I'm the lucky duck who gets the first time slot of the day. 7:30 am. Yup. Did I mention the clinic is 40 minutes away? I did? Oh. Lets just say I'm not going to be lookin' my best for the radiation techs. They'll be lucky if my flip flops match.
I didn't sleep at all last night. The words "arthritis", "stiff joints" and "high-dose" were ping-ponging around in my head. I'm one of those people who lays in bed and frets if there's anything even slightly disturbing going on in my life. My imagination runs wild.
The real radiation experience wasn't so bad.
I check myself in, stuff my junk in a locker and wait in a little room for someone to get me. Then they pick one of the two treatment rooms. The doors are about a foot thick and have more of those "warning" signs all over them.
Today I was in the cat room. I hate the cat room. Someone taped cat pictures on everything. The machine, the walls and the ceiling. No matter what position you're in for radiation you're facing at least 10 cats. I'm not a 90 year old lady.
My idea for the suggestion box (which doesn't exist) is to paste Prince William and Katherine pictures everywhere. Who doesn't like to stare at pictures of them? What a treat that would be!!
The other room has constellations and stars (???)
The techs added one more item to my mold paraphernalia. A chunk of fake skin to cover my scar area. It's to trick the machine into thinking that's my actual skin. That way my scar and surrounding skin can get a nice healthy does of radiation. My modeling career is so over. Sigh.
I lay down, get into the molds and stay really still for about 15 minutes while the 2 techs hang out at my foot reading off numbers and angles. Then they leave me all alone and take 2 X-rays to verify position. Then they announce over the loudspeaker that radiation is about to begin. Treatment is 8 minutes. They come back in and read a lot more numbers and then unshackle me from my mold and I'm free.
The treatment plan calls for 8 different angles of radiation. The machine circles around my ankle to 8 locations. A loud warning bell sounds in the room while the radiation is being administered at each angle. It's super relaxing.
The technician was kind enough to explain why there were 8 angles. She said (and I quote) "If the machine stayed in the same place for the whole treatment you'd get fried." Thank heavens I'm only getting 1/8 fried.
The radiation machine costs a billion dollars I'd guess. It's so huge and shiny and agile. This thing springs up and turns around like it's as light as a feather. All I see are dollar signs when I look at it (oh, and I see cats too). It does everything. Radiation, x-rays, measures stuff, has lots of laser beams and made me an omelet while I waited.
I'm not sure if it actually did anything to my ankle. It made no noise and there was no smoke coming from anywhere.
We'll see.
Thanks to all of you for following my journey. I promise I won't post every second of every day of treatment. Love you guys!
I didn't sleep at all last night. The words "arthritis", "stiff joints" and "high-dose" were ping-ponging around in my head. I'm one of those people who lays in bed and frets if there's anything even slightly disturbing going on in my life. My imagination runs wild.
The real radiation experience wasn't so bad.
I check myself in, stuff my junk in a locker and wait in a little room for someone to get me. Then they pick one of the two treatment rooms. The doors are about a foot thick and have more of those "warning" signs all over them.
Today I was in the cat room. I hate the cat room. Someone taped cat pictures on everything. The machine, the walls and the ceiling. No matter what position you're in for radiation you're facing at least 10 cats. I'm not a 90 year old lady.
My idea for the suggestion box (which doesn't exist) is to paste Prince William and Katherine pictures everywhere. Who doesn't like to stare at pictures of them? What a treat that would be!!
The other room has constellations and stars (???)
The techs added one more item to my mold paraphernalia. A chunk of fake skin to cover my scar area. It's to trick the machine into thinking that's my actual skin. That way my scar and surrounding skin can get a nice healthy does of radiation. My modeling career is so over. Sigh.
I lay down, get into the molds and stay really still for about 15 minutes while the 2 techs hang out at my foot reading off numbers and angles. Then they leave me all alone and take 2 X-rays to verify position. Then they announce over the loudspeaker that radiation is about to begin. Treatment is 8 minutes. They come back in and read a lot more numbers and then unshackle me from my mold and I'm free.
The treatment plan calls for 8 different angles of radiation. The machine circles around my ankle to 8 locations. A loud warning bell sounds in the room while the radiation is being administered at each angle. It's super relaxing.
The technician was kind enough to explain why there were 8 angles. She said (and I quote) "If the machine stayed in the same place for the whole treatment you'd get fried." Thank heavens I'm only getting 1/8 fried.
The radiation machine costs a billion dollars I'd guess. It's so huge and shiny and agile. This thing springs up and turns around like it's as light as a feather. All I see are dollar signs when I look at it (oh, and I see cats too). It does everything. Radiation, x-rays, measures stuff, has lots of laser beams and made me an omelet while I waited.
I'm not sure if it actually did anything to my ankle. It made no noise and there was no smoke coming from anywhere.
We'll see.
Thanks to all of you for following my journey. I promise I won't post every second of every day of treatment. Love you guys!
18 comments:
Meow. That at least makes the treatment that much more interesting and memorable. Hopefully you will get the star room next time. We are keeping you in our prayers.
Hey Allie and Spencer and Family. Just a little shout out from CA. We love you guys so much. Congrats that day one is over. You guys are amazing and we love you.
Olers
Maybe you could add a few birds into the cat room? I would much rather enjoy pictures of Will and Kate also. ;) can you take a sleep mask to blOck out the cats? Ha!
love this post, selfishly I like to hear every step of your journey specially when it involves your description of the cat room. Love you.
Although it was no fun for you (understatement, anyone?!?), it was entertaining to read about. :)
I would hate the cat room too! Glad that your treatments are under way. Only about 7 1/2 more weeks to go! You can do it! Love and kisses to you and your family! Aunt Robin
Cats or stars??? I'd pick cats.. sorry :). But then again, you're really smart and probably know the names of all the stars constellations. Please, please, please post a lot! We think about and pray for you sooo much.
If anything, your posts are very entertaining! I think about you a lot and remember you in my prayers. I was wondering how radiation was, since I remember you saying it would start this week. I'm glad you got an early spot so Spencer can stay with your kids, although I'm sure it's not fun to have to go so early!
You are amazing! How are you able to make a post about radiation so funny! Doesn't exactly sound like a day at the spa.
You're funny. And brave. And thank you for sharing. We're definitely thinking of you! I'm awkward (in most everything, really) trying to properly and adequately share sympathy and love and concern - so, just take this as the best from a really social-skill bereft person: love you guys and are thinking of you often! Best! HUGS!
Thanks for keeping us all posted. :D Don't think of all of us as blog stalkers ... we really do all care for you guys and think of you often. Side note: I know nothing about this all can be humorous, but I love your sarcastic take on things. It is pretty entertaining. :D
do you think if they dressed me up in a lead suit i could come into the radiation room with you? then at least we could make snide remarks about silly things during treatment. plus, i bet a lead suit would have plenty of spots to sneak treats in.
just start bringing in your own photos to decorate the room. i'm pretty sure that having radiation gives you some ownership over the place.
love you allie.
You're amazing! Still not sure how you're handling this with so much poise. Love you!
Love you. Thanks for posting all the little details. Hope you can sleep a bit better now that you know about the cats and stars, etc. We're keeping positive and sending those prayers of faith your way. Hugs, Judy
Now that your count down to moving home is the same as your count down to the end of radiation treatment, I bet you can't wait to get to CA. I hope we can make the most of it before you go and arrange some get togethers for Clara and Campbell. I am always thinking of how well you are handling things, given the circumstances. Try to get some sleep tonight. You are in our prayers.
You continue to amaze us with your humor and what I'm sure is a great outlook. I'm grateful that we live in an age when these things can be found and fixed. I HATE cats - I'm so sorry you had to be in a cat room, suggest weiner dogs so you can look at Heidi's & Oscar's :) You are always with us in our prayers, name in the Temple - it's probably in there so many times by those of us that love you!!
Do miss you guys so much after spending time with you. It amazes me how much strength and humor you have Allie. As Sister Hinckley always said
it is better to laugh than to cry.
We pray for you and know things will be well.
Love you,
Mom
Just want you to know our family is keeping you in our prayers, lots of love, Sherry Favero PS. The cat room would annoy the heck out of me too!
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