Last Radiation Day....I am a bell ringer!

What a day!!  Today I finished my radiation.  While I am in the tube, I sing primary songs to help me take my mind off of the loud noises, and the time goes by faster.  Lying there with my arms above my head and having to hold perfectly still for a half hour takes it's toll. 

When I was finished, I was elated.  I went out in the waiting room to Kim and they directed us back in the hall.  The video above is what happened.  There was a gold plaque with a short poem on it about surviving cancer, and how I was done with the radiation, and to ring the victory bell three times.  If you are watching this on a cell or ipad, it probably wont show.  You need to see it on a computer.  All of the crew that has been with me the whole time were there as I rang the bell and they all cheered me on after I did it.

They then told me about these Tibetan flags that have a meaning of hope and health, and I was given 5 of them to hang outside and the weave in the flags are loose, and fibers of the flag will fly out and it goes in the wind for hope and health.( I hung them in the house to see them for awhile.  There is all this writing I can not read on it.)

Then they told me how my name will go on a Tibetan flag and it will be taken to Mt. Everest/ Himalaya's by hikers and hung on top of the Mountain to fly freely and fiber by fiber, go in the wind.  I guess it is a cool ritual.

Then there was a sack they gave me with a blanket and a hat for me.  Isn't that the kindest thing?  I was so impressed and they have been so extremely kind to me through the whole process. 

Remember, this is "Operation Raisin", and that is the main goal here. 

Valentine's Day/ Over hump day

Happy Valentine's to whom ever you are reading this.  I have been making chocolate covered strawberries all morning, milk chocolate and white.  I have a couple of dozen and they look so yummy!

Well, Thursday was supposed to be my 3rd radiation, but after trying 3 times to get the machine to work, they sent me home.  I went back yesterday, Friday, and everything worked without a hitch.  They told me as I left that I now was over hump day,  Yay!  Only 2 more times.  Next week on Tuesday and Thursday and then I am done.  They are extremely nice there.  I can't complain about the company I hang out with there. I mostly am just tired.  That is not considered a problem that I am having from radiation.  I am always tired anyway.

13 hours of sleep?

Good grief!  I was so so tired last night.  I went to bed at 8:00 pm and didn't wake up till 8:45 am!!! Almost 13 hours of sleep!!!  And I was zonked.  Even this morning when I peeked to see the time, I wanted to sleep more but was almost ashamed I was still asleep and tried to get up.  Well, now you know how blasted tired I was. I hope today I am not tired like yesterday.

Much better radiation day!

Woo hoo.....better radiation day!  I didn't get sick.  I did take mediation under my tongue before, so maybe that is why.

They were situating me in my beanbag cast and measuring me this way and that and she moved a soft object from under my arms that I had above my head  and I  tried to move my head to see a soft landing now for my arm, and I screwed up the whole aligning thing.  So they had to re-do me.  I won't do that again.

There are many loud noises going on in the tunnel while I do this and I tried not to think of them this time and let my mind think of something I enjoyed, or sing some of my favorite songs.  It sure helped and made the time go by faster.  Kim was able to go with me this time.  It was a good day.

Again, we were told how they are really giving me a lot of radiation with these five times.  It makes me wonder, what it is doing exactly inside me?  What it does to zap them? With thousands of micro beams, like they said happens, I wonder how it all takes place. Just curious.  I do feel tired. Good day.  And Kim cleaned my car!  Can't get better than that!

My first day of radiation, and getting sick

 

 

These are two of several pictures I had them take of me in the Tomo Therapy machine as I was finishing my first day of radiation.  These are the only pictures I dared put on my blog because of my top and sweats being pulled up and down to show the tattoos on my abdomen/torso that they made. 

The purple is the bean bag.  See how it conforms to my legs feet and ankles?  And the saran wrap stuff I talked about in the last post on top. 

The first picture is me coming out of the tunnel from the radiation.  It all took about 30 minutes and with my arms above my head, they were about dead staying in the position that long.

After the procedure, I went in the doctor's office and waited for him to come in and talk to me.  I had my daughter Emily with me.  Within about 5 minutes, I started feeling green, and I found the garbage can in his office and out came breakfast. I know.  tmi.  Then he came in and I had to go to his garbage can again while he was in there.  [ Embarrassing!]  He felt so bad that it had affected me this way.  We made some plans for next weeks appointment so that I don't get sick, and a prescription. He also told me that everything went perfect and how they really gave me a large dose of radiation today and are giving me the weekend off to get used to it before next week. Emily thinks the doctor looks like he is only '20' years old!  Funny stuff.

Before I left the hospital, I had to run to throw up again and twice on the way home.  I felt an queasiness  till late afternoon.  And I was tired!!!  But boy did I sleep good that night!   1 down, 4 to go!!!  Hoping for raisins!!!!

Getting ready for another phase in my cancer life.

Tomorrow is the big day. 
 
My Radiation.

The first time.

I am excited, yet scared.
 
Through faith, my scaredness seems to be less than my excitement to start this amazing process.  Like I said, they were going to do a phantom surgery, meaning they are doing the surgery without me to make sure all the I's are dotted and T's crossed before I come. 

Last night, was an interesting night.  I kept wanting to cry.... for no reason, or at least I didn't know the reason.  I just wanted to cry and have Kim hold me.  Then in a few minutes, it would happen again.  I think it is build up in my brain for tomorrow.  It's just another crook in the road of the unknown.

Radiation!!