The end of phase one

[randy_byers]

Not much has changed since my last health post, except of course for achieving the rather major milestone of having completed the initial phase of treatment. Specifically, I had my last radiation treatment yesterday. The picture above is of me ringing the gong at the UW Medical Center that signals completion of the course of radiation. What's not captured in the photo is about a dozen medical staff who came in to watch me ring the gong and then gave me a round of applause. I bowed and thanked them for all their help, although over half of them were people I'd never met before. As I've probably said before, pretty much everybody I've interacted with at the UW Medical Center has been very friendly and helpful, and I really appreciated that those folks -- many of them strangers to me -- came out to acknowledge the ordeal I had been through.

I also keep reminding myself that the ordeal I've been through isn't as bad as what many cancer victims go through, although I confess it's hard for me to feel it in my bones. I feel miserable, and the fact that other people have felt worse than me doesn't really register. Still, as I just said on Facebook, despite the fact that I still feel like crap physically and likely will continue to feel like crap for at least a few more days, if not for a couple more weeks, emotionally I feel that a huge weight has been lifted off of me.

But again, other than that, I'm not sure I have much to add to my list of complaints and uncertainties from last time. Next up is four weeks off from treatment, which I've got heavily scheduled: a week at La Push with my sister, three days in Portland in which I may or may not get a tattoo (depends on my platelet count, which has improved but still isn't out of the danger zone), but in which I'll definitely visit friends, and then off to the Coachella Valley in desert California to spend a couple of weeks with my parents. I know my mom is dying to pamper me, so that'll be pretty rough. Hopefully by the time I get there food will taste good again.

Und so weiter.

Comments

[holyoutlaw.livejournal.com]

Congratulations! I hope you get to get the tattoo, not least because it means an improved platelet count.

[dalmeny]

I think dmw had party streamers rather than a gong, but he had a similar celebration when we were in Austin. I hope the worst of the treatment symptoms ease up quickly as it sounds like you have some well-planned weeks ahead of you.

[akirlu.livejournal.com]

Congratulations on being done with radiation. That's great! I hope you get to feeling better physically soon.

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

Slowly, but Shirley.

[janetl.livejournal.com]

Great milestone! Hope you feel better soon.

[bibliofile.livejournal.com]

I am glad that you have made it this far. Progress!