Update on Alien Hickies : )

I forgot to mention yesterday that on Monday night, after I had the "cupping", I slept really really hard - two four-hour stints, which is unusual for me. Last night was more my typical night - I think I woke up 2-3 times. Part of what my acupuncturist is trying to do is to help my body "retreat" (including sleep) so that it could heal. I guess what I'm trying to say is that while my neck looks funny, I think I had a better night sleeping overall because of the cupping.

And, my skin is continuing to heal, although the open wound seems to be weeping more. My guess is that because the wound is still open, and as I do lymph massage underneath the implant, I might actually be massaging the backed-up lymph out of the wound - I'm directing the lymph fluid down and toward the center of my torso, but backed up fluid could really go anywhere to drain and the open wound is a path of least resistance.

Since I've been doing lymph massage in that area under the implant, it seems that the red is starting to fade again (it had gotten more red after I painted the bathroom). Both my massage therapist and the radiation oncologist asked whether or not the red rash was really cancer cells or whether it was red from swelling/lymphedema. It's probably both and no one really knows. This just really shows the limitations of our knowledge of what's going on here.

Still no word yet on when I start radiation. It looks like it may be next week. I do think I have a couple of new little skin tumors growing - hard little nodules under the skin - so I think radiation is the best course to get rid of that.