July 2, 2017
I have heard from so many friends and family who have sent such nice greetings that I have been overwhelmed with positive thoughts. I did not realize that so many people I knew had had cancer at some point. They all sound so promising that I can get thru this that maybe I can. I think I can, I think I can, etc I will, I will, I will!!
I have even received many nice gifts to help me along the way. A group of ladies I quilt with gave me a gift bag with a gown and other goodies. A cousin who survived breast cancer sent me a book that really helped her out. Other friends have given me fancy earrings and head coverings to keep my head decorated and warm. Course, I think they may have given me the nice earrings just to get my regular earrings away – trying to make me look stylish!! I totally refused the lipstick ideas tho! I really do appreciate all the support everyone has been giving me.
I’ve been trying to get my almost bald head a little bit tanned. At the pool today, Paula and Sue convinced me I should put some sunscreen on my head or it would probably get burned, so I did. When I got back into the pool, Sue said she smelled gardenias but there were no gardenias nearby. I thought she might be smelling the sunscreen so I told her to “Smell my scalp!” I had never, ever said that sentence to anyone before!! She did and it was the sunscreen. Now I wish I had used sunscreen on more than just my scalp because my face is quite red. Hopefully it’ll be back to normal by tomorrow!
Tomorrow will begin the real journey, I suppose. I will go to the ambulatory surgery center to get my port installed. I can’t help it, but whenever I hear the words ambulatory surgery I just picture lots of patients slowly wandering up and down hallways while doctors and nurses try to do surgery on them!! I think my mind is a fairly warped place to visit!! My first chemo treatment will be on Thursday – that’ll be the next big step. Not really looking forward to that. They tell me I may get ‘chemo brain’ – I just wonder if my brain can get much worse than it already is!!!! We shall see.
I was going to put photos of the gifts I’ve received in here but I am on my iPad and I need to use my laptop to put photos in. Maybe I can put in the photos when I tell you about my ambulatory surgery experience.
Guess I am as ready as I’ll ever be to start this experience.
Melanie's Journey Through Cancer 