Radiation Vacation: Week 1

Sorry for the delay in posting! Treatment has been taking more energy out of me than I expected.

So, Week 1...

I couldn't get into the Hope Lodge right away, so Nate and I stayed at a hotel across the street from the lodge until Wednesday.

Getting ready to head to the subway for my first radiation treatment

Say goodbye hair, some of you will be missing very shortly :( The doctor said during the 3rd or 4th week is when hair usually starts falling out. I'm trying to prep myself for 6 new bald spots.

This is what my mask does to my face after treatment. Cute, right? I get to walk around like this for an hour or so until it goes away.

Everything went fine on the first day, pretty tired, and I was only a little nauseated. I thought I could handle it... boy was I wrong! Tuesday night was probably the worst night of my life; I'll spare you the details, but ugh... think worst nausea of your life. As my mom said, it sounds like morning sickness. Great, so I get to feel like that again someday?!

Anyways, The whole mess could've been avoided if my insurance company wasn't the spawn of satan. They decided to take their sweet time approving my chemo drugs (which has a pretty powerful anti-nausea drug with it), so much so that my neurologist had to write them a pretty strong letter. Oi.. health insurance, what a pain in the butt! I was so weak and pathetic on Wednesday that Nate had to wheelchair me--yes that's right, WHEELCHAIR me--through the subway to treatment. I was such an invalid, and I still felt pretty terrible. Luckily, I was meeting with the doctor that day and got some other anti-nausea meds. My prescription for the chemo drugs was finally filled on Wednesday too. Now every night, I get to choke down 6 pills of various sizes. Fun times, right?

The waiting list appears to move pretty quickly at the Hope Lodge. On Monday, I was 9th of the list, and by Wednesday afternoon, I was getting checked in. Of course at this point, all I wanted to do was lay down and die still. The tour of the place seemed to take forever. Finally, we got up to my room and the lady had mercy on me. I almost immediately crawled into bed with all of my clothes on while Nate moved all of my stuff in (Thank you so much!!). I was in a coma for the next four hours. It was a little disorienting to wake up in a strange place with it completely dark.

After I finally got my drugs, the rest of the week went just fine. The Hope Lodge is super nice. For some reason, I got a handicap accessible room, so I even have a bench to sit down in the shower. I've got an extra bed in here, so if anyone feels like coming to visit and stay the night, I've got room! Mom, Dad, and Grandpa came to get me Friday morning after treatment. I spent the weekend at home, with my butt permanently glued to the couch reading the 3rd and 4th Twilight books. With the exception of going to my Aunt Rosie's to see a bunch of family and to my cousin Sasha's. I also played with my favorite toy the Cricut on Sunday (see business blog for my crafty project!)

Owen in the hood!

Overall, the first week went pretty well. I could've definitely done without the amazing guttural pyrotechnics, but I survived.

*Breaks into song* "I will survive, as long as I know how to live..."

Haha, just kidding :)

That's enough for now I guess. Already started Week 2! I'll get some pictures up here of my room once I get it straightened out again.

Ta ta!

Love Always,

Kaitlin

Radiation Vacation

I am still alive.

I'm just so exhausted and nauseated. I'll post more later about the first couple days of treatment.

Come anti-nausea drugs, start working!

Love Always,

Kaitlin

I'm Baaaaack!

Hello everyone!

Once again, I'm back on Wisconsin soil. Tomorrow Nate and I will head to Rochester tomorrow and get this radiation vacation on the road!

Ta ta for now :)

Love Always,

Kaitlin

Because I'm Bored...

And I don't have anything new or exciting to tell you.

Oh, except one thing. I'm hooked on a new (to me) series! I know I'm a little late on this bandwagon, but I was on Harry Potter at first too...but I love Twilight! You know how I love my books :) And thanks to my friends Jim, Steph, Dave, Bridgit, and the cute lil baby Logan... I shall be able to read all four of them during radiation vacation.

Now back to my boredom...

Things you’ve done: bold

Things you want to do: italics

Things you haven’t done and don’t want to do: plain

1. started your own blog
2. slept under the stars
3. played in a band (If middle/high school band counts)
4. visited hawaii
5. watched a meteor shower
6. given more than you can afford to charity
7. been to disneyland/world (I really want to! More so for Epcot, Universal, etc.)
8. climbed a mountain (I live in the Rockies!)

9. held a praying mantis
10. sang a solo
11. bungee jumped (no way!! over my dead body)
12. visited paris
13. watched a lightning storm at sea (water + lightning = no thanks)
14. taught yourself an art from scratch
15. adopted a child
16. had food poisoning
17. walked to the top of the statue of liberty

18. grown your own vegetables (I want to have my own garden again so bad. Look at what your influence has done, Mom & Grandma!)
19. seen the mona lisa in france
20. slept on an overnight train
21. had a pillow fight
22. hitch hiked (Yea, that sounds like a good way to die)
23. taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. built a snow fort
25. held a lamb
26. gone skinny dipping
27. run a marathon
28. ridden a gondola in venice
29. seen a total eclipse
30. watched a sunrise or sunset
31. hit a home run
32. been on a cruise
33. seen niagra falls in person

34. visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. seen an amish community
36. taught yourself a new language
37. had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. seen the leaning tower of pisa in person
39. gone rock climbing
40. seen michaelangelo’s david in person
41. sung karaoke (only in a group)
42. seen old faithful geyser erupt
43. bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant
44. visited africa
45. walked on a beach by moonlight
46. been transported in an ambulance (I'll pass on this one thank you!)
47. had your portrait painted
48. gone deep sea fishing
49. seen the sistene chapel in person
50. been to the top of the eiffel tower in paris
51. gone scuba diving or snorkelling (Snorkelling only, St. Croix here we come!)
52. kissed in the rain
53. played in the mud (Oh, the days of mud wars in Grandma's garden)
54. gone to a drive-in movie
55. been in a movie
56. visited the great wall of china
57. started a business (Check me out! http://dragonflydesignsbykrj.blogspot.com)
58. taken a martial arts class
59. visited russia
60. served at a soup kitchen
61. sold girl scout cookies
62. gone whale watching
63. gotten flowers for no reason

64. donated blood (The only reason someone is taking my blood is for very necessary medical purposes)
65. gone sky diving (I'll need someone to push me out the door and pull my shoot)
66. visited a nazi concentration camp
67. bounced a check
68. flown in a helicopter (I'd prefer to ride along)
69. saved a favorite childhood toy
70. visited the lincoln memorial
71. eaten caviar
72. pieced a quilt
73. stood in times square
74. toured the everglades
75. been fired from a job
76. seen the changing of the guard in london
77. broken a bone (Who breaks a pinky finger, honestly)
78. been on a speeding motorcycle
79. seen the grand canyon in person
80. published a book
81. visited the vatican
82. bought a brand new car
83. walked in jerusalem
84. had your picture in the newspaper
85. read the entire bible
86. visited the white house
87. killed and prepared an animal for eating (Every November, for most of my life)
88. had chickenpox
89. saved someone’s life
90. sat on a jury
91. met someone famous (Yes! Josh Hartnett)

92. joined a book club
93. lost a loved one (Love you, Grandma)
94. had a baby (Someday!)
95. seen the alamo in person
96. swum in the great salt lake
97. been involved in a lawsuit

98. owned a cell phone
99. been stung by a bee

By the looks of this, I really need to travel and visit some places! Namely, Europe :) It'd be really nice to see some of the famous American landmarks too.

I leave my beautiful Steamboat (temporarily!) on Friday afternoon, and land in Madison on Friday night. Nate and I will be heading to Rochester Sunday afternoon/night...almost time for radiation vacation!

Ta ta for now.

Love Always,

Kaitlin

Snow

...And it just keeps on coming! We've had 28 inches in the past 3 days, and we're set to have more on the way. Total for the season is at 179 inches of Champagne Powder!

This is what I brushed off my car Wednesday morning (that's only 12 hours of accumulation!)

RIP Fancy

Goodbye Fancy Fish :(

My poor little fish passed away the day after I left for Christmas. I knew she was fading fast that Friday night, and probably wouldn't make it through to the next night. My friend Lisa found her the next morning and flushed her to Fishie Heaven.

Sad.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone :)

I spoke with my neurologist Dr. Uhm yesterday. He had a chat with Dr. Schomberg (radiation oncologist) about the plan, and decided that we should do some chemo concurrently with my radiation. Calm down people...it's just the pill form chemo, and it won't make my hair fall out--believe me, I had a heart attack the first time he said that to me too! Because that's what I'm most concerned about, of course ;)

Nate and I celebrated one year last night with a FABULOUS dinner at the Capital Grille in downtown Milwaukee. Seriously, best meal I've ever had in my life and best steak ever! It was such a fun night :)

Stuffed with delicious steak and lobstah!
Very good wine! Castello del Poggio (Moscato d'Asti)
Happy New Year and Happy Anniversary!

Love Always,

Kaitlin