Exhaustion and Burns (warning somewhat graphic photo)

Photo showing skin burn & breakdown

I am humbled.  I had no idea radiation would cause this much exhaustion.  Friday was day 27 of my radiation treatment and proceeded without incident.  That is to say, it was the same as the last five or so prior treatments.  I walk (in my mind am pushed kicking and screaming), into the radiation room, lie down on the machine, count my seventy-eight crocodiles and then I limp (cringing inside), to the purple waiting area.

Soon a nurse arrives and takes me to the dressing room, where they give me the best treat of the day.  I get to lie down on a hospital bed while they soak my burns with a large number of cold saline compresses.  I cannot describe how wonderful this feels.  My body is like a furnace and these few minutes of coolness are bliss.  Unfortunately though, my body heats the gauze pads up to steaming in no time at all, and then I am done.  The nurses apply Flamazine and I head home.

That is pretty much exactly how it happened on Friday.  Once home, I got on a little cleaning kick, don't ask me why, and decided to organize closets.  It was 11::00 PM when, with a headache and feeling tired, I finally put the light out.

I awoke on Saturday morning feeling like a truck had run me over, I was sick to the stomach and dizzy and just completely out of it.  So, I spent the entire day yesterday sleeping.  The only nice and almost warm day we have had in weeks.  I thought that would prove to be a problem last night, but it was not.  After having slept all day and enjoying a brief visit from my brother Andy and his girlfriend, I then went to bed early and slept all night, waking only at 10:30 this morning.

I still have not been out of bed, other than to take my pain meds and apply the ointment to the burns.  So folks, I can officially say, I know what exhaustion is.

On that note, I'm going back to sleep for another few hours.

Night Night!