My first day of radiation

kingcole42005 said:

yes your right
yes your right, I can't breathe through my mouth as I have the mouthpiece in pressing my tongue to the roof of my mouth. It went really fast today. My mouth already feels a bit like I drank something really hot and it's been scalded and definitely dryer. I've been drinking lots of water and I've written down a bunch of stuff all of you recommended for when the symptoms get worse. Counting the zaps helps alot, I know when I'm almost there and I can hold on. I didn't take anything today and it went fine. Thanks for all the tips guys and Happy Holidays!!!

way to go!
Way to go! I am so happy that you are doing so well! stay strong! don't forget to do some jaw exercises! I can't open my mouth as far as before treatment, but they exercises still help! I am able to open more than I was the week I finished!
best of luck to you! get plenty of rest!
hugs and prayers!
elizabeth

Goalie said:

One More Thing
I assume they are also strapping down your arms to keep shoulders out of the field. If not, congratulations. If so, I always have them (they do it regularly now) send the straps up the inside of my hands where I can grasp them with my thumb and fingers. It cuts off circulation less than on the outside and it also gives me something to touch and have control over and even adjust slightly while my head is strapped down. Not much need for this any more for me though as tomorrow is my last day on the table after nine weeks. Good luck with yours! Doug

Eeeeeeeek! Arm strapping?
I had no arm straps. I just got the full-blown Nefertiti treatment. They created a mask that closely resembled the upper half of an Egyptian sarcophagus. it came down well over my shoulders, upper arms and the top of my breasts. The tattoo they used to line up the machine is just barely above my navel. I swear, the feeding tube was getting in the way. My (now six months old) radiation tan drops so low, I can wear a low-cut shirt and still match.

I got a puppy teething ring to clasp. If I freaked, my job was to fling the ring at the attendants while yelping like a puppy. Hand straps would have sent me over the edge...

Deb

kingcole42005 said:

Yeah luckily no strapping
Yeah luckily no strapping, they did that the first day for the mask and it did send me over the edge. I was shaking like a leaf when it was done. I hold the puppy teething toy. Like a plastic round thin thing. It helps keep my arms stable, the mask goes down over both my shoulders.

Way to Go
Glad you can do the zap sessions OK.

ekdennie said:

me too
my mask went over my shoulders and I got nervous until that ring was in my hands. holding on to that ring helped me stay calm. I hope you are doing well.
hugs and prayers heading your way!

I think straps may have put
I think straps may have put me over the edge too. My mask came down low over my shoulders and my breasts. My tattoo is in the middle of my torso right under my bra, just under boobs. I had pegs in the table to grab on to. Yeah don't think I would have dealt well with straping me down that stupid mask was enough.

kingcole42005 said:

Thanks so far so good
Thanks so far so good! Side effects minimal so far, some tightening in my neck, and kind of a scalded feeling in my mouth but not bad. I am getting prepared for worse mentally. Don't have to take any meds at all, so I am happy about that. Thanks so much for your support, need lots of hugs and prayers. When I go in I like to give hugs to the other patients. We are all in this fight together!

WOW!!
So proud of you!!! That's wonderful that you only had to take the meds on your first visit. I told myself everyday that I wouldn't need to take one but half way to my appointment (it was a 45 minute drive to treatment) I would start to panic and take my little pill I made excuses for myself because I'm claustraphobic but didn't want to create problems for the technicians and delay my treatment so I just took the pill.

It sounds like you're doing pretty good so far but I will continue to keep you in my prayers.

Stay strong,
Glenna

Scambuster said:

Mouth Piece - Prosthesis or part of the mask ?
Sorry if I am mistaken KC, do you have a prosthesis ? That obviously changes the game in the mouth breathing.

My techies made me chomp down on a piece of plastic a little smaller than a matchbox with a small hole drilled through. I would have to bit on it when they made do my twice daily Hannibal Lechter impersonation (the mask). I couldn't breath properly through the mouth piece so I made the techies make a much bigger hole and then it was fine. Hope thats the case for you.

Scam

All i can do is..
All i can do is gasp in awe at how you all got through all of this.

I understand that coupled with the rads itself, is surviving the rad effects as time goes on.In any case,it is a celebration , for want of a much better word, that this is behind you all and you can all share your experiences . KC, be encouraged by this.

My wife is fighting successive stubborn scc in throat and neck. She's about to have her 4th surgical procedure. Doing everything possible to avoid RT. I read all your posts , with the dread that we'll need to backtrack and read it through in the near future. I fear that if she chooses RT, recommended as a very bad (because of Fanconi Aneamia)but the only alternative around, her base start is a compromised one because of everything she's been through to date.

She has a healthy resillient spirit and her every minute, like many on this site is the work of breathing, eating and attempts towards normalization . Symmetry and life balance are important to her; like others here have suffered as a consequence of successive surgeries and treatments.

The accumulative weakening effects of so many surgeries clearly challenge her resilience.

Very soon, she will have to make the inhumane wretched decision, by herself, to undergo RT and play guinea pig.

We're going to need you folk in the future.

Clear
Also :clearblue72@gmail.com .

SWEETB: Great to hear you're doing ok.

kingcole42005 said:

I do have moments of panic
I do have moments of panic, that is for sure. I just keep telling myself it will be over soon, I take deep breaths when needed. Once the zaps start its so much easier, there are 60 so I know exactly where I am in the treatment. My neck is getting much more sore as is my mouth, already. I was hoping it would hold off a bit, but oh well,nothing I can do about it. I've been using Biotene alot. My mouth just feels burned inside. My cancer was in the floor of my mouth so I guess my tongue is getting zapped too. Thank you for your support Glenna, who knows I may need my little pills in the future.

Take Care,
Shelly

Hi Shelly
As my wife always sings to me just on day at a time, Hang in there and before you know it you will be on your last treatment day