LUMPECTOMY - THE SEQUEL . . . During the first Boost session

Thursday was a painful session.  Somehow the doctor had neglected to tell me that today's session would be longer and I would not be allowed to move the whole time.  It certainly was longer.  For someone with arthritis and tendinitis, it was like lying on the sidewalk for a half hour with arms above my shoulders in awkward positions.  My left arm and neck were in pain, despite my high threshold.

If I had known I would not be moving for so long, I would have taken two Tylenol at home first, loaded my arms and neck with pain ointment, and insisted on enough time before they started to be sure my arms would be tolerably comfortable.

This first session involved taking x-rays to mark the three angles of radiation aimed at the site of the surgery.  Take an x-ray; get it approved by the doctor, do the treatment, and so on.  Many new marks on my skin.  I do appreciate the extreme attention to accuracy.

When I got back to the changing room, I felt shaky and a bit nauseous.  Just sat in the changing room for awhile; then in the waiting room.

Then I had to go to the market.  As I was leaving there, one of my favorite radiation therapists called to remind me that tomorrow's appointment is at noon.  He listened to a little of my griping (for which I apologized) and assured me that tomorrow would not take quite so long.  I hope that's how it will be.



This morning, Sunrise Rounds post was a wonderful story about how natural it is to fear recurrence, and how we must, must work with a doctor on a surveillance plan to stay current of how we're keeping healthy.

LUMPECTOMY FOR BEGINNERS . . . in the radiation room

If your DCIS is low grade and you are an older patient, you may want to go to http://www.medpagetoday.com and read  some of the  peer-reviewed article on radiation findings.

Yesterday, after I agreed to radiation, they gave me a gown and took me to the treatment room.  I saw a shiny black, low bench, definitely suitable for an upscale bus stop.  They settled me on it with a fresh blanket, and positioned my arms above my shoulders; my tendinitis was not happy about this.  Overhead was a lighted mural of branches and colored leaves.

As my girlfriend predicted, there was a strange, lumpy pad under my upper torso.  This takes a specific mold of where my shoulders, torso, and arms will be for every treatment.  

I mentioned my sinus problems, and they smilingly said, If you have to cough, cough upward.  They told me if the cough moved me too much, the machine would stop.

Then the tattoos--more road signs for the radiation.  Just three tiny needle jabs with some sort of permanent ink.  This keeps the marks from coming off in the shower.  

At some points, the bench rolled me back with my breast area under a metal arch.  Apparently this is where the radiation comes from.  It is perhaps less than a foot thick, like half a big, skinny donut, so I was not really enclosed.  Note to self: not claustrophobic.  

The whole session was comfortable and non-scary, and the staff were kind, happy, pleasant.

After I got home, I found a paper in my folder saying that the first visit Monday would be a half hour, and if I wasn't comfortable in the position, I should take a Tylenol an hour ahead.