Less is a Good Thing!

She's right I did not have any problems with the chemo, like a good boy I took all the stuff to make me feel good while taking it. On the down side I had to have someone there with me to drive me home and help me inside to the bed room where I slept unto the next day. Now the radiation is another story, glad to hear you will only get 30 treatment as the last 5 are killers.

Take care and keep your focus ahead

Hondo

Nice to hear you need less treatment than originally thought! And glad to hear that the week might have started out a bit rough, but you are set now, and going to sail through smoothly. You are in our thoughts and prayers!

Kari

Duggie88 said:

"T"

You see, there was a reason for all  that partying in the old days, to prepare you for the hangover from chemo. Sounds like your well underway with a trustfull team that you will never forget. After my radiation team and I parted ways exactly 3 years ago in two weeks, I stopped by to visit them about 8 months ago and they still remembered me. Some forgot my name but they all remembered me as the chip man. I use to take them potatoe chips and pretzels from my home town. Just a small bribe so they would be gentle with the radiation treatments. After all I am a Teamster and since we have a reputation for bribery I figured what the hell, I may as well live up to the reputation.

You hang in there, 30 treatments really does go fast. Think positive and make fun with it, after all they have a tough job zapping people with radiation all day so when you can joke with them and try to have fun, it goes along way in getting you through it.

Enjoy your weekend............you deserve it

      Jeff

CivilMatt said:

good things

T,

 

I am glad to hear it all went well.  It sound like you have a good team (doctors, nurses, techs  and Marcia).  Keep them informed on everything you are feeling, stay hydrated and good luck.

 

Matt

You completed 5 rads and a chemo without even knowing it. Maybe they've slipped in those good drugs already.

Hoping this will be a relatively smooth ride for you all the way. We'll be foloowing in your footsteps shortly.

Luv,

Wolfen

Great that you have less rads and chemo and that so far all is well I pray all continues to go well.

Debbie

fishmanpa said:

Greys

Hi Joe,

I just recently got a grip on greys and spoke to my RO about it on Thursday. I'm getting 70 on the left side and 54 on the right and various amounts elswhere in my head and neck area less than 70. He did mention the trials but until they prove conclusively, the current prescription applies to achieve the optimum results. 

I'm sure most would agree, the treatment itself is a rather bizarre experience.  Being held down by the mask is weird enough but I find the sound the machine makes kind of creepy. I feel like I'm in an alien ship being subjected to some experiment. The sound of the aperatures opening and closing as it rotates counter-clockwise around my head is a little unnerving to say the least but fortunately, I don't need any meds to deal with it. The key for me is Afrin so I can breath clearly and to make sure I clear my throat prior. As the treatment progresses, my docs said they could give me something to dry up any mucous that may present itself. 

(knocking on wood here)... I just hope the remaining weeks go smoothly but I'm prepared for sinkholes

"T"

 PS... Ha! I just re-read my post and saw the unintentional correlation between "greys" and "alien ship".

>> I'm getting 70 on the left side and 54 on the right and various amounts elswhere in my head and neck area less than 70. <<

Correct, the entire role of the physicist and the mapping and sim are to design a program for the machine to provide the unique amount of rad for each area in the field, trying to minimze what I call the "overspray", as the raditation can only be partially contained and there is rads that go beyond the field, even to the other side of the neck for example.

 I am trying to get as close as I can to the Wizard behind the RO, just to try to better understand their rationale for the map they are creating for me. By far, the collateral damage caused by the concurrent IMRT-chemo regimen is the most worrisome part of my journey and the part where I expect to take on the most damange.

I have been somewhat blindsided by only two events thus far. One being "drugged up" during infusion. I, like many, were pretty much knocked out by the drugs to make us "feel more relaxed". Sleeping for nearly six hours is not my definition of being more relaxed. The second infusion cycle was like NO THANKS on the sleepy juice. I came prepared with my laptop and plenty of reading material and made a productive day of it as well as being totally upright for the fatigue battle that ensues. The first time I got knocked down and basically stayed down for a week fighting fatigue from an entirely avoidable disadvantaged position. Ay day of the week, I'll take on the fight standing up, looking you straight in the eye, toe to toe.

Starting cycle III of induction TPF and no sleepy juice for me. thank you very much. too much work to get done.

best

don