When life gives you lemons, dye them pink/red (email)

Hello again,

So much has happened since my last email.  Most importantly, I completed 6 weeks (30 treatment sessions) of radiation and started teaching a course on Methods of Sociological Research!  Radiation was like nothing I've ever experienced... it was simultaneously easier and harder than I imagined.  As my mental and physical abilities slowly come out of, what seemed like, a never ending fog, I have been able to reflect more on my experiences.  As time and energy allow, I hope to be able to write more about this... So, stay tuned to my blog, if you so please... eventually there will be more to see! ;)   

Future Steps:

Gertie (my tumor) is often referred to as being a card-carrying member of AARP, therefore it is only fitting I take a pill which will have menopause-like side effects.  For the next 5 years, I'll be taking a daily pill, Tamoxifen.  Taking Tamoxifen will reduce my risk of recurrence by 40%.  Woah!?  40% that's huge!  Well... yes and no.  The combination of having Gertie surgically removed *and* enjoying living in the lap of luxury of radiation puts my current recurrence rate at less than 10%.  Tamoxifen will decrease my chances of getting another baby Gertie to about 2.5%-6%.  I have already proven to be an outlier once, I'd rather not test fate again, so I've chosen to go ahead with trying Tamoxifen.    

In other news, due to the fact I am voluntarily putting my body into (pseudo) menopause, I went ahead and collected as many little eggs as I could before starting Tamoxifen.  Two weeks of nightly shots and more ultrasounds than the average bear was worth it, merely for the piece of mind that I'm, again, doing everything I can for myself.  Only time will tell if I decide to use these little ladies to make little babies, but if I didn't retrieve and freeze them now, I wouldn't have the option later.  Right now, thinking more about that future decision is for the birds - my brain can only handle so many life decisions at a time... AND you can probably handle being privy to only so much of my health history, too...  Ha!    

I hope all is well with you!

Later gators!

One Boob, Two Boobs. Red Boob, White Boob.

My mom took some of what she's learned about my journey and made it into a Dr. Suess-esque poem.

One boob, two boobs
Red boob, white boob.
Black boob, brown boob.
Old boob, new boob.

This one has a little scar.
This one has a little mar.
Say! What a lot of boobs there are!

Some boobs are thin.
Some boobs are fat.
The fat one has a little brown hat!

Some are sad.
Some are mad.
And some are very, very bad!

Why are they sad, mad, and bad?
I don't know.
But I am glad it's not my nads!

Eeeek!!! I finished 6 weeks of radiation!!!

Holy cats! No more treatments! I have a certificate, my boost copper cutout, 

and a boob (that's simultaneously happy and mad) to prove it! 

What will I do with all my free time now?! (30/30)

On my first day of treatment I heard someone ring the Victors Bell bell 

and felt my time was so far away! 6 weeks later, it was finally my turn! (30/30)

Celebrating "graduation" with a little Minnesota in Michigan! 

Unfortunately the Twins didn't win 😕 (30/30)

The end of phase one and the beginning of Boost week!

There's something oddly refreshing about celebrating the end of week 5 with the the 

Young Adult Support Group. Our stories are all so different and the same at the same time. 

Plus we (unfortunately) now know how to speak the same language. (25/30) 

Surprise! Here's to celebrating the beginning of my final week by bringing wine in 

my very own (complimentary!) #vivajennz bag! (26/30)

I came out of my appointment to these photos taken by @witchythuggrrrlpop, 

while she was patiently waiting for me #nowiwanticecream #actuallyialwaysdo (26/30)

Boost (week) cookies! They came in pairs #oneredandonewhite and were made using 

my boost copper cutout as a mold! Peyton, JD, and @sanderso7 are just as excited 

(and super creative) as I am to be done! (27/30)

A new doctor was added to my entourage, his expertise and the 

view of the new digs are all pretty outstanding! (28/30)

My future plan for celebrating the end of radiation, except with balloons 

A rare view inside the radiation room

The Radiation Oncology parking lot is *clearly* one of the most dangerous places in

 Ann Arbor! #actuallywearetoofatiguedtostealanything #theclubapparentlystillextsts (23/30)

An uneventful Friday = a compilation of various photos taken thus far. 

The mask makes my goggles and breathing machine seem like nothing! #batcaveparkinglot #SuperBatsphotoshoot (24/30)

Flashing the doctor and side effects

"Does it itch? Can I take a look? (I flash the doctor, trench coat style, except with a gown) 

Oooh, that *looks* like it should itch!" #oneredandonewhite #icouldsleepfordays #sideeffects (19/30)

Good bye June. Hello July. There's actually an end in sight! 

#superbatcaveparkingpass (20/30)

A day off of treatments is clearly the real reason for fireworks on the 4th of July! 

No need to dress patriotic for the 4th, my body is already red, white, and blue! #oneredandonewhite #blueradiationsticker #blueboostmapingonboobandpit (21/30)

BEAM READY. BEAM ON. The view from the outside. (22/30)

The right pit got treated just in time for Hotel Megan's grand opening!

Everyone stresses I "take care of myself," so today I took that to mean: 

shaving my right pit *and* wearing deodorant on it (I think the general population is thanking 

me for that one!), a run/walk, and a root beer float! (14/30)

Celebrating being halfway done! 

It feels so great and so daunting all at the same time. (15/30)

A relaxing Sunday afternoon with the guests of Hotel Megan

The guests of Hotel Megan got a 

(hopefully) once in a lifetime behind the scenes tour! (16/30)

Best guests ever - they cooked, cleaned, drove me to appointments, 

and prepped me for my interview! Plus Ezra got a man crush on 

"super buff glasses guy/Chris Pratt as Clark Kent" (Ezra's names for Matt). (17/30) 

My copper cutout reveal party. AKA prep work for my "boost" 

(which is still a week and a half away). I wonder if it's safe to keep and hang as "art" later? (18/30)

LUVUMEG Hey! Thanks! That's nice of you to say!

Cheers to successfully completing two weeks 

*and* finally trying "strong drinks" at Knight's! (10/30)

Oddly enough, it was only the right pit that 

needed the midday freshen up. (11/30) 

● I think I'll rest here x2 

● Matching helmets like it's our job 

● Round hole in a pink square peg; a drawing, per my mom's request (12/30)

As seen on the way to today's appointment - I usually go by Mugs, 

but I suppose I'll take Meg (13/30)

You look like (a smellier version of) Darlene from Rosanne

The feet of *non* radiation patients

Tuesday: The machine was 40 minutes behind schedule! The annoying thing about when they're running late is you have to wait alone.  If someone joins you at your appointment they aren't allowed to go beyond the doors to the secret lair.  Yet!  There were two others in my waiting room that were NOT radiation patients.  I am still trying to figure out how they got in there!  Daric was waiting in the approved waiting room and apparently fell asleep during my treatment.  Good for him.

This guy fell asleep while waiting 

and was fascinated by the rock moat that leads the way. (7/30)

Wednesday I got in right on time; I barely knew what to do with myself when they called my name at 4:59 PM!  I have a large zit on my chest, though, which I blame on radiation therapy.  It's the strangest thing, I don't usually get large zits on my chest (or anywhere...knock on wood) and this thing aligns perfectly with my tattoo and sticker.  Upon hopping up on the table I warned the therapists to not get distracted by my zit, as it was *not* one of their markers.  "Ah, no worries, we're trained tattoo finders," they informed me.  This conversation led into one about how I looked like Darlene from Rosanne (did she have a large zit on her chest as well?) and had I heard this before?  Ah, yes, unfortunately it's not my first rodeo with this reference.  Back when I was in AmeriCorps there was a Facebook Group "We all have a friend that looks like Darlene" (or something to that effect).  Furthermore, last month I was stopped by a woman in a waiting room.  She thought we knew each other and insisted upon it until she finally realized she thought I looked like the lady on The Talk.  I'm still mulling over my feelings about the reference...        

Not being allowed to shave or wear deodorant makes for 

an interesting run in 85° weather 

#heclearlyhasnotyetsmelledme

#heprobablysmellstoo

#thehugissupposedtocovermychestzit (8/30)

Thank you, Sir, for letting all of us listen 

to your voicemails while in the waiting room. (9/30)