Radiation next course of action

So how was your week? Last week mine was like an adventure all in itself. I got a brain scan MRI done before they took me to Halifax by ambulance. My father came with me to help me get around and to take care of me.

They told me what they were going to do to me, then they gave me my check up and said that they would have to have me up this week to get a face mask and marking done. So I will be going up tomorrow to get that done then home again so they can match up the MRI scan with the one they had taken here. And yes it did involve a needle. Those of you that know me, you know how much I hate needles, but for a different hospital and people that don’t really know me it went very well, only two tries. Woohoo!

Yes, I’m still drinking the water so I never have to go through dehydration again. That was the worse feeling I can remember in a long while.

When we got back from Halifax I was to still stay in palliative care for almost the rest of the week. The nurses and staff are so nice there. When you’re not feeling good that’s the nicest place you could be staying.

I am going to Halifax tomorrow again to get ready for the

radiation, but I will not be getting the radiation done tomorrow. They have a plan to only radiate and not go with the operation – woohoo– so we will see if that kills it all. Then we can get worrying about killing the other spots with my regular chemo or something new. I don’t like it just sitting there and not blasting it with anything. We tried that before and it went crazy on me and I ended up with new spots everywhere. So keep your fingers crossed for me this week because they may do it sometime this week or the first of next week. I need all the prayers and good vibes I can get. But you know, with all of you out there rooting for me, I will be fine. Like Ella always said at yoga class, “It’s a piece of cake.” Ha.

I’m on steroids again, so I’m eating everything in sight. I guess for now that’s good so I have a little extra to fight with. I’m still having all the spots and lights flashing before my eyes from this tumor, so hopefully that will be all gone after they get rid of the tumor and they are keeping the headaches under bay so that sure is good, but I feel like my stomach is bloated and I just can’t get comfortable. I feel like everything is too tight.

Janet and I went for a walk around the farmers market this week. I get very inspired when I go to look at the work the crafters do, so out came the jewelry making things and I sat as long as I could and I started making Halloween jewelry. This morning I went and took my wears to the fancy new store in Westville to see if they were interested. Sure they were. So if you drop into their store at 1822 Main St in Westville, it’s called the Downtown Exchange.

My brother’s birthday was last week. Happy Birthday James. Hope you had a great day. I had one of the best thanksgiving’s I’ve had in years. Carol and Wayne came over to share it with me and my youngest brother and his girlfriend Wanda and her daughter Emily all dropped into visit while they were in Westville. They couldn’t stay long because the drive back to Amherst takes a while. I was glad to see everyone, and yes that evening I ended over at the hospital. My wrist was so sore I couldn’t take the pain, but the doctor told me to take Advil and it really helped a little, ha.

The lady that asked if my grandmother Florence Daye and Rae Barkhouse were related. Yes, they were sisters. I remember my grandmother going to visit the Kennedy’s a lot. Both their last maiden names were Slade.

Thank you all for your beautiful cards and gifts.

Thank you and lots of love going out to the Belmont Baptist Church in Belmont. You have been with me since almost the beginning and you will be there to the end too. It is such a beautiful church in the country and the people are just as beautiful. They never forget me and they never give up on me. So I need your prayers a lot this week and all the good vibes you can send out to me. Thank you again.

I hope you took a minute to look around the Thanksgiving table and say thank you God for putting me in is this place today with all the people I love and love me. God Bless you

Have a good week folks … and, yes, that’s enough pumpkin pie. Give the rest away.

Kathy Golemeic is undergoing cancer treatments and writes about her experiences each week.