Frankenboob

I was looking at photos of myself the other day from before the diagnosis. Back when I had a full head of beautiful hair, more than three long eyelashes and full eyebrows. This cancer treatment really does wreak havoc on ones appearance! The sad truth is, while my head doesn't look that great, it looks a heck of a lot better than old righty. Ethel left quite the mark with her departure and radiation is turning my skin a brownish-grey. I've started referring to myself as "Frankenboob". If I was a less modest gal, I'd post pictures. As it stands now, you'll just have to take my word for it.

Thankfully, it looks worse than it feels, though it looks pretty bad. I showed my parents the edge of my radiation burn over skype - it was a totally PG view by the way - and my poor dad did not do such a good job of maintaining a poker face (don't feel bad dad, I thought it was funny!). The poor guy looked horrified! I could tell he was imagining an amount of pain equal to the way the burn looks. That isn't the case at all. Sure, it's uncomfortable but if it felt like it looks, I'd be in a bad way. Besides, I sort of enjoy shocking people with my burn. There are so few bright sides to cancer - let me have my moments! It probably comes from the same place that enjoys showing people really awesome/large bruises. I can't explain it, but if you are a member of the "bruise-bragging crew", I trust you understand what I'm talking about.

At least, as of today, I am more than half way through radiation. While the road ahead might be tougher than the path I left behind, I know that I am closer now to the end than the beginning. When I started radiation on January 4th, the end seemed such a long way off. Now the end is starting to roll onto the horizon. I'm not sure what state my Frankenboob will be in when it gets here, but at least I know the end is closer than it was when I started.

My hair is starting to come back in on my head and my eyelashes and eyebrows are starting to fill in. I don't know how long it will be before I feel comfortable strolling around without a hat or a wig but at least there is some fuzz growing on my head. Maybe one day soon I'll have longer hair than Paul! A girl can dream......