First radiation appointment

I got my first treatment today. You know when you build something up in your mind and once it's over you feel exhausted? That's how I felt once it was over. I had so many questions, I was paranoid about moving, didn't know what to expect, so I was running on adrenaline this morning once I arrived at the cancer center.

Cool thing, my chemo buddy Tanya has her rads at 11am and since my appointment was at 11:30am, I was able to see her for a few minutes. It was nice to talk to her. It turns out she started just last Thursday, I started this Thursday and my appointments when they start will be at 10:30am. I'll be able to see her every day for the next month or so! That made me happy. Once again, she's got the headstart and can tell me what to expect since she's a week ahead of me on rad treatments.

I was met by a rad tech, and was introduced to another one. Altogether there are 3 of them and I will get to know them really well over the next month. The ones I met seemed pretty cool. Today was a long visit. I was in the rads room for the first time. The machine is HONKING huge. The best way to describe it is there is a flat table where you lay down and stretch your arms over your head and grab these two handles right behind your head. The machine is behind you and it has a part that look like a swinging arm lamp above you. Except that it also rotates all the way to the ground on either side of you too. I had xrays taken, I was drawn on again, and had to lay still for essentially 45 minutes while I was tugged at, moved, photographed, etc.

The actual radiation treatment was very short. My right chest area was exposed, plastic wrap put on me, and then something like a brass blanket was laid on top. The saran wrap was laid out because they can't wash the blanket since it's brass, so they put something beneath it to prevent it from getting germs and stuff on it. The top of the machine got close to my chest, and then it beeped, then steady loud beep for about 10-15 seconds. This was done at 3 different angles and then it was done. It didn't hurt, I couldn't feel a thing.

I will have 36 treatments which will go through Thanksgiving. My next week as a crazy schedule until next Friday where it will settle down. But for the next 7 treatments, I went at 11:30am, then 1:20, 11:10, 1:10, 11:20, and finally I will settle at 10:30 next Friday. From that day on, each treatment will be at 10:30am. Yeah!!!