More Strength, Different Activities, and a New Diagnosis

I realized last night that I hadn't posted for almost 2 weeks-12 days.  How time does fly at times!
I am feeling better-definitely better than when taking the chemo treatments.  Last week I was stronger than the week before and felt better too.  Yeah!!!!! This past week I have done more.  However, that is all that I have done besides resting.
On Tuesday I was a little concerned because there was a tender place on the calf of my right leg and a little knot.  The doctor scheduled me to have an ultrasound which proved what we thought, no blood clot and the leg is fine.  Good news!  On Wed I attended a meeting for an hour in the morning and in the evening had one here for about 2 1/2 hours.  Both of these were for Primary (my church's organization for children 18 months to 11 years old) I work with the leaders.  On Thursday I had an appointment with the lymphedema clinic.  My oncologist had referred me earlier, but I felt so bad on the days I had appointments and it wasn't bothering me, so I had decided to wait until later.
I do have lymphedema. This occurs sometimes after lymph nodes under the arm are removed, as they were when the tumor was removed February 28th.  I begin treatment on Monday.  I will have a treatment each day that week with my arm being wrapped, the next 2 weeks it will be 3 times a week, and the next 3 weeks once a week. How my arm responds will determine what else is involved.  I will be fitted with a compression sleeve sometime in that process and the therapist says I should wear it the rest of my life.  Yeah!  :-(  I was just reading a little about it and read that sometimes one might feel it another attack on her body.  That is exactly the way it felt-feels.  I know it could be so much worse and am grateful it isn't.  However, we have to get by the original feelings of things, don't we?
On Tuesday evening I attended a workshop called "Look Good Feel Better" by the American Cancer Society. They have it every first Monday here in Provo, but having my treatments on Tuesday, I never felt well enough to go.  They have samples of make-up for those cancer patients attending to try out and take

A picture of me with a fun wig
with auburn highlighted
hair color. Regret that my
eyes were closed.

home, as well as, instruction on scarf tying, hats, and wigs. Two other ladies were there also and it was great fun.  I tried on a fun wig, was encouraged and interested in the scarves, and tried the whole make-up thing which I hadn't done since I had so much reaction about 7 or so years ago.  The surprise the next day was the left cheek area of my face began to breakout.  I know that coconut oil heals and helps, so I began using it immediately and it has healed almost completely.  So I will be very careful about make-up.  I may try more using only one new thing at a time in awhile,  We'll see.
This past week I also did more in meal preparing and, in general, just felt better.  I am so grateful.  The hard thing about feeling better is that I have thoughts of many things to do and am just not up to doing them.  So I think about doing them in the future.  If I did too much, I felt really tired and sometimes felt "bad" so I laid down to rest and sleep when I needed to do so.
I am so grateful to feel better.  I am looking forward to one day regaining my regular sense of taste, no numbness in my toes, regular healthy finger and toenails, etc.  Oh, yes, I am eager to have normal hair on my head again.  In the last week, I have noticed that there is some hair growing,  It is really fine and like "peach fuzz".  That is exciting, however, I reluctantly decided that I have several months of wigs, hats, and/or scarves ahead of me.
I have heard from various sources that radiation will not be as bad as the chemo.  I am hoping so.  However, I also have heard that fatigue is the greatest complaint.  My appointment with the radiologist is on Tuesday, so I will know more then.
I am so very grateful for the wonderful blessings I have had and still have.  I know the Lord has blessed me in many physical ways, as well as, lifted my spirits when I asked Him to do so.  I know that your prayers have made a difference and I appreciate your love, prayers, and service.  Thank you.