So, here's what I can tell you about radiation therapy - for me, it causes a tremendous amount of heartburn. The treatment doesn't hurt, although my chest looks like it's been through a really bad, inconsistent tanning bed for three times the maximum amount of time. And I have broken out in a pretty weird rash similar to the one I got the last few weeks of chemo.
This week, though, treatment was especially difficult. After months of being bedridden, and weeks of a downhill battle, my father passed away on Sunday, September 13th. Even though it was expected, and even though it was a merciful thing that finally removed him from this earth and the suffering he'd been under - it still caught me completely off guard. I was beginning to think he'd outlive me - he was such a strong and vibrant character.
Until recently.
When he couldn't get out of bed, and as such had to wear a diaper and be changed like a newborn - he couldn't remember how to use the remote for the television or his cell phone. He wasn't "Dad" anymore - and even though I continued to call him EVERY day and talk to him, long after he lost the ability to talk - I still loved him and it broke my heart to know that the world continues spinning when such a man has left the earth.
One day this week I was just not feeling up to driving - I've been crying my eyes out and have been completely dehydrated - so Shem offered to drive me. The border guards told me it was no problem at all, as long as he had a KFOR badge (which he does.)
On the drive to Macedonia, he started telling me about the history of the region and why everyone hates everyone else. It's not just religious differences, it has to do with countries taking over countries, genocide / racial cleansing, and simple overt racism - feeling that citizens of certain countries are frankly LESS than themselves.
Macedonians hate Albanians and Serbians. The feeling is apparently mutual. Everyone hates the Turks. But nobody is more hated than the Roam (a.k.a. Roma - the gypsies). Honestly, he went into great detail about the history between countries but I don't remember much of it as I hadn't had much sleep all week.
When we got to the border, Shem showed them his KOSOVO ID rather than his KFOR ID. I love Shem, I really do - but he has a tendency to stir the pot, if you know what I mean. So OF COURSE they weren't going to allow him through without proving that he had a COVID test within the last three days. That's the rule. He knows that's the rule. Only AFTER they called the supervisor over and started yelling at each other did he pull his KFOR badge out, and by then they weren't going to let him through regardless.
It was a really interesting lesson in cultural racism, but not one that I was particularly grateful to learn ON THE WAY TO THE HOSPITAL for therapy. Folks, it got ugly. But eventually, we made it through and continued on to Skopje - late, but no worse for wear.
On the way BACK through the border, he AGAIN flashed his Kosovo ID. (I'm about ready to throttle him at this point) and AGAIN started a huge argument. So lesson learned - Shem will not be accompanying me to Macedonia in the future.
As for medical complications - oh my. The reason I asked Shem to drive in the first place was because I was super tired, and worried that I had developed a blood clot. See below:
Can you see the difference? It's NOT a blood clot, thankfully - but the lymphedema was a surprise since I haven't had this happen since they removed the lymph nodes in March. APPARENTLY, radiation therapy often causes this to happen.
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