15 Down.....and really appreciate your encouragement!

VancouverGirl
VancouverGirl Member Posts: 27
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Just got home from a long day at the hospital, was sent up for iv fluids again, and hydrocortisone and iv stuff for my thrush....spent about 12 hours at the hospital today. I am being booked for a gtube to be put in.

I wanted to say THANK YOU so much to all of you before I go to bed, as I just read your encouragement to me on my last posting about feeling gross, and I must say it means ALOT to me that you took the time to enccourage me and that you know what I am going through as you all have or are going through it! I must admit it was overwhelming feeling(A good overwhelming) to see how much you care, encourage and really can understand what I am going through.

Many thanks again, and onward and upward to beating this gross monster....and getting through all these GROUNDHOG days!!!!

Will catch up with you tomorrow if I can!!!!

Take care, all the best, hugs and kisses and prayers

Comments

  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #2
    Great Job.....
    By this time next week you'll be on the down slide.......

    Keep on pressing on and remember that everyday down is one day closer to being finished....

    By now you are starting to learn every click, whirl, buzz and rotation of the machine. It's just a routine now, concentrate on rest and look forward to your week-end rest coming up.

    You can make it out of the GroundHog's Day...keep on pressing forward...

    Best,
    John
  • ratface
    ratface Member Posts: 1,337 Member
    #3
    Skiffin16 said:

    Great Job.....
    By this time next week you'll be on the down slide.......

    Keep on pressing on and remember that everyday down is one day closer to being finished....

    By now you are starting to learn every click, whirl, buzz and rotation of the machine. It's just a routine now, concentrate on rest and look forward to your week-end rest coming up.

    You can make it out of the GroundHog's Day...keep on pressing forward...

    Best,
    John

    Familiarity breeds an easier time of it
    At this point as John said, I had memorized the machine's pattern as it floated and whirled and smoke came from its' metallic ears. I also had gotten to know the entire staff and they had gotten to know me. The technician would always help me up on the table and always be there when the smoke cleared. I knew where to park and the staff would let me in the back way on hot summer days while they stood outside during lunch. I was also learning which nurses worked on which days as I had a preference for questions or concerns and nurses. Keep this momentum going as the course starts to go uphill from this point forward but I see you rock steady and strong from here on.
  • arndog64
    arndog64 Member Posts: 537
    #4
    ratface said:

    Familiarity breeds an easier time of it
    At this point as John said, I had memorized the machine's pattern as it floated and whirled and smoke came from its' metallic ears. I also had gotten to know the entire staff and they had gotten to know me. The technician would always help me up on the table and always be there when the smoke cleared. I knew where to park and the staff would let me in the back way on hot summer days while they stood outside during lunch. I was also learning which nurses worked on which days as I had a preference for questions or concerns and nurses. Keep this momentum going as the course starts to go uphill from this point forward but I see you rock steady and strong from here on.

    You are doing great.. Keep
    You are doing great.. Keep your dukes up!!!
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #5
    XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
    15 down. Your are getting at the point where you will have more behind you, than in front of you!

    Keep checking them off one by one. The end is in sight!
  • osmotar
    osmotar Member Posts: 1,006
    #6
    Question
    Since I am new to all of this, when you mention 15 down , do you mean 15 rad treatments? If so how, and I know everyone is different, how long is your course of treatment and how long is each treatment. My ENT said I could expect either once a day for 4 weeks, or once a day for 6 weeks, that time will be determined by by oncologist.
  • ratface
    ratface Member Posts: 1,337 Member
    #7
    osmotar said:

    Question
    Since I am new to all of this, when you mention 15 down , do you mean 15 rad treatments? If so how, and I know everyone is different, how long is your course of treatment and how long is each treatment. My ENT said I could expect either once a day for 4 weeks, or once a day for 6 weeks, that time will be determined by by oncologist.

    Generally it goes like this
    I have seen two standard courses of treatment. The old standard generally fluctuates between 33-40 radiation treatments once a day with Saturday, Sunday, holidays and machine breakdowns off. The new emerging standard seems to be roughly the same number of treatments in which the radiation doses are lower but given twice a day. The jury is still out but there may be a minor benefit to the twice a day regime with some experts saying it doesn't amount to any significant benefit. The actual time in the room per treatment is around 15-30 minutes with almost all of that time used to set up the fields of travel for the machine. The actual radiation time is measured in seconds.
  • osmotar
    osmotar Member Posts: 1,006
    #8
    ratface said:

    Generally it goes like this
    I have seen two standard courses of treatment. The old standard generally fluctuates between 33-40 radiation treatments once a day with Saturday, Sunday, holidays and machine breakdowns off. The new emerging standard seems to be roughly the same number of treatments in which the radiation doses are lower but given twice a day. The jury is still out but there may be a minor benefit to the twice a day regime with some experts saying it doesn't amount to any significant benefit. The actual time in the room per treatment is around 15-30 minutes with almost all of that time used to set up the fields of travel for the machine. The actual radiation time is measured in seconds.

    ahhh...makes more sense now,
    ahhh...makes more sense now, well a wee bit more .
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #9
    Hammer Time
    Like Splinter mentioned....

    Mine was 35 days...M-F and Holidays off....usually in the room 20 - 30 minutes, actualy rad time was about 12 - 15 minutes.

    Mondays were 10 - 15 minutes longer as they also shot a set of X-Rays mainly to make sure the mask still fit precise.

    Best,
    john

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