Referred Pain — Radiation, Day 11

February 8th — I’m pink. Not sunburnt yet, but definitely showing some color. 27 more days ahead of me. I’ve also realized that there is one spot above my left breast between my port and my implant that tingles in a funny bone sort of way when I touch it. It’s almost referred pain in that some nerve under my arm to the left of my breast reacts when I touch this spot. I guess I hadn’t realized it before because I wasn’t massaging anti-burn ointment into my skin three times a day before radiation. Apparently, the more the skin around the breasts is touched after a mastectomy, the better for a return to normal sensation. The nerves get correctly rerouted if surgery messed them up is the thinking although a girlfriend made the snide comment that it was probably a male doctor who came up with the theory. I think she implied the doctor’s prescription for nerve rerouting breast massage was bound to involve a scotch-and-soda, soft music and lacy lingerie. While I feel like a Frankenstein with my port and colored dots and Xs, my friends continue to have a field day with my new figure. Is it afternoon already? Time for more calendula ointment.