Looking Radiant! (All you wanted to know about radiation treatments...plus a few things you didn't.) (Post #42)

 

The gowns aren't exactly flattering or fashionable and I have yet to figure out how to keep them from gaping open in the back! Oh, and the static cling makes walking in them even more of an adventure. (Photo taken outside Radiation Unit 7 at CCI on January 4th.)

TGIF is going to take on new meaning this month. 😬 (Thank goodness it's Friday!) I began radiation therapy this week. My pre-radiation appointment was on Tuesday, with actual zapping beginning on Wednesday. Prior to Christmas, I'd had a CT Sim done, where they took scans of my chest area. They had me hold my breath to create as much distance between my organs and my skin, as both my heart and my lungs are at risk of being damaged by the radiation, though this is very unlikely. These scans are then fed into software that creates a 3-D model of the area to be treated. This is then reviewed by a dosimetrist (a person who determines the recommended dose and angles at which the radiation is to be administered), and a radiation therapist. Once they're happy with the plan, it is reviewed by the medical physics team who do their own quality assurance checks. This plan is then sent to the radiation therapists who will be administering the treatment. I had no idea the process was so complicated! But then again, if you're shooting radioactive beams into a person's body, you probably want to make sure it's going to the right spot! 😁

Definitely not a photo from the Cross (though that nursing cap is rather cute...) but this is the position I was in for both the CT Sim and my radiation treatments. There's a post above my head that I interlace my fingers around, and my knees are propped up so that I don't move. 

Radiation is kind of a mix of surgery and chemo in that it rids the body of cancer cells in a very specific area (like surgery), however, some regular cells are inevitably also harmed (like chemo). Thankfully, to quote a medical physicist, "cancer cells are really stupid in comparison to other cells in your body and can't really fix themselves very well."  Hence, by zapping the area with small amounts of radiation over and over again, the normal cells regenerate themselves, but the cancer cells die. Most radiation used for cancer treatment is called "external beam radiation therapy" using a linear accelerator and is precisely as it sounds; radiation beams are shot into the body from various angles. (And no, I'm not radioactive. 😄 That only happens when they use internal radiation treatments, where radioactive materials are placed in the body to destroy a tumor.) This past week, during radiation I held my breath twice, for around 5 seconds each time, while they did a check to ensure that everything was perfectly lined up. They are rather particular, I must say! There's a triangular block that went under my knees and an indentation for my head to ensure that I'm in the same position each time, which is obviously rather important! Then they moved me around, manipulating my body and pulling the sheet beneath me until the beams line up exactly with my tattoos. The platform also moves to ensure the exact position is reached. Oh, I almost forgot the coolest part! In order to ensure that I've taken a big enough breath, they placed a small device on my stomach. (Think small alarm clock...back in the days when we used those!) This monitor is a fail-safe mechanism and should I suddenly need to exhale, the machine would automatically turn off. Once they were happy with my position, they left the room, though they could see and hear me on their monitors, and following their instructions given over a speaker, I then held my breath again, twice, for around 25 seconds each time while the machine was actually zapping me. The machine makes a quiet humming/buzzing noise, but you don't feel the rays enter your body. The whole experience is over in 10 minutes at the most, with only 55 seconds of actual radiation. 🤷‍♀️

Not me, just a random Google image, though it looks the same as the one used on me. The machine rotates around me as I lie on the platform. 

And no, there is no one in the room during the actual treatment. 

They position and prepare you, then everyone (except you!) leaves the room. 

The radiation unit is in the basement for a reason; in order to stop the rays from the linear accelerator, thick concrete walls are required. 

So, you thought I wrote that I was cancer free?? Yes, I am. Well, we think I am. No one, other than God, actually knows, and I'm not keen to risk leaving a single cancer cell unharmed. Hence, despite being considered NED (No Evidence of Disease) after my surgery, both chemo and radiation were recommended. At this point, science has no way of determining whether or not any cancer cells remain in my body at the cellular level, so the "full meal deal" is recommended for those with certain cancer types. My cancer is particularly aggressive, hence my desire to do all I can to ensure that it's gone. 

Now, the big question is what are the side effects? Well, as I've only received three treatments, I haven't noticed anything yet other than some soreness and muscle tightness in the area. And yes, I'm faithfully doing my stretches! 😊 (If you don't, your range of motion can be affected and you're more likely to suffer lymphedema.) However, just as your treatment is tailored specifically for you, so will your side effects depend on your treatment and your body's response to radiation. Obviously, the lower the dose, the fewer the side effects. Thankfully, my radiation oncologist doesn't think I'll have too many issues, though I've also taken steps to mitigate any damage to my skin. Think of radiation as the sun; the most common side effects are redness, and soreness, just like a sunburn. Patients are instructed to use a Glaxol-based cream to keep the area moisturized, and hopefully avoid too much discomfort. Incidentally, the area that could potentially be damaged extends from my collarbone, under my arm, slightly onto the other side of my chest, and halfway down to my belly button. It's not a small area. 😳 As I've mentioned previously, I will be utilizing a film called Mepitel, which has demonstrated the ability to reduce damage to the skin by 80-92%. That's a lot! I'm not sure it's been used at the Cross before, no one seemed to know a lot about it whenever I asked (and you can be sure I asked a lot...), but thankfully, my doctor is willing to give it a try. At this point, having seen some of the radiation burns suffered by other pink warriors, (second-degree burns) I'm just trying to do all I can to mitigate my risk of skin damage! 

Interestingly, and I didn't know this, there are other side effects to radiation therapy, in addition to skin burns. (Like that isn't enough? 🙄) Patients may experience fatigue, pain, lymphedema, frozen shoulder, heart damage and inflammation of the lungs called radiation pneumonitis. Oy. Here's hoping that these remain theoretical only. 😬

So how many treatments do I get? Well, I will receive 20 actual radiation treatments, given each weekday, beginning on January 4 and finishing on February 1. My last three treatments are called "boosters," which are concentrated, more targeted treatments on the specific area my tumors were found. The other regular treatments cover a much larger area. 

I'm just grateful I was able to change my appointments from 7:30 am to 10:45 am. With the drive taking around 45 minutes, I really had no desire to rise 3 hours before the sun! All I know is that I'll be happy when this whole journey is over. God has been faithful and I'm happy to be in the third and last phase of my treatment, but "normal life" seems but a distant memory. I know that life won't immediately return to "normal" once my treatment has been completed, but I do look forward to fewer medical appointments! 

My daughter has come with me this past week, for which I am grateful...even if these trips add up. 😋 Incidentally, the chai lattes from Transcend are delicious!