Radiation!

This past weekend, the hospital staff primarily focused on pain control. I had some good visits with Ken and Marcy. My parents very sweetly drove 4-5 hours just to see me for 5 hours. It was wonderful.

On Monday, I met with radiation/oncologist Dr Komarnicky, her chief resident, and my parents to discuss our current plan. Based on it it, around 8 am, I had a planning CT scan whose information was fed directly into treatment planning computer in the Radiation/Oncology office. I transferred from the gurney to the treatment board, about the size and shape of a surfboard. It is not comfortable. My legs rested through spaces in a giant red sponge "spacerock". My lower back was uncomfortable against the surface, but we tried pillows. The room was dark with fluorescent green laser beams everywhere. It took about an hour to develop the initial imagery. Then transportation folks brought me back upstairs and I got to rest.

My professors from graduate school, Flossie Ierardi and Betty Hartzel, visited and brought a small teddy bear. My advisor sent a lovely bouquet of flowers. Later, Aunt Karen and Uncle Jack came with some more presents to cheer me up, including a pair of pajamas that I may wear tomorrow if I can.

Dr. Rubin came today. She seemed to have come up with a new drug to add. Chemo would not begin until Thursday or Friday following radiation to simplify our movement down the hall, as the PCA pump (morphine) already made things tricky.

Around 2pm, I returned to the Rad/Onc room for my first treatment. The nurses drew in Sharpie around my knee in really bold designs. We didn't tattoo them on because I had run out of morphine and was already feeling hypersensitive and achy. It only took about 15 more minutes before we headed back upstairs to my room.

I get radiation tomorrow and Friday, the monday - friday for the next several weeks. This weekend I'm going to try to find folks willing to help with a daily ride and stair support. I cannot recall chemo's schedule.

I am going to bed soon. I am drenched in sweat and don't know how to cool off.