I'm Done...Sort Of!

     I'm done! I have officially finished my radiation!

     It is nice to be done with one more major step in this venture. It feels strange to not go to the RMCC each morning though, as I have done Monday through Friday during these last 6 1/2 weeks.

     What's the "sort of" part then? I will still be having my Herceptin infusion treatments every three weeks until next summer. Herceptin is the targeted drug infused through my port. Usually, Herceptin is pretty easy. This last time however, I spent a LOT of time in the bathroom (sorry if that's toooo much info!) and my nose ran for four days straight! But it's doable, very doable. After chemo, radiation and Herceptin feel like a walk in the park!

     I had amazing care during radiation. My team of radiation technologists was fun but yet very professional. We laughed, shared stories, and got to know each other a bit. Every Monday I met with Dr. Foster, my oncology radiologist, and his team of nurses. They evaluated my skin and checked the radiated area each week. I felt like they were really on top of things and were taking excellent care of me. At my final appointment, Dr. Foster was impressed with how quickly my skin was healing and how good the radiated area looked. It must be those awesome prenatal vitamins!  Hahaha!

 

These are two of the technicians, Kayla and Deb, that ran the huge radiation machine shown behind them. The big screen above their heads folded down and was the part that took x-rays every Thursday. The x-rays ensured that the technicians were lining up the machine (big, round machine on the left and behind them) precisely where I needed the radiation. Every radiation session had to be exact, to the very millimeter.

 

 

The radiation machine turned about 180 degrees around me when I was lying on that narrow plastic table. I laid on my back with my head right below the black pegs. My right hand grasped the peg closest to my head. My other hand was tucked under my body. The part that extends downwards (by her right shoulder) was the part that was placed very close to my breast when the radiation was delivered. The lens on the part close to my body was specifically made for me. For the last five treatments, it directed the radiation beams onto my body in a special shape because of the way they shaped the lens. The last five treatments were called "boosts" and were directed to the exact spot where my cancer was located before surgery. They were used to kill off any nasty cancer cells that may have lived through chemo and the wider spread radiation.

 

 

The first 28 radiation treatments did not use the special lens. The radiation beams were spread down the middle of my chest to the middle of my side and under my arm.

 

 

 

     In a response to my last post, someone mentioned strength. I found a quote in a book a friend gave to me at the beginning of this venture. It sums up what every person facing a cancer diagnosis must do: Look Fear In The Face!

   

 

     The golden thread in this venture has been doing what I and millions of others have done...looked fear in the face and decided that neither fear nor cancer will win this battle!