Glimpses of recovery

The last radiation treatment was 6 November, 2024. I was hoping for immediate reprieve from the side effects that have plagued me for weeks. Alas, vain hope. In fact, I found that side effects actually peak in the 2 weeks after treatments end. So, it is now 11 days since the last treatment. I can definitely still feel the nausea, fatigue, and oesaphagitis, but less so. The fatigue is the strongest. The only way that I have found to combat the side effects is sheer willpower. I don’t feel like eating, but I eat. I don’t feel like doing exercise or moving, but I make myself exercise and do things. My oesophagitis burns sometimes or makes me hesitant to swallow, I swallow anyway. It is weird to not be able to trust the messages from my body and brain that until now I have trusted. I am still hoping that I will turn the corner in the next few days and I will have more time feeling better that feeling poorly. We will see.

Despite the continuing impacts of side effects there are signs that I am getting better. I am putting on weight (normally not a good thing for me, but one more week of fortifying and then David and I can focus on getting back to our normal weight). Friday 15 November, 2024 was a big day for me. For weeks I had been worrying if I would be able to attend a concert performance of Wagner’s epic “Die Walkure” at the Sydney Opera House. There were times when I felt “definitely not” and other times when I felt “it might be possible”. I decided to give it a go. The show started at 6pm and was scheduled to end 11.30pm. I lasted the distance without mishap. And … after 8 weeks of not caring that I looked like a hairy, shaggy dog, I had my haircut in the afternoon as well. Things are definitely improving!