Journal entry from Thursday, April 15th (Day before last radiation treatment)

Raw Sienna – The color of the dead skin rolling off under my arm and under my breast. Since radiation is now concentrated only to a 4-inch oval, the peeling doesn’t sting as much. The “pain” was more of a twinging annoyance, partly because I still have very little feeling under my arm from the surgeries of late last summer.

Light Olive Green – The color of my half-dollar size bruise on my right chest, where the port used to be. It’s bordered on the top by a 1 ½ inch Light Pink incision scar. After about 10 days, still a bit sensitive to bear hugs.

Tumbleweed – The color of my post-chemo hair.

Burnt Sienna – The color of my Summer 2009 hair.

Cornflower – The color of the Florida sky I’m envisioning. We leave Monday the 19th and will be back Sunday the 25th.

Black and white – The color of the space shuttles that we hope to see. Discovery: scheduled to land April 18th; Atlantis: rolling out to the pad the same day. Only three more missions left.

Journal entry from Friday, April 16th (Day of last radiation treatment)

10:45 a.m. Breast Cancer Blonde – The true color of my hair in the sunlit rearview mirror, as I wait in the car to go in for my last radiation blast.

10:47 a.m. Breast Cancer Blonde – The color of my hair as I call my hair stylist to schedule a hair color appointment.

11:15 a.m. White – The color of the three radiation techs’ lab coats, with their arms wrapped around me as they wish me well.

Hospital gown blue – The color of my 33rd, and final, radiation “johnny” that I throw in the dirty laundry.

1:00 p.m. Level 7 ½ Gold – The color working on my hair.

Pink – The color of my fingernail beds. While having my hair done, I realize the white Taxol specks have just now grown completely out.

2:00 p.m. Breast Cancer Blonde is gone. Burnt Sienna is back.

Staying strong,

Linda