Here Comes the Sun

 

It rained today, and we needed it.  

I was reminded of our time in Miami, when my oldest baby and I would play in pouring rain, and be unafraid to run with a full cart to car, the only ones to leave the safer cover of a store overhang. 

 I love the sounds and smells of rain and the cleansing feeling of a good, refreshing, safe storm.  

Usually here we get 12 seconds of sprinkles and that's it.  (Plus dirt = dried mud and spotted cars.)

Stephen and I were supposed to have gone to this appointment together.  Then, he got called into work ten minutes before we were set to leave.  He was hoping he could do this case and meet me.  I was pretty sure he would find a way. 

I left a bit late on purpose to give Stephen more time.  I needed him at this one for the good vibes, but also to help with remembering the questions to ask and to navigate the options presented.  Stephen was there for my first venture into brain cancer treatment, both in the doctor's appointment prior to, and at home with the symptoms and seeming triumph.  He remembers better than I do how I (and my body) reacted. 

There are days I don't recall, when my brain tapped out and I slept in a hospital, not in a coma, but unable to communicate, either.   I remember vague, dream-like mirages from before and after those days, but Stephen was there and spoke with medical professionals on my behalf.  I believe my brain was sheltering itself, covering the chaos while I healed a bit more.  Perhaps some miracles take extra time.

After those scary days and weeks for doctors and family, I was mostly back to normal.  Not quite as fast and no longer genius level, but close enough for horseshoes and hand grenades.  

I met with the nurse, and let her know to inform the doctor that he could hold off a bit on seeing me, as my husband was on his way.  Sometimes, there are things that just can wait.  

Dr. Sun spoke about researching options-gamma knife, whole brain radiation, and a few other things.  He counseled with colleagues at home and MDAnderson, Baylor, utSouthwestern, and more.  Being a young doctor, he, personally, has never done a 2nd fun brain radiation on a patient, so he did was he had been taught to do-reach out to others, ask questions, research the work of others, and move forward with a plethora of information.  

It was probably a good thing that we had a vacation planned, to give Sun a chance to have the time to do all this work. He presented us with the results.  In his opinion, moving forward with the whole brain radiation was the best option.  It has been quite a long time since my first one.  We caught these pretty early, so that is hopeful for success.  

A lower [60-70% of original] dose this time and steroids only if truly needed.  

a medicine to try to help prevent more memory loss. 

Still 10 sessions of radiation, M-F for 2 weeks.  

Still need that lovely head mask, and will be fitted for it next week. 

With all that and a bad of insurance's blessing, I'll be good to start the week after next.  

With all that, it was time to get on the road again.  Today, that road just led to a healing lunch of Mexican food and Dr. Pepper.  It was long, long road for me, trying to pick up a police report from the weeks-ago accident and then finding out it hadn't been updated.  And then finding out that the restaurant was out of Dr. Pepper.  The food and company were still lovely, plus Hobbs DOES have other places in which to procure a Pepper.  

Next week, I'll put on some better shoes for kicking butt.  

Thank goodness for friends who can drive by a girl's house with a fresh Sonic DP.  

I'm ready to fight!