to further investigate that once I've finished treatment, but he wasn't able to feel anything there when he examined it. He told me to avoid reading about my condition on the internet, because I would see a lot of stuff like "once the cancer is in the brain, the patient has x months to live,"and we're not there yet. I am certainly on board with that. I just want my arm and balance back. I'm not looking for a countdown *shudder*

I'm slowly getting used to my left arm limitations and learning to ask people to do stuff for me. I'm a supremely self-reliant person, so this takes a real effort, but it is better in the long run to ask for help than to frustrate myself needlessly. I reach a point inevitably every day when I am just sick of the dead arm and want to stamp my foot and whine about it, but I try to do that when I'm alone so others don't have to deal with it. I will be starting physical therapy for the arm soon. It hasn't made much progress in the last week.

Kevin is my angel and helps me in a thousand ways, enduring my moods with good humor.

I LOVE having the house cleaners in every week. Since I spend so much time just sitting around the apartment, it's important that it's all clean and tidy. Last week, I discovered the joy of the mani-pedi at a little nail salon around the corner (nail care with one functioning hand is impossible) What a treat! I wish I'd started that long ago. My feet have never been so pretty.

In other news, Junie the cat that used to hate everyone but me has had no choice but to mellow out what with all the traffic through my place. She actually seeks affection from Kevin now.