I’m finally done with radiation therapy! It’s been 20 treatments over almost a month and I was so ready to be done with it. If all goes well, this will be the last of the cancer treatments for me. There’s always a chance it could come back at some time in the future, but the doctors will be following up with me on a regular basis to monitor my status. I see the radiation oncologist again in a month, and I’ll probably be going to see the regular oncologist in a month or two. I’ll probably be having another scan sometime after that, and every few months after that.
Did I mention that I’m glad to be done with this?!??? All-in-all I think radiation was worse than chemo. Having to go every day wears on your psyche. Twenty treatments doesn’t sound like a lot, but it sure felt like a lot. You’re at the hospital so often you get to know a lot of the staff and that’s a scary feeling to me. As far as side effects, I didn’t have the fatigue with radiation that I did with chemo nor did I have the severe constipation. But I did have more mouth sores, very sore and sensitive teeth, a killer radiation burn (thats now peeling, gross), and a host of other maladies.
I’m so lucky it wasn’t harder than it was. It wasn’t easy and it wasn’t fun, but I know lots of people have it worse off.
All somber thoughts aside, here are some pics of the torture chamb…er…radiation therapy room. The big machine is what shoots the radiation. It come out of the area just above my face. They tilt the machine 10 degrees to help miss my spinal cord. After it shoots me from the front (as shown), it spins around and shoots me from the back. As I’ve mentioned before, your head and shoulders are completely immobilized and you have to keep the rest of your body perfectly still during the whole process.
I am so happy for you. I can only imagine what a relief this must be for both you and Elaine. Now maybe you can relax, heal and return to a normal life. I can’t tell you how proud I am of you and the way you have handled this entire situation. You are one hell of a man. You have showed your grit! Good for you!!!
Love Dad
Hey, your done. I am so relieved. Now give yourself some time to heal and recover. I’m so proud of you both. You’ve been through a lot, and I hope being done with this will help you feel better. And getting some hair back will help you feel ‘normal’ again. Thanks for posting all the pictures. It helps to ‘see’ whats going on.
Love you
Mom
I am so happy and relieved that you are done (and God willing forever). That makes me happy that you wont have to suffer through any more treatments. And I love the fact you called it a nuclear sunburn, thats just wierd, yet completely disturbing at the same time.
HAIR!! Its the simple things in life!
Well I wish you a speedy recovery so you can get back to a normal life. Get well soon.
Dolbee
wow. what a journey you’ve had. john, i’m so glad that you are done. to know that your days are now free to spend with your wife and your dogs. and that soon you’ll have to worry about hair gel and primping. that soon you’ll be ready to eat something that won’t have you cringing due to your mouth sores and pained teeth – i hear steak and sour candy!? i know it’s easy for me to say these things…i haven’t been there with you and lived them. i havent been able to be there and help you and your wife on bad days, help with the dogs, bring meals, help with housework and chores, help lift spirits in ways that i would have liked…but know that i would liked to have been. i think these journal blog entries that you’ve written could and will be a lifeline to someone else going through something simailar. hearing the trials that someone else is going through – and hearing how you stayed positive and how you saw humor in even the hard days and disheartening moments – i think that your journey has had a purpose. and i’m so glad that you’re here to tell us about it. love you.