Radiation: Photons + Easter
Where we last left our protagonist, she was going in for photons…
Which is an experience. Even the waiting room has a whole different feel to it.
Things are done a little differently in the photon center. You get called back over the loudspeaker. There are several different dressing rooms – I guess it doesn’t matter where you go. The nurse comes back to get you like usual, but the gowns are backless (not the three arm holes that are everywhere else I’ve been), so there are a lot of older folks awkwardly walk around holding their gown and turning to make sure no one sees anything.
The rooms are much smaller than the proton rooms. The machines are more space-like, they circle around your bed. The process takes all of five minutes here; you’re in and out quick. You don’t need to wear the custom face mask because the process is so fast.
What I found out is that Mayo has flown folks from Japan out to fix the machine. My radiation oncologist said that they’re working 24/7 to get it back up and working. There are hundreds of patients whose treatments are being impacted.
The photon center usually closes in the afternoon, but the techs from protons are helping out and so their going later to accommodate all the patients who came over from protons.
There are some older nurses who INSIST on covering up my chest with a sheet, which I find hilarious. I wasn’t modest when I had breasts, and now that I don’t, what’s the big deal? I told her I don’t care but she insisted…ok, lady. Hate to tell you it only makes me feel shameful about it. (I mean, not really, but kinda.)
I had photon treatment on Thursday evening and Friday morning. My oncologist’s office called me and moved my oncologist appointment up a little bit, which allowed me to go home early!
My oncologist said that it’s not ideal I missed three treatments, and instead of making it up at the end, they’re going to try to get me in twice a day for a few times to make it up; potentially staying for a Saturday (I’m not the only one who’ll be needing to make up treatments). Not ideal, but then, none of it is.
I was able to get home before the kids and they were excited to see me! I always love that feeling. We went out for tacos (my fave!) and got to snuggle. My doggies were also very happy to see me. I wasn’t able to snuggle Liza last time because she was sick from the heartworm treatments. She’s on her last leg of treatment (like me!!) – she’s got to be kenneled for 8 weeks and then they’ll test her for heartworm again. Hopefully, they’ll all be gone and then she can be a free doggo again! It’s hard seeing her kenneled up – she looks so sad all the time. Breaks my heart. But then, we want her alive and healthy, even if it means she’s sad and cooped up for a few weeks.
The girls spent Saturday across the street at the neighbor’s house with their 10 year-old grand-daughter. It allowed me some time to clean up the house, which I have not done very often over the last 6 months! I can’t tell you how good it feels to be able to do that.
We snuggled and watched a movie together. Got ice cream (even though it was COLD – WTF, Minnesota!). Stayed up late trying to finish the movie (who knew “Spooky Buddies” was so long?).
The kids were up early to find their Easter baskets. Josh works weekends so he can take time off to get the girls to and from school. He was up early to hide the baskets, pretty hard, too. 😉 The kids usually don’t care about dying eggs, but I bought a kit anyway. We decided to do them Sunday morning. They each did one and then Evelyn starts with, “this is getting boring.” Well then. I tried finishing them up and accidentally drop one. Turns out, they were not exactly hard-boiled eggs…my bad! (Knew I should have done them in the Instapot.)
We were able to video chat my parents and bro – the kids were able to hear grandma talk! Then we left for Nana and Papa’s. I had forgotten it’s been a minute since I’ve been to any family function! It’s nice to not feel like crap.
The trip to Rochester was long. It’s always somewhat sad since I hate leaving. But that’s two down, three to go.
And on the way down, I got a call from Mayo – protons are back up! But that means a late treatment tomorrow. Oh well. Three down, three to go. 😉
