6 down, 14 to go!

I had my 6th radiation treatment today. Treatments have been going well. The appointments are quick, so I find I'm only out of the house for about an hour each time (~15 minutes driving; ~10 minutes parking and walking to/from the appointment; ~25 minutes to change, wait, get zapped, and change again). 

Before each zap (which is, in case you were wondering, x-rays!) I lie down on the bed that has been specially prepared for me with the neck rest, knee support, angle, and hand/arm grips all in the places that were determined at my CT appointment. The technicians check my position using my tattoos and some lights that shine from the machine. They make sure everything is just right, then leave the room. After that, they take a couple of quick x-rays to make sure my position is perfect. They use the x-rays to adjust my position a tiny bit more, so I usually feel the bed move around just a bit before the radiation treatment happens. 

My understanding is that I get x-rays from four different angles, so I get to watch the machine spin around my body, occasionally stopping and making buzzing noises while I stare at some nice stained glass on the ceiling and listen to whatever tunes have been selected for my listening pleasure. I can't feel anything during the treatment, so I just relax until it's over.

I've been moisturizing lots to stay on top of any potential skin issues. I can feel my skin starting to get a bit warm and tender (like a very mild sunburn) but there isn't much obvious colour change and I wouldn't say it's painful. I have been feeling tired the last few days, particularly in the evening. It's a weird kind of tired that seems to come in waves for me. I can spend most of the day feeling pretty normal and then a sort of full-body exhaustion comes over me and I just want to sit still. It's not a mental exhaustion - I don't have brain fog like with my chemo fatigue - but it is a sort of heaviness that is new to me.

We went cross country skiing in the blizzard on Sunday and it was beautiful. Martha and I caught the end of a beautiful sunrise this morning. The sudden winter has been gorgeous and I hope it sticks; I was glad to skip mud/slush season!

Girls and dog in the blizzard!

Sunrise this morning.


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