7 down, 26 to go!
It's becoming routine now. I leave work at 3:20, get to the hospital and flash my fancy neon pink RADIATION THERAPY parking pass, pull my car up nearly inside the door of the hospital and head inside. A nice perk!
My daily therapy slot is 3:45. I check in (they know me now. "go right back Mrs. Parker") and put on my blue paper smock and wait for them to call me as I sit in the waiting room where a T.V. plays daytime soaps.
I'm called back to another waiting station, I wait another few minutes outside my radiation room and then I'm called in when they are ready for me. It's always very chilly in there - for the equipment, I'm told, but heated blankets are always available if I need one.
I lay on my back a narrow, metal table, my head resting in a "head-holder", my arms above my head, in "arm-holders". My smock gets un-snapped, my tattoed dots are checked and sometimes a Sharpie is used to darken them. I'm lined up to the right position, told to hold still, the therapists leave the room and I wait.....I hear the noise of the radiation beginning....I stare at the photos of other patients dogs that they have brought in and have asked to have taped to the ceiling (mental note to bring in a photo of Maggie)....I count....usually at 33 seconds it stops. Then the machine rotates around to the left side of me....the therapist comes in, moves my table at a slight angle to the right, makes sure the machine is lined up correctly....leaves again.....I wait...and hear the noise of the machine sending the radiation....33 seconds to the left side. Done.
Sometimes I am out of there in 15-20 minutes. Other times there is a short wait or I see a nurse or once a week I see the Radiation Oncologist. So far I haven't had too much of a skin reaction, but I am told that around the 3 week point I may start to get redness. I have a perscription aloe cream that I am already applying twice a day, so hopefully the skin discomfort won't be too bad.
So that's my routine until June 16th. 3:45 p.m. - every weekday!
3 comments:
Thank you Bonnie. I was probably wondering about this as you were typing it yesterday.
I could send you a picture of me picking my nose for you to tape up in there to give you something to laugh about!
Let's talk soon. I am wondering when the girls get out of school.
Elisabeth
Thanks for the description and update Bon! It is nice to know what time you have the rad. everyday so i can think about you while you are being zapped and staring at dog portraits! I wonder if anyone has ever done a study to see if you will experience some pavlovian type response when yo have xrays in the future? Maybe you'll be at the dentist having your teeth xrayed and have a sudden urge to play catch or maybe you'll bark?! Maybe you should bring in a picture of Hugh Jackman!
Sally
Hi Bonnie,
I've been thinking of you at 3:45 and wondering if you're becoming a soap opera addict. By my count, you're around the 1/2 mark or just beyond it. I hope so! I'm thinking of you - especially 3:45. Today's Sat, so enjoy! xoxoxo
G
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