Radio Active Man !

So, today was day 1 of the radiation therapy.  As expected it was pretty uneventful.  You lay down on a bed with wheels that sits about 3 inches off the floor.

They have target marks on my chest to align me up under the machine that looks like a late 70's space ship decked out in late 70's early 80's medical equipment garb (Slightly Green Brown putty colour).

The line up has to be spot on to make sure that the dosage is correct over my entire body.  Everyone draws straws, and the one with the shortest has to stay in the room, everyone else buggers off.   I think it might be rigged since I have gotten the short straw both times now.

You hear an air ram place the radioactive material into the aperture, and the head of the unit begins to swig back an forth shining a beam of radioactive energy from my head to my toe, and then back again.  16 swipes in total.

It doesn't feel like anything - just like getting an X-Ray.  Just a lethal dose.  I think I felt a tingling in my hands as it passed over them, but I am sure it is all just in my head.

Then, they flip you over, line you up on the marks on your back, and repeat the process.  It's about 8 minutes per side, on the defrost cycle.

The first one today was at 8am - the porters picked me up at 7:30, and took me through the underground tunnels to the cancer agency, and then back after.  Then next dose was a 2:30, and I was starting to feel a bit of fatigue by then.  There will be far worse to come.

The effects of chemo are starting to sneak up.  The hickup's are back, starting to get tired and lethargic.  The nausea, heartburn, and stomach bloating are getting ready for their cue.

I have been given the first dose of my Anti-Regection drug, and of an experimental drug that is hoped to reduce the severity / likelyhood of Graft-vs-Host rejection.  It's comes with two benadryl for premeds, so I was pretty tired right after diner.

I was about to zone out, but then Tony popped by for a visit and pulled me through the drowsy time.  We traded some war stories, etc. and he show me his presentation that he did for an awards ceremony in Toronto.  It was quite a moving presentation showing off what he was able to do over the last year because of efforts of all these doctors and fund raisers, and the drugs that been developed to make it a possibility.

Tomorrow brings another two rounds of radiation, more meds, etc.  Hopefully a bit less vomiting.

Comments

AJ and Dexter's Mom said…
Can't wait to see you on Wednesday.
Love you.
Thinking about you all day.
10/25/2010 10:26 PM
Anonymous said…
Once again Erica said it best .... I also have a very strong feeling that you are going to not only beat the odds but shatter them!!! Thinking of you always -- Big Hugs - Aunt Mary
10/26/2010 11:04 PM
Cindy said…
Wishing you all the best for tonight! Although it may be all a bit anti-climatic - we found it to be was quite a happy moment. If you hang out in a room that looks south you might see the helicopter land at blood services up on Oak and 27th! Sounds like Sonja is there too - Sonja, hope you found one of the good fold out chair bed things! Thanks to all the bone marrow donors - love them all.
10/27/2010 6:39 PM
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