Day 248 - Radiation #28: Last one!

PHASE 3: COMPLETE!

Hooray, I am happy to report that I just finished my radiation treatment. Today was the final day and I am over the moon happy that I don't have to go in.

So... I now know what it feels like to be the Thanksgiving Day turkey. I feel cooked and ready to be served. My skin is turning a nice toasty tan/brown and feels so crispy. Ha! The thermometer has popped.

Yes, treatment is finally over for phase 3. This phase was pretty easy compared to Phase 1. Nevertheless, I am just happy it's over and this is all behind me. I went in this afternoon bearing goodies for my favs! I printed out the radiation treatment blog entries and my freshly baked cookies for Dan and Linea. I'm so glad that they were both there for my last treatment. They both came in to get me this afternoon and asked if I was ready for my last treatment. I said heck ya. I also told them that I came bearing gifts. They know I don't bake... and I made it a point to say I only bake for people that I like. I really do like them and I will miss them terribly. They made my treatments so bearable... and when I say them, I mean Andrea, Beth and all the other radiation therapists who I came in contact with. They were all so nice, accommodating and fun to be around. They are the type of people that I wouldn't mind hanging around with outside of OHSU. Dan... I'm taking you up on your offer to go out on your boat next year! :)

So Dan noticed that I am taking more time getting my shirt off. I have been wearing two shirts. One shirt is a little more snug fitting and is very soft. Then I put a normal shirt over that. He looked at my side and said that it's looking a lot better than it was last week. It does look better, but the skin feels so chapped and feels like it's going to crackle at any moment. But now that I am done with treatment, I don't really care because I know the my skin isn't going to get the brunt of radiation anymore. So then I got on the table... they shifted me and then Dan applied my aquafor. Before he touched me I said "Ouch!" I love doing that. It's fun to play around with Dan because he's such a good sport. Then it was time to get zapped. Five - zap. Dan came in twice to fix my wedge. Four - zap. Dan and Linea came in to put my bolus on with the tape. Three - zap. The machine moves around to get my tangent field. Two - zap. I hear the MLCs moving. One - zap (5 seconds). I hear the door open and I am done! You read that D.O.N.E.! I bet you can't tell that I am excited!?

I hopped off the machine. I asked Dan what he does with the bolus when a patient is done with it. He said throws it away. (Actually I asked while I was on the machine.) I asked if I could have a piece. He said sure... I could have the whole thing. I told him I just wanted a little piece of it. Then somehow it got to be (I think it was Linea) that he takes the bolus home and hangs it on the wall. How creepy would that be??? I was laughing so hard... and it's hard not to laugh and not keep your body still (reminder, I was still on the table in between zaps). I told him I could sign mine if he wanted. Anywho... back to after the last zap... he came out with scissors and cut me a piece. It feels rubbery and reminds me of balistic gel.

Before I left, I got to see my radiation fields. Pretty cool. I saw how the x-rays are matched up with my plan to make sure they are getting the right areas. It was so cool... and this has been such a learning experience for me. They do say that OHSU is a teaching hospital. And teach it did. Dan, Linea, Dean, Beth, Rebecca, Andrea, Andrea... you were all great teachers and I am so glad that I could be your pupil. I'll be ready to take my boards next year! :) And yes, you do get CE credits from me.

I also got to see Beth before I left for the day. She gave me a big hug... cause I told her it was my last day. Dan and Linea gave me a hug and told me to stop by when I come in for my two week check up.  I told them I would come and see them... most definitely. They thanked me for the treats... sugar cookies (I took into account that chocolate gives Dan headaches) and Dan said he was going to read the blog stuff that I printed out. I told him it wasn't the whole thing... just my time spent in radiation. I'll more than likely print this last entry out for them and give it to them when I see them again.

Then I was gone.... texting my support group... letting them know that I was done with Phase 3. I love all of you for being great cheerleaders and my never ending support group.

And of course... I leave you now with Fact #28: Bolus. I asked Dan if I could take some bolus home. I wanted to know if it was okay because the early founders of x-rays and radiation had complications later in life. They took home radium and other radioactive materials in their pockets or they studied close to the sources. For instance, Marie Curie's papers are contained in a lead box because they are radioactive. I didn't know if taking my bolus I would inadvertently be taking home a radioactive substance. Dan said no. So here I am with my bolus.


My bolus. It's about 1/4" thick and allows the radiation to
be more at the surface. The radiation was getting my skin
rather than penetrating deeper into my body, thus hitting
organs it shouldn't be zapping.

Day 223 - Radiation #13: Energy 23x & 6x

Nothing really new to report. Oh, yesterday I stopped in at KATU to see some of my old friends. I wanted to thank some people personally for all the support they have given me throughout this year. Without them, I don't think this journey would be as "enjoyable."

Brought my camera in today for radiation. I snapped a picture of LINAC 1 and of Dan(imal) and Andrea. I'll post later (maybe tomorrow or Sunday). I need to get a picture of Rebecca and Linea. I am in such a rhythm with radiation, it's almost scary. Leave work, drive to OHSU, check in, wait, get on the radiation bed, say good bye and drive home. I feel like a robot!

Fact #13: My treatment consists of 23x and 6x. That means I am being treated at 23 MEGAvolts and 6 MEGAvolts (I'm emphasizing MEGA). That's a lot of power. The higher the number, the deeper it penetrates. Looking at my treatment plan (which I promise to post when I get the scanner on), the first zap (clav node that's about 17 seconds) is 6x. The second zap to the clav (from back to front) is 23x. That's also the zap that uses the wedge. Then I get two zaps to my chest wall at 6x and one zap at 23x. But I don't know which one is which. I'd have to defer to an expert on that. However I think the zap that takes 5 seconds or so is the 23x.

And that concludes today's post. :)

Day 210 - Radiation #4: Wedge

Had the fourth round of 28 sessions today. Not much to report.

Fact #4 - I learned today that they use a wedge in my treatment plan. The wedge is metal and fits on the radiation machine. The wedge is a beam modifier. Using it creates curves for the radiation. Since my breast is round in shape, the wedge is used to get a curvature so the radiation is evenly distributed. My wedge is really thin... or the angle of the triangle is extremely acute... it looks like the angle is about 15 degrees, so the rise isn't very high.

The first shot of radiation is the whole breast. After the inital "blast" one of the techs comes into the room and inserts the wedge. Then they leave and the blasting continues. I was wondering why they were coming in and then leaving again.