I was warned about the side effects of radiation. Burned skin, nausea and fatigue.
I can understand how the burned skin happens, I'm being zapped with radiation in the same area everyday. And burned I am. The whole right side of my chest looks like I feel asleep in the sun, only the burn is in a distinct shape for the area they are treating. But worse is under my arm, at the side of where my breast was. It's beyond red, it's purple. And it's starting to blister. I've got a special cream to put on the blisters so they don't get infected. Yay. The real problem is that they are in an awkward spot, a lot of friction happens there so it's quite painful. I'm also supposed to be using a saline compress on the area. Good thing the home care nurse left me a whole bunch of preloaded saline syringes as well as a brand new bottle of saline. Saves me the trouble of trying to make my own.
I don't have the nausea so that's good.
But the fatigue, whoa nelly, that has set in. I don't understand how radiation causes fatigue but since Wednesday I can't seem to motivate myself to do much of anything and took a nap yesterday and today. I'm exhausted. I hate feeling this way.
Sean won't let me do anything (cook dinner, do the dishes) and on some level I appreciate that but it also makes me feel 'sick'. I don't want to feel like I'm a sick person.
Monday will be my final radiation. I'm so excited I could pee my pants.
Forgive me if I seem absent or if my posts are not exactly great reading. My brain is foggy from fatigue and tylenol 3's (which seem to have the same effect on me as the percocets did...so clearly my tolerance is back to normal - that's good news at least!)
The only hting that matters is that you look after yourself. Rest as much as you need for now-then you'll be here to do, and go, go, go later...feel better cuz!! <3
ReplyDeleteWow! 1 more? That's awesome, Jean!
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