Week 2 of Radiation

Just wanted to write a quick update about my week.

 I am feeling much better now. Thank you for all the prayers! I am still coughing some, but I am feeling more like myself. Looking back, I realize that the pneumonia really affected me. It was really hard to deal with everything last week, and the thought of going for radiation for the whole month of September seemed like an impossible task. But this week is much better.

I have now completed 8 radiation treatments. I wish I could say that was 8 out of ??  but my doctor seems to like to make the final decision on total treatments until closer to the end. The woman after me for radiation is in week 4 and just now found out her total number of treatments. I do know though that I have 25 whole breast treatments scheduled, and he said that as long as my skin holds up I should plan on 30 – 33 total treatments. So I guess if I do the math that means 5-8 boost treatments at the end. The boost treatments just treat the scar area right where the cancer was found.

This week radiation has gone very smoothly. The drive really is the longest part. My energy level this week is much improved from last week, but I still find myself pretty tired in the afternoon. I do not know if this is from chemo, pneumonia, the long, morning drive, or what. I am guessing though that it is too soon to blame radiation. As for my skin, I am now just starting to see a faint redness to the skin that is receiving radiation. It is not dramatic yet though and doesn’t hurt.

One other thought for the week. I found this verse this week and have been thinking about it.

 “Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.” 2 Corinthians 1:9

My Bible notes say that we do not know exactly what Paul went through that caused him to write this, but we do know that he faced many trials while sharing the Gospel. His trials caused him to fear for his life, and that fear drove him to God. He realized that he could not solve his own problems by himself. He could not get himself out of the situation he was in. And he says that this all happened so that he would realize that he needed God.

Cancer can feel like a death sentence too sometimes. When in treatments, you can feel a little more in control because you are doing something to try and help yourself. But the waiting, oh the waiting, that is a different story. It can drive you crazy if you let it. But this isn't just happening to me for no reason. No, He wants to teach me to rely only on Him. To look to him for ALL my needs. Not just the big ones. I am learning this slowly. I’m a work in progress right? :o)