3 Week Canadian study

The Canadians and the British for years give the majority of their early breast cancer patients a 3 week course of radiation vs the standard in the US 6 week. Finally this fall the results were in: Canadian researchers divided 1240 patients equally into the 3 vs 6 week arms and looked at the results 10 years later. Slightly less reoccurance in the the 3 week group and similar cosmetic results. They do up the dose for the 3 week gals, which may be a problem for left breast cancer (radiation is tough on the heart if it is on the left side). Various hospitals have now adopted this not-so-new protocol such as Sloan-Kettering, NYU, U of Washington, Rhode Island, and Johns Hopkins but not UM. My onc is setting up an appointment with the radiologist now and said they MAY be amenable to letting me have it. I said I might go elsewhere to get it. I don't have any of the obvious exclusions: large breasts, close to chest wall tumors. My negatives: more than one tumor, one large tumor and being triple neg.

So today was infusion day. I now have all the Red Devil in me that I am allowed in a lifetime. I feel pretty crappy but hoping that in a few days, this too shall pass. My blood counts were good though my red count is falling. Still just under that of a healthy person. Our new insurance won't issue us a number until the end of the week so we had to pay for Emend out of pocket. We should get reimbursed once we get that magic number. Still more bills with unpaid, unpaid, unpaid even though we thought this was all straightened out. I was told to see a dermatologist about the black spot even though it is probably nothing. It is a very dark spot for not having been exposed to the sun.

The school has denied the art teacher's request to have her drop the class. I am appealing. A pain.

Naomi wanted me to watch the OSU vs Illini game that she taped with her just now. Shavelle, who played for Huron a few years ago, had a full ride to OSU and was voted best defensive player in the Big Ten her first year. Naomi really looks up to her, a very sweet girl who mentors quite a few of them. But part of her fascination with Shavelle is that she is Naomi's boyfriends's first cousin. The whole River Rat team is going up to E. Lansing this weekend to watch Shavelle vs MSU. The Lady Rats are now ranked 6th in the State and take on Dexter tonight. Naomi has since healed from last week. I will go tonight even though I feel pukey and tired.