And Away We Go

Radiation. Not baby.

After a series of informative appointments and meetings yesterday, we learned lots more about my upcoming radiation regime, and we're all ready to go. Yesterday I was fitted with a custom plastic mesh mould that will hold my head in precise placement for each treatment so that the radiation can be directed exactly where it needs to go. It looks like something out of Tron. After a CT scan to help plan the treatment, we met with our Radiation Oncologist Dr. Parsons in the afternoon. She explained that I'll be getting 3500 centigrays of Whole Brain Radiation treatments over 20 cycles. The treatments will take place once a day, Monday to Friday, and they were able to schedule me in for my first appointment today. The decision on this treatment plan was made by an entire team of specialists, based on the premise that we want to Smash this thing, that I'm young and healthy with a good brain, and that with all of you and a baby on our side, my system will be able to handle this treatment. So we're going for it.

Meg in the waiting room, handling the paperwork (as usual)

The treatment today was no sweat. The entire thing took about ten minutes, and the radiation was only directed at me for about two minutes (about a minute on each side). The treatment unit, (like just about everything at the BCCA) is very well run and designed, and the technicians and support staff, (like just about everyone at the BCCA) are incredibly courteous, efficient, and friendly. They allowed Meg in the room to watch the setup, explained the whole process, and generally made the whole thing very comfortable. In general, it was a bit of a sci-fi experience, with the air momentarily being filled with an electric blue light and an ozone smell. Maybe there was something in the room with me, and I'll develop some kind of Spidey powers.

"The mask"

"The machine"

I should feel OK for now, and then within a couple of weeks, I'll lose most of my hair, and likely experience nausea, headaches, fatigue etc for a while. The cost of a cure. So off we go. With the current schedule, I should have my final radiation treatment on Monday, December 21st, three days after the baby's due date, four days before Christmas, and the day that my parents arrive. We like things dramatic around here. As I write this, Meg's whipping up a batch of her famous Caribou spaghetti sauce, and all thus feels right with the world. We can't thank all of you enough for your continued thoughts and messages. Let's get this done.