Radiation, Week One / Hippeastrum mandonii

[lblanchard]

Hippeastrum mandonii, fading and pollinated

H. mandonii is about done -- the petals on the first bloom were getting soft last night and now they are looking sun-bleached. I was fretting that the ladyparts weren't opening up the way they have done on all my hybrids (and H. striatum, I think), but a Certified Expert tells me that not all species open up, so I pollinated yesterday and again this morning, and will hope for the best. If it's self-fertile, I'll be sharing seeds with pondhopper and the aforementioned Expert.

This couldn't have come at a better time. With all the cancer stuff happening, a propagation experiment is exactly what I need to keep me preoccupied.

The results of too many earlier propagation experiments must be deaccessioned, though -- and if I have the energy next weekend I think I'll move a ton of them out front and advertise their availability on Facebook -- first-come, first-served because I am not about to get involved in savesies and setting-up of times. A friend of Roy's is here this weekend, so this is not a good time. Besides, I'm fully occupied with Mr. Mandonii and don't feel like working on a plant giveaway right now.

Speaking of energy levels, I seem to be doing all right after the first week of radiation. The target area is ever so faintly pink but not at all painful or itchy -- yet. This past week I have fallen into a good rhythm of slathering on the special moisturizer as soon as I get home and again before I go to bed. I bought some hypoallergenic moisturizing soap for twice-daily cleansing of the armpit that I may not deodorize (eeeeeuw).

Energy-wise, I was worse at the beginning of the week, but I think that's because I was a cheesy slacker and walked nowhere all the previous week, leaving me totally out of shape and a little breathless on my four-block walk home from the bus. I am taking Uber to the treatments -- the one time I tried public transportation the bus was so late that I had to take a different bus, which stops two blocks further away from the facility -- leaving me hot and bothered both literally and figuratively. Nope nope nope nope nope. Uber out / bus back is working beautifully; and I am extending the walk home by a block every day as my strength returns.

I also moved my appointment from mid-day to late afternoon. That way I can do a good six hours of work before I head out, and can flop in a chair once I get home, until it's time to nuke the MANNAmeals.

Speaking of MANNAmeals, the soups are a little light on protein, vegetables, etc. for my taste. I really like a hearty soup. So I'm roasting a bottom round roast right now, to be chopped into tiny bits and frozen to add to soups. Later I'll do the same with chicken breasts. And I ordered enough eggs to see me through my treatments and then some, so I'll bake those and freeze them this weekend as well. That way I will be prepared for the killer fatigue if and when it hits.

Comments

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

You know why I'm following your adventures with cancer treatments so closely. And it's good to see you're holding up so well and have Very Important Pollination Experiments to do.
But no deodorant???? Ewwwwwwwwwwww.
Oh well. Small price to pay for cancer-freeness.

How's Roy feeling? Do you know when his surgery is yet?

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

I know you are...and so far, it has all been bearable, although I am seeing a wee bit of a rash on the left breast. Hoping it will subside.

The no-deodorant is because most of them contain metals...or alcohol. The first wreaks havoc with the radiation (although I don't know exactly how), and the second is yet another stress on newly-hypersensitive skin. Twice daily gentle washing with soap is keeping the smell under control.

Roy gets CT scans and MRIs tomorrow, and the results will give us some idea of what comes next.