The Home Stretch! Week 6

 


It’s 2am as I write this. My sleep schedule has been completely wrecked by all the treatment. Some nights I manage to get a few hours, other nights I don’t sleep at all. But — a win: 12 hours ago, I finished my final chemo infusion. One last bag of poison, done.

I’ve got about a week of radiation left. The skin on my neck is in rough shape — peeling in places, darkened in others, with raw pink patches scattered throughout. It itches constantly, and some areas don’t stretch like they used to, which causes cracking when I move. I put lotion on several times a day just to keep things tolerable. Swallowing still hurts, and probably will for a few more weeks. I’m sure there’s more I’m forgetting — it all blurs together.

That is the garbage that comes with treatment.

But on the positive side: I met with one of my three doctors on Monday, and she’s really happy with how things are going. Fewer ulcers than normal, which means my body’s handling the treatment better than expected, even with the discomfort. My neck is looking more symmetrical now, and the lymph nodes aren’t bulging like before — you actually have to look for them.

So, the countdown is on. Seven more radiation sessions.

Then the real healing begins. I’ve got appointments lined up through May 7th, but from now on I’ll be commuting from Courtland/Gates. The care team and hotel in Richmond have been incredible, and I’m grateful for that — but I’m definitely ready to go home.

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