Monday 27th February 2012 09:00 AM
Dimbleby Cancer Care Unit, Guy's Hospital, London
The actual very last and final session of Chemo, next stop RT.
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| One last "squirt" of Chemo |
03:15 PM
Electra 6, Raidotheripy, Guy's Hospital, London
Exposure #1
Pretty much as advertised...
I arrive about 20 minutes early and have to wait for about an hour and a half for my session, in a stifling, subterranean waiting room. There are forty or so seats most are plain looking green vinyl arm chairs, although about half a dozen of them are gray and high backed. The green ones are quite deceptive they look OK but after sitting in one for fifteen minutes you come to realize that they have been very badly designed with a rod running across the middle of the back, just below your shoulder blades and barely padded at all. In future i'll aim for the comfy gray high back chairs (easier said than done there's so few of them). The heat is so unbearable that from now on I would always would wear a light vest that I can strip down to.
After the long, hot, uncomfortable wait, they finally call me in, I strip to the waist and hop up onto the table of Electra 5 and the two radiographers set to work. There's feet rests, waist clamps, shoulder clamps, hand grips all that have to be set to predetermined positions. Then the head shell is put on and clamped down. I'm immobilized with my eyes shut and and listen to the pitter-patter of feet receding and the door closing.
Electra 6, clicks and ticks, and whirrs and grinds, and hums and shudders, then silence. The sound of the door opening, the pitter-patter of feet advancing. There's a "targeting issue" the RT beam has a tolerance of about 3.5 mm and we are right on the limit.
I'm unclamped, reclaimed and realigned. What I get to hear is the two Radiographers reeling off lists of numbers, cranking handles and comforting positions. 37 in, check, 37 in, 93 long, check, 93 long, 42 in, hang on, yes 42 in, check, anon. Eventually they seem happy and off they go again.
A minute later they are back, not happy, still not "exactly on target" and there are things in my head and neck that they don't want to shoot if they can possibly avoid it. I'm thinking "yes try not to fry my brain, it's my second favorite organ".
A phone call to Teresa Guerrero Urbano and they are all happy again, the edge of the tolerance envelope is OK but no further.
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| The RT Dept missed a trick by not playing the Joe 90 theme as they start the machine |
Electra 6, clicks and ticks, and whirrs and grinds, and hums and shudders, then silence. The sound of the door opening, the pitter-patter of feet advancing. There's a "targeting issue" the RT beam has a tolerance of about 3.5 mm and we are right on the limit.
I'm unclamped, reclaimed and realigned. What I get to hear is the two Radiographers reeling off lists of numbers, cranking handles and comforting positions. 37 in, check, 37 in, 93 long, check, 93 long, 42 in, hang on, yes 42 in, check, anon. Eventually they seem happy and off they go again.
A minute later they are back, not happy, still not "exactly on target" and there are things in my head and neck that they don't want to shoot if they can possibly avoid it. I'm thinking "yes try not to fry my brain, it's my second favorite organ".
A phone call to Teresa Guerrero Urbano and they are all happy again, the edge of the tolerance envelope is OK but no further.
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| The shell was so snug it caused lizard skin |
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| This is exactly what happens to my thighs when I wear fishnet stockings |
25 minutes later we are all done. I'm putting my shirt back on and off home.
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