For the last 3 weeks, we’ve had to go down to Rochester on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule for my dad to get his radiation therapy.
From my understanding, they can only allow a certain number of people to do this type of radiation therapy per day. Apparently they cycle a beam of energy which is carried by protons — the positively charged particles in an atom. Protons are raised to a high energy level by a powerful machine called a particle accelerator. This beam of energy moves at 60% at the speed of light and is then shot at a very precise location on the body.
My dad had 4 times the amount of radiation than most people who get this therapy so the number of sessions he needed went from 28ish down to 8. I’m really thankful for the reduced number of visits because a round trip from home to Rochester is a 7-8 hour day where we’re all exhausted.
Exhibit A
Prior to each session my dad had to get an enema which was probably the worst part of his experience. At your first session, they take a mold of your body which you lay in every time you get radiation so that it keeps you in place for the laser to shoot at you. The radiation therapy lasts only about 15 minutes and the beam is invisible to the naked eye.
Dad walked out of the 2nd to last treatment on Wednesday clearly shaken with tears in his eyes. He said that the doctor feels that the latest symptoms my dad has been feeling could be linked to his cancer metastasizing into his blood so they’ll have to do additional tests.
This was not the news we were expecting to hear, especially when he was so close to finishing his treatment. He did additional blood tests that day and got a call afterwards saying that 3 out of 7 tests aren’t normal. It could be that the abnormalities could have been a result of his current radiation treatment so don’t worry about it now, they’ll keep an eye on it in the next few months.
In my dad’s cancer department, they have a bell that a patient rings when they are done with all their treatments. Above it reads:
Ring this bell
Three times well
The toll to clearly say
My treatments are done
Its course has run
And I am on my way
Friday was a cause for celebration
Dad said at the beginning of my treatment in June that we would be laughing together about all of this by the time Christmas was here. He was right. This was definitely the best Christmas that I can remember because all of us were happy and healthy together…also I got a roomba.
It’s been 11 weeks since I’ve had my surgery and physically, I’m doing fine for the most part. When I go outside, the cold air causes me to cough a bit and I still feel a little tired going up a flight of stairs. I haven’t had any issue driving myself around or doing normal every day things. Because of that, I got the ok from my parents to move back to my place.
The first night was really weird. While I’m happy to be on my own again, I can’t help but feel a bit hesitant about being back as the last 6 months were basically taken away from me. My treatment and recovery went by so slowly while I was going through it, looking back though 6 months went by really quickly at the same time. A friend told me to just focus on what’s going on right now because when you have one foot in the past and one in the future, you are taking a potty on the present.
I’m used to seeing my parents every day, for better or worse and now I’m back on my own, healthy enough to take care of myself and it feels a little lonely. My dad said the other day that he got used to peeking in my door in the morning to check on me and now he felt a little sad that the bed’s empty the first night I was gone.
There’s no doubt that this entire experience brought my family closer together though as well as deepened my relationship with Joanna.
I have a lot of stuff planned for myself in the next few weeks. I talked to my boss and set a return date of February 18th to come back to work. That gives me about 6 weeks to pick up the pieces and get myself in mental and physical shape to start work again. I met with my cancer therapist about this transition time and she reminded me to take it easy on myself because not only did I climb a single mountain to get to this point, it was an entire mountain range that I journeyed across.
Hearing this from another person made me feel good about what I went through, that it gave me validation and recognition because as the one who lived through it, I tended to look at the day to day rather than the big picture of it all.
I became really physically inflexible and weak due to all the bed rest and being cooped up at home. I signed up for a membership at Corepower Yoga and I started lifting weights again. Joanna was super supportive and got me an fancy Lululemon yoga mat so we could do it together.
I can’t run on a treadmill for more than 2 minutes without getting tired out and coughing a bunch so I really need to take things slowly and not beat myself up that I’m not where I left off back in April when I stopped working out when the coughing started. The yoga has been really good because they put a lot of emphasis on deep controlled breathing which is training me to be mindful of that.
The last 3 days of exercising has been both a physical and mental struggle of how difficult it is to just get through a work out. I noticed that I keep repeating “F*ck you cancer” repeatedly in my head both in the gym or in yoga because I definitely feel frustrated that I’m starting from square one and it’s going to take a lot of time before I’m back to where I used to be.
A friend of mine, Jaime, who has recently completed his cancer treatment recommended that I look into the Livestrong partnership with the YMCA. If you sign up, there’s little to no cost and you’re paired with an instructor who is trained in cancer survivorship, post-rehabilitation exercise and supportive cancer care. Recent research from the Yale Cancer Center and Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Institute confirmed that LIVESTRONG at the YMCA participants experience improved fitness and quality of life as well as significant decreases in cancer-related fatigue.
Both my dad are going to look into signing up for this program.
I’m a little over 50% of the way done with studying for the PMP. I’m putting in between 2-4 hours a day to go over the material and I’m hoping I can take the exam in the first week of February. This has been a really good mental exercise, my quiz scores are going up and it’s due to my increased ability to retain information and stay focused for longer periods of time which is going to be helpful when I go back to work.
I’m really glad to be cooking for myself again. My sister gave me a 900pg cook book that I wanted for Christmas called the Food Lab. I’m really excited to dive right into it and learn a bunch about how science is involved with food. Joanna threw a mini party for her cousins who were in town for the holidays so we did a fancy meat and cheese night.
Here’s some of the stuff that I’ve whipped up lately.
It’s a new year with new possibilities and hopefully less hospital visits. Thanks everyone for making 2018 a memorable one!
Hi Andrew – I was excited to hear you’re returning to work. I know they’ll be happy to have you back. I hope 2019 will be a great year for you and your family. Happy early birthday!! Kristin
Andrew, Let me thank you for your post and congratulate you and your loving family, for what has been a horrendous year. Wishing you continued healing and grace filled moments of laughter and joy in 2019.
I hope this isn’t too late but thank you so much Mrs. McElroy for your support and prayers especially after all these years! I really liked your story about me not liking rice as a kid because now that I’m older, I feel uncomfortable if I don’t eat rice at least once a week.
Andrew, you are absolutely the MOST incredible person I know! Bar none!! I’m thrilled that you’re doing so well. My prayers will continue, with an extra prayer for your dad. I am so impressed that you are diving into the “pool” head first. I’ve always loved the phrase, “It’s hard to move forward, if you’re always looking back.” Something that’s a real struggle in my world! 😂
Please let me know how you’re liking your Roomba. I’ve long wanted one, but wondered about how efficient they were. If you like yours, please send me the model number, etc. Until next time, take care and BIG HUGS!