Up & Down

My physio appointment on Friday was very interesting. Jo-anne, my therapist, had discussed my hip with the other therapists there and they came to the conclusion that (from what I described) it is possible that I have a loose piece of something floating around in the joint that impinges on it's mobility etc. So, she wrote a letter for me to give to my Dr. asking to get an MRI or a CAT scan done. YES! Thank you! I almost had to twist her arm to get her to give me the order for physio (which I then discovered I didn't need) and she just brushed me off when ever I mentioned something else is wrong with the hip than just arthritis. So, I'll be off to the Dr. in just a little bit.

In the meantime, Jo-anne pulled and twisted my leg... and I can walk! It's like a miracle! So, she is going to teach a friend of mine how to pull and twist, so that I can continue to walk after the 6 (yes - SIX) appointments are done. The city is so lacking in facilities & personnel that an MRI appointment may take up to six weeks and who knows how long it may be before I can actually get anything done if they find anything.

The acupuncture was interesting, the first needle she put between my toes, she hit a reflex point and my whole lower leg jerked, then it just hurt, so once she was done with the rest, she had to reposition that one. I am not sure if it helped any, this was after the pulling and twisting, so who knows.

My weekend was up and down though... my hip would be great for a long time, then it would just start to act like it had before, not supporting me etc. A few minutes of that and it would be fine again for a bit, then not, then fine, then not. I think the worst part was the getting into and out of my friends truck, just enough twist to aggravate the joint. But I was always able to walk it off! I am so happy!

Have a great (mobile) day all.

Physio & Birds!

Well, I had my first physio appointment today for my hip. My therapists name is Joanne and she wants to try acupuncture on me next time! That should be interesting. In the meantime, she iced my hip and used a muscle stimulator then did some massage and gave me a few exercises to do. She isn't sure what is going on, but is not happy with the feel of the muscles in my thigh and the lack of motion. I think I will only get about 6 sessions paid for, so I hope it will be enough to do some good.

I was at my friends place the other evening for supper and while we were waiting for it to be cooked the birds decided to visit her yard & feeder.

He's very pretty isn't he?

Sorry for the blurry, but this is his back.

It sometimes gets a bit crowded!

So, they have to stand on each other! ;)

Have a good day all.

Hormones revisited

Not a long post today, but, I just had a reply to my "Pregnancy Hormones" post, opinion from the other side! That is the one about the diet where you get yourself injected with other hormones from a pregnant woman.

This is it: (I do agree with the first line)

Anonymous said...

All the processed food we've eaten since the fifties, and the chemicals therein have destroyed our hypothalamus. This procedure allows the hypothalamus o be reset. Everyone I have met who has done this is stronger, healthier and happier. They eat whatever they want, no more binging, dieting or weight fluctuations.

Maybe if you weren't so hung up on the (potential) boob factor you would take the time to really investigate the subject. Good thing you're not running a country! J

This person obviously has done the "diet" and was successful. It is also obvious that they have not read any of my other posts. Really, hung up on my boobs? If I were, I would be having reconstructive surgery or alternatively would never go anywhere without a bra that has a shaper in one side. (I can't be bothered to btw)

So, to brave "Anonymous J" (if she/he ever pops back in): I have had hormone positive breast cancer and lots of women get breast cancer while pregnant - Hello?

Oh and I am a woman, therefore too busy to run a country. ;)

****************

So, I am off to see my physiotherapist today to see about a new sleeve for my arm. I will post later and let you know if I am wrapped up like a mummy again.

Have a good day!

PS. according to my sitemeter, anon J was on for 0 seconds! Yeah, even a speed reader takes at least a couple to read the entire post!


Update: My arm is good - smaller than it was, so I don't need to be wrapped yippee! Now I just have to order a new sleeve. Of course, I had to wait so long for the therapist, I forgot to get my prescription, so I will have to go back tomorrow - might ride my bike if it is nice now that I have refreshed my memory of the route and actually looked at where the bike trail is in relation to all the construction.

Radiation Tan - Not the look I was going for!

Following my chemo, I was sent for radiation. They really wanted to make sure I was done with the cancer and make sure I wasn't going to get it again. So,here is how it goes.

Just before my 5th chemo treatment (out of 6), I was sent for a consult with the radiation specialist. This is where he outlined what was going to happen and the possible dangers attached to radiation. A few that stand out: it will make my bones fragile and I could break a rib just by coughing; it could also give me lung cancer; heart problems, but those are more common when breast cancer is on the left; and of course I could wind up with the ever popular frozen shoulder. Having been through the frozen shoulder twice (once for each shoulder) I was really determined to not have that happen again - particularly as my right shoulder still didn't have full mobility!

Alright, so now he has scared me enough that I am beginning to have second thoughts about this whole treatment course. Of course, I managed to wise up and use my little brain and realized that he was giving me the worst case scenario. Then I went through the whole, yes, well, the last several years of my life have been worst case scenarios - if it weren't for bad luck I wouldn't have any luck at all! Then I figured, well, what's the worst that could happen? I could die? I am not afraid of dying, I have no kids, I have done a lot, I could do more, but, if it is my time, so be it. Besides I felt that somehow, my luck was due to change.

The next step, was to tattoo marks on my torso so that they could position me exactly the same every time. Three little dots, very boring for a first tattoo! They ran me through the machine to make sure I wouldn't get stuck or panic or something. No, really it was to figure out the positioning needed and trajectories and other technical stuff, so that they put the radiation where it was needed.

I was then (finally) sent off to Physio Therapy. (I say finally, because I had started to have signs of Lymphoedema which will be another post.) Then I had my last chemo treatment and a wait of 5 weeks before they would start the radiation.

The wait is so that your blood has had a chance to recover from the chemo before they start bombarding you with radiation. Treatments for the radiation were every day Monday through Friday for 5 weeks, 25 in total. During this time, I was also being wrapped for the lymphoedema every day as well.

The treatments themselves are easy, you take longer to change out of your street clothes into a gown and getting settled in the exact position than the actual treatment. Then of course, getting dressed again.

For breast cancer, you lay on your back with your arms over your head, holding on to little handles. Then the techs shift you around until they think you are in the right spot (and boy, did they get a workout shifting me). They then leave the room and the machine whirs and clicks, then it moves to the second position and whirs and clicks some more and you are done. The staff comes in to move the bed and help you get your fat body upright and you leave. Only once did they have to add a couple of seconds to the treatment and that is really all it was, they moved the machine back to the first position and dosed me again. It had been too short the first time.

I mentioned earlier that my right shoulder was still not completely mobile. Well, this position is the least comfortable position for an arm that has restricted nerves and blood flow. I had to use my left hand to pull my right arm from over my head.


My skin is very, very fair - pasty you might say. So, I now have a perm-a-tan over my breast. Yes, just the one and under my arm too. In fact it is darker under my arm. As that area so rarely ever sees the light of day, it tanned first and of course went to burn first and peeled first. Of course, being winter, it looked like the negative of a picture of someone that had been in a bikini for the summer.


The staff told me to shower everyday, but avoid soaping the area that was being toasted and of course don't wash off the marks around my tattoos. I was to then put cornstarch on the felt marker so that it would not rub away. They renewed the felt marks everyday, so I put cornstarch into an empty spice jar and would shake some out onto the marks before I got dressed. However, I hadn't rinsed the bottle well enough, so I spent the 5 weeks of radiation smelling like rosemary. Better than onion I suppose.


Once I started to peel (at about three weeks) they told me what kind of lotion to buy and I started to apply that daily as well. I was very lucky again, as I didn't get the oozing blisters that can happen with radiation. It was just a burn that then peeled and became a tan once all was over with. I was a bit tired during the treatment phase, but it wasn't until after I was done that the exhaustion caught up with me.


Fortunately for me, the Cross Cancer Institute has a volunteer driver program, as last year was the first time in forever that we had snow before Halloween and lots of it. This year, our snow has only just begun a couple of days ago. As an asthmatic, winter and walking do not mix, throw cancer treatments on top of that and well, lets just say, it was a wretched winter for me. Not to mention that I was cold, I couldn't seem to get enough hats and scarves to keep my head warm. Normally during winter, I can get by most days with just earmuffs, but this winter too I can't seem to keep my head warm in spite of having my hair back. Oh well, I guess I will just have hat hair all winter long!

Those are the only photos I have that show the tan and peeling without showing too much else.


Good evening.