Radiation

Radiation started Monday!! I go every Monday-Friday at 3:30 for the next six to seven weeks. It is a lot different than chemo. Radiation is lonely. The room is huge with a door that is at least six inches thick. After they put me in the playboy position and get me all lined up (that is why I am sporting the new tats); the radiation therapist (RT) leaves the room. Then the machine starts…you know it is starting because all you here is this buzzing or ticking sound. The sound stops, the RT comes back in and puts a different head onto the machine. She leaves…the noise starts all over again. The RT does this one more time and the machine starts back up and makes its lovely noise. All the while, I can’t move….which means I can’t talk!!!!! Those that know me probably realize that this torture!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


This is what the general experience is like. Every other day, the RT puts this ½ inch thick piece of plastic (they call it a bolus) that conforms to my chest. It stays on for two rounds. The day without the bolus takes about five minutes longer. Total time in and out is about 30 minutes. On Wednesdays I meet with Dr. Scully and get a chest x-ray. I slather this cream on my chest twice a day. It will help with this skin changes.

My hair is coming back. It is almost 1 ½ long. YES!!! This is good because I just realized I can not wear fleece and knitted caps for much longer. People will really think I am stranger then I really am. I have been experiencing some issues with remembering my words. I was on the phone with my sister and completely forgot why I called. I left this long rambling message for her that told her I had called for a reason and that if I kept talking to her answering machine I would actually remember it. I finally remembered at 8:00 o’clock that night. She tells me it is o.k. and that it is just part of the side effects.