Whoops, did I mention I finished radiation?

So I did finish radiation mid. Jan., and besides a geometric shaped suntan, my skin is all healed up. My left side is definitely tighter than the right and I know I need to get back to my physical therapy protocol. I also want to start exercising, but I am so tired after work, I can’t swing it right now.

I “eased” back into work trying to stick to a part time schedule for a while, but that proved to be hard to manage. My job is really not a part time job. I am now back up to full time at work, and I guess probably like everyone else, I am having good days and bad days. I still don’t feel 100% and I’m pretty fatigued at the end of the day, but it is nice to be engaged again.

At the moment, I have a wicked cold/flu type thing that has been hanging on for a week. Not fun. It has given me flashbacks to chemo. I am really sick of being sick, I’m over it. I also started having stress dreams about a possible cancer recurrence and people I care about getting diagnosed with cancer. I wake up in a cold sweat. Last night I actually had a dream that my dog and my brother both got diagnosed with lymphoma, WTF, not cool. Now I am wondering if I should be in therapy. So yea, I have that going on right now.

So what can I say now that treatment is mostly over and I look back on what was a really strange 2011? I still remember when I first heard the cancer diagnosis and then the word “mastectomy”, I couldn’t believe it….I still kind of can’t believe it. But I will say it is amazing how you adjust and recenter yourself. The funny thing is that I never felt brave or strong at all, but you kind of surprise yourself when survival mode kicks in. There were also great gifts through the journey; periods of deep calmness, expressions of so much love and appreciation for things in a new way.

So yea, I think this match can safely be called now. AQ vs. BC. By unanimous decision, the judges award this one to AQ. Yea, I did that.

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10 Responses to Whoops, did I mention I finished radiation?

  1. Eric says:

    Such good news. Now beat that flu down (there’s a recipe for a garlic / ginger soup in the Notes section on my FB page…it’ll sweat it all out of you, and tastes good, too). Here comes spring!

  2. Alison Q. says:

    Thanks Eric! I’ll check out the soup recipe. I was trying to do this hardcore raw garlic in honey thing, but my stomach didn’t like that too much. Maybe the soup is a better vehicle…

  3. Zuraf says:

    We are the champions, my friend….and we’ll keep on fighting til the end…
    You did it! I’m so happy for you and proud to be your friend.
    LOVE — AZ

    • Alison Q. says:

      I couldn’t have done it without the ladies of Dawn of Man. I love you AZ! And I love you all the time Darte.

  4. jennie says:

    Hi Alison
    So excited for you to have completed radiation. AQ kicked BC and then some.
    Please consider attending “transition after treatment” March 15th 6p-9p
    Margie Stohner runs this one time meeting for issues like those dreams.
    Looking forward to seeing the bulbs start coming up that you and your mom planted last fall. Say Hi to mom and dad for me.

    • Alison Q. says:

      Hi Jennie- SO good to hear from you. Thanks for the heads up on the transition after treatment session, that sounds like just what I need/ I am putting that on my calendar right now! The next post is definitely going to be some pictures of those bulbs, I didn’t think they would be coming up so early, but they are sprouting! It is nice to see the flowers and remember where I was when I planted the bulbs and where I am now. Hope you are great! Best, Alison

  5. Shakti says:

    Jeez you are a good writer, Alison. You sneak up on my heart. I hope that you’ll keep writing, here, or elsewhere.

  6. Linda Simpson says:

    Yeah, Alison! Glad you’ve been taking advantage of so many helps out there to contnue the healing. Most of my fellow breast cancer survivors who have been out of treatment for awhile say they’re in better health than anytime in their lives because of taking better care of themselves. Bet you hear this a lot, too.
    Prayers continue…

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