...the linear accelerator is broken. That's what I learned from another patient in the waiting room. He told me that I'd be moving to another machine, but they came and moved me to the next waiting room before he could tell me any more. I've actually learned a fair amount from the other patients there when I am. *nods* I was fifteen minutes early again so I figured with the machine glitch I'd have some time; ten minutes is what I was told. No magazines in radiotherapy waiting spaces, so I asked if I could go to the Family Waiting room to get a book from Kevin. I was in full hospital regalia, but there was only one other person waiting with Kevin. And, you know the motto: if you've seen it before it's nothing new, and if you haven't, it's about time you did... *grins*
The machine in the new room creaked and groaned -- worse than I do! Quite unsettling, actually, to have a how-many-pound machine pass over my chest as it moves from my right side to under my left side creaking, stuttering and jerking all along the axis.
But, like the five treatments before it, once it started it was over quickly. An odd little daily ritual, really -- for all of us.
Waiting daily for an appointment so late in the afternoon is somewhat analogous to the waiting I remember when I was working nights. It gives me time to fret about having to go and to look for reasons not to go... Major difference is that we're home by 5pm...long before any of those other jobs got me home.
I asked about the 'rad tats' I'm now sporting and learned that the two on my sides are primarily for my placement on the 'couch' and the ones on my breasts mark the path of the beams. While we're still to ascertain the exact number of Grays per beam, it's about a six-inch diameter circle as it enters my body and is not a coherent beam. Knowing this is important since we need to protect surrounding areas from the sun and to watch for changes in the epidermis itself. *sighs*
Somehow, I'm still gaining weight. *heavy sigh* *pun intended*
Anything weighty in your arenas??
5 comments:
dp, check your email for the latest update on DM. It's a story about old versus new equipment, too.
*nods* ...got the email, but haven't had time to reply. Good to read she's back on the mend!
Looking forward to you!!
Hey dp...catching a break with everything I've been dealing with and checking in. Question...you asked Jonathan about digging holes...would those holes be big enough for trees? Tim and I (and I think mom and dad) still owe you a couple for Christmas. As I recall, TD tried to arrange it with a local guy but it didn't work....might Jonathan be able to assist? xxoo Katie
DM's mending is slow going. We're waiting to hear from a new doctor today who can read the scans again.
Good to hear from Katie! I've been watching the weather reports and wondering about the Wisconsin Crawleys.
re the rains: it doesn't look like any of us will be out from under it until this weekend. We're very fortunate not to be in an area prone to flooding.
re DM: hopefully slow and steady will be the ticket for this healing *crosses fingers*
Katie> Yes, we're looking at digging tree holes. I have three or four that definitely need transplanting. I'm also ordering at least one tree from ICLandscaping; shall I inquire about others? I was intending to have them plant that one; maybe they'd do a deal on more than one? *shrugs*
I remember speaking with TD about this. I recall his using PleasantValley and that there was no follow through doesn't surprise me.
We'd be interested in more hemlocks, however we can make that happen. Let me know how you'd like to proceed?
NancyTurtle> Kevin's family is busy getting ready for school, etc. We'll hopefully see more of them once that familiar dust settles. *grins*
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