Radiation commentary

So here's the short of it,
Today I took some time to reflect on the complexity of the radiation treatment.


And here's the long

I'm really beginning to get excited.  I have only 5 more radiation treatments left!  Today was a doctor day.  I also only have one more regular weekly appointment with my wonderful radiation oncologist! He's very pleased with the shape my skin is in, although I'm beginning to feel a little overbaked on that left side, and I'm redder than I think I've ever been from sun exposure except for that time in college when five of us thought we'd "lay out" with a big box fan to keep us cool.  My fair skin needed that heat to tell me when to come in out of the sun . Was I ever blistered!

Today I was a little more relaxed time-wise in the radiation treatment and so I asked a few questions about the boost procedure.  I got a good explanation of the "blocker".  It's called an electron blocker.  A physicist works with the radiation oncologist on mapping the area to be radiated and designing the blocker.  I've never met this physicist; but he/she has certainly been instrumental in my treatment.  The shape of the beam is designed to match the shape of the excision area; then a pattern in that shape and size is cut from styrofoam and placed in the mold.  Then an alloy that has a lower melting point than steel is used to pour into the mold making a plate with a hole the shape of the treatment area.

The blocker is a solid metal shape that has my shape on it.  I'm fascinated with all the stuff that goes into just making the mold. I didn't get a chance to ask yet if there are other employees who do the molding or if the technicians do that as well.  I'm going to ask if I can get a peek in the block making room, but I noticed that some of the supplies have to do with hazardous materials so that may not be possible.

Anyway the blocker goes on the bottom of what they call a cone - really a long attachment to the part of the radiation machine that emits the beam.  When they get the set up done, the blocker is just a small distance away from my skin.  I should remember to ask tomorrow how close; it feels like it's about an inch from my skin.  I'm not really sure how long the beam is, but I don't think length of time is as important as the strength of the beam.  In my first series, Ashley, one of the technicians told me that the amount of electric current is not always the same and that the machines are programmed to deliver the right dose and so the treatment time may vary by seconds to assure the exact dosage of radiation.  Anyway, this machine and the process is enough different that I can't tell when the beam starts and when it ends, but it doesn't take very much time at all, because the set up is so much quicker. 

I also had Herceptin today.  Today was treatment number 30.  I'm over half way through those as well.  Only 22 more left.  Lori reminds me that there are people who have been getting Herceptin weekly for a long, long time and are doing very well.  They have one patient who has been getting weekly Herceptin for 8 years and she is doing just fine.  Dr. Schlabach is committed to do the Herceptin on a weekly basis, whereas many medical oncologists do it every three weeks which means a higher dose.  Lori says that they haven't had patients experience heart problems with weekly Herceptin dosing.  I'm feeling pretty good about all that since heart damage is really the biggest worry in terms of side effects. Anyway so far none of that!

My blood counts are returning to normal and I think that's why I'm feeling so much better.  I'm pretty tired though.  I think I'll be so glad for a long weekend.