Sunday, April 17, 2011

put some aloe on it

I would like to thank everyone on Team Dori who participated in the Spokane Susan G. Komen 5K today.  It means so much to me, you are all incredible! Next year, I will be there with you.

Tomorrow will be Day 16 of radiation....almost half-way there.  I wish I could say that everything is rosy, but I am working with a burnt boob.  I have found that if I layer aloe on it after radiation, layers and layers, it doesn't hurt as bad the following morning.  And those layers eventually get dry and stringy.....pretty gross.  I no longer enjoying wearing shirts, and it isn't because I look good topless (working on it) but because it hurts SO much to wear a shirt.  The sleeve I am wearing to help prevent lymphedema stops right at the top of my arm, so it rubs my armpit and I have fluid that builds up in there--all of that ends up causing pain--so I am having to take pain medication to get through the day....and even with meds it is still pretty uncomfortable.  I am not too tired, I am sleeping-in more than before, but I haven't hit a wall of exhaustion. 

I feel somewhat useless when I lay in bed with aloe on my boob and the fan blowing on me.  I can't really do anything because the aloe/lotion mixture I have concocted on my boob smears all over my lymphedema sleeve, stomach...it spreads like chicken pox and leaves oily stains everywhere.  The weekends are such a welcomed break, I love looking at the clock at 3:30pm and NOT being at radiation, a sense of satisfaction. I had to stop using the treadmill (sports bras are not my friend right now, and no matter how still I try to keep my arm, I end up being in more pain when I am done--and I can't stop treadmill dancing........so my arm occasionally does a fist pump or a shimmy) so I am going to be using an exercise bike--I am going to continue with my commitment to be healthier and I refuse to let a little sunburn (feel the sarcasm?) stop me.

And I am hoarding aloe like it is gold.

Me: "Look at this blister!"
Scott: "Wow, you must have put your socks on wrong..."

No comments:

Post a Comment