Yes, you read that title correctly, finally some good news. You ready for this? At my radiation appointment last week one of my radiation nurses tells me my schedule has been updated and hands me a new calendar. She asks me if I notice anything… Yes, yes I do… There is a week of missing appointments. Is this right? Tell me I’m not being punked. She explains that sometimes the “booster treatments” (the surprise 5 extra treatments that were added onto my radiation schedule) are taken away based on further research to my pathology and how my current treatments have been going. What, what, what??!?! Hell yes!!!! Take those extra five away. So now, instead of ending radiation on Dec 8, I will end on Dec 1. OMG. I’m trying to contain myself of my emotions and excitement while I’m literally laying on the table with lasers pointed at me. When this session is completed, I feel like I can’t get dressed fast enough. I can’t walk out the door fast enough. I can’t get to the car fast enough. I can’t call the Brian fast enough to tell him the news before I breakdown crying. Happy tears. Something actually went in my favor in this shit show. I mean, the score is probably 10-1, but it’s not a blowout. Those extra 7 days have so much meaning for me physically and mentally. It was a rough week leading up to this good news. Do tell. OK.

My youngest, Jesse, who is 7 and in 2nd grade, came home the week prior a little upset. Apparently there is a 5th grader, yes a 5th grader, that has casually been teasing him on the bus. He calls him a ‘blueberry’ which I don’t understand. Just kinda laughs at him, I don’t know why. Then he tells me the one thing I’ve been so nervous about happening. This fucking kid went for the jugular and teases him to say, “Your mom has cancer. Your mom is bald.” It took every ounce in me not to break down in front of my son. I asked him what he said or how he responded. He said he just ignored the kid. Ugh. How or why would a kid say that? A 5th grader nonetheless. A 5th grader should be old enough to know that making fun of disease, of a SECOND GRADER’s mom is just not cool. That little asshole kid. Yes, I said that. You also thought it. We came home and I immediately went to tell Brian and cried… again. Brian is so amazing, anything that bothers me he turns into protective husband mode. He had a conversation with Jesse, and let’s just say we’re handling it. 😉

Fast forward a couple days and now it’s Jesse’s 2nd grade musical performance. All of second grade and their families will be there. An anticipated packed house in the gym. Knowing one kid has already verbally made fun of my cancer and bald head I want to make sure Jesse is comfortable. I ask him if he’d like me to wear my wig to his school for the performance. At first he tells me he wants to think about it, but then he confidently says, “No. I like you just like that.” You know what happened next. I excused myself from the room and went and cried in the bathroom. Happy, proud tears. It’s amazing how kids feed off of your strength and confidence. He made that decision on his own. He knows I’m kicking cancer’s ass, and being bald is only temporary. It doesn’t change or define who I am in his eyes, his mom.

As of today, I’ve already gone to radiation, so I now have a 4 day holiday break from radiation. My skin really needs it. It’s bright red, burnt, rashy, and itchy. All the goodness. That’s sarcasm at it’s best. There are only 4 more radiation treatments in this shit show. FOUR MORE. THAT’S IT. I’m so ready for this to be over, if you haven’t noticed. But also guess what. My hair, that I shaved again recently, is starting to grow back with less patches. It also seems even darker than normal. Will be interesting to see as it continues to grow. Also, wait for it. My eyebrows are growing back! You read that right. Seeing as I’m super shy about sharing my story I can only tell you about it. I’m just too shy to share a picture.

Yeah right! Here is a picture from today. No makeup. You can see my eyebrow hair growing in. Looks like a shadow more than anything, but I promise you, it’s hair. Also darker than my previous eyebrows, but I’m getting freaking eyebrows again. Woohoo!

You can also see the radiation burn/rash. It continues to under my breast and on the back it goes over my shoulder about a hand length down (if that makes sense). The purple spot on the opposite side that looks like a bruise, if you’re wondering, is my port. All the things you never thought you’d see in this blog. You’re welcome.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving. I have many things to be pissed off about, but also many things to be thankful for. I’m choosing to think about the things I’m thankful for and I hope you all do as well. Get your mammograms! Gobble, gobble!!!

Sharing a picture of me and Brian’s baldie friends. This was a great night as we said good bye to our friends Brett and Sarah who moved to Puerto Rico last weekend.