Radiation has begun!
Radiation started Monday with both a "dry run" and my first treatment. These happen every day, and in total, I will have to have 15 treatments (just under a month). What is nice though is that 1) It's more of an independent process because I can drive myself to the appointments and check myself in with my own barcode, unlike chemo 2) The appointments are about an hour from the time I check in to the time I am in the parking lot headed home (a fraction of the time compared to chemo!) and 3) My side effects should not be nearly as cumbersome as the mouth troubles, nausea, hair loss, etc. At most I believe I should expect fatigue and maybe some irritation to the skin around the area being radiated (my chest). I will take that in comparison! I would love to be able to keep working through radiation (Another blessing) as the treatments each day are in the afternoon, so I can leave straight from work and head to the cancer center (a 4-minute drive) and not have to have my classes covered. One day at a time though.
FAQ that I have been asked:
Are chemo and radiation the same thing? Nope! I did not fully understand it either before now, but chemotherapy is when I am hooked up by my port (Pablo) and drugs are pumped into me. Radiation I am underneath a radioactive machine using lasers to treat the area (I don't feel anything).
How does it work? If you have seen the original Willy Wonka movie, do you remember the scene where they are all in large white suits, in the large white room, when they end up shrinking the child into the TV screen? The WonkaVison scene? That was my first thought when I walked into the room. It is a LARGE white room with a single table in the middle that I lay on. And then this LARGE machine that has arms coming out around it rotates around me with some various laser lines for alignment. The sound that the machine makes (other than a very distinct continual "beeeep") is the same sound as the thing that eats your tickets at Chuck-E-Cheese's. That weird "munching" sound? Yes as the magnets in the machine (I think that's what they are- I am not a radiologist) go back and forth, it sounds like the machine that eats your tickets at the arcade.
How long are treatments? Every day for a month! Well, 15 treatments that is. Today was treatment #2 and if all goes planned, day 15 and my LAST day of treatment will be Friday, March 10th.
Are you still teaching? Yep! I am still going to try! Thanks to INCREDIBLE grade-level and head principals, and a co-teacher who is phenomenal, I have been given the flexibility to do what I need for my health. Did that mean for example I had to move around a few parent-teacher conferences on Monday? Yep. Are there days I have to leave early for appointments or treatments? Uh-huh. But every time this Type-A personality who likes to fit things into a box goes to my team, worried about how it is all going to work logistically, when I inform them of another medical change, their first response is always, "you do what you need and we will handle things here." Ummm can I just not move to SC and stay teaching at Linkhorne forever?? Cool- thanks.
Are you allowed to be around people? Yes. Even though no one can be in the room with me, including the medical staff who have to leave the room while the machine is running (let's pause there. Oh, you are going to be in this large machine every day, but it is unsafe for us to be in here so we have to leave. Cool- so I am the one left with the large weird machine and it's cool for my body to be exposed to what can harm me? Awesome LOL. I am being dramatic but it makes you think when all the staff leaves the room and you are just laying there exposed on the table. Whatever is needed to kill cancer I guess). I am not "radioactive" to others. In the words of the radiology staff, "You can touch anyone you want right after you leave here!"
Lung Update:
Today I had my 2nd Pulmonary Functions Test (lung test). To recap, my first one was in October before chemotherapy, essentially at the peak of my cancer symptoms (shortness of breath, tight chest, trouble swallowing and sleeping, etc). At the time I was told that my lungs were functioning at 50% capacity (crazy!) and at worst, borderline COPD. This is mainly due to the mass in my chest. It was pushing my trachea and essentially causing my lungs to not be able to expand. Hence the chemo and now radiation to decrease the mass and prevent it from returning *fingers crossed*
*Unofficially* the results of today's testing showed that my breathing numbers were in the mid-high 80's. A *normal* person by textbook is considered to be healthy so to speak and not of concern as long as they are 70 or higher. (Don't ask me too many questions. I am not sure what all of the tests and numbers really mean. This is just what the Pulmonary Therapist told me today. So now you know as much as I do on the topic 😄). I choose to count this as a win! This tells me that treatments are successful and that my lungs have their personal space back again, allowing them to work as they should!
Pictures of radiation are below for context...
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