End of the Fourth Week

Can it be? Is it four weeks already? Still no dreaded side effects, although this past week was a stretch.

For the first time since I was 3 years old, I slept for 10 hours! My take-away from this week, therefore, is that I need to get more sleep on a daily basis, and I need to start the re-org to free up Mondays again. Because of radiation schedule demands, I had started working a bit on Mondays, normally a non-work, discretionary-time-for-Barbara day. I miss it terribly. So physically, I'm doing pretty well, but I think I may be regressing psychologically as these old patterns re-emerge, i.e., the “too much to do” syndrome.

I asked my doc if she thought the treatment was happening, since I don't feel much different, last week notwithstanding. She assured me that it is, and reminded me that it's not over yet, and that, even after treatment ends, there could be residue. This week, Van and I attended a great “Orientation to Radiology” program at the Oyster Point facility. I have a better understanding of what is happening and how – pretty amazing.

Yesterday, at the instigation of my wonderful daughter-in-law, Susan,* who accompanied me, I went to a workshop on “The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen.” It was sponsored by the organization, Healing Journeys, and presented by Rebecca Katz (chef) and Jeanne Wallace (nutritionist). Much of what they talked about is good nutritional advice for all of us, but the focus was on particular nutritional strategies to complement cancer care. Another blessing at the presentation was the opportunity, over a delicious, healthy lunch, to share cancer stories with a couple of other women, most of which were about what what we're GETTING out of this experience – the silver linings. At the least, I'm learning to cook and to blog - that is the least, the most being the deepening relationships with friends, new and old, and with my blessed family.

*Susan's mother died two years ago of lung cancer. Her mother's journey was truly amazing – she lived two and a half years beyond her prognosis of 6 months by engaging fully in her life and availing herself of all the healing resources possible. Susan cooked for her and was introduced to Rebecca Katz at that time.