Thursday 5.22.2008 Second Marking

Radiation Treatment #21 and Marking/Simulation for "Boosts"

I slept a little better last night, and awoke about 0715. I decided to just get up. Good decision--just as I was thinking about getting up or rolling over, hot flash.

I got ready for the day and went to the radiation center. Changed into the gown and went into the waiting area. It wasn't just a couple of minutes and Lisa summoned me back. Ron was in the treatment room and helped me onto the table. Lisa and he got me positioned and aligned. Lisa went into the control area, and Ron told me to stay on the table when the treatment was done because we are going to do the marking and simulation for the "boosts". (Boosts are not really an increase in the dose of radiation, it's a narrowing of the radiation field.) Ok, I'll stay still.

The machine moves into position, and the arm with the flat plate on it (now I know that's the x-ray thing) comes out, too. The machine clicks and zaps. When the dosage was done, it clicked and zapped for another brief moment. I know now that's the x-ray. The arm with the plate folds away, and the other arm rotates around to the left side. Lisa comes in and slides the deflector plate on and goes out. Click, zap, click. I breathe, but lay still. In come Lisa and Ron. Lisa had paged Dr. DeBiose overhead before coming into the room again, and while they were lowering the table, he came in, too. He greets me, and is all business.

Dr. DeBiose approaches the left side of the table with an uncapped green Sharpie in his hand, poised, aimed at my breast. He pokes (hey, that's getting tender in there) and draws lines on my breast. Above the breast, around to the side, just under the nipple but through the areola, then back above the breast. Basically, a large area of the wound bed, including the nipple. Interestingly, I have heard from the Doctor, the nurses, and the technicians, that male radiologists will include the nipple, while female radiologists will exclude the nipple. When Dr DeBiose was explaining it to me Tuesday, he said that his belief is that ductal cell carcinoma is in the ducts, and the ducts run to the nipple. So, include it in the field. I have to say that I agree with that logic, and we also agreed that if the nipple breaks down we can move the field to exclude the nipple.

He's done, and leaves. I don't know where Lisa went, but Ron had put a different accessory piece on the arm, kind of looks like a telephoto lens. Maybe Lisa went into the control room, because the table moved. The device got real close, inches, from my skin, and Ron was right there defining the area with the crosshairs of the laser light. (as much as I could see...) Lisa came in with the camera--she took a picture of the markings on the breast, up near by my side, one of the position of the machine/accessory/patient, taken from the foot of the table, and another taken from the right side of the table.

Then we were done. The machine went into the "park" position, someone let the table down, and I was on my way. I asked them if I could bring my camera, to take a few pics to post on my blog. They said photos are not a problem, and asked about my site. We chatted a couple of minutes, I thanked them for doing a good job, and went out to put my clothes back on.

Dressed, Fran and Paul were in the waiting area. Rather, Paul was just on his way back to the treatment room, and Fran came up to me. "Our daily hug" she said. I was happy to see her, and I told her I had prayed for her and her husband. We chatted for minute, and I left to go to my 9:30 appointment with Ike.

Or so I thought. I got over there, and the lady behind the glass looked at me, puzzled. I don't have you until 10:30. I looked in my planner. I have 9:30, I say. She takes her schedule sheet and goes around to find Ike. The Nice Lady comes back. "Ike has you for 10:30 too, and can't see you until then. She apologizes." Hm. "No problem, I'll come back at 10:30. Thanks." I don't know how that happened, but I went on home. It's only about 12 minutes away.

That was ok with me, anyway, because you know I wanted to get a picture of the new markings. I had taken my phone in to the therapy place to get a picture before the markings got rubbed off, but now I can use the other camera. And I did. That picture is posted at www.kathyjeanpics.com. Again, it's a naked breast, and that's what you'll see.

I had just finished posting that photo and it was time to go back. Ike came out for me after a few minutes. I went into room 2 and changed into a gown. When she came in, I told her what Dr D. had said about lymphedema (that radiation doesn't cause it) and she and I both disagreed with that. She looked at my hand/arm/breast, at the new markings, and we talked about my skin. It's holding up pretty well, so far. Pink, with the sensation of maybe just a little "picky" along the bottom of the field under the breast. She does her thing, and when we are done, the skin on my hand is no longer smooth, but has the wrinkles back. The breast is more "normal" looking, the incisions are smoothing out, and I'm getting sensation under my arm! Ike exclaims that it is very obvious that what she is doing is very beneficial for me. I agree, and I'm happy that she sees it. She says she is going to fax a request for an order for a compression sleeve for me, and a gauntlet. A compression sleeve is like an ace wrap, put together. She said they come in light, medium, and ?tight , and she recommends just a light compression for me. A gauntlet is a fingerless glove. I don't know how far up the wrist that goes. But Doctor has to agree and sign the request. That order probably won't come in until next week sometime.

We're done, I leave. At home, I have lunch, and before long, I'm sleepy, so I lay down for a bit of a nap. When I wake up, Daniel is getting ready to go golfing. I decide to go out for a run.

I get all the way around today (a little over 2 miles) without much difficulty. I cool off, shower, fix my supper and eat. I ended up doing 4 loads of laundry this afternoon/evening, too.

Dan came in about 8:30ish. We visited, I wrote here, and off to bed.

Tomorrow is radiation, therapy, and work in the afternoon (I picked it up for another person).

Thank you for reading, you are important to me. Your thoughts and prayers and colors are definitely helping me on this journey. Hugs.