Week #1, WHAT A MESS!!

After-mask effects

If week number 1 is any indication as to how things will go, I am in for quite a frustrating experience in the coming month.  Day 1 and 2 went by without a hitch, but we hit a brick wall come Wednesday.  I got a phone call early that morning that the machine was down and that I shouldn't come in for treatment until they call me later that day.  No such phone call came until late when they informed me that the machine was still down and likely wouldn't be up any time soon.  When that happened last year, I could be treated on the other machine (Katy has 2 radiation machines), but this year that is not an option.  The treatment plan calls for a specific type of machine to be used and I can only be treated on one of the machines in Katy.  So what option does that leave us, folks?  My only option is to receive treatments at the main MD Anderson location in the medical center in Houston.  I don't like that on many levels, but I don't really get a choice with this either.  They don't want me missing treatments and I have already missed one.  Everything is cumulative and the radiation interferes with the normal cell life cycle so timing of everything is critical.  I guess things could be worse, at least I have another option.  So Thursday's treatment was done at the medical center where I had to find everything.  Katy is so easy, one desk where they send me to a single waiting area with people that I am used to.  The main campus is a whole different animal.  They have a single reception desk but then they disperse you to a different waiting area, I think labeled Waiting Areas A through K.  That's a lot of waiting areas.  I had to stop by the Katy location to pick up my mask and other associated accessories that I need during treatment to take with me so I can use them at the other location.  I had an afternoon appointment and I made it down there with no issues other than the building is a maze and where I parked was at the absolute opposite end of the entire complex from where I needed to be.  They got me in and treated with little issue, so at least it all worked out.  This was Thursday and they told me to leave my mask because I would be coming back on Friday for treatment.  Sweet!  That is some more good news.  This was followed by even more good news, that being my appointment time: 7:20 am.  That makes for an early morning.  That at least means I get everything finished first thing and can get on with my day, other than the fact that I had to go back to Katy and meet with my radiation oncologist.  All in all, my first week of radiation was a mess.  Hopefully they can get it fixed so I can continue my normal schedule.

Outside of the scheduling mess, overall I don't feel all that well.  I don't remember it starting this badly so quickly but I am a year older and have gone through this before so maybe it is quicker to affect me negatively.  Who knows, but I am definitely more nauseous this go round that I remember ever being before.    It started about Wednesday and has been pretty steady since.  Only other real issue is the tiredness.  I am extremely tired.  Focus is also an issue, I have a hard time concentrating on anything for extended periods of time.  I do remember that, just didn't remember the onset being so early in the course of treatment.  Bonus pictures today are images of my radiation field from two different views.