Cut, Poison and Burn

I didn't have the best of sleeps, last night. It was broken. The night sweats are annoying!

This time of year, I am usually in my warmest pyjamas, tucked under a doona; keeping to the warm parts of the bed. These sweats however, have driven me to wear summer pyjamas and swishing around searching for cold spots in the bed. I don't know how long the sweats last, but they certainly don't stick around. Soon enough, my nude head becomes aware of the cold pillow and I'm back to feeling the real temperature around me. This goes on all night. Hot. Cold. Hot. Cold. Sometimes, I get so hot that I can actually wipe sweat away!

Low immunity leaves tomorrow. In its bag he will pack away (forever!) my three purple, cannula bruises, an itchy needle site (where the chemo was eventually intravenously received), a twitchy, watering eye and cheek patches. Once he departs the white blood cell count will be looking good. I can interact with large groups of humans again. Yay!

Since the radiation "tattoos", I have to admit, that I have seriously been thinking about getting a tattoo (that I actually want, not four silly dots). I've always been anti-tattoos, for myself, because of its permanency. But, I don't know...I think I want one... So, I'm thinking just a small ribbon on my left wrist (not allowed anything on the right side because of the removed lymph nodes). It may just me being in a celebratory mood. Time will tell. Maybe this little thing will turn into nothing...

Today, I read an excerpt from an article that got me real excited. It basically explained that having greater muscle mass means that the body is able to withstand trauma (like cancer) better. This is awesome news! My body is less likely to see cancer return if I aim to build muscle as part of my exercise. Secondly, and more importantly for now, is the implication for burn patients.

On August 22, I will begin my radiation therapy. As a burns patient, my body will need more protein to heal itself. So, if my body doesn't have enough, it will draw from my muscle mass. This is the incentive I need to really hit the weights (I won't do anything crazy) in the lead up to that first appointment. During radiation, weights are not allowed. As with the nutrition, there is so much to be gained in knowing that there is something that I can do to make the radiation ride a little smoother.

I've been cut and poisoned. I'm ready for the burn!