Day 238 - Haze

I think that radiation-related fatigue has officially set in.  I am operating in a strange haze of exhaustion and inability to sleep.  It's a bit odd, but members of my Facebook group have assured me that they experienced similar feelings during radiation.  I can push through it, but I'm pretty groggy. I've been getting up from my desk at regular intervals, walking, taking vitamins, and have essential oils (such as lemon, orange, tangerine, grapefruit, peppermint) billowing all around me to help with energy.  I have 3 more treatments and am very grateful that fatigue did not hit until the end of my treatments.  Hopefully it does not hang on for too long after I am finished.

Speaking of haze, a pink haze is about to envelop the US for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  Before I get into that, I'd like to mention that I have several pink/pink ribbon items that I love.  I have pink braided bracelet that I never take off, and a bracelet with a pink ribbon charm on it that I also never take off.  A friend had a beautiful quilt made for me when I was first diagnosed that I use regularly, and I have a bag with a pink ribbon and the word "unstoppable" on it that I use weekly.   I was also given a hat, two t-shirts, a wine glass, and a few other items that are all very meaningful to me and much appreciated.  My mom's elementary school staff (all of them) dressed in pink and took a group photo for me to show their support.  It touched my heart.

I say all of this because I am not against pink, and I am not against meaningful items that symbolize some of my experience.  HOWEVER, the pink haze can be very dangerous.  It puts a pretty face on a really ugly disease.  During the month of October, breast cancer "awareness" items will be everywhere.  You'll find t-shirts, water bottles, hats, shoes, rain boots, laxatives, pens, notebooks, eggs, pink drill bits, pink buckets containing fried chicken, pink cleats on professional athletes, etc.  You get the point.  Some of these items raise money for great charities, and some raise money for some not-so-great charities.

Eggs for the cure??

Poo for the cure??

Please be mindful of all of these items that claim to raise money for the cure.  The cure will only come from research, and the Susan G. Komen foundation dedicates a mere 7% of its (significant) funding to metastatic breast cancer research.  Metastatic breast cancer is the only kind of breast cancer that kills. The cure will only come when science figures out how to prevent metastasis and how to effectively treat when/if someone does become metastatic.

Beware the pink haze.