Radiation Therapy - Dose #04 & Weekend Off
I arrived at Mission Hospital a little early today - traffic was lighter than usual. It was much calmer in the parking lot today. I gave a copy of my weekly blood counts from my 7/03 appt with Dr Okun to Dr Chou.Carla, David and Brian assisted in my treatment today.
The music started off with Eric Clapton's, 'Promises Made' and migrated to saxophonist Boney James' jazz - 'Shine' CD 2006 - good listening. The new complimentary copies of 'MAMM' magazine (a magazine for women with cancer) for May/June were available, so I picked one up to read, while I waited in the separate screened area of the waiting room, just for 'gowned, female patients'. The article about what to ask your radiation oncologist was of timely interest. I asked Brian if they're using IMRT (intensity modulated radiation therapy) and IGRT (image-guided radiation therapy) equipment - which are state -of-the-art technologies - they are! They allow for a more targeted dose of radiation without hitting the normal surrounding tissue. The IGRT is the latest and greatest technology and it even adjusts the radiation beam in real time, for an even more controlled dosage.
Speaking of dosage - I receive the same amount of radiation every treatment, so we're going for a total cumulative effect - 30 doses worth.
This time, as the music finished one CD, before Brian put in the next one in the portable CD player - it was just me and the sound of the radiation beam - I counted - 25 seconds - straight humming sound and then on the 2nd focus, which this time was aimed down and across my breast - I counted and after 15 seconds of straight humming, it became staccato sounding (for all you non-musicians - that means, it sounded like short, clipped beats) for another 10 seconds. So when Brian came in to begin aligning me for the next set, I asked if that is a 'normal sound' for the machine to be making? 'Yes, its because our wedge block is moving, slowly closing down, robotically.' So, now I know. I finished, dressed and hung my gown with my name tag on it, back into the dressing gown closet - ready for me to use again next week. I wished them all a good weekend and I'll see them again Monday morning.
posted by Holly @ 11:08 AM
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