It’s funny how people get quiet or disappear when I’m not cheery any more and I can’t really blame them. I’m not very good company this week. I only confess to this to reassure any one else going through radiation that it’s no picnic and even if you’ve heard of people who just breeze through it, they probably didn’t. At least three friends who’ve gone through breast radiation have told me that they were a little tired and a little sore but it was never painful.

So I have been really surprised at how much I am hurting now, and I’m not nearly as burned as some other women I’ve seen. Second degree burns are apparently not uncommon, although only “skin changes” were listed on the list of side effects I was given. That’s some euphemism for burns on an area as sensitive as a breast. It was too much–I passed on the last treatment of the entire breast. Today I did the first treatment of the lumpectomy area, with four left.

I don’t seem to have it to put on any kind of happy front any more. So don’t let anyone tell you it’s a piece of cake. I know I have it better than most cancer sufferers and I know I’m lucky to get such good treatment but this isn’t the time to remind me. Toldja I was cranky.