Aftershocks

 Radiation therapy for breast cancer uses high-energy X-rays to kill cancer cells. Rapidly growing cells, such as cancer cells, are more susceptible to the effects of radiation therapy than are normal cells. The X-rays are painless and invisible.

I finished my radiation treatment a week ago this past Friday.  You know how when you cook something in the microwave and it tells you to let it sit a while before you try and eat it because it is still cooking? Well that is what happens with radiation.  I thought I sailed through these treatments with just a minor bit of skin pinking but apparently I was still cooking.  The rest of this post may be TMI for some but as I primarily write to document my experience, I want to include it.

Monday morning I woke to some tenderness just south of my armpit.  By Tuesday it was dark and bruised looking and very sore.  I also developed a line of irritation under a portion of my breast.  Saw my gynecologist that day and she just said to keep it moist with my Aquaphor.  My breast has continued to redden but not too bad (I have had worse sun burns) and my nipple has turned really dark brown like the spot under my arm and felt like leather. My breast and underarm are very achy and painful.  Last night sleep was difficult as I just could not get comfortable. I am continuing to use Aquaphor, mometasone and  Quiet the Storm Balm from Fabula Nebulae. (I love this stuff, I totally credit it with how well my skin held up for the last month!).  This morning I got up with brown crud all over the inside of my nightgown and discover the dark skin from my nipple of rubbing off.  I am glad that brown leathery suff will go away but it is nasty now and the new skin is very sensitive.  

All in all, things are well.  I am back to sewing on my quilts.  I roasted and froze 5 quarts of tomatoes yesterday as well.  I am still a little tired in the afternoons but eh...no big deal.  I nap a bit if I can, if I can't I go to bed early.  Today is a movie day with some of my girl friends to see Stripes which I cannot believe is forty years old. Since it starts a 3 PM it will be a test to see if I can stay awake since that is my time when I am the most tired. LOL