Let's get this ball rolling already

After I posted last night I was helping Ellie brush her hair and she asked about my appointment. I told her I got to visit the Kellogg Cancer Care Center and her face went white and mouth fell open, "You have cancer?" I said yes but its just a diagnosis - a word - just like she has asthma, just like Nick has allergies. I told her it is one of many words people might use to describe what I have. I was scared of the word and her reaction and I have to say it played out the same way I had imagined it might but now I don't have to worry that someone might discuss my "cancer" in front of her and I got to tell her my way. I explained that my BFN (best friend nurse) Margaret said that Ellie could come for a tour of the center or even come with to my next appointment. Sleep went well again - I think I finally got this thing down.
Usual morning here, got Ellie off to school, packed Nick's stuff for Mom's and we were off. We got settled in and I was off to the hospital to have my consult with Dr. Nanda, my radiation oncologist. I have to say of all the consults I have had - this was the closest to what I envisioned a consult to be. Comfy, plush chairs - not a desk but a table, a magazine rack (it was in an exam room with a table and medical equipment but pretty okay). The nurse took my vitals (weight, temp, pulse and blood pressure) and then Dr. Nanda came in. He read through his notes on my history and asked if he was missing anything - nope he got it all. He explained radiation therapy to me. He asked about my fertility - there is a pretty good chance my ovaries will be damaged by the radiation which in all possibilities could send me into a very premature menopause - humph!!! He told me of the possible and probable side effects, tiredness, fatigue, localized hair loss of the treated area, reddening like sunburn, diarrhea. Sounds like so much fun - this is where the I got to get sicker to get better comes in. He told me if there is anything I have heard from him, Dr. Marsh or Dr. Muldoon that doesn't sound right that now is the time to get a second opinion - I told him I was happy with the plan and ready to move forward.
He told me I would be receiving 28 treatments and that the treatment itself will only last about 10 minutes but the prep for the treatment takes about 10-15 minutes. I set up an appointment to meet with him on Friday for my simulation - I will be run through the CT scan for a series of x-rays that will pinpoint exactly where I need to be radiated. I will be tattooed (yes they are permanent marks - about the size of freckles). I asked Ellie's question - stomach or back and he thinks maybe we will go stomach but we will see Friday. In telling him how I had cut out my vices in hope that one of them might have been the cause of my GI issues he told me I shouldn't cut out the alcohol and that moderate consumption could be good for me. Hmmm, Mom twisted my arm into coffee yesterday (and today, again) maybe I will have a nice glass of red wine this weekend. After the simulation he will work with a physicist to accurately get a plan in place - he hopes to begin the end of next week.
I went back to Mom's and we headed out to Target to pickup some essentials and then to get some stuff for dinner (we moved Thursday to Wednesday this week). Nick and I came home and waited for Ellie. It was such a nice day that after Ellie did her homework we headed outside for dome vitamin D and fresh air. I got a call from my BFN, Margaret asking how my appointment with Dr. Nanda went and she told me stop by to see her after my appointment on Friday. She also told me my co-pay for my xeloda - Rob asked at our initial consult what price range we were talking about for this drug and she told us a 14 day supply can run $2000.00. Our awesome insurance is kicking in and my entire course (3 - 14 day supplies) co-pay is $40.00 - ironically, that is the exact same co-pay as Ellie's monthly allergy medication.
Tomorrow I see our dentist - one of my favorite people - probably going to be very hard to tell him about all this - I have known him since I was about 4 years old. I am just ready to get this ball rolling - it seems like we've been pushing it uphill for awhile now and I am ready to get to the "thought I could, thought I could" stage. Hope the sun stays bright the rest of the week and warms up a bit more. Positively visualizing my healthy body...Tree