Week 1

It's been a quietly monumental week for me.  I'll get to the details on that in just a moment, because I want to cover the whole week and show off a few family pictures as well....

Starting with last Sunday, when the kids and my mom made fairy and dinosaur terrariums.  This was a fun project that I'm fairly certain Ma Pam ended up finishing on her own, but nevertheless included a lot of group planning and input, especially on shopping ventures.  The finished results are pretty great and are currently gracing the kids rooms....Reese with her fairy terrarium:

And Weston with his dino terrarium (and appropriately matching shirt, of course)

Sunday night, we celebrated the end of a successful swim team season at the Waves awards banquet.  I knew they would both receive participating trophies, but it was a fun surprise when Weston won the "most improved 4-year-old boy" award and corresponding trophy.  In fact, he was the only four-year-old boy on the team, but that minor detail did not impact the excitement of winning the category!  Or the big honking trophy.  It was so funny to watch the wheels in his brain turning as he initially accepted the smaller participating trophy while staring at the much larger special achievement trophies lined up on the table.  Those who know Weston will appreciate that he immediately started trying to reason with the coach, who was otherwise occupied making her speech.  "I need to tell you something...."  But then he ended up with the coveted trophy after all. He was pretty sure he won it for being "the best in the world." Actually it was more of a reflection of his overall 45 second time improvement in the freestyle stroke, but clearly humility is a skill in addition to swimming.

Reese was happy with her participation trophy and, more than anything, happy to play with friends.  I'm proud to announce that she legally swims all four strokes with great skill. She was one of the younger ones in her age group this year, but she won a freestyle heat, participated in a few relays, and most importantly, had a good time.  That's my girl!

Overall, swim team was an excellent experience this year!

On Monday, I said goodbye to my husband and kiddos and headed down to Houston with my parents for the week to begin my radiation treatments. While it's hard to be away from home, we had a really enjoyable visit.  We ate lots of great food (which seems to be par for the course in Houston!), scoped out some good shopping, and did plenty of walking.

Calamari and Brussels sprouts, anyone? We covered a lot of culinary ground, going down to Galveston for Guido's, as well as trying Thai, Italian, Greek, and Southern themed restaurants.  Dad even cooked for us one night at the hotel!  It was wonderful to have my parents with me for support as I start this new chapter, the final leg of the treatment triathlon.

We also had the special treat of experiencing a private tour of St. Martin's, coordinated by my father-in-law and led by a wonderful docent, Lee.  Before the tour, we briefly visited with Scott, who is a dear friend of my in-laws, an exceedingly kind person, and a VIP on Team Shelly, as he is the one who connected us with my amazing oncologist.  THANK YOU, SCOTT!

The tour was a real treat.  We learned so many interesting things about the construction of the building, the background on the intricate needle work and stunning stained glass windows, as well as the woodwork and the art.  We also thoroughly enjoyed an organ demonstration.  A wonderful visit to a beautiful sacred space!

While we did have some fun, the focus was, of course, the radiation treatments.  I'm grateful to say I kicked off my radiation with a most helpful and supportive "team": my dad was our driver, navigating us to my appointments with plenty of time to spare.

Mom waited with me/for me in the women's changing room, which was great support.  I think she's probably tired of watching Dr. Oz in the waiting area after this week, but it was so very nice to have her there as I got used to this new routine.  Monday was a test run, and Tuesday through Friday I received radiation.  I had previously gone in for a CT scan, at which point they placed five tiny tattoos around the area to be radiated. Despite this earlier visit and the dry run on Monday, I hadn't let the reality of undergoing seven weeks of radiation sink in. I was surprised that I was somewhat emotional and trying to "hold it together" as everything truly began on Tuesday.  

To be clear, radiation is a very quick process (in and out in ten minutes) and so far, no pain or side effects.  So after chemo and surgery, it is a much less grueling treatment. But I think I was a little overwhelmed with undergoing yet another treatment that is hard on my body, that could have long term side effects, that requires me to be away from home for the better part of almost two months.  I also received my first Lupron injection this week...an injection that effectively shuts down my ovaries, which I will get once a month for the next ten years. I will also begin to take a daily aromatase inhibitor next week, also running a ten year course.  All of this combined led to a little bit of a pity party on my end, but that quickly passed.  However, as a dear friend pointed out in an email, it is such a blessing that I have had my two wonderful children.  That really put a lot in perspective.  Since then, I have talked with two amazing friends who have walked this path, and they both reinforced the enormously powerful cancer-fighting effect of radiation treatment. Which is fantastic, because each treatment is so quick. You can't even tell anything is happening, frankly.  But clearly, it is effective!

This has been kind of a rambling lead-up to the point that I am happy to report that I have a week of radiation under my belt, that it went well (especially with the support of my parents), and that I think I've made peace mentally with not only six more weeks of radiation, but also the side effects of the hormone therapy that I am beginning.  

Mom and I pose at the not particularly glamorous entrance to the radiation clinic, which is about the only picture I will likely get, as mobile phones are not allowed in the room with the machine.

One down, six to go!