Go Go Power Ranger

Good morning campers, it’s been a little minute hasn’t it. Sorry I’ve not written in a while. I’ve been wrapped up in a long 6 week course of radiotherapy and whilst trying to juggle side effects, attempting not to fall asleep at any given moment (rads fatigues is real guys), look after my two year old, keep my house slightly less of a shit tip than it is, keep my weight up whilst not being able to taste a bloody thing, all whilst trying to not turn into a giant spot from my steriods, life seems to have just flown by! The joys of cancer hey!

BUT, it’s safe to say I have finished my first round of treatment woohoo. 27 long sessions and I have done it, yay! The relief to not have to travel (hopefully!) to hospital everyday is just overwhelming and on this subject, I need to say a massive thank you to my support network (I can’t name you all) but I couldn’t have done it without you, so big up lads, thanks a bunch, I’m forever grateful for everyone’s sacrifices these past weeks.

Let me share a few details about radiotherapy for anyone that might be going through it, has to endure it in the future, or just wants to be a nosy Norman and have a peak into what my life has been like (which is fine too, it’s not very ordinary at the moment ha)...

So, I got fitted with a specialised plastic face mask that moulds to my face. I wore this every time. It genuinely looks like a power ranger mask. It is connected to the bed when you lie down and you can’t move and you can’t see a thing, it’s actually pretty scary... the only hole in it is for your mouth and nose. Treatment is really quick. Lasts around 10 mins and because you can’t see anything, you just hear this giant, ridiculously expensive machine moving around your head/body and it literally shoots UV beams at you. All very bizzare (I make it sound very simple, but I know a lot of prep work went into my treatment plan and they didn’t just shove me on a bed and zap me 😂). The thing that shocked me was the smell when you do get zapped, it’s like burning rubber, it’s mingin. Another thing is how painless it is.... until the side affects kick in...

I thought I was bossing it, after 3 weeks I still felt fine... very tired but nothing like they explained I would be like. Week 4 came and my mouth turned into one big thrush party (vile I know) and the blisters on my tongue and cheeks were/are just something else. My bowels were literally ‘loling’ with me and had me on the loo at all hours just keeping me on my toes and my hair began coming out in clumps towards the back where my treatment was targeting, so I’m now basically sporting an upside down mullet ha. My doctor asked me how I was feeling and I just replied with ‘like dog shit’ and opened my mouth. I couldn’t eat anything, I couldn’t swallow and I couldn’t keep my eyes open for longer than 20 mins. I was seriously starting to feel sorry for myself and cried to David saying I didn’t want anymore treatment. However, with his support and my amazing family, I’m so so glad I put my big girl nicks on and got through it, hopefully it will have actually worked and these sarcoma bastards will have started to shrink.

I rang that bloody bell after my last treatment as I feel like I achieved something. The bell isn’t just there for people that have ‘been cured’ or in ‘remission’, it is there to prove what bad ass mother truckers we all are for going through the treatments we do and coming out the other side stronger than ever.

If anyone needs any advice on radiotherapy or would just like to delve into my personal life some more 😂 please let me know, I’m an open book!

Now let’s see what this journey has in store for me next. Whatever is it, I’m ready for ya 💪🏻

Rach x