Really??

Sorry for the brief hiatus.

Radiation is still okay. I didn't have it on Monday because something was wrong with the machine. As of today, I have 6 treatments left. I have Thanksgiving off and the day before or after as well (I think) so I should be done the first week of December. My symptoms are still the same. Sore throat, red skin, blah, blah, blah.

Now I have good news and bad news. I'll hit you with the bad news first. Ever feel like you can't catch a break?? That pretty much sums up this year. In the past couple of weeks, both our van and Matt's car have been broken into. Music equipment was stolen from the van. And last night on his way home from work, someone smashed the driver's side window of Matt's car. He stopped briefly at a gas station in Irving and when he came back out, he found glass all over the pavement. His backpack, a jacket and $20 were taken. Bad things --and people--seem to follow us everywhere. I used to have such faith in people. It seems to get worse the older I get. Not sure if I should attribute that to wisdom or cynicism. I'll say wisdom.

Ready for the good news? My hair is growing back! I haven't lost it all (yet), but it's still coming out at an alarming rate. I thought it might stop after chemo. They say the chemo is out of your body in 2-3 weeks and hair will start to regrow after 4-6 weeks. I've been done with chemo for 6 weeks this past Friday. My doctor's are amazed that I haven't lost it all (or rather, didn't lose it all during treatment). That's another odd I've beaten. But unfortunately, I think the hair follicles are damaged enough to where I'll lose the hair regardless of whether the chemo is out of my body. I went in and had Jilly cut my hair shorter than before. She added some layers in the back and it now hides the thinness more than before. I'll take a picture of my new 'do sometime later.

I have a picture of the amount of hair I lose and will post it later, too. People ask about it and I tell them I'm still losing it. Then they tell me they lose their hair, too. I understand that...don't get me wrong. I know everyone loses a certain amount of hair a day...I did, too, before this. But it's not the same. You don't see the hair on my pillow when I get up in the morning or the hair that I lose in the shower or the hair all over the bathroom floor or in my brush or on my clothes. It's not the same as the hair you lose. I apologize for the bitter undertone of this rant, but I also didn't come this far to lose my hair NOW. I'm a little frustrated.

I hate to end this on a bad note. That's completely out of my norm. So I'll tell you this: my cousin Jeff and his girlfriend, Stephanie, are coming for Thanksgiving. I can't wait! We have so much fun when they come to visit. If you knew Jeff, you'd know why. He has the best sense of humor and you can't help but laugh when in his presence. My other cousin (and Jeff's sister) Shelley and her husband, Eric, are coming to visit for Christmas. I decided shortly after my diagnosis to get another tattoo to celebrate being cancer free. I was pretty determined to fight and beat this thing back then. So...I've convinced poor Shelley to get one too. And what better time than when she's visiting for Christmas?? I'm about this far away from convincing my mom to get one:
We shall see as the time gets closer.

Hope everyone's weekend is wonderful. Go Cowboys!