Shampoo, shampoo - glorious shampoo!

Yes - I used shampoo yesterday for the first time since November. Did I really NEED to use shampoo?? probably not.... But I definitely have hair now.

I watched the American Idol finale tonight (I guessed wrong...) - but it will probably only be a couple or few weeks before my hair could be worn like Janet Jackson wore hers tonight.... although I might skip the trashy jumpsuit - that whole thing was a wardrobe malfunction...

I might be starting to feel some fatigue from the radiation - or I just might be lazy as all get-out again. Maybe a bit of itchiness beginning ( that was ITCHiness.... and not a typo like Drain your Dragon ) sheesh! But no red skin so far.

I managed to go the entire time away without getting a cold sore - which I was fully expecting to get since I always do in the sun - but now that I'm home, I've been hit with one full force - spreading on my lip - worse than I usually get. SO attractive! And it is painful too - but thanks to a nice angel who provided me some mouth sore stuff for prior side-effects, I have something to battle it with.

I have finally gotten serious about eating properly and making good choices. We were at a flyball tournament on the weekend and were out for dinners. At the Keg I ordered Ahi Tuna with asparagus, and replaced the rice pilaf with a baked potato that had only salsa on it. Then at a Thai restaurant, I got a Hot and Sour prawn soup instead of a creamy curry. Then last night I went to a pub and ordered the salmon dinner but asked for NO white cream sauce, and again replaced the rice but this time with salad. I feel very healthy and guilt-free! Tonight for dinner I made a white-fish with a bit of rice and some asparagus. Cam raved over it and it was mostly guilt-free too. The scale does seem to be cooperating as well...

Gee, I thought I had a ton of stuff to write about but I can't think of anything more...

Oh yah - at radiation the other day, the machine rotated too far to one side and shook the bed. I was calling out to let them know because they take very careful and precise measurements to make sure the radiation hits the right spot. Because the machine shook the bed, I was concerned that the bed had moved but no one answered my call and then the zapper came on so it was too late anyway. AFTER the zap, they intercommed me to ask if I was alright, and THEN I was able to explain what had happened. So they came in to check and assured me that nothing had moved out of place, and if it had, they would have seen it on the monitors so I don't have to worry about getting zapped incorrectly. Well, that's a relief.... But it was a little disturbing, nonetheless.

I guess I could give you a detailed description of how my radiation process goes. They have a small yellow appointment card where all my appointments for the upcoming week are written out the previous Friday. The times change every day - although this week they've been between 1pm and 2:15pm. I drive to the hospital, find a place in the free 2-hour parking I discovered across the street, and carry in my bag of 2 hospital gowns plus something to kill some time with. Once I arrive, I put my yellow card in a bin, then get changed into the gowns (I take them home with me every day - saves the hospital laundry costs), then I wait for my turn, they call me in, I hop on the bed, they spend about 5 or 10 minutes adjusting the bed and the machine and then spend 2 or 3 minutes zapping me. When it's all over, I get changed again, and zip back home. Usually from pulling in the car to pulling out it's between 30 and 45 minutes long. Everyone is very friendly, as per my usual experience with the cancer center here in Surrey.

That's all I can think of for now!