The doctor said as long as I arrived before 11, we could get everything done today - so I somewhat groggily headed up to the hospital in Macedonia at 9:00 am - wanting to ensure I got the car back to the logistics team in time for their mail run.
Unfortunately, what the doctor MEANT was "come in a few minutes before 11" - so I sat there for several hours waiting to be seen. Not the end of the world - let's be honest - I had a book and a mask and waited patiently.
First there was a CATscan to create a 3D model of my breast prior to beginning treatment. This helped them to program the computer so that the radiation is ONLY targeted at the affected areas and not sent through my whole torso. Sounds really cool, right? It absolutely is hypothetically - but in reality, it's laying on a table while about 10-12 nurses rearrange your boobs in a freezing cold room. At this point, it doesn't phase me - I'd be surprised if there were ANY nurses in Macedonia who haven't had a poke at my boobs at some point in time or another during this journey.
When they finished, they needed some time to program the computer, so there was another 3 hour wait until I had my first treatment. I've been very nervous because although i've had PLENTY of x-rays in my clumsy life, I've read about the side effects of radiation therapy and wasn't exactly sure what the process entails.
You lay down on a table in exactly the same position you were in when they took your 3D model - and then the machine moves around you and radiates you. It's painless at the time and takes about 10 minutes.
The two radiation therapy techs are both gorgeous young men, old enough to be my kids. But they're very positive and professional and caring - and I'm grateful for them. Their names are Nebojsa (Neh-BOY-sha) and Alexei. Nebojsa is the kind one - Alexei is the super serious one.
When it was over - I drove back to the base. No big deal. Until about three hours later when I started feeling stabbing burning pains in my breast. Totally normal, according to the internet. Took some tylenol and forgot about it.
Next day - things went MUCH smoother - you go in to the changing room and put on a gown, they come and get you and take you to the radiation room, you do your ten minute treatment, and you're out of there. It takes about an hour to drive to the hospital each way and then about 30 minutes total to complete the treatment, including dressing. Easy breezy. The burning and stabbing pains are normal - they aren't consistent and they aren't unbearable. Today it just felt like I had a really bad sunburn, so I blasted the A/C on my chest the whole way home.
Three more days and all went smoothly - thankfully, there's no treatment on the weekend - which is a nice respite from the drive and the radiation.
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