The Home Stretch!

ALMOST THERE ...
So I’m plugging along with my radiation treatments...as of today (27 July 2003), I only have three more to go! Then, on the 31st, Julie and I will be flying off to BC to attend a magic conference (PCAM); we return to Toronto on the 11th August 2003.

Treatments have been going very well. I have had some of the side-effects, most notably was/is a VERY sore throat. Unfortunately, the radiation causes the inside of my throat to feel like there is sunburn in there! It was very difficult to swallow food or liquid for about a week; but now it seems the throat is on the mend. I liken it to having hemorrhoids in the throat. NO FUN!! The doctor gave me some stuff to numb it, but, too bad for me, it didn’t “hit” the spot where it was most irritated. Anyway, I managed to get some food down, painfully, but the upside is that I’ve lost a bit of weight(!) AND, I get to have ice cream when Julie is not looking. She gives me these ice cubes ... as if. Nevermind, I’m on the mend now and the next part of my treatment means my larynx gets protected now.

Taken from Lymphoma Research Foundation Radiation therapy (also called radiotherapy) uses high-energy x-rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation is a local therapy, which means it only affects cancer cells in the treated area.

Where we last left our hero (since Update 3...):
Well, first good news to report is that the SARS screening is getting much faster for us to get into the hospital now. No need for masks anymore either, which is nice! I do the same routine...show up, scan my card to let everyone know “I’m here!” and then I wait. Some times I barely sit down and I am called into to get my treatment. Other days, I can wait...once, I had to wait an hour. But that was because a machine was down for maintenance so there was a bit of backlog. I don’t mind. As long as I get all my treatments before we leave for BC I’m happy!

NEW SHEILDING
Michelle and Cynthia were kind enough to show and explain to me how things were going to differ slightly; new shielding was one of them. The “T” shape protects the mouth and spinal cord from the rear and the other shape my left lung. My old shielding got melted down and reset into this new shape, which protects me when I get blasted from underneath. Remember the metal make up of this stuff, cerrobend? The shapes are configured to match me perfectly, of course, with this amazing technology. The clear slide that the cerrobend is attached to is like a giant sample slide you’d stick under a microscope... and the zapper is the microscope in this case.

MY POINT OF VIEW
I lie down on the table trying to help the ladies place me in “the sweet spot”. Once I’m down the ladies get me all lined up according to my tatoos and their laser lights. We had the Dave Matthews Band today for auditory accompaniment. I’m getting marked up and waiting for them to switch down the lights to use the laser lights. My neck sits in this cup to help extend it back and allow the chest area greater unencumbered zapping surface.

Once I am lying down and marked up, I mustn’t move. I just stare up and the technicians move me into place. The table moves so I just hang out staring up at whatever is above me. I am totally in their hands and I trust them completely.

When my neck rests on this form (which is covered by the paper) and is stretched so that my upper torso is extended, the distance is measured to ensure all is properly in place. [13.5 is the distance between chest and chin.] Tilting the neck can be uncomfortable at times, but the ladies ensure all is as great as can be for me under the circustances. But there is a great aid to help them...

There is “visual therapy”; a back lit image that is on the ceiling...however, because of the placement of the zapper and my neck, and because I am NOT to move one millmetre, I never get to enjoy it while I’m lying down. Nice of those ergo guys to think of us patients though!!

On my web site you can see the details of the WORK STATION, THE THROAT GUARD, X-RAYS, & TATOOS.