Recovering

I am tired.

Shooting intermittent, unanticipated, and unpredictable pain grabs my left chest area and axilla.....as though someone were pouring burning hot water on the skin.  It only lasts seconds.  Takes my breath away.  And I moan...grimace.

It happens more at night. Perhaps my positioning makes the nerves more susceptible to whatever stimulation is causing the hot and penetrating sensation.  And so I do not sleep. Not well anyway. Oh.... so tired.

My chest wall is bright red with splotchy areas of peeling skin.  Some areas have infected areas which ooze a sticky yellowish fluid which then dries on my ever-so-soft camisole.  But then when I take the camisole off, the skin peels with it and then bleeds.

This is not what I expected to happen after my radiation was done.  During perhaps; but not after.

I'm pretty sure this is not what is supposed to be happening.  Not desired. Yet nevertheless, I continue to gently rub the Damore and Aquafor creams on in the hope that they will heal the skin more rapidly.  I placed an email to my plastic surgeon who apparently sent some medicine into the pharmacy.  I'll have to get it tomorrow after I drop Ben off at school.  They are closed now.  I'll pick up some of those non-adhering dressings as well so that my skin won't keep getting damaged.

Today's Journey Joys:  Safe and pleasant drive to work (2.5 hours away), good connections with colleagues, Katy who picked up and cared for kids, sun slides of light through clouds, warm homes on a cool evening in early autumn.