What did I do on my first Friday after chemo? I got a tattoo! In case any of you are thinking of doing such thing, I highly discourage it! Those needles hurt! Now, before any of you wonder if chemo brain has really set in and I've really lost it, my tattoos--two little pinpricks--came during my radiation simulation today. Besides my scars, I will forever have a reminder of this journey, marked with permanent ink.
I was nervous about this appointment. Even though I hated chemo, I really enjoy the people at the cancer center and I knew what to expect. This is a brand new adventure for me. Of course, I didn't need to worry. The people over there are amazing. I arrived a few minutes early for my appointment, not sure how long it was going to take me to find the right place inside all the construction on that side of the hospital. I poked my head into a waiting area and asked where I was supposed to go for my radiation simulation. The same sweet lady I met when I visited the resource center and got my wig last spring told me I was at the right place. She was working on a puzzle with another volunteer. She told me everyone was still at lunch and to wait here and someone would come get me. It seemed a bit strange to not actually check in with someone, but I trusted her. As I sat, a few more people showed up for their appointments. Everyone was so friendly and the atmosphere so welcoming. One lady was down to her final 10 appointments and told me they went faster than she would have ever thought. Another lady had only two to go and was sort of complaining about having to come 30 times. I mentioned that I thought I was going to come 35 time and the volunteer lady said that she's seen people with over 40 visits. With a smile on her face, this lady turned to her husband and said, "I guess I shouldn't have been complaining."
As I waited to be called, I started getting nervous again. Several people came and went, and I continued to sit. I felt like I should be checking in with someone, but I didn't know where to ask. With the construction, there wasn't a front reception desk, and the volunteer ladies had left by then. Finally, about 25 minutes late, a technician came into the waiting room and asked if I was Linda. She said they hadn't known I was there! I told her I suspected I needed to check in with someone, but the volunteers assured me that I was fine. She said they probably didn't know what a first-time patient was supposed to do. She then showed me where I would get changed every day, pulling out a gown with three arm holes (joking that I would grow an extra arm by the time I was finished). I actually figured out how to put on the gown with the three holes from her description, and she told me that only happened about 1% of the time. (They like to use percentages in radiation, I've discovered.)
I then went into the simulation room. The technology is very impressive. The tech explained what was going to happen, including a brief description of a special breathing technique that I would need to use if my heart was in the radiation area. She assured me, however, that this was only necessary about 25% of the time. Dr. Hunter came in and drew all over my chest, marking where the technician would tape on wires and place my tattoos. He also said that even though I am most likely cured at this point, going through radiation decreases my chances of getting a recurrence in this breast by 40%. (See what I mean about the percentages?) Then my bed was rolled into the scanner, which, of course, indicated that a small part of my heart was in the radiation zone. Because I am one of the 25 percenters, I get to learn about some cool technology (a home school mom's dream). To set up the computer for my breathing, she placed a small box on my stomach and goggles on my head. The goggles monitored the box as it rose and fell when I breathed normally. Then I was asked to take a deep breath. I did that a couple of times for the computer to read how high the box moved. The computer then created a blue line which I see inside my goggles. When I take my breath, I need to breath in until I reach the blue line on the screen and hold there. This moves my heart out of the way. It's pretty easy and pretty amazing.
I was then given my schedule. I go in every day at 1:40 p.m., starting on October 29th and ending on December 17th. I get the weekends off. The first radiation appointment will take about 30 minutes, but after that, it will be much shorter. I will meet with Dr. Hunter weekly to discuss how things are going. I also will meet with a nurse who will monitor my skin and offer free samples of lotions to try if my skin starts to burn. I asked the technician if she knew of something I could use now to prep my skin, and she recommended pure aloe vera. Since I didn't have any other questions, that was it for my simulation appointment.
Now, I have a week off--well not off, since I have at least one appointment next week--before I start radiation. It will be a challenge going every day, but the atmosphere there is so friendly, I can see how easily it will be to make friends. Traffic to and from should be pretty easy, since it's not during rush hour, and it should fit around the kids' homeschooling schedule as well. (Thanks to my friend Tiffany, who is moving into my neighborhood this month, and my friend Krista who are willing to give my kids rides.) It feels good to get things set up and know more of what to expect for the next eight weeks. (A piece of cake compared to chemo.)
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