We are moving onwards with Chris’s breast cancer treatment. The big milestone this week: the start of the radiotherapy!
Apologies for the confusion with the mistaken release of this post a few days ago! Another attack of brain fog: clicked on publish instead of schedule! And now I am told that nothing has come through your in-box! So here we go… version 2 of Onwards! Argh 😡
Radiotherapy started
After the harrowing first phase of diagnosis, then the surgery and recovery from that, we are now in our third phase: radiotherapy, which started on Wednesday. It was a daunting day.
As you can see from the picture, you are lying with your arms up and behind your head. The set up takes quite a while, particularly for the first session when the radiologists line everything up. A monitor is taped onto your diaphragm and your breathing level is then represented on a small screen above you as a white line. The line moves up and down as you breathe, and there is a green zone at the very top. The idea is to take a deep breath in when asked, deep enough to bring the white line to the top of the screen in the green zone and keep it there until you are told to breathe normally. It is quite an effort. For cancers in the left breast, this ensures the heart is protected while the radiation is carried out.
The technicians take a few scans first to check everything is all lined up properly. Then the actual radiation starts. It only lasts for a few minutes and you don’t feel anything. Yet you know that as you take a very deep breath and hold it for 30 seconds, the radiation dose is delivered. This is repeated a few more times as the Linear Accelerator swings around you. The device delivers the beam straight down onto the breast first then from the sides. By the evening there is a noticeable difference in temperature between one breast and the other, as confirmed by Nurse Wade!
For this ‘cleanup’ job, the whole breast and armpit are irradiated, not just a single spot. Chris will have 15 sessions over three weeks. This is our insurance policy against the cancer returning. So, as we post this, two sessions done, thirteen to go!
While this is happening, we intend to keep our daily gym routine going for our body and mind wellness, and to escape to the hinterland or the beach when possible. There is a method in our madness: we can’t tell yet what’s gym soreness and what’s radiotherapy reaction. We are both a bit crippled from the multiple full body workouts, Pilates and Yoga sessions, so chances are the aches and pains are from overdoing it with the exercise classes! It might change as the treatment side effects kick in for Chris: fatigue and skin changes which are not mirrored in Nurse Wade! Anyway, all Chris can do is follow the advice of taking care of her skin and resting when the fatigue hits. Time will tell how it all pans out. We are hoping for the best and easiest outcome for ourselves.
Hinterland – back to Binna Burra
Our trips to the rainforest are an elixir for wellness. You stop thinking about cancer treatment and instead surrender to the beautiful sights and sounds that envelop you: gorgeous bird calls, lush green ferns, twisting vines and the tallest of trees.
Last time we talked to you about epiphytic ferns. These live symbiotically on other plants such as trees and vines, from which they obtain nutrients and moisture. In return, Epiphytes can have a positive effect on the microenvironment of their host, as they improve the host plant water use. We particularly enjoy the showy large fronds of the Bird’s Nest Ferns which tends to be found high in the trees but in semi shade, and the Oak Leaf Ferns which sometimes cover the entire trunk of their host. Here are a few more examples of those spectacular nonparasitic ferns:
In the water
And of course, there is the ocean nearby. Wade generally tries to have a body surf most days as long as the Bluebottle Jellyfish aren’t there, and occasionally a proper board surf.
We had a snorkel at slack water along the edge of the Gold Coast Seaway’s southern wall over the weekend with our friend Bill. We would not rush to do that again unless at slack water low – and Chris won’t be able to get in the ocean for a while anyway. However it was novel to have a go. The conditions were murky, and there was not a lot to see, but it was nice to get in the warm 27oC water (81oF). We snorkeled along the rock wall right to the entrance then paddled all the way back: a good workout against the start of the outgoing tide. Here are a few pictures, definitely not our best due to the lack of water clarity. The weird jelly like creatures in the gallery are ctenophores.
We will leave you with a shot taken as we were leaving the region in December. We are longing to escape, but it will have to wait for a couple more months!
Thank you for your on-going support.
Sv-Anui 
Hi guys, I’m glad that things are progressing as you’ve planned, wonderful! That blue bottle thing is really creepy looking! 🤔
Hi John, the blue bottle is also known as Portuguese Man of War.
Oh, that makes sense. I hear they deliver a terrible sting when they touch you.
Yes, they are mean and have very long tentacles, so best not to get in the water if you see them beached on the sand.
Yikes! I’ll heed that warning! I was in Florida recently, I lived down there in the early 90s, but my dad, sister and I took a rented boat out on Lake Tarpon. There are Water Moccasins in the lake, hence swimming is discouraged!
*laughter* Boo-hoo! You have ‘losted’ me twice now!! Cancel this when you find mine of an hour ago 🙂 !
Got it but on the old post which is now deleted. I will copy it and it will show under the blog name! 😢
My apologies . . . look just leave it . . . you have enough to do !!! love . . .
Glad you are persistent and interested enough to chase the post. All is good, your previous comment now shows, albeit under sv-anui!
COMMENT RECEIVED FROM EHA
Oh I was quite delighted to get and comment on your day-to-day early in the week! And then it disappeared 😦 !! And now it has not reappeared and I found this on a Google-search !!! Good the waiting time is over . . .soon the ‘insurance’ will have been paid for also. It will all be in the past tense . . . a bad dream. Love you are keeping so active . . .and do like your ‘land photos’ – somewhat of a change from the usual . .. and next year you will get double the enjoyment from going down south for a while I imagine. Meanwhile be good . . . hugs .. .
Great to see that you are still active and enjoying the hinterland forests while pushing on with Phase 3. Those sessions are very clinical – glad that nurse Wade is there to support you.
If you are seeing those Blue Bottles, then I’m guessing that they will be around at Shelly Beach too. We head back up to Shelly Beach mid next week after having spent the best part Summer at Bunyip in Victoria.
Best wishes going forward xx
Hi Jan
Blue bottles only here during northerlies. Back to SE now and strong ones at that so Wade isn’t surfing!
Sounds like you have had experience with radiotherapy… the daily grind for us for a few weeks. I’ll keep on with the morning exercise sessions as well as yoga or Pilates for as long as I can. Suspect fatigue will hit at some stage but probably more in the afternoon. At least at what I hope.
Love the comment re Nurse Wade’s confirmation of the noticeable difference between the temperature of your breasts! The mind boggles! Thinking of you, and love to you all.
You have to look for a few funny bits to make readers smile or it’s too dull and grim! Only three sessions done by now and I am already like a hot coal on one side. God knows what it will be like after 15! Apparently some people peak early… I think I might be one of them.
Love the wave of optimism washing over you both! Although I did get stuck at the bit where you mentioned the sea water being 27deg!!! We can only dream of such things here in Scotland! Seems like you’re getting very good medical care, that’s a blessing.
Enjoy your warm beachside summer guys!
Ah Elgar, with 27 deg seas come scorching days of 35+deg day after day. No fun there especially when you live on a boat and going through radiation treatment! We dream of cooler days. Funny how you always long for what you haven’t got.
I know, it’s ‘the grass is greener’ syndrome, we can all easily be victims to it!
Big task ahead of you both. Take care. Beautiful to see you rain forest pics. I do love trees and forests. Stay away from those blue bottles though.
Hi Mick, yes the rainforest is our elixir. You think of nothing but the lush greenery once in the middle of it. We only get there on weekends though because our weekly schedule of medical appointments does not leave much time to drive up there and enjoy on weekdays. Might not matter anyway in a week or so when the side effects really kick in!
Glad to hear treatment is progressing & wish you all the best. Also that Binna Burra, the beach, yoga & Pilates are great distractions. Hoping the heat eases soon & radiation doesn’t cause too much more heat. Thinking of you both Lindy & Phil
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Just found your comment in the Spam folder! How odd! Hope Phil is improving. Thinking of you both.
Interesting read on what takes place in radiation. You and Nurse Wade are marvels at your mind and wellness activities. Glad to see Nurse Wade is taking regular temperature updates. A very important job.
Your regular sojourns are a delight to read and so informative. Love the pics.
Hiya Gaye, so nice to get your message and pleased you find our posts interesting. Still waiting for that bear hug, but we guess you two are still stuck with the weather!