Starting treatment

Hello everyone-
It's been a little overwhelming and difficult for me to keep everyone updated on the what's going on with my treatment plan. I seem to just be running all over the place these days. I've decided to start this blog as a way to update you all.

I met with the Radiation Oncologist on Monday and had my "planning" CT scan this morning. This scan gives them a way to map out the area to be treated (I even got 4 permanent tatoos!). I will start radiation therapy this Thursday. This week has been frustrating because I found out that I will need daily radiation treatment for 5 1/2 weeks. But, the lower dose of radiation spread out over a longer time period will reduce the likelihood of the cancer coming back by 95%! My melanoma Oncologist wants to start the daily interferon treatment (which is another 4 weeks) AFTER the radiation is over. This means 10 weeks of going to UW Hosptial every day for treatment. After that, I will do the interferon treatment at home for the next year. My radiation Oncologist seems to think that we can do the radiation and the interferon treatments at the same time. I meet with my Oncologist on Friday and I plan on requesting that we do them at the same time, if possible. I also left a message with his nurse today. I'd rather feel like crap for 5 1/2 weeks then prolong the process for twice as long!

I've also started physical therapy to help get my range of motion back in my arm. The therapist is also helping massage the scar tissue, which helps with the tightness I feel in that area. Of course, now that my treatment is starting, scheduling these PT appts. is going to be difficult, especially since it's at a different clinic.

Emotionally, I'm doing O.K. I'm feeling a bit stressed and overwhelmed this week. I'm anxious to just get things moving forward. I'm also concerned that stretching the treatment out is going to make us have to postpone our trip to Disney World the first week of April... Avery has been very excited to spend her 6th birthday (4/9) at Disney World and have breakfast with the princesses. It will be very sad if we have to tell her we won't be able to go over her birthday. But, of course, I have to be concerned about my health first right now. I just don't want this treatment to dominate our life, which this week, with so many appts., it seems to be doing. Once my appts. are all scheduled and I have childcare set up for Drew, I think we'll get into a routine and I'll feel more at ease.

I continue to feel incredibly blessed and grateful for the love and support we continue to receive. We still have people bringing us meals... we have about a weeks worth of frozen meals in our chest freezer! If you do bring us a meal, it is so helpful to me if you can package it in a disposable container (freezer bags, disposable tupperware, etc..). I have a counter full of dishes and pans and I'm trying to figure out how to get them back to people! :) Especially, frozen meals... I feel bad that I have some glass dishes in my freezer! Please know that we are so grateful for the nourishing meals you have brought us! We've also received support in other ways... cards, beads for a healing necklace, flowers, a year's worth of monthly fruit delivery (thanks Shaws and Rappas!), and lots of phone calls and e-mails giving us lots of love and support. We've even received money from some wonderful friends and family, which helped contribute to our new Vitamix juicer (a great way to make fruit/veggie smoothies!). I cannot put into words how much your support means to us!!!

I will continue to provide updates when I can. Feel free to e-mail me at schafferk@charter.net, too! :)

Much love,
Kim