The next step...

I've met with my radiology oncologist and he's told me what to expect during radiation.  I am going to be going to radiation five days a week (Monday through Friday) for five straight weeks. Radiation is cumulative. I should expect to feel very fatigued. As well, my skin will start to feel more and more sunburned. It sort of works like this. Imagine being in the sun with no sunscreen for 30 minutes. Then another 30 minutes. And another.  Keep going like this through the day for 12.5 hours in the sun with no sunscreen. Imagine how burnt you would be. That's how this works. Each time I go for radiation I sort of get a little more 'UV rays'. Obviously they aren't UV rays but each day I add a little bit of the radiation to my skin. Eventually it hits a point where my skin is getting tanned, then dark, then a bit burnt, then really burnt. It can get very painful and the burns can become very bad. The reason I need to go for any radiation is to ensure that there are no cancer cells left near the breast bone or in any of the surrounding tissue in my lymph nodes and breast. If this is one more step in ensuring the cancer has been removed for my body then sign me up. Radiation begins this Friday...