Fighting talk

Today, I feel different. This is the third day since I finished the 6-week intensive stage of treatment, and I feel somehow faster, lighter. I've been so slow and heavy for the last few weeks, and today, I feel like I might have some energy. I had a cheese sandwich for lunch, and I actually enjoyed it! This is looking good!

BUT. Maybe there's a But. My glamourous radiographer friends told me when I finished radiotherapy that there is a delay in the side effects, and I will feel worse before I feel better. The radiation keeps doing its job for a good couple of months, even though I'm not getting direct doses. They said that after about 10 days (so a week from now) I'll feel most rubbish, but that I should expect to feel side effects for some weeks yet. I've also noticed that my hair has NOT stopped coming out, as I expected, but is now coming out from completely different bits of my head. On reflection, I have realised that, as well as falling out at the beam entry sites, it has just started coming out at the beam EXIT sites too. AND I've got an ear infection because the radiation has caused damage inside my ear. AND I have to stay on special anti-pneumonia antibiotics for my whole month off, because my blood counts were low at the last test, which means my wretched immune system isn't doing its job properly. AND it turns out that my next round of tablets is going to start on, of all days, my birthday. BOO!

But despite this list of doom and woe, there's no denying that I definitely feel different today. I feel better! So they can try and beat me down, these side effects, but I have decided that I will be a medical miracle and defy them all. I enjoyed enjoying my butty today, I enjoyed doing a couple of laps of Cringle Park because I wanted to, not because I had to get to an appointment. I'm fed up of feeling not-quite-myself, and today is the first day that I've felt vaguely like myself for ages. So, I hereby declare to any side effects in the neighbourhood that are planning to stop by, my door is CLOSED. LOCKED. BOLTED. Don't bother, I'm not at home. I'm out skipping round Cringle park in the winter sun (WITHOUT my sunglasses on!), or eating a glorious meal with more than two ingredients at a top restaurant. THEY CAN TAKE OUR HAIR, BUT THEY'LL NEVER TAKE OUR CHEESE BUTTIES! Woohoo!

By the way, that's Athena at the top, goddess of wisdom, courage, strength and WAR (take note, side effects). I also liked her mad hat. I'm into hats at the moment.