Halfway week

Mom and I have made the trek back to Houston as I begin week 4 of radiation. Today marked my 14th treatment, which was a sort-of milestone. I'm halfway through the radiation of the entire left breast, and the final few treatments will be what they call a "boost," where they will focus radiation on the scars from the mastectomy and lymph node dissection. Similarl to the scar "boost," I'm winding down 12 radiation treatments focused directly on my drain scars. They focus on these areas to eradicate any possible stray cancer cells that might have been jostled around as a result of the surgery, either as the surgeon physically removed the cancerous tissue from the incision or if cancer "seeds" might have mingled with tissue, blood or fluid in the drain area. I'm thankful that my radiation oncologist is so thorough to cover these areas in addition to the entire breast area.  Her explanation really made so much sense and put my mind at ease that we are being as aggressive as possible.

My radiation side effects have been minimal, with some early signs of skin redness and fatigue starting to surface. After chemo and surgery, these symptoms have been very manageable. Honestly, one of the ongoing themes of 2014 for me is extreme fatigue--it's been a by-product of chemo, surgery, and to a lesser extent, radiation now. At least that's familiar territory!

We got together with Michelle & Lorne tonight for a wonderful dinner at Mockingbird Bistro. I am very much enjoying eating my way through Houston! So many fabulous restaurants! And such great memories have been--and continue to be--made as we gather together as different groupings of the larger Team Shelly.

In other less-medically-important news, many people have asked about the status of my hair. It has started to come in pretty fully, thank goodness! David actually shaved it twice so it is growing in evenly. I think I'll be ready to publicly sport the GI Jane 'do pretty soon, which may or may not directly correspond to the triple digit temperatures in Texas!

Also, my dear friend and dermatologist Stacia hooked me up with the magical potion Latisse for my lashes and brows! They completely fell out while I was recovering from surgery, so I'm thrilled to be able to wear mascara again. Look, y'all, lashes!!!

It was a whirlwind trip home this past weekend, but a fun time celebrating another milestone: Reese's 8th birthday. 

It's hard to believe I've been her mommy for eight years already. She's been an amazing blessing and is one of the lights of my life! Reese reminds me to savor each moment, smile as often as possible and find the humor in life. She is joy personified and truly embodies her name, which means "enthusiasm; ardent; fiery"!

I've been enjoying spending time in Houston, even though the circumstances that continue to bring me here recently aren't ideal. But going home on the weekends fills my cup and reminds me exactly what I'm fighting for--a long and healthy future with my loving and vibrant family. And on that note, I'm heading to bed to get ahead of the radiation fatigue...good night to you all!