And so it begins......

Had an awesome appointment with my onc.  The radiation appears to have been effective.  Onc wants to do a pet scan next month, and that will be the tell.  I expect good results.  So where to go from here.  With the steady results and only the minor bump in the road when my immune system crashed, its time to progress to the next phase.  End of maintenance.   No more Rituxan maintenance.   While this is good, it also means, lets hope that my system can fight the fight.  All indications are that it will.  So here we go, no more treatments, and hopefully just random pet scans, and eventually the port will probably come out.  All things are good, so lets roll with it.

I could have done so well during these times without all the support and prayers from my family and friends.  Thank you so much.  Truly priceless!!  I will end with my favorite quote:

Smooth Sailing ahead

On the 31st I met with my rad onc to see where things were.  Most of the side affects have gone away, leaving only a little funny taste in my mouth.  He checked my neck area to see if he felt any remnants of the mass, and said all seemed good.  He said that we will do a pet scan in 2 months, if they did it earlier, it may give a false positive, so I am heading back to the onc to see where we go with maintenance.  Will find out more tomorrow.  All is good for now. :)

And so this journey comes to an end

Today, the Christmas tree was down, the mistletoe was gone.  But it was still the same place, and still the same awesome friends that I have come to enjoy talking to so much.  It was the same drill, yep, that is my mug shot on the computer screen, but I was smiling, you know my birthday by now but it is required, and where are we treating.  Check.   My mistletoe friend was already in the room getting things ready.  For the last time the shirt came off and my head comes to rest on the uncomfortable plastic head rest.  The red eye in the ceiling shining bright.  The handles fitted firmly in my hands, and in I go, the last time I hope to experience this mask.  So they line up the lights on my marks on both sides, mask set, they say they'll be right back.  The machine begins to spin.  For the last time, the xray head comes out, and goes up like Number 5 Alive.  I hear the zzzzzzz, then it spins 45 degrees, another zzzzzzz, and then it collapses.  The table giggles as they make final alignment changes.  The spin begins, which starts below me, but top right I can see the bottom leg of the machine.  First zap complete.  It rotates and comes into my left peripheral vision and then up to about 10 o'clock.  Another zap complete.  The tech comes in to move the table, final angle to the right a little, and the head at about 2 o'clock.  The zap is over.  In comes the techs clapping.  I throw the hands and sigh a big relief. While none of this hurt, the mouth sores were dry and I needed water.  Up I go for the last time.  Almost forgot to take my photo, the red eye in the ceiling.  It shined to my left just a little, but the red beam was there to line up one of the many points of reference.  So I come out, and I get the certificate of completion.  They also gave me some hugs and kisses chocolates, but what was more valuable was the hugs I received from the techs who do such an awesome job to make a situation that is so so real become something easy to complete.  My hat is off to these technicians, what an awesome time they made this for me.  So I rang the bell 3 times which told everyone someone graduated, and signified the end of my treatment.  I brought some treats that an elf baked, and I left with a smile knowing it made them smile too.

This battle is not over, but I have survived twice now.  There is no giving up.  Thanks for all the prayers and support, this journey now ends and a new one begins.  I find out more 31 Jan, so here's goodbye to 2012 in a few days, and hello to an awesome 2013.

The red eye that beamed down on me each day

White Flag, one to go!!!!

Today was bittersweet as I hit number 9 out of 10 treatments.  But the mistletoe was pulled down and packed away.  So ends the storytelling.  Ha.  Today's treatment went extremely fast, and uneventful.  I am so close to finishing it kinda stinks that the mouth sores are causing a lot of discomfort for me, but I will take it as that is really all that has popped up.  I got a prescription to help counter the discomfort of the two sores that make it no fun to eat.  Moving forward, and looking forward to 2013, gonna ring it in and look forward to a new year and surviving yet again!

This photo is the bottom side of the machine that pushes out the radiation therapy.  While you cannot see the panels that form the beam in the black area, I always new where it was aiming based on the angle as it rotates.  and yes, if you look close enough you can see the alignment marks that mean something when assembling/deassembling in the upper left corner.

Krypton's Beam

The countdown has begun..... 3....

Another great day in the radiation mask, though it was a bit hard to keep from laughing while they were getting the xray portion complete.  Being that I caught the crud this weekend, I wanted them to know that if the cough starts, I might have to stop.  So got me aligned and left the room, did the X-rays, but seemed to take a bit longer before the machine started to move.  Since all I could do was sit and imagine what they were doing, the voice comes over the speaker and says they are watching me and not gonna give up.   This made me laugh, cause I knew why she said that.  I had a snowflake ornament made that has the green lymphoma ribbon on the back, and my favorite quote I post here often on the other side.  Part of that quote talks about not giving up.  Then she said it a second time and I knew she was just trying to keep me preoccupied while they finished the setup, who knows, maybe they needed to reboot the system.  The first series of clicks started and I knew it was time.  3 shots and that was all she wrote.  Because I mentioned the mouth sore that has formed, and the need to see the doctor again this week, I was finished and snapped a photo for my memories, and up I went to wait for the doc.  This is a photo from the control room where they setup all the numbers on where the radiation is applied.  Sometimes it is hard to take a photo as some information may be displayed on the monitors, so I am always careful to ask before snapping.  But its pretty cool!

At the control

Met with the nurse first to talk about how I am doing.  Of course, the flu hit me, a mouth sore, sore throat you name it.  Lost about 9 pounds which they don't want happening, but when you are sick you are sick.  All in all, a quick visit and off I went.  Follow-up will be 31 January, so we'll see how things go and I am sure I will be back in to see my onc at some point too.

2 days to go for treatment

1 day post Christmas celebration

5 days to New Years Eve!!

6 in a row, the mistletoe did work.  Priceless!

After two weeks, we're heading into the final stretch

5 days straight, the throat is a little sore, but more importantly the dry mouth makes it feel like a hair ball is in my throat or a nice coating of flim.  The skin isn't showing much change, maybe a little dry, and I can tell where the hair is not growing, but all in all, I feel fine.  Each day this week I have taken a photo to show a little bit of what this experience is like.  Todays is the magic to the beams.  All these numbers represent how the radiation is going to be focused onto my mass.  No I cannot explain them, but I see them every treatment.  3 more treatments to go, gotta take a break so everyone can enjoy Christmas, and then we'll finish up and cruise on into the new year.  So for now, I am doing great.  Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers!!

Today, I got two hugs, and two kisses on the cheeks at the same time from my awesome radiation therapists.  One wore a head band that had mistletoe hanging, so I had to return the favor.  That mistletoe sure worked well today :) :)


4 Days til Christmas

5 days til traffic starts to clear up

Time moves fast with it all lines up

Today was treatment number 6, and ended with a visit with the rad onc.  I was in and out of the mask in about 10 minutes today, treatments are going so much more smoother now, and it is all based on alignment.  When my xrays match up with my original CT scan, the radiation treatment is started and finished in no time.  I have shown photos of the markings that make that alignment possible, and today, it was right one and in no time I was out.  So today, I wanted to capture a photo before my mask was removed.  Wanted to see what the red light I stare at looked like from the outside.  So I took a photo and one of the techs took a side shot for me also.  I have the most incredible team that I put my treatment in their hands.  They mean so much to me.

Many have asked how I do it.  These are the first shots I have taken where it shows me in the mask.  The one the right leaves nothing to wonder.  The mask is very form fitting, and keeps me aligned so the radiation treatment is directed at the mass for optimum destruction. :)  Once everything is aligned, the computer takes over and the three doses accurately treat me as planned.  So when I am laying there, with a small dose of medication to help me relax, you just close your eyes and wait.  But hearing the machine noises, I can't help but open my eyes and look where it is turning and what it is doing.  So far, I can tell when they are using the xray portion to check my alignment, and when they are rotating for the first radiation.  I hear the clicks and adjustments and can almost predict when the radiation starts.  After the second treatment, I know that the techs will come in, rotate the table, and measure the markings sometime, then one more treatment and they come in to release me.  I can say that after 4 or 5, the mask doesn't bother me.  Sure it feels tight, sometimes much tighter, but its what will help me be cancer free so I just deal with it.  I have spent a bit of time thinking about how I want to photograph my mask after I am done.  I will enjoy that project for sure.  While many people have told me they could not do it, but I bet you can.  When you understand the benefits of any challenge, you would be surprised at what you can accomplish!

4 treatments to go.  Doc says we are on schedule and all looks good.

5 days to Christmas

9 days, actually 8, I will be a second time survivor

Priceless