Radiation News!

I learned something today! I saw the radiation oncologist after my treatment, and learned something about when I'll be having my next phase, the internal high dose brachytherapy, and a little bit about what it will be like.

There is still an awful lot that I'm clueless on, but here's what I do know--Apparently, I'll be starting internal radiation pretty immediately; the week after the external radiation ends, the same week where I still have one chemo treatment left. I'll have probably 3 weeks of internal treaments, one or two a week.

During the internal treatment, I'll be in a room on a table where something that's referred to as a "candle" is placed in the vaginal canal. Amazingly enough, this "candle" is long and cylindrical and made of wax. Go figure.

{Make all the jokes you want, just remember that children read this...}

The candle has a hollow core, and a catheter is threaded into the core. Then, the radioactive source material travels from a big lead-lined cabinet, through the catheter, into the candle, to its destination deep in the cancer zone.

There it sits, happily emitting toxic radioactive particles, until such time as I've had enough, and it zips back through the catheter to its cabinet. How long it stays inside me depends on the age of the radioactive isotope. The material gets replaced on a regular basis as it ages, so it's all about where it is in its halflife--it'll stay in anywhere from 3 minutes to a half hour.

All of this will take place in Chico, and be supervised by a Dr. Wallen (if that's how you spell it) who I should meet next week up in Paradise. I thought that since I'd been told "Chico" all along that the center would be the Enloe Cancer Center. Enloe Hospital is where I had my hysterectomy back in March, and has absolutely nothing to do with Feather River Hospital and the cancer center where I'm getting all my current stuff done. So...........if this Dr. Wallen is part of Feather River, then am I having internal at an Enloe facility or a FR facility? I have no clue.

So, that's what I know today. I will, of course, post more information as soon as I have it.

Otherwise, the only other thing I know today is that it's Friday, and I don't have to be ANYWHERE for any treatment until mid day on Monday, and that means that life is grand. I can spend my weekend reveling in the rain, doing puzzles and knitting and reading and watching movies, and maybe even spinning a little! I haven't felt well enough in a long time. Oh, and making Christmas go away. That deserves a couple hours of my time!!!

My DH is going to be home with pizza any time now, so that's it for now. I am spoiled...but I made it through week 3 of this hell, and I am happy!