Rang the Bell!!!!!!

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meaganb
meaganb Member Posts: 244 Member
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
I had my last Rad treatment this morning. My husband and daughter came with me and met all the wonderful people who have been taking care of me for the past six weeks. My hubby even took pics of me on the table. I think it might have freaked him out a bit. And I got pictures taken with the techs, my nurse and my RO. Some friends met me outside and we let go six balloons, one for each week of treatment. It felt great walking out with my mask in hand. I'm getting ready to go crawl in the bed and celebrate with a nap. Phrannie, Dre, Mrs. Sarge, Sam good luck to all of you. Can't wait to celebrate with you guys in a few days!

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  • Mrs. Sarge
    Mrs. Sarge Member Posts: 206 Member
    #2
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    Congrats!!!
    And how are you feeling? 4 more treatments for me and I think Phrannie. I'm still functioning somewhat but not feeling too hot. Mucus choking me or my swollen throat, whatever! Not sleeping too well but doable. Rad Dr. changed something today, made the field larger/smaller or stronger/weaker rads, don't know. The tech said he does adjustments according to the xrays for everyone...so hope it's good news! Just want to get done, bring my mask home and hopefully start to heal, sooner than later, but afraid it'll be later!! Let us know your post rads progress, healing to give us courage!!!
  • meaganb
    meaganb Member Posts: 244 Member
    #3
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    Mrs. Sarge said:

    Congrats!!!
    And how are you feeling? 4 more treatments for me and I think Phrannie. I'm still functioning somewhat but not feeling too hot. Mucus choking me or my swollen throat, whatever! Not sleeping too well but doable. Rad Dr. changed something today, made the field larger/smaller or stronger/weaker rads, don't know. The tech said he does adjustments according to the xrays for everyone...so hope it's good news! Just want to get done, bring my mask home and hopefully start to heal, sooner than later, but afraid it'll be later!! Let us know your post rads progress, healing to give us courage!!!

    Frankly
    I feel like crap. BUT, I'm done and I feel like healing will come. I remember feeling this way after surgery when I was so swollen and miserable and it got better then. So it will definitely get better now. I'll keep y'all updated! 4 more! You can do it!!! Cheering you on Mrs. Sarge!!
  • Sam999
    Sam999 Member Posts: 319 Member
    #4
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    meaganb said:

    Frankly
    I feel like crap. BUT, I'm done and I feel like healing will come. I remember feeling this way after surgery when I was so swollen and miserable and it got better then. So it will definitely get better now. I'll keep y'all updated! 4 more! You can do it!!! Cheering you on Mrs. Sarge!!

    Hurray for Meagan! I can
    Hurray for Meagan! I can only imagine how wonderful you must have felt walking out with the mask!

    I wish you a very speedy recovery post treatment. Keep us posted on how are you doing.

    Sam
  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,722 Member
    #5
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    Good job
    Hi Meagan,

    That is one scary chapter down, congratulations. It is comforting and unnerving at the same time. All the wonderful people which helped you get this far (techs, nurses, dr.) are moving on to the next patients and you are moving on toward the infamous NED. Good luck on your journey, get plenty of rest, drink plenty of fluids and don’t hesitate to ask for help.

    Been there felt that. Mask behind me on the floor.

    Matt

    Did you really ring a bell or is it symbolic?
  • meaganb
    meaganb Member Posts: 244 Member
    #6
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    CivilMatt said:

    Good job
    Hi Meagan,

    That is one scary chapter down, congratulations. It is comforting and unnerving at the same time. All the wonderful people which helped you get this far (techs, nurses, dr.) are moving on to the next patients and you are moving on toward the infamous NED. Good luck on your journey, get plenty of rest, drink plenty of fluids and don’t hesitate to ask for help.

    Been there felt that. Mask behind me on the floor.

    Matt

    Did you really ring a bell or is it symbolic?

    I really rang a bell! I
    I really rang a bell! I thought it was symbolic too. But there is a bell right outside of the doorway where all the radiation machines are. I've been eyeing it for weeks. I went to make my follow up appointment with my RO and the receptionist said, "oh, you finished today. You need to go ring the bell." I had a big cheesy grin on my facecwhen I did it too.;)
  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,722 Member
    #7
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    meaganb said:

    I really rang a bell! I
    I really rang a bell! I thought it was symbolic too. But there is a bell right outside of the doorway where all the radiation machines are. I've been eyeing it for weeks. I went to make my follow up appointment with my RO and the receptionist said, "oh, you finished today. You need to go ring the bell." I had a big cheesy grin on my facecwhen I did it too.;)

    ring it if you got it
    Meagan,

    I’ll be darn; I don’t think I had a bell to ring. Maybe, I did and did not know it. Well, I go back next week for my 12 week post PET scan review and I’ll have to check.

    Rang a bell, pretty cool.

    Matt
  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #8
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    WHOOPIE!!!
    I'm sorry you feel like crap, Meagan...but at least you can feel like crap and not have to pack yourself up everyday and go to rads...YOU'RE DONE!! :):):)

    Mrs. Sarge it's you and me till the end of the week, and then we too will be singing this happy tune. I'm done on Friday...

    p
  • tommyodavey
    tommyodavey Member Posts: 727 Member
    #9
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    phrannie51 said:

    WHOOPIE!!!
    I'm sorry you feel like crap, Meagan...but at least you can feel like crap and not have to pack yourself up everyday and go to rads...YOU'RE DONE!! :):):)

    Mrs. Sarge it's you and me till the end of the week, and then we too will be singing this happy tune. I'm done on Friday...

    p

    This is great
    So many of you are almost done or already done. Mine didn't have a bell to ring or anything of that matter. Had I known of that practice I would have brought my own in and rang it.

    The last two weeks got to me mentally. Mostly due to being so uncomfortable and still exposing myself to the very thing that is making me sick. It seemed kind of like eating more of the food that gave you food poisoning.

    Just like all of you, I knew the end was coming and didn't really care how bad I felt. I just wanted it to end.

    Bring out the party hats, we got ourselves a lot of celebrations!

    May you all heal nice and fast.

    Tom
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #10
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    Happy happy happy
    Oh it feels so good to know when you reached the finish line. I am very glad for you, take care and keep the positive attitude

    Hondo
  • BrianKrashpad
    BrianKrashpad Member Posts: 188
    #11
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    Congrats
    to everyone finishing up!

    Be well.
  • Tonsil Dad
    Tonsil Dad Member Posts: 488
    #12
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    BrianKrashpad said:

    Congrats
    to everyone finishing up!

    Be well.

    Let the healing begin.
    Congrats on getting through your treatment Meagan,
    a few more weeks "cooking" then on the road to wellness.
    I too rang a bell upon finishing and like you said it had a
    symbolic meaning.
    Once again congrats.

    God bless
    Tonsil dad,

    Dan.
  • amy_h414
    amy_h414 Member Posts: 98
    #13
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    woohoo!
    Congratulations on finishing radiation!! Ringing that bell must've felt so good!

    The hospital where my husband goes has a big ol' gong for the patients to bang when they're done. Sooo ready for that day!
  • Tim6003
    Tim6003 Member Posts: 1,514 Member
    #14
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    amy_h414 said:

    woohoo!
    Congratulations on finishing radiation!! Ringing that bell must've felt so good!

    The hospital where my husband goes has a big ol' gong for the patients to bang when they're done. Sooo ready for that day!

    Yeah!!!!!!!
    Happy for you and all the others that are near the end of their tx.

    Tim :):):):)
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #15
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    Diploma...
    Did they give you a celebratory diploma....

    Woot Woot...WTG girl...

    JG
  • nick770
    nick770 Member Posts: 195
    #16
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    Skiffin16 said:

    Diploma...
    Did they give you a celebratory diploma....

    Woot Woot...WTG girl...

    JG

    Congrats
    Way to go now you are well on your way to healing.

    We have a bell over here at the James and I've been eyeing it every day. I do look forward to that day
  • meaganb
    meaganb Member Posts: 244 Member
    #17
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    Skiffin16 said:

    Diploma...
    Did they give you a celebratory diploma....

    Woot Woot...WTG girl...

    JG

    No diploma. I have never
    No diploma. I have never found a space to hang my college diploma though so it's probably just as well:)
  • nwasen
    nwasen Member Posts: 235 Member
    #18
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    nick770 said:

    Congrats
    Way to go now you are well on your way to healing.

    We have a bell over here at the James and I've been eyeing it every day. I do look forward to that day

    Ring the Bell!!!
    Nick
    I had my treatments at the James and the ringing of the bell made me cry. Is Sommer one of your techs? We still stay in touch...great docs, techs, nurses. I go back for check ups and always go down in the basement to visit. My doc, Dr. Siddiqui, left but I still love the staff there.
    Last year they had survivor's day out on Olentangy River Road and we all got to sign one of the steel beams that is going up in the new fantastic building....
    PS they give you a little bell pin to wear, Everytime I look at it I remember the kindness, compassion and caring that I received there.
    Good luck to all of you!!!
    Nancy aka toughcookie
  • Mercygirl
    Mercygirl Member Posts: 2
    #19
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    CivilMatt said:

    Good job
    Hi Meagan,

    That is one scary chapter down, congratulations. It is comforting and unnerving at the same time. All the wonderful people which helped you get this far (techs, nurses, dr.) are moving on to the next patients and you are moving on toward the infamous NED. Good luck on your journey, get plenty of rest, drink plenty of fluids and don’t hesitate to ask for help.

    Been there felt that. Mask behind me on the floor.

    Matt

    Did you really ring a bell or is it symbolic?

    Happy day
    My husband rang the bell after he finished his 7 weeks of radiation for tonsil and uvula cancer. Our daughter took a video with her iphone and we posted it on the blog that I wrote. Everyone could see and hear him ringing the bell. He had a huge smile on his face. It was a wonderful day. We took cupcakes in for the staff at the cancer center. It was a time to celebrate .

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