Day 221 - Radiation #11 T.B.I.

Well, I am in week #3! Yea! I am not halfway through (that will be after treatment 14), but I am so close to being there! Today I had my dose of radiation and then met with Dr. Marquez. It was nice because I slid in right before a consultation, so I didn't have to wait long. I didn't spend too long with her because there really wasn't anything to go over or to talk about. She looked at my chest and said that I was pinking up a little. I have no symptoms - sore throat or lymphedema. My fatigue level has remained constant (tired because of the hour at which I work). She is sooo awesome. So happy I went with Dr. Marquez.

Radiation - Dan was back today. He was on a mini-vacation. So I baked him cookies. Linea was there, so I told him that he has to share with her! I must say those two are my favs! Sorry to everyone else I have worked with during treatments. Since today was Tuesday, it was time for my weekly x-rays. They took I think two or three pictures. It's so cool... the top part of the LINAC machine "takes" the x-ray... and then on the bottom of the machine, a piece folds out and forms the "bottom plate" for the x-ray... kind of like in the old days where x-rays were taken on films instead of digital. Anywho, this is done to make sure that I am lining up correctly for my treatments. Then it was zap x 5!

Fact #11 - I learned about T.B.I. or Total Body Irradiation. There's this machine that sits in the corner of the radiation room. It looks like a medievel torture device. But it's the TBI. It's used to radiate the whole body. Linea says they turn the radiation machine on its side and then the person gets into this "device" and they radiate the whole body. It's used a lot with leukemia patients who are about to get a bone marrow treatment. They have to kill or suppress the immune system in a patient's body. There's stuff to block out radiation to the lungs. The contraption is meant to hold the patient as still as possible. There are handles on the side which they can hold on to and a bicycle seat they can sit on. Yea, doesn't look too comfy to me. I'd rather be lying in the supine position on a hard board for 20 minutes.

This is what the contraption looks like.

This is how the LINAC machine is turned for
full body radiation. See how it's on its side?

 I'll have to take a picture of LINAC one... as well as all the techs that I work with... they're all awesome!