Author Archives: Carrie Cotter

“The only real side effect is fatigue”

I am sitting here in the waiting room about to have treatment 20. It has gone so fast! Nine to fo counting today!

When I started radiation they told me that the only major side effects was fatigue. For the first 15 or so treatments I felt nothing. I kept thinking, this is odd to have so much energy. I haven’t felt this good since well before diagnosis. I thought I was going to skate through this with no side effects.

Then it hit. We had a busy weekend and I thought I was just tired because of that. Yesterday I was tired. Tired to the point I couldn’t keep my eyes open. My anxiety was elevated and I just don’t feel right. I worked both jobs yesterday and on the way home from the church I told Chris I needed to rest before making dinner. I dozed off on the couch for about an hour and ended up ordering take out. Just didn’t feel like cooking!

Today, so far, is much the same. I woke up feeling just as tired, of not more, as I did when I went to bed. My anxiety is still up there and for no reason. I’ve been taking my medicine for anxiety the same for years and it helps. Not yesterday and today! I have found myself trying to make excuses to not have treatment. I tried several times to get out of my appointment yesterday and I’m fighting the urge to go to the car right now. They are running 30 minutes behind and I don’t want to wait. I want to go home and go to bed!

I feel grateful that I made it nearly a month into this treatment before feeling anything, but now I have to figure out how to work naps into our busy routine!

18 Down, 10 To Go!!

I just got home from radiation treatment number 18! So far, treatment has been easy! I go in for my 8:30 appointment every morning and am home by 9. Every Monday I see my radiation oncologist. These visits literally last a minute, maybe two.

Today was no different. I received treatment and went to an radar room to see the doctor. She walks in and we exchange pleasantries. She looks at the area being treated, states it looks perfect, asks if I have any questions, and we’re done.

I joked and said I wish all my visits were that quick. Could she have a discussion with Dr. K, my medical oncologist, about the length of her appointments? As were were walking out we both got a good chuckle.

I will leave you today with a few pictures. This past weekend, my baby turned 19 and for the first time in years I got to celebrate Mother’s Day with my mom. We had a fabulous weekend!

I am one blessed Momma!
How can he be 19?!?
Enjoying Isaac’s baseball games with Mom and Dad!

In the Final Month!

When I was diagnosed in August the end of treatment seemed so far away. It felt like it would never arrive. Surprisingly, the past seven months have gone quick. I believe the countless appointments kept our schedule busy and I slept a majority of the time on chemo. It probably felt faster for me than those around me caring for me.

May is the month my active treatment finally comes to an end! On Friday I completed radiation 12 of 28. We are almost halfway done. As of now there are no side effects and for that I am grateful!

The effects are chemo are starting to subside. I am still battling neuropathy which has actually worsened over the last two weeks. I pray we are in that, it will get worse before it gets better, stage. Praying it starts to subside as it has become more uncomfortable. My taste has pretty much returned. Yay! My hair is growing (on most spots). My energy level is good and I feel great. God is so good!

I know it’s been a while since I updated so I wanted to share my life over the last few weeks. My days are busy working two part-time jobs, daily radiation appointments, karate and baseball with Isaac, and Eli just being Eli. There are not enough hours in the day, but life is wonderful and I wouldn’t trade any of it for anything.

Below are a few pictures of how it’s all been going.

Eli doing his silly thing
Isaac doing his baseball thing!
Still no hair on the right side of my head! So weird!
Coming in good on the sides and back!