Stage 2 - Radiotherapy

Well, I have begun Stage 2 of my recovery program with my first session of radiotherapy today.  I am not glowing in the dark which is a good thing but I'm guessing by the end of the six weeks I won't need a microwave!

It is such a scary process - like anything I suppose, the first time you have to do something you know nothing about is frightening.  I was like that when I started the chemotherapy - scared out of my wits!  The good thing is though that I survived that and I'm sure I will survive this as well.

The hardest thing is being in Brisbane and away from my new home.  I'd only just started nesting and I had to pack up and leave it all behind. 

I don't believe that the radiotherapy will make me sick - just a bit tired.  Ex chemo patients apparently don't find it too bad.  The chemotherapy obviously toughens us up and we can cope with almost anything - even getting "nucked" - is that how you spell "nucked" - you know what I mean anyway.

It was amazing how many people were there in the oncology day therapy section at Brisbane hospital.  It is so sad to think that so many people are being treated for cancer - I'm definitely not on my own that's for sure.  It does make me continue to ask "Why?"

Anyway, instead of sitting here feeling sorry for myself I need to re-visit my "gunnadoo" list and start planning.  I actually am feeling quite stressed at the moment and a bit tearie  because I am so out of my comfort zone and am not sure what the future holds.  Again, it is that sense of being alone that freaks me out more than the cancer, chemotherapy or radiotherapy. 

On a brighter note though I picked up instalment 4 of "The Art of Knitting" so I will start on my fourth square today and perhaps learn a new stitch or two and enjoy the nice warm weather here in Brisbane.

Gunnado List

When I was working I was a list freak.  I had lists for everything.  My running sheets were legendary amongst my colleagues when organising events and could quite easily run over three pages.

Since I've stopped work, I can barely find a pen and I've given up wearing a watch but I'm beginning to think if I don't start making lists and getting my act together, I'll do nothing but talk about what I'm 'gunnado'. 

As part of my treatment, I need to spend six weeks in Brisbane getting radiotherapy so I've decided to make the most of this time and use it as a health retreat. OK, I know what you are thinking - 'radiotherapy' isn't usually listed as a health treatment at the world's top spa resorts along with Sea Salt Massage and Hot Rock therapy but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.  I figure if I fill the six weeks up with pleasant things then the actual 'radiotherapy' will take a back-seat.

I thought if I actually put in writing here on my blog site the things I'm 'gunnado', it may well force me to do them (or at least some of them).

• Find a yoga class and go as often as possible
• Learn to meditate
• Do some light weight training
• Take my juicer and invent healthy fruit & vegetable concoctions
• Do a Thai and/or Vegetarian cooking class 
• Walk everyday
• Go on Brisbane's giant ferris wheel at Southbank
• Take a trip on a Brisbane River Cat
• Visit the art gallery (try and put some culture into my life)
• Do a photography course for a day
• Take lots of photos and write
• Keep up my knitting

The knitting is a bit left-field but I'm finding it quite therapeutic although I'm still only knitting squares at the moment. I'm not sure I'll get past the squares actually.  Those knitting patterns look a bit tricky I reckon - especially at the moment when I have the attention span of a gnat.  That's a weird saying isn't it?  How do poeople know that gnats have a short attention span.  It's a bit derogatory to gnats even though I don't really even know what one is - a gnat that is.

It will be interesting to see how many of these things I do during my six-week sabatical.