Blood draw and rad onc today

elm3544
elm3544 Member Posts: 748
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I had my final blood draw from my port today. It comes ont Oct. 14th!
I also got my "tattoos" today but no simulation, unless I am missing something. They marked me with a sharpie and put me in the CT scan machine then did the tattoos. That was it. I go back on Oct.9 so they can check and make sure its a go.(is that the simulation?)I begin radation on the 12th.

Comments

  • Ritzy
    Ritzy Member Posts: 4,381 Member
    #2
    Hi Elm. I got my tattoos on
    Hi Elm. I got my tattoos on the same day of my simulation for rads. My appointment took awhile, probably an hour and a half or so. The simulation is lining you up with the zapper ( the rads machine ). They align you by computers. There are several computers in my rads room and they always have to check them to make sure all of the numbers are correct. Ask the techs and they will explain it and show it to you. That is where the colorful laser lights come in too. You can see them on your chest. I thought it was really cool myself. lol They have to be exact as to where they are sending the radiation.

    They laid me on the metal table, with my warm blankie ( LOL ) and they moved me a hair there or a hair there until everything was perfect with the zapper.

    I had a CT scan done prior to my simulation. Probably a week maybe. It was to help my rads oncologist prepare my personal radiation treatment. They are just doing you a little differently.

    So, I would say no, that was not your simulation. That will probably be your next time. If in doubt, just call them. They should have told you because it will take awhile. Let me know.

    And, one more thing, always know that they see you on camera when you are in there and they can hear you. So, no picking your nose or farting. Ok, joking. If you ever need anything, all you have to do is say something. I thought that was comforting. And, my hubby was always right outside with them too. :)

    Sue :)
  • susie09
    susie09 Member Posts: 2,930
    #3
    When you go back on the 9th,
    When you go back on the 9th, you will probably have your simulation. If I were you, I would call and make sure. Good luck Elm!

    ♠♣ Susie ♠♣
  • Akiss4me
    Akiss4me Member Posts: 2,188
    #4
    Hmmmm....
    Elm, I am confused. I always thought that our tattoos where put there to line up the beams during radiation. The simulation showed where to put the tattoos. How will they know where to line them up at, if they didn't do the simulation, to mark where your tattoos needed to be? My simulation took only about 30 minutes to complete. But I guess different places may do it differently. Maybe the CT scan machine did all the simulating? Well, now I am curious to find out, so keep us posted! ♥Pammy
  • elm3544
    elm3544 Member Posts: 748
    #5
    susie09 said:

    When you go back on the 9th,
    When you go back on the 9th, you will probably have your simulation. If I were you, I would call and make sure. Good luck Elm!

    ♠♣ Susie ♠♣

    Thanks Sue and Susie!
    Yeah I
    Thanks Sue and Susie!
    Yeah I think that is what they are doing on the 9th. Last week I was told my simulation was today so that was what I expected. Not sure why I need 2 different appointments. I asked the PA alot of questions last week but I didn't think to ask them any today.
    Any suggestions on how to get the ink off? They used a sharpie on me! It faded but its still there.
  • elm3544
    elm3544 Member Posts: 748
    #6
    Akiss4me said:

    Hmmmm....
    Elm, I am confused. I always thought that our tattoos where put there to line up the beams during radiation. The simulation showed where to put the tattoos. How will they know where to line them up at, if they didn't do the simulation, to mark where your tattoos needed to be? My simulation took only about 30 minutes to complete. But I guess different places may do it differently. Maybe the CT scan machine did all the simulating? Well, now I am curious to find out, so keep us posted! ♥Pammy

    Pammy,
    Yes I think it is
    Pammy,
    Yes I think it is weird, too. I had brachytherapy there in June and they did the simulation and the radiation on the ct table. I had to have a scan before every treatment. I think this will be the same. There were definitely no beams today. I thought maybe I just didn't understand, but the simulation must be what they are doing on the 9th because they said they are going to do a trial run or something like that and the actual radiation begins on the 12th.
  • survivorbc09
    survivorbc09 Member Posts: 4,374 Member
    #7
    elm3544 said:

    Pammy,
    Yes I think it is
    Pammy,
    Yes I think it is weird, too. I had brachytherapy there in June and they did the simulation and the radiation on the ct table. I had to have a scan before every treatment. I think this will be the same. There were definitely no beams today. I thought maybe I just didn't understand, but the simulation must be what they are doing on the 9th because they said they are going to do a trial run or something like that and the actual radiation begins on the 12th.

    Elm, it sounds like you will
    Elm, it sounds like you will have your simulation first and start rads on the 12th. I had a CT scan before my simulation. It helps them with lining you up for treatment. Then I had the simulation where they gave me the tattoos and lined me up with the machine for my radiation. It took over an hour, maybe an hour and 20 minutes or so. They were very careful, very precise. It really is interesting. They keep a book on you and ask to see it. It shows how the CT scan and the computers have you lined up and stuff. You had radiation before? In June? You might want to schedule a consultation with your rads oncologist to go over this since you are a lil bit confused. I would. Good luck!
  • elm3544
    elm3544 Member Posts: 748
    #8
    survivorbc09 said:

    Elm, it sounds like you will
    Elm, it sounds like you will have your simulation first and start rads on the 12th. I had a CT scan before my simulation. It helps them with lining you up for treatment. Then I had the simulation where they gave me the tattoos and lined me up with the machine for my radiation. It took over an hour, maybe an hour and 20 minutes or so. They were very careful, very precise. It really is interesting. They keep a book on you and ask to see it. It shows how the CT scan and the computers have you lined up and stuff. You had radiation before? In June? You might want to schedule a consultation with your rads oncologist to go over this since you are a lil bit confused. I would. Good luck!

    Thanks for all the info!
    Yes
    Thanks for all the info!
    Yes I had brachy in June but since they couldn't get the entire cavity I only had 6 treatments. I need 25 treatments of external radiation.
    I think I get it now. They got me marked and now they will do the sim to make sure everything is lined up. I looked at my scedule they gave me and it says verification on the 9th. I guess they just do things differently. It is a very busy place, I read that they get referrals from all over the valley and people drive pretty far to go to this center so I trust what they are doing. I guess I just misunderstood the process.
  • dyaneb123
    dyaneb123 Member Posts: 950
    #9
    Hi Elm
    I got my "marks"
    Hi Elm
    I got my "marks" today too. My rad.onc. doesn't tatoo,so I have to be careful not to wash them off, and I did the CT. I go back on the 8th for the simulation and I also start rads on the 12th.So we're on the same game plan. Are you going to work through rads? I have to. So my issue now is rads in the am before work , or rads in the pm after work.....any opinions on that?
  • Akiss4me
    Akiss4me Member Posts: 2,188
    #10
    dyaneb123 said:

    Hi Elm
    I got my "marks"
    Hi Elm
    I got my "marks" today too. My rad.onc. doesn't tatoo,so I have to be careful not to wash them off, and I did the CT. I go back on the 8th for the simulation and I also start rads on the 12th.So we're on the same game plan. Are you going to work through rads? I have to. So my issue now is rads in the am before work , or rads in the pm after work.....any opinions on that?

    If it were me....
    I found that Rads had a tendency to really hit me hard 1-2 hours after treatment. Like hitting a brick wall, about 3 weeks into it. So if I had to work, and needed to pick when to go, I would chose after work. Then you had all night to rest up and your lunch hour to nap if you had to. ♥Pammy
  • elm3544
    elm3544 Member Posts: 748
    #11
    dyaneb123 said:

    Hi Elm
    I got my "marks"
    Hi Elm
    I got my "marks" today too. My rad.onc. doesn't tatoo,so I have to be careful not to wash them off, and I did the CT. I go back on the 8th for the simulation and I also start rads on the 12th.So we're on the same game plan. Are you going to work through rads? I have to. So my issue now is rads in the am before work , or rads in the pm after work.....any opinions on that?

    Dyan
    Great! We will go through this together! I heard that if you are working its good to do it after work so you can rest. I am on a leave of absence right now and my appointments are sceduled for 6:30 AM. I am not a morning person, I normally work evenings due to insomnia. This is the only way my husband can go with me. Yesterday was the first time I've had to go to any of these appointments alone. I know I don't need him there but I like him there.
  • Christmas Girl
    Christmas Girl Member Posts: 3,682 Member
    #12
    dyaneb123 said:

    Hi Elm
    I got my "marks"
    Hi Elm
    I got my "marks" today too. My rad.onc. doesn't tatoo,so I have to be careful not to wash them off, and I did the CT. I go back on the 8th for the simulation and I also start rads on the 12th.So we're on the same game plan. Are you going to work through rads? I have to. So my issue now is rads in the am before work , or rads in the pm after work.....any opinions on that?

    Dee, if at all possible...
    I strongly agree with others here. If working during rads, I strongly recommend setting the appointments for AFTER work - not before.

    Hope rads go well for you.

    You, too, elm.
  • aurora2009
    aurora2009 Member Posts: 544 Member
    #13
    elm3544 said:

    Dyan
    Great! We will go through this together! I heard that if you are working its good to do it after work so you can rest. I am on a leave of absence right now and my appointments are sceduled for 6:30 AM. I am not a morning person, I normally work evenings due to insomnia. This is the only way my husband can go with me. Yesterday was the first time I've had to go to any of these appointments alone. I know I don't need him there but I like him there.

    Elm
    I had the same protecol as you, 1st Cat scan and tattoo's and the next appt was actual simulation, I was confused at first too, but after a few treatments, they gave me one last tattoo, and about one a week so far, they've also given me an x-ray, during my treatment, so I guess it just depends on the treatment center and their machines and how the doctors decides to do things.

    As always it just goes to show, we're all different and so are our treatments :)

    Aurora


    Side note I also do my treatments after work. I don't think I would want to go to work after treatments, because as time goes by, as soon as my treatment is over, I feel a wave of fatigue hit me and I just need a quick nap to get going again.
  • Wolfi
    Wolfi Member Posts: 425
    #14
    Christmas Girl said:

    Dee, if at all possible...
    I strongly agree with others here. If working during rads, I strongly recommend setting the appointments for AFTER work - not before.

    Hope rads go well for you.

    You, too, elm.

    My rads
    I had my CT scan last week, my simulation and tatoos on Monday and started my rads on Tuesday. I'm on day 4 today!!!

    My husband works nights and in order for him to take me we had to set up my appointments early in the morning (or else he would never get any sleep). I will have appointments at 8:30, 8:45 or 9:30 depending on how they could fit me in their schedule. I have been ok this week but am not looking forward to getting tired like some of the people have talked about and then having to work after my treatment. I'll just see how it goes.

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