Radiation Week 1 Done

As I have mentioned before, my tumor treatment plan involves combining radiation treatments on my brain and an oral chemotherapy pill regimen to kill the remaining tumor that the neurosurgeon could not remove. I started my radiation treatments and chemo pills on Monday, November 8.

Each day of radiation is exactly the same. I drive up to the radiation doctor's office which is located on the Franklin Square campus. As a radiation patient, I get the express treatment at the doctor's office, and get to go right back to the treatment area when I arrive. This doctor is very good at being on time with the appointments. I enter the radiation room and get up on the table. The machine that delivers the radiation is just like an x-ray machine and it is completely computer-driven. Once I lay down, the technicians strap me to the table with the mask that was made for me a few weeks ago. This is the only uncomfortable part of the treatment. I can not move because the mask is very tight on my face. However, it is necessary to keep me in the same exact position each day so that the radiation hits the proper parts of my brain and doesn't kill anymore of the "good" brain than is absolutely necessary.

The technicians then leave the room. Two x-rays are taken of my brain each day to make sure that I am in the correct position on the table. The doctor checks the x-rays and then the radiation starts. I am hit with radiation from five different angles each day. This ensures that the maximum surface area of the tumor is hit, yet minimal good brain is damaged. I don't feel anything while the radiation runs. The machine beeps and there is a light that pulses so I can tell when the radiation is being emitted, but there is no pain at all. The entire treatment lasts about 10 minutes. The technicians come back into the room, unstrap the mask, and I am free to go.

So far, I've done 6 radiation treatments. That means that I'm 20% finished! My last day of treatment is scheduled for December 21. Last week the only side effect that I experienced was an incredibly itchy rash all over my whole body. I see the radiation doctor each Thursday. I explained my problem to her and she immediately consulted with my oncologist about the rash. They determined that I was probably allergic to another of my medications (an antibiotic), so they took me off of that medicine for now. The rash has thankfully cleared up and I am no longer itchy, so I think they were right about the diagnosis.

I've been taking the oral chemotherapy pills each day since I started the radiation. I take this pill at night, as suggested, to minimize any nausea side effects. I haven't had any other side effects yet (knock on wood) besides being tired. The doctors said it will take about 2 weeks for the side effects to really kick in, so I might start feeling worse later this week or early next week. We just have to wait and see when and what is going to happen as each person is different and experiences different things. I'm just trying to stay optimistic. And I'm looking forward to Christmas because this will over be over by then!!