I met with the radiation oncologist this week to discuss my upcoming treatment. We discussed my pathology report and what that meant in terms of my treatment. The Doc said that treatment is set at the outlay of diagnosis. While my body responded really well to both the chemo and the surgery, he said that doesn’t mean the treatments didn’t miss some microscopic parts of the cancer. We just simply can’t know.
He recommended that we proceed with radiation treatment of the left breast area as well as the lymph nodes in the area. I was concerned about treating the lymph nodes as I had read that it might increase the chances of getting lymphedema. The Doc said that the percentage of risk of lymphedema with radiation only increases by about 4%.
I really was hoping he would say something else in that appointment, but I really wasn’t expecting him too. Despite knowing that he would likely tell me to proceed, I still felt really emotional and upset. I cried in the appointment, and maybe it was because I was hoping that the treatment side of things would be over. But not just yet.
I then had to go into another room to get a CT scan for each radiation treatment. I was placed on a board that had a variety of molds for my body to rest on to try and make me comfortable. The more comfortable I am, the more likely I will be able to sit still during treatment.
The staff helped me get placed on the board and then I went through the CT scan. Then they got me ready for my first tattoo. Small dot tattoos are needed to ensure they get me in the correct position every time I go in for treatment. I need to have 4 in different parts of my chest.
I’m not happy about having these marks on my body. I choose not to have tattoos on my body up to this point. I have nothing against them, they just were not for me. But now I need to have 4. And these 4 symbolize this stupid disease and what I have had to endure. Definitely not something I would have chosen to permanently symbolize on my body.
But this will make the treatment the most effective so on we proceeded. I only received 2 tattoos this week and will get the other 2 for my first radiation treatment. The first tattoo is on my left side, near my armpit. That one felt like a pin prick and not too terrible. The second one is right near my sternum and that hurt! Not a lot of tissue there to take the brunt of the pain. But it was over quickly and now I have two small blue dots on my chest.
My treatments are scheduled to start on January 10th. I’ll have 5.5 weeks of going in every day, Monday –Friday. I will check in with the Radiation Oncologist every week to see how I am handling the treatment. Fingers are crossed that my body handles it fairly well. I am going to try to be active throughout the treatment and I hope my body cooperates.
Until my treatment starts, I likely won’t have much to write about so let me take this time to wish everyone a happy start to 2012. I hope 2011 brought you a lot of fun, love and happiness. Even though my 2011 was not my most fun year, I definitely am appreciative of all the love and support I was shown throughout the year and I feel very lucky and grateful. Happy New Year’s Eve!
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