And so begins the next phase

Last Thursday I met with Gamma West for me prep work for my radiation treatments. This required a CT scan and forming a mold that will be used every day for the next six weeks. And they gave me three tattoos that resemble moles that help them line up my body each day for radiation. So now I can act super tough since I have three tattoos!! I was so excited that my mom had driven me out to this appointment so I could go out promptly and tell her that I was all "tatted" up! She was so proud! I often find myself talking in gangster vocabulary because I am so tough! My reward for the day was a "mini" shake from iceberg. They were not mini.

And today was the first day of the actual process. They start by having you get draped in a "mamo-cape".

And then I entered the radiation room and had to leave Joey in the waiting room.  I had visions of the old movie "Project X" from when I was a young girl. Remember Matthew Broderick working with the chimps that they exposed to radiation to see if they could still fly the planes. And then I pictured the chimp, Bluebeard, saving the day as he was radiated to death as I lay down on the bed getting ready to enter the machine... willingly!

They started with pictures again to make sure the CT from today lined up with the CT from last Thursday. Then the doctor analyzes the alignment and they run you back into the machine for a 15-20 minute radiation procedure. All this time I have been on my back with both my arms over my head holding onto handlebars that are fixed to the bed. This may sound simple but holding still for that long was not easy. And to have my left arm up that high after having 22 lymph nodes removed wasn't comfortable. I wasn't sure if I would make it through.... It felt like the longest time period ever. And the room was freezing cold. My muscles in my left shoulder started to spasm towards the end of the treatment. And during this treatment you have this sound like a fast typewriter going around your body. I tried to count how many times and soon realized that was futile. But it is done and over and I'm good to go until tomorrow. I came home and put castor oil all over my skin that received treatment. How odd is that! The doctor recommends using this on my skin. Do you know how hard it is to find castor oil in a RiteAid? But I'm ready and I shouldn't have side effects for a few weeks. So other than driving to Salt Lake every day this well be a breeze!