Look, Ma! My first tattoos!

My first appointment for radiation was to make sure they could easily "line me up" for the radiation lasers. So, I lie down on CT scan "bed", which is a hard, narrow plank really. They put a molding pillow under my head and I put my arms over my head, also sinking them into the pillow. The pillow is then hardened so it will exactly fit the shape my head and arms, so I can get into the right position more easily.

Next the technicians look through their viewers to make sure my left breast is where they want it to be for the laser. After moving me slightly around and making everything perfect, they put 3 tattoos on me. One in the middle of my breasts and one on each side in my arm pits. Unfortunately, they wouldn't do a flower or even a little star... ;^) Actually, the tattoos look pretty much like some of the freckles/moles on my arms. About the size of a pencil lead and dark. They tattoo them on so that they won't wash off over the next 7 weeks. I also get a lecture about not using anything on the skin of my breast except for the cream they give me. No deodorant or hand lotion.

I will start next Wednesday (3/17 -- luck of the Irish be with me!) with a "simulation" where I do through a dry run to make sure everything lines up and the radiation plan the doctor designs is right. Then the real thing the next day at 7:45am and every weekday thereafter for 6.5 weeks. So I should be done by April 30. I'm glad I got the 7:45 time, because then I can drop the girls off at school, head for radiation, and get on with my day by 8:15 or so. The actual radiation is only 15 minutes, so with undressing and dressing again, maybe a half hour each day.

They also warned me about the possible side effects, which the radiation oncologist has said may be worse for me because my breasts are large. Maybe that means they give me more radiation, but I'm not sure. It sounds like a mild to severe sunburn: redness, itching, possibly peeling, hopefully not really severe skin disintegration, like some people on the web have reported. There will also be tiredness, probably starting after a couple weeks, that increases with more treatments.

I'm planning to be pretty much OK for 4 weeks, then I'll only have 2.5 weeks to go. Doesn't sound too bad. Of course, as you all know, I'm an optimist. But also strong and with big energy reserves. And I always have the last resort: I know that eventually I will be done with all this and all I really have to do is wait and it will be over.