Radiatation Recovery… Oy-Vey!!!

 Holy buckets, that was intense. 

I mean, they said recovery from brain radiation would wipe me out, 

•but it slapped me all up in the throat like a sunburn,

•decided to add a dose of nasty fever blisters all down my tongue, making swallowing really painful, and talking/ singing all but impossible.

•wiped out all my energy,

• opted to give me extreme weakness in my left hand and right hip,

• and put me in the hospital for almost a week……… THad. TThanakslkddjf;iweyut98yfvkcjbn ;kjbbh……/ ;lkj;lkj jkhiyut8665s6r4ewa.,d 

• and generally has made me feel like I’m 80-85 years old.

I STARTED USING A WALKER THIS WEEK, PEOPLE. I AM ONLY 51 YEARS OLD!

I mean, it’s pretty sweet, and it does make my life a lot easier, but A WALKER?

I’m taking my meds with a spoonful of pudding. I am afraid to drink water without thickening it because I might choke. Everyone handles me like I’m made of glass. 

And I’m feeling better than I have in a while. 👵🏼🥺😳😡😶

But I’d like to say that I did accomplish (and none of this was just me) : 

• Painting the studio (so many wonderful volunteers)

• Shaving my head because my hair hurt (Thanks VINNY!!!)

• Loosing Vinny’s birthday gift in an amazingly difficult place to find

• Matt finding Vinny’s birtthday gift and declaring the woman with brain  radiation no longer gets to hide gifts - ever.  

• Receieve a reallly nice gift from the Pink Ladies of Sioux Falls because of Emily Wilson. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE PINK LADIES OF SIOUX FALLS, AND TO MY SWEET MAGNOLIAS!

• Get a Small Business Loan, despite my friends starting a second GoFundMe that basically said I was dying and need all the money we could get. I guess they Google that stuff?

• Miss the Sioux Falls Stage Awards, but let Maia look fabulous and wear an old dress of mine and be Dad’s date

Win a MAJOR AWARD as a part of the cast of “Company,” who won for Best Show

Learn to Be A Sloth… I suck at this, BTW.

Big Thank You to Nicole Holm teaching me about Sloth Philosophy.

Sorry I’m terrible at it.

Get a Red Blood Cell Transfusuion

Let some of my teachers take on more responsibillty

Felt well enough (thanks transfusion) to go home from from the hospital. 

But not before visiting my castmate from “Company”, Mary Ridder in the hospital, and her husband who had baby #6 the day beore I checked out.

Moved home, Started going to “regular” appointments- like theraputic massage at  my chiropractor in Dell Rapids, (the best apointment of my week, I swear.) Did a Holistic, Centering, Chackra Healing, which helped lead me to Greater Enlightenment that day too. Pretty much an intense counseling appointment that I enjoyed a lot.

I also had my labs checked and talked to my oncologist. Things are all looking good to start the chemo this week. I will have labs checked again on Monday, with the intention of starting the Doxil (more agressive version of chemo) on Tuesday. 

I made it out to see a couple of shows this weekend: 

DAPA’s “Once Upoun A Matreress”

Mo Plastow, one of my teachers and always up to go to local shows with me!

and some ol’ pals from Mitchell/ USD playin’ 

some tunes on the patio Downtown Sioux Falls

Ryan Stahle & Chris Miller

with some really solid guys in their band.

Also squezed in LAST WEEKEND:

“Shrek Jr.” in Harrisburburg

Bare Bodkins’ (again, last weekend)

“Romeo & Juliet”

On Saturday (yesterday) Had a difficult but productive discussion with a divorced dad who wanted to tell ME how much he was going to pay me for his daughter’s voice lessons. But ended in us both feeling heard and valued because my staff & I are using this book as a great guide, for communicating with students, parents & coworkers.

How to Work with (Almost) Anyone: Five Questions for Building the Best Possible Relationships https://a.co/d/3ZrIYuT

 Then went and bought shoes because I had a gift card and that was a very grown up discussion, and I won the argument without anyone feeling bad, so I wanted to treat my self. 

THEN, I went  to Best Buy and got 5 iPads and two new bluetooth speakers for the studio because I got that big loan and I am a Beasty Boss, Bubbly CEO.

Saturday afternoon,

Matt & I popped down to Vermillion to greet some dear friends:

(Mark) & Kerrie Kleppin-Winn

•I amy not be the biggest fan of Radiation

John & Lorrie Thomas

Today, we went to church & I played piano (not very well). Did not sing,  But the rest of the family played, and I basically didn’t screw anything up. 

Then we had family dinner at Mom’s, I took a nap with my feet WAY up in the air, and got them almost back down the right size. Matt went away to choose  music with friends for a gig, then came home to discover me STILL writing this blog. 

So now, I’m going to bed because I guess I have to do things tomorrow too. 💕

TOTAL BRAIN RADIATION!!!!

 

This is definitely the vibe you get when you hear the words, 

TOTAL BRAIN RADIATION.

In reality: here are the images I come away with

I see and smell these colors in phase 1….

I don’t know if I really smell clean chlorine, but I want to, so I do.

“directive”

It’s a whole system…

“You are so pretty… 

we love you and will do our job and take care of you!”

The radiologist does TRIGONOMETRY. 

“You’re fine.”

They made a mask for me to wear every time:

Today at the end of treaments they asked if I wanted to keep it. 

I took a hard pass on that one, thanks.

They clip it to the table, and you don’t move. I did this every weekday morning for 10 days. 

My process involved 3 phases, so I didn’t move for about 45 minutes. 

For me, this was as easy of a choice as: Don’t move during LASIK. 

It’s your brain for the rest of your life. Don’t screw around. 

Some observations: My larynx feels weirdly not in the right place after all this, so swallowing is a little weird. The radiologist says he didn’t touch it, and whatever I’m feeling is temporary. So, I will gently swallow my throat into a normal feeling, I guess. 

I’ve been able to think clearly during the whole process. There was no Napalm. There is no generalized brain fog. I get tired sometimes, which is boring and dumb and I don’t like having LOW ENERGY. 

I think they shot me with some kind of boring laser. 

So today was the last day of radiation. I rang the bell in their office because I’m done with them for the time being. It’s the end of one chapter.

Yes, I’m very festively dressed. Did you expect anything different? 

It’s the week of July 4. I shall dress accordingly. 

Next, I rest for a week (woo, my favorite.) Then on Friday, July 14, I start a new chemo called Doxil, or “the Red Devil.” so that’s nice.