Here is the locker room. I select a gown from the shelf, undress from the waist up, and lock all my things in one of the lockers. Then I sit in the waiting room until they call me on the intercom to tell me that they are ready for me in the treatment room.
Here is the treatment room. I lie down on the bed with the blue pillow under my knees. My head rests on the mold that they made for me during the simulation appointment. The round part of the machine is brought down to about 10 inches away from my body. It zaps me from above for about 12 seconds, then rotates to zap me on my side for another 12 seconds. Once a week they take x-rays using the same machine. Also, once a week I visit Dr. Scroggins to discuss my treatment. I am in the treatment room for about a total of 3 to 5 minutes. It probably takes me longer to undress and dress than it does to receive the radiation.
I had a meltdown on Tuesday night. I was just feeling overwhelmed with having to go to Ochsner daily for radiation. Steve suggested that I use a sick day to regroup. Today I took off from work, but it was not a day off from treatment of the c. I had an Avastin treatment scheduled (chemo drip that lasts 30 minutes), oncologist visit scheduled, and of course my daily radiation treatment scheduled. Afterwards, I treated myself to one of my favorite salads for lunch. The restaurant Refuel makes this great cobb salad that I love. I have not had a chance to eat one since before I started chemotherapy in May. The one day that I was going to eat at Refuel during the holidays it was closed. Today I walked in to an empty restaurant and happily walked out with salad in hand less than 10 minutes later.
Tomorrow I go back to work, but since it is Friday I can look forward to the weekend when I can relax.
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