Day 236 - Radiation #20: The price of shoes

Today it was a good radiation day. I say that because LINAC 1 was having issues again. I got to OHSU and checked in. Dan was out in the waiting area talking with another person when I got there. I wanted to check out the magazines, as the magazines in the interior/dressing room waiting area were growing stale. Dan came and got me and he told me his machine was down again and the technicians were working on it. So he asked if I wanted to get some lunch. I said sure and he went to his little office area to get a gift card to get lunch in the OHSU cafeteria. While I was there waiting for him, Dorothy was there (the chair of the Radiation Therapists) and said hello to me again. We chatted for moment. I asked what was wrong with the machine again. The MLCs were acting up again. I told Dan that I didn't do it this time! Well, I ended up getting my treatment today. It wasn't acting up that bad, so I got to go through rad. Awesome. While I was waiting for them to get the machine back up, I think I heard the RTs talking about me to Dorothy. I think she was saying I was a good sport and that I roll with the punches. If you guys were talking about me, then I want to say... what can you do? Things happen. It's gonna get done... just not right this second. Enjoy the moment! :)

So I got my radiation and there were no pretty pictures to be had (no x-rays today). I told him that he could skip it today because I thought Dan would be pushing his luck with the machine. Following my session, I went back to wait for Nicole, the nurse. I didn't have to wait long. She just got back from vacation and she said that she opened up her email to see a flood of emails regarding all the machines going down last week. I laughed. She took my vitals and we went to the exam room. We talked about how I was feeling (no fatigue), if I was working (no time off except to come to appointments) and if my skin was hurting. I said that yes, it does in one certain area. That is the area where the tissue expanders end and there's just skin going from the expander to the chest wall. It's near my drain scars. She asked to look at it. She said that I was red and then looked under my boob. She said it's reddest there. I said, "Oh really? I didn't notice." I thought the worst place was under my arm. Apparently it is not. So she told me that I can start putting lotion - Eucerin Aquafor - there before I go to bed. Okay. Will do. When she got done with that, Dr. Marquez came into the room. She wasn't even paged. She was early and there was no waiting for her! Sweet night! She saw my skin and agreed with Nicole. She asked how many treatments I have left... EIGHT! Dr. M said my skin is looking great and I will have no problems. I said that there's a patch of skin that's turning tan! My skin will turn tan after the radiation. Anyway, I asked if many patients get redder. She said that normally by this stage a majority of her patients are a lot redder than I am. Awesome. That's good news. I also asked about seeing a new oncologist. I wanted to ask her opinion of who she thinks will be best for me. Dr. M said you are so easy going that I don't have a personality issue (compliment). She said that I could go with either Dr. Lopez-Chavez or Dr. Chiu. Dr. Chiu specializes in breast cancer. So I think that's who I will go with for the next stage of treatment. Oh gee, I guess there's 5 stages of treatment, not four.

After radiation, I decided to go up to the Breast Center and see if Brooke was there. I love her to death. We just chatted. She said that I look great. We talked about treatment, shared pictures of the girls, talked about Race for the Cure and just nonsense stuff. It was nice. Then I went home. Other than that, nothing really new. I am tired right now from the day. But I always get tired from the day around now. I'll get my second wind momentarily!

So here's Fact #20: History time (courtesy of Rebecca)! Back in the 1920s and all the way up to the 1970s, shoe salesperson would measure patrons feet by using an x-ray fluoroscope. The customer would place their foot in a box. The salesperson would then look inside the box down at the x-ray view of the foot and the shoe. There would be another viewing port so the parent could see the kid wiggle their toes and see the outline of the shoes. In 1949, it was found the device could cause harm and they were phased out in the U.S. They remained in use in the U.K. until the 70s. OMG! Wow... according to wikipedia, the fluoroscope was a gimmick used to sell shoes with "better fit" during the Depression.

Shoe Fluoroscope on display at the National Museum of Health and Medicine, manufactured by Adrian Shoe Fitter, Inc. circa 1938, that was used in a Washington, DC, shoe store.