i passed the eyeball test!
happy flag day, everyone. i made a trip to upenn to celebrate. aren't i lucky?
today's visit was a follow up appointment with my radiation oncologist. without a scan to review, there was little to alk about other than how i am feeling, what i have been up to, how much i am coughing, and whether i had any questions. there was also the excitement of putting on a hospital gown for the first time in more than a month - aren't i lucky? mom wanted to know whether i needed a hand getting it tied... uh, no, i think i have this covered. i had to put one on every day for my radiation treatments, so i was out of practice but hadn't forgotten how to tie the ties behind my neck and at my side. all was well, though. my lungs sounded clear, i was still missing the lower 2/3 of my right lung (damn!) and my abdomen didn't seem to present any problems, either. my lymph nodes in my neck and across my collar bones were good, too. i've learned, by now, that these are the places that garner the most interest from the docs - lungs, abdomen, neck, collar bones. so i've taken to feeling them from time to time, especially when i begin to fret about what might be going on in there. not that i know what i would be looking for, but i can guess. i've even had instances where i've wished for my very own stethescope. but i guess there are things best left to the docs.
all's well that ends well, today. even without a scan, my doctor told me, i am doing well. with all the technological advances in scans and blood tests and imaging today, he says the "eyeball test" is still the best indicator for overall health, and i certainly pass it. i am running again, starting yoga, gaining some weight back, and overall look a whole lot better than i did in recent months. you be the judge... the hair doesn' count!
.JPG)
"i heart making sure the groom survives mountain biking" freebs' wedding, late august 2006
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"beer tastes better when it is from a 30-pack" northwestern v penn state, late september 2006
"i have no idea what i am getting myself into but they said i can eat whatever i want so i'm smiling like a criminal" night before chemo began, november 6, 2006
"where the eff did my hair go" during 2nd chemo treatment, november 28, 2006
"i only ski out of bounds after chemo because it makes you a badass" post-chemo, pre surgery, december 30, 2006
"i only look fat, i weigh next to nothing. did i say badass i meant fatass" post surgery, february 2007
post-surgery, pre radiation/chemo, march 2007 (hee hee)
"this cake is all i ate today and surprise, i didn't throw it up" post-week 1 of radiation/chemo tx, april 1, 2007
"full-on rock star" post-everything, june 2007
that said, he proclaimed me a rock star for the 10th time today and took leave, with plans in place to touch base after my scan next week.
"don't stress about it" he warned. "seriously".
well, i passed the big test today, right. gravy from here. grrrravy.
today's visit was a follow up appointment with my radiation oncologist. without a scan to review, there was little to alk about other than how i am feeling, what i have been up to, how much i am coughing, and whether i had any questions. there was also the excitement of putting on a hospital gown for the first time in more than a month - aren't i lucky? mom wanted to know whether i needed a hand getting it tied... uh, no, i think i have this covered. i had to put one on every day for my radiation treatments, so i was out of practice but hadn't forgotten how to tie the ties behind my neck and at my side. all was well, though. my lungs sounded clear, i was still missing the lower 2/3 of my right lung (damn!) and my abdomen didn't seem to present any problems, either. my lymph nodes in my neck and across my collar bones were good, too. i've learned, by now, that these are the places that garner the most interest from the docs - lungs, abdomen, neck, collar bones. so i've taken to feeling them from time to time, especially when i begin to fret about what might be going on in there. not that i know what i would be looking for, but i can guess. i've even had instances where i've wished for my very own stethescope. but i guess there are things best left to the docs.
all's well that ends well, today. even without a scan, my doctor told me, i am doing well. with all the technological advances in scans and blood tests and imaging today, he says the "eyeball test" is still the best indicator for overall health, and i certainly pass it. i am running again, starting yoga, gaining some weight back, and overall look a whole lot better than i did in recent months. you be the judge... the hair doesn' count!
.JPG)
"i heart making sure the groom survives mountain biking" freebs' wedding, late august 2006
.JPG)
"beer tastes better when it is from a 30-pack" northwestern v penn state, late september 2006
"i have no idea what i am getting myself into but they said i can eat whatever i want so i'm smiling like a criminal" night before chemo began, november 6, 2006
"where the eff did my hair go" during 2nd chemo treatment, november 28, 2006
"i only ski out of bounds after chemo because it makes you a badass" post-chemo, pre surgery, december 30, 2006
"i only look fat, i weigh next to nothing. did i say badass i meant fatass" post surgery, february 2007
post-surgery, pre radiation/chemo, march 2007 (hee hee)
"this cake is all i ate today and surprise, i didn't throw it up" post-week 1 of radiation/chemo tx, april 1, 2007
"full-on rock star" post-everything, june 2007
that said, he proclaimed me a rock star for the 10th time today and took leave, with plans in place to touch base after my scan next week.
"don't stress about it" he warned. "seriously".
well, i passed the big test today, right. gravy from here. grrrravy.
Comments
We are thinking about you and sending positive thoughts and prayers for Monday.
Love, Aunt Kathy, Uncle Al and Dakota Boy, too