'Go Zap some baddies'!

My lovely cousin, 'twice removed', AnneMarie (AM)  sent me a reassuring good luck text on the day of my first Radiotherapy…. and she told me to 'go and Zap some baddies'!!…So off I went to NGH on 19th June, with my XMIL for company to pick a fight with those 'pesky cells'!

I felt some trepidation whilst waiting to be seen for the first time, but just for the unknown as I was already 'hardened' to hospital 'life' and familiar with my surroundings. There was the usual delay in being seen, then an attentive Radiographer went through in great detail what was about to happen and the possible side effects. The information  didn't all seem new to me, and I was thankful for the recap as I felt fully prepared when I was placed and positioned on the bed.

MILLY on my Radiotherapy Machine!

I have now had 5 treatments. I'm a third of the way through and well into  the familiarity of a routine … First there are the delays ;

Day 3 -YES…My allocated machine is VA1

Day 4-…. WHY!!

Day 5…going in the right direction

I am thankful for the warmth and friendliness of the staff and this makes the delays seem a trivial matter. Every day there has been a new radiographer, someone new to see my disfigured exposed 'booby lump'….… yet it doesn't seem to matter to me, to them….. it's all quite functional and as dignified as it can be.

A permanent black pen is used to mark out precise measurements on my breast area and there is lots of pulling and tugging of my body to set me in the correct position, before I'm left to be zapped in different locations…..There's no time for embarrassment…and I'm glad…… The whole process takes about 15 minutes, where I lie down perfectly still, listening to whirling machinery and catching glimpses of coloured laser beams and  trying to contain my urges to scratch the 'psychologically' induced itch on my nose…..  I'm soon on my way, remembering the advice to keep the area moisturised with aqueous cream and to shower with mild/baby products.

I carry on with the rest of my day as if nothing has happened, where the true significance of what has occurred seems hidden/missed by others….but not by me…. I feel satisfied with a productive day…after all, the day's activities has extended my chances for a longer life… right ??

The side effects have been minimal so far, with only some mild tenderness and tiredness to report. I'm aware that the effects are accumulative and hope that I escape the more sever side effects.

10 more sessions and the hard stuff is over with and in the mean time a thought for the day for all of us…