Radiation's not so bad yet

Hi, y'all! I swear the better I feel, the more I forget that I have a blog and some loyal subscribers I need to keep happy!  Yes, you heard it (read it).  I have been feeling really good.  I actually think radiation so far is more of a mind trip than anything else.  I have been so nervous about what is going to happen to me and how I'm going to feel, but it really hasn't been too bad yet!  I am really pink all over my left breast, arm pit, and collarbone area.  A pretty weird thing is that I'm starting to get pink on the left side of my upper back, too.  Yes, the radiation goes right on through to the other side.  Isn't that crazy??!! I also have what my Rad Onc called a "hot spot" in my arm pit. It is a purplish gray color kind of in the crease where it probably rubs the most when I move and stuff.  The GREAT thing is that I am numb for the most part in my breast and arm pit areas because of the mastectomy and axillary node dissection.  I'm sure it would bother me more if I felt it more.  So for now, I'm trying to keep my arm away from my body - I started using a small pillow to hold in my armpit, which also reminds me to not move my arm too much. 

We have been so blessed this month to be the recipients of tickets to do some fun fun family outings.  SCCA receives donations from businesses and individuals to provide these tickets and passes to the patients and their families.  Just this month, we've been up the Space Needle,
taken a harbor cruise around Elliot Bay, and sat in a private suite at Century Link Field to watch a Sounders Game. (We also got to attend a game earlier courtesy of Trevor's brother Ryan's employer). Trevor and another one of his brothers attended a Mariner's game using the tickets I won through SCCA. So, even though radiation can be a nuisance (I drive in to Seattle daily for my appointment) it has been neat to enjoy the perks. Here are some cute pics of our recent adventures:

We were standing in front of a green screen when this picture was taken (right before we went up the elevator at the space needle), then we were able to pick the backdrop we liked the best!

Argosy Cruise!



Isaac on the waterfront in Seattle.  We spent a day shopping in the fun shops, eating icecream, then going on our harbor cruise.

Emma and Ellie picking flowers at Twin Rivers Park here in Arlington.  We were going to walk down a trail to the river so we could throw rocks in, but all of the trails were either flooded or too muddy for our little family to pass.  Wah wah wah...

This is us sitting in our suite at the Seattle Sounders game!  It was so much fun.

We had a big fun Hammond family day at Kayak Point last Saturday, this is Emma on top of the fort the cousins were all building.



We were staying at a friends' cabin in Roslyn a couple of weekends ago.  Isaac is standing on the shores of Lake Cle Elum.

Now I'm wishing I was better at keeping up my blog, as I look through the pictures we've recently taken I realize that we really have done some fun things this month!  I really feel so blessed right now.  The cancer treatments are winding down and life is already starting to just feel "normal" again.  My last radiation appointment is scheduled for Monday the 14th.  That's only 4 more!!!!