Radiation

I have completed 17 treatments and have 8 more to go. At this point I am just tender... getting more tender everyday. It does make me tired, but thus far it is not too bad. At first the treatment itself was so painful - not because of the radiation, that I can't feel - laying on my back with my arms straight back over my head for 1 1/2 hours was excrutiating.
The nurses changed the order of how the treatments were being done to shorten it out to 1 hour, and they gave me pain medication plus a muscle relaxer. Even then the last 20 minutes were unbearable. So they started giving me a break in the middle to get up and walk around and stretch and rub the muscle that really spasms during this. That has helped a lot.
Because of the medication I am taking the doctor does not want me to drive so I have to have a driver and a babysitter everyday. Fortunately, my church has been great! They have volunteered for either one or both and have been a huge help and encouragment to me! They have also provided meals to make it easier on me when I get back from my appointment.
This treatment is being done at the UW East Clinic - which has been a help since it is only 45 min away rather then 1 1/2 hours away.
I am to have an MRI of the liver sometime in the near future to get a better look at the cancer and how big it is. This will give us a baseline. If it does not grow or spread then they can remove that portion of the liver in 6 months to a year. My oncologist also wants to do a CT scan of the lungs... which confused me so I spoke to my radiation oncologist about it, and he said we need to keep re-staging me to see where the cancer is and if it is growing or spreading... He felt I should have a full body PET scan. Which I agree. The cancer did not show on a CT scan so why would we want to do it again. He plans on talking to my oncologist and get us all on the same page.
After radiation I will begin chemotherapy. At this time I do not know exactly what we are looking at... I will know more when I have my appointment with her the beginning of November. I am guessing the scans will also determine the full course of treatment as well.
There are some long term - possible - side effects from the radiation. I might possibly have breaking down of the skin later on down road and have open sores for the rest of my life... but the benefits out way the risks.
At this point I don't have time to really stop and think about what is really going on or what could happen. I am getting up everyday, taking care of Kenzie, getting us ready for me to leave (and maybe her too) for my appointment, going to the appointment, getting dinner together, watching Kenzie, then bed. I really have not had time to think alot which is probably a good thing.
Right now I am doing what is necessary and that's all there is to it. We are also trying to do more natural things as well.. mostly teas, juicing, and lots of veggies... doing what we can is all we can do.
thank you all for your prayers.