Connie's Cancer Chronicles

I have been thinking alot lately about the power of prayer. I've been joking that God must be tired of hearing about "Connie Knapp" -- my beloved church congregation is praying for me, our synagogue is praying for me, and I think there are probably some folks who never pray who might be praying for me. Last night my church held a longest night service. I find great comfort in being with a community in the darkness of the longest night, of naming the darkness, whether it is our own darkness or the darkness of the world. I especially find great comfort in doing this during Advent, when we wait for the light to come into the world. During our service, those who are present are invited to join with someone to light a candle, say a prayer, or be prayed with and/or over. I have had the privilege of being the "pray-er" in the past, and last night I was invited to be a "pray-er" again. Okay, so this is where this post gets weird, so hold onto your hats...

Today was radiation treatment #17 out of 33--I've passed the halfway mark! http://keywordsuggest.org/gallery/59665.html To celebrate I had an acupuncture treatment. Well not exactly to celebrate-I scheduled this a while ago, but it felt like a celebration. I read (or perhaps I was told?) that acupuncture would help with radiation fatigue and Dr. Vanessa McKay-Barr, the acupuncturist, told me to get a treatment before I was fatigued. So I did. I've had acupuncture before, but not like this-this was amazing! She spent about 30 minutes asking me questions related to my health. Most of the usual questions (any illness, high blood pressure, etc.) and then off we went into the treatment room. Her treatment room is basically an exam room with an acupuncture table in it. She not only put needles in my legs, feet and arms, but also my ear! and my belly. Then she put an infrared heat lamp on my feet and left me for a while. I drifted off into a place that I can only describe a...

and I'm feeling tired. It could be from my workouts and it could be from the radiation. Whatever it's from, it's 6:20 and I can barely keep my eyes open. And today was a quiet day--up at the usual time, at the gym around 8ish, home to get ready for radiation, lunch out (really loving Exit 4 in Mt Kisco ) and then an afternoon of resting. I won't bore you with all of the things I didn't do that were on my "to do" list. Suffice it to say that I lay around and rested. I can't wait to see the acupuncturist at Northern Westchester for a treatment. I think I'm at the point where my guided imagery , extra glutamine  (thank you, Dr. Saltzman !), easy workouts and healthful eating (you wouldn't believe how I've cut my wine drinking down!) aren't enough for the likes of radiation therapy. Ah, Gilda Radner !! I have a much better idea of what you meant when you said, "it's always something!"

So every week or so the doctor wants to take a blood sample. They are monitoring my blood count--apparently radiation can take a toll on your blood. Great! So this past Tuesday as we were walking out the door, Judy, one of the techs, said, oh, you need to see the nurse on your way out.  The nurse, Christine, says that she's going to take my "vitals" and blood. So here's the deal: my "best" arm is my right arm, but no one will take blood pressure, or blood, from that arm because I had one lymph node removed. So it's the left arm. And to add to the fun, I'm a fainter. Weight: check. Blood pressure: check. Dr. Tinger comes in, looks at my boobs, so far, so good, no radiation burns. Everything looks great. I mention that my breasts feel a little sore, and I ask if that could be from the radiation, or possibly from my workouts. Both Dr. Tinger and Christine perk up at that. You're not raising your weights, are you? Dr. Tinger asks. No one has s...