Sorry I didn't post yesterday after my 1st radiation treatment. Just got busy around the house & forgot to come on the site last night.
First treatment went great! Was kind of surprised that there was really no big deal to it. Not sure what I was expecting but there simply was no sensory stimulation at all during the treatment; no weird sights, sounds or vibrations ... nothing!. Just laid there on the flat bed for about 15 mins and let the Radiation gizmo do it's thing. Was not ever aware of when it was actually zapping me or not. Of the 15 min. session they told me the actual time I would be receiving radiation would be for only about 5 mins total.
Starting at the first of my session; I arrived and checked into the radiation clinic then was directed to a hallway where the radiation treatments all happen. There seemed to be about 3 or 4 separate clinics there. I was in Clinic B. There's a small waiting area outside of each clinic where you have to wait to be called. It was a little unsettling seeing some of the people that were there waiting in the Clinic B waiting area. Some of them looked like they were about to keel over. Really in rough shape. That was kind of depressing. I eventually got called in and was lead down a short corridor to a large open room where the radiation machine was. All the people there at the clinic were really very nice and seemed to understand new patients were a bit nervous not knowing what was going on so they were quick to explain everything calmly and matter of factly.
The radiation macine they have was just recently put into operation at the cancer centre and is the latest & greatest technology available; apparently. Here's a photo of the actual one that they were using on me:
They told me it was referred to as "The Ferrari of Radiation Machines". I told them, "I like Ferraris!"
So during the session I didn't have to change into a hospital gown or anything. Just wore what ever clothes I came in with. Even taking my flip-flops off was optional. The first thing they do is lower that flat black board thing down and I climb up onto it and lay flat on my back with my arms and hands over my head. They have a head rest so I don't move my head around and a triangular foam pad under my knees which make your legs more comfortable when laying flat. Then all the people scurry away behind a partition and the session begins. The radiation maching is pretty much right over my head so I can't see what's going on behind me but the whole thing starts turning around; revolving around overhead. It stops turning from time to time and remains stationary for a brief period then starts turning again. I couldn't tell why it was stopping at any particular point but I did figure out that the radiation beam was probably coming at me from that circular thing you can see in the photo. It has a dark, rectangular glass screen which appears to have a grid in the glass. There was no noise or vibrations or anything while the maching was doing it's thing. It was actually a little erie?
Anyway, it just kept doing it's thing for the 15 minutes or so then they said; "session's over" and came back into the room, lowered me down and I got off the bed and left.
Didn't feel any effects at all after the session so I texted the wife who had driven me there and dropped me off and told her I was done. She came back, picked me up and we drove home. I was kind of waiting to see if I would feel any symptoms that evening or at night but ... Nope, nothing! Still feeling completely normal today as well. The doc did say it often takes some time before side effects happen or are at least noticed so we'll see.
For now it's wait and see then go to the next session on Friday
